Sun Prairie students take anti-bullying pledge

Prairie View Middle School joins WISC-TV's The Buddy Project

SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — Schools, organizations and families across southern Wisconsin are stepping up to take a stand against bullying. More than 80,000 individuals have joined WISC-TV and Dean Clinic in The Buddy Project — they’ve taken the pledge and wear the wristband that says: Be A Buddy, Not A Bully.

Sixth- and seventh-grade students at Prairie View Middle School, in Sun Prairie, are among those who have joined the anti-bullying initiative.

At an all-school assembly Wednesday, students and faculty showed off their dance moves in a video set to Sara Bareilles’ song, “Be Brave.”

“[Bullying] can lead to low self-esteem. I’ve seen kids that are reluctant to come to school. It can affect them in their grades,” said Boyd Snyder, school counselor.

Snyder said he’s seen bullying take shape through social media and physically through smacks to the neck.

“We always want to let them know they have strategies they can use and people they can go to for help,” he said.

Students also admitted they’ve seen bullying firsthand, even in the classroom.

“It made me feel really sad and [like] I wasn’t worth anything, but it helped when my friends helped me with that kind of stuff,” said Jaharee Weah, a seventh-grader.

Synder said taking the pledge to “be a buddy, not a bully” sends a strong, positive message.

“It’s just another way to show our kids that we’re behind them and that we’re here to help them,” he said.

WISC-TV and Dean Clinic want you to get your own Buddy Bracelet. For an order form and more information, click here.

To show us your Buddy Bracelet, upload a video here.