Students show peers it's all about respect
Salk group works with younger students to eradicate bullying
BY JESSICA SMITH
Staff Writer

Old B

OLD BRIDGE - Nobody likes a bully, especially not the members of Project Respect.

The group of 12 seventh- and eighth-graders at Jonas Salk Middle School are making it their business to eradicate the problem of bullying, not only in their school but also at local elementary schools.

"There wasn't a specific need in our school, we were taking a proactive approach," Anthony Arico, the school's vice principal, said.

Arico helped launch the program four years ago, and said when it first started the children did not take it very seriously. As time went on, however, they began to better understand the issue of bullying and the need to address it, Arico said.

"Some people didn't realize they were being bullied, so we clarified to them what bullying was, and what bullying wasn't," Arico said.

Karen Schaeffer, a teacher of home economics at the school, took over the program this year, along with art teacher Cheryl Menkin. The students involved have been selling rubber bracelets with the phrase "Defeat Bullying" emblazoned on them, and have created a number of "brick walls" on the bulletin boards around the school. Students purchase paper bricks to show their support for the school's "no bullying" policy. Several walls have been built throughout the school, and the Project Respect team's goal is to cover as many boards as they can with the bricks.

The money generated by the students' fundraising efforts will be used in two ways, Arico said. Along with the other three character education groups at the school, Project Respect will allocate a portion of the money to the charity of their choice. Past organizations helped include shelters for battered women and homes for war veterans. The second purpose for the fundraisers is to work toward obtaining a mobile wireless Internet classroom for the school, which would consist of 30 computers. Arico said any donations to help with the project would be greatly appreciated.

Project Respect members conduct workshops for younger students in order to give them the tools to identify and respond effectively to bullying. Their program also encourages bystanders to help out in situations when bullying is taking place by speaking out.

"That's where your cultural change is going to take place, in the bystander," Principal David Cittadino said. "I think Mrs. Schaeffer is doing a very good job of raising awareness."

The student group presented its program to fifth-graders at local schools early this month, and was met with a very positive response, Schaeffer said. Some of the younger students confided in Project Respect team members about being bullied, and the group was able to provide the children with advice on how to handle the problem.

"This was our goal," Schaeffer said. "If we can get young students to tell someone about a bullying situation, then we have a better chance of defeating bullying in our schools."

Many schools have similar programs to combat bullying, Arico said. Staff members at the school are also doing their part to do away with potential problems by attending a training course, Cittadino said. The course, which will be attended by 32 staff members, will be held at the New Jersey State Bar Association offices in New Brunswick, and will address teasing and bullying among children.

"No one deserves to be bullied," Schaeffer said.

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