Merrick Students Tackle Bullying with Terry

Students in the Merrick School District recently learned some tips for standing up to bullying, as well as ways to create and maintain healthy friendships, during a two-day visit from nationally acclaimed children’s author Trudy Ludwig.

Ludwig spent time at each of the district’s three schools, where she read her book “The Invisible Boy” and engaged the students in activities that provided various ways to react to bullying. Along with advocating for friendship, she offered three tips to avoid being a bystander: comfort someone who has been bullied, include them in recess and report any incidents of bullying to an adult.

Ludwig also presented her “tool belt” of tricks to stand up to bullies. Using student volunteers, she re-enacted situations of bullying and responses to use with each. Among the responses were changing the subject, stopping the situation, questioning the bully, walking away, and showing indifference to the bully’s remarks.

Photos: Merrick School District