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Kids in Youngstown's Summer Camp Program learn about bullying
YOUNGSTOWN
“Don’t be a bully, be a buddy.”
That’s the grown-up philosophy 7-year-old Ariel Jackson put into words during a presentation on bullying by the city health department as part of the Youngstown Park and Recreation Department’s Summer Camp Program.
When asked what she does when she is bullied, Ariel, a student at Struthers Elementary School, said: “I just ignore it.”
Ariel was one of 22 children who attended the program Wednesday at Lynn Park, where Erin Bishop, acting health commissioner, and two assistants made their first hour program aimed at making children aware of what bullying is, the harm it can do, and how to deal with when it happens to them.
Bishop said she and her team are scheduled to bring their anti-bullying message to children at each of the city’s summer camp program sites.
Assisting at Lynn Park were Nichele Johnson of Conneaut, and Alyx Phillips of Canfield, both public health majors at Youngstown State University.
Other team members are Whitney McKee of Youngstown, studying for her master’s degree in public health at YSU; and Lillian Ayana of Liberty, who received a bachelor’s degree in public health from Marymount University in Virginia.
The lesson plan upon which the anti-bullying program is based was developed by Melissa Haddle Schmidt of Austintown, a YSU graduate and a former city health department intern.
Bishop asked each student to identify himself or herserlf, give their age, and tell what they do well. Several answered the sport they were most interested in, while others named their best subject in school.
Phillips led a session in which she made statements about bullying and asked the kids to raise a green card if they believed it was true and a red/pink card if it was false.
Statements included: Bullying is just teasing: false; some people deserve to be bullied: false; only boys are bullied: false; the best way to stop bullying is to fight or get even: false; people who are bullied are hurt but get over it: false.
Summer Camp Program staff members say they see some bullying, and step in when they feel it is necessary.
Most of the bullying is physical or verbal in the form of name calling, said Deandre Harris, 23, of the University of Texas.
Gwendolyn King, 19, a student at Eastern Gateway Community College, said she was bullied when she was in kindergarten and the first grade, mostly name-calling and throwing things at recess, which she said she ignored “for the most part.”
She advised children to not retaliate, but tell an adult.
Nick Flaviano, 23, who received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Kent State University, said he definitely sees some bullying among the children at the camp, but said for the most part, the kids are pretty good.
At they end of each session, participants receive candy and a jump rope provided by the Youngstown Office on Minority Health, another partner in the program.
Program sites are Crandall Park, 400 Redondo Road; Glenwood Park, 2538 Glenwood Ave.; Homestead Park, 829 E. Dewey Ave.; MVSD Park, 180 N. Dunlap Ave.; John White Park, 2300 Kimmel Ave.; and Wick Park, 260 Park Ave.