An Anti-Bullying Program was recently presented by members of Canton High School SADD club. The program was opened by High School Principal, Craig Coleman. This was followed by an introduction by Mariah Castle, President of SADD, a peer organization that stands for Students Against Destructive Decisions. She stated, "We focus on issues such as drug use, distracted driving, and in today's case, bullying and suicide prevention. We feel that you will be able to get something out of this assembly." She introduced Alana Castle to start the assembly with a story: "Carrie sat down to eat her lunch just like she did every school day. She had waited in line, stopped to grab a straw, and made her way to the table where she always sat with her friends. The table had just begun to engage in a friendly conversation, when suddenly the cafeteria went quiet.
At the table next to her, Carrie saw another student standing with his tray. His gaze was fixed towards the bench where a new student sat. This new girl had been at the school several years before, and she was sitting with a crowd that she recognized. However, the boy also knew the crowd and it was obvious that he wanted the seat next to his friends. He raised his voice and in complete frustration, screamed, "Let's get something straight, no one here at this table likes you!" Carrie was stunned. She turned to her friends, who were also wideeyed, and then looked back to the situation. She saw the new girl's eyes slowly glassing over as they filled with tears. The girl stood up, scanning nervously around for a new place to sit to escape the circumstance. She was trying to look as though the words did not affect her, but she was losing her composure. There was enough room on Carrie's side of the bench for this new girl to sit. She wanted to extend an invitation for her to sit there, but the words did not come. She kept watching the girl, who was moving across the cafeteria now, and knew that she had missed her chance. The girl was crying, having drawn the attention of a teacher, and Carrie sat in anger at herself for her lack of courage. Carrie's friends went back to their conversations, but she sat quiet. A few minutes later, lunch ended and the students filed out and on with their day. The girl disappeared from sight, but not from Carrie's mind. She saw her a few times throughout the next few weeks, but after that, she never saw her again. "What happened to her? Did she move" How is she doing now" Is she still being bullied?" Carrie thought, "My one act of kindness could have made a difference for her." After the story was read, Mariah discussed the story. "Upon hearing this story, you may have picked up on the harsh words that were said. You may have sympathized with the girl who was the target of these words. "However, I's assuming that most of you identify with the bystander. I know that I do. "The bystander in this story, Carrie, was me. This is a true story, and it happened right here in our school. I was the person who sat and watched the whole incident, and yet could not find the courage to do anything about it. I still regret the choice I made that day in remaining silent. "I challenge all of you to be different. You see, this assembly isn't about reprimanding and scolding students for their actions. In fact, it isn't even about stopping bullying. "This is all about inspiring change and lighting a fire in young people to fight back against the negativity surrounding them. It is about being aware of people's needs. It's about being brave, being a friend, and stepping up. It is that simple act of paying attention and noticing. "Albert Einstein once said, 'The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." After several videos, other speakers read the following stories: Ronald Reagan, former president of the United States once said, "We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone." Sitting there in your chairs right now, I am sure that you think there is no way you can make a difference. Let's face it, you are only one person in a world of over 7 billion people living in the small town of Canton. There is no way you could make an impact, right?...Wrong! To prove you wrong, I will tell you a story about Rachel. Rachel was just a regular high school student like you or me. But she had a theory that she called a chain reaction. She wrote, "I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go." This is a great theory that one small act of kindness can go a long way. Unfortunately, Rachel was never able to see this dream put to the test. In 1999, she died at 17 years old, the same age I am today. She was the first victim in the shooting at Columbine High School. However, her message of the chain reaction lives on through her parents and has impacted over 21 million people. To honor Rachel's dream, instead of bullying someone, tearing them down, making them feel bad about themselves, build them up. Make them feel special. If someone is having a bad day, try to make it better by cheering them up. Sometimes all it takes is a smile. Maybe one day you will be having a bad day and that person will do the same for you, like a chain reaction. So don't sit there in your seat and tell me you cannot make a difference. You can make a difference by doing some of the smallest things. Your actions and your words can make an impact on someone. Before I let you go, I'll give you a fact to chew on: There have been those that have attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, but lived. Afterwards, they said that ONE SMILE would have changed their mind. ONE SMILE can make everything different. ONE SMILE can save someone's life. So get out there and save a life, be someone's Superman. "I think that I can speak for every single SADD member when I say that we want you to know You're NOT Alone! Whatever you are dealing with, whether it's bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, or something completely different, there is strength in asking for help. We know that this can be hard at times, and we want to offer a way for you to reach out that is less intimidating. We hope that you will eventually feel brave enough to tell a friend or trusted adult about your struggles, but for now, here is our plan. A box was set up in the cafeteria with a slot on top and slips of paper for anyone needing advice, having a question, to write it down and place it in the box. A member of SADD will get together and reply to their note and place the answer on the new SADD blog at cantonsadd.wordpress.com. We may not be able to reply to everything, but please do not hesitate to ask. We are here to help, not to judge. We have created a banner for students to sign. It says, "We pledge to be more aware of those around us, to acknowledge their struggles, to support one another, and above all, to take a standin the fight against bullying." We would love to see all of you sign and commit to creating a better environment at our school. Together, we CAN make a difference. I would like to remind you of this question: "How does this apply to me, and what can I take away?" We have given you information, inspiration and even opportunities to get involved. We have taken our stand, and now it is up to you. You hold a great deal of power in your hands, and whether you use that power for good or bad is a choice you must make on you own. Choose wisely. The program was well received by the student body.