GREENVILLE — A group of Moosehead Lake Region residents made their voices heard Tuesday evening about their feelings on youth violence and the safety of children.

The discussion on youth violence was one of several held around the state, sponsored by Acadia Hospital, the University of Maine, NewsCenter 2 and the Bangor Daily News.

As action steps to help curb youth violence and ensure the safety of children, the need for parenting discussions and more support groups, as well as a more coordinated effort among local organizations working toward that goal, were listed by residents who attended the session at Greenville High School.

“I do find my community safe,” Ariel Tosi, a senior at Greenville High School and student council president, told participants in a small group discussion.

The student said, however, that she was aware that some students fear school because of verbal harassment. Tosi said the student council was planning a workshop during school to help students to become comfortable with one another.

Better communication between the school, home and community, improving the awareness or accessibility to private wellness programs, and a mentoring program to help children in fractured families were seen as necessities to make the community healthy.

Faye Booker, principal of kindergarten through grade 12 in Greenville, said parents should always take time to tell a child that he or she is loved and that they care about the child. Some children do not receive that affection, she said.

As evidence, Booker cited visits with two students, one of whom was a boy in high school. Booker said she told both of them, in individual visits, that she cared about them, and both students had cried. “It totally floored me,” she said.

Fran Trefts, a retired educator, said she had never met a parent who didn’t want good things for their children. She said many parents are so worried about finances or work long hours and are exhausted when they return home, that they sometimes deal with situations involving their children with an explosive reaction. She said a parenting support group would be a beginning to help these parents.

“We expect teachers to be social workers, and that’s unrealistic,” said Lindy Holt, minister of the Union Church in Greenville. Bad behavior should come with consequences, she said.

Greenville Police Chief Duane Alexander said if people see bad behavior, they should be willing to testify. That’s difficult for some residents in a small “tight-knit, tight-lipped” community, he said.

The situation has got to change to reduce violence, he said. People have got to be willing to be involved, and it starts with the parents, the police chief said.