On June 28, the finalists of the Invent2Prevent program were hosted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships in association with EdVenture Partners, Credence Management Solutions, and the McCain Institute. The program encourages college and high school students to create innovative projects to help 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,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, according to a press release by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “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
According to the press release, the winners in the university and high school categories, respectively, were Xavier University of Louisiana and Glassboro High School of Glassboro, New Jersey. The Still We R.O.S.E. project from Xavier University aims to prevent the harmful spread of antisemitic language in the African American community by educating students at historically Black colleges and universities on the rise of antisemitism. The R.E.S.P.E.C.T. project at Glassboro High School establishes a mentorship program to pair new freshmen with older students and lessen social isolation.
“There is nothing more exciting than an auditorium charged with the anticipation of discovering what our Invent2Prevent finalists have created,” said Tony Sgro, Founder and CEO of EdVenture Partners said, according to the press 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.”
More than 1,100 students have taken part in Invent2Prevent since its Spring 2021 launch at 119 institutions spread throughout 32 states and Washington, D.C., as well as 92 high schools spread across 22 states, according to the press release. College teams are able to grow and scale their initiatives and projects through the DHS CP3 supported program. Students submitted their concepts to a panel of judges in Washington, D.C., during the final stage of the competition for a chance to win funds to promote their suggested efforts. Each university team examined a current national danger, such as gun violence, antisemitism, or extremism, as part of this semester-long research. The 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.
