“My School has Rhythm Not Violence,” is the name of a School Safety Division Community Outreach Initiative that combines a rap competition with a week-long course of study introducing law, gang prevention and conflict-resolution techniques at public high schools throughout the city.

Students are assigned to put what they learned into a rap performance, expressing how they will take an active role in reducing conflicts in their schools. Swiss Beatz, a major rap artist and producer, provides the music tracks for the students’ projects. Schools from each borough participate, including seven since October 2008, with more taking place through May.

President Gregory Floyd joined Barbara Welch, supervisor of the School Safety Community Outreach Unit at Columbus H.S., on Feb. 23, for the student rap competition, which was videotaped for posting on Local 237’s website.

“I’m delighted to see so many youths expressing their creativity safely and with such great enthusiasm,” said Floyd. We hope to “change the mindset,” said Welch, explaining that students are learning that “It’s OK to be positive in hip-hop culture.”

The students’ rap session was aired on “Hero of the Day,” a segment of the “Morning Show,” which broadcasts weekdays on AM radio 1600 WWRL, and is hosted by New York Daily News columnist Errol Louis, who reports often on School Safety issues.

“It’s gratifying to see school safety recognized on ‘Hero of the Day,’ for their vision and leadership in organizing this comprehensive and inspiring initiative for the city’s public school students,” said Floyd. Earlier in February Floyd responded to a Daily News article by Louis en- titled “It’s Time to Police the NYPD’s School Cops.”

In a letter printed in the Daily News column “Voice of the People,” Floyd defended the integrity of the title, saying, “The vast majority of our city’s 1.1 million schoolchildren interact with our 5,000 officers amiably and without incident… Our agents are our children’s best protectors, and the first line of defense in keeping them safe in a dangerous world.”

During the “Hero of the Day” radio broadcast of the Columbus H.S. competition, as student rap rhythms pulsed in the background, Louis exclaimed, “It’s the kind of thing we want to see.”

You can see it and hear it on Local 237’s home page at www.local237.org.

The final competition among the winners from each participating public high school takes place May 22. We’ll keep you posted.