Weve just added the 0-5 program to primarily address younger children, Sabin said. We also have another program that is new, which is promoted by the Department of Human Services. Its a childrens therapeutic support and services, teaching skills to kids, like anger management, social skills, conflict resolution, how to quell boredom and lots of other areas.
Other area schools taking advantage of Youth Frontiers retreats are Canby, Holy Redeemer in Marshall and Dawson-Boyd.
Other services available in the area are: religious counseling (Lutheran Social Services 320-235-5411, Catholic Charities 507-376-9757), independent counseling (Jim Horgan and Geri Johnson 507-929-0733), centers for counseling (Christine Zych of Southwest Psychological Services 507-476-5462, University Psychiatry Associates Out Patient Clinic (Avera) 507-337-2923) and drug/alcohol counseling (Project Turnabout Adolescent Services 507-532-3008).
Youth Frontiers also has a retreat designated for educators and staff called Honor, which Thomas said was used six years ago when the district moved from the junior high site to the middle school building.
Four years ago, counselor Kim Sanow created L.O.L! (Laugh Out Loud) Clubs and summer camps to support girls in the Marshall area. Sanow combines fun activities with education, teaching girls about relational bullying, cyberbullying, friendships, boundaries, conflict resolution and self-awareness.
Thomas has seen friendships strained because of select athletes getting brought up to a higher-than-grade-level squad in basketball or volleyball.
I think the kids take a lot of it in, said Marshall Middle School social worker Heather Bigler, who helps coordinate the event. Weve done follow-up in the classrooms. The fifth-grade focused on the kindness boomerang. In order to catch kindness, you have to throw it out there.
MONITORING
YOUTH FRONTIERS
Based on statistics, Sanow said that 80 percent of those initiating relational aggression behaviors learned it from their environment and media.
COUNSELING SERVICES
Fortunately, there are a number of resources available to parents who want to be informed and are concerned about their childs safety, including the MDE site which has a link to a dozen websites regarding bullying/cyberbullying and safety.
Its a safe place for girls to come and maybe make some new friends, learn how to be a better friend or find better friends, Sanow said. Its about better choices and being empowered.
One of the most difficult aspects for school workers is identifying problems, especially getting to the real root of the issue.
MHS students can also take an elective class that stresses relationship skills.
We all work very closely, Herrmann said. On early out Wednesdays, we try to do a lot of things so were all on board and working together.
In the future, Southwest Health and Human Services is looking to implement circle programs, which has roots in the traditional justice of American Indian cultures, and is utilized by bringing different members of a community together to resolve disputes.
Others say it will take a village to end the cycle of bullying and the stigma of speaking up and seeking help when its needed.
Sanow recalled a recent incident where a new high school girl came to Marshall and felt targeted by her new team.
We want to encourage and support those kids who have those opportunities, she said. But the kids who stay at the grade level, thats when we see the envy, jealousy and meanness come out of them and directed at a child who has that opportunity.
It takes all of us to make a difference, said Bill Swope, who spent 27 years as an elementary principal at Marshall Public Schools. Our milies are too busy. Kids dont sit down at the supper table anymore. Theyre here and there. Theres also a change in education and a decay in respect, with adults, too. We dont take time to listen and care about each other anymore. Society is moving too st.
Youth Frontiers was founded in 1987 by Joe Cavanaugh, who believed that students and educators deserved to thrive emotionally, socially and therefore, academically.
While schools are embedding anti-bullying education into their curriculum at increasing rates, area businesses are also responding to the cause. A number of communities - Lake Benton, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, Minneota, Taunton, Ghent and Marshall - recently sponsored a book for all 6-year-olds in their area schools, including public, private and homeschooled children.
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) says bullying is a serious problem, not only for students who are bullied, but for the bullies, and the students and adults who witness the acts. Like the MDE, which helps schools develop programming, curriculum and intervention practices, Youth Frontiers advocates for building cultures of respect in schools.
Some believe that change will start to happen, one step at a time, if everyone in the community continues workiGroup effort needed to buck bullying trend tracy adult schoolng toward a better future for children.
Youth Frontiers is well worth the pursuit for our young people, Marshall Middle School principal Mary Kay Thomas said in a grant application to Pride in the Tiger. Youth Frontiers vision is to change the way young people treat each other in every hallway, lunch line and classroom of every school in American so that todays young people can make tomorrows world better.
We try to look at services to help the kids, whether its because their parents are going through a divorce or have just lost a mily member, Herrmann said. Some might say were not doing anything, but we cant tell people what our students are doing. We have to be confidential, so people might not think were doing anything. But were referring kids to a variety of services in town.
Prairie pointed out that some of the ways kids cyberbully are: flaming (sending mean messages back and forth), harassment (repeatedly sending someone mean messages), cyber-stalking (harassment, but a serious threat to someones life), denigration (put downs, name-calling), impersonation (pretending to be someone else online), outing and trickery (tricking someone into giving out private information or pictures and then posting it online) and exclusion (intentionally leaving someone out to hurt them).
The three steps of the mobile service is assessment, intervention and then stabilization, Sabin said. Our goal is to reduce out-of-home placement. Then we refer to other services as needed.
Swope is the executive director for Pride in the Tiger Foundation, which recently sponsored an anti-bullying event - Youth Frontiers - for Marshall fifth- and seventh-graders. The Marshall PTC also donated funds, while the Marshall YMCA waived its fee to use the multi-purpose room.
We teach children how to pay attention to symptoms and respond, rather than react, Sabin said
Said Cavanaugh: We are not succeeding as a society if our children receive and A in math...and an F in life.
As part of the middle school concept, Thomas said that students and teachers also try to build relationships during the 30-minute advisories held every day except for Wednesday.
TECHNOLOGY
The organization has 34 fulltime and part-time employees who delivered 648 retreats in the 2010-11 school year and is expected to reach 90,000 students and educators at 680 retreats this year. Youth Frontiers offers age-appropriate retreats, which include kindness, courage, respect, responsibility and wisdom.
Growing up in the Technology Age can be difficult for adolescents, especially when they are dealing with a number of physical, emotional and psychological changes. While the bullying of yesterday typically ceased once students left the school building, todays world provides a 24/7 opportunity to spring a relentless attack on others.
Cyberbullying is strongest in the middle school, but it does continue into high school, she said. It doesnt taper off like ce-to-ce bullying does.
Youth Frontiers is helping kids act with moral courage, Swope said. Its just huge. It teaches kids to stand up for others who are being picked on.
MARSHALL - Some say it takes a village to raise a child.
Roughly 30 girls participate in each of the L.O.L! Clubs offered. This year, Sanow is hopeful that all of the girls will be able to attend free of charge because of its supporters. L.O.L! Club is funded by House of Hope, [adult school] high school classes Fairfield County students donate time, money, goods (0) 2011-12-26 9:13:51 United Way of Southwest Minnesota and the Evan Carrow Foundation.
Many times, perhaps because of the stigma attached, students just do not seek help.
Herrmann also pointed out that bullies are vulnerable, too.
Some people dont understand, Herrmann said, that schools do a lot of things to help students be successful.
Conflicts can arise in countless activities that students are involved in, including sports, 4-H and church clubs.
Gloria Sabin, clinical director at Western Mental Health Center in Marshall (507-337-4948), said that shes noticed that clients are getting younger, so more programs have been put in place in response.
While most school districts have their own policies put in place for handling student issues, whether it is bullying, situational or mental health problems, theyre also likely to have an inner support system. At Marshall High School, nurse Deb Herrmann and counselors Shirley Greenfield and Sue Bowen work together to try to meet the students needs.
Sparked by the 2008 suicide of Marshall student Evan Carrow, Born To Be Alive, an adult cilitated, student-run organization, aids in promoting depression awareness and suicide prevention. For two years, Marshall Schools have also done a Teen Screen to help identify students at risk.
Some self-medicate, with alcohol or marijuana, but in the end, it doesnt really help, Herrmann said. We take care of things like diabetes, so why arent we willing to take the Paxil or Prozac to get the brain chemical imbalance fixed? It can be amazing when someone gets the right diagnosis, the right medication and the right dose to help them be successful.
Editors note: This is the ninth of a series of stories that run periodically concerning the topic of bullying in our communities.
LITERATURE
But will it?
My Favorite Book is being distributed by The Ambassador Company to thousands of children statewide this year.
Herrmann said Prairie Home Hospice has come in, free of charge, to help with grieving processes. Beginning this past ll, Marshall Schools also contracted with Greater MN Family Services (507-537-6920 ext 1028), which partners with school districts across Minnesota, providing mental health services in the school setting. In 20 years, the service has grown from 15 employees to 150, offering services in 34 counties, including Lyon, Lincoln, Murray and Yellow Medicine.
Its a screening tool, but not a diagnostic one, Herrmann said. Its not just for mental health. It also picks up drug abuse and opens up communication. Its all kept separate, not in the kids records. We use it to make referrals if needed.
Thanks to a grant Sabin wrote, WMHC has also had a mobile childrens crisis service for the past four years.
With the recent awareness of bullying and mental health issues cing adolescents and all the local resources available to bullies and victims of bullying, the epidemic in our schools should begin to decrease.
My Favorite Book has a strong anti-bullying message and stresses positive character-building traits. Also included in the book is a parent guide which explains the values along with suggested topics for mily discussion.
Counselor Fay Prairie, who began Prairie Perspectives as a way to reach others about cyberbullying/bullying/relationships/communication/suicide/emotional IQ, said that recent research found that cyberbullying - which is using technology such as email, text messaging or online sites to bully - does not taper off in high school.
There are so many different things that affect students, Herrmann said. Kids can come in with health issues, like headaches and stomachaches and dont identify that theyre mental issues. They dont realize that the brain affects how your body is feeling.
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According to statistics, Prairie found that 76 percent of parents do not have rules about what their kids can do online, though 65 percent of parents believe their kids do things online that the kids wouldnt want their parents to know about.
The sophomore class teases a lot and they jab at each other, Sanow said. Im not sure if the kids realized they were crossing the line. It becomes a target situation when its intentional to hurt someone.
We believe the retreats can help stimulate some of the things we want to happen within the building, Thomas said. Its nice that now all the kids in the (MMS) building have experienced one or the other of the Youth Frontiers retreats.
Students learn about bullying, drugs, mily situations, how to deal with people and how to take responsibility for themselves, Herrmann said. It has a I can change me, but I cant change anyone else focus.
Roles change every day, she said. We might do all roles, depending on the mix of things. There are so many things that come into play.
It makes for a really difficult situation within the whole culture of the building, Thomas said, so parents may need to be involved.
ANTI-BULLYING CLUBS
Families still have to make the appointment and are billed for the service. Families also make the decision about which vendor service theyd like to use.
During group discussions, it can truly be a time of healing, and a time where bullies, targets, by-standers and victims can recognize their role or roles in relational bullying and decide to make changes, Sanow said.
So who is monitoring the usage? Statistics and surveys suggest that the best solution for safe Internet and phone usage is through parental awareness and vigilance.
There have even been cases reported of Internet Trolls, who mock the dead, often a suicide victim they know, by hijacking their memorial pages.
Many times, Sanow said, girls dont realize how much their non-verbal actions, such as eye rolling or ignoring someone, can hurt others.
MMS students partnered with Tracy Area Public School and Murray County Central students at the 2011 ll retreats. The previous year, the three schools collaborated by utilizing an integration grant, which was not part of the budget this year.
Its not only happening in our middle school, it keeps going on in the workplace, Sanow said. We need to do something in our culture and not base our values on what the TV and media have taught us. We need to get after it.
It all fits in with bullying and treating others with respect, Swope said. Its an everyday occurrence we have to keep in front of kids, especially with all the texting and cyberbullying there is.
Technology can be a great provision and tracy adult schoolprovide opportunities for kids, but at the same time, we need to teach, not just as schools, but as parents, Thomas said. We need to teach our kids everything about it, the ins and outs and the responsibility and obligations that come with the privileges of that technology.
WMHC also counsels in emotional education, taking responsibility, adjusting to change, empathy building, leisure recreation, problem solving skills, friendships, boundaries and works with depression, anxiety and behavior problems.
