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WHEREAS, The "Do the Write Thing Challenge" is an initiative of the National Campaign to Stop Violence, which gives middle school students an opportunity to write about the impact of violence in their lives ; and,
WHEREAS, The "Do the Right Thing Challenge" gives teachers the opportunity to engage students in classroom discussions about violence where the students express what they think should be done to change the culture of violence and are encouraged to make personal commitments to help reduce violence ; and,
WHEREAS, Judge Dwayne D. Woodruff, a Judge in the Juvenile Division of the Family Court of the Court of Common Pleas, and his wife , Joy Maxberry Woodruff, serve as Co-Chairs of Allegheny County/Pittsburgh's "Do the Write Thing Challenge", soliciting the Steelers Art Rooney II and Coach Mike Tomlin, County Executive Dan Onorato, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Max Baer, Judges Kathryn Hens Greco, Kathleen Mulligan and Kim Berkeley Clark, Retired Judge Livingstone Johnson, Philadelphia Judge Paul Panepinto, Evan Frazier of Highmark and City Councilman Doug Shields to read and choose the best writings that were initially read and narrowed down by students from the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University School of Law ; and,
WHEREAS, Durelle Ward, an eighth grade student at Pittsburgh's Sterrett Classical Academy and Nina Nelly Kowalewski, a seventh grade grader at Obama International Studies Academy, were chosen as the top male and top female students , chosen for their winning essays out of the 1,399 submissions ; and,
WHEREAS, Durelle and Nina will join other National Ambassadors from each participating city to be honored this summer at the 2011 DTWT National Recognition Week in Washington, DC, where they will meet with national policymakers and discuss youth violence issues. A book of all the student writings will be placed in the United States Library of Congress.
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby commends Judge Dwayne and Joy Woodruff for their commitment to the children of our region to reduce violence, their respective teachers, Patricia Pugh Mitchell and DeLacey Green, for nurturing their spirit and encouraging their work, the judges who gave of their time and expertise and congratulates Durelle Ward and Nina Nelly Kowalewski for their winning essays.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare December 6, 2011, to be "DO THE WRITE THING DAY" in the City of Pittsburgh.