Charlie the Crime Stopper made a powerful impact with the students of Luther Thorne Memorial School yesterday when he urged them to “say no to gangs and violence”, drugs, bad advice and bullying, among other negatives in society.
The mascot, who danced and sang his way into the children’s hearts, pointed out that by getting involved in these types of bad behaviour, it could only lead to prison, causing parents, grandparents, teachers and others who loved them to be hurt in the process.
“Imagine yourself in a locked space the size of a bathroom for two weeks, only receiving food . . . , no friends, no games, that is not what you want, do you want to go to prison?” he asked, to loud screams of “Noooooo!”
The mascot was part of a Say No To Gangs And Violence pilot project being headed by youth commissioner Corey Marshall, who represents the St Michael South-Central Branch of the Youth Development Programme.
Marshall, in highlighting the project that is set to run for two weeks and encompasses the St Paul’s School, said he came up with the idea after reading the newspaper and seeing the various bullying stories.
