On September 7, 2022, the McCain Institute, EdVenture Partners, and Credence Management Solutions LLC launched their fall 2022 iteration of Invent2Prevent, a national student competition to identify new, whole-of-society approaches to prevent targeted violence, hate, and terrorism.
Invent2Prevent, a Department of Homeland Security Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships funded initiative, is an experiential learning program that challenges students at the high school and collegiate levels to create and implement peer-developed initiatives, products, or tools to address targeted violence and acts of hate or terrorism in their specific communities. Since Invent2Prevent’s inception in Spring 2021, more than 700 students in 77 collegiate programs across 28 states and Washington D.C. and 27 high school programs across 16 states have participated.
With the White House hosting its United We Stand Summit – a day devoted to examining how our nation can counter the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence on our democracy and public safety – on September 15, the importance of the work undertaken by the Invent2Prevent students cannot be understated. In the words of the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, John Tien, “Invent2Prevent uniquely empowers young people to prevent this violence. These students have demonstrated that the next generation of leaders is committed to building a more secure and prosperous nation for everyone through connection, digital literacy, and other key tools.”
As part of its mandate to encourage and nurture character-driven leadership, the McCain Institute at Arizona State University seeks to create programs that address some of our country’s most timely and intractable challenges. “Invent2Prevent offers a much-needed opportunity for our nation’s youth to actively shape what the future looks like,” said Brette Steele, Senior Director for Preventing Targeted Violence at the McCain Institute. “Providing a space for students to explore the diverse avenues they can take to positively impact their communities and help make our communities safe is a profoundly important role that Invent2Prevent plays. Giving youth the tools to contribute their voices and ideas is something the McCain Institute values, and I am continually inspired by the incredible work our students produce.”
With over 30 years of experience in the experiential learning marketplace, EdVenture Partners has built its reputation on providing students with exceptional opportunities to hone valuable skill sets while developing creative solutions to real world problems for a diverse set of clients. “As Invent2Prevent kicks-off the second year of its high school program, I am thrilled with the response this program has received across the country, with over 65% of our pilot high schools renewing their participation,” said Tony Sgro, CEO of EdVenture Partners. “Invent2Prevent has seen an outpouring of support from state-level school safety directors who are both enthusiastic about the program and extremely helpful in marketing Invent2Prevent to high schools within their respective states. Many of these advocates have helped foster bountiful relationships, and the momentum for this program is only growing. It’s going to be another terrific semester working with America’s high school teachers and students as we see how innovative their social and digital media campaigns can be to prevent targeted violence and hate on their campuses and in their communities.”
The 22 universities fielding teams for the fall 2022 semester are:
Alabama A&M University ● Duke University ● Georgia State University ● Hawai’i Pacific University ● Howard University ● Iowa State University ● Middlebury Institute of International Studies ● New Jersey City University ● Nichols College ● San Jose State University ● Texas Southern University ● Texas Tech University ● University of Arizona ● University of Central Oklahoma ● University of Colorado, Boulder ● University of Houston ● University of Nebraska, Lincoln ● University of North Dakota ● University of Rhode Island ● University of South Carolina ● Xavier University of Louisiana ● Yale University ●
The 33 high schools fielding teams for the fall 2022 semester are:
Bob Jones High School ● Desert Vista High School ● Arkansas Lighthouse Charter School ● Loyola High School ● Novato High School ● Tide Academy ● Cañon City High School ● American Heritage High School ● Cyprus Bay High School ● Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School ● Miami County Day School ● North Broward High School ● Olympic Heights High School ● Pompano Beach High School ● Sumner High School ● Louisiana Legislative Youth Advisory Council ● Newburyport High School ● Xaverian Brothers High School ● Clinton High School ● Mater Academy ● Burlington Township High School ● Sandia High School ● V. Sue Cleveland High School ● NYC Lab School ● Marysville High School ● Medina County Career Center ● Penta Career Center ● Lincoln High School ● Mt. Pleasant High School ● Collierville High School ● Leander High School ● Cadott High School ● Prescott High School ●
Follow the progress of the I2P teams this semester on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram @invent2prevent.