For many students, bullying is a constant problem that affects how they perform in school.
That's why a new anti-bullying campaign will soon be implemented in dozens of Kern County schools, hoping to reduce the number of students who are targeted.
More than 40 schools have the Safe School Ambassadors program. On Wednesday, the State Farm Youth Advisory Board awarded the program $74,000 to support a new anti-bullying campaign.
A planning meeting was held Wednesday with Youth Action team leaders from six different schools, focusing on ways to prevent bullying.
Through the "Waking Up Courage" campaign, students are working to create safer schools by educating their peers, school staff and community members.
Specifically, teams will be transforming their schools and community through social media, assemblies, parent workshops, professional development and a youth forum.
"The young people that are brought into this Safe School Ambassador programs are those influential, outspoken leaders that aren't necessarily going in the right direction and might even be involved in the bullying," said Daryl Thiesen, Kern County Superintendent of Schools. "What they do is go through a two-day training to understand the pain, the power of working together, but the pain of bullying when they're the victims."
Safe School Ambassadors are trained to intervene when they witness bullying, harassment, or other types of mistreatment.
