Learning With Heart: Understanding the Human Cost of Gun Violence

In early December, 8th grade students traveled to the TraRon Center, a nonprofit organization founded in 2017 by Ryane B. Nickens, a native Washingtonian raised in Ward 8 where gun violence was a constant presence during her childhood. There, students heard how her life had been repeatedly and brutally shaped by gun violence and learned how and why she founded the center to support children and families who have endured similar trauma by offering tools, resources, and loving guidance that foster healing and empower them to work toward changing the culture of violence in their communities.

Organized through the Impact Lab, the excursion was part of Citizen Corps, a unit within the 8th grade history curriculum. In this unit, students choose from eight policy areas through which they explore the complex social ramifications of key constitutional issues and deepen their understanding of what it means to be an active and responsible citizen.

This visit marked the beginning of a year-long study that culminates in meetings with policymakers and advocacy groups. Students start their research by participating in Heart Excursions, field experiences that connect them with individuals directly affected by the policies they are studying. These encounters help students develop empathy and to understand the multifaceted nature of the issues.“It gave us a whole new perspective about how much harder some people's lives are than our own,” said Jackson Carmen ’30 about the experience. “I kind of just felt like there are so many things we take for granted.”

The students studied topics related to the Second Amendment, including gun control, rights policies, and school shootings. After hearing about Nickens’s experiences, some said they were shocked by the sheer number of incidents she endured as a child and how deeply these experiences affected her. Many noted the strength it must have taken to channel such trauma into something as positive as the center she created.“It showed us how even small amounts of gun violence can reshape people's lives and how it impacts their mental health and well-being, even just one experience,” said Gabriel Mallory ’30, noting that Nickens had been through so much. Darcy Connor ’30 admired her ability to not only talk about what she had been through, but also help other people navigate similar experiences.

“This trip is important because we get to learn about the real world that we are living in and to get more inside information on that, and to learn how to be safe,” she said. “I think it is very important to learn about it. I feel like gun violence has larger repercussions because when you are affected by it, it can also affect the people around you and their mental health as well. It is a really big issue.”

After returning from the trip, the students gathered on campus for a conversation with Officer Shaun Webb of the Metropolitan Police Department to discuss his experiences with law enforcement in the District.