The recent string of gun violence has prompted many in the community to ask, "what can be done?"

About a hundred concerned citizens and community leaders met Saturday morning to discuss how they can help curb the violence.

Club Gravity in downtown Syracuse hosted the meeting. Community activist Mary Nelson and Superintendent of Syracuse City Schools, Dan Lowengard, spoke at the meeting.

On Saturday, the group formed various task forces to go out in the community and make a difference. Nelson says one of their top priorities is having regular meetings with Mayor Stephanie Minor.

Above all else, Nelson says education is the key, but not just the kind kids get in a classroom.

"Education is not going to be about a paper, pen or pencil," Nelson says. "Educating them on life lessons, to stay away from this violence. If they're about to lean this way, we're going to bring them back this way."

Superintendent Lowengard says the schools can play a big part in steering kids towards after-school programs and away from the streets.

"Kids are attracted to gangs because it provides something that's missing in their life and not being part of something. So the more the schools can offer the extracurricular, the clubs, the plays and all that, that helps them get engaged in a positive way rather than in a negative way."

Nelson's community forum meets the first Saturday of every month. The sight of next month's meeting has yet to be determined.