Bullying program moves students to act

0
181
Long River Middle School seventh-graders, from left, Kimberly Poulos, Brooke Reilly and Cassidy Doiron pose while wearing yellow ribbons and yellow clothes at the school in Prospect on Nov. 9. The three girls came up with an idea to hold a ‘yellow out’ and passed out yellow ribbons to raise awareness about bullying in school and online. –LUKE MARSHALL
Long River Middle School seventh-graders, from left, Kimberly Poulos, Brooke Reilly and Cassidy Doiron pose while wearing yellow ribbons and yellow clothes at the school in Prospect on Nov. 9. The three girls came up with an idea to hold a ‘yellow out’ and passed out yellow ribbons to raise awareness about bullying in school and online. –LUKE MARSHALL

PROSPECT — Three Long River Middle School students went yellow to fight bullying.

The school recently hosted a program on bullying presented by John Halligan, whose son, Ryan, committed suicide in 2003 at the age of 13 due to bullying from classmates at school and online. Seventh-graders Brooke Reilly, Kimberly Poulos, and Cassidy Doiron were so moved by Halligan’s story they started working on a project to help raise awareness about bullying.

“We had a pink out [to raise awareness about cancer], so we thought we could wear yellow and have a yellow out,” Reilly said.

On Nov. 9, the three girls handed out yellow ribbons to students, teachers, and faculty in order to show their support to end bullying.

“We came up with the ribbon idea because not that many people have yellow clothes. It’s hard to find yellow,” Poulos said.

Doiron said students and faculty were receptive to the cause.

“We have seen a lot of people wearing the ribbons. Even if they don’t own yellow they still wear the ribbons. So I think it was pretty successful,” Doiron said.

Reilly said the goal of the yellow ribbons goes beyond just the one day people wore them. They were meant to show people who have been bullied that there are people who will stand with them.

“So people know there is always someone there to help you if you need to talk to somebody and that your life will always matter,” Reilly said.

When asked if there was a message they wanted people to take away from the day, all three answered in unison.

“Be kind.”