The school in partnership with the Stop Trafficking Project arranged an assembly for the Fair Grove School District on December 8, showing students how to do their part to stop trafficking.
The Stop Trafficking Project has been speaking to schools in Missouri and Kansas for five years. Their goal is not only to get the word out about human trafficking, but also to let students know that human trafficking takes place online, not just in the physical world.
The president of the Stop Trafficking Project, Russ Tuttle, has been in this business for over a decade. Tuttle said, “I’ve been doing this work since 2009 but didn’t really start doing school assemblies, as they exist today, until 2018.”
According to Tuttle, giving students important information about human trafficking has been rewarding. Tuttle stated, “It’s rewarding to see the local community of adults come alongside them at their time of need. The most rewarding to me is when students recognize and act on their need to become safer in their online activities.”
The Fair Grove High School Principal, Dr. Christian Overstreet, believes that the assembly went well. Dr. Overstreet explained, “I think the assembly went really well and our office staff and teachers received a lot of positive feedback from students.”
The Stop Trafficking Project has been upping their numbers. Russ Tuttle stated, “I’ve personally brought this message of hope to over 100,000 students, primarily in Missouri and Kansas.”
The project may get some larger and broader opportunities in the future. Tuttle said, “We are now getting requests from schools and communities all over America due to the immediate impact we have on students and the long-term influence that occurs in communities after our presentations.”
Tuttle has gained perspective on human trafficking from different parts of the world. Russ Tuttle stated, “Having lived in India I was aware of human trafficking from a third world perspective. When I realized that students all over America are being victimized, primarily online, I knew I had to tell students the truth about how their vulnerabilities can and are being exploited online.”
Dr. Overstreet thinks it is important to get the word out in the current generation of students. Overstreet said, “Most of our students are involved with social media so it is important for them to be educated about being responsible with social media.”
Russ Tuttle truly believes that students should know the truth about human trafficking. Tuttle said, “My outlook is that I believe in students. I’m truly not angry at students or against their technology but I do thrive on telling them the truth.”
The Stop Trafficking Project’s persuasive and preserving message to inform students about joining the fight against human trafficking may spread through other communities around the country. They push to put on end to trafficking. Tuttle commented, “Not in our school. Not in our lives. Not in our future.”
