Jul -- News: RISE ABOVE an Anti-Bullying group that will hopefully go national

BlackNemesis13
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Posted on 09-15-11 10:35:25 PM (last edited by Bloodstar at 09-15-11 07:43 PM)

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Hey, some of you may have noticed that I haven't posted here in a while. This has mostly been due to several real life issues, and more of my time being spent elsewhere, some of which relates to this news story.

I'm still not likely to post here much for a while, but since I know that quite a few of you have had to deal with bullying, I figured some of you might have some thoughts on an anti-bullying group my sister Shannon started called RISE ABOVE.

So far, it's mainly a local thing, but it is getting more and more recognition, and her goal is to make this a nationally recognized organization in every high school. It's already been featured on NBC with Cabot Rea, published in some local newspapers, and featured on ABC 6 news. Also, she just told us today that Anderson Cooper on CNN wants to fly her out to New York for an exclusive interview! Here are some of the news stories that were online.

NBC with Cabot Rea

Zaneville Times

Basically, on July 4th my niece Lauren was killed in a car crash. While she was alive, Lauren was bullied A LOT, but what the news stories don't tell is that nearly everyone who bullied Lauren eventually became her closest friends once they got to know her. Shannon learned a lot about how to deal with bullying positively from that since both of them often went out of their way to get to the root of the problem and find out WHY people there were bullying in the first place. That usually ended up leading to Shannon getting to know the bullies AND their parents quite well, and eventually to everyone involved becoming close friends once misunderstandings were cleared up, and the kids actually looked at what they were doing and why.

Of course, not all bullying can be solved positively and Shannon did have to teach Lauren some hardcore self-defense just so they could both feel safe with her at that school. The school she went to, Sheridan High is known by many of the students to be particularly bad for rampant, bullying, fighting, and otherwise singling out students for being different, and none of the faculty doing ANYTHING about it. Lauren was kind of a messed up kid who was different and had a few social disorders (the main reasons why she was picked on) but she was also very forgiving and lighthearted.

Nearly 300 people came to Lauren's candlelight vigil at the school, and Shannon asked, "how many of you here either once beat up Lauren, or were beat up by Lauren, but later on you came to see her as a friend?" At least half of them raised their hand. A lot of people came to know her and her family, and when she died, the outpouring from the community was tremendous. This inspired Shannon to try to focus all of this energy into turning Sheridan High School around for the better, and to get the kids actively involved in an anti-bullying campaign. A lot of the kids got exited about this too since they knew the school had serious problems, but many of them felt powerless to do anything about it. Now that this group is gaining ground, they are realizing that they really can make a difference.

Of course no group is without opposition, and much of the faculty at Sheridan is actually dead set against this group mainly because they don't know anything about it, and think it's just a bunch of mourning kids banding together who don't know what they are talking about led by some crazy woman who is trying to start up the next MADD or something. In other words, they think it's just some stupid rouge group that will fizzle out and only exists to make their jobs more difficult. Instead, this group isn't about Lauren at all. She did inspire it, but the group is mainly about being a positive outlet for kids and parents who either have to deal with bullying, know someone who is being bullied, or even if they themselves are the bullies. This isn't about some stupid vendetta, its about legitimately wanting positive change, and actually doing something about it.

It basically encourages positive attitudes and social behavior that SHOULD be common sense, but at least in high/middle school usually isn't. It's about diffusing fights before they start by COMMUNICATING first instead of jumping to conclusions and ganging up on people. It encourages accepting people for who they are instead of picking on them because they are different. It encourages kids to stand up for one another instead of letting someone treat someone else like dirt. And it's even about showing kids when they themselves might be instigating negativity and abd attitudes without even realizing it, and how to recognize and stop this, both in themselves and in others.

The group is actually working on pamphlets right now that clearly state what the group IS as well as what the group is NOT in an effort to educate people who are caught up in misconceptions about the group.

If you would like more information or would like to "join the cause" they have a website www.riseabovelkw.com. just keep in mind that they have limited resources right now, so it is defintiely obvious that the site was designed by one of the 16-year old Rise Abovers in about a day with no design experience. In other words, I know the site is ATROCIOUS looking, but that is the best they can do right now and at least you can find out information. Also, I'm not asking anyone to donate especially since I know most of you are broke, but for anyone interested who would like to show their support in that way, there is a donate button on that site as well, and all donations are greatly appreciated.

So anyway just thought I'd throw this out there. Any thoughts? Criticism? Interest? Do you think this has a chance of working?

e (Bloodstar): Fixed the link to the site.

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Dprotp
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Posted on 09-15-11 10:49:04 PM

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not much more i can add

donated some money! hope it works out and grows

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Viola

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Posted on 09-15-11 11:05:40 PM

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I don't know, the site doesn't look that bad. Not as bad as I thought it would anyways. But of course It'll have my support.

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Lyskar
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Posted on 09-16-11 12:01:18 AM

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Metal_Man88's Post

I was once bullied. Then I went nuts and began punching bullies.

I had to go to independent study for post-Elementary school. The issue was all the gangs in the public schools.

But now I'm in university so things aren't too bad off.

There do need to be more anti-bullying things anyway. People just don't act like it happens. And those people are stupid.

Wish I could find my old elementary school principal and confront them over it. "Children grow up, you money-embezzling old fool."

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