Students learn how to beat bullies

A girl is standing in the hallway during recess when a boy walks by and says her hair looks "dorky."Immediately, one of her classmates steps in and says it's not true: Her hair looks pretty.

This was one of many scenes acted out Thursday afternoon at Piñon Hills Elementary School as 30 students participated in an anti-bullying program, Safe School Ambassadors. The scene demonstrated how to counter an insult with a compliment.

"Cruelty has a cost," said the program's coordinator Mario Cossa. "Students have the most power to change social norms that say it's OK to be cruel."

Cossa works for Community Matters, a California-based, non-profit organization that focuses on positive youth development.

Executive director of Community Matters Rick Phillips said the organization started the Safe School Ambassadors program in the wake of the Columbine shootings.

"Kids are finding it more acceptable to address their problems through violence," Phillips said in a telephone interview. "The best solution is for kids to take better care of each other."

Piñon Hills counselor Carly Strauss said that based on teacher recommendations the school chose 30 students to participate in the program, students that seemed to be leaders of different social groups in the school.

"Kids see, hear and know things adults don't," said Strauss. "Empowering kids to help solve problems is the most powerful way to have an impact on a school environment."

Strauss said the students were learning to identify bullying, exclusion and other forms of mistreatment, and learning skills to handle such problems. She said students won't have a badge saying they were in the program when they go onto middle school, but they will have a basic knowledge of how to interact with peers and help victims of bullying.

Fifth-grader Brandon Sweetland said one skill he's learned is how to turn the other cheek.

"If you've been bullied, don't be rude back or you'll get involved in the bullying," he said.

Sixth-grader Allie Garcia said she was developing similar skills.

"If I see someone teasing someone else, I'll tell them it's not right," she said. "I tell them to follow the golden rule: Treat others like you want to be treated."