Watch kids stand up to bullies at the anti-bullying film fest!
Stopbullying.gov challenged teens around the country to create videos about bullying. The seven finalists have been selected and they're impressive — this one, for example:
Contestants were instructed to explore what kids can do to stop bullying, and the finalists all maintained that tight focus: none of the videos mentions the role of school administrators or anti-bullying programs; in fact, not a single adult appears in any of the videos.
Bullying under the radar
It's a valuable message they're sending out: that kids can take an active stand against bullying. Of course it's important for schools to make sure that bullying isn't tolerated. But unless kids stand up to bullying, it will continue out of sight and under the radar.
These videos show kids taking simple steps to stop bullying:
extending a hand to a kid who has been shoved to the ground, joining a boy who's taunted for being fat on a
run around the track, stepping up to dance with a teen surrounded by sneering tormentors.
It's the small gestures that make the difference: you don't have to be a
superhero to stop bullying, as this film points out:
Check out all seven finalists here and let us know what you think. Do you have examples of kids standing up to bullies? Are these films you'd show your own kids?
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I love the concept! I firmly believe that bullying can end when most students get involved with A.R.K. (Acts of Random Kindness). It's our job to help students know that they have influence. If they see a student being bullied, they can have lunch with them or even walk the halls with them.
Posted by High School Assembly Speaker on December 12, 2012 at 07:14 AM
I had to be out of town on business for a month and I knew my daughter was having trouble with a group of girls, but I had no idea until one of the girls actually hit her in the hall and asked what she was going to do about it, well she knew she couldn't do anything as 2 of this girls friends were there also just daring her, she would call me in tears and I wasn't there to help her but with only words of comfort, but it reached a point that I emailed her favorite teacher, and I picked the right person to handle it until I could get back to our home. This teacher went directly to the administrators of the school and with in a 3 day period all these girls were sitting in the office telling why they bullied my daughter to a breaking point for her, one said I was bored, I couldn't believe what I was hearing, they had to confront my daughter with their answers and apologize in front of all these teachers and administrators of Denny Middle school. It worked, but the weeks before this happened she would spend hours in her room and what came out of this sadness was the most beautiful bullying song I have heard to date, it is called "Mama's prayer" It has been recorded and we are waiting on copy right, but she hopes to awaken awareness with her peers, when she gets the OK to do so, I so much appreciate and love that Ms. A. Segar and the vice principal of this school took control of the situation in a sweeping matter to help a special student, Thankyou Pauline (Polly) Aldrich
Posted by Pauline M. Aldrich on January 06, 2013 at 11:40 AM