Marielis Batista
Haverhill High School’s Violence Intervention and Prevention Team, better known as VIP, devotes itself to addressing all forms of violence through community collaboration, training and education, prevention and outreach. The club was founded by Haverhill High School teenagers in 2005. The purpose of the group is to focus on peer leadership skills and activities designed to mentor and educate younger kids on violence prevention. VIP has more than one hundred members including middle school and high school students, VIP alumni, and adult mentors. In addition to pledging to uphold the program’s mission of peace, members of the club give presentations on violence prevention and attend training workshops on conflict resolution, leadership and public speaking.
Mrs. Nieves, one of VIPs mentors and supervisor of the Education & Responsibility Center of Haverhill High School, said that this club gives her purpose, appreciative that she gets to do something that’s apart of her. Another mentor, Andy Polanco, also said that the club is a big part of his life. He was one of those “tough” kids when he was younger and became a better person when he joined a club such as the VIP team. Andy says that he wants to give this back to others, now as teens and as students so they can have a better future. As for current VIP members, they said that they feel safe and that the club is a place where they can be themselves. One student described VIP by saying,"We are all a family."
VIP has taken team members on many trips to support their members and causes, including a recent trip to New York City, free of cost. Students also participate in a variety of community service activities such as the Walk of Peace, which was celebrated October 3rd, in the city of Haverhill. After involving themselves with VIP for one year, students have the opportunity to become members of the club. After two years, students become leaders. VIP's immense community ties and outreach is what really sets them apart. VIP meets each Wednesday after school in the VIP room down the A-wing , and welcomes new members throughout the year.
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