Broad Ripple High School campus administrator Greg Allen held the first of several parent-community forums on May 21, 2007. It was sponsored by IPS Alternative/Drug Education Office and Charter One Foundation. In attendance were teachers, parents, community leaders, and neighbors. After a blessing by Tony Wallace, a buffet dinner was served by King Ribs.

"Approximately four weeks ago," explained Mr. Allen, "there was a shooting right outside the property of Broad Ripple High School and one of our students was wounded. It is my understanding that he healed fine. Thanks to the very quick and handy work of Mr. Keith White, assistant campus administrator, in conjunction with school police we were able to apprehend the perpetrator within a matter of ten minutes. I lost a lot of sleep over that because it happened on Greg Allen's watch - I took it extremely personally. The next morning I met with the student leadership cadre. Empowering the student voice is tremendous. Their love is real, their pain is real, their fears are real, and their joys are real. Listen to what your youngsters are saying. After meeting with the students I met with the faculty. Then, I knew I wanted to meet with the parents."

This first parent-community meeting at BRHS is part of a larger plan by Mr. Allen that includes further meetings between the area elementary and middle schools with their parents and community. "If every high school in Indianapolis, regardless of the district they are in, duplicates what we are about to begin, think about the message that will be spread across the Indianapolis community as it relates to violence in our community, in our schools, and around our homes. There is a lot of hard work to be done, but that work cannot happen in isolation."

Mr Allen described his years in Chicago. "I spent three years of my life on the south side of Chicago. At that time, there were only two street gangs. Shortly thereafter - a major explosion. We only think we have a gang problem in Indianapolis. We don't have anything by comparison to three hours north of us." Mr. Allen explained that ignoring that gang problem we currently have can cause it to get much worse.

"I maintain that this [first meeting] is the beginning of some very significant work to make an impact on the reduction of violence, on the reduction of drug and alcohol abuse, on the reduction of bullying. We do that work by educating ourselves, educating our youngsters, and educating our community leaders. Nobody has all of the answers but together we can make a difference."

Mr. Allen recognized Tony Perkins, executive director of TCI, Inc., in the audience. Mr. Perkins and Mr. Allen had discussed plans for parent-community forums that would begin in the fall. The morning after that initial planning meeting Mr. Perkins called to announce that the meetings didn't need to wait until fall - he had a sponsor and all he needed from Mr. Allen was a date for the first forum.

The forum was divided into four sessions. The attendees broke up into four groups and after thirty minutes, switched sessions. After the sessions everyone returned to the cafeteria for a wrap-up. The four sessions were:

• School and Community: keeping kids safe - Rocket Dads. Tony Wallace explained the Arlington High School Security Dads program and how Rocket Dads can become just as effective at BRHS.
• In-School Support - Rocket Moms. Pam Dorner-Saxhuag and Linda Wallace held a session on tutoring, exam help, and fundraising. The Rocket Moms is a proposed program at BRHS where moms can help at school.
• School and Community Relations - Donna Griffin and Kim Hooper discussed how to better connect the school with the media and the neighborhood. Neighbors that attended this session asked to be better informed of BRHS's activities and accomplishments.
• Activities - Tony Perkins and Robert Brown discussed drug and violence prevention programs. Also discussed was special recognition events for students and parents and a parent ambassador network to help with school activities.

The Gazette will work closely with BRHS and Mr. Allen to keep the community aware of school events and upcoming forums.