Students from several of our EGUSD schools (Monterey Trail High School and Roy Herburger Elementary School) took the pledge to “Stand Up Speak Out” against bullying at the California Museum’s Unity Center as part of October’s National Bullying Prevention Month and Digital Citizenship Week celebrations.
“The Unity Center at the California Museum celebrates the state’s diverse people, customs and cultures. Initiated in 1999 in response to a series of Northern California hate crimes, the Center’s interactive multimedia exhibits highlight leaders in the state’s rich civil rights history and encourage visitors to find common ground while embracing their own individuality.”
We reached out to the 6th grade team of teachers at Roy Herburger to get their thoughts on the Rally and invited them to share some of their students takeaway messages from the event.
Mrs. Katsandres and her 6th grade class:
“The Stand-Up, Speak Out rally resonated with my students. They were touched by the stories they heard, enjoyed touring the Unity exhibit, and spending time with people that encouraged them to be who they are.” -Mrs. Katsandres
“I appreciated the presenters for telling us about their troubles with bullying. It is a very brave thing to do. I hope and believe that what they do will stop bullying in all ways. Cyber-bullying, publicly bullying and all different types of bullying will stop!” -Genevieve
“I thought that it was a very fun and educational field trip. I learned that you should still be yourself even if you are bullied. From hearing stories about those who were bullied, it inspired me to stand up to bullying. Overall, this field trip was very fun and very inspiring.” -Vy
“It was a very nice experience to hear other people’s thoughts about bullying and how we can prevent it from happening. I liked having a group of people stand up against bullying. I also liked how it taught others to stand up against bullying too! Participating in the anti-bullying rally was fun and I hope others stand up against bullying too.” -Angela
“I enjoyed taking a tour of the Unity room and also enjoyed the presentations.” -Marco
“I love this event because I know that bullying affects many lives and this helps stop it. I also like how other people shared their stories of bullying. If anyone at the rally has been bullied, they would know how to get through it.” -Stuart
“The anti-bullying rally was a really good field trip! I enjoyed listening to other people’s stories of being bullied. I recommend people go to the Stand-Up, Speak Out rally field trip.” -Kyle
Ms. Callaway’s 6th grade class:
“I feel that the field trip was an amazing experience. I felt like the speeches people gave about how bullying affected their lives were very inspirational and was able to spread positivity to the audience.” -Jesse
“I absolutely love this event. I was so thankful to attend. I have been bullied before and right now some of my best friends are really hurting from bullying and depression, so I was very glad to also get things for them. Thank you again.” -Anatolia
“The rally was very interesting overall. Everyone seemed supportive and I grew more confident to express myself. When someone teased my friend, I was able to stand up for her and stop the bully.” -Mary
Ms. Topete and Ms. Berry’s 6th graders:
“I thought it was very good because it showed me that people stand up against bullying and help the people who are being bullied.” -Gabriel
“ What I really enjoyed about the Bullying Rally is how many things are there for you to get help from.” -Seerat
“What I liked about the event is how we got to listen to other people’s stories.” -Mikayla
“I was inspired to help stop bullying. Thanks for inspiring others in my school. I loved it.” -Bekha
Students explore the new 4,000 square foot gallery celebrating California’s diverse people, customs and cultures.
The Unity Center features interactive exhibits and engaging educational programs exploring California’s rich civil rights history.
Students participate in an exhibit encouraging visitors to take an active stance against hate, intolerance and bullying.
We had the pleasure of joining Marielle Tsukamoto for the event. Marielle has been a huge part of our EGUSD Time of Remembrance Project. We invite educators across the globe to share the interviews and resources posted to the Time of Remembrance website with their students. It is our hope that through the living voices of survivors and witnesses of World War II and the Vietnam War, students will gain an understanding of the common threads that connect the exclusion and forced removal of any group of people – and the importance of standing up and speaking out for the rights of all citizens.
During Marielle’s interview, she shares her perspective on the impact of the internment years on her family and the Florin community during and following the war years – along with memories of “unsung heroes.”
“Having the Stand Up Speak Out Against Bullying Rally hosted by the CA Museum – Unity Center was especially inspiring for me,” said Marielle. “Empowering youth to speak out against the bullying of any group is truly a way to bring about positive change in any and all communities.”
We look forward to following up on the impact of this year’s Rally with the students who attended. This is our 5th year attending the Stand Up Speak Out Again Bullying Rally and every year is memorable and a call to action.
