Stories

Poem Against Bullying

Posted: 2/5/2014

Walk through the halls of an unknown land Trying to figure out how to fit in, May not be the same as everyone else, But is that a reason to cut me down? Every day I face a new battle don’t you see, Not knowing who will push or tease me.

Will I be made fun of for my clothes?

Will I be shunned for my shyness?

Will the other kids laugh and point?

Who will beat me up I think to myself,

when I am alone in the hall?

Will anyone hear my cries?

When I am running for my life?

Kids tell me I am to slow to score a goal, Teachers tell me you’ll never make the grade, They look at me and see what they want to see.

When will I be seen for me?

My parents tell me do not be afraid.

Do not listen to what they all say.

Your dreams are powerful and can be attained.

You are worth more than you’ll ever know Don’t give up on yourself.

I sit in my room at night and cry,

Wishing I was like them inside.

Why do kids hate me so much?

What did I ever do to make them hurt me so?

I just want the bullying to stop in school.

I want to be free to explore the world.

I want a chance to find myself,

I want to be happy once again.

I want to find the smile I once had.

I want to be seen for who I really am,

I just want a new beginning.

About the author:
I was a shy kid in school with many learning disabilities. I struggled with anxiety and depression and know what kind of impact that can have on a child. I also was told on several occasions that writing poetry would get me no where in life so why write. I write because I find joy in it and am good at it. Writing is something no one can take away from me. I have seen a lot of bullying going on in my childrens school and wanted to make a difference. After I saw the NFL players characters unite shows on television I decided to talk to some teachers about focusing our poetry unit in April around anti bullying poems and what it means to kids that are facing it in todays society. I know how bullying can crush a childs perception of them selves and how hard it is to go to school and face those fears every day. This is just my way of helping others.

By: Cory

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Advice

Posted: 1/29/2014

I would recommend to:

• Talk to someone you trust
• Try writing about it
• If you can - try to not let the words get into you head.
• Find a healthy way to take out your anger or fear.
• Find a way to distract yourself
  • paint your nails
  • shop
  • listen to music or watch a movie
  • play a sport
  • play a video gam
• Read a book
• Sing
• Draw
• Write a note/letter/email to the person bullying, but don't send it or give it to them.

( perfecto) !

By: Felicia

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Be a Friend, Bring a Friend, Make a Friend

Posted: 1/24/2014



For her 11th birthday party, Anistyn thought big…and kind! Anistyn held a Be a Friend, Bring a Friend, Make a Friend party, to which she invited everyone in her middle school for music, dancing, and food – all created by kids and teens! Anistyn remembers her mom telling her that for every one mean person, there are ten more that are nice. So Anistyn made the theme of her party: “When we stand together, no one stands alone.” About a new friend who has a disability, Anistyn writes, “No one was laughing at Estelle or making fun of her when she got on stage and sang along. We had fun helping her and being nice to her. This was one of my favorite parts of the entire night because I realized how fun it is to be friends with people who are different.” To top it all off, Anistyn gave up her birthday presents this year in order to donate to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. She and her friends raised over $1,300 to help kids who have been bullied! Read more.

By: Anonymous

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We just need someone to listen

Posted: 1/23/2014

I want to start off by saying that this is my first time to actually join or at least contribute, support a program that helps those who are in need of help, because you know, we know that problems like bullying need to be addressed. This also is my first time sharing my story, but I figured since it would help others, then might as well give it a shot. And if you all would not mind, I would love to join to help out kids who have been victims, even though I'm just thirteen years old and don't know that much about the world. But what I do know is that we experience pain, problems like bullying that can lead to suicide and major depression, which I have experienced as well. I always had this motivation to at least help other people, because when I was bullied, I was a young girl who didn't know what to do. I was dumbfounded, and scared at how they would threaten me with death, and harassed me in every possible way. Words do hurt and so do actions. Because by the time I was punched or kicked for being too smart, or being too different from all the other people, I was traumatized for a girl of only 6 to about 8 years old. I remember being afraid of going to school, because my teacher would force me to sit at their table, and under the desks, they would kick me as hard as they could. And I would return home with my legs all bruised up. And yet I was still scared to speak up, and day by day, second by second, I developed major depression, eating disorders, and even started self harming to the point I was suicidal. And one day I just came to realize that this is not ok. What they do is not ok. Because no one has the right to make someone else feel down just by calling them ugly, fat or any other offensive terms. I have a story. We all have a story. And we all have problems, some bigger than others, but that gives us even more of a right to help each other out. I had no one to help me when I went through a rehabilitation process, but we are not alone. We don't need someone to understand, we just need someone to listen.

By: Erika

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Tri-City United Schools Inspire Basketball Fans

Posted: 1/22/2014

Tri-City United High School’s Gay Straight Alliance wanted to raise awareness of bullying at their school in a way that would get their classmates fired up about the issue. Knowing that their school’s basketball team was popular on and off the court, these students decided to link bullying prevention and basketball in one big awareness-raising event. Before the game, the GSA sold white t-shirts for the “White Out” games and donated the proceeds to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. At the game, fans signed a banner to pledge their support of bullying prevention. After half time, players ran through another banner to signify busting out of bullying. Whether their team won or lost, these students had great success in raising awareness of bullying in their community. Read more.

By: Anonymous

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Light

Posted: 1/17/2014

It was the last thing I'd ever thought to see in my life. Everything started in Elementary school. I was never really that good with school, I was always taken out of class to have tests and books read to me, I felt embarrassed, but then I soon figured out that they were just trying to help me, and I got better, my reading level increased, and I was so happy. Just when I thought nothing could ruin all of this, I was so wrong. Kids started to tease me, calling me names, yelling at me, pushing me during recess, I always hid in the bathroom. I would sit on the little counter by the sink and eat my lunch. When the teacher found me, she said I had to start eating in the cafeteria, she assured me that everything was going to be okay. But again, she was wrong. Everything was not okay. They started teasing me, and sitting really close to me because they knew I was afraid of them. They would take my dollar I had in my lunch box my mom always gave me to buy a cookie to get something for themselves. Soon after that I started staying in the classroom with my teacher during recess, I always gave her some lame excuse on how I didn't understand a math problem, or couldn't spell a word right. Soon she figured out that I was just hiding. When she wanted to take me outside I literally dropped to my knees and cried. I yelled and screamed praying she wouldn't take me out there with them. That's when I saw her face completely change. She knew that this wasn't just teasing but it was something serious. So she allowed me to stay. I helped her clean her classroom and straighten out the desks. But one day I came to school and she wasn't there, the substitute told me that she had her baby the other night and she was going to be out for the rest of the year, the substitute never let me stay in for recess, that's when I had to toughen up and get out there, I just sat on the bench the whole time, the kids called me over to play with them, and of course I smiled and came over, and then they started making fun of me again. I mean I knew that kids can be mean but I didn't know they could be that cruel. Anyways, the bullying went on and on throughout the years, and it got worse as I got older. Especially during middle school and half of high school. They would say that I have a mustache. Every single day they said this, and in my head I'm thinking, you said this yesterday, and the day before, and last week. Why do you keep saying it? Then I pinned it all on myself. I really thought I had a mustache. So I went home and shaved my upper lip. I would have done anything to make them stop. Anything. But whatever I did, nothing helped. That's when I wanted to give up. But then I thought t myself, why give up? Your just letting them win. Do you want them to win? So I stood tall and accepted all the words they said to me. It hurt like a ton of bricks. My heart was just shattered, and my heart was bruised and just broken. But I heard that when you're heart is broken, it lets the light inside.

By: Selena

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There’s No Such Thing as Normal

Posted: 1/13/2014

I am a perfectly healthy and average 12 year old girl who isn't allergic to anything but Penicillin. Almost everyone in my 6 grade classes (we have 2 classes) is friends with each other. Nobody would physically hurt each other or bully each other to the point where one of us commits suicide. It's nothing life threatening. However, at lunch time, sometimes I get bullied. The problem is, the people at my table don't realize they hurt me. They're all pretty nice people, I'm friends with all of them. There are 4 boys who sit at my table and 2 other girls. For lunch, I usually bring a tuna sandwich because I like tuna. Sometimes I bring a sandwich that includes mayo on it. Sometimes I bring a bagel with cream cheese. The problem is, the girls and one of the boys were asking me today things like "How do you like tuna?" Or something like that. Then I told them the foods I didn't like. I don't drink pop (I never have), I don't eat fruits like strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, mango, etc. I am not the type of person that likes foods that most kids like. I do like grapes, bananas, apples, watermelon, and some vegetables. When they found out this, they were for some reason appalled by this. I don't see why. Not everyone likes the same thing. They didn't physically hurt me, they just acted kind of rude. The girls weren't as mean as the one guy. They just said things like, "I can't believe you don't like strawberries!". It didn't really hurt me, but they acted like I was an alien or something. There's no such thing as normal, because everyone is different. But they acted like it was against the law to have a different opinion. It hurt me a little. The other 3 boys didn't really say anything, they just continued to eat their lunch. But I'm not sure what to do. If they do it again, how do I respond? I feel like crying because I don't want to deal with bullying.

By: Grace

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My Story

Posted: 1/8/2014

It all started in the 6th grade when i shaved my head for kid's with cancer. Because i dressed like more like a guy then I did like a girl. Everyone kept calling me a man or they would call me a dyke or a lesbian. At the time i hadn't realized that i actually was. I also shaved my head in the seventh grade for the same cause. While my friends got all the good recognition for it I got all of the bullying. No body knew what i was going through. I didn't tell any of my friends that i had started self harming. I started the end of my sixth grade year. At first it was only one or two but then it turned into more. My 8th grade year the bullying had gotten so much worse. Everyone kept asking me what i was doing in the girls locker room and why i went in the girls bathroom. I hated almost everyone at my school because i got crap from everyone. I didn't want to be there anymore. Everyone would say ohhh look its the girl who cuts herself, ohh look its the girl who is suicidal. I got sick of it so that year i tried to overdose. My friend got there in time and made me throw up the pills. I didn't want to go back to school. After that so many more people started making fun of me. I had one friend and even she made fun of me at times about me being gay. Once i got to be a freshman i started standing up for myself and tried to not let anyone get to me. I still self harm to this day but im not as bad about it. The bullying still happens and it hits me hard still but i've learned to not listen to what people say to me. I've started to help other people and its helped me as well.

By: Zoie

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Everyone Belongs Here

Posted: 1/7/2014

Okay so I don't even know where to begin. Bullying is a huge thing to me and I hope I can one day reduce it to the point where it's not noticeable and almost gone for good. I have basically been bullied my whole life since preschool and I'm now a senior in highschool. It makes me so upset when people try and justify their mean words or actions. I've seen how it can effect people. From eating disorders to self harm and even sometimes to taking themselves out of this world. It makes me so sad that anyone goes through that. I'm lucky. I'm strong and the worst I've gone through is crying myself to sleep. Although other things have crossed my mind I had the strength to refrain from it and it makes me so sad that some people are broken down so much that they feel worthless. I believe everyone a beautiful. Every single person. And worth so much. And that everyone belongs here and that's why bullying angers me so much because they make people feel like those statements are false and like they don't belong here but everyone belongs here. Our hearts wouldn't be beating if we didn't belong here. And that's in essence my opinion on bullying. And what I'm doing to prevent it is that I have an account on Instagram that's anti-bullying and I post uplifting pictures and quotes and offer advice and love to anyone who needs it and whenever I see bullying I try and give them the perspective of how wrong it is.

By: Hannah

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Be Who You Want to Be

Posted: 1/7/2014

Lately I've been thinking about my past and I've honestly came to realize I should be thankful that all the stuff that happened actually did happen. Cause with out it I wouldn't be the person I am today and I wouldn't be as strong as I am. I wouldn't be able to help others through things that they are going through like I did if it didn't happen cause I wouldn't know what to say. I am thankful for all the people who helped me get through it by standing by my side and with their love. Honestly I would never have come so far without you guys. Mainly my parents and siblings! I can't stop thinking about those times I let all those kids walk all over me and bully me. Honestly I shouldn't have let it get to me as much as I did. I let it cause me to almost fail school, I let it make me depressed and I never wanted to go to school. I was never happy. Do you think I honestly wanted any of that? No I didn't but it all happened for a reason, and that reason was so I could be a better person and so I can help others get through hard times cause I know what it was like to go through it all. Honestly all of that built me to who I am today and I'm proud to be able to say I was a target of bullying and I overcame it.

Targets of bullying: You may think this is never going to end and that you aren't able to get through it. But I promise you this. When you stand up and speak up it will start to get better. You may think it won't but it does slowly but it will. Don't be scared to stand up for yourself and tell an adult. Don't let the bullies tear you apart it's not worth it. Talk to someone tell them what's going on they will help you I promise. Never let them cause you to do something to your self cause that's not going to help you may think It is but it truly isn't. Talking to someone and venting to someone helps. Just know your not alone their are many others out their fighting to stay strong just like you and trying to get through all the bullying and depression. Just know your not alone take a look around you. There are tons of people who love and care about you and would be willing to help. So don't hide your emotions from people cause that won't do you any good. Your parents are there for you but you just need to speak up and tell them what's going on just vent to them. And one thing you need to know is your stronger then you may think you are you just got to take a moment to realize that. And you are beautiful even if they say you aren't cause the truth is you gorgeous and they are just trying to bring you lower then them cause they want to be at the top above you. don't let them succeed show them that your gonna shine and be above them and won't let them bring you below. That you know your better then they say you are. And don't change for any one. No matter what be who you are and stay that way cause the people who truly like you for you will like the person you are and not want you to change. And the people who are fake and are just playing games are the ones who want to try to change you into someone your not. So don't let them change you! Be who you want to be!!!

By: Stephanie

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