It was a pleasant, peaceful morning at Heritage High School near Conyers, Georgia, a town east of Atlanta, until chaos rang out through the halls. It was May 20,1999, one month after the Columbine tragedy when a student opened fire. A 15-year-old sophomore fired the shots in a common area around 8 a.m. because he was upset over a broken romance. There were no life threatening injuries, but six schoolmates were injured. The number of acts of school violence has risen of late, for in the last three years there have been around 16 shootings in schools nationwide. (Shooting at Heritage High in Conyers, Georgia 1996). To watch for our safety and the safety of all students around the world we must open our minds and add precautionary methods to our school systems. Safety is the most important element in a well-organized school system because the easiest way to learn is in a safe atmosphere.
             Prevention programs are programs that focus on gun violence prevention instruction in the schools, community based organizations, and in physicians' offices. These programs emphasize the misuse of weapons, the risks involved with having a gun, and conflict/anger management skills. Use of videotapes show tragic results of gun violence to students. Counseling programs and crisis intervention hotlines are also valuable components in prevention programs designed for the prevention of school violence. Programs for anti-school violence are essential in educating the students and the staff about the dangers of violence in the schools. These programs can be organized by committees for the prevention of school violence allowing for the students to speak freely on the issue and learn more about the prevention of such tragedy's.
             The committee meetings should consist of allowing students to meet, express ideas on prevention of gun violence and talk about possible school violence in their school environment. These committees may be ab
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