STRONG — Strong Elementary kicked off their third year of bullying prevention with an assembly for kindergarten through fourth graders in the school gym. Principal Felecia Pease talked with the children about making choices, setting goals and getting along.

She then read the story “Running Shoes” by Frederick Lipp, about a young girl named Sophie in a small village in Southeast Asia whose goals are to go to school, learn to read and write, be a teacher and build a school in her village. Sophie starts to realize her goals when she receives a pair of running shoes from the census man who visits her village. With the help of some Play-Doh, Pease demonstrated how we all help to mold each other. “We can all teach each other. Let’s share our kindness and teach each other new things,” she said.

Candace Dunham led her team of teachers and the fifth through eighth grade students in their bullying prevention program outside using David Chaudron’s “Teams and Teamwork” philosophy. Each class worked together and problem solved to accomplish the Tarp Turn and the Rope Knots game. They ended their activities with a giant Hoop Pass and the message, “The most effective teamwork is produced when all the individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal.”

The Strong ABOUT Committee has been working with the Franklin County Children’s Task Force for the past three years and has been dedicated to their anti-bullying program. The program is funded in part by the Tri-Valley United Way. Other schools interested in implementing a bullying prevention program are encouraged to contact the Task Force at 778-6960.

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