Voices of Support: Regan Hartley Miss Kearsarge Valley 2009

Stand Up: Bullying Awareness in Our Community

 

 

Stand Up: Bullying Awareness in Our Community

 

Bullying and harassment is a crime that is left alone or pushed aside. It is also a crime that many people get away with. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me,” is a saying that couldn’t be further away than the truth. The academic consequences as well as the mental and physical well-being of a person being bullied or harassed are severe. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 50% of children are bullied and l0% are victims of bullying on a regular basis! The prevention of bullying is rather difficult; however there are a few steps that victims can take towards a brighter and happier future.  I will focus on ways to prevent bullying, the effects of bullying, as well as the way that I plan to take action with my title as Miss New Hampshire to promote this platform.
Discouraging bullying in our schools is a very difficult goal to accomplish. However, there are many steps that teachers, family, peers, and victims’ can take to prevent bullying in schools and in the community. Teachers must address the stages of bullying and must take action when the first sign of bullying is detected.  Using disciplinary action can help to reduce the likely hood of bullying. Parental figures must be aware of what is going on with their child within their school. Parents should talk with their children on the issue of bullying and make it known that they can come and talk to them if they are having an issue. Research has shown that the harmful effects of bullying were reduced by 60% when parental figures were aware of the attacks. Peers play a significant role in bullying as well. If there is no audience, there is no show. Peers can either encourage or discourage bullying in our schools. It is important that friendship and acceptance is displayed by peers rather than hatred or harassment.
To better prevent bullying in schools across America, some states are beginning to require schools to adopt anti-bullying policies. Colorado, New Hampshire, and West Virginia recently passed legislation which make it mandatory for schools to have anti-bullying policies which states when the school or city must step in to take action against bullying. Massachusetts has allocated one million dollars to "bully-proof" its schools. These steps have helped to reduce bullying in schools; however there are still many incidents where victims of bullying are facing some severe effects.
On December 14, 2007 I was brutally assaulted by a group of girls in my high school cafeteria. I had a hairline fracture in my jaw and a minor concussion. I had tried to ignore the constant threats, the jokes made about me in the halls, the food that was thrown towards me at lunch, and the derogatory notes that were put on my car, but the harassment was never ending. My “friends” had become a pack of wolfs eating at my life. From this whole experience, my grades had suffered, my love and confidence in myself suppressed, and I felt as if I was not important. All of my dreams and aspirations seemed to have vanished into a toxic haze.
With the title as Miss New Hampshire, I plan to speak to schools and my community of my experience with bullying and to encourage victims to speak out and to stand up for themselves and what they believe in. I feel passionate about my platform and I feel as if it is something that every American should be aware of. I believe that if I am awarded the title I will continue to bring pride, beauty, and honor to the Miss New Hampshire Organization as well as be an amazing spokesperson and representative. The opportunity to present to the public and put forth my platform is something that I would cherish as Miss New Hampshire.

BULLY AWARENESS

Regan Elizabeth Hartley is Miss Kearsarge Valley 2009. Regan is running for Miss New Hampshire. Her "Platform" is BULLYING AWARENESS. Regan is a victim of bullying herself. Like many, she is taking her own experience of bullying and trying to turn it into positive change. I am happy to be working with Regan while we have the same goals for positive change for New Hampshire. We need awareness and prevention for bullyng. We also need school and administrative accountability concerning bullying.

Our Goal

Regan and nhbullywatch.org will work with others in New Hampshire to make positive change concerning the current law. Come join us for bullying CHANGE in New Hampshire.