District dedicates week to ending bullying in Madison County schools
Madison School District is starting by dedicating an entire week to ending bullying.
“I like how the school is coming up and it’s self-promoting anti-bullying so that it’s not something that is under the radar. They are addressing that it’s here and we are trying to do something to stop it,” said Madison High School senior Alayna Bone.
Madison and Sugar-Salem High Schools are running a challenge week, with each day focused on doing something positive for others. The goal is for students to be 100 percent original.
“Instead of paying so much attention to the bully, we are focusing on the person, and the individual qualities and uniqueness each person has,” said Jessica Goudy from the Madison Cares Youth Project.
Students will take on daily challenges like using kind words, being nice online and via text, and doing random acts of kindness. Monday’s challenge was to make a new friend.
Students start the day wearing a special bracelet on their left hand. They can move it to their right wrist after they complete the challenges.
“I think the campaign has helped people really watch what they say and be aware of other people’s feelings,” said sophomore James Palmer.
The week is something very important to him.
“I was having in trouble in school a while back and I was having trouble with myself. Madison Cares really helped me through school and through the problems I was having,” said Palmer.
He wasn’t alone in that struggle.
“We are up to standards with the national bullying averages, which is 160,000 kids stay home per day nationally because of bullying problems. Two-hundred seventy-six thousand children a year attempt to take their life, 5000 will,” said Goudy.
Madison Cares hopes that this week will be the start to lowering that statistic.
The community is invited to the final challenge this Friday. Participants will form a word using humans and take an aerial shot. It is Friday from 4-5 p.m. at the Madison Education Center. T-shirts will available for those who donate five packaged food items.
