Bully Bust 2009
In May 2009, I learned about Bully Bust 2009 and posted about it here immediately. In June 2009, we made it the featured outreach program in the June 2009 issue of readergirlz.
This "community-led concerted effort to reduce bullying in schools" is sponsored by the Center for Social and Emotional Education and Boy Meets Girl. Bully Bust encourages people to speak up when they see bullying happening in their schools, in their neighborhoods, or online.
Turn the Statistics Around!
CSEE offered the following facts, then added, "Make a difference to turn the statistics around."
* Schools are the 3rd most common location for hate crimes.
* Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT youth reported being verbally harassed at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.
* For every 25 middle school kids, an average of 2 kids are harassed daily.
* 1 in 4 students say they are unsure of their safety at school.
* When there is a school-wide commitment to end bullying, it can be reduced by up to 50%.
* Suicide remains among the leading causes of death of children under 14.
Take the STAND UP Pledge
Support those around me who are being bullied or victimized
Tell a friend, teacher or parent when I see someone being bullied
Ask myself, "How would I want to be treated?"
Note where and when bullying occurs (bathroom, playground, online) and
Do something when I see someone being bullied - be an UPSTANDER
Understand why bullies bully
Practice being a good role model for my fellow students and share "STAND UP to bullies" strategies
Visit BullyBust.org today to sign the STANDUP pledge, consult valuable resources, and discover the 10 ways to be an upstander. You may also join Bully Bust on Facebook.
Share the Love
Send the Bully Bust link to your friends and family members and encourage them to sign the STAND UP pledge. If you're a teacher or a librarian, I hope you'll tell your students and patrons about it, too.
Books About Bullying
Looking for a book about bullying, gossiping, or peer pressure to discuss in class or in a book group? Try one of these titles:
Suitable for high school, alphabetical by author:
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
Read My Lips by Teri Brown
Walking Naked by Alyssa Brugman
Looks by Madeleine George
Shattering Glass by Gail Giles
The Julian Game by Adele Griffin
Breaking Point by Alex Flinn
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
Crimes of the Sarahs by Kristen Tracy (quirky and comedic)
Good Girls by Laura Ruby (content for older teens)
Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr (content for older teens)
Suitable for middle school or upper elementary school:
The Misfits by James Howe
The Girls by Amy Goldman Koss
Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
- and this is just the tip of the iceberg. For more books about bullying, peer pressure, and other such topics, consult my Tough Issues for Teens booklist.
Neat Necklace
From the Bully Bust site:
STAND UP in style. Make a donation today to help schools-in-need get support to prevent violence and reduce bullying. When you donate $20, you'll receive a BullyBust Stand Up to Bullying bottlecap necklace. When you donate $40 or more, you'll receive an exclusive STAND UP t-shirt by fashion designer Boy Meets Girl®.
In the fall of 2009, CSEE and BullyBust held a design contest for their Stand Up bottle cap necklace. I was very flattered to learn that they liked the designs I had submitted. The final design was a collaboration between myself, CSEE, and Captivation Designs.
Check out the final version of the necklace and get one of your own when you donate to the cause!
Please note that I receive no commission from this endeavor whatsoever.
Spokesperson Sammi
Teen actress Sammi Hanratty has become the spokesperson for Bully Bust.
This "community-led concerted effort to reduce bullying in schools" is sponsored by the Center for Social and Emotional Education and Boy Meets Girl. Bully Bust encourages people to speak up when they see bullying happening in their schools, in their neighborhoods, or online.
Turn the Statistics Around!
CSEE offered the following facts, then added, "Make a difference to turn the statistics around."
* Schools are the 3rd most common location for hate crimes.
* Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT youth reported being verbally harassed at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.
* For every 25 middle school kids, an average of 2 kids are harassed daily.
* 1 in 4 students say they are unsure of their safety at school.
* When there is a school-wide commitment to end bullying, it can be reduced by up to 50%.
* Suicide remains among the leading causes of death of children under 14.
Take the STAND UP Pledge
Support those around me who are being bullied or victimized
Tell a friend, teacher or parent when I see someone being bullied
Ask myself, "How would I want to be treated?"
Note where and when bullying occurs (bathroom, playground, online) and
Do something when I see someone being bullied - be an UPSTANDER
Understand why bullies bully
Practice being a good role model for my fellow students and share "STAND UP to bullies" strategies
Visit BullyBust.org today to sign the STANDUP pledge, consult valuable resources, and discover the 10 ways to be an upstander. You may also join Bully Bust on Facebook.
Share the Love
Send the Bully Bust link to your friends and family members and encourage them to sign the STAND UP pledge. If you're a teacher or a librarian, I hope you'll tell your students and patrons about it, too.
Books About Bullying
Looking for a book about bullying, gossiping, or peer pressure to discuss in class or in a book group? Try one of these titles:
Suitable for high school, alphabetical by author:
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
Read My Lips by Teri Brown
Walking Naked by Alyssa Brugman
Looks by Madeleine George
Shattering Glass by Gail Giles
The Julian Game by Adele Griffin
Breaking Point by Alex Flinn
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
Crimes of the Sarahs by Kristen Tracy (quirky and comedic)
Good Girls by Laura Ruby (content for older teens)
Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr (content for older teens)
Suitable for middle school or upper elementary school:
The Misfits by James Howe
The Girls by Amy Goldman Koss
Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
- and this is just the tip of the iceberg. For more books about bullying, peer pressure, and other such topics, consult my Tough Issues for Teens booklist.
Neat Necklace
From the Bully Bust site:
STAND UP in style. Make a donation today to help schools-in-need get support to prevent violence and reduce bullying. When you donate $20, you'll receive a BullyBust Stand Up to Bullying bottlecap necklace. When you donate $40 or more, you'll receive an exclusive STAND UP t-shirt by fashion designer Boy Meets Girl®.
In the fall of 2009, CSEE and BullyBust held a design contest for their Stand Up bottle cap necklace. I was very flattered to learn that they liked the designs I had submitted. The final design was a collaboration between myself, CSEE, and Captivation Designs.
Check out the final version of the necklace and get one of your own when you donate to the cause!
Please note that I receive no commission from this endeavor whatsoever.
Spokesperson Sammi
Teen actress Sammi Hanratty has become the spokesperson for Bully Bust.
Click to view