Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., Monday said that the student-delegates to the Youth Summit 2000 which he hosted over the weekend provided valuable insight that could help in the effort to prevent youth violence in West Virginia schools.

“At the Youth Summit, we heard from people who, along with the teachers, are closest to the problem of violence in our schools. These student delegates were enthusiastic and articulate, and shared strong insights into the causes of, and possible solutions to, the problem of youth violence,”Byrd said.

The Robert C. Byrd Youth Summit 2000 on Saturday involved 250 student delegates from 40 West Virginia counties. The delegates discussed several causes of youth violence, including peer pressure and eroding family structures. The delegates expressed their belief that there needs to be a revival of home and family values, and that parents need to participate more in school activities,”Byrd explained.”The students also said that the media contributes to violence. Many delegates pointed to the glamorization of violence on television and in other media outlets as a contributing factor in the violence carried out in schools,”Byrd stated.”Delegates said that, in school, teachers and students should take more time to know each other, and that students should be willing to talk with each other. Through this type of improved communication, delegates said that students can help to break down the barriers that often lead to a feeling of isolation, replacing it with a stronger sense of community and interconnection,”Byrd explained.

These young West Virginians also said there was a need for more positive adult role models.

Byrd plans to publish a full report on the Youth Summit on his Internet site (http://byrd.senate.gov/). He also expects to provide summaries of the discussions to all 55 county school superintendents in the state.”I plan to share the delegates’insights with other members of Congress. The Senate, in the next few weeks, is scheduled to debate the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. During that debate, I plan to tell the Senate what the young people in West Virginia think should be done to address youth violence,”Byrd said. The Robert C. Byrd Youth Summit 2000 was produced in conjunction with West Virginia University. University President David C. Hardesty said the event proved to be a powerful and successful one.

“The summit delegates spoke about important issues, such as personal responsibility and the need to includenot excludestudents in a sense of community. I was impressed with the depth of the discussions, and hope that their ideas will spark action,”Hardesty said. The Youth Summit stemmed from Morgantown High School student Adam Bullian’s suggestion to Byrd following last summer’s symposium,”Building Safe Schools and Healthy Communities: The West Virginia Response.”