Posts Tagged ‘teachers’

A ”NO BULL” Challenge for schools: get, free anti-bullying lessons to students by Election Day

Monday, October 22nd, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (PRBuzz.com) October 22, 2012 — The Great American NO BULL Challenge today issued a challenge to school districts across the country– to get the NO BULL Academy’s free anti-bullying programs into all 6-12 grade classrooms by Election Day. The web-based platform teaches students digital responsibility, while fostering a positive and safe school climate. The lesson plans are designed by experienced educators for teens, and include anti-bullying videos created by the award-winning teen filmmakers of the 2012 NO BULL Teen Video Awards.

Cyber safety expert, and Founder of the NO BULL Challenge, Shawn Edgington said,
“Education reform and budget shortfalls are being debated in races for local, state and national office. We are pleased to provide some help for budget-strapped school districts, with free programs for students and educators. Lessons in digital responsibility should not be overlooked. That is why I have set November 6th, Election Day, as a goal to get the NO BULL Academy’s free programming in classrooms from coast to coast.”

The Blue Valley School District in the Kansas City metro area was the first to introduce the NO BULL Academy to its students, during Kansas Bully Awareness Week in September. School administrator, Molly McNally, said, “teachers reported the best student-engaged conversations ever.” She added, “teachers really like the format.” McNally is the mother of two and her niece was, “bullied relentlessly” during middle school. Today in her position as a school administrator, she is making sure students and teachers are educated about what bullying really looks like, and that they are provided with tools to deal with this problem.

The Kansas teachers used a lesson plan created by Austin Barker, the winner of the NO BULL Teen Video Awards. Barker, now a college freshman, is continuing his work with the NO BULL Challenge as President of the Youth Advisory Council, and encourages students to get involved in the 2013 NO BULL Teen Video Awards. Barker said, “As advocates of anti-bullying we hope to bring peace, understanding, and awareness of an evolving generation of bullying to students and educators across the United States. We have done this in a way not seen or experienced before; through the eyes of victims of bullying, and the vision of the students of America. The NO BULL Academy in coordination with the Great American NO BULL Challenge allows students across the country to unite against bullying and truly become a NO BULL NATION. We believe that even though you are in a place of darkness, you can still find light, because you’re not alone, and there is a better day coming.”

Barker joins Edgington in her challenge to schools to take advantage of what the NO BULL Academy offers for free, thanks to donations by its sponsors.

About the Great American NO BULL Challenge and NO BULL Teen Video Awards:
The NO BULL Challenge and NO BULL Teen Video Awards promote social responsibility, a positive school climate and social action using the power of music and film. The campaign’s national partners include, National Organization for Youth Safety, iSafe, FCCLA, 4-H, Bully The Movie and The Bully Project, HealthCorps, Project Change, Business Professionals of America, SADD, The California Endowment, among others.

About Shawn Edgington:
Shawn Edgington is the founder of the Great American NO BULL Challenge and the NO BULL Teen Video Awards. She is the President of the Cyber Safety Academy and the CEO of a national insurance company. A leading cyber safety expert, Shawn is the author of the best selling book, “The Parent’s Guide to Texting, Facebook and Social Media: Understanding the Benefits and Dangers of Parenting in the Digital World.”

Media Contact:
Suzanne Spurgeon, Women Media Pros
Suzanne@WomenMediaPros.com
Claudia McMahon, Women Media Pros
Claudia@WomenMediaPros.com
323-656-1536

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Annual anti-bullying ”NO BULL Challenge” set to return in 2013; free programs provided to teachers.

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (PRBuzz.com) October 1, 2012 — The Great American NO BULL Challenge today announced the second annual NO BULL Challenge and Teen Video Awards as the world turns its attention to National Bullying Prevention Month. The 2013 event is set to take place in the summer of 2013 in Los Angeles and returns teen spokespeople: author Zoe Oz, racecar driver Zach Veach and advocates Paige Logan and Nicole Edgington.

“We have found that the level of teen engagement and the promotion of a positive school climate are elevated when lessons come from other teens. Change makers affecting millions, is NO BULL’s lofty goal,” said Shawn Edgington, cyber safety expert, best selling author, and founder of the NO BULL Challenge.

The inaugural No BULL Teen Video Awards where held in July 2012 in San Francisco and included Hollywood celebrities, athletes, and musicians among them, singer/songwriter Sean Kingston and The New Boyz. The event also spawned a spoof on Comedy Central’s Emmy-award winning animated sitcom, South Park. To cap off the night, Robert Austin Barker was awarded first place for his documentary, “The Formula: A High School Thesis.”

“I filmed “The Formula” in response to my own personal battles with bullying. I think it’s important for people to consider that just because they’re in a place of darkness doesn’t mean they can’t bring light to it. The NO BULL Challenge allowed me to help deliver hope to all teens around the world with my film,” commented Austin Robert Barker, the big winner of the evening.

For the 2013 Challenge, teens and preteens are encouraged to enter the competition by creating 2-5 minute videos, or, 30-60 second PSAs, with a message of digital responsibility and/or anti-bullying. Videos may be submitted this December.

To further its anti-bullying message and teach students “digital responsibility,” the NO BULL Challenge and NO BULL Teen Video Awards will provide free educational programs to schools, nationwide. The programs are being administered through the Challenge’s NO BULL Academy.

The lesson plans were created by teens, many of who have been bullied. Among those is 18- year-old filmmaker, Barker. Barker’s winning short film, “The Formula” is being provided to schools, along with a new video message to students by Barker, and a Q & A lesson plan.

Fifteen video-rich classroom presentations have been put together for all students in order to help promote a positive school environment. Each 20-minute presentation includes one of the top 15 nominated films from the 2012 entries. The curriculum promotes digital responsibility and is available at no cost to schools, thanks to talented youth filmmakers and sponsors of the NO BULL Challenge.

About the Great American NO BULL Challenge and NO BULL Teen Video Awards:
The NO BULL Challenge and NO BULL Teen Video Awards promote social responsibility, a positive school climate and social action using the power of music and film. The campaign’s national partners include, National Organization for Youth Safety, iSafe, FCCLA, 4-H, Bully The Movie and The Bully Project, HealthCorps, Project Change, Business Professionals of America, SADD, The California Endowment, among others.

About the Teen Spokespeople:
Zoe Oz–teen blogger and co-author, along with her father, Dr. Mehmet Oz, of “YOU: The Owner’s Manual for Teens.”

Zach Veach–turned to auto racing after being bullied in school. Zach is part of the Andretti Autosport in INDYCAR’s Star Mazda Championship series.

Nicole Edgington–a cyberbullying survivor and inspiration for the NO BULL Challenge.

Paige Logan–4-H Representative at the annual National Bullying Summit in Washington, D.C. Paige talks about her own experience with being cyberbullied.

Scott Hannah and Tyler Gregory, dubbed the NO BULL Guys–they’ve been promoting their anti-bullying message at the National Anti-Bullying Summit in Washington D.C., during school assemblies, online and in media appearances throughout their home state of Ohio.

About Shawn Edgington:
Shawn Edgington is the founder of the Great American NO BULL Challenge and the NO BULL Teen Video Awards. She is the President of the Cyber Safety Academy and the CEO of a national insurance company. A leading cyber safety expert, Shawn is the author of the best selling book, “The Parent’s Guide to Texting, Facebook and Social Media: Understanding the Benefits and Dangers of Parenting in the Digital World.”

Media Contact:
Suzanne Spurgeon
Suzanne@WomenMediaPros.com
323-656-1536

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The back to school Golden Rule…

Friday, August 24th, 2012

The back to school Golden Rule…
It’s that time of year again, the first day of school. For some it’s a new school, a new grade, new face, new friends… for all, it’s a new beginning. We all know the Golden Rule, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” The truth is, most people fail to apply this rule.

I’ve just returned from the National Bullying Prevention Summit in Washington D.C. and have so much to share with you. In the technology era, bullying comes in all forms; it’s not necessarily the big kid taking your lunch money anymore. It comes by way of text, email, social media, far beyond the school’s jurisdiction. This sweeping epidemic that our children are dealing with every day has a new face: cyberbullying.

It’s important that teachers, parents and students are provided with the essential tools they need to stand up to this new threat. I will help provide you with these necessary tools.

The first day of school isn’t just a new beginning for students, but also for principals, teachers and parents.
Every day, each of us has the chance to turn a sometimes scary place into a safe and comfortable learning environment for our children. It’s amazing how much you can learn by simply opening your eyes to what is going on around you.

Keeping an open relationship with our children means we have to be ready to accept the reality of who they are and what they’re feeling. Really, I mean try accepting their point of view.

Communication is an ongoing process, rather than a one-time conversation. If you want your kids to talk to you, be ready to listen. This is probably the most important skill a parent can have at their disposal. We can strive to teach our children from right and wrong, and in return we can also learn by observing and listening.

Talk openly with your child about healthy relationships. Everyone is always going to be faced with both good and bad relationships; always take the good with the bad. Good relationships are doors to endless opportunity if they’re used properly. Bad relationships don’t have to be all bad, they might provide more obstacles, but sometimes an alternate course is needed to see things in a different light. Be prepared and ready to sit down and talk with your children about the good and bad relationships that they’re facing on a daily basis.

Here are some great back to school survival tips for your kids:
1. Smile! A simple smile can go a long way; it can change someone from having a bad day into a good one.
2. Keep your opinions to yourself! After all, they’re YOURS for a reason.
3. We all make mistakes! You will always learn from your mistakes, take your newfound knowledge and use it in a positive manner.

And let’s not forget when talking to our children to speak with L.O.V.E:
L – Listen. Talking with your children doesn’t always mean you have to be the only one talking.
O – Open. Let your children know that no topic is ever off limits.
V – Voice. It’s important to have a voice on both ends.
E – Enjoy, let your talk time be a happy time, and always remember that before you know it, they will be off to college or pursuing their dreams.
Join me this Tuesday, 8/28 for a live chat on Facebook. We’ll be covering cyber safety, standing up to bullying, educating our schools, students and more! You have a question? I have the answers! I look forward to connecting!

Shawn is a cyberbullying prevention expert and your go-to cyber safety advocate. Shawn’s the author of the bestselling book, The Parent’s Guide to Texting, Facebook and Social Media: Understanding the Benefits and Dangers of Parenting in a Digital World, the Founder of the Cyber Safety Academy, the Great American NO BULL Challenge and the Teen Video Awards. Shawn is also the CEO of a national insurance firm, where she provides risk management for companies across the country.

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Texas teen wins top prize at 2012 NO BULL Teen Video Awards for his anti-bullying film.

Friday, July 27th, 2012

San Francisco (PRBuzz) July 27, 2012 — The Great American NO BULL Challenge is pleased to announce the winner of the first, annual NO BULL Teen Video Awards, an event that celebrates the nation’s teens who stand up and a make a difference. Robert “Austin” Barker took first prize for his anti-bullying short film, “The Formula: A High School Thesis”. Barker attends Copperas Cove High School in Copperas Cove, Texas. Accepting his award, Barker said, “It’s a real rush, coming together to talk about the painful issue with all of the other teens from around the country. With NO BULL, we’ve been able to create a unified community to help parents, teachers, our principles and other kids on how to deal with this difficult issue. Thank you so much NO BULL, it’s an amazing program and opportunity that allowed us to honestly portray what bullying has evolved to become.”

Barker is among thousands of teenagers who wrote and directed hundreds of anti-bullying films during the 3-month competition. He wins a $10,000 production deal, a $5,000 college scholarship and his film will now be entered at the Sundance Film Festival. Other top vote getters are taking home, laptops, GoPro video cameras donated by GoPro and other prizes.

View the eight NO BULL Teen Video Award winners here:
http://nobull.votigo.com/contests/browseallentries/all/all/all/vote_count_desc/1/all/0/?topentries=winner

All the finalists were given the star treatment at Saturday’s event in San Francisco—from walking the red carpet to photo sessions with performers: The New Boyz, The League, Jenny and Ashley, and headliner Sean Kingston.

Filmmaker Lee Hirsch, writer and director of “BULLY”, and 15-year-old Alex Libby, one of the bullied kids profiled in the film, received Rising Star Awards for their roles in bringing attention to the deadly problem of bullying. During the Best Directing Award presentation, Hirsh moved the entire audience by saying “All of you in this room are not only filmmakers, you are change makers.”

Sean Kingston called on Libby to demonstrate his rapping skills. The shy teen and the internationally renowned Hip Hop and R&B sensation wowed the crowd. Check it out it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bP61PPuEXY

Shawn Edgington, the founder of the NO BULL Challenge and NO BULL Teen Video Awards, is already looking ahead to next year’s competition, and getting even more teens, parents, sponsors, educators and communities involved. Edgington says, “All NO BULL teens are winners for standing up and making a difference. It was an incredible night full of smiles, tears, and celebration. These kids are the foundation for meaningful change, spreading awareness and promoting courage!”

About the Great American NO BULL Challenge and 2012 NO BULL Teen Video Awards:
Cyber safety expert and mother, Shawn Edgington, whose daughter Nicole was a target of bullying in high school, founded the non-profit organization, The Great American NO BULL Challenge that hosts the annual teen video awards.

The NO BULL Challenge inspires and educates 25 million middle and high school students to stand up and make a difference in their school and community by using the power of film to send powerful messages. Each year, teens from around the country speak out by writing and directing short films that promote social media responsibility. The Teen Video Awards brings the teen nominees from around the country to celebrate their accomplishments and announce the winning films.

About Sean Kingston:
For his third-full length album Back 2 Life, Sean Kingston immensely expanded his songwriting role, nixed the multi-producer approach of his last release, and pushed for a fresh new sound. Like his 2007 self-titled debut (featuring the double-platinum breakout hit “Beautiful Girls”) and 2009’s Tomorrow (featuring the smash singles “Fire Burning” and “Face Drop”), Back 2 Life boldly fuses reggae, hip-hop, R&B, and electro to create melody-soaked pop. But on Back 2 Life, the singer/songwriter blends his newly strengthened vocals with fiercely inventive electronic effects and hard-hitting live instrumentation to offer up his most passionately inspired work to date.

Media Contact:

Suzanne Spurgeon, Women Media Pros
323-656-1536
Suzanne@WomenMediaPros.com

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Sean Kingston and New Boyz to perform at 2012 NO BULL Teen Video Awards, July 21st in San Francisco

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012

San Francisco (PRBuzz) July 10, 2012 — The Great American NO BULL Challenge is pleased to announce the star-studded line up for the first, annual NO BULL Teen Video Awards, which promotes social media responsibility for youth using the power of music and filmmaking. Hip-Hop and R & B sensation Sean Kingston will headline the event, which takes place at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, July 21st. New Boyz, Jenny and Ashley, and The League are also scheduled to perform. Celebrities, music lovers, top teen filmmakers, educators, youth and industry leaders will gather to celebrate America’s teens for standing up and making a difference.

The awards ceremony is the culmination of a 3-month national video contest, in which thousands of teens from around the country wrote and directed hundreds of anti-bullying films. 15 nominees are competing for the top Stand Up Awards, scholarships, lap-tops and GoPro video cameras and a $10,000 production deal, among other exciting prizes. View the nominated films here.

Harvey Weinsten, Co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company, which released the critically acclaimed film, “BULLY”, is the recipient of The Stand Up Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will be accepted on Weinstein’s behalf by Lee Hirsch, writer and director of “BULLY”, and by 15-year-old Alex Libby, one of the bullied kids profiled in the film.

Red Carpet arrivals begin at 5:30pm PT. The Fairmont Hotel is donating the use of its venue, including the Grand Ballroom for the awards show.

To Purchase Tickets:

www.teenvideoawards.eventbrite.com

About the Great American NO BULL Challenge and 2012 NO BULL Teen Video Awards:

Cyber safety expert and mother, Shawn Edgington, whose daughter Nicole was a target of bullying in high school, founded the non-profit organization, The Great American NO BULL Challenge.

The NO BULL Challenge inspires and educates 25 million middle and high school students to stand up and make a difference in their school and community by using the arts to send powerful messages. Each year, teens from around the country speak out by writing and directing 2-5 minute films that promote social media responsibility.

Teen filmmakers will be celebrated at the NO BULL Teen Video Awards–featuring Red Carpet Arrivals, VIP Reception, and Celebrity Meet-and-Greet. Donations will support cyber safety educational programs–available to all U.S. teachers and their students at no cost.

About Sean Kingston:

For his third-full length album Back 2 Life, Sean Kingston immensely expanded his songwriting role, nixed the multi-producer approach of his last release, and pushed for a fresh new sound. Like his 2007 self-titled debut (featuring the double-platinum breakout hit “Beautiful Girls”) and 2009’s Tomorrow (featuring the smash singles “Fire Burning” and “Face Drop”), Back 2 Life boldly fuses reggae, hip-hop, R&B, and electro to create melody-soaked pop. But on Back 2 Life, the singer/songwriter blends his newly strengthened vocals with fiercely inventive electronic effects and hard-hitting live instrumentation to offer up his most passionately inspired work to date.

About New Boyz:

Fresh off their European Tour, The New Boyz were labeled “The Young Teens of Hip-Hop” by the New York Times before they even had an official single out. Earl “Ben J” Benjamin and Dominic “Legacy” Thomas met in the L.A. suburb of Victorville during their freshman year of high school. While initially nemeses, the pair built a friendship over a shared love of music. It only took a few months for the New Boyz to become rising stars on a national level.

About Jenny and Ashley:

All American girls Jenny and Ashley are a vibrant pop country singing sister duo. They’ve lived, worked or performed in nearly every state. While in Nashville they recorded the ‘Songs About You’ EP on the renowned Music Row with Tim McGraw’s co-producer Darran Smith and industry veterans, the Dance Hall Doctors. They’ve released their first single “My Kinda Life” off their second EP “Our Kinda Life” in April.

About The League:

The road to international stardom is a path that Pop/Hip Hop/R&B/Electro Pop group The League has always been destined to travel. Comprised of singer/songwriter Allan I and rapper/songwriter Hype this dynamic duo has quickly showed why they are considered by many industry insiders to be one of the top acts to hit the airwaves in years! Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Allan I and Hype prepare to crash the airwaves and transcend as citizens of the world. Allan I, born of Japanese and Mexican decent and Hype, Filipino, White and African American, together reflect a new generation of artist with the appeal and talent to move dance floors around the globe.

Media Contact and Media Credentials:

Suzanne Spurgeon

Suzanne@WomenMediaPros.com

323-656-1536

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Fanlala Partners with The Great American NO BULL Challenge to put on the NO BULL Teen Video Awards to Bring Awareness to Cyberbullying

Monday, July 9th, 2012

Fanlala and The Great American NO BULL Challenge take on Cyberbullying by hosting the NO BULL Teen Video Awards featuring Musical Acts Sean Kingston and New Boyz

Santa Monica/Walnut Creek, CA (PRWEB) June 30, 2012

Fanlala, the social entertainment and lifestyle destination for teens and tweens, has teamed up with The Great American NO BULL Challenge to put on the 2012 NO BULL Teen Video Awards Red Carpet Show. The NO BULL Challenge is the first, student-led National Video Contest that brings awareness to the issue of cyberbullying in America and the Teen Video awards. The Teen Video Awards is a celebration of the 15 NO BULL Challenge nominees as well as the announcement of the 8 final NO BULL winners.

The 2012 NO BULL Teen Video Awards is being hosted by radio personality, St. John, of CBS owned Radio Station 99.7 [NOW!] and includes musical performances Sean Kingston, New Boyz, and Surprise Guests. The show will also include the announcement of the 8 final NO BULL winners and the first annual Stand Up Lifetime Achievement Award recipient will be awarded to Harvey Weinstein and accepted on behalf of Lee Hirsch, Writer and Director of the powerful film “BULLY.” The 15 nominees and 8 final NO BULL winners were selected by a panel of esteemed judges including Dr. Mehmet Oz and his wife Lisa Oz, Lee Hirsch, Filmmaker and Director of the film “BULLY,” Ann Shoket, Editor-In-Chief, Seventeen Magazine, Deborah Liebling, President for Red Hour Films, Alyssa Rodemeyer, 16-year-old sister of bullied victim Jamey Rodemeyer, Teri Schroder, iSafe CEO, to name a few.

“Encouraging and supporting creativity and empowerment in kids lives is what Fanlala is all about,”said Alan Anderson CEO of Fanlala and Co-Chair of Teen Video Awards.”Fanlala is proud to be a part of such a noteworthy event. We recognize the value of using entertainment and music to celebrate the incredible effort that these young filmmakers have exhibited.”

According to Pew Internet Research Center 95% of teens using social media have witnessed bullying behavior on social network sites and 55% of them witness it frequently. 80% of those who have seen cyberbullying occur online have defended the victim of the abuse. Since 68% of teens think cyberbullying is a serious problem, The Great American NO BULL Challenge goal is to bring awareness to this prevalent issue in our society.

“Because Fanlala is the source for original teen entertainment including film and music, they are the perfect organization to help bring The Great American NO BULL Challenge to the forefront of every teenagers empowerment against cyberbullying” commented Shawn Edgington, Founder and President of The Great American NO BULL Challenge. “The way to stop cyberbullying is to create awareness about it, which is what The Great American NO BULL Challenge is all about.”

The 2012 NO BULL Teen Video will take place at The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco on Saturday July 21st 2012. The Celebrity Meet-and-Greet, Red Carpet and VIP Reception begins at 5:30pm and the Dinner and Show begins at 7pm. Purchase your tax deductible tickets or tables at: http://www.teenvideoawards.eventbrite.com. Tickets are limited.

About Fanlala:
Fanlala is the go-to social entertainment and lifestyle site for tweens and teens that offers the best of popular media tailored just for them in one safe place. From original content and customized music to entertainment news and cool community features, Fanlala is a fresh online community that delivers teen content when and where they want it. Fan up at http://www.fanlala.com.

About The Great American NO BULL Challenge and Teen Video Awards:
The NO BULL Challenge is the largest annual youth-led campaign and video contest in America that promotes social media responsibility at the teen level and is free to all U.S. middle and high schools. The NO BULL Challenge uses the power of social media, music and the magic of filmmaking to inspire 25 million middle and high school students every year to write and direct their own 2-5 minute film that speaks to the widespread epidemic of social media casualties. The Teen Video Awards will celebrate the culmination of the 3-month, NO BULL Challenge video that will be held every year. Eight youth filmmakers will be announced live at the Teen Video Awards, a high profile, high-energy tribute and celebration to teens around the country.

The Great American NO BULL Challenge is a 501c3 organization.

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Live Nominations Announced; NO BULL Challenge Presents this Year’s Fifteen Student Nominees …

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

After an eventful 5 months full of hard work, dedication and willingness to stand UP to this very important cause, the 15 NO BULL nominees have been selected! “It has been incredible working with all of the teens over the last several months. Their ability to spread awareness and courage using the power of social media and film is a powerful thing that can create real change at the grass-roots level. The NO BULL Challenge platform is free to all U.S. middle and high schools, and is easily accessible to every student and school.” commented Shawn Edgington, the Founder and President of the Great American NO BULL Challenge.

Congratulations to:

Spencer Agren of Gunnison, UT – Producer of “One Text”

Jacob Alewel of Henderson, NV – Producer of “help”

Robert Austin Barker of Copperas Cove, TX – Producer of “The Formula: A High School Thesis”

Braden Barton of Oregon, IL – Producer of “Prevention”

Hunter Doebereiner of Kings Mills, OH – Producer of “I Stop the Fire”

Max Fedore of Johnstown, PA – Producer of “Not Here”

Tyler Gregory & Scott Hannah of Charleston, OH – Producers of “Don’t Lose Hope, Stand up to Bullying!”

Jacob Hayworth of Leon, IA – Producer of “It Follows You”

Hunter Hopewell & Lawren Linehan of Henderson, NV – Producers of “Alone”

Christy Idleman of Effingham, IL – Producer of “Dive”

Luke Logsdon of Muskgrove, OK – Producer of “Be The Voice”

Des Matelske & Joseph Langan of Medinah, OH – Producers of “Don’t Stay Silent.”

Angel McGowan of Simpsonville, SC – Producer of “STOMP OUT the Bullying”

Triple Oswald & The Cypress Ranch High School Student Body of Cypress, TX – Producers of “Cypress Ranch Anti-Bullying Lip Dub”

Kyian Robertson of Haymarket, VA – Producer of “Just Words”

We couldn’t be more proud by the ways our Challenge channeled such amazing creativity from everyone involved. It is clear that we all stand for the same mission and cause and that is NO BULL!

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Yes to ‘BULLY’, No to Bullies

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

There’s nothing more urgent in today’s schools than bullying, and there’s a must-see documentary premiering in select theaters on March 30th that powerfully speaks to the growing epidemic titled Bully. Bully tells the gut-wrenching stories of several children who were victimized by classmates in such a relatable way, that you will find yourself wanting to reach out from your seat to help them. Chances are that the only way your child will get to see Bully is if you or another adult takes them because of the R rating the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) gave the film. Unfortunately, the rating has handcuffed the film from being seen in schools due to a very small amount of language in the film.

I was asked to screen Bully earlier this month so I could support the cause of reversing the R rating to PG-13. I invited teens, parents and an officer of Formspring to attend the screening with me, so I could get a strong sense for the film’s content from three different perspectives. I must admit, I went into the film thinking I was going to keep track of the number of “F” bombs that were dropped. I was wrong in a very big way. Twenty-five minutes into the film, I found myself searching for the reason for the film’s R rating. When it was over, all we could do was shake our heads as to what a disservice the MPAA did to such an important issue and film. I’m a conservative parent of teens, an anti-bullying advocate, a bestselling author and a mother who’s experienced both bullying and cyberbullying first-hand. I’m also a firm believer that every parent, educator, administrator and teenager needs to see this film, which brings me to the larger problem.

Many parents and educators think that bullying is a tired social problem that won’t go away and is part of growing up. Even worse, many adults don’t take cyberbullying seriously, and have yet to take the time it takes to understand the long-lasting damage it can cause.

This thought process has got to change, and here’s why:

Cyberbullying can be more damaging than face-to-face verbal harassment, because targets have no refuge. They are assaulted even in the privacy of their own homes. Damaging messages come 24/7 and rumors spread quickly. Since harassers don’t see their target’s reactions, they tend to become even crueler than they would be face-to-face.

Consequences have both short-term and long-term impacts, especially for the target. They often feel isolated, scared, helpless, humiliated and have a hard time trusting anyone, which is exactly why a supportive parent or trusted adult who will stand up for the wrong-doing is a must.

What can you do? You can’t stop the bullies or change their minds, but you can control their access to your children and how you handle a bullying situation in your home. Educate yourself about the problem of bullying and cyberbullying, its causes and consequences. Develop strategies with your child to avoid social problems related to online communication and assess your child’s behavior, on and off campus. Help your child take these important steps:

Block the bullies. You can do this on Facebook through settings, and you can block incoming text messages by calling your service provider. Check out Facebook’s Family Safety Center for more useful tools and resources.

Don’t read comments. Some messages and posts are going to get through to your children, either on their phone or Facebook page or from someone else’s. Help your child understand the power of deleting all messages before they read them. Bullies don’t win their game if their messages aren’t read.

Ignore comments that are read or talked about. This is hard to do. Your child wants to defend themself, but the truth is that bullies want them to fight back so they can continue to tear them down. If your child can find the strength to ignore what the messages say, the bullies will have no way to continue to harass them.

Report threats. If your child receives a message that threatens their safety, contains vulgar language directed towards them, or just makes them uncomfortable, they need to know that they can tell you or a teacher, and that they will receive ongoing support. If someone feels like their life or personal belongings like their house or car are being threatened, they should immediately report the threat to the police. Most states have enacted laws to protect children from cyberbullies.

Give your child a voice. Let them use the art of filmmaking to write and direct their own anti-bullying 2-5 minute film. The Great American NO BULL Challenge is the largest, youth-led national campaign in America that combats cyberbullying at the youth level. Online toolkits about “all things cyberbullying” are available on the campaign site. The annual campaign uses the power of social media to inspire 25 million middle and high school students to promote awareness, courage and equality using social media and filmmaking.

And most importantly, take a few hours out of your busy schedule to see the film Bully. Take as many teens to the film as you can, and advocate for your schools to screen the film–it’s that important and that good! Every middle and high school child needs to see Bully, and you can help make it happen. I can’t help but contemplate that maybe the MPAA had the bigger “picture” in mind when they gave bully its unearned R rating…just maybe it was their brilliant goal to get parents to accompany their children to see the film too? The fact is that today’s teens are very aware of what’s happening to bullied victims every day–it’s the parents and educators who are in the dark and behind the times.

Producer Harvey Weinstein is now releasing the film without a rating, which could further limit who sees the film. Theater owners have the decision to run a film without a rating, which are typically treated as if they have an NC-17 rating, meaning nobody under 17 can see it.

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