Jennifer Ann's Group
Encyclopedia
The Jennifer Ann Crecente Memorial Group, Inc., commonly known as "Jennifer Ann's Group", is a Code Section 501(c)(3) public charity based in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, whose aims are to educate young people about the prevalence of teen dating violence, how to identify these relationships and how to extricate themselves safely from such relationships.
History
Jennifer Ann's Group, named after Jennifer Ann CrecenteJennifer Ann Crecente
Jennifer Ann Crecente , a victim of teen dating violence, was an 18-year-old high school honor student who was shot and killed in southwest Austin, Texas by an ex-boyfriend, Justin Crabbe on Wednesday, February 15, 2006. She was a camp counselor at SciTrek in Atlanta and hospital volunteer in Austin...
, was formed in 2006 by Crecente's father after the murder of the 18 year old high school honors student by a former boyfriend.
Efforts
The charity speaks to organizations of young people about recognizing the dangers of potentially abusive relationships. It prints and distributes credit card sized cards with information about abusive relationships in an effort to help educate young women about this problem.- On November 16, 2006 a member of the Jennifer Ann's Group's advisory group, Dr. Elizabeth Richeson, used Jennifer Ann's Group as an example of a group that is attempting to educate others about the prevalence of Teen Dating ViolenceTeen dating violence-What is teen dating violence?:Teen dating violence is defined as the physical, sexual, or psychological/emotional violence within a dating relationship. According to the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the prevalence of teen dating violence is often misunderstood...
at the Texas Psychological Association'sTexas Psychological AssociationThe Texas Psychological Association is a professional association representing psychologists in the U.S. state of Texas. It was established in 1947 and is headquartered in Cedar Park, Texas.-About TPA:...
convention about their "Stand Against Violence" campaign. On November 23, 2006 Dr. Richeson discussed the group's efforts to educate others about how common violence is in teenage relationships in an interview with El Paso, TexasEl Paso, TexasEl Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate KTSMKTSM-TVKTSM-TV, also known as NewsChannel 9, is an NBC affiliated television station based in El Paso, Texas. It broadcasts its digital signal on VHF channel 9...
.
- On February 8, 2007, the charity announced a partnership with the Loveisrespect, National Teen Dating Abuse HelplineLoveisrespect, National Teen Dating Abuse Helplineloveisrespect National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline was launched February 8, 2007 by the National Domestic Violence Hotline. This 24-hour national Web-based and telephone resource was created to help teens experiencing dating abuse, and is the only helpline in the country serving all 50 states,...
to promote their helpline on the Educational Cards that the charity distributes. The charity purchased 10,000 Educational Cards that will be distributed to the Education, Health Care and Government sectors.
- On February 13, 2007, the charity provided testimony to the Texas House in support of new legislation proposed to require school districts in Texas to adopt policies regarding Teen Dating ViolenceTeen dating violence-What is teen dating violence?:Teen dating violence is defined as the physical, sexual, or psychological/emotional violence within a dating relationship. According to the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the prevalence of teen dating violence is often misunderstood...
. On May 18, 2007 the Dating Violence Policy Bill was signed into law in Texas and became effective immediately.
- The charity has successfully lobbied with Texas state politicians Senator Eliot ShapleighEliot ShapleighEliot Shapleigh is a politician from the state of Texas, who represented the state's 29th Senatorial District, which comprises the majority of El Paso County, from 1997 to 2011. He announced on October 16, 2009 that he will not run for re-election in 2010...
and Representative Valinda Bolton to have a bill, "Jennifer's LawJennifer's LawJennifer's Law is a law in the state of Texas, in the United States that was created as a result of the murder of Jennifer Ann Crecente in Austin, Texas. She was a Senior in high school and murdered a few months before her graduation...
" entered into legislation in Texas to award posthumous diplomas to high school seniors that have died during their Senior year. The bill was entered on February 15, 2007, the one-year anniversary of Jennifer Ann CrecenteJennifer Ann CrecenteJennifer Ann Crecente , a victim of teen dating violence, was an 18-year-old high school honor student who was shot and killed in southwest Austin, Texas by an ex-boyfriend, Justin Crabbe on Wednesday, February 15, 2006. She was a camp counselor at SciTrek in Atlanta and hospital volunteer in Austin...
's murder. The legislation passed both the Senate and the House and was sent to Governor Rick PerryRick PerryJames Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full...
for signing. The law will go into effect upon signing by the Governor or on September 1, 2007, whichever occurs first.
- The first annual fundraiser, held April 21, 2007 in El PasoEl PasoEl Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
was supported by many organizations. Video gaming blog KotakuKotakuKotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...
offered several video gaming packages for bid through eBay with all proceeds going to the charity.
- On September 28, 2007, the charity received their order of 100,000 Educational Cards to educate teens about the dangers of Teen Dating ViolenceTeen dating violence-What is teen dating violence?:Teen dating violence is defined as the physical, sexual, or psychological/emotional violence within a dating relationship. According to the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the prevalence of teen dating violence is often misunderstood...
. These free cards are given to organizations throughout the United States.
- On February 15, 2008, the charity announced a $1,000 video game contestCompetitionCompetition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
to highlight the dangers of Teen Dating ViolenceTeen dating violence-What is teen dating violence?:Teen dating violence is defined as the physical, sexual, or psychological/emotional violence within a dating relationship. According to the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the prevalence of teen dating violence is often misunderstood...
. The contest poses the question "Can you create a game about Teen Dating Violence . . . without using violence?"
- On January 31, 2009, the charity announced that it had distributed over 250,000 Educational Cards to schools and other organizations across the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in support of its efforts to increase awareness about Teen Dating ViolenceTeen dating violence-What is teen dating violence?:Teen dating violence is defined as the physical, sexual, or psychological/emotional violence within a dating relationship. According to the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the prevalence of teen dating violence is often misunderstood...
.
- On February 2, 2009, the charity announced a follow-up contestCompetitionCompetition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
to its 2008 "Life.Love. Game Design Challenge" with a higher top prize of $1,500. Judges for the contest include Brian CrecenteBrian CrecenteBrian Crecente is an American journalist and columnist, the Editor-In-Chief of Kotaku, and the writer of Well Played, a weekly column internationally syndicated by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services....
, Simon CarlessSimon CarlessSimon Carless is a video game industry journalist, editor and game designer. He was born in London, England and presently resides in San Jose, California...
, Libe GoadLibe GoadLibe Goad is a technology and video game journalist who resides in New York City and has written about video games and gadgets for publications including Blender, PC Magazine, Bust, Seventeen and Sync....
, Dr. Ian BogostIan BogostIan Bogost is a video game designer, critic and researcher. He is a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a founding partner at Persuasive Games...
, and Brenda BrathwaiteBrenda BrathwaiteBrenda Brathwaite is an American game designer and developer in the video game industry.-Life and career:Born in Ogdensburg, New York, and a graduate of Clarkson University, Brathwaite is best known for her work on the Wizardry series of video role-playing games and, more recently, the non-digital...
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