By Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Students at the Waterford High School in Portmore get into the action during one of the No Violence in School Tours. - Ricardo Makyn photos

There are several 'school tours' currently taking place across the island, many of them with the common theme of 'No Violence'. But how successful have these school tours been in getting across the message?

One school tour being put on by P and L Records dubbed, 'No Crime, no drugs' has been going quite well so far and according to Kee Kee Williams, chief operations manager at P and L Records, "most of the artistes, while they perform, they stop and talk to the students and encourage them."

Williams added, "We went to Vere Technical recently after they had the incident there where the security guard shot some students and that was probably the best response so far, even parents came out."

While there have been some concerns raised by members of the public as to the type of artistes involved on these school tours, Williams says, "These artistes modify their lyrics for the schools and we use them because of the influence they have on the kids, not necessarily because of their lyrics."

On board the 'No Crime, No Drugs' P and L school tour are artistes like Ras Myrhdak, Delly Ranx, Selah, Zumjay, Chuck Fender, Heather Cummings, To-Isis, Future Fambo, Nezbeth and Hitlist.

Williams says, "The tour will be going into next year, but should be completed by the end of January." Their next stop is at Braeton High on December 15.

STAR tour

Spanish Town native Hitlist.

Another school tour, dubbed the 'No Violence in School Tour', which was put on by Solid Agency, bmobile and The Star, recently ended, after more than a month of touring nine schools across the island.

"I think it was very successful and The Star really helped us to get the message across and we want to start it up next year again, whenever the sponsors are ready," Sharon Burke of Solid Agency said.

As for the students, they thought the experience was entertaining as well as educational. And when questioned if they thought that a medium such as the No Violence in School Tour was an effective way of getting the 'No Violence' message across? Many say they get the message, or at least get a distraction.

"We will hear it. It will make a difference in schools," said Renford Rookwood a 14-year-old student from Waterford High School.

He said: "It is because students are influenced by what artistes say why they look up to them."

Another student from Waterford High School said the medium is educational and enjoyable.

"Teenagers like us love the hype. Teenagers don't like to sit down. Them seh it boring," said 16-year-old Majorie Thompson who said teaching no violence is effective.

Both students attended the No Violence in School Tour at the Waterford High School which had performances from Prodigal Son, Kiprich, QQ, Aisha and Red Rat among others.

Prodigal Son, the only gospel act to be a part of the No Violence in School Tour says in his opinion, the message was received, but he had a few recommendations of his own.

Recommedations

Radikal Prodigal

"I would say the kids somewhat got the message but if I had bmobile school tour to do, I would select carefully the artistes who go on it, because for a tour like that you can't be still singing the same songs weh dem sing pon stage show. But I think the kids got the message," Prodigal said.

Prodigal says it didn't matter that he was the only gospel act either because, "the truth is that I've always been well-received and the guys (secular artistes) on the bus treated me with respect. I was like the pastor of the tour."

Prodigal, however, recommended that the sponsors extend the tour to include more gospel artistes.

"Dem need fi spread it a little more though. Do the same kind of tour, but with the gospel, where you can see 'No Violence' from two angles. Give us (gospel artistes) one a dem school tour deh," he requested.

Dancehall artiste Kiprich also felt that the students got the message, highlighting the fact that artistes had a big influence on young minds.

"Yeah man, mi feel like dem wi tek heed, 'cause yuh know seh most females have dem likkle artiste weh a dem role model. Suh mi feel seh di message wi reach, well at least some. But mi mek some talk in between an' mek dem know di purpose a di show, but mi neva change up di tune dem too much ... But wi jus haffi hope fi di best," Kiprich said.

A Waterford High School student hangs on to deejay Kiprich's hand.