On January 28th 2019, a guest speaker came into the Pine Grove Area High School and she left a lasting impression. Dimitria Cook know as “Coach D,” gave a presentation on how to make schools safer and have a healthier environment. Within an hour she gave enough information that could save thousands of kids lives all over the world. The presentation was very interactive and she encouraged kids to get involved with it to make it more hands on.

Throughout the presentation she educated the kids on the three steps to noticing the signs and acting upon them. She taught them not to just be bystanders but to be upstanders. To do something when they see posts on social media and to not just push it off. 70% of crimes in schools had warning signs before they happened but no one chose to act upon these warning signs. She then showed the kids the app “Safe 2 Say.” This app gives the kids an option to say something about a situation they saw while staying anonymous. This is a big issue for kids since they think they will be bullied for telling on kids.

Many of the students took the presentation seriously and listened intently. Karli Boyer stated “the presentation was very influential and gave many helpful hints”. For the most part all of the feedback was very positive. The students thought the presentation was very informative and that it gave them a clear understanding of what they should do to take a stand against violence.