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Last week I wrote about how each of my children participated in a writing contest called Find Your Voice!, a letter writing contest run by their elementary school and Seymour Osman Community Center (SOCC). The objective was to find a social topic to research, then write a letter to someone in an authoritative position who would have some sort of experience or knowledge or influence regarding that chosen topic.
My nine-year-old daughter, Maddy, wrote to the superintendent of our school district about school bullying. She was one of the top three finalists. (My son, Riley, also won.) Maddy’s donation will go to the school’s anti-bullying program.
When doing research on anti-bullying, Maddy found this website for LaNiyah Bailey, a 7-year-old author and anti-bullying advocate. A victim of bullying herself, LaNiyah took matters into her own hands to spread awareness and help other kids who have been bullied, too.
I love seeing kids get involved to make their community a better place. Kudos to LaNiyah and the adults who have encouraged her for fighting the problem of bullying in a positive, helpful way.
Here is Maddy’s winning entry:
Hi! I’m Madeleine, a third grader in New Hampshire. I’m going to talk about bullying. Bullying is a big problem that upsets me, and I bet a lot of other people too.
Once when I was in first grade, there was a boy who was mean to me. I was getting a drink from the water fountain, and he shoved me out of the way. I was really angry, and told him that he had hurt me. But of course, he didn’t have any reaction. The next day, he cornered me at the slide, and wouldn’t let me get off. Then, another pushing incident occurred. He shoved me out of line when we were heading back from art class and told me to go to the end.
I finally had it. I was furious! I came home in tears and explained to my mom what was happening. My mom called my teacher, and my teacher talked with my principal and the guidance counselor. They worked together and talked to the boy, and he stopped bullying me.
I know he stopped bullying me because the school supports bullying prevention. I love that my school is now hosting a free after-school enrichment program in conjunction with *** Black Belt Academy. I hope that this program will grow and reach all the kids in our community. I hope that you will work to make sure that wonderful programs like this will always be available to kids in our school system.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read my letter. Thank you for thinking about how we can make sure anti-bullying programs will be a continued success in our community.
Sincerely, Madeleine
Great job, Maddy
Fantastic letter. There’s another writer in the family.
Thanks, Kate. Maddy loves to write, so she’ll be pleased to hear what you think!
I know bullying has been around forever, but its intensity and frequency in today’s world is incomprehensible to me. It’s a clear sign that something is seriously wrong with our modern culture.
Kudos to Maddy for her efforts, and I’m so glad you have such a supportive school district. Others should take a lesson from yours!
Hey JM, bullying in all forms really baffles me, and I think you’re right. We’ve definitely gone off track somewhere.
Where is Ortzin when you need him?
Excellent, she has a good compelling style there.
Thanks, Vanessa. This meant a lot to her to write.
I love it when kids take a stand like that! Go Maddy!
I sooo love it when kids fight for what’s right. We adults need to encourage it more often. Thanks for stopping by.
Good on Maddy!
There’s a bit of over-reaction to what’s considered bullying, these days; I think it’s something of a buzz word in schools. We all got called shrimp or four-eyes or metal-mouth as kids…but this shoving and intimidation nonsense needs to stop.
I don’t know your daughter, but I feel pride for her, for standing up for herself…and for not being afraid to go to an adult. Kids have this unfortunate prisoner-type mentality of “no snitching to The Man” that doesn’t benefit them at all. Sometimes, an adult has to step in to these situations! (And calling out a bully on your own only works sometimes. Like if you’ve got your own posse. Or a big sister, like I did!
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These are tough issues, and Maddy’s letter isn’t just a letter – it’s a story of her life. You can feel for her in those words. It’s no surprise she won.
Thanks for posting this. It’s always good to remember that there are young writers and souls out there worthy of picking up the sword when we can’t fight any longer.
Hey Mayumi,
Bullying does make for an interesting debate. I just heard on the news about a group of parents who wrote a letter to the prinicpal of their kids’ school citing bullying incidents against their own children. The principal subsequently suspended the students. BUT, the administration didn’t suspend the accused bullies. They suspended the alleged victims! Now, if that doesn’t make you go, what the??? Now, the parents are getting a lawyer and looking into suing the school district….
There is a fine line between bullying and being intimidating or even just plain rude. I think, though, with all the horrendous shootings plus all the suicides that have occurred in the US schools due to bullying, school admin/teachers/board can’t take chances. Basically, if a child feels uncomfortable in any kind of a situation it is treated very seriously, as though it was a bullying incident.
Maddy was very serious about this letter, and I was really proud of her for still feeling strongly about it and knowing the importance of the program in the school.
Thanks for a great comment!