Empowering Youth to Lead Change
Through the SLEY Together Challenge, students take action where it matters most.
OUR HISTORY
Project Outreach and Prevention (POP) was founded in response to a growing rise in youth violence cases witnessed firsthand in the emergency room by Dr. Mike McGee, Chief of Emergency Medicine.
Many of these cases involved severe trauma from gun violence and physical injury—highlighting a deeper issue that extended far beyond healthcare.
What he saw wasn’t just a medical issue—it was a community issue. One that required prevention, not just response.
In 2014, Dr. McGee partnered with Dr. Reuben Rutland, Chief of Trauma and a fellow member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, to expand this work into a formal nonprofit organization.
Together, they built Project Outreach and Prevention (POP) to address the root causes of youth violence by investing in young people, expanding opportunity, and strengthening connections between schools and communities.
The SLEY Together Challenge was developed as a direct extension of that mission—empowering students to lead change within their own schools.
Founders Dr. Mike McGee and Dr. Reuben Rutland
The SLEY Together Challenge Is Built To
- Lead: Equip students to lead peer-driven violence prevention efforts in their schools.
- Engage: Build stronger connections between students, schools, families, and community partners.
- Activate: Turn youth voice into real action through campaigns, leadership opportunities, and school-based initiatives.
How Schools & Organizations Participate
POP works with schools, districts, and youth-serving organizations to launch student-centered violence prevention efforts that fit their environment, goals, and community.
Connect
Start by connecting with POP to explore fit, goals, and readiness for implementation.
Identify
Each participating school or organization identifies a site lead, advisor, or key staff contact to support the work.
Recruit
Student leaders are recruited to help shape the chapter, strengthen engagement, and lead activities rooted in prevention and advocacy.
Launch
Sites work with POP to launch S.A.V.E. chapters, implement activities, and connect youth to leadership, campaigns, and community action.
Other Ways to Get Involved
Whether you engage as a school partner, community organization, advocate, or supporter, you have the power to help create safer environments and stronger futures for young people. Every connection, every effort, and every action contributes to lasting change.