Do the Write Thing: Mecklenburg Students Share Their Stories on a National Stage

Two middle school students represented Mecklenburg County as national ambassadors at the Do the Write Thing (DtWT) Recognition Summit July 20 - 24. Justice Fields from Whitewater Middle School and Qui’Arie Randall from Northeast Middle School had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. for the annual conference.

The students participated in the annual Do the Write Thing writing program, where middle schoolers across the nation had the opportunity to write about topics relating to youth violence. DtWT is a program of the National Campaign to Stop Violence program, sponsored by the Kuwait-America Foundation.  

The two students’ writing samples were chosen out of 933 entries from 30 Charlotte-Mecklenburg middle schools. Students submitted poems, essays, and stories about how acts of violence have affected them. Most students wrote about cyberbullying, school fights, or gun violence. Qui’Arie and Justice were invited to D.C. alongside 52 other middle schoolers, as well as their guardians and teachers.  

The first few days of the summit included workshops, a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court, and a bus tour of landmarks. The students were treated to a dinner at the residence of the Ambassador of Kuwait to the U.S. The Kuwait-America Foundation's commitment to reducing violence everywhere is a foundational principle behind the DtWT program.

“The horrendous pain of being a victim of violence feels the same way no matter where you are in the world...” said Shaikha Al-Sabah Al-Zain, Ambassador of Kuwait to the U.S., in a speech to the students. 

On the final day, Qui’Arie and Justice toured Capitol Hill and met with Ashley Teague, legislative assistant for Congressman Chuck Edwards, the representative of North Carolina's 11th district. Next, the students visited the Library of Congress, where a leatherbound book of their writing will be stored. The activities finished with a recognition dinner ceremony at the National Press Club where the U.S. Army Band kicked off the night with an opening song, guest speakers and activists talked, and hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon performed freestyle raps.  

The theme of this year’s summit was “Humanity First.” In her DtWT entry, Qui’Arie wrote about how experiencing bullying led her to take out her feelings on others. After feeling like she didn’t belong, Qui’Arie realized she needed to change and now works to be inclusive and welcoming. Justice wrote about a fight that ended in the death of a 15-year-old cheerleader. The experience has led him to encourage others to practice conflict resolution and communication. Both students emphasized the importance of having empathy and expressing kindness towards everyone.  

Do the Write Thing specifically targets middle school students because of their unique perspectives of youth violence. DtWT asks three questions: What are the causes of youth violence? How has violence affected your life? What can you do to reduce youth violence?

Through the program, students are able to use their creativity and writing skills to share their opinions and experiences. Traveling to D.C. to meet other ambassadors and political figures is the next step in making their voices heard.

In a time where the total number of acts of violence and crimes in North Carolina schools is increasing, prevention is more important than ever. Now that Justice and Qui’Arie are back home, they can use what they learned in D.C. to continue being role models in their schools.