Seventh-grade students at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic School held special events as part of National Bullying Prevention Week held each October. With a plan to spread the message, the week began with students reading Joe Lawler’s “Bullying.com” about a 7th grade student who must prove to his school principal that he was not part of a cyberbullying incident.
“This week, we have challenged ourselves to answer such questions as “What can we do to eliminate bullying in our world,” and “what ‘type’ of person and what age group do you think gets bullied,” said Nicole Aranguren-Garcia who teaches 7th and 8th grade literature and 7th grade religion.
On October 30, the group held an anti-bullying dress down day with each student donating $1 to a charity that promotes peace and helps raise awareness. The 7th graders wore either purple or orange shirts (colors associated with the campaign) and finished reading Lawler’s book outside in the school’s courtyard.
“As the Anti-Bully Pack Leader, I would like to express how proud I am of these students who are choosing peace rather than hatred,” Garcia said. “The topics discussed in class, while difficult, are fruitful and I see how passionate they are about bringing awareness and, most importantly, a solution to this ever-growing problem.”