Pupils at Olivia Pratt-Korbel's primary school were taught the importance of a establishing a strong moral compass in the wake of the youngster's murder.
Olivia, 9, was shot and killed when a gunman forced his way into her family's home in Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot at 10pm on Monday August 22.
Drug-dealer Thomas Cashman, 35, was convicted of Olivia's murder in March and jailed for life with a minimum term of 42 years at Manchester Crown Court
READ MORE: Scouse mum told man to 'f*** off' when he threatened to stab son
READ MORE: Thug battered girlfriend and left her dead body in a tent for a week
Merseyside Police, Knowsley Council, community groups and pupils at St Margaret Mary's Primary School gathered this afternoon Friday January 26 to watch a play by Perception Theatre group titled, 'GRASS'.
The aim of the play was to challenge labels such as ‘grass’ and ‘snitch’, communicate the link between actions and consequences and educate young people about the importance of establishing a moral compass.
Rebecca Wilkinson, Headteacher at St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Junior School, said: "Olivia loved to perform herself and would have enjoyed seeing the performance in school.
"It is a very powerful production which I’m sure will have a big impact on our pupils. Olivia touched the lives of everyone who knew her and she will forever remain a much missed member of our school community."
Discussing the impact of Olivia's death on the school Ms Wilkinson said: "Nothing ever prepares you for what happened. No child should ever have to encounter what we've experienced here.
"However, thanks to support from Knowsley Council, from Merseyside Police and EVOLVE, we've been able to provide counselling for the children, the staff and the parents.
"We've been able to put projects on which educate the children and also provide a memorial for Olivia."
The production was funded by EVOLVE which is a multi-agency operation led by Merseyside Police, schools and Knowsley Council tasked with eradicating organised crime groups from neighbourhoods.
From a policing perspective, EVOLVE has enabled Merseyside to commit huge resources to Huyton and the surrounding area, partly funded by the Home Office.
As part of this strategy EVOLVE wants to help build resilient communities and stamp out the malign influence of criminal gangs – a policy known nationally as 'Clear, Hold, Build'.
EVOLVE Liverpool-Knowsley was officially launched last January 27, in parts of Huyton, Long View, Yewtree, Dovecot, Page Moss and immediate surrounding areas in response to the murders of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, 29-year-old Ashley Dale and 22-year-old Sam Rimmer.
The project sees police and partners working closely together in communities blighted by serious and organised crime.
Since its launch, 662 people have been arrested. Police have also seized 150kg of suspected drugs, almost £500,000 in cash and four firearms.
Encouragingly for police, intelligence from the community has increased by 78% and knife crime and wounding have decreased by 57%.
EVOLVE also runs a 'Silence is Not an Option' campaign which aims to educate people about the signs of gang activity and encourage reporting of gang crime by making an anonymous report to Crimestoppers.
Chief Inspector Tony Fairhurst is one of the senior officers involved in EVOLVE Liverpool-Knowsley and reaffirmed the force's commitment to tackling organised crime and protecting communities.
Ch Insp Fairhurst also addressed the theme of the play and the words 'grass' and 'snitch'. He said: "Those terms are used by the criminals and the gangs to sow fear. Ultimately, their game is to exploit the community, exploit young people and make money from illicit means."
He added: “There should be no place for criminals to hide.
"The police can't solve the problem of organised by ourselves. We need partnership working with local authorities and community groups and that's what Evolve is all about"
Councillor Shelley Powell, Knowsley Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods, said: "Serious and organised crime has no place in our communities.
"The EVOLVE campaign has already helped dismantle criminal enterprises in Knowsley and we will continue to work closely with partner agencies to ensure people feel safe and happy where they live, without the fear of organised crime disrupting their lives.
"This ongoing commitment to our residents will not stop. We must continue to work together to tackle organised crime and leave criminals with nowhere left to turn."
Also attending the day's events was Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell. She said: "Through days of action like today, we can continue to bring people together, strengthening community spirit and making sure these areas are places people are proud to call home."
As the day wrapped up, some of the school children gave their verdict on the play and some talked about what they had learned.
One view shared by the group was an understanding 'violence is never the answer' to problems.
One of the main themes was encouraging young people to feel confident and safe when reporting wrongdoing when they see it and help stop it escalating.
A storyline involving the lead character shows him staying silent when he experiences someone doing something wrong – leading to chaos and upset.
When asked what they had learned from the play, 11-year-old Frankie talked about the drama's resolution and what he would now do if he found himself in a similar circumstance.
He said: "The group felt relief when they eventually told the truth to the teacher so, I feel like I'd just tell the truth straight away before the trouble grows and bursts and leads to more trouble."
Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here