Menands seventh grade student Makayla Levin saw something she didn’t like taking place in the school and, using the training she received through a pair of schoolwide initiatives, did something about it.
Levin said she was troubled by new students being bullied earlier this year.
“There was constant drama going on with people picking on the new kids, and I didn’t like it,” she said. “I could relate to them because I was one of the new kids.”
Through the training she and her peers have received this year, Levin knew what to do.
“I was able to get an advisory circle together in Mrs. Ervin’s class and we discussed it and did something about it,” said Levin. “Everybody understood,and it’s a lot better now.”
Principal Kathleen Wylie praised the young scholar.
“She has a vision and is taking steps. She’s getting others onboard to help her steer the school towards where she wants to go,” Wylie said. “She has taken her vision and has the focus to see it through.”
Throughout the school year, Menands students are following two interchangeable character education platforms – Energy Bus and Sweethearts and Heroes.
Through the Energy Bus initiative, students in all grade levels are focusing on the school as a community and learning how to use positive thinking and positive energy to create desirable outcomes in life.
Levin is among numerous middle school students taking part this year in the Sweethearts and Heroes BRAVE student training. Through monthly training sessions, the Sweethearts and Heroes organization is teaching students how to collaborate and spread anti-bullying messages with younger students in the school. Eventually, the students will spread the message and training to their contemporaries in the elementary school.
These two initiatives empowered Levin to act.
“We have learned that the advisory circle is a way to get together