Meet Jessica Kel, one of our #UnfollowBullying student guest bloggers. Jessica is a senior at Monterey Trail High School and served as a member of Superintendent Ladd’s student advisory committee. In this post, Jessica shares her reflections on being a part of the #UnfollowBullying campaign.

Student Blogger: Jessica Kel
School: Monterey Trail High School

As I sat down with my friends, we started talking to each other about our plans for the weekend and the subject of a mutual friend we all had came up. This came to such a surprise to me when they told me he had been getting bullied by the people whom he believed were his “friends”. These “friends” of his talked about the way he looked and the way the spoke, not realizing that this guy was probably the nicest guy you could ever meet, but of course, because he didn’t have the perfect smile or the nicest clothes, he was talked about and called names by those who he thought were his real friends. My friends then told me that this mutual friend of ours already had a low self-esteem and when he heard about this, his self-esteem just dropped. Thoughts of suicide even came across his mind at one point.

Once I heard about how these things were actually going on so close around me, I knew that bullying was a serious issue because it will cause many to physically hurt themselves and even worse, thoughts of suicide. Ever since I heard about someone who I actually knew was getting bullied, I believed in stepping up and putting a foot down once in for all for those who are too afraid to step up for themselves. The nicest person you know is probably the one getting bullied themselves. Do not ever underestimate the lengths people will do to make the pain and suffering stop. Fortunately, my friend had some real friends who were there for him who made him feel better about himself and made him second guess his thoughts on suicide. Everyone needs to step up. If you see someone getting bullied, put your foot down and stick up for that person because chances are, they are too afraid themselves to stand up for themselves. Be that person who is on their side when it seems as if everyone else is against them. It is not that hard to tell a person  to stop what they are doing because it is wrong to do, you never know, maybe that act of kindness just be the thing that stops someone from hurting themselves.

When the Elk Grove Unified School District presented the #UnfollowBullying campaign to us, I honestly believed that bullying did not exist anymore. But of course, my thoughts were completely changed when I found out someone who I knew was a victim of this horrible act. I was especially honored to be part of this helpful and growing campaign because it does help someone. If it does not help you, it will help someone else in need that is too afraid to speak up. The #UnfollowBullying campaign is such an amazing program that should be expanded to other locations because it does help and it does make a difference. Change does not happen unless you make it happen. Thank you to #UnfollowBullying for opening my eyes up to the truth of bullying and for speaking out for all those people who are just too afraid to speak up for themselves. This campaign is a great one and should get much more recognition for all it does because it does make a difference, you make a difference.

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If you are an EGUSD student and  interested in being a guest blogger for #UnfollowBullying, please email communication@egusd.net with your idea for a future post.