Pine Ridge Middle School students participated Wednesday in the 17th Annual National Day of Concern & Student Pledge Against Gun Violence.

Students learned about peaceful conflict resolution and signed their names pledging not to resolve disputes with guns or other violent measures.

Grade level assemblies were held, with students learning about the consequences of violence from current and retired law enforcement officials.

Elementary school students pledged that if they see a gun they will not touch it, they will tell a teacher or a trusted adult, and they will assume that any gun they see might be loaded.

The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), along with their local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, visited schools across South Carolina.

The Student Pledge Against Gun Violence is a national program that recognizes the role young people, through their own decisions, can play in reducing gun violence.

The program provides a means for beginning the conversation with young people about gun violence and encourages important conversation among young people about gun safety and respectful ways to resolve disputes.

For additional information concerning the pledge, visit the national Student Pledge website at www.pledge.org .

This pledge effort is part of Project CeaseFire, which is South Carolina’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a national program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

A total of 59 schools across the state participated in this year’s pledge event.