Hello, my name is Barbara. I'm from a small town south of Milwaukee WI called Kenosha. I remember being bullied through out elementary school and Junior High. I was made fun of because I come from a poor "white trash" family, for my clothes, and being a loner. I had  no friends in elementary school. I often roamed the playground during recess praying that the bell would ring soon. I never did anything about the bullying I received in elementary school. I didn't want to feel like a snitch for telling anyone.  By Junior High I couldn't take it anymore. I got into physical altercations at least 2 times that I can remember. After a while I made friends and my tormentors left me alone. I don't think anyone should ever feel they have to get into a physical altercation, or worse with someone just to leave them alone. Be the bigger person. Don't be afraid to tell someone. Keep your head up and know that it doesn't last forever. :D

Hello, my name is Jason.  I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  During this time, approximately 25 years ago, there were more children living in my neighborhood.  We had lots of children at our bus stops at the corner about 2 blocks from my house. At the bus stop, I was made fun of for how I walked, how I ran, or how I looked.  I don't think any of those things were particularly strange, but kids will try to find anything to make someone feel awkward.  What started as verbal taunts sometimes turned to fights.  I was never the type to fight back.  I was too afraid, so I took a few beatings in my time, but never understood why this was all happening to me.  

I passed through middle school mostly unnoticed, but in high school, I had a lot of pent up anger, and so I believe I took it out by bullying one particular student.  it never got physical, but my verbal abuse, and cornering him was something that I would do often.  It didn't even make me feel good, I just did it because I followed others.  Maybe I was trying to find my place, and this my immature way of finding it.

As I grew up and became more mature, I thought about how I treated that student in high school.  When I looked back, I completely regretted it, and it was always in the back of my mind.  I told myself that if I ever saw or had contact with him again, I wanted to personally apologize for my actions.  

Just recently, he contacted ME through facebook.  I immediately wrote him (as he no longer lives close to the area), and apologized for my actions so long ago in high school.  I felt like a weight was taken off my back.  He was completely accepting of my apology, and said that he didn't remember me bullying him as much as some others.  Maybe I built up what I did in my head, and made it worse, I don't know, but I know I was mean to him, and I felt like we had a connection then. 

I am an elementary teacher now, and have been for about ten years.  I feel it is part of my duty to reach out and teach our kids about bullying as a problem.  I have tried to be a mentor to kids who need it, have been in a peace group in my school that teaches kids social skills and peace building skills, and am trying to bring PeaceJam organization and curriculum to my school. 

I'm not perfect.  Like all people, I've done things that I regret in life, but I also want to take those regrets, and turn them into teachable moments, as I believe all things happen for a reason.  I don't think we can stop bullying completely, but we CAN spread the word about how to better understand people.  I think when we understand people better we are less prone to judgement.  This could be the path to a better way.   

My name is Gloria. I'm 14 years old and I live in a small town in the state of New Hampshire. When I was in grade school I went to a rather small school and I had never been bullied before. We were all friends because our town is so small. When I first started 6th grade I had no idea what to expect and I sort of, stayed in the background and no one knew who I was. Going into 7th grade my style changed from a girl who always wanted to blend in to someone who stood out. Making me an outcast. They labeled me as "emo" and bullied me every day. I decided just to take it and not really fight back. I was a chubby child and I always got called fat. I got pegged with nick names such as Whale, and even hippo due to the popular kids movie "Madagascar" so thank you, for naming your HIPPO, Gloria. Gave me a good middle school experience. Almost half way through my 7th grade year I started to cut myself. I also then started to scratch, pinch, even burn my skin. Eventually my school found out, told my parents and I got a little slap on the wrist. Due to all the comments about my weight I stopped eating, My dad did notice and would force me to eat. I would then go force myself to throw it all back up. Since I lived with my father in a tiny one bed room apartment some nasty rumors started about my father and I doing unspeakable things with each other. They were not true. My father was never home and I would never do such a thing. My best friend at the time abused me heavily. Mentally and physically, which triggered more self abuse. Needless to say I was a wreck. The summer going  into 8th grade I spent ALL my time in my bedroom. This was also the year I tried to kill myself, 3 times. I left a few times that summer. 8th grade I must admit was not bad at school. The bullying had died down, I had been eating normal again and I had stopped cutting but things at home started to get worse. My father was getting married, We had moved, he was paying less attention to me, not really caring what I did. I was also battling with my sexuality. 8th grade is the year I came out as a lesbian. I lost my best friend due to this. She hates lesbians. This hurt me a lot and made the bullying pick up. She started rumors about me. started this little war. She had to destroy me. I started eating a lot more due to stress and I gained a lot of weight back. It drove me back into my eating disorder and cutting. This continued on until this year. I have been clean from cutting for almost 2 months now although I am still battling my ED I probably will be dealing with this for a long time. I decided to speak up to when I was being bullied and fight back with words, letting them know it was not okay and their harsh words were not going to bring me down. I gave myself the voice I never had. Now that I am in high school things have changed. It seems that people are more mature. I still get my bad days but I know it will get better. So just know that you have to keep your chin up and speak up! Speaking up was the best thing I did and it really did make a lot of things better. Remember you are all loved and you are all worth it! Chin up, lovely!

Hi, my name is Chelsea. I'm 20 years old, but I remember getting bullied as  clear as day. I started getting bullied when I was 5 til up to when I was 14. I got made fun of because of my teeth, my facial structure, my hair, my clothes, my size, and my "flat chest." Everything about me was ridiculed. I never got into a fight because of it, but I did puff my chest out and I used my voice. I did throw things, but not hard objects. Ever since then, I was never bullied again. I just want to remind kids that you don't have to use violence. You can use your intelligence to speak up for yourself. Stand up, clench your fists, and if necessary, fight back. But I hope it never comes to that. But you must be strong and stay strong. Yell, get that crazy look in your eye that tells people to watch out for you, because you are the boss. You are powerful. But if someone hits you, by all means, hit them back. You guys can do this. I believe in you.

Hi, my name is Chelsea. I'm 20 years old, but I remember getting bullied as  clear as day. I started getting bullied when I was 5 til up to when I was 14. I got made fun of because of my teeth, my facial structure, my hair, my clothes, my size, and my "flat chest." Everything about me was ridiculed. I never got into a fight because of it, but I did puff my chest out and I used my voice. I did throw things, but not hard objects. Ever since then, I was never bullied again. I just want to remind kids that you don't have to use violence. You can use your intelligence to speak up for yourself. Stand up, clench your fists, and if necessary, fight back. But I hope it never comes to that. But you must be strong and stay strong. Yell, get that crazy look in your eye that tells people to watch out for you, because you are the boss. You are powerful. But if someone hits you, by all means, hit them back. You guys can do this. I believe in you.

Hello my name is Victoria. I am 13 years old and I live in Illinois . I have had experiance with bullying. I was bullied over the internet. People were calling me a bitch and swearing and saying that I was fat and stupid and ugly. It got so bad that I started cutting. My friends found out and told the social  worker at my school. I had to go and talk to her and she told my parents everything that had happened. I stopped cutting but I will never forget those words and what I did.

Hello, my name is Jonie Pretto and I live in Arizona. I'm 13 years old and this was my story of how I took a stand. Ever since I was born my family was dysfunctional with arguments everyday and brutal comments spitting from my parents to the other. I all just wanted it to stop but it kept getting worse. So when I went to school I suspected it would be way more fun than being at home but it was also bad too starting in 5th grade. I had this really good friend of mine from my old summer camp in Harelson and when it was over I told her that someday we'll see each other again. Then when I transferred to a new school I saw her again! It was like fate. So then we constantly hung out together and then we met this other girl. Now, I was really insecure and naïve back then but I didn't know what hit me until I was digging a hole right underneath me. The girl we met soon backstabbed me, took my best friend away from me, convinced her to hate me, and spread a whole bunch of rumors about me just because she can't always have her way. And the rumors were so bad it was like, "she's so ugly and stupid no one would care if she jumped off a cliff" and "you're such a s**t and a w***e." I had to put up with it everyday and everyone would turn around and stare at me like I was a disease or a epidemic that would kill everyone. Plus I never stood up for myself at the time so I just took it all in, but then I found two really good friends that helped out of the hole I dug for myself and was there for me when I needed it. I'm always thankful for what they did for me and i'll never forget it. Eventually the bullying stopped during the end of 5th grade and none during 6th, but it soon came alive in 7th when I was officially the supreme math nerd of 7th grade. I took P.E. and most of the time whenever I made a mistake people would yell at me and say that i'm worthless. After that when I was on somebody's team, they'd get all pissed off and say that we're going to lose even though MOST of the time I do almost just as great as the others. Then it got to the point where I said "enough is enough" so the next time someone got mad at me I looked them straight in the eye and said "If you just can't accept who I am, then I feel sorry for you. What comes around goes around." After I finally stood up for myself everyone stopped bullying me and I actually had friends that stood by my side even in the toughest times and never leave it. I am truly grateful that I've got them because I wouldn't have been here without them. So people, don't lose all hope, don't wait for a long time till you stand up for yourself like me, tell them the same things that I said and don't let them get to you, you ARE stronger than they are. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Jay and I'm 24 years old and a sailor in the United States Navy. As far back as I can remember, I was bullied as a child. I developed acne at a very young age and was obese for a long time. This gave kids at my elementary school, all the way to high school, reasons to bully me.

I was invited out to play sports with them such as football, only to be given the ball numerous times so they can tackle me. I've had them hold me down and spray me with a water hose, pull my pants down at school and push me down when I went to pull them up. I've been verbally abused, physically abused and what hurt most was the mental abuse.

I was told by these kids that nobody ever loved me, that I was worthless and insignificant, and I'd never amount to anything. When I went to teachers, principals or my parents, they all said I wasn't trying hard enough to fit in.

I realized that this was no longer a school, but a battleground. Everyday I found myself looking over my shoulder, hoping the next beating or assault wasn't coming. I could even recall an instance where one kid hit me with a baseball bat one time....it was one of the roughest times of my life.

The bullying caused depression. It caused anxiety. It caused me to be constantly searching for who I was as a person because I tried so hard to fit in and would compromise so much about myself, and in the long run, losing touch with who I am as a person. I was bullied for being different, and when I changed, I thought it would stop. I thought conformity would help, but it just kept coming.

It wasn't until my sophomore year of high school, I took a stand. I stood up to people who tormented me. I found ground to stand on, ground enough to look at these people in their faces and tell them "No. I'm not going to take it.".

I am a bully survivor. I know there's a lot of kids out there who took their lives because of it, and if there is anyone out there thinking of taking theirs because of what bullies do to them, I'm telling you, you have it in you to overcome it and become a stronger, better and smarter person from it. Remember that taking your life is not the way and you are worth it! There are people out there who care for and love you and you are perfect the way you are. Don't ever compromise yourself or who you are for the acceptance of others because this is the time for change.

Remember that bullying can stop if we try. It is not impossible because you ARE possible.

Hello,

My name is Shelby. I'm 20 years old and am currently a Junior in college. For me the bullying started in the 3rd grade and didn't ever stop. I was the new kid at my school. I was short, had bright red hair, wasn't very athletic and had the hugest glasses imaginable. I guess I was just so good of a target for those kids that they didn't want to look anywhere else. I was picked on constantly for how I looked. Other kids wouldn't play with me on the playground and would ignore me whenever I tried to have a conversation with them. If I was put into a group with them they would make me do all the work and take all the credit.

Middle school made things worse. The school I went to basically doubled in size and in turn doubled the amount of bullying. I still had glasses and I loved my hair color (despite teasing). In a time when kids are trying to find out who they are, being different is like having a giant target on your back. I guess having red hair is just different enough.

High school was the worst time for me. Although there were people who acted like they cared about me, they teased me behind my back. I would be invited to things just so people would have someone to ignore it seemed. I found peace in books and music, but people held nothing for me.

When I was a Sophomore in high school I attempted suicide. Obviously I wasn't successful and I'm thankful that it didn't end there. I've been in and out of therapy sessions and countless situations of people looking at me and telling me not to let those things get to me. How can I just not let it get to me? When you've been told that you're ugly, stupid, annoying etc, since you were in 3rd grade, those words can't just roll off your back.

College is the best thing that has happened to me so far. It just proves to me that it DOES get better. But I still struggle in my day to day life because of what those kids did to me. I just hope and pray that enough will change so my kids will be safe when they go to school. That is my hope and my prayer.

Thank you.

Shelby

 hi my name is audrey i am 17 turning 18 in June

in my school there are bully's but we stand against them and tell them we are not afraid of them anymore. but it was not always like that. my story starts wan i first came here. my mom and dad were not together anymore so i was going though a lot at the time. people saw me and they would say hateful things to me and behind my back i was maybe 11 or 12. my first day was not that bad it was the days that followed. at first they just called me names then the girls that were there started to talk to me but they were putting things in my hair when they did that i felt ugly and unwanted to the world but one good thing came out of all that i find my best friends Mary and Jessica they stood up for me and told those girls to leave me alone they did for a few years. then we all got to middle school that's when my home life started to get bad. my mom found a boyfriend but he didn't like me so he and i didn't talk much and wan we did it always hurt me or my mother. that's when i stop really caring about what people though of me i had friends at that time but no one wanted to come over to my house they were afraid of him. but i didn't really care i lost a lot because of him. being bulled at school and at home it can kill you in more ways then one. he would call me stupid and say your not normal you can read or write right your nothing after hearing that come from someone older then me i felt like i was a nobody after that i stop feeling anything. i would tell me mom about what he said to me but she never believed me. at that moment i stopped believing in my mother, i didn't leave my room ever only wan i knew he was not home. i would go to school and happy that all i had to do was be bulled by those kids and not him. i want through all that for 5 or 6 years with thoughts of killing myself. but for some reason wan i would bring myself to do it i couldn't i though of my mom and my sisters and all the people i loved and would one day love but now i fight against bullying for people who are hurt and will be hurting for a long time but there is one thing that i leaned was that all scars heal with time. (PS my mother is very good person she made mistake and she not very happy about she did but at least she knows what she did wrong and made it right. he no longer lives with us and he will not be coming back anytime soon.) :)