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

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and it’s important to remember that bullying can threaten students’ physical and emotional safety at school, and can adversely impact their ability to learn. The best way to address bullying is to stop it before it starts.

On October 24th, the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention will host “School-Based Health Professionals Respond to Bullying” a webinar focused on bullying in school settings. This webinar, developed in collaboration with the National Association of School Nurses and the National Assembly of School-Based Health Care, will showcase on-the-ground perspectives from clinicians and students along with best practices for bullying prevention and response.

There are a number of things school-based networks can do to make schools safer and... 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

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

Student leaders from Quantico high school, 4H, Baltimore Intersection and DC Mayors Youth Advisory Council played a big role at the Bullying Prevention Summit. A subset of these students spoke with Secretary Arne Duncan and Assistant Secretary Deb Delisle about their student led bullying prevention efforts.

When I helped close the third annual Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Summit on Tuesday, my colleagues and I gave attendees a simple charge: what are you going to do to further bullying prevention in the next year?

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Yesterday, Cynthia Germanotta and I had the opportunity to discuss how to empower young people and end bullying at the Third Annual Bullying Prevention Summit in Washington, D.C. Cynthia and her daughter, Lady Gaga, recently founded the Born This Way Foundationto empower young people with the skills and opportunities they need to build a kinder, braver world.

As moms, both Cynthia and I realize the impact that bullying—and kindness—can have on young people. We both agreed that we must all stay focused on ending bullying because no young person, or their loved ones, should have to endure the pain, agony, and loss to our families, schools, and communities that can come with bullying.

We also agreed that we need to reinforce... Continue Reading

Next week, leaders of non-profit and corporate organizations engaged in anti-bullying work will join researchers, parents and students to participate in the third Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention Summit on August 6th and 7th in Washington, D.C.

The Summit is hosted by the Department of Education and will bring these groups and individuals together to discuss the successes and challenges of addressing bullying, and what needs to be done in the year to come. We’ve come a long way in the past year, but there is much to learn from the people who address bullying in the work they do day to day. It’s important for us to hear the voices of those impacted by bullying from around the country and to share the knowledge we’ve gained to stop bullying. So for the first time this year, we will be livestreaming the entire Summit and engaging the at-home audience through Twitter... Continue Reading