Movie Masterpiece

For the past few weeks I was stressing over what my final presentation would be. I was going with a powerpoint because it was an easy escape. It wasn't what I wanted and I was becoming frustrated. I had so many facts that I wanted to show and present but how? Not a boring powerpoint thats for sure... Then I had the idea of making a video. I talked to some kids at my moms school to ask if they would be interested in me interviewing them over the topic of bullying. They agreed, so now I have my actors and actresses. I started working on the questions I wanted to ask them and I started putting together facts I wanted to be in the video. So hopefully in the next few weeks my video will be finished. I'm so excited!!

Searching for Surveys

Over the last few weeks I have been working on creating a survey. I want to give to third graders at my Mom's school so I can have data on what's going on in the elementary schools. I've been doing a lot of researching and trying to make the perfect survey. My words never could come out the right way, or the way I wanted them to. Finally,  I asked the consolor at the school I attend if she had any old surveys from our bully prevention program everyone participates in. We started looking for surveys in books but found nothing that was age appropriate. She then had the idea to google surveys. I finally found the perfect survey! I printed it out so my mom can let her third graders answer it, giving me data on what type of bullying is dominate in their grade.

Personal Views

For the past few weeks I have narrowed my research to two types of bullying; verbal and physical. When my cousins are around I like to watch them play, to see how they act around one another. They get so comfortable with each other that one starts bossing the other around.  Sometimes they call each other names but they laugh it off. I realized, maybe it's that way with kids at school. They think they're comfortable with one another so they start calling names and hitting each other. Soon one starts calling names and hitting more than the others. I notice how the tougher cousin laughs when he throws a basketball to them and it hits their stomach. It's funny to him but not the victim. As they play,  things become casual and unnoticed. Kids at school can relate because maybe they have a bully friend. Someone that uses them to make their self feel better.

Translucent Vision

Over the past five weeks, I have tried to pay more attention to my surroundings by opening my eyes more in the hallways at school, and all around me in general. Bullying isn't like a bucket of paint. It doesn't just happen with certain people. It's like you take the paint bucket and splatter the paint across the room. It's everywhere. I've done research about the topic, contantly learning new things. Did you know, kids that are bullied may suffer long-term negative effects. So something mean one kid does to another for fun, and maybe for a few weeks can make a huge impact on their lives. They may feel  sad, lonely, depressed, useless, unpopular and alone. Being bullied can not only injure them physically, but can injure them mentally. They can soon gain low self-esteem, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. As I walk down the busy school hallways in the transition from class to class I see small things that don't look like a big deal, but can easily be a gateway to major problems. Girls will be walking in a group, and single out a girl on the edge. Or boys will walk faster to catch up with the girls, then excluding the girl with no boyfriend. Or during our 10 minute break, someone may walk up to a group of boys, only to be pushed away or have other boys turn their backs to them. I can't clearly see bullying problems as well as the teachers proclaim, but I do see waves that can rock someones boat harder than you would expect.

Why?

   Have you ever been bullied, or witnessed bullying? My name is Kennedy and I've always been taught to live by the golden rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." 
   It's hard for me to believe that other kids choose to be mean to one another. I always hear "Don't be a bully, don't be a by-stander and always tell an adult!" But I don't believe that we have problems with bullying in our school, because I don't see it daily. 
   My plan for this project is to open my eyes - and hopefully yours too - on the bullying problem throughout your school, work, or where ever you are. I also want to help kids understand why people (not necessarily kids) bully and ways they can stop it from happening to them, no matter the circumstance.