The Bullying Academy, a Web-based Program for Schools Developed Specifically for 4th-8th Graders, Takes Aim at a Social Epidemic

NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Each day as many as 160,000 U.S. children miss school because of bullying. Students in the Know Foundation, a non-profit group, has launched the Bullying Academy (www.bullyingacademy.org) a web-based interactive program designed to help 4th-8th grade students recognize the dangers associated with bullying and cyber-bullying. The Bullying Academy is already being used successfully in scores of schools throughout New Jersey and across the country and is quickly becoming the leading online educational source for schools to teach kids about bullying and cyber bullying.

Tens of thousands of NJEA (New Jersey Education Association) members from across the state are expected to attend the 157th annual NJEA Convention November 10-11, 2011 in Atlantic City. Recognized as the largest educational gathering of its kind anywhere in the world, the NJEA Convention draws teachers and educational support professionals who participate in over 300 seminars, workshops, and programs. Program founder Tommy Walser and his staff will be available throughout the convention at the Bullying Academy booth 1907.

According to Mr. Walser, "Cyber cruelty is rapidly increasing in volume and complexity because teens are never taught how to act responsibly and appropriately while communicating online or via other electronic devices," who is also the executive director of Students in the Know. "The Bullying Academy is a simple and free solution to a pressing dilemma: How to teach students that bullying should not be tolerated as merely part of growing up, and that all students have the right to a safe learning environment."

According to American Justice Department statistics, school bullying statistics and cyber-bullying studies show that on any given month 1 out of every 4 kids are abused by another youth. Thirty-five percent of students report hate-related words being used against them. Bullying has become epidemic as observed in the media through alarming cases of violence and desperation that, in extreme cases, have led to deaths.

"As technology continues to leap ahead schools are falling behind," adds Walser. "Many school curriculums don't address bullying prevention, especially cyber-bullying, one of the most common forms of abuse that involves instant messaging and text messaging. Both can occur at any time during the day and are often suffered in silence."

www.bullyingacademy.org requires no additional software or extensive training for teachers. Schools simply register with the program's website and students immediately have the curriculum available to them. It can be implemented during any class period or extracurricular activity.

Students learn:

1. Characteristics and risk factors common to bullies
2. What bullies look for in victims
3. How to recognize the short- and long-term effects of bullying on victims and bullies
4. How to properly respond and report bullying
5. How to avoid violence while standing up for each other

All materials are grade appropriate. A pre- and post-quiz component measures how much students learn after completing the program. Students receive a certificate/diploma which varies depending on their score, and are provided with data reports of how well they performed in certain categories of questioning such as recognizing consequences of bullying or developing effective communication.

About Students in the Know Foundation

Students in the Know (SITK) is a non-profit foundation created to educate students regarding current issues affecting our youth, in an effort to improve the quality of our communities. Founder and executive director Tommy Walser was inspired to create the Bullying Academy program after seeing friends and family suffer from bullying in their communities, as well as by the increased media coverage of bullying activity and its often tragic results.

For more information about The Bullying Academy, visit the organization's website at http://www.studentsintheknow.org.

CONFERENCE INFO
Nov. 10-11, 2011
Atlantic City Convention Center
http://www.njea.org/teaching-and-learning/pdo-convention
The Bullying Academy Students in the Know Foundation booth 1907

Bureau of Justice statistics document
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/iscs09.pdf

On site Contact:
Tommy Walser
(954) 304-1302
[email protected]

Media Contact :
Kim Morgan
(954) 261-2149
[email protected]

SOURCE The Bullying Academy