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Wednesday, July 30, 2025

‘See Something, Say Something’: Gainesville rally promotes safety ahead of school year

The annual event signals back-to-school season in Alachua County

Students received backpacks and safety resources at the Stop the Violence Back to School event.
Students received backpacks and safety resources at the Stop the Violence Back to School event.

The Stop the Violence Back to School Rally returned to the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center July 26 for its 26th year. 

Organized by People Against Violence Enterprises, the event provided 1,500 free backpacks filled with school supplies to local students, offering families a message of peace before the new school year begins Aug. 11.

This year’s theme, “We can’t stop. We won’t stop until the violence stops,” reflects the organization’s urgency to address community violence in all its forms.

Karl Anderson, the 51-year-old founder of PAVE, began organizing the rally more than two decades ago after an increase in school shootings across the country, including the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999. He said the event was designed to give children and parents the tools they need for school while educating the community about preventing violence. 

Over the years, the rally has addressed issues like bullying and domestic violence. The recent rise in shootings made gun violence a priority, Anderson said. 

According to Every Town Research, a gun violence prevention program, there were at least 229 incidents of gunfire on school grounds nationwide in 2024, with seven occurring in Florida. No incidents occurred on Gainesville campuses.

“It’s so hurtful seeing those constant flow of tears from those mothers and grandmothers who lost their children and grandchildren due to violence,” Anderson said. 

Firearm-related deaths have risen among children and adolescents since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with seven children dying by gunfire each day in 2023, according to a KFF study. 

During the event, he encouraged people to walk away from conflict, talk things out or ask for help before making choices that can change lives forever.

Families lined up for backpacks outside the MLK Center and visited tables from community organizations, such as Alachua County Public Schools, Meridian Healthcare, Children’s Trust of Alachua County, the Gainesville Police Department, the Office of the State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit and others. Tables offered mental health resources, after-school programs and youth mentoring. 

The event featured several high-profile speakers, including WWE commentator Byron Saxton, local coaches, community leaders, performers and families who lost loved ones to gun violence.

The rally highlighted a new incentive aimed at preventing gun violence in schools. Through the “See Something, Say Something” program, students can receive $300 for anonymously reporting a firearm, whether they find a gun or alert a principal or law enforcement about someone’s plans to bring a gun to school. 

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The program officially launched during PAVE’s 25th Anniversary Gala in February, after awarding two students earlier this school year at Gainesville High School and Westwood Middle School.

Brian Kramer, state attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, emphasized the importance of the initiative.

“If you see something, say something,” Kramer said. “We would rather not ever have something happen in our schools. We want people to be safe, we want children to feel safe.”

Parents said the event helps them prepare their children for school while reinforcing important lessons outside academics.

Laken Sims, a 33-year-old Gainesville resident and school teacher at Fort Clarke Middle School, said many of her students benefit from the supplies provided through the rally. 

“I think it’s a great place for them to get resources and information that they probably wouldn’t get elsewhere,” Sims said.

Jackie Johnson, director of communications for Alachua County Public Schools, said the district has supported the rally for more than 20 years because of the value it brings to families. 

“It’s important for schools, for homes, for the entire community to hear these messages of nonviolence, to understand that there are other ways to handle conflict and for parents to hear tips on how they can prevent violence,” Johnson said.

The district has expanded mental health services both in and out of schools, she added. It provides free counseling in multiple languages and connects families with local resources to address problems before they escalate.

“This is not something the school system can do alone because a lot of what we find happening in the schools originates in neighborhoods,” she said. “What happens outside of school ends up spilling into our schools. This is an issue that has to be addressed by the entire community.”

Michael Nguyen, a 52-year-old Gainesville resident, said the event reinforces conversations he has with his child about safety and kindness. 

“With bullying and gun violence, [I want my child] to stay away from that as much as possible,” Nguyen said. “I try to instill in them to be kind to one another.”

Richard Anderson, senior vice president and chief clinical officer of Meridian Healthcare, said the organization has supported the event since it began. The backpacks provide meaningful help to local families, he said.

“We feel like the backpacks with school supplies really help the families concentrate on other things as they’re trying to get their kids ready for school,” Anderson said.

Contact Candy Fontana-Verde at cfontanaverde@alligator.org. Follow her on X @CandyFontanaV.

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