Dearborn Students Spread Anti-Bullying Message in Song, Dance, Stories

Dearborn students will present an anti-bullying message through music, dance and personal stories at the fifth annual city-wide Response to Bullying Extravaganza next month.

Some of the key messages that will be shared include “My future is unlimited. Together, we’re unlimited!” and “I have the power!”

Stay Connected

• Get the Dearborn Patch free daily newsletter and news alerts.
• Like Dearborn Patch on Facebook.

The event takes place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the Michael A. Guido Theater at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center. Admission is free.

Set to the music and themes from Broadway hit “Wicked,” the event shares the lessons:

• Everyone has a story,
• Sometimes things are not as they appear,
• Everyone deserves a chance to succeed, and
• Friends can help friends change for the good.

“Wicked” tells the “back story” of the two witches in the Wizard of Oz, illustrating that there are two sides to every story. As young girls, the “good witch” wasn’t always so good and the “bad witch” was repeatedly teased, bullied and left out. In the end, the two girls became friends, but not until after they learned the important lessons that words and actions have consequences; everyone has the power to help others; and, working together, people have unlimited potential to succeed.

“I encourage everyone to attend the Nov.17 event to see our talented students use music and dance to share the messages that bullying behavior hurts and everyone has the power to help others succeed,” he said.

A district-wide plan, community partnerships and effective student-driven initiatives to identify and stop bullying behavior over the past four years have made Dearborn’s Response to Bullying Program a successful model for other groups and organizations across the country to emulate. It’s a city-wide effort in which partners work together to reach all community members and build a bully-free culture throughout the city of Dearborn.

“We’re proud that Dearborn students are an equal partner with our teachers, Board of Education, mayor, City Council, community groups and other organizations in a community-wide initiative to address bullying across our city,” Maleyko said.

In 2012, the Dearborn Public Schools district put into place a policy on bullying behavior that requires all Dearborn staff having any contact with students to participate in annual anti-bullying professional development on how to prevent, identify, respond to and report bullying behavior.

In addition, each school conducts anti-bullying training for parents, tracks incidents of bullying behavior, and holds three anti-bullying events each year.

For more information about the Anti-Bullying Extravaganza and Dearborn Public Schools response to bullying initiatives, contact Jacqui Rivait at (313) 827-3109 or RivaitJ@dearbornschools.org.