BHS sets ‘Genocide Awareness’ event on May 28 at football field

On Wednesday, May 28, 11th grade students at Belleville High School’s New Tech will host a Genocide Awareness Night. They explain that genocide is the intent to harm a particular racial, ethnic, or religious group.
This event will be held at the BHS football field from 6-8 p.m. Students will showcase various ways to promote genocide awareness through fun and engaging activities.
The community is invited to attend the event to help raise awareness.
At the Monday, May 19, meeting of the Belleville City Council, New Tech students Eric Robinson and John Couperthwaite asked the council to approve the following agreement:
“We the citizens of Belleville affirm that genocide is an atrocity and will do anything within our power to identify, prevent, and stop genocide in the area.”
The council unanimously passed the agreement.
The students said they couldn’t affect federal or state government, so they bumped on down to the city council.
“This is where we would like to start,” said Couperthwaite, adding that genocide is unlikely to start in this area.
Councilman Tom Fielder, who asked at the beginning of the meeting that the students be added to the agenda, said they couldn’t wait to be put on the next agenda since their assignment has to be done by May 28.
The students said other groups are having genocide awareness events and selling wristbands for funds. They said they were shown the “Hotel Rwanda” movie earlier that day.