DELRAY BEACH - As residents see an increase in youth and gang violence across Palm Beach County, more than a dozen area youths will attend a national conference to explore ways of preventing crime in their community.

Members of the Knights of Pythagoras Mentoring Network and the Raising our Self Esteem (ROSE) Mentoring Network, will attend the 22nd National Conference on Preventing Crime in the Black Community in Orlando from May 30-June 2.

“With the increase in gangs activities in our communities these days, we want to empower these kids with all the positive alternatives as well as learn about the negative consequences of their possible actions,” said Angela McKennon, a mentor with the ROSE Mentoring Network.

Experts on school violence prevention, gang resistance, self-esteem and juvenile justice will share their ideas and weigh possible solutions to the crime and violence that exists in our communities with law-enforcement officials, government leaders, educators, social-service representatives, teens and others from throughout Florida and Georgia.

“It also affords African-American youth from around the country the opportunity to meet for a few days and talk about issues that they face in their own communities and to tell the experts which programs they see work and which ones are missing the mark,” said Robert Dodd, program manager for the Knights of Pythagoras Mentoring Network.

The youth ideally will take back proven programs that have been demonstrated at the conference, Dodd added.
“If these kids can be educated, trained and informed, then we can stop a generation of criminals,” he said.
The students and adults will participate in separate workshops at the conference, sponsored jointly by Georgia Attorney General Thurbert E. Baker and Florida Attorney General Bill Nelson.

The Urban League of Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office are sponsoring the trip.

The mentoring programs reinforce lessons on courtesy, responsibility and character in children ages 7 to 17 from Palm Beach and Broward counties.

Adult volunteers also take the children on field trips, help with homework, provide cultural activities and camps throughout the year.

The effort was named a Governor's Point of Light last year.
For information, call 561-716-3655 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .