Program Spotlight: Mediation Center of Eastern NC declare October "Bully Prevention Month"

Bully Prevention Month: October 2009
Pitt County Schools Grades K-8

October 2009 Theme: Bullying Stops Here, Bullying Stops Now

October is National Crime Prevention Month.  In honor of this month, the Building Peace in the Schools Program of the Mediation Center of Eastern Carolina (MCEC), in partnership with the Pitt/Greenville Project Safe Neighborhoods of the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), have declared October as Bully Prevention Month for Pitt County Schools Grades K-8.  The coordinators, Maggie Crandall (MCEC) and Desha Lane (PCSO) are proud to offer Bully Prevention events throughout the month for a fourth year in a row. To address this issue in the schools, the coordinators are offering posters and other materials, as well as sponsoring numerous events, such as:

• Assemblies (Grades K-5)
• Grade Level Presentations (Grades 6-8)
• PTA presentations for schools
• Bulletin board/door decoration contests (Grades K-5)
• No name-calling week
• ‘Meet & Greet McGruff’ Raffle
• Essay contest (middle school grades) 

The coordinators believe that bullying is a growing social problem amongst our youth.  Bullying is a sign of an early form of violent, aggressive behavior, and is very disruptive and distracting in a school setting.  Although the coordinators offer events the children seem to enjoy, the most important event of all to them are the presentations.  It is during these presentations/assemblies where the coordinators deliver a strong message about bullying, its effects and consequences, and give the school body positive ways to deal with bullying.  At the end of each presentation, the coordinators close out with a pledge.  The coordinators are excited about offering these events to the schools, and sharing the message that bullying needs to “stop here, stop now”.

The Bully Prevention Program will debut new Bully Prevention pledges in the schools during the month of October.  Below is an example of a pledge that has been used with 6th – 8th grade students in the past:

Bully Prevention Pledge

"I promise to stand up against bullies & bullying
behavior in a peaceful way.
I promise help keep peace in my school
by recognizing bullying behavior,
by not bullying others,
 and by telling an authority figure.
I promise to treat others the way I want to be treated."
 

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