Valley High School students are working hard to take #UnfollowBullying to the next level by extending the program to their middle and elementary feeder schools.
They started with three character education assemblies on April 4 at John Reith Elementary School. About 35 Valley High School students talked to the youngsters about the importance of saying no to bullying. The Valley High School students worked with the students on an anti-bullying lesson. They wrote their thoughts on butcher paper and then signed their names to two large “Unbullyable Me” pledges. Each elementary student was rewarded with a yellow “Unbullyable Me” certificate.
“We took an issue (cyberbullying) that affects all kids and made it a rallying point for our region. Our district has been aware of this issue since they started work on the #UnfollowBullying initiative. We happened to fall into a partnership with Teen – S – Team plus and began building a program that would serve our region’s high and middle schools. As it becomes more apparent there is a need in the region, the students of the region will rise to meet that need,” said Valley High Activities Director Dan Laine.
Throughout the month of April the Valley High students will be at Samuel Jackman Middle School for a Bully Awareness Month. Some of the activities include:
- Posters in the quad describing what bullying looks like
- Stations for students to write a positive text, tweet or status update
- Students providing a minimum of five positive messages to their friends during lunch
- New Friend Day when students take photos of themselves with a new friend
- On the final day, Valley High students will show a video to Jackman P.E. classes to provide a review of the month’s activities.
“The students of Valley may lead the charge, but what we are building is something that will be led by the students of this region for years to come,” Laine said. “I have heard it said that you can either lead, follow or get out of the way. Our students are leading and will continue to lead the way and address this issue for years to come. We will be the model going forward.”
