For immediate release
October 16, 2003

CAVEAT Day encourages safe schools, communities
Students from across Hastings and Prince Edward will come together on October 30th to learn about making their schools and communities safer. The Child and Youth Counsellor team of the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board is holding its seventh annual CAVEAT Day at Belleville’s Eastminster United Church. Building on past successes, CAVEAT Day is an excellent opportunity for students to train and prepare for a year of numerous student led initiatives.

CAVEAT (Canadians Against Violence Everywhere Advocating its Termination) was a non-profit charitable organization, founded in 1992 by Priscilla de Villiers, of Burlington, Ontario, after the murder of her daughter, Nina. CAVEAT puts an emphasis on education as a tool to break the cycle of violence. CAVEAT Day was introduced by the Child and Youth Counsellor team to the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board in 1996, as a response to the tragic deaths of three Belleville teens. CAVEAT Day continues to work towards educating our students in ways to end violence in our schools and communities. As a result of CAVEAT Day, many anti-violence initiatives have been introduced to local schools.

There is a variety of school representation at CAVEAT Day. Each of the eight secondary schools in the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board will be invited, as well, there will be representation from alternative programs, the local Catholic secondary schools, and The Sir James Whitney School. In addition, a number of elementary schools have begun participating in CAVEAT Day and are bringing the benefits of this program back to their schools. Each school forms a school-based CAVEAT Committee upon return to their school in order to facilitate the skills and ideas learned throughout the day.

CAVEAT Day 2002 workshops include:
• Your Schools: How Can We Make Them Safer?
• Random Acts of Kindness Week
• Violence in Dating
• Homophobia
• Dangers of Cyberspace
• Preventing Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault
• Self Defense Awareness

In addition CAVEAT Day will feature a drama by Moira Secondary School students addressing issues of violence.

We are looking forward to a thought-provoking and action-inspiring day!

For information, contact:
Sarah Hopper, Child & Youth Counsellor, SHAPE Program, 962-2140