You may have seen or heard the words GRIT and GREAT used by our
schools to discuss characteristics we want our students to have. GRIT, which stands for Gumption, Resiliency,
Integrity and Tenacity, is about working hard towards challenges. GREAT focuses on citizenship, and stands for
Growth, Respect, Empathy, Accountability, and Trustworthiness. Being a GREAT Citizen also means not being a
bully, and standing up for others who are being bullied. Our schools are emphasizing these
characteristics throughout October in conjunction with National Bullying
Prevention Month. I wanted to highlight
some of the activities taking place in our schools as they teach our students
about being GREAT citizens.
- Carrollton Elementary will be unveiling their Buddy Bench, where students can sit with someone and demonstrate kindness. The bench was painted by members of the Carrollton CARE Club.
- Students at Carrsville Elementary are creating artwork that illustrates GREAT qualities and signing the Bulldogs Don’t Bully banner.
- Hardy Elementary students will hear the story of Spookley the Square Pumpkin who is often bullied for being different. They will learn the importance of celebrating differences and that everyone can contribute to the greater good.
- The Westside Eagles held a ceremony to bury bullying behaviors. Students wrote a bullying related behavior they want to bury on a slip of newspaper. Their slips were thrown into a pre-dug hole where a “Unity Tree,” will be planted, to help remind students of their commitment to a fresh start.
- Isle of Wight County Sheriff James Clarke spoke to students at Windsor Elementary School and shared with them actions they can take to stand up to bullying.
- Georgie Tyler will observe Mix it Up at Lunch Day, which encourages students to move out of their comfort zones and connect with someone new over lunch. The national campaign was launched in 2002 and will take place on the last Tuesday in October.
- Eighth graders at Smithfield Middle School participated in a program called Love Over Hate. The motivational speaker shared the powerful concept of self-love, along with self-realization and awareness using music, conversation and interactive activities that kept the students engaged throughout his message.
- The Positivity Club at Smithfield High is the driving force behind the school’s anti-bullying campaign #PackFightsBack. The club set up “Boar Boxes” throughout the school where students can report any instances of bullying. They have designated the last Friday of the month as Blue Out day, to bring awareness to being a buddy, not a bully.
- Similar to Mix it Up at Lunch Day, Windsor High will host a "Strangers in a Ball Pit" day. Students will have the opportunity during lunch to sit in a ball pit and make new friends at WHS using conversation starters as encouragement to connect with others. Providing students with occasions to interact with those who are different from them helps to change biases and misperceptions.
- Several schools also held a Pinky Promise Day, where students pledged to take a stand against bullying and showed their commitment by having their pinky painted blue.
The beginning of the school year is the perfect time to emphasize
characteristics of a GREAT citizen. The
division’s Focus Document on GREAT Citizenship states our beliefs and our
goals: Isle of Wight County Schools
strives to create a culture that focuses on individual growth in the area of
citizenship for students, staff, parents and community members. We believe that
citizenship is defined by the choices we make and actions we show each day. We
recognize a significant connection between the behavior of our citizens and the
success of our community. Our expectation is that our school community focuses
on being GREAT every day!
I am proud of the efforts our students and staff are taking to
bring awareness to bullying, but these efforts aren’t isolated to just
October. We teach, share, model,
highlight and celebrate outstanding citizenship all year long. It is our commitment to ensuring students
have the skills to make them successful, not only while they are with us, but
for the rest of their life.
Pictures from the Anti-Bullying Activities in Our Schools
