Steven Blake and Kiwanna Fearon, both high-school students from inner-city communities, have pledged to change their lives after completing the 'Hush the Guns' programme.

The two were among 65 individuals hailing from inner-city communities in Kingston who have completed phase one of the programme at Lockett Avenue.

Sixteen-year-old Steven, a student of St Andrew Technical High, said he will be working hard to change the stereotypical image that many persons paint of him and his community.

"I want to let the citizens of Jamaica know that I am not who they think I am and so I will be going to school to get my career as a meteorologist. Then they will understand what I really want in life," said the Waterhouse resident.

Steven was incorporated into the programme after he was caught with live rounds on his school compound.

He said he was elated to be given a chance to walk a different path in life.

Steven earned the highest marks among the group with 1,055 points out of 1,080.

"I am proud that I could outdo everyone here and it just shows me that I can excel academically as well," he said.

He encouraged persons who were being influenced to get involved in illegal activities to "get an education and always be leaders, not followers".

Kiwanna Fearon, 16, of Clan Carthy High, is no different. She said she is also working assiduously to excel in society.

"I feel good to know that I could be part of this programme because I am not a bad person and this is an opportunity to show persons who I really am," she said.

Kiwanna was the best of the girls who participated in the programme, scoring 1,004 points.

Better choices

Moira Morgan, executive director of the programme, said 'Hush the Guns' was designed to help young persons make a difference in their community and in turn in their country.

"We are hoping to give the young people the opportunity to make better choices in life as well as to help them to be better equipped to go through life," she said.

"In today's society, young people, especially in the challenging communities, go with what they see and believe is the culture, but we want them to understand that it is, instead, a bad habit."

She explained that the aim, over a three-year period, was to put at least 650 young persons through the programme.

The three-phased programme, which will cost approximately $114 million, was rolled out in July.

nadisha.hunter@gleanerjm.com