District 214 offers violence prevention seminar

Northwest Suburban High School District 214 is hosting a districtwide violence prevention program for junior and senior high school girls, their moms, and the entire female staff on Monday, April 16.

The 90-minute safety and self-defense seminar entitled, “Girls Fight Back,” will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Forest View Educational Center, 2121 S. Goebbert Road, in Arlington Heights.

The Girls Fight Back program was inspired by the life and untimely death of Rolling Meadows High School graduate Shannon McNamara, who was murdered in 2001 while attending Eastern Illinois University. Close friend Erin Weed created Girls Fight Back in her honor.

This is the second time District 214 has presented the program, which has been expanded to include high school juniors girls and their moms/female guardians.

The admission-free, interactive seminar will teach self-defense, no contact techniques to participants, including the self-protective stance, “No” means “NO.” Females also will learn that violence can happen even on the safest campuses, ways to reduce the risk of being victimized and strategies for staying safe, how to set boundaries and convey strong body language, practical and effective self-defense strategies any girl can use regardless of size, and much more.

For more information, contact Lee Stanley, associate principal at Rolling Meadows High School, at (847) 718-5612.