GREENVILLE – Five Fundamentals of Communication students at Edison State Community College, Darke County Campus, will offer a presentation addressing the issues of bullying at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Greenville Public Library.
Dawn Cleere, Hope Byrum, Baylee Petry, Renee Netzley and Christopher Bucklew will talk about the types of bullying, its impact on victims and ways to address the problem. The program is a culmination of 16 weeks of preparation in public speaking, research and teamwork.
While statistics may vary somewhat, all sources agree bullying is a major problem in the United States. For instance, one national anti-bullying site reported that 90 percent of fourth through eighth graders report being victims of bullying with more than 3.2 million victims reported every year. Approximately 160,000 teens skip school daily due to bullying, and one in 10 will eventually drop out of school.
Surveys done in three Edison State communications classrooms indicate nearly two-thirds of the students have been bullied, about a third have actually participated in bullying and almost without exception students have observed bullying (referred to as bystanders).
In addition to the library presentation, six other Edison State communications teams have been invited to Greenville Middle School and Ansonia Local Schools to talk with students, first through eighth grades, about the harmful effects of bullying. Their focus will be directed to the students while the library program will be directed toward adults and students.
Registration is not required for the presentation at Greenville Public Library.
