SaulPaul was honored to have the opportunity to celebrate students and their families at The Do the Write Thing Award Ceremony as the keynote and special guest performer. The award ceremony celebrated participants in their national writing program for junior high students organized by the U.S. National Campaign to Stop Violence to prevent violence. He inspired, empowered and entertained the audience full of middle school teachers, their parents and close family members as well as local champions of the program at The Exotic Game Ranch and Pavillion at Texas Disposal Systems. He performed select songs from his album, including Mama and I Can Only Be Me. He shared a message of hope, inspiration and empowerment.
All the students and their families were given a tour of the exotic game ranch, which is home to more than 2,000 animals from over 100 different species – from six of the seven continents—including species from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.
After the tour, the award ceremony began led by Chairman Judge Clifford Brown along with support from fellow Chairmen Judge Orlinda Naranjo and Mr. Christopher R. Mugica. This year two students were selected from Burnet Middle School. Along with their teacher and a parent, they will be flown out courtesy of Southwest Airlines and honored at a national recognition ceremony in Washington, DC. While in Washington, DC, the DTWT National Ambassadors visit the United States Library of Congress, The United States Supreme Court, the United States Capitol and the Kuwait Embassy. Their essays will be published in one volume, which will then be presented to the Library of Congress.
About The DTWT challenge
The DTWT challenge is a writing program for junior high students organized by the U.S. National Campaign to Stop Violence. Intended to reduce youth violence, the Do the Write Thing Essay Challenge Program began in 1994 as a local program in Washington, D.C. and expanded in 1996 to other cities.
Aimed at middle school students, one of the program’s primary objectives is to motivate students to make a personal commitment, in writing, to help prevent and reduce youth violence in their home, school, and communities.The students are then asked to address these three questions in an essay for submission: How has youth violence and drugs affected my life? What are the causes of youth violence? What can I do about youth violence? Contest finalists are recognized locally and select essay winnder take part in a national celebration in Washington D.C.
SaulPaul with the Do The Write Thing Medals
