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Gun violence is on the decline in Philadelphia, however for college students, educators, households, and neighbors who’ve been affected by shootings within the metropolis, each incident is life-altering.
That’s why Chalkbeat Philadelphia is launching a brand new challenge to report on gun violence by way of the prism of faculties and training. Over the following 12 months, we’ll cowl the impression of gun violence on Philly’s college students and efforts to search out options to the general public well being disaster.
We’re excited to announce West Philadelphia resident Sammy Caiola will spearhead this protection. Sammy is an award-winning textual content and audio journalist with a decade of expertise telling tales about trauma.
She beforehand served as the primary gun-violence prevention reporter at WHYY, the place she undertook a two-month neighborhood listening tour that knowledgeable her reporting in Philly. She has additionally been a particular initiatives reporter and an interim editor for Kensington Voice, a hyperlocal information web site targeted on protecting the Kensington neighborhood, which has skilled a disproportionate variety of shootings in recent times.
Sammy can also be the co-director of the Affiliation of Gun Violence Reporters, a brand new networking group designed to help journalists who cowl firearms and their impression. She’s held a number of fellowships on the World Middle for Journalism Trauma and the USC Annenberg Middle for Well being Journalism (AHCJ), and is at the moment a mentor with AHCJ’s firearms reporting fellowship.
Sammy’s protection will give attention to a number of key questions: How do faculties help college students who’re the victims or perpetrators of gun violence? How ought to faculties tackle the chance of suicide? How do educators work to show college students making an attempt to reside amid the specter of shootings? How does this surroundings impression attendance, instructing, and studying? What’s working to forestall violence or help younger folks? What may faculties and officers be doing higher?
This yearlong challenge was developed with The New York Occasions’s Headway initiative, which covers progress on societal challenges.
We’re nonetheless shaping this beat and we are able to’t do it with out you, our readers and fellow Philadelphians. You possibly can observe our work by signing up for our publication and please attain out to our ideas electronic mail philly.ideas@chalkbeat.org when you have story concepts. You may as well ship a safe message by way of the Sign app to our tipline: (908) 827-1448.
Carly Sitrin is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Philadelphia. Contact Carly at csitrin@chalkbeat.org.
