♪♪♪
(Teens roll playing)
Here let us help you...
You a nerd, get out!
You a nerd, get out!
Christina: Here's a
scene you might see
in a classroom.
Bullying and taunting.
But then,
someone steps in.
You want to be
in our group?
-I would like that.
-You can be in our group.
-Thank you.
Christina: Practice
makes perfect,
as they say.
That's why these teenagers
at Fairfield High School
are practicing ways to
intervene if they see
someone being
bullied on campus.
So when the time comes,
they'll be ready.
(Teens acting out scene)
>>Ones over here.
>>Twos are that way.
>>-I'm a one.
>>Not today sweetie.
Next time.
Go over there.
>>We don't want a bad
grade because of you.
>>You ain't gonna
do work anyways.
>>Not to be mean or
anything, but you just -
>>I can do it.
I can help you guys.
>>I think we're fine, but
thanks for your help.
>>Alright guys,
that's enough.
>>Who are you?
(pulls her away)
Eric: We do all this
role play,
all this rehearsal.
We create this safe space
for them to actually step
up and practice what it
is like, and to build this
network of humans
they can rely on.
And I think the one tool
they come away with,
is the sense of ok
"I have a voice."
Eric: Did he
make a big to-do?
Did he make a big chorus
and a bunch of noise?
What did he do?
He just walked up, said
nu-uh, and pulled her
away, right.
Christina: Eric Rubin is
a trainer with
Community Matters.
The non-profit group
teaches students how to
deal with bullies through
a program called
Safe School Ambassadors.
Diana: It's not just
being able to stand up
and intervene.
It's really being able,
first off, to be aware
of what's going on.
And then learn really
appropriate, safe ways to
intervene and then over
time the influence that
students have on each
other has a real chance
of changing the social norm.
But ultimately, it's the
kids that determine the
social norm if that's
cool or not to do.
Melyna: Lunchtime is a
big spot where
I found my voice.
There's kids who be
bullied right there, and
I would like see that
and be like
'Hey guys, you
might not do that.'
Or I use do one of our
training techniques, which
is distract, so I'd be
like, 'Hey I need this guy
or I need this girl for
this' something like that.
And take them away.
Christina: Melyna is one
of dozens of safe school
ambassadors at
Fairfield High.
She was hand-picked for
the program - like all of
these students - because
her teachers know that she
has social influence
at this school.
Melyna: People don't trust
teachers as much because
they're not on
their age level.
They're not in
your circles.
They don't hear what
us kids can hear.
So when we go and we
separate it, they're like
'ok maybe we
shouldn't do this.'
Versus a teacher, they're
like 'oh I'm not going to
listen to this teacher.'
Rick: What we've found in
17 years of research is
that those kids use those
skills on the average of
twice a day.
So imagine if you've
got 40 kids, and in this
school now almost 100,
who twice a day are
interrupting,
de-escalating, preventing,
or stopping something
bad from happening.
What happens is the school
can see decreases in
fights, decreases in
reportable offenses, and
they can start to see an
increase in kids
feeling safer.
Rick: You are the eyes
and ears of this school.
You see hear and know
things that adults
don't know.
You are on the scene of . . .
Christina: Rick Phillips
is a former principal who
founded the program after
the 1999 Columbine High
School shooting.
He wanted to empower kids
to get involved before a
situation turns tragic.
Shannon: We frequently
will get a email, text
message, umm from a
student who's a Safe
School Ambassador who is
an Ambassador trying to
let us know about
something going on campus.
There's two
students over here.
They're seem to be getting
into a verbal argument.
Or even there's a student
over here who
looks really sad.
Having eyes and ears
everywhere is extremely
beneficial to our program.
Christina: The training
isn't all serious.
There's a lot of fun, too.
Eric: So we're doing all three
sounds ready, one two
ready go!
(funny noises)
Christina: Students participate
in a lot of ice breakers.
It's a chance to get to
know each other outside of
their usual social circle.
Chyna: When you bring all
these kids in, there are
kids from multiple
different groups here,
like we have basketball
players and cheerleaders
and AVID kids.
And you know like with our
groups we're intermingled,
so it gives you the
chance to know people that
usually you wouldn't have
the courage to talk to
outside of this.
Shari: So many high school
students feel so isolated.
Their impression is that
their situations are so
unique, their struggles
are so unique, that nobody
would understand, nobody
could ever connect to what
I'm going through or
whatever I've seen.
And through some of
these trainings, like the
"crossing the line"
activity, they really are
able to understand that
so many other people share
similar experiences and
that there's so much
support to be
had with that.
"Crossing the line" I
heard someone using a
racist or homophobic
slur, and I said nu-uh.
Isabel: I was bullied
myself and throughout
sophomore year to junior
year, I think I stood up
for myself.
There's this one time
in class I was bullied
because I was
wearing something.
But it seemed like I was
still in middle school,
wearing little knit
sweaters and knit mittens.
I was like, 'You have your
own style, I have mine.
Please leave me alone.'
And I felt confident,
I was standing up for
myself.
I was me.
Safe school ambassadors
helped me stand up
for myself.
Christina: Safe School
Ambassadors is now
in place in nearly
2,000 schools
across the country.
The program is designed
to be self-sustaining.
So after a few years of
training from Community
Matters, the schools
take ownership.
That means it's up to
students like Adrian
to keep the tradition going.
Adrian: It's a great way
to show love, you know.
'Cause that's what a
lot of this world needs.
You know, more love.
We have a lot of
hate in the world.
And being able to be an
ambassador is a great
opportunity to
show that love.
Chyna: When I see bullying
before, I just would
steer clear of it.
Now I would step up and
try and
make a difference in it.
Melyna: I really found my
voice here and I feel safe
here in this environment,
and I hope others do too
when we try and help them.
Rick: It truly can
save lives, but more
importantly, I think it
does is it changes the
climate of the school to
be a more compassionate
and caring place.
Narr: As many as one in
three students say they
have been bullied
at school.
Studies show girls tend to
be the victims of social
and cyberbullying, while
boys often bear the brunt
of physical attacks.
Research shows parents can
help break the bullying
cycle by talking to
their kids about it, and
encouraging them to
participate in teams and
activities they love.