Anti-bullying Program Works

After a successful run for a year, the results from the student organized anti-bullying program is hard to ignore. The Attorney General’s office sees it as a model to emulate and help other schools across Missouri to reduce bullying. The “Kindness is Cool” campaign, started by a small group of honor students at Tuscumbia High has been credited for a 20% drop in reports of bullying, slight increase of attendance, and reducing bullying incidents where students would be disciplined from 52 incidents in 2011 to 29 in 2012. The campaign includes mentoring programs to assist classmates who have been bullied, a balloon launch with positive messages attached to them, and a Facebook page, filled with positive messages. Students Tara Humphreys and Sara Abbett, National Honor Society President and Vice-President, say they were inspired after listening to a presentation by the Education Director from the Attorney General’s office in October 2011. In that presentation, they heard about startling statistics that one in three students are bullied — in the overt way, said Tom Durkin, where students are reduced to tears and their spirits crushed. Other personal stories moved Humphreys and Abbett to get their group together to start their kindness campaign. To see more on their Facebook page: