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A response to bullying

Kelly Leighton Abington Journal Correspondent

Students at Abington Heights Middle School spent two weeks in October performing anti-bullying skits related to the school’s theme of “Stop, Think and Act” when it comes to bullying.

According to Assistant Principal Michael Elia, the idea for the anti-bully skit came from the co-leader of the bullying committee, Mrs. Bamford, and was supported by the administration. Each homeroom put together a five-minute skit. Each grade level homeroom winner received a free buffet breakfast and the grand prize winner -- Mr. Boylan’s eighth grade homeroom -- received a pizza party.

The homerooms were given a criterion with bullying information that the students needed to put into their anti-bully skits.

The homeroom teachers and their students wrote the skits and worked on the costumes. According to Elia, some of the information that the students needed to put in or give examples of in the skits included types of bullying, such as verbal, physical, emotional and cyber-bullying; ways to deal with bullying; comebacks for bullying; mention and explain the school’s bully stoplight, which is their visual reminder to stop, think and act when it comes to bullying and to mention and describe the school’s anonymous bullying referral system.

The skits were judged by Elia and Principal Edward Kairis.

The school decided to do the skits “to support our bully program that is presently in place and to raise students awareness about identifying bullying and what to do about it when it is happening,” said Elia. “The students took ownership of the skits and I feel that they loved the experience. The goal of awareness and understanding how to handle bullying was definitely accomplished.”

Every school year, the administration develops a new way to re-educate the students about their bully system and what to do about bullying when it occurs. “Last year, the students made informational bulletin boards, and this year we did the bully skits,” said Elia. “We need to discuss next year. However, it will be something fun that involves everyone learning and working together.”

“I think that our students and teachers deserve a tremendous amount of credit,” said Elia. “They worked extremely hard on the skits and made it not only fun, but an educational experience with a specific goal, which was accomplished.”