SYLVANIA, OH (WTOL) - The recent bullying issue that has surfaced at Sylvania Schools is a nationwide problem. Sylvania School District has had an anti-bullying program for almost ten years that aims to give students a sense of belonging.
Founded in 2007 by Prevention and Intervention Coordinator for Sylvania Schools Bill Geha, the PEACE (Protecting Every Abused Child Everywhere) Project is a student-led anti-bullying and mentoring program. Its goal is to give students who are bullied, abused or struggling to fit in a chance to belong.
The high school and college students focus on reaching out to middle schoolers in the Toledo-area. When the program first launched, 12 students were involved. Now currently more than 1,000 kids take part.
Geha says the students are the voice, and it's all about preventing bullying and creating a safe environment.
"Every school has issues. It's a neighborhood issue that comes into the school. It's a community issue. So because the kids are together, sometimes it'll surface there," he said. "In our group, they're treated with respect. They're not made fun of. So they can, when they're ready, take off their mask and really be them. Sometimes we'll do this (activity) called cross the line. We get 150 kids, and I'll say to them, 'if you've ever been made fun of, cross the line.' Everybody crosses the line. I tell the kids, 'look, you're not alone.' And that's huge."
The PEACE Project isn't just limited to Sylvania Schools, it's expanding throughout the Toledo-area and across the country to try to help combat the bullying problem in the U.S.
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