Heron Heights Elementary gets the anti-bullying message
POSTED BY: BOB KNOTTS
We’re proud. For six years now, pre/post testing conducted by schools themselves consistently shows the Humanity Project’s acclaimed Anti-bullying Through The Arts program works. Over and over, these tests given to elementary school kids tell us that our message sinks in: “Bullying hurts everyone in this school … and it takes everyone to stop it!” Our program is based on scientific research and empirical study, with an emphasis on teaching bystanders how to help curb bullying behavior in positive ways.
Just yesterday, February 20, we gave this program to some 400 children at Heron Heights Elementary School in Parkland, Florida — a wonderful school run by an equally wonderful principal, Mr. Ken King. We were honored to have some VIPs in attendance as well, including folks from Children’s Services Council of Broward County and Broward County Public Schools … with a special shoutout to Cindy Arenberg Seltzer, CEO of Children’s Services Council of Broward County. And we were gratified to welcome the family of another community leader, Shelly Solomon, who passed away last fall. Shelly was a great friend of children in Florida — and also a great friend to the Humanity Project. She helped lead the task force that created an anti-bullying policy widely copied by school districts around this state. Hundreds of thousands of school children in Broward County and all over Florida benefited from her passion to stop bullying. Shelly made sure the Humanity Project program had the chance to prove its worth in the schools. Since then, the program has been picked up by schools from California to New England.
So a big thanks to Harold and Jan Solomon, Shelly’s brother and sister-in-law, and to other Solomon family members who were at Heron Heights on Friday.
Harold and Jan Solomon, with Humanity Project Founder Bob Knotts
Through our program, and through anti-bullying rules written by her team, Shelly Solomon’s legacy lives on. And thanks to Heron Heights and to Mr. King (and Ms. Marino, who helped arrange our visit) for the warm welcome — and the chance to share our uplifting message with your kids. Those delightful children made us all smile.
(Photos by Andrew Leone, Children’s Services Council of Broward County)
