Dallas Violence-Free Zone

The Violence-Free Zone approach was first introduced into a school by Omar Jahwar, founder and executive director of Vision Regeneration in Dallas. The school was Madison High School, which had an immediate drop in suspensions, gang incidents, fights, and other incidents, and an increase in attendance, grades, and student participation in activities. Within a few years, Dallas school officials asked that the VFZ program go to other schools, since Madison, once one of the most violent schools, had become one of the most peaceful.

For the 2009/2010 school year, the Violence-Free Zone is operating on a limited basis in six Dallas middle schools and five high schools. They are: Pearl C. Anderson, E. B. Comstock, Billy Earl Dade, D. A. Hulcey, and Maynard Jackson middle schools; Lincoln, Amaceo, South Oak Cliff, and David Carter high schools; and Village Fair Alternative School. There are seven Vision Regeneration Youth Advisors working in the schools, serving on a rotating basis among the schools and responding where needed.

The organization’s mission is to reach at-risk youths and transform their values, attitudes, morals, and therefore, their futures. With a variety of school-based and community programs, it serves middle and high school students in the South Dallas community.

Vision Regeneration operates its programs within the Dallas Independent School District as well as within the Dallas County Juvenile Department. Its programs are primarily focused on gang prevention/intervention, education/awareness, and personal accountability/responsibility. Vision also operates an after-school program and summer program that provides assistance to youth who have a high susceptibility to become involved in antisocial behavior. Vision's website is www.vrinc.org.

Jahwar and Vision Regeneration have pioneered in another way, launching a dynamic new social networking, entertainment, and communications campaign designed to offer young people a positive alternative to the negative messages that dominate the youth culture today. Called PostiveXchange, the campaign has four elements: the social networking www.PositiveXchange.com site; Xchange TV; the MYJournal; and the live PostiveXchange Saturday Summit.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Omar Jahwar
Executive Director
Vision Regeneration, Inc.
209 Henry Street
Dallas, TX 75226

Mailing Address:
PO Box 458
Lancaster, TX 75146
Phone 972-218-1921 FAX 972-218-1927
Email: ojahwar@vrinc.org
Website: www.vrinc.org
Website: www.PositiveXchange.com