February 26, 2020
Empowering Students to Stand Up and Stop Bullying

The longer a child is bullied, the more likely they are to develop physical, emotional, and psychological scars that can last a lifetime. Bullying can be devastating, leaving children withdrawn, shy, and insecure. Kids frequently suffer stomach aches, headaches, panic attacks, and nightmares. They can become unable to sleep – or may sleep too much. They often do poorly in school due to loss of focus and confidence or erratic attendance as they try to escape bullies. When unrelenting, bullying can lead children to take their own lives. Bullying also hurts bystanders, who may become fearful that they will also be victimized.

Bullying can take many forms and occur in many places. Some may experience bullying at school, local clubs, workplaces, home, and even social media.

P.O.W.E.R. in collaboration with Whitecourt Schools is standing up to bullying and encouraging others to do the same. Sometimes all it takes is the POWER of 1 to be a voice, friend, confidant, mentor, or protector.

“David Shepherd, Travis Price and their teenage friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied [for wearing a pink shirt]…[They] took a stand against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9 student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school."