The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships collaborated with other agencies to host the finalists of Invent2Prevent, a program that empowers students to prevent targeted violence and terrorism in their communities.
“The Invent2Prevent program gives some of our nation’s most talented young people an opportunity to play a pivotal role in the prevention process and help us better understand the threats faced by individual communities,” DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in a release by the department. “Teams were challenged to consider not only how they might counter targeted violence, terrorism, and acts of hate, but also how to empower initiatives that advocate for community connectedness and inclusivity, mentorship, and the accessibility of pro-social activities. The winners and finalists rose to that challenge and the work they are doing is vital to safeguarding our future.”
Xavier University of Louisiana and Glassboro High School of Glassboro, NJ, were winners of the university and high school categories, respectively. DHS hosted the event along with EdVenture Partners, Credence Management Solutions, and the McCain Institute. Xavier's winning project, Still We R.O.S.E., works to educate students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities on the surge of antisemitism to prevent the dangerous spread of antisemitic rhetoric in the African American community, the release said. Glassboro High School’s project, R.E.S.P.E.C.T., creates a mentoring program to connect incoming freshman with upperclassman and reduce student isolation.
More than 1,100 students at 119 schools nationwide have taken part in Invent2Prevent since its launch in 2019. Students submitted their concepts to a panel of judges in Washington during the final stage of the competition for a chance to win funds to promote their efforts. Each team examined a current national danger, such as gun violence, antisemitism, or extremism, as part of this semester-long research. Teams then discovered a chance to develop a program or instrument to enhance community strengths or better educate the public and reduce the possibility of terrorism and targeted violence.
“There is nothing more exciting than an auditorium charged with the anticipation of discovering what our Invent2Prevent finalists have created," Tony Sgro, Founder and CEO of EdVenture Partners, said in the release. "With each Invent2Prevent competition, we are consistently reminded of how capable, talented, brilliant, and innovative our nation’s youth are. The level of design, the unique approach to hard topics, and the caliber of execution from each of our finalist teams surpasses all our expectations time and time again. But the greatest pleasure of this program is watching the confidence that quietly builds over the course of the semester, especially for our high school students. To have students walk away knowing that they already possess the ability to create a brighter and safer future and that they are supported in their endeavors to create lasting change is the core mission of Invent2Prevent.”
