standagainstviolence.org

St. Ignatius’ Bobby Grebenc on Fox 8

This video features Tyrone White, and St. Ignatius’ Bobby Grebenc.

The appearance was on Fox 8 News in the morning on 12/7/09.

Silence the Violence – High School Students Honor Jasper Howard

Ohio high school football powerhouses St. Ignatius and St. Xavier team up to shed light on the issue of youth-on-youth violence. The players honored slain UConn football player Jasper Howard by wearing #6 decals, donated by Rotary International, on their helmets during their game Oct. 24, 2009.

Aside from the players, special recognition is due to Ignatius assistant coach Tyrone White, who sought MaxPreps out to help shed light on this worthwhile endeavor during our week-long visit on the Nike 5 Days 2 Friday Road Tour.

This is not an isolated case of goodwill, but a snowballing nationwide social movement in the sports community, so stand up!

OhioVarsity.com Article

October 20, 2009

by Mike Parris
OhioVarsity.com Staff

Cleveland (Ohio) St. Ignatius and Cincinnati St. Xavier will be squaring off this weekend in one of the most highly-anticipated high school football games in the country. But the two teams from opposite corners of the state will be joining together for a greater cause.

St. Ignatius, an all-boys Catholic school on Cleveland’s near Westside, recently began a spirited campaign to prevent youth violence. The philanthropic efforts have been spearheaded by players and coaches of the school’s nationally-ranked football team. The Wildcats, who have won a state-record ten Division I state titles, are taking advantage of their notoriety to extend their reach.

This Saturday, before the Wildcats and Bombers kick off, the schools will honor youths and families affected by violence with a presentation and moment of silence during pre-game.

St. Ignatius and St. Xavier, both Jesuit schools, each share the motto “Men for Others” with community service as a requisite for graduation at both institutions. With philanthropy and service at the forefront, the campaign against youth violence was quickly embraced by St. Ignatius football players when the idea was introduced by assistant football coach Tyrone White.

A Moment of Silence

Dear Friends

I am writing this post asking for your support. I am a student-athlete from St.Ignatius High School and with the support of your school and others throughout Cuyahoga County  we are starting a movement against youth on youth violence. On this site you will find a copy of the Plain Dealer Article where the issue of youth violence and its how it hits home locally. Today what I am asking you, is for your support in this movement,
what that entails would be as follows:

1.) Urge students to sign our online petition – or download a copy here to circulate around your school. Begin making students aware of the issue of youth-on-youth violence. The Center for Disease Control, through its research has discovered, that youth on youth violence is the Second leading cause of death amongst young people. We politely ask that you circulate this petition amongst your student community to say that we will take a stand against violence in their peer group.

2)  Also we are requesting that you have a Moment of Silence at your last Football game of the season the weekend of October 30-31st.  To raise awareness about this issue. If you would like view the announcement made at our football game October 17th please feel free to E~Mail me using the info on the contact page.

3) Once the petitions are filled out mail them or drop them off to:

St.Ignatius High School C/O Kevin Smith 4X
1911 West 30th
Cleveland, Ohio 44113.

Thank You,
Your Friend in a Worth While Cause,
Kevin Francis Smith

Plain Dealer Article

St. Ignatius student-athletes meet with beating victim

By Margaret Bernstein
October 09, 2009, 6:08PM

Some St. Ignatius High School football players have decided that recent news headlines call for them to do more than tutor or feed the homeless to fulfill their school’s service requirement.

They’re launching a county-wide movement against youth violence, and began Friday by visiting with Justin Winemiller, who was beaten viciously Sept. 5 on his way home from the St. Rocco’s Festival on the near West Side.

A half dozen members of the Cleveland school’s undefeated football team met Winemiller and his mother at the Cleveland Police Department 2nd District headquarters, where they also got a chance to say thanks to the officer who stopped the beating.
Winemiller, who is recovering from a broken jaw, received an armful of gifts from the student-athletes, including a St. Ignatius T-shirt, an envelope of collected cash and an invitation to be guest of honor at their next home game, Oct. 17, against Detroit’s Inkster High.

The teens, led by assistant football coach Tyrone White, said their game will begin with a moment of silence, so attendees can reflect on recent incidents of youth violence and consider what they can do to stop it. They intend to ask local high schools to institute a moment of silence at sporting events for the rest of the year.