Strike Out Bullying

When people address bullying, it is often done in a negative, condescending way. However at my high school, bullying is handled with positivity and respect.

Throughout my school, there are whiteboards where students and staff members write positive notes of encouragement, happy birthday wishes, and uplifting quotes. The simple act of picking up an Expo marker to scrawl, “have a great day” across a whiteboard has the power to turn someone’s bad day into a good one. These short blurbs of positivity and kindness spread encouragement and a familial sense throughout the school. I’ve had a personal experience with these whiteboards. I am a member of National Honor Society, and at a recent meeting we discussed the power of these dry-erase markers.

Different clubs and organizations agreed to take responsibility for the whiteboards throughout the month, so during the thirty-one days of March we spread anecdotes of positivity and messages of anti-bullying. During each club’s designated days, members had the responsibility of filling each whiteboard with positive, uplifting quotes. As I walked down the halls from class to class, I saw messages left there by fellow NHS members. It made me feel good knowing a group I am actively involved in is helping create something—a movement of anti-bullying. The way my school deals with bullying is unlike any other. Rather than simply saying, “don’t bully” and punishing those who do, my school uses positivity throughout to unify the students and to create a safe place where being bullied is something we don’t fear.

My school has provided students something not all kids are privileged with—a home away from home. Rather than fighting fire with fire, my school fights bullying with positivity and kindness. With its long stretches of hallway lined with whiteboards covered in positive quotes and encouraging notes, my school truly is erasing bullying.