When he discovered none, Wahl organized a YHAHV introductory meeting that drew 15 other students interested in the cause.

Wahl says YHAHV's larger goal lies in branching out to the Harvard community to make an impact in the public policy arena--to "make a difference" rather than "just support" its cause.

Until now, however, the group's efforts have been more focused on educating students about gun control through speakers and discussions.

Founding a Foundation

Littleton resident Conor K. Gaughan '02 recalls the same painful "uncertainty" that Wahl says he felt when he first heard of the Columbine shooting.

"Initially I wondered, 'Who do I know that could have been in the building,'" says Gaughan. "There were a lot of siblings I knew [at Columbine] and kids I'd played with on sports teams."

Gaughan says that although he did not suffer the loss of close friends or relatives in the shooting, the incident motivated him to start a group dedicated to preventing youth violence.

"It didn't take long to know that I wanted to do something," Gaughan says. "[The Columbine shooting] was an event that hit close to home and made me feel that something needed to be addressed. The problem was to figure out what that 'something' was."