HOHENFELS, Germany -- Name-calling, ostracizing and even "cooties" played a part of the anti-bullying campaign waged at the Hohenfels Elementary School, recently.
Students from the Hohenfels Middle/High School drama class performed a variety of skits demonstrating the effects of bullying as well as methods for handling such situations.
Each student in the drama class wrote their own skit, and then the students read them aloud and voted for their six favorites.
"From start to finish, this was 100 percent student generated," said Barbara Nicklin, HMHS drama teacher. "They wrote, edited, cast the parts, everything."
"The Elementary School asked if we wanted to be involved and as soon as we brought this idea to the students, they were on top of it," said HMHS counselor Kendon Johnson.
Johnson presented some anti-bullying workshops to the drama class, explaining different types of bullying among different age brackets. The skits were tailored for two different age groups and presented at assemblies for kindergarten through third grade, and fourth through sixth.
"All of our high school students have been working on anti-bullying over the past several years, so this is one aspect of a great culmination of combating that," Johnson said.
For inspiration, the drama class needed to look no further than their own past.
"When we started discussing categories of bullying in class, the students started relaying their own stories. It was quite powerful and showed that even after many years, bullying leaves a lasting impact," said Nicklin.
Payton Chandler's skit focused on spreading rumors which she said happened to a friend of hers in middle school.
"She told a friend something in confidence, it was taken out of context and the story was switched around so much. She was hurt and it was a terrible time for her," Chandler said.
The drama students enjoyed helping to spread a positive message to their younger counterparts.
"As older kids, we want to set an example for the younger ones, show them what's right and wrong so they don't make mistakes in high school," said David Vidovic. "It feels good to give back to the community."
"And bullying gets even harder when you go through high school," said Michelle Wall, "so it teaches them from a younger age that bullying isn't right and to automatically go to a teacher and not just try to settle it for yourself."
Fourth grade students from Jeannette Fry's class also performed a skit that they created themselves, and members of the student council led the assembly in anti-bullying cheers. The HES choir performed "If You Want a Friend, Be a Friend."
"It's been a wonderful collaborative effort between the schools," said Nicklin.
HES guidance counselor Maria Ebert encouraged the students to take a stand against bullies and if they see something that's not right to do something about it.
"It takes courage to step up and tell other people when you think someone's being a bully, and it also takes courage to stop bullying or to get help," Ebert said. "We support having a bully-free community."
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