North Hempstead, Schools Team Up for Bullying Awareness Walk

The Town of North Hempstead Town and local school districts and community activists are joining the forces for the 2nd Annual Bullying Awareness Walk at North Hempstead Beach Park on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Hundreds of children from school districts across North Hempstead joined motivational speakers who empowered students to become “upstanders” rather than “bystanders” when classmates are being bullied.

The idea of a Bullying Awareness Walk was first discussed last year by Herricks High School students Monica Abdallah, Aeyla Gioia, and Disha Singh, when they formed the Anti-Bullying group “Young Optimistic Upstanders.”  Abdallah, Gioia, and Singh are back again to partner with the Town in 2014, along with students from Wheatley, Roslyn, and Carle Place, among others.  This year’s theme is “Be the person you wish was there for you.”

“This event gives students an outlet to share their feelings with others who have dealt with similar circumstances, while cultivating a culture of young ‘upstanders’ who stick up for their peers who are bullied,” North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth said.  “I am so proud to partner with such incredible young community activists who are so dedicated to this important cause.”

The program will commence with a walk around North Hempstead Beach Park, followed by speeches from licensed social workers, psychologists, and representatives from the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, who spearheaded anti-bullying education more than a decade ago.  Breakout groups will then follow to give students an opportunity to share their feelings with some of their peers.  Students from schools across the Town will provide musical entertainment throughout the day.

For more information, call 311, or (516) 869-6311 if you’re calling from outside the Town.  You can also follow the Bullying Awareness Walk through their social media pages:

• Bullying Awareness Walk on Facebook
• @YouAgainstBullying on Twitter
• @YouAgainstBullying on Instagram.