500 students at anti-bullying conference in South

The US Embassy in Port of Spain plans to work with the Caribbean Colour Splash organisation in the fight against bullying in secondary schools in TT.

Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy Monica Morse said her office will be more than willing to go the extra mile in curbing bullying.

“I believe the anti-bullying conferences and workshops will help to curb this issue in secondary schools,” she said. Morse joined yesterday with US Marine officers Scott Johnson and Tyler Biden for Caribbean Colour Splash’s anti-bullying conference at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) at San Fernando. About 500 form five students attended the conference. “Through my research, I found that many times women are in a power struggle, having to prove themselves, and this leads to them becoming bullies,” she said, urging the young women to become mindful of their surroundings and put thought into every action they make.

“As a child, my dad attempted suicide and I became a target. Later I married a man who bullied me.

“But I found a way to break the cycle. I was a victim, but now I am a survivor. I am a champion,” Morse said.

She managed to break the cycle, she said by developing self-respect and respect for others.

Scott and Biden shared the stories of their lives and how they each dealt with the issue of bullying. Biden said there are three “Ds” for dealing with a bully.

“First is, be direct. You must step in and interrupt a harmful situation by pointing out the problem and engaging participants in conversation about better alternatives,” he said.

The second is to distract. “If you aren’t comfortable calling out the problematic behaviour, try interrupting a risky situation by distracting and redirecting the people involved.

Ask an unrelated question about a class assignment, a TV show or even the weather. The goal is simply to change the subject.

“And the third is to delegate. If you can’t do it alone, involve others,” Biden said.

Students of the Chaguanas East Secondary School introduced a new app (software program) they designed to deal with bullying among students. This app has helped change the traditional ways bullying is reported and recorded. In a video presentation,they demonstrated how it can be used to help fellow students report bullying while remaining anonymous.

It features a hotline for victims in need of immediate help, nearby police contacts and even daily motivational quotes for users, among other features.

The slogan created by Caribbean Colour Splash for the conference was “Be a Buddy. Not a Bully,” the chant that echoed through SAPA.

Dramatised contributions were also delivered by pupils from Fyzabad Anglican School, St Stephen’s College and Penal Secondary School.