Lynbrook students stand united against bullying

Students from Mrs. Donna Smith's fifth grade class showing off their Unity Day shirts at Orange Bagel lunch

Courtesy Madeline Donnarumma/West End Elementary School

On Unity Day at Lynbrook North Middle School, students dressed in orange to show their solidarity and willingness to end bullying.

Courtesy Rosemary Leonetti/Syntax

In honor of Unity Day, Lynbrook North Middle School students Graceanne Yadanza (left) and Katie Lenz signed their names to a schoolwide pledge to stand up against bullying.

Courtesy Rosemary Leonetti/Syntax

As one of Waverly Park's activities, the students traced their hands, in all different colors of the rainbow, and wrote ways in which they could be upstanders. They then dressed in the colors of the rainbow to posed for this Unity Week Picture.

Courtesy Shari Glickman-Bowes/Waverly Park School

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Students across the Lynbrook School District participated in Unity Day on Oct. 10, joining together to take a stand against bullying. Sponsored by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, Unity Day allows students across the country to come together and send a message of support to those who have experienced bullying.

At North Middle School, students pledged to unite against bullying by signing a banner, which will hang in the hallway as a reminder that bullying will not be tolerated. They also received unity bracelets and orange ribbons and wore orange, the official color of Unity Day.

After watching a video about bullying during their lunch periods, students took part in team-building activities with teacher-in-charge, Brian Bowes. School support staff visited seventh-grade social studies classes to provide anti-bullying lessons, while Second-Step character education lessons related to the theme of the day were taught in the sixth and eighth grades.

In all English classes, students were asked to complete a bullying survey. The information gathered from this survey will help the support team and school leadership understand student experiences, target specific issues and provide continued support throughout the school year.

In the days leading up to Unity Day, counselors and teachers at South Middle School presented anti-bullying lessons to all students. Through these lessons, students came to better understand what constitutes bullying, including verbal, emotional, physical and cyber-bullying – and discussed the differences between tattling and telling. They also practiced strategies that can be used by victims and witnesses of bullying, such as speaking up and reaching out to a trusted adult.

On October Oct.10, students and staff all wore orange—the official color of Unity Day— to express their solidarity and willingness to do whatever it takes to put an end to bullying.