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Athens Co. Schools Receive Bullying Prevention Programs
By: Olivia Bevan
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It is reported that six out of 10 American youth witness some form of bullying everyday.
There are many measures being taken to prevent the bullying, including an effort close to home.
The Sisters of St. Joseph Charitable Fund in West Virginia awarded the Appalachian Peace and Justice Network $6,000 to fund 11 free bully prevention classes for Athens County elementary and middle Schools.
The classes will be part of The Second Step Bully Prevention program.
"Second Step teaches empathy, impulse control, anger management and problem solving. And the central idea is that if we have more empathy, more compassion for each other then we don't want to be in conflict with each other so it takes the cycle of violence and teaches the opposite," said Mara Giglio, director at the Appalachian Peace and Justice Network.
Giglio said the program uses different techniques in the classes from puppets for younger children to dance videos for older kids.
Giglio said she thinks the classes have a lot to offer.
"I think it's just powerful to be talking about it, to have a safe and respectful place to be explaining the issues. We have this opportunity to create new norms and to set new ways for how we want to treat each other in schools and in the community," said Giglio.