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Tracy's Story
Posted: 4/26/2013
I am an adult who still suffers from being bullied for most of my youth.
I was born to a very poor family & was abused by my father for years. I was sent to school dirty, unkept, & hungry most days. I experienced the taunts & teasing not only for the poor hygiene, but also my looks. I have plump lips, a larger nose, & am very tall for a girl. The boys in my hometown called me names daily & I had no friends!
I also went hungry due to the fact my small high school made the kids who received free/reduced lunch stand in a different line from others to obtain our lunch tickets(also a different color from the others). I had so much humiliation already that I chose not to eat to avoid even more teasing. I still suffer from eating disorders & have a poor realtionship with food due to the bad choices made by our HS with the lunch program.
I eventually left my hometown & blossomed into an attractive lady. I am still sensitive to criticism from others, have low self esteem, & overly protect my daughters. I still get angry because not one adult stepped up to help me. I tell my girls to always behave warmly to others. never tease, & always play with those who are being alienated.
Bullying ruins lives & its so important to look @ those who are bullyed to see what the underlying issues might be....It can save a life!
By: Tracy
My Story
Posted: 4/26/2013
I've been bullied all throughout school; from elementary school to even college. I was born with Neurofibromatosis, which made me have a mild speech impediment, not being able to do as well in PE class, and I also had a larger head than other kids. I was mocked & teased me for how I talked, ran, and even for my head. Starting from a young age, I didn't have many friends in school at all. I would even try befriending new kids the day they came to the school, but within a day or two, bullies would jump in and tell them lies about me which made them not want to be my friend anymore. Sometimes bullies would purposely hide my bag or shoes/boots. Once someone even stole my bike helmet.
Entering high school, I lost several of my friends for no reason at all; including friends I had known since I was about 4 or 5 years old. I wasn't popular at all, even though I never did anything wrong to anyone, and I would volunteer in the community a lot; such as at the animal shelter and the church's summer program for kids. My "friends" would let their "popularity" get to them and would simply not want to be associated with me. Even in high school I would try befriending new students, but it would end up not working out. I would even be talking to people who I thought were my friends, and someone would come up to them and literally say "You're friends with Jeremy?! You're not going to get a girl if you stay friends with him you know." My "friends" in those cases wouldn't defend me. So I was betrayed multiple times; by both guys and girls. Because of all of this, I became extremely shy. I was so shy I would be too afraid to do anything if a chance at a potential girlfriend came my way. One girl in grade 10 even tried to ask me out. When she asked me "Are you doing anything this weekend?", I shrugged on instinct. She knew I kind of liked her, and before that day I had a suspicion she liked me but no one else seemed to have picked up on it. I didn't want to hurt her and see people turn on her then have her feel what I've had to put up with.
In college I thought it would all end; I was wrong. For a business project I was stuck with two guys that didn't want to pull their own weight. I later found out one convinced the other not to do anything for it just so *I* would have a very bad mark on it. I tried talking to the instructor about it, but she actually didn't do anything about it. I failed the course because of the project, and I had to take some of my summer break to retake it, but luckily with a different teacher and much different class.
To end my story, I would just like to say you are never alone. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you're being bullied. The bullies win when the victims stay silent. You are not weak if you tell someone; the act of bullying of any kind is weak.
By: Jeremy
Don't Lose Yourself
Posted: 4/26/2013
Bullying is overrated! I'm saying this because I've been in a situation before. It all started in 5th grade with a girl who was new in my school. She seemed really nice, and the two of us became friends. She then met my best friend, and for some reason, she didn't like her. She began calling her a drama queen, witch, and other mean things. My best friend then started to get really unpositive and she wasn't defending herself as much as she did before. Me, on the other hand? I was a coward; I didn't do anything. A few weeks later, the new girl sent me an e-mail saying that my best friend should shoot herself. I was worried for her safety, and I forwarded her the e-mail. The next day, us three were sent to the prinicipal, and luckily, we got the problem solved. After we got out, the new friend shouted at me that I betrayed her and that she thought I was her best friend. I yelled back at her that she wasn't my friend; she was a bully. I told her that if she ever wanted a friend, she was going to have to be one herself first. I finished by telling her that I didn't ever want to see her face again. She looked at me with tears in her eyes, and then ran off. My best friend and are now closer then ever, and the new girl got expelled from school. I'm still ashamed of myself that I was a bystander; now I know to stick up for the right. If you are a bystander, don't be. You'll lose a friend (Which I almost did), and you'll also lose yourself in the process. STOP BULLYING!By: Shannon
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willUstand
Posted: 4/26/2013
Twelve-year-old Charleigh first performed Stand, an original bullying prevention song, at her local talent show. After receiving many requests for the track, She wanted to share the song in a meaningful way, so Charleigh created an initiative called willUstand. She invited youth from all over the US and abroad to participate in a crowd sourced music video for the song.
She encouraged kids to submit a 5-10 second clip that symbolized the key messages within the song and with a goal to create a powerful mashup that we hoped would inspire social change.
willUstand launched March 2013.
By: Anonymous
When Someone Tells You That You've Changed
Posted: 4/26/2013
I've always thought I fit in. I sort of still do. I've always have had friends. If you didn't know me, you'd think of me as a spoiled teacher's pet, that everyone loves. No. That's not it. I have pimples overflowing my face. It's hard to walk around certain boys now. A boy whose younger than me walks to me everyday asking me why I have so many pimples. I'm always so embarrassed to tell an adult because he's younger than me. And a boy. It gets really annoying, also because each time somebody teases me, my friends aren't there. I have no idea if they would stand up. Hopefully they would. They've told me they've been bullied as well. And we are all teachers pets, and have lots of friends.
But sometimes they aren't my friends. They talk about innapropriate subjects that only adults take seriously. And they laugh. I don't. They josh around to each other thinking its funny. And all of us are religious. I realized one of my friends was going through the same problem. She hasn't told face to face, but each time an innapropriate concept appears, she is dead silent. Like me.
We both want to have friends, but those? I really don't know. I wish I could just be friends with the girl who knows what I'm going through, but it would be hard telling my mom this kind of stuff. My mom knows the innapropriate people. She thinks of them as friends. She knows their moms. It's scary. I'm always scared one day, I won't fit in, because I am not like them.
Luckily, I was accepted to an IB program and I'll won't have to deal with them for much longer. But I will have faith. Although I am scared, I will not back down. No matter how cowardly I seem, it's right. It's me. It's being me. 'When someone tells you that you've changed, that just means you're not like them anymore.'
By: Anonymous
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Faceless
Posted: 4/26/2013
Little boy
All alone
Longing for someone he’s never known.
Needs a light to give him hope,
But all he gets is pain.
His classmates
Do not understand
They’ve never been in the place he stands.
The others laugh
The victim cries
A heart breaks
Under the weight of lies.
Little girl
So afraid
Struggling to make it through the day
Needs a friend to give her life,
But all they do is tease.
Her classmates
Do not understand
They’ve never been in a home like hers.
The children laugh
The victim cries
A heart torn
With strain of hidden pain.
The faces
We cannot
See
Are the ones who most need noticing.
The eyes that
We avoid,
Are the ones we need to see.
If we could try to understand
To reach out with
Open hands,
Live a little,
Love some more
Then we could break this cycle.
But instead we hide behind a mask,
We tend to see each victim as
Not a life,
Not a heart,
Just another faceless stranger.
Little boy
All alone
Longing for someone he’s never known,
Needs a light to give him hope,
And then he finds a friend.
The other boy
Can’t understand
He’s never been in the place he stands,
But reaches out
And shows the boy
How hearts mend,
With the touch of a friend.
Little girl
So afraid
Struggling to make it through the day,
Needs a friend to give her life,
She finds one in the boy.
The little boy
Can understand
He has been in a home like hers.
He teaches her
How to smile
And how to
Break the cycle.
The faces
We cannot
See
Are the ones who most need noticing.
The eyes that
We avoid,
Are the ones we need to see.
If we could try to understand
To reach out with
Open hands,
Live a little,
Love some more
Then we could break this cycle.
But instead we hide behind a mask,
We tend to see each victim as
Not a life,
Not a heart,
Just a faceless stranger.
By: Bronte
SoLuna Studio will donate a portion of proceeds from GODSPELL
Posted: 4/26/2013
Drawing on a recent wave of cyber bully attacks on many of the studio’s students, director Karen Braun focused SoLuna’s production on GODSPELL’s central themes of community and love. One of the musical’s key musical numbers demonstrates how bullying is a problem plaguing many teens today. According to creator Stephen Schwartz, “GODSPELL is essentially about a community of people coming together.” With this production, SoLuna Studio hopes to bring the local community together to raise awareness about the prevalence and effects of bullying.
GODSPELL will run for a total of 9 performances on Friday and Saturday evening with matinees on Sundays beginning on May 10. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors. For more information about the show, please watch the sneak-peek here.
About SoLuna Studio
Founded in 2011, SoLuna Studio is a performing arts studio located at 659 Old Willets Path, Hauppauge, NY, which offers a variety of acting, dance, musical and musical theater classes for children, teens, and adults. SoLuna Studio also offers a full professional season, has included FAME, NEXT TO NORMAL, and THE WEDDING SINGER so far in 2013. More information about SoLuna Studio can be found at www.solunastudiony.com.
By: Anonymous
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Feelings
Posted: 4/16/2013
In my class a girl never has anyone to talk or play with and I don't like that.
She doesn't look all that pretty but I can at least make her feel good. Sometimes ditch her to play with the other girls but realize they may not be my real friends though.
Sometimes I talk to her and she hates school and barely tries so I try to help her cause I worry about her. One time at recess majority of the girls were all playing include us two and we were all doing flips, and cartwheels, and all the other stuff but she had on a dress and the girls were saying she could do it cause she tried in her dress.
Some girls were teasing her that they saw her undies, so she bent down to the ground and wrote "why am I stupid", then we all came over and said she wasn't then the other girls ran off. Then it was me and her. Then she started crying. I told her to stop cause she not and if she keeps thinking bad thoughts of herself she might not make it though so she needs to keep trying.
Then one day we had a bully prevention meeting at school and my teacher said we should try to play with others and get to know them more, so at recess I played with her and I could tell she liked it and was having fun.
So try think about others and be nice cause you never know what they are going through.
By: Janiyah
Words Hurt
Posted: 4/16/2013
You should know bullying hurts, it starts with one word you decided to blurt.
Fat, ugly, worthless, these are words they hear, little did you know, your their biggest fear.
They panic as they read the messages you send, and it takes so long for their hearts to mend.
All they want is one true friend, but you make them want their lives to end.
You bully because you think its cool, but you make the victim feel like a fool.
This is when they say enough is enough, they hold back and try to look tough.
You think their weak but the victims are stronger than you, haven't you seen what they've been going through.
You laugh as they cry and run away, little did you know you might not see them the next day.
So if you get bullied stay strong forever because you don't want to feel disliked now or never.
By: Lydia
I Might Seem Happy, But I'm Not
Posted: 4/8/2013
Hello my name is Amina and I'm 15 and a sophomore.
I might seem happy, but I'm not.
I get bullied for being obsessed with Justin Bieber.
Sometimes I’m scared to go to school because I don’t know what will happen, or who will come up to me and call me names and bully me for what I love. No one sticks up for me, not even my friends. They are scared too say anything, because they are scared if they do then they will get bullied too. I try to stick up for myself but it doesn’t always work out. Most of the time it just makes it worse. So then I just have to deal with it until I get home, then I can cry it all out.
Well I’ve tried telling an adult. Ive told both my parents and they don’t say much about it. My mom says it’s nothing major and that I should just deal with it. My dad on the other hand has told me that I deserve it because all I do is talk about Justin Bieber. No one should ever be bullied for what they love or for what they believe in.
So if you see someone being bullied, stick up for them, It could save a life and it will make a difference. And who knows, you could end up being good friends with them! Don’t let anyone get away with bullying!
~ Stay Strong <3 ~
By: Amina
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