Essay contest at Caring and Sharing Learning School highlights solutions to gun violence

Four fifth-graders at Caring and Sharing Learning School were recognized as winners of an essay contest focused on the effects and how to combat gun violence in the community.

Sponsored by DaySpring Baptist Church, the winners of the contest were recognized Thursday morning at Caring and Sharing Learning School at 1951 SE Fourth St. The theme of the contest was “How Can We Curb Gun Violence In Our Community.”

The ceremony featured the contest winners reading their essays and a presentation of awards.

“The Eastside community and the churches are coming together to form a coalition to do more things in the community,” said the Rev. Dr. Marie Herring, pastor of DaySpring. “This (essay contest) will help us due to the information we received from the kids.”

Fifth-graders Barrington Carey, Zendaya Stephens, Deanna Moore and Aulani Newton recited their essays.

Barrington was the first to read his essay.

His essay focused on where he believes gun violence stems from and what the community can do to resolve it, like decreasing the members of gangs and requiring more regulations for gun ownership.

“I think the gun violence in my community comes from people using drugs and looking to get money,” Carey said. “I think it may also come from people disliking one another and that dislike causes them to make stupid choices like shooting each other instead of just talking it out to resolve their issues.”

Zendaya said her experience with gun violence has left her heartbroken.

“Just a few weeks ago, right in my community, a young boy was shot and killed, right across the street from my school,” Stephens said. “He was not much older than people I know.”

She was referring to the murder of a 16-year-old boy in the area of the Woodland Park Apartments in August.

A week later after the shooting, the Gainesville Police Department arrested D’Angelo Deed, 20, and charged him with one count of murder and one count of robbery.

“Now a life is lost forever,” she said.

She said she disagrees with Florida HB 543 that was signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on April 3 and went into effect on July 1 that removed the requirement for having a concealed firearm license to carry a concealed firearm in Florida

Stephens shared her disagreement with a recent law that was passed this year regarding carrying a gun. In the state of Florida, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

To carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm without a license, you must be eligible for a Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License based on the criteria in the Florida Statutes Section 790.06, except you are not required to complete training or pay a licensing fee. According to the Florida Statute, a person must be 21 years of age to purchase a firearm but it does not prohibit those between the ages of 18 and 21 from possessing them.

Deanna agrees with what Zendaya regarding the new gun law.

“We need some restrictions back in place to help because it will only get worse in some of the communities,” Moore said. “People get guns, they sell them, and could even sell them to those who should not have them, like felons, and this is really only going to get worse as time goes on.”

Aulani said music plays a critical role when it comes to gun violence.

“I think there is gun violence in my community because of gang presence and the type of music that is going through the heads of the people in the community,” Aulani said. “Music today says stuff like, ‘I am going to kill this person or that person,’ and that is really not okay. Hearing stuff like this can send a message that this is how people should be living and then young people want to mirror their musical idols.”

Aulani said people should use other alternatives, like joining clubs, other than resorting to gun violence.

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“People can join those kinds of clubs or crowds of people rather than the wrong kinds where killing is happening and bad influences are a common thing,” Aulani said.

After the fifth-graders read their essays, Curtis Peterson, principal of Caring and Sharing Learning School, said it is important for kids to listen to their parents, school officials and elders in the community about how to stay out of trouble.

“Everybody wants to be hard until it’s time to be hard,” Peterson said. “If they listened to their parents beforehand, they wouldn’t be in the situation they’re in now. The same person they didn’t listen to is the same person they’re hollering for when they’re being sent to jail and prison.”

Peterson said he is thankful DaySpring gave a platform for the students to share their thoughts about gun violence.

He said the topic hits home because a few of the students at the school lost a parent over the summer to gun violence.

“We are more than a school. We are a community project,” Peterson said. “We get involved, especially if it’s something positive.”

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: SE G'ville charter school students participate in gun essay contest