Don’t Be A Bully, Be A Buddy

STORY BY JEW'ELL SUTTON, FNN REPORTER, PHOTO BY LEILONI KING, BLOW PIERCE BUREAU

JAN. 7, 2014.  On Thursday, November 21, 2013, the Centene Corporation hosted a “No Bullying Zone" event featuring book reading, a musical performance and graffiti wall signing at Friendship Blow Pierce Academy.

At the event, author Michelle Bain read and discussed her new book “Splotch the Madpole” with students. Then they brought out a character in the book named Darby who was getting bullied by a mean tadpole. To show kids how it feels to be bullied, Ms. Bain put two mirrors in the book. In the front you say mean things to yourself. Then, after you read the book there is one in the back. When you look into that mirror and say good things about yourself, it makes you feel a lot better.

The celebrity (also known as the X factor finalist, Marcus Canty) performed.  When they announced him and brought him out everyone screamed and shouted. It felt like a concert with everyone out of their seats having fun. He sang one of his songs “ In & Out” which got the students out of their seats having fun and dancing. He stayed and sung two more songs. Marcus Canty set our cafeteria on fire with his hit songs!

The event was mainly about how to keep students from bullying and showed six different ways that someone can be bullied. They are physical bullying, verbal bullying, indirect bullying, social alienation, intimidation, and cyber bullying. You can even bully someone if you are not trying to be a bully. The message was clear. They want you to see how bad it hurts people’s feelings. They reminded Blow Pierce students to keep their negative words to themselves.  

Jew’ell Sutton and Leiloni King are 8th grade students at Friendship Blow Pierce Junior Academy.