By Lois Rogers | Correspondent

At St. Rose School in Belmar, October was a month to “Say Boo to Bullies.”

In St. Peter School, Point Pleasant Beach, students focused on just how hard it can be to fix a heart “wrinkled” by bullying. In the Lower School of Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, the emphasis was in making a difference” by way of positive attitudes.

These were but three of the schools around the Diocese shining a spotlight on October as National Bullying Prevention Month, a time when schools nationwide raise awareness of bullying prevention by way of activities, outreach and education.

The initiative, founded in 2006 by PACER'S National Bullying Center, unites schools in creative ways designed not only to curb bullying but to change hearts and behaviors all year long.

And that was precisely the sentiment expressed by educators from around the Diocese who put together some innovative programs focusing on respectful and kind behaviors aimed at making the school and indeed, community experience, better for all young people. Those educators included: St. Rose guidance counselor Stephanie O'Donnell; Chrissy Daskavich, third grade teacher in St. Peter School, and Glenna Donoghue, a member of the school climate committee in Trenton Catholic Academy's Lower School and its school disciplinarian.

The designation of October as National Anti-Bullying Month grew from a week-long campaign initiated in 2006 by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center to a month of education and awareness building.

The emphasis in schools focused heavily on positive aspects of character building, self-confidence, empathy, tolerance and kindness.

Noting that school-based anti-bullying programs have been shown to decrease bullying within school settings by 25 percent, in St. Rose, the goal was to increase that percentage even further through messages delivered to the students, said O'Donnell.

Working toward that goal, story readings and discussions drew attention to the topic in the younger grades. Students also created bookmarks and posters and received stickers to emphasize the message, O'Donnell said. In the upper grades, students viewed age-appropriate videos that addressed both verbal and cyber videos.

A 10-foot-long “No Bully Banner” was displayed in the school yard to reinforce the commitment to no bullying, and students also took a pledge against the noxious practice.

The month culminated with a dynamic assembly program entitled “You Can NOT be Replaced” presented by youth speakers Chip and Melissa Dayton on Oct. 23 for grades second-fifth and sixth-eighth.

The couple, who have 18 years experience with youth, marriage and family programs, created this presentation in response to their oldest daughter's reaction – “Don't they realize they can't be replaced” – to a suicide cluster of young people in the greater Wall Township area where they reside.

Students were very engaged during the program which was designed to “help young kids understand their own values from a faith perspective,” said Melissa Dayton. During the program, children receive wrist bands with the message “I Can NOT Be Replaced,” which they are asked to pass on.

In today's world, she said, the value of someone so often seems to be based on accomplishments in sports, academic grades and the like.

“We want to help them notice that they have gifts and talents” such as integrity and kindness – “created in them by God,” she said.

Working in conjunction with an anti-bullying program developed by the New Jersey State Bar Association, Trenton Catholic Academy's daily, month-long program focused on making positive changes within the school community as their way of making change in the world.

In addition to lesson plans connected with the anti-bullying program, the committee, comprised of teachers from various grade levels and Lower School counselor Christine Thompson, activities reinforced what was taught in the classroom according to a release from Lower School director Anne Reap.

Stressing that though the program was not faith-based by design, the teachings of the Gospel were prevalent throughout, Reap said.

“There is no disconnect,” she said, “from what we teach every day in our classrooms. We live our faith and teach respect daily. The lessons reaffirm acceptable behavior and we are taking this one step forward (by) applying the lessons taught and putting faith into action.”

The monthly school-wide activities focusing on making a difference included a prayer service and the blessing of all the playgrounds by the school's chaplain, Father Jean Felician, a “Wanted” poster contest highlighting the qualities of a true friend and a pledge wall where students vowed to promote peace and respect for all.

Donoghue shared that the most important component of this program is that all teachers and students are on the same page. “We use the same rhetoric, reinforce the same values and affirm the same positive behavior,” she said. “We make the lessons 'real' by applying them and incorporating their faith,” she said.

While schools across the board are often mandated to include anti-bullying education, Catholic school students are able to view the topic through the lens of faith.

In St. Peter School, students in grades K-eight took part in the “Wrinkled Heart Initiative” said Daskavich, a third grade teacher. In each grade during religion class, students get to visualize and participate in what it means to “wrinkle” a heart with unkind words and actions.

The children demonstrated this personally by balling up pink printer paper to show that wrinkles can't be completely smoothed out. The activity culminated, Daskavich said, with using all of the “wrinkled hearts” to form one large heart which was displayed in the cafeteria to serve as a constant reminder: “Before you speak, think and be smart. It's hard to fix a broken heart.”

Among other schools with anti-bullying programs throughout the month were St. Mary School, New Monmouth, where a year-long “Saintly Virtues” character development program focused on Saint Francis and the virtue of kindness.

St. Benedict School, Holmdel celebrated a “Unity Day” on Oct. 21 in which each student wore something orange and wrote messages on orange paper about what he or she could do to support others and stand up for those who are being targeted. The strips were stapled together to form a chain which was hung in the school, symbolizing unity to the anti-bullying cause.

A “You Can NOT Be Replaced” presentation was also scheduled for early November in St. Dominic School, Brick, and a similar presentation is planned for Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. in St. Joseph School, Toms River.