Sometimes the only people that can reach and inspire children are other children.
Boynton Beach High School students have been engaging in a variety of programs to teach and mentor area youth.
Last week, the Teen Leadership class went to Christa McAuliffe Middle School to teach violence prevention lessons through non-violent conflict resolution, self-esteem building and healthy relationship building.
The visit was part of three weeks of visits to local elementary and middle schools. Before Christa McAuliffe, students from the class went to Forest Park Elementary.
The class and Aid To Victims of Domestic Abuse joined forces to promote violence prevention. AVDA presented a nine-week curriculum to the Teen Leadership Class from October through January.
Since January, AVDA has worked with the students to help them build workshops for younger youth that they will present to address the foundations of preventing intimate partner violence.
“The students wrote the lessons themselves and picked a grade they wanted to go and teach it to,” said Geri Grocki, the leadership teacher.
Students are working in groups of three and they have chosen the grade level they would most like to make an impact on.
In addition to the violence prevention program, the leadership students also make trips to Poinciana Elementary on Wednesdays to pair up with third-graders and read to them.
“They each chose a third-grader, and then get to mentor them and spend time with them,” Grocki said. “These kids are really working so hard and trying to make a difference in the community.”

Read more about this story in the April 29 issue of the Boynton Forum.
Mike Rothman can be reached at mkrothman@tribune.com.