Patriot's Wear Pink Day Sends Pro-Unity, Anti-Bullying Message

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[caption id="attachment_10465" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="One senior boy holds a sign reading, "real men wear pink sign," demonstrating the accepting attitude at Patriot High School. Other students show that although they came from different schools they have become close friends during the last year together."]Patriot Students spread the message about Rachel's Challenge by wearing pink, holding discussions, posting signs and quotes around their school. Teacher Julianne Giampapa is pictured in the light pink t-shirt. She is surrounded by students who took in active part in STAND UP to Bullying Day. 
Due to the sensitive nature of this article, the Patriot High School administration asked we use only the students first names.  One Patriot Senior was bullied so badly at her old school, she was told it put her at risk emotionally and physically. When she transferred to Patriot, the county’s newest high school, she decided things would be different there. She would not accept the bullying of any student. “Not on my watch,” said Taylor. Now Patriot High School regularly holds International Anti-Bullying events, including Oct. 19's, International STAND UP to Bullying Day. This day combined the anti-bullying message of the NO H8 campaign, in which promotes gender, marriage and human equality, with the positive message of Rachel’s Challenge. Student organizers asked their classmates to demonstrate their support for the cause by wearing pink or dressing in pink t-shirts sold by the Patriot Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA). Rachel’s Challenge is based on the inspiration of Rachel Joy Scott, the first person killed in the 1999 Columbine school shootings. It challenges teens to spread compassion to their peers, and “start a chain reaction.” The Rachel’s Challenge mission statement rests on creating a, “permanent positive culture change in their school, business and community.” “It’s really nicer than other schools which say, ‘don’t hate,’” said one senior girl involved in the Gay Straight Alliance. “It’s more promoting us to stand up for other people." Art and photography teacher Julianne Giampapa, who coordinated STAND UP to Bullying day along with the PTSA, said she was influenced by stories she heard from students like Taylor to start a positive program at Patriot. Other students soon came forward to take ownership of their school and establish it as a place where bullying would not be tolerated.
[/caption] “Since we’re a brand new school, no one (has) had a chance to do anything (bad to each other). It didn’t matter where you were from. Since we started Rachel’s Challenge and Anti-Bullying Day everyone really stands up for each other. There is a sense of unity here. Everyone came together and made the school the way it is,” said tenth grade student, Arielle. Perhaps that Rachel’s Challenge hit home for today’s teens because as children they grew up in a post-9/11 world under the threat of terrorism and school shooting. “Rachel challenge got very personal for a lot of people last year,” said Arielle. She was just a little girl during the Beltway Sniper attacks of 2002, but she still remembers them well. “I was thinking- if that was my last day, I was mean to a girl that day. It pushes you to be nice. I wasted precious time,” Arielle said. Over the past year, administrators, staff and students have come together to promote a united, accepting environment at Patriot. In fact, Giampapa said that the message fits with the high expectations the school community set on how students should treat one another. "We have several activities and clubs in place to promote this behavior: The Friends of Rachel club, GSA (Gay Straight Alliance.)," said Giampapa. Those clubs organize awareness events throughout the year, such as, the No H8 campaign the GSA puts on, and the Pink Shirt days monthly supported by the PTSA. "It is a group effort that goes in hand in hand with the teaching of the Seven Habits that this school is founded on," said Giampapa.
Students wrote positive messages in the courtyards, and placed inspiring quotes on the lunch tables, during STAND UP to Bullying Day.
Although Patriot students say there are few instances of outright bullying in their school, they are more aware of more instances of insidious forms of bullying such as exclusion. “There is a lot of behind the back bullying. Someone might give you a look,” said 12th grader, Aaron. “Perception is reality. You could not know; you could think it’s something completely different,” said Taylor. Knowing that everyone experiences difficult emotions and doesn't always respond appropriately, students are even sensitive to the "bully," in a given situation, and try to make everyone feel at ease. To combat exclusion, Taylor recommends students reach out to one another. For instance a student could invite someone who is sitting alone to eat lunch at his table. While the students know people are not going to be nice all the time, they encourage others to diffuse a tense situation, and to call people out when they are being harsh or inappropriate. They also seek to diminish incidents of online bullying. The kind of bullying they find to be most prevalent among members of their generation. “The most bullying goes on Twitter and Instagram. A lot of people will hide behind their computers,” said Ryan, a Patriot sophomore. Students say that the environment at Patriot is much better than they’ve seen at other high schools and middle schools. That is one reason why Giampapa and the Patriot students have decided to mentor the programs and have invited the local elementary and  middle schools to join their efforts. They also believe Pink Day is a way to unite students as well as defy gender stereotypes. It sends a message that Patriot students accept everyone regardless of gender or sexual orientation. “I think when we all wear pink, it’s a united thing.” said Brandon, a Patriot senior. Other students agreed that the pink shirts provided a visual example of the school being inclusive and proactive.
“Some people go all out (in how they dress for Pink Day),” said Ryan. That young men can wear pink tights or bright-pink jeans to school shows just how accepting an environment Patriot is. However, Rachel's Challenge students also understand the extent to which culture is encoded in the language. Patriot sophomore Katie said she doesn’t think “gay” should be used as “a derogatory term.” To which Arielle asked, “Why does that word have to symbolize something that’s bad? We aren’t sensitive enough to certain words.” Arielle told a story of how as a child she witnessed a mother cry after children called her daughter retarted. “That’s what really got to me,” she said. The students also provide advice on what a student should do if he or she were to witness bullying. They suggest not reacting to it as though it were funny, but to speak up. If students fees as though they cannot speak up, they can always grab a teacher to assistance them. However, they all realize this a fight that is most effectively fought through the student body. “If no one's laughing at their cruel jokes,” said Sloane, “they will stop.” Giampapa and the administration at Patriot High School want to encourage other local schools to join in their efforts to stop bullying and promote more harmonious schools. Those who are interested in bringing Pink Shirt Days, Rachel's Challenge, NO H8 campaign or STAND UP To Bullying Day to their school should contact the Patriot administration or Julianne Giampapa at Patriot High School. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bristowbeat.                
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