DescriptionThe identification of protective factors that might modify the negative effects of community violence (CV) is key for prevention efforts and the promotion of resilience among at-risk children and adolescents. The present study examined the relation between direct exposure to CV and children’s social skills, externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, and academic competence in a sample of 125 African-American and Latino fifth-grade children across a nine month period. Of particular interest was the potential moderating or protective effect of positive school experiences and perceived peer acceptance in these relations. Results revealed that most children were victims of CV, with victimization status remaining relatively stable across the two time points. CV exposure was significantly associated with increased internalizing problems and decreased academic competence initially and with decreased social skills and increased externalizing problems across time. With the exception of social skills, these effects were the same for boys and girls and African-American and Latino children. Overall, analyses found no buffers of the effects of CV exposure on social skills, internalizing problems, and academic competence, but provided some evidence that being helped by other students and having a high total number of positive school experiences may help protect children from the adverse effect of CV on externalizing problems. Implications of the impact of CV exposure, as well as the moderating effects found are discussed.