Peers Organized to Support Student Excellence(POSSE), under the leadership of its founder, Ossco Bolton, offers a model for reaching out to youth in neighborhoods with high levels of gang activity. Funded by PSN and the local school district to serve youth in Kansas City, Missouri, POSSE provides school-based gang prevention and offers guidance, mentoring, support and a "positive gang for youth." Since its inception in 1995, POSSE has touched the lives of 3,500 youth, helping them deal with the trauma they have experienced in their lives, build life skills, and become leaders. POSSE currently operates in five schools and has over 850 active members who take part in leadership activities that support PSN, such as door-to-door campaigns, community awareness and neighborhood restoration projects, and Drug Education for Youth (DEFY) presentations. They also teach gang and violence prevention to younger children in elementary school settings.

An evaluation of POSSE is currently being designed, and early evidence of success includes the fact that eighty percent of youth stay engaged in the program for the duration of their school years, including over summer breaks. The leadership skills they develop through POSSE can be seen in their advocacy for youth issues with the city and school officials, the leadership roles they take on within the organization, and their positive relationships with law enforcement mentors and supporters.

Technical Assistance Resource Tools:
Video: Message to the Leaders: Features interviews with Kansas City youth about the changes they'd like to see in their community.
Implementation materials: Includes an overview of the program, program principles, and implementation steps.