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.