During the week of January 17th-20th, the Gay Straight Alliance worked in the commons during lunches to promote No Name Calling Week in trying to spread kindness throughout the school.

No Name Calling Week from PGTV NEWS on Vimeo.

“This week is No Name Calling Week. A group called Glisten has come up with this week and it is basically an anti-bullying campaign. So with the GSA we decided to go ahead with the acts of kindness pledges in all the lunches this week,” GSA sponsor Cathy Beasley said.

“Ms. Beasley had brought it up in a GSA meeting and I thought it would be a good idea. Mainly what I have been doing is tending to students by answering what we do. Why we do it,” senior Justin Daniels said.

The process entails handing a student a slip of paper after they have signed up. The student then follows the suggested act of kindness.

“I try to do something nice every day.The biggest thing I have done most recently is a dog came into the shelter with a broken leg and we raised the money to amputate the leg and get the dog into a rescue group,” Beasley said.

“This week I haven’t done a lot but one thing is that I shared… that was on the slip. And also at Rowanty I just helped clean up a bit. I helped clean the shop with Mr. Clements. I also helped Patrick Simons a little bit but I could have done a lot more,” Daniels said.

Beasley offered advice on what you should do in case bullying is happening:

1. Stand up for yourself if you can
2. Walk away – don’t give up your power by reacting to them in a hostile way
3. If you see it happening – stand up for them
4. A kind word can mean a lot
5. If you need the help, seek it out

The GSA is continuing to fight bullying throughout the year. If interested in joining their cause see Beasley or Daniels for more information on joining the GSA.