“It’s a wave of gray and maroon,” that’s how Byron-Bergen Elementary School principal Brian Meister describes what it looks like at the school on Thursdays and during character education assemblies.
That’s because students, staff and faculty are wearing anti-bullying T-shirts created by two students. A wave of support is also growing in the community to help spread the anti-bullying message. “It’s been an awesome experience,” Meister says.
About 20 businesses, the Bergen Village Hall and the Byron-Bergen Public Library are now participating in the anti-bullying program by having employees wear the shirts on Thursdays – an idea which came from Bergen Mayor Ralph Marsocci.
Meister says when Marsocci heard about the shirts, he approached Meister with his idea.
“He told me, ‘I think the shirts are wonderful, I would love to partner with the school district (on the program),’ ” Meister says.
Mayor Marsocci purchased shirts for village office workers and talked with local business owners. Participating businesses now include Bergen Country Store, Bergen Chiropractic, Ralph and Rosie’s Deli-Pizzeria, Greg’ry’s Bakery, Level 1 PC, Mike’s Gym, Gillette Insurance, Rose Garden Bowl, Triple OOO Mechanical, Craft Supplies Unlimited, Bergen Sales, L Salon, Bergen Farm Market and 7-Eleven.
“When we heard about it,” Mayor Marsocci says, “We talked about it in the village office and we thought it was a great idea. It’s worked out great – (people are wearing the shirts) in places where the kids come in. There are a lot of participants.”
The staff at the Byron-Bergen Public Library is wearing the shirts every Thursday and Nancy Bailey, library director, says the library is a natural place to wear the shirts and spread the anti-bullying message.
“It’s always been a place where (kids) can feel safe,” she says.
She says it’s also important for students to learn how to handle bullies.
“Adults also get bullied,” she notes, “you don’t get away from it.”
Bailey says kids need to understand they can turn the computer off if they are being bullied at home over the Internet.
“Parents don’t know what’s really going on with their kids,” she says.
Having local businesses and officials show their support for the school’s anti-bullying efforts is very helpful for students, Meister explains. “It makes an impression on students when they stop at places like Ralph and Rosie’s or 7-Eleven and see people with the shirts on,” he says. “It’s great the whole community stands behind the program.”
Meister explains that the district takes anti-bullying efforts very seriously. Character education and developing leadership skills are part of that effort. The district has been using the “Leader in Me Program” to build leadership skills and recently began the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program which has been an effective way to prevent bullying, Meister says, by being pro-active in creating a safe environment for students both emotionally and physically.
The T-shirts came about as part of the school’s bullying prevention program which last fall challenged students to come up with an anti-bullying design for shirts that students could wear.
A fourth grader came up with the slogan – “Being bully-free is cool at Byron-Bergen Central School” – and a sixth grader came up with the design.
Financial assistance for the program came from the school and STEP Boosters – the school’s parent-teacher organization.
Meister says he and the district are, “extremely proud” of the program which strengthens the bond and commitment between staff, faculty, students and now the community to convey the message that bullying will not be tolerated.
The school’s anti-bullying program also includes assemblies, rallies, concerts and even performances during the half-time of basketball games.
“Like anything else, we are not complacent,” he says of where the district goes from here with its anti-bullying efforts.
“At the end of the year, we will have a character education assembly program,” he says, and adds that next fall the students might come up with a new T-shirt design.
Photographs by Kristina Gabalski
