KSU Students help Stanton Middle School Students turn “Bullies 2 Buddies”

A team of five students from Kent State University studying Public Relations have launched a unique project to combat bullying at Stanton Middle School. The team began by meeting with 30 students in Stanton’s “Ambassador” program  within the 7^th grade, getting their feedback about bullying at Stanton and enlisting them in support roles for the activities planned.  The team learned that most bullying takes place where adults have no presence…the bus, the halls, the bathrooms, and outside at recess. The middle school students said that techno-bullying is the worst area, especially Instagram. The following is a list of the activities the KSU students initiated:

KSU Students provided direction and supplies for Stanton students to write kind statements on colored index cards which were randomly distributed to all 7^th grade students with the message to pay kindness forward. Each seventh grade student and the entire faculty were given a blue combat bullying ribbon to wear.

The KSU team created a Parent Flyer about Bullying that included how parents can get support. All of the students who returned the tear out in the flyer with their parent’s signature where then entered into a drawing for Cleveland Cavalier tickets, KSU hoodies, and Starbucks cards. These were to be given away at lunch by “Earl” Kent’s very own “Black Squirrel” during week 3 of the campaign.

The team created a link on the Stanton Middle School Website and a Facebook page to provide parents and students with bullying information.  Pre and post surveys were distributed to the students to assess the program and get feedback.  These surveys were also posted on the SMS website.  

The KSU students spent one hour in each of the twelve seventh grade classrooms. They assisted the students in creating life size silhouettes, writing mean words that they have heard or that were said to them.  These were torn up to demonstrate getting rid of bully type words. Another silhouette was filled with compliments and kind statements. These “kind” silhouettes stand proudly throughout the Stanton cafeteria with a poster in each of their hands that reads: “5 reasons being kind is better.”  KSU students facilitated in processing how students feel “torn” when bullied and stand tall when complimented. In addition, the SMS Student Ambassadors were inspired to create a bulletin board to promote the theme “kindness costs nothing” that echoes the theme of the Bullies 2 Buddies program.

Finally, to address bullying on busses, the KSU team worked alongside the SMS Student Ambassadors to place “Kindness” signs on every bus in the district.