Some Woodruff High School students say their school is getting a bad rap following yesterday's lockdown after police found a gun inside a boy's locker.

This is the second year 16-year-old Napoleon Stuckey has participated in the ELITE Program, Economic Leaders Integrating Trained Employable Youth.

Stuckey says ELITE helped improve the standards his mother taught him at home.

"It made me more respectful, showed me that violence if you get into a fight you know how to talk your way out of a situation, violence isn't the answer."

Stuckey and about 10 other Woodruff classmates were mentoring some Glen Oak Primary students at the Riverplex Recreation Center.

Stuckey knows Victor Simmons, the Woodruff High School student police say brought a gun to school.

He says the ELITE skills he's learned would pay off if he were faced with conflict.

"If somebody had a problem with me I'd ask them what the problem is and if there's anything. I can do to resolve that situation without using violence. If not I'll have to go get an Elite member or another adult figure to help calm the situation."

Another Woodruff student says she thinks security could be a little stronger at the school.

Sophomore Inca Bryson said, "I think every student should be checked at least, way more than are checked."

"Afterwards it really made me think somebody could have gotten hurt by him bringing a gun to school."

Caleb Derestil is relatively new to ELITE, but he thinks many students could benefit from the values taught in the program.

"It help me become a man. I learned a lot from it. It help me just keep my grades up. It help me be a leader at school."

Program creator Carl Cannon says it takes time to change a mind.