To the casual eye, De'Qonton Davis' neighborhood seems pleasant and sunny. But on closer look, the scars of poverty and a lingering recession become apparent, high unemployment, foreclosures and some of the highest crime rates in the city.
Last month, 14-year-old De'Qonton said he began making it a point to walk with his sister, after a man she didn't know repeatedly tried to get her into his car. Terrijana refused and got away unharmed.
De'Qonton believes neighborhood problems have had an effect on many students growing up in the neighborhood. And two years ago, he noticed a trend of violence starting on social media websites and spreading to his classrooms at John Hopkins middle school.
What the violence did was spark an idea for De'Qonton. He hoped to shine a light on the roots of the fighting and why it was happening at John Hopkins.
De'Qonton led a team of his classmates in producing a video for the PBS NewsHour Reporting Labs, which showcases student journalism across the nation.
The students questioned other students, teachers, administrators and campus police in search of answers as to what was causing the dramatic number of arrests and assaults at John Hopkins.
The end result was a striking six-and-half-minute report titled "Fighting Chance," a deeply honest look at the problems inside the school.
And as for his video, which drew attention from local media outlets and is now gaining national exposure, De'Qonton says there is one person in particular he's hoping will watch it -- President Barack Obama.
Quotes
"If I didn't have a camera, I would probably be led up with the wrong people and doing the wrong stuff. And I wouldn't probably make it to college," - De'Qonton Davis.
Warm Up Questions
1. What is a reporter?
2. Do you think reporters have certain responsibilities? If so, what are they?
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think De'Qonton and his classmates chose to produce a video about school violence?
2. Do you have a video journalism class in your school? What types of topics would you like to explore?
Additional Resources
Fighting Chance? Students Investigate Middle School Violence
