Real Teens Speak Out

THE WORST AND THE BEST

The worst years of my life were when I was in school because I had so few friends, and didn’t understand that sometimes just a few great friends is better than a bunch of fake ones. I wanted so hard to be liked by everyone and I wanted to fit in, but I wasn’t good in sports and I wasn’t really good in everything for that matter. People bullied me through out high school and it wasn’t even small pickings either. I was called many names, a lot of the time the r word was the biggest one, picked last for sports because I wasn’t good and the worst was people shoving books and other things out of my hands and kicking them down the hallways often times with another person who would grope me as a joke, (I broke many 3 ring binders and other items in the 3 ring binders because of this and would never tell my mom that other people had done it, only that I had thrown it, which broke it because I didn’t want to have her step in and take over things for me, knowing it would possibly make things worse) just to get a rise out of me.

The best years of my life have just begun with me doing sermons trying to get people in the community to understand that people with disabilities are more likely to get bullied in their life then any other kid, that people look down on them like they have a plague that you can catch, and that just isn’t true. They are beautiful people with huge ginormeous hearts that don’t back down from a fight by giving hugs not fighting back. If they can get through what can be one of the worst parts of their life, they can do anything.

The Mirror

She looks in the mirror
Then turns away
She put on her mask
Because it takes away the pain

As she walks through the halls
They all stop and stare
They whisper silently
Unknowingly stripping her bear

She gets her books
Knocked out of her hands
And she just knows
She’s at her wits end

As she walks home,
It starts to rain
A car goes by and splashes
Just heightening the pain

All alone in her room
She holds the bottle in her grasp
Saying sorry one more time
She takes her last gasp

If just someone had acknowledged her
Just given her a chance
Maybe they would have know
She’s more than just a glance

Be kind to the shy
Be polite and let it show
Because you never will know
What will be there final blow

Stop Bullying

Produced by Ashley Shaffer

Rise Up and Sing

Written for the PS 127 Chorus, Music and Lyrics by Shanan Estreicher

The PS 127 Chorus in Queens, NY performs a song their music teacher wrote specifically for them. This song is about rising above the difficulties of life and using your voice as an instrument of change.

Lyrics

All those chances just keep passing by
You can’t measure up if they won’t let you try
Now it’s your time to shine

Turn up the radio, drown out that voice, there’s a sweeter song
Turn it up loud, hold your head up proud this is your new song

One more closing door, one step behind
If they won’t lift you up just look inside—you’ll find
That it’s your time to shine

Turn up the radio, drown out that voice, there’s a sweeter song
Turn it up loud, hold your head up proud this is your new song

Rise up and sing, show them what you’re made of
Rise up, you’ll see, there’s nothing to be afraid of
Lift your voice and sing
Sing your song for me

When that voice inside is full of doubt
You can choose to listen or just tune it out

Turn up the radio, drown out that voice, there’s a sweeter song
Turn it up loud, hold your head up proud this is your new song

Rise up and sing, show them what you’re made of
Rise up, you’ll see, there’s nothing to be afraid of
Lift your voice and sing
Sing your song for me

Rise up

Cindy’s Dilemma – Short Film on Bullying

What would you do if you were in Cindy’s position? Rebecca, or her sidekicks? SAY NO TO BULLYING!

BECAUSE OF YOU

“I was inspired earlier this year to make a short film about bullying, promoting the idea that one person can make a huge difference in another’s life.”

Echosmith – “Cool is just an opinion”

Echosmith, an alternative pop band made up of siblings ages 14-20, was inspired by stories of the sadness associated with bullying and not fitting in to record their new song, “Cool Kids.” This song tells the story of a boy and a girl who want to be like the “cool” kids. But Echosmith says that “really ‘cool’ is just an opinion and nobody is really cooler than anybody else.” Listen to their songs and learn more about the band on their website.

No More

My name is V.Lucien Maier, I was born in The Netherlands (Holland) and we came to Utah when I was 4. Of course I was different and got teased and harassed all through school.

Lucienmaier.com

Clara wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and remain in her bed the rest of the day, where it was safe. They would be on the bus waiting for her. It had all started in the second grade. Clara had been very open and very excited about school and friends.

But that year Jen started to criticize how she dressed. It was petty at first, but within two years Jen had recruited two of her friends and the teasing had become merciless. Every year it had gotten worse.

So Clara had pulled further and further away from everything. Reading had become an escape of the years and the books leaned more and more towards stories of finding their own place in the world.

A hour later she stood on the corner, and grimaced as the bus came around the corner to pick her up. The bus stopped and the door opened with a woosh. She boarded and walked with her head down to the seat she sat in everyday.

“Nice shirt, Clara.” Jen balked.

She ignored her.

“Where you get it at, the old folks home?” One of Jen’s flunkies chimed in.

She ignored her too. As best as she could.

“Wow.” A voice came.

He was in the back of them and they had paid no attention. He had moved into the neighborhood a week ago. Read the full story

What Makes ME GREAT

My name is Michelle and I completed a Gold Award Project which focused on building up self-esteem in young children. As a secondary focus I also built up the children’s awareness of bullying and places it can occur. My project consisted of working a minimum of 80 hours with two groups of children comprised of 1st to 6th grades in a local counseling center. The program is titled “What Makes ME GREAT”. The goal of this program is to help children understand what it means to have good self-esteem and discover some of the good qualities they possess that they may have been unaware of prior to the program. The grade levels I worked with were 1st through 5th graders. Surprisingly, only three children in a class of 12 second graders knew what self-esteem was and only five children in a group of 13 kids in fourth and fifth grade. I feel that children’s lack of understanding about self-esteem could be one of the reasons some children lack a strong self-esteem. Read more about the project

This too shall pass.

I used to be bullied when I was in Elementary school, and somewhat in Middle School. You see, growing up, in the 80’s/90’s, I always hung out with the boys. For the longest time, I was the only girl on my block, and at some point, my mom let me cut my hair short and dress like a boy. The girls used to make fun of me, and the boys that who hung out with me in the neighborhood, just avoided me at school. I’ll never forget the day in the 5th grade when a very popular and mean girl loudly made fun of me and went around the classroom asking the boys if they would take me to the dance. I overheard boys laugh and say no way. Even my own cousin wouldn’t hang out with me. She was too busy trying to impress the "cool" girls.  

I remember not wanting to go to class. I remember hanging out in the library and reading by myself often. Luckily, I had very loving parents — and that helped me through it. Although I had no friends and I was laughed at and teased, for some reason, I still marched forward as if to the beat of my own drum. I was smart, likely that helped me to rise above it. My mother always told me to protect the weak and stand up to bullies. Her words helped me feel like it didn’t matter what the other kids said about me. That they didn’t matter and that they were on the wrong side of things.

I was called a boy. A rumor started about me that I wore Transformers underwear. I was often laughed at, and the last to be picked to join a group or team. Later in early-middle school, I was called big bird. I think it had to do with how skinny I was and in my first attempts to look like a girl, I wore a bright blue eyeliner.

It wasn’t until the 8th grade that my school life changed. I made quality friendships with good solid people. Some of the same girls who made fun of me were part of my high school click. Although, they weren’t my true friends, they were on the shallower side of the click and more "friends of friends" or lunch table acquaintances.

My point is, it’s all over now. I can even laugh about it. My experience has made me who I am, and I am stronger for it. I have a successful job, a family, and a strong sense of self and direction. What’s important is intelligence, kindness, empathy and tenacity. I just wanted to pass this story on in hopes of reminding kids/teenagers who are going through bullying that it will pass for you too. No amount of bullying is worth your life. Life is too precious to waste on the people who pick on you. The bullies are not worth your time and energy. Look around and you will see others in the same boat as you are. Talk to them. They need a friend just like you do