March 2000 

Students Organize to "End School Violence Now"   

Reports of violence in high schools around the nation gripped the hearts of students at Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment in Fairfield, Iowa. Among themselves they knew the Transcendental Meditation technique was a solution. But what could they do to help their fellow students?

When Laura DeAngelis was invited by Congressman Boswell to attend the Voices Against Violence conference in Washington, D.C., the students knew it was time to stop talking and start acting.

On January 3, 2000, these students inaugurated a non-profit organization, End School Violence Now (ESVN), to bring the TM technique to the awareness of students, educators and political figures around the country. It already has 12 chapters with over 100 members.

"We know this program works," says senior Laura Moses. "We felt a responsibility to start this. We’re not trying to recruit people to our school. They can have this technique in their own school."

"People aren’t really addressing the problem properly," adds ESVN President Joseph Jorgensen. "They go around in circles. Their attention is on the problem and it’s not getting anywhere. We have something to offer.

Senior Laura DeAngelis agrees, "You can give students as many rules as you want, you can get rid of guns or knives. But getting rid of weapons is not going to stop violence because it’s not the weapons committing the crime. It’s the violent kid. Only nourishment from within the student himself can replace stress and anger with peace and happiness."

"Many students are like a smokestack with a plug," says ESVN member Kevin Incorvia. "Eventually the smokestack will explode. But if you put a vent on the smokestack the smoke goes through smoothly. TM is the vent for reducing stress. When the stress is reduced students don’t have to take it out on other students."

ESVN has prepared a videotape and a press packet. To request copies call 515- 472-6203, fax 515-472-9715, e-mail esvn@lisco.com, or visit their Web site www.endschoolviolencenow.org.

ESVN Students Speak to Their Generation

On January 29, 2000, members of ESVN spoke at the Youth Summit on Non-Violence in Lakewood, Colorado. Over 600 students and parents attended. "We came to inform people about our practical solution to end school violence," says Joseph Jorgensen, National President of ESVN. "We can’t continue to let our generation suffer." After ESVN’s presentation, a show of hands indicated about three-fourths of the audience felt the TM technique was an approach that would be valuable in reducing violence in schools.

Members of ESVN will also be speaking at these upcoming events:

• March 4, 2000—Center for Consciousness-Based ^SM Education, San Diego, CA.
• April 25, 2000—The Ford Hall Forum, Boston, MA.
• April 30, 2000—The Brain and Learning Conference, Cambridge, MA