White Out Bullying in Schuylkill County

A poster on the fence along the track in Cardinal Stadium. The poster was to promote the white out football game. The white out was a “Success”.

Levi Bettinger, News Editor

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and Pine Grove Area so well as all the other schools around Schuylkill County are taking action. On Friday, October 22, PGA Football and the Student Council are hosting a “White Out Bullying” football game. Students will speak on student bullying and how to prevent it. 30% of kids are involved in bullying in some way.  If you account the number or bystanders that do nothing, that number can double, or even triple. In this day and age, cyberbullying is a threat as well, and causes the same damage as in-person bullying. Unfortunately, cyberbullying can have no witnesses, so it often goes unnoticed. Bullying can increase the chances of depression, anxiety, and even self harm. 

Ms. Rogers, an English teacher and Student Council Co-advisor said, “This is a joint effort by the Schuylkill IU, Schuylkill Technology Centers, and all the school districts in the county. The goal is to promote mental health assistance, and assure that seeking mental health assistance is a good idea to those that need it.” Bullying prevention and mental health awareness go hand in hand. The concept of the effort is if PGA and other schools around the county stand up and prevent bullying, the mental health of students can improve. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 7.1% (4.4 million) of children aged 3-17 have some form of anxiety, and another 3.2% (1.9 million) have depression as well. The CDC states that schools can assist mental health. Schools can train teachers and staff to recognize the signs of a mental health problem, as well as provide safe, supportive environments for students.

Faith Wolff, senior, explained what the committee is about and what’s important. “We are trying to spread positivity through the school and prevent bullying…(and) Making sure people feel safe and not judged as they continue at this school.” Bettering mental health in the student community is a very important element to the education system. Just like physical health checks, the CDC recommends mental health checks should be implemented in schools, as it is harmless to the population, and can only better the student body.