Mentors Program talks gun violence with Macon teens

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – With increasing gun violence across town, the Mentor’s Project of Bibb County is doing their part to keep students on the right path.

Director of the Mentors Project of Bibb County, Julie O’Neal says the 18th annual community drug awareness program couldn’t have come at a better time.

“In light of the recent violence in our community, we want the students and their parents to be equipt to make the best possible choices,” said O’Neal.

A 16 year-old boy gunned down on his way to school is just one of many recent instances of violence in Macon-Bibb.

“It’s sad. (A) child lost his life–and what are we gonna do to stop the violence as a people?” said community member Daryl Jackson.

Now, community members like Jackson want to help students in Bibb County make the right decisions.

“It’s gonna take the adults to help these kids. We can talk about em point the finger at ’em, we still apart of the problem too if we ain’t trying to help them.”

O’neal says the guns and drugs aren’t solely the blame. It’s up to students to make the right choices.

“We don’t want our life choices for our young people to be the cemetery, the hospital or the penitentiary. We want them to be college, graduation, MBA’s,” said O’Neal.

Jackson was one the speakers who shared his story with students at Miller Magnet Middle School.

“It’s a lot of people who played roles in my life and like I said, I’ve been a high school drop-out, pretty much been in violent situations and come up in a community where these types of situations exist,” he explained.

Jackson says helping students starts with being open and having those tough conversations. He and O’Neal both hope hearing those stories shows students the path they don’t want to take.

If you’re interested in volunteering with the Mentors Project of Bibb County they’re always looking for community members ready to get involved. Click here for more information.