Whereas teaching youth the practice of nonviolence may encourage a more peaceful society and promote principles of mutual respect, unity, dignity, and equality; Whereas the practice of nonviolence has been instrumental in promoting unity, safety, and equal rights in various movements across the globe; Whereas the impact of the civil rights movement, particularly in the Southern United States, continues to serve as an example of the power of nonviolence philosophy and how it may be used to create change; Whereas the Sojourn to the Past program annually takes high school students to the historic locations of the civil rights movement, teaching them how the practice of nonviolence influenced the civil rights movement by mitigating discrimination, violence, hatred, bigotry, and inequity in schools and communities across America; Whereas students visit historic sites in Atlanta, including the Martin Luther King National Historical Park, where students are able to learn about the life of Dr. King and his impact on American history; Whereas Atlanta served as an epicenter during the civil rights movement, and other Southern cities such as Selma, Birmingham, Jackson, Montgomery, and Nashville also have historic monuments and sites relevant to the civil rights movement; Whereas the goal of the Sojourn to the Past program is to inspire students to become civic leaders with a duty and ability to unite people in their communities in equality and justice through knowledge, understanding, and compassion; Whereas the Sojourn to the Past program has afforded participating students with a life-changing experience and serves as a catalyst for them becoming activists and applying nonviolence principles throughout their lives and professions; Whereas the Youngstown Sojourn to the Past students successfully petitioned the Youngstown School Board, the Youngstown City Council, and the Youngstown State University trustees to declare the first week in October each year to be Nonviolence Week