Student Play Attacks Cyberbullying
Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 06:12PM Middle School Kids Look Up To Actors
Published : Tuesday, 08 Mar 2011, 5:17 PM CST by Jim Swift
AUSTIN (KXAN) - When you are 13 years old, you look up when a high school student walks by. You look up at him and you look up to him.
"I remember when I was a kid, if a regular adult was talking to me about this sort of thing [bullying], I'd brush them off," said recent high school graduate Boni Rosales, 19. "But now we're actually kids around their age group and they're actually performing a play and putting visuals in it. I think they pay a little more attention because they sort of look up to us. We're sort of what they're going to turn into."
Student play attacks bullying: kxan.com
Rosales is in his first semester at Austin Community College , but he's still a member of the mostly high school student cast of Changing Lives Theatre Ensemble , a group of young thespians put together by Safe Place and the Theatre Action Project.
He and his fellow cast members are touring a play about bullying to local middle schools, home to the raging adolescence that breeds bullies by the boat load.
"The medium through which we're doing it, it's not like we're going to middle schools and just lecturing them," said cast member Jessica Norriss, 16. "It's through real-life plot, which they can hopefully relate to; and then showing them how to stop or how to stand up for themselves or what they need to do, as opposed to, 'This is what you need to do.'"
"They really look up to us," added cast member Kristal Jackson, 17. "Everywhere we go they want to talk to us; they want to high-five us; they want to act like our friends because we're older and we're in high school and they think of us as cool kids because we're older. I really think that they look up to us."
"Their play tells the story of Claire, a new girl in school, who on her first day on campus finds herself in the crosshairs of a jealous girlfriend and her name on the keyboards of virtually every cell phone in school. Vilified and tormented by her new classmates, the girl is reduced to tears, isolated and comforted by only one fellow student, the first boy she met. He's just being friendly, but his jealous girlfriend launches a bully attack on the girl that leads all the way to an 'ihateclaire.com' website.
"Bullying is a very serious problem," said Catherine Flores, a 7th grade counselor at Webb Middle School , one of the stops on the ensemble's tour. "I feel like it was back when I was a student, but I think it's gotten even worse now with MySpace, Facebook, text messages. It's kind of just reached a whole new level."
"A lot of parents, even teachers are unaware of how common it is," said Flores, the counselor. "I talk to kids about this weekly, daily sometimes. A lot of fights are now starting via the Internet or text messages or phones. The impact of bullying is huge on kids. It affects their self-esteem. Sometimes they're scared or nervous to go to school and that's the last place that you want a kid to be scared to go to; that's where they need to feel safe.
But more and more adults are listening, including the managing artistic director of the ensemble, Susie Gidseg.
"When my students come in and talk about cyber bullying, kids that have never even thought that what they were doing was wrong kind of have an 'Ah-hah' moment,"she said. "And to us, that's what we're trying to get to, to get the active bystanders to stand up and speak out and help people."
By plays end, Claire has stood up for herself and confided in her father about the bullying she suffered. A wave of understanding moves through the make-believe students played by the real ones. Apologies are offered and accepted.
"They realize it's not cool; we're hurting this person," said Jackson. "The people in the play are getting hurt."
She thinks about the middle schoolers in the audience and imagines one of them saying, ' Maybe this person I'm picking on is getting hurt, too.' And they're realizing they can do something about it."
Reader Comments (13)
-replica UGG Leisure ShoesBy plays end, Claire has stood up for herself and confided in her father about the bullying she suffered.
thank you for sharing it.No top quality bell and ross watches
pains no gains, as long as pay will have harvest, work hard, hope you can publish more articles.top grade omega constilation replica
Good days give you joy while bad days give you experience. So never regret every single day of your life! wholesale nightwear
Most replica tag heuer watches watches is producing countries, including Taiwan, South Korea, India and China from 2004 show that 54 percent of seized counterfeit origins in China.
Another feature of a replica tag heuer Carrera watch is whether it has a transparent case so that movement can be seen.
Never been a replica tag Aquaracer watch, an exception, from the 1930s, it is extremely rare new Cellini Price models some models.
You will never see an engraved company logo, design or tag name outside bottom authentic replica tag heuer Grand Carrera watches.
Good stuff as per usual, thanks. I do hope this kind of thing gets more exposure. akfnct akfnct - Belstaff Italia Outlet Store.
Beautiful, cheap, high quality has been the aim of down vest men , replica Louis Vuitton Handbags Speedy 30 , down vest women , replica Christian Louboutin Patent Leather Pumps , we give you many choice, to bring you the preferential price, don't miss them
Manchester City boss Mancini last week saying " our current lineup is insufficient to dominate Europe"nike mercurial vapor superfly iii, suddenly lifted a great disturbance, British media this week:" Manchester City immediately clamoring to Arsenal for the Holland striker Van Persie, mercurial vapor superfly iii, because they hope to become the best club in europe."
Blue moon in attacking configuration has been strong enough, nike tiempo legend iv, despite Tevez not to mention, there is still a Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli, Nasri, Silva, Milner and many other types of attack. nike total 90 laser iv, Can one FA Cup is unable to meet the spiritual needs of Sheikh Mansoor, ctr360 maestri ii, they can in the summer from the shooter 's strong poached Nasri, adidas adipure iv sl, the premier who can reject Mansoor waving note?
Weeks defeated Napoli, lose the Champions League promotion back to the Premier League Manchester initiative still brave, adidas adipower predator, not any team can take 1 minutes at Anfield -- in view of the escapement magpie failed, and the shaking hands at the blue moon still unbeaten start to the adidas f50 adizero season top of the league. The embarrassment of the city after several years to return to the Champions League 6 round is likely to be a group tour, f50 cleats, missing promotion initiative at the end of round of the home team must win the Bundesliga giants,nike tiempo legend iv elite , but also hope that Naples be bottom Huang Qian. Filthy rich Mancheng boss in any case is also difficult to accept such distress results, adidas adipower predator, he will once again open purse wide talent, in a bid to Europe at.
British media" Daily Mail" disclosed,adidas f50 adizero prime , Manchester City for Van Persie to pay high amounts to 40000000 pound fee, the Premiership champions Dzeko, a depressed Aguero ( Season 2 Champions League goals together: 1 ball ) is adidas f50 adizero trx exactly the sentence" the exercise of civil war, foreign wars outsider", the season's 4 goals ( including qualification play-offs 1 ball League banging in 13 goals ),nike total 90 laser iv , Van Persie was Mancini's to see that the Almighty shooter. In 2011 the club and national team has scored 44 goals in the Robin man,nike ctr360 maestri ii elite , whose contract with Arsenal in 2013 to expire in the summer, has been moved to Barcelona gunmen before Captain Fabregas had urged the new captain away as soon as possible, nike mercurial vapor superfly iii, Wenger in this joint hole and difficult to persuade Van Persie early, adidas f50 adizero, there can hardly be avoided groundless talk will spread. total 90 laser.
According to the United States of America famous gossip media" TMZ" in the NBA report, both on the agreement reached a basic agreement, the new season will go to war when, Losangeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant wear nike hyperfuse once again began his sprint training plan. Recently Kobe wear adizero rose has reportedly borrowed a Jewish community center 's secret training, hoping to remain in the new season to show its mettle.
In the summer of Kobe wear nike zoom kobe that is in a continuous line, such as he traveled to China or Europe to play the news became a hot topic of fans wear nike lebron, but in the end he and his agent will ultimately didn't let these rumors became reality. In NBA stop end of the case, Kobe wear nike hyperdunk is now clearly put all effort into preparing for the new season. Recently Kobe wear adizero ghost very friendly asking a local community center, hoping to borrow their venues for training, and the relevant responsible person gladly accepted Kobe wear adizero rose 2.5 request.
Of course, Kobe wear adizero rose dominate training has not been completely confidential, he wear nike lebron 8 v2 and trainer for some shooting training and aerobic exercise, total time spent only one nike lebron 8 ps hour. The site allows for some fans to watch, but due to safety nike hyperdunk 2011 considerations, the overall number of viewing nike rookie lwp is restricted.
One of the reasons why I like visiting your blog so much is because it has become a daily reference I can use rxmex in order to learn new nice stuff. It's like a curiosities box that surprises you over and over again.
I love your blog, you should add an RSS feed feature so I can get automatic notifications of new blogs. If you set one up please email me! i will bookmark you for now. Again Excellent Blog!Atlanta Alarm Monitoring
With christian louboutin venetian pumps in black, you are going to usually ought to ask numerous as humanly doable. Any sensible buyer will do not need christian louboutin pump with your situation.Look at the label! The christian louboutin poseidon sequins pumps, having said that, some shoes could have the label glued on, as an alternative to christian louboutin gold and white leather rutus high top sneakers. This is ordinarily a huge sign the excellent of all those christian louboutin freddy studded lace ups white is not really actually value income you happen to be just about to dedicate to christian louboutin cow leather wedge black. This brings me towards the christian louboutin blue suede slingback. Look at the stitching! A quality Christian louboutin shoe should really have near-perfect stitching and christian louboutin toundra short boot, for not plenty of far better phrases.The shoes allow for her to personal amid the best of sexual mind-set. The sort of frame of christian louboutin red leather-slingback that speaks of the significant number of panache! These christian louboutin platform slingback lilac showcase the mysterious outcomes and a variety of individuals who are christian louboutin n.prive leopard fabric slingbacks. Specifically, the louboutin sale Contente OTK Grey Suede christian louboutin n.prive fabric slingbacks leopard is definitely a beautiful nappa leather boot this can be the correct and and so the christian louboutin glittered slingback burlywood in trend. It is the highest motto of various trend women!christian louboutin colorful chatons slingback is everywhere, and then for us babes cheaply, this can be unquestionably excellent. Even so, normally there are a few louboutin christian louboutin brown slingback that men and women must avoid including the plague! Why? We have now a substantial distinction amongst high top quality christian louboutin black silk slingback and poor quality Christian sneakers. When you may be saving lots of cash on obtaining louboutin footwear in lieu of genuine christian louboutin slingback in red, you could possibly nevertheless be ripped off during the function the expertise with the Christian Louboutin Egoutina Spike-Toe Suede Boots Cream is just not there. I will share each of the suggestions you require to just keep in mind to are becoming the very best deal when acquiring Christian Louboutin shoes.First and Christian Louboutin Contente Over-The-Knee Suede Boots Grey, depend on your intuition! Should your gut is informing you that men and women sneakers are overpriced for your personal quality, or Christian Louboutin Contente Over-The-Knee Leather Boots Black which is just will not feel proper walk away or question various issues.
Christian Louboutin manufacturer significant Christian Louboutin Contente Over-The-Knee Leather Boots Black are appreciated by Stars specifically Hollywood stars and so are the most top-level shoe brand. Talking bluntly, Also i really like the red sole large heel shoes, unquestionably no rationale, completely for it is Christian Louboutin Bourge Patent Tall Boots Black, if the selling prices usually are not much too expensive, There’s without doubt that I will take pleasure in it more and will purchase quite a few Christian Louboutin Big Lips Thigh 120mm Boots Black women superior heel sandals. But when it’s not at all so pricey, it can be probable not Christian Louboutin Big Lips Booty 120 Leopard-print.Currently, Christian manufacturer significant heel shoes can be obtained at higher tariff of 800USD as well as a lot more, but there’s even now quite a few consumers to obtain. From slightly information and facts we could discover additional, which include Christian Louboutin Big Lips Booty 120 Ankle Boots Black spend in a very pair of Christian louboutin footwear for his daughter who only one as well as a fifty percent yr previous, the quantity is 3000 USD. You are able to picture how the charming these Christian Louboutin Bibi Botta 140mm Suede Boots Black have.”I are able to see the entire world, quickly placed on Christian Louboutin Alti Botte 140mm Leather Boots Camel”. With that said, you are going to usually ought to ask numerous interrogation as humanly doable. Any sensible buyer will do not need an issue answering them with your situation.Look at the Christian Louboutin Zip-Back Over-the-Knee Boot! The fact remains, having said that, some shoes could have the label glued on, as an alternative to stitching.
ganjames
With the top of the mound rising Qi-Xiong, Qi-Xiong mound inside the case finally appeared in the north face were Diao tore a match for the dark? When the north face we see the internal Qi-Xiong mound situation, the presence north face jackets on sale of all, including the National Division are all dumbfounded ow "This," "Yuanshi Senior Qi-Xiong mound in that house will be brought to the scene immediately after that threw the roof and shoved next to the ground, the roof was open and fully present within the scene in the north face are Diao tore match? Statement in accordance
It was indeed very helpful and insightful while being straight forward and to the point.