River Eves Students Wear Orange to Stop Bullying

Students at River Eves Elementary School showed their true colors recently by wearing orange - the official color of bullying prevention - to show their support for anti-bullying. 

As part of a nationwide campaign to put an end to bullying, River Eves students discussed in the classroom how it is up to each individual to make sure bullying stops.

"Bullying is a community-wide issue that must no longer be ignored," said Linda Patton, counselor at River Eves Elementary. "We focus on teaching our students to treat all children and adults with respect, as well as providing students with the tools they need to prevent and stop bullying."

According to the National Bullying Prevention Center:

• More than 160,000 U.S. students stay home from school each day from fear of being bullied.
• Bullying directly affects a student’s ability to learn. Students who are bullied find it difficult to concentrate, show a decline in grades, and lose self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth.
• Bullying affects witnesses as well as targets. Witnesses often report feeling unsafe, helpless, and afraid that they will be the next target.
• Students can be especially effective in bullying intervention. More than 55 percent of bullying situations will stop when a peer intervenes. Student education of how to address bullying for peers is critical, as is the support of adults.

"We were proud to join Unity Day today. It’s critical that our students understand that they can make a difference," said Principal Neil Pinnock. "And of course as parents and administrators, our job is to provide a safe and friendly environment in which our children can learn."