Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is under investigation for child abuse after beating his four-year-old son with a switch. The news has sparked a debate about corporal punishment, cultural norms, and when spanking crosses over into abuse.

On Thursday, LL Cool J and Russell Simmons launched a new anti-violence program and gave life advice to the youngest inmates of Rikers Island. Traci Donnelly, CEO and Executive Director of The Child Center of NY,  joined Erica Ford, along with other artists and community leaders, for an event that helped youth learn how to control both their physical energy and their minds.

“There were three of us at first,” said Beatrice Winston, 18. “We were freshmen, all shy and scared.” The three girls, each struggling with her sexual identity, felt very alone in their new school. But they found courage in each other and decided to start an LGBTQ club. One by one, other teens joined.

Middle school can be toxic, especially if bullying goes unchecked. That’s why the young people at our MS 226 Beacon Center launched a widespread effort to make their community feel safe.

Banners, school songs, mascots: Kids at the Beacon Center at MS226 invented all of these to stage a mock “homecoming” recently. According to site director Angelika Peacock, this is just a small step at getting college into the kids’ psyche.

“All the boys wanted to build websites about sneakers and basketball,” laughs Adrianna Rodriguez, a youth counselor and tech whiz, who recently taught a class on computer coding at our Parsons Beacon Center.

Q: How do you get to CBS Studios? A: Start your own YouTube channel. That was the advice from CBS staff to students in the service-learning program at August Martin High School, who recently toured the studios.

The Child Center offers families help access services that can make all the difference to their lives.  In this story, New York Times journalist Paula Span interviews our Single Stop director Diane Gonzales about she helps people sign up for food stamps in 20 minutes.

When NY 1 did a segment on cyber bullying, they interviewed one of our therapists and also featured our after-school Tolerance Project.