The National 4-H Conference is the premier 4-H civic engagement experience for youth across the country. The conference provides an opportunity for 4-H members to increase knowledge, resources, and skills that will empower them to make an impact on their community in a meaningful and genuine way. Continue Reading

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is proud of its long history of working with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and other student groups to promote healthy kids and safe schools. These partnerships are a great chance for HRSA to reach youth in their schools and community to prevent bullying. Over the years, HRSA and GLSEN have shared resources and spoken at events. This year, we are continuing that work on social media for GLSEN’s No Name Calling Week. Continue Reading

January is National Mentoring Month. Research has shown that mentoring programs can be an effective tool for enhancing the positive development of youth in the foster care system.

Over the past three decades, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has supported a variety of mentoring programs to meet the needs of at-risk and troubled youth. The office works on traditional one-on-one relationships, group mentoring, e-mentoring and other innovative approaches to reach teens. Continue Reading

Nikki Allinson is a great example of how some students who have been bullied can turn their experience into a passion for helping others. Nikki, currently 23 years old, experienced bullying in middle school and is now an advocate and leader for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a non-profit organization working to reduce biased-based bullying in schools.

Nikki’s story begins in middle school, where she said that her peers lacked an understanding about her Jewish heritage. When she asked for a day off from school for religious reasons, kids made fun of her for being Jewish both in person and through instant messenger. When the bullying got worse, she tried to avoid school but eventually told her parents about what was going on. Her parents gave her the support that she needed to get through the year, but the bullying continued... Continue Reading

November is Native American Heritage Month. Across the country native communities are celebrating their heritage. I’d like to tell you about a project that I work with that is addressing the issue of bullying and is making a lasting impact on one community.

The Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Domestic Violence Prevention Program is a project funded by the Indian Health Service (IHS) Domestic Violence Prevention Initiative (DVPI).

As a health educator for the project, I see bullying, and other aggressive behaviors, in our schools, playgrounds, workplace and homes. It affects everyone in the community. Through education and raising awareness, we are engaging our communities to prevent bullying and other types of abuse.

Our surrounding communities include the Alaska... Continue Reading

At just 14 years old, Georgia teen Allison Waters Albert has become an ambassador for anti-bullying within her community. Earning respect and admiration from peers for her willingness to share her own story, Allison has inspired several teens across her school district to take a stand against bullying. Through extensive work with 4-H, one of the largest youth development programs in the world, and numerous speaking engagements at area schools, Allison’s efforts have spearheaded the campaign for bullying prevention in her Georgia hometown.

Once a victim of bullying herself, Allison says she became involved with anti-bullying efforts through her 4-H membership. 4-H has been very committed to educating youth on all facets of bullying, helping to empower those who have suffered as... Continue Reading

This month, groups across the country committed to stop bullying will release new resources, campaigns, and efforts aimed at bringing awareness to this important issue facing our youth.

Bullying Prevention Month is not new. In fact, it has been around for several years. What started as an awareness week initiated by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center in October 2006, the event has evolved into a month’s worth of events and activities to raise awareness... Continue Reading

The Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention are looking for informative and entertaining videos that send a positive message to youth about the importance of being “more than a bystander” to bullying in their schools and communities.

In August, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan, called on America’s youth to take the Stop Bullying Video Challenge. This contest gives young people another way to create a more positive and healthy environment in their schools and communities. Students are asked to submit videos answering the question: “How have you been more than a bystander?”

Encourage the youth in your life to submit original PSAs, 30 to 60 seconds in length, that show ways... Continue Reading

Scott Hannah, 17, and Tyler Gregory, 18, know all too well the impact that bullying can have. As a result, they are both taking a stand against bullying in their community. Originally intending to simply raise awareness about bullying at their local South Charleston high school in Ohio, Scott and Tyler ended up leaving a much more significant impact on their community. After their local campaign at their high school peaked in success, the teens were inspired to expand their involvement with the anti-bullying movement and participate in the “Great American No BULL challenge,” an... Continue Reading

What would happen if students took it upon themselves to improve their schools and communities? That’s the question that Brandon Greene, currently a rising sophomore at Burrillville High School in Rhode Island, asked himself a few years ago.

As part of a 6th grade school project, Greene created a small committee to give back to his school and community and spread an anti-bullying message. Continue Reading