I am kind, and I’m a friend
to everyone all day
I’ll make you feel powerful
with kind things that I say!
— “No Bullies” lyrics
October is National Bullying Prevention Month and to kick-start University Park Elementary’s anti bullying campaign, Pittsburgh rapper Harvey “Frzy” Daniels visited the Monroeville school to premiere the remixed video, “No Bullies.”
“We have so many kids, so much diversity at our school,” music teacher Elizabeth Dayton said. “We really try to promote kindness and tolerance to all, regardless of our differences.”
Last year, the school collaborated with Frzy, with Dayton changing the words to Frzy’s song “Gold in it” to anti bullying lyrics.
“I wrote the verses and Frzy wrote the hook,” Dayton said. Her husband filmed the video, which features University Park students and faculty, Frzy and fellow entertainer Terry Jones.
In October 2018, Frzy won a Regional Emmy Award for his hip hop remake of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” originally written by Fred Rogers for his television show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Frzy collaborated with WQED Multimedia on the project.
“This has been a great experience,” Frzy said. “I hope these lessons are something that the students can take with them.”
Jones’ daughters, Channing and Aeris, are students at the school.
“Be good to each other. When you think of kindness, think of Mr. Rogers,” Jones said during the presentation.
He also told students to “ask yourself, ‘What would Frzy do?’,” if they found themselves unsure of how to handle a situation.
According to Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, the federal government began tracking school bullying in 2005, when the prevalence of bullying was approximately 28%. Bullying is defined as unwanted aggressive behavior, especially when there is an apparent or perceived imbalance of power or control.
Currently, about one in every five students has reported being bullied.
The Center for Disease Control found that students who are bullied are at a higher risk for anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and feelings of isolation.
Bullying also affects students’ overall view of school and school performance. The CDC states that students who are bullied have lower academic achievement and a higher rate of dropping out of school.
Victims of bullying tend to perform more poorly academically, have fewer friends, have a negative outlook about school and experience physical symptoms, such as headaches and difficulty sleeping.
But there’s good news.
Founded in 2006, National Bullying Prevention Month is a nationwide campaign that unites communities by educating and bringing awareness to bullying prevention.
Initially held the first week in October, the event was expanded in 2010 to the encompass the entire month.
According to stopbullying.gov, studies show that both students and educators benefit from bullying prevention efforts. Examination of the research on the effectiveness of school-based anti bullying programs indicate that they reduce bullying by 20 to 23% and victimization by 17 to 20%.
“Bullying prevention programs raise the awareness of students against bullying from a very early age,” University Park Principal Jennifer Hoffner said. “The primary objective is to prevent bullying and to create a positive environment in school.”
To watch “No Bullies,” go to youtube.com/watch?v=tr0iWPn26JI.