U.S. Attorney’s Office and Community Partners to Sponsor Drug Education/Violence Reduction Partnership Leadership Camp for South Florida Youth

July 15-20^th, 2019

Nova Southeastern University

The United States Attorney's Office Violence Reduction Partnership endeavors to create safer communities for our residents and our youth, by directly addressing gang and violent crime problems in the Southern District of Florida. The district's Drug Education for Youth (D.E.F.Y.)/Violence Reduction Partnership Leadership Camp promotes this goal through an anti-gang, anti-gun, anti-drug, anti-violence, and anti-bullying curriculum which targets at-risk youth ages 9-12 from high-crime, impoverished neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is proud to co-sponsor this invaluable program with the Overtown Youth Center and other community partners.

Since 2004, this week-long, over-night Leadership Camp has provided more than 800 at-risk kids with the tools they need to resist drugs, gangs, violent behavior, and bullying. The D.E.F.Y./Violence Reduction Partnership Leadership Camp's structured curriculum includes educational activities such as drug resistance, gang resistance, conflict resolution, anti-bullying, internet safety and life skills classes. In addition, the Leadership Camp offers the youth swimming lessons and physical fitness training programs that promote a healthy lifestyle, safety, increased self-confidence, mental health and leadership skills.   The goal of the Leadership Camp is to have the youth return to their communities with the skills, knowledge and ability to make the right choices and resist violence, gangs and negative peer pressure, while maintaining a healthy and positive way of life.

This year, the D.E.F.Y./Violence Reduction Partnership Leadership Camp will be held July 15-20th, at Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  More than 50 youth will be attending the Camp.  The participating youth are from areas including, Homestead, Overtown, Goulds, Miami Gardens, Pompano, Lake Worth, and Ft. Pierce.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks Nova Southeastern University, the Overtown Youth Center, City of North Miami Beach, municipal entities, and other local law enforcement entities for their support of this program. 

Additional information regarding VRP initiatives is available at usafls.vrp@usdoj.gov (link sends e-mail) or by calling (305) 961-9134.

OPEN PRESS:  The news media is welcome to attend the D.E.F.Y./Violence Reduction Partnership Leadership Camp.  Interested members of the press should contact Special Counsel Sarah Schall at sarah.schall@usdoj.gov to make arrangements to visit the Camp.