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Holy Family students kill them with kindness
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Members of Holy Family's thrid-grade ARK program received information on bullying from a guest speaker May 21. The group meets each month to perform volunteer work.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Sam Baharis, director of Acute Services at Belmont Pines Hospital, lectured and answered the questions of Holy Family's third-grade ARK members. He has been working in the field of mental health for 30 years.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Third-grade ARK members Angelina Santoro (left) Angelina Sabatino, Katherine Kali, Audrey Kaili, Jessie Cummings and Lauren Perchak wait for their after school program to begin. The group invited a speaker to talk to them about bullying and self-esteem May 21.
By SHAIYLA HAKEEM
Dealing with bullies can be difficult, but these third-graders learned techniques to avoid being pushed around.
Holy Family School’s Acts of Random Kindness members learned about the effects of bullying and how to deal with a bully during a group discussion May 21.
The third-grade group invited Sam Baharis, director of Acute Services at Belmont Pines Hospital, to talk about bullying. He has been working in the field of mental health for 30 years and says bullying is a problem that can result in long-term effects.
“A lot of bullying does occur and research over the years has shown that it does have an effect on the kids — both for the bully and the person being bullied,” he said.
The group asked questions and shared stories about when they were teased or bullied. One student shared an anecdote about not being picked for a kickball team because she was too short. She said she was called a midget by her peers. Baharis’ response was simple.
“I’m pretty short for a guy, and that’s OK!” he said.
Baharis explained the importance of feeling good about yourself regardless of what others’ may think. He said imperfection is normal.
Bullying can be easily overlook, especially if a parent is unaware of the occurrence. If a child doesn’t tell anyone they are being bullied, it can be difficult to detect. Signs parents can look for in their children, according to Baharis, are isolation, appetite change and a drop in school grades.
A folder full of information on bullying was given to each student by Baharis.
ARK member Aidan McDanel said she learned that bullying can hurt people’s feelings. She feels than bullies are mean and the best way to deal with them is to be honest.
“I would just say I don’t want them to hurt me and tell them to get away and then I would ignore them,” McDanel said.
In an attempt to show dedication to the community, ARK was established by Melanie Jones in the fall of 2008. She said the program is intended to push its members to grow spiritually by enlightening their minds and hearts through service and education.
“One of the most positive changes I have noticed in the girls since we started the program is their outlook on others who may be less fortunate and an understanding of how blessed so many of us really are,” she said.
Jones is the current ARK coordinator for the fifth-grade girls. Motivated by Jones’ established group, Tina Kali started an ARK program for third-graders.
“I was inspired and impressed with what Melanie did with last year’s fourth-grade girls, so I started an ARK group with this year’s third-grade girls,” Kali said. “I thought the girls would be old enough to understand and benefit from such a group.”
The group performs random acts of kindness each month through various volunteer activities and events. After each activity performed, members receive a charm to attach to a charm bracelet each member wears. The bracelet is their way to outwardly show what activities they have completed.
Third-grade ARK activities of the past include making no-sew baby blankets for the St. Elizabeth’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, singing Christmas carols at Austintown’s Victoria House Assisted Living Facility and making loaves of bread at the Selah Restaurant to donate to Youngstown’s Sojourner House.
Baharis served as the monthly activity for May and was the first time the group has had a speaker.