Ferndale Student Who Revealed He Was Bullied Gets Dream Trip

FERNDALE, MI — Bullying is a serious subject. In fact, it is so important that when the star of CNBC’s “The Profit” Marcus Lemonis visited Ferndale High School last year, he spoke at length to the students about his own troubled childhood and the abuse he suffered at the hands of bullies.

This honest speech by Marcus inspired Ferndale student Zachary Rodriguez to stand up at the assembly and share his own story of how he has been bullied in his life. Immediately, Marcus called Zachary up to the stage and called upon all of the students of FHS to help ensure Zachary was never bullied again.

It was a powerful moment in what was a wonderful assembly. While Marcus loved his entire visit to Ferndale, his moment with Zachary really stood out. After departing Ferndale, he reached out to Universal Studios, and together they partnered to give Zachary and his family the vacation of a lifetime.

Last month, Zachary and his family made their all expenses paid trip to Universal Studios. To say Marcus and Universal pulled out all the stops would be an understatement. The family landed in Orlando and were immediately greeted by a chauffeur holding a placard that read “Welcome Zachary Rodriguez.”

Zachary and his brother were also each given huge Universal Studios gift bags that included seemingly everything, from Harry Potter Magic Wands to candy and Universal themed beach towels. If that wasn’t enough, to ensure the family got everything they wanted out of their trip, they were each given a $100 Universal gift card to spend in the park.

From the airport, the family was whisked away to Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort where they stayed for their entire trip. The following day featured a behind the scenes VIP tour of the park that included a trip to the front of the line for each ride they wanted to experience! What an amazing gift from Marcus Lemonis and Universal Studios.

While the trip was a once in a lifetime experience, what is truly remarkable is the positive effect Zachary has had on his own life. Ever since his brave stance at the assembly last January, the bullying events have stopped completely. The personal empowerment he has received from speaking out and the community support from his peers are what Ferndale Eagle Pride is all about.

— Written by Bill Good, Ferndale Public Schools director of communications and pupil services, and distributed as part of the district's eBlast!.