Lights, camera, stand up against bullying

Sharon McLeay
Times Contributor

 

TV cameras rolled into Westmount Elementary School on Oct. 29, all due to the efforts of student Faith Markel, under direction of their Assistant Principal Mr. Graff.
They entered a contest and out of 1,600 schools across Canada, Westmount School was one of four that won a personalized trip to their school by Alexandra Beaton and Jennifer Pappas star in Family Channel’s series The Next Step.

“We are really excited to be here today,” said Pappas. “And you know what! You are all TV stars, as this video will be featured on Family Channel.”
Footage from each of the four schools will be shown in a special program surrounding anti-bullying and displayed on their website (www.family.ca/standup/). Each of the students was given a t-shirt featuring a family channel logo and one young man in the halls after the assembly was overheard saying, “this is the best t-shirt ever!”
The students got to preview an unaired episode, which featured an anti-cyberbullying message, and Family Channel will be featuring more during its Bully Awareness Week Nov. 17-23. This tied in with the purpose of the road show, to make kids aware that bullying is wrong and hurtful, bullying is really a relationship problem, that promoting good relationships and eliminating violence is everyone’s responsibility.
“If even one student stands up against bullying, it stops within 10 seconds most of the time, said researcher Wendy Josephson, head researcher at Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Networks.
PrevNet is a research institute that is creating partnerships with businesses, organizations and educational institutions to get different social behavioural messages to the public across Canada. They are currently working on 10 projects with anti-bullying as one of them. She said it can be a challenge to get research out to the people that will use it. Along with their programs they supply teaching tools for the teacher and tip sheets for parents. On this topic there is an 80 page teaching manual that teachers can download and work through with their students. If schools don’t have technology, the teachers can contact the institute and they will send materials out. www.prevnet.ca
After the episode was shown Josephson went through some points with the students. They discussed effects of cyberbullying, how to stand up for yourself or someone else, and the word ‘retaliation.’ The children were pointed to getting adult help when things seem to fail.
Equine Connection’s Kari Fulmek, certified equine-assisted facilitator, and Carolyn Charles, director of marketing and sales, were also at the assembly to show students how equine teachers can give them strong life skills and boundaries.
At the end of the assembly students got to dance to the theme song written and sung by the band Eleven Past One.
“I was bullied in high school,” said Daniel Richter, lead singer. “I felt alienated and can relate … because I have been there before.”
Principal Wayne Funk said they didn’t normally dance in assembly, but he was making an exception for the guests. Teachers and students mingled in an energized group, dancing it all out in the auditorium, until they had to return to class in an orderly fashion.