How To Stop a Bully
How do you deal with bullies?
Helping school children face down bullies is the goal of an innovative UCAN social service program to prevent or reduce community violence in Lake County.
Once, when I was 9, I got bullied by this girl. I thought she was my friend, but she always picked on me and not her other friends. So I realized I was getting bullied. So when I got home I told my dad and he just said, "Don't be her friend anymore." The next day at school, I told her I didn't want to be friends anymore. After that, she started to punch me. I told the teacher and she stopped.
Program coordinators Jamie Gallo and Sandra Villarreal have each student in participating schools write a story about a time when they were bullied. Students can also write about a time they saw someone else being bullied. If they are not strong writers, they can draw a picture of the event.
A week after this project, They share stories from different schools with the children. Each group of three students receives several stories and is invited to respond to one. They can write their advice on a poster or draw pictures about what the child should do who is being bullied.
When I went to the park, this kid was spitting at me and pushing me. I felt bad and my friend and I started to run away from the kid, but She was still chasing us. Finally, I started to cry and She left me alone for the rest of the day.
This UCAN program currently operates in:
Emmons in Antioch
Gavin Elementary School in Ingleside
John Powers School for the Deaf in Vernon Hills
Waukegan Park District
YWCA in Waukegan