The Harlem Globetrotters announced a new bullying prevention program with the National Campaign to Stop Violence called "The ABCs of Bullying Prevention" to provide young kids and teachers tools to stop the bullying in our society.
Continuing their worldwide outreach as the “Ambassadors of Goodwill”™, the iconic Harlem Globetrotters have announced the debut of a new community outreach program, “The ABCs of Bullying Prevention."
| "Growing up in the foster care system, I was often bullied, sometimes just for the clothes that I wore" |
This impactful program was developed to discourage bullying, increase empathy among our youth, and give kids, teachers, and youth administrators the means to tackle this growing issue in our society.
The Globetrotters designed the program in coordination with the National Campaign to Stop Violence. The program focuses on Action, Bravery, and Compassion, comprising the ABCs.
The Globetrotters will bring “The ABCs of Bullying Prevention” to more than 300 schools and youth centers as part of their 2013 “You Write the Rules” World Tour, celebrating the team’s 87th consecutive year.
“The ABCs of Bullying Prevention” targets kids ages 6-12 and involves Globetrotter players discussing the three key words in the ABCs and tools that kids can use on a daily basis to reduce bullying. The Globetrotters equate what it means to be part of a team to how kids can offer support to one another to help stop bullying.
The important message of bullying and violence prevention is conveyed with participation from the kids – and the team’s signature ball handling skills and humor – for a well-balanced program that informs and entertains.
“I had my share of bullying incidents in school when I was younger, but it’s grown more serious now, especially since it happens in many forms in today’s society, like online and in text messages,” said Globetrotter Flight Time Lang.
“Growing up in the foster care system, I was often bullied, sometimes just for the clothes that I wore,” said Globetrotter Bull Bullard. “We want kids to know they are not alone and give them tools to help free them from bullying.”
NCSV, a non-profit organization that works with middle school students, firmly believes that young people, who think about their actions in the non-confrontational ways that “The ABCs of Bullying Prevention” extols, can create a culture where aggressive behavior is frowned upon and violence is thereby reduced.
Students frequently cite bullying as a cause of violence that they experience, and the rate at which kids are reporting this cause is increasing. Reaching kids early in their lives can teach valuable lessons in character and empathy from positive role models like the Harlem Globetrotters.
