Agawam students also participate in fund-raiser walk-race for Walker-Hoover Foundation.
Area educator Jennifer MacDonald sees kids making a difference to stop bullying.
MacDonald, an eighth grade Spanish teacher at Agawam Junior High School, has been the school’s peer mediation advisor for about 10 years. Some two dozen students in seventh and eighth grades take part of the program, in which students are trained to listen to other students or teachers or administrators about problems involving students.
“These can include friendship problems or someone calling another student a name,” MacDonald said. “Students do not have a lot of time to work things out, and this gives them a safe place to do that.”
Students typically spend time in a conference room with two mediators.
“More often than not, the issues are resolved,” MacDonald said. “I think it is because the students themselves resolve the issue and come up with the solution to their problem themselves.”
Mediators do not offer solutions, and only facilitate. Peer mediators are not allowed to speak about what happened.
MacDonald said the mediators are very mature and are well-respected.
“Students approach them because they feel safe,” she said. “They (the mediators) are from many different social groups and not always the A-Plus students, but they are fair, kind and respectful to others.”
Students are much more comfortable approaching a peer if they have an issue, and feel they are not alone, MacDonald said.
“The mediators view this as their responsibility and work very hard to make their school a safe and peaceful place to be,” MacDonald said.
“My students have invited those who were sitting at a table alone at lunch to join them each day. There have been students who were crying out on the Internet that they were being picked on and needed help, and mediators came to me immediately so that we could help them. I feel very lucky to know exceptional people, and I continue to be inspired with them each day.”
The peer mediators participate in the Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover Foundation’s Anti-Bullying 5K road race and 2K walk fund-raiser in the fall, and do what they can to raise awareness about bullying. This year’s event is Sept. 21 in Springfield’s Forest Park.
For more information on the event or to register, visit www.carljoseph.org, call (413) 219-3118 or email carljoseph11@gmail.com.
Six Flags in Agawam will host an Anti-Bullying Day on Aug. 24 to benefit the foundation.