Columbia volunteers discuss how to prevent youth violence

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Saturday afternoon Team COMO held its Heart of the Community Summit to discuss how to steer youth community away from violence. 

City leaders and Columbia residents gathered at todays summit and discussed ways to help children in the community succeed. 

The main focus of Saturday's summit: Columbia's youth. 

"The youth and that was really the heart of even the city, because the youth are not only the future but they're our now," said summit participant Joseph Wilson.

Following the panel, participants then broke out into groups to discuss solutions to push the youth in the city in the right direction. 

Possible solutions discussed were: reading buddies in Columbia public schools and working with Columbia Public Schools administration to implement that in the school district.

And creating a program that would help kids explore job opportunities and to create excitement around working and the life it can create for them. 

As for what comes after this meeting co-creator of Team COMO Tanya Heath says they're taking these ideas to city officials.

"We're gathering up everybody's ideas from today, we're writing it all down and then we're going to go meet with Columbia public schools, with the city council, with chamber of commerce, with the downtown district, with all the faith organizations, because we've got to be all hands on deck," Heath said.