Pilot program enlists young helpers to fight bullying

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas— Govea, 12, knows the good kids from the bad at Metro Elementary School of Design.

He’s been in class with them long enough to tell them apart, he said.

The Corpus Christi CallerTimes reports Damion is a good kid. And for his good behavior, he was cherry-picked from his homeroom class to participate in an anti-bullying program that grouped them all together for one hour, once a week from March through the end of the school year. He said realized something. “Everyone is just the same,” he said.

Damion was chosen to participate in Metro E’s first Bullyproof pilot program. It was created and led by Corpus Christi Independent School District Police Sgt. Janelle Cantu.

The program’s first class graduated in May. The group of sixth-grade students was made up of eight bullies, two victims of bullying and eight students who have a longstanding reputation for good behavior, said school counselor Josie Licon. The students were recommended for the program by teachers and administrators.

The Bullyproof team’s makeup is strategic, Licon said.

“We had students who had experienced bullying (on both sides of the spectrum) and students who haven’t experienced it but can help set an example,” Licon said. “To work with the others and teach them in a sense that they are all the same. To learn from each other.”

Licon said the program did not replace any disciplinary measures for students at Metro E. She was pleased that students developed a sense of belonging by participating in the course.

At the end of the year, all the kids were interacting,” Licon said. “They had something in common—it did not matter where they came from or what reputation they had, they all had something in common.”

The group of children, Licon and Cantu not only discussed bullying during their time together but also tackled more expansive topics, Cantu said. The course encompassed allaround lessons on life.

“Some days the lesson was to talk,” Cantu said. “The program is not only about bullying and its consequences. We also talked about making good choices, being a better person and setting goals.”

Students created their first portfolio of accomplishments, which they are expected to build on throughout their life. They also underwent CPR training, which is a 2013 legislative requirement for graduating high school that went into effect in 2014.

One key takeaway from the program was that trust is key to prevent and address bullying, Cantu said. School district police officers have a unique opportunity to make a difference, Cantu said. They patrol the hallways the students walk every day.

“You are able to build a rapport and I think that’s key,” Cantu said. “If your students can trust you, you have students coming to you. Because it’s all about reporting. Kids who are being bullied tend not to tell anyone.”

An online, anonymous reporting system is in place for all Corpus Christi Independent School District campuses. For the 2016-17 school year, the system was used 746 times, said district spokeswoman Leanne Winkler Libby.

Cantu said after the report is received, there is no mandatory recourse expected from school officials. Every campus handles it differently, she said.