♪♪♪

(Teens roll playing)
Here let us help you...

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.