As part of PACER Center’s fourth annual National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, Oct. 4-10, 2009, Disney star and music sensation Demi Lovato has released three important public service announcements (PSAs) urging teens to join the movement against bullying.
A 60-second PSA is available on PACERTeensAgainstBullying.org, which Lovato helped launch in August. Created with and for teens, the fresh, edgy site offers videos, stories, blogs, and social networking to help teens learn how to deal effectively with bullying. PSAs (15- and 30-seconds) are also available on YouTube and social media channels.
Bullied herself in seventh grade, Lovato cares deeply about the cause. “I hope that by sharing my story, it will encourage other teens to speak out,” Lovato said. “No one deserves to be bullied.”
Every day, more than 160,000 children nationwide stay home from school to avoid bullying. Up to one-third of the nation’s students are bullied during the academic year, and the results of bullying can be devastating. PACER encourages people nationwide to work together during National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week to increase awareness of the prevalence and impact of bullying on all children.
In addition to visiting PACERTeensAgainstBullying.org for teens and PACERKidsAgainstBullying.org for elementary school children, people can help prevent bullying in several ways. Free activities and materials to help reduce bullying in schools, recreational programs, and community groups are available at PACER.org. Organizations and schools can partner with PACER by sending an e-mail to bullying411@PACER.org with the name of their school or organization and their Web site URL. Partners are listed on PACER’s bullying prevention Web sites.
The week is sponsored by PACER’s National Center for Bullying Prevention, which is for all children, including those with disabilities. It promotes national bullying awareness and teaches effective ways to respond to bullying. National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week is cosponsored by the American Federation for Teachers, National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, National Education Association, and School Social Work Association of America.
PACER Center is a national parent center located in Minneapolis, Minn. that serves all youth, with a special emphasis on children with disabilities. To learn more, visit PACER.org or call 952-838-9000; 800-53-PACER (Minnesota toll free); and 888-248-0822 (national toll free).
