North Hills attends Eradicate Hate Student Summit Reconvening at Acrisure Stadium

Ten North Hills students in grades 10 through 12 joined hundreds of others from 26 schools for a day of community-building, collaboration and celebration at the Eradicate Hate Student Summit Reconvening.

This school-day event, held March 9 at Acrisure Stadium and organized by Eradicate Hate, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU), the LIGHT Education Initiative, and The Tree of Life, brought together school districts from across southwestern Pennsylvania in collaboration with one another to spotlight student-led initiatives to prevent hate-fueled violence in their schools and communities.

The event built upon last September's Eradicate Hate Student Summit, which brought together more than 450 participants from 34 high schools and 28 organizations from across Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Butler County, Westmoreland County, and Pasadena, Texas. Following the Summit, schools each received a $1,000 grant thanks to the generous support of the Benedum Foundation and the Grable Foundation to design and deliver impactful programming on their campuses. 

Sophomore Scarlett McCarthy noted, “I think we came together instead of separating by 26 different schools. It really felt like a community. It was amazing to see all the different students and the projects they did. It helped me plan for the future at North Hills.”

Respectively, juniors Johnell Edison and Hannah Billing added, “We not only eradicate hate by showing kindness to those consumed by it, but also by standing up for the people who are victims of that hate.” “The Eradicate Summit was extremely insightful and eye opening. I loved hearing about all the other school's ideas on how to eradicate hate.”

The Reconvening provided a platform for students to share their accomplishments to date, as well as connected students to helpful resources and one another to further boost the reach and impact of their work. 

"Addressing hate-fueled violence is a shared responsibility, and schools play a key role in that work,” said Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor, who delivered a keynote address at the event. "What stood out to me at the Eradicate Hate Student Summit Reconvening was just how seriously our students are taking this issue. These young people are listening, learning, and actively working together to create real solutions in their schools and neighborhoods."

High school Autistic Support teacher Jamie Patterson shared, “I thought the Eradicate Hate Summit was a wonderful opportunity for students to share ideas of how they’re spreading the message. I loved seeing our students interact with new people, ask questions, and then discuss how to ‘beg, borrow, and steal’ ideas to implement. I felt proud to hear how our North Hills Diversity Club and SALT members have been spreading the ‘Do No Harm’ message district-wide.”

LaMont Lyons, Director of Student and Community Engagement, provided additional reflections, “At North Hills we Do No Harm. However it’s more than a message. It must be a daily decision about how we treat one another, and those choices are how we begin to eradicate hate.”

For school districts interested in bringing this learning experience to their own community or participating in the 2026 Eradicate Hate Student Summit, contact Nick Haberman at nicholas.haberman@aiu3.net.

About the Eradicate Hate Student Summit

The annual Eradicate Hate Student Summit in Pittsburgh is a one-day event that brings together high school students and educators to catalyze youth-led efforts to prevent hate-fueled violence. Coordinated by Eradicate Hate, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU), the LIGHT Education Initiative, and The Tree of Life, the Student Summit empowers students to eradicate hate in their schools and communities by connecting them with survivors, providing access to youth-serving organizations, and launching student-led, peer-to-peer projects that continue throughout the school year.