Here is an article that ran in the Winston-Salem Journal on January 12, 2007 by jounalist Monica Young:
Friday, January 12, 2007
Anti-bullying speaker planned at program led by East Forsyth senior
By Monica Young
Tony Bartoli, an anti-bullying advocate, will speak Saturday at East Forsyth High School. A student there recruited him to participate in an effort to reduce bullying.
Bartoli, who lives in Orlando, Fla., will be at East Forsyth from 9 a.m. to noon. He will participate in the "No Bull! Be Noble!" event.
Bartoli suffered bullying as a child, mainly because he has cerebral palsy. His personal experience is part of his presentation. Bartoli has worked with teenagers since 1993 - as a substitute teacher, youth pastor and motivational speaker, according to his Web site.
Bullying happens to girls in middle school and high school, It may be a sly remark about one's clothes or hair. It also occurs when one group of girls shuns and isolates another group of girls.
For boys, bullying tends to be more physical than social ostracism. Ganging up on someone perceived as weaker or different or intimidating someone defines the typical bully.
Lorna Fink, a senior at East Forsyth High School, is calling for no more bullying. She said she has been on both ends of bullying. She has been the recipient, and she doled some of it out, too.
"To some extent, there isn't someone who hasn't been bullied," Fink said. "There was even a movie, Mean Girls with Lindsay Lohan, about it. That movie is not really exaggerated. Every school, I've ever been to, I've seen it," Fink said.
A challenge during an Emerging Public Leaders forum at Furman University last summer inspired Fink to do more than just shake her head at bullying. The program provided a $500 grant for a community-service project. The participants were told to create a program and return in March.
Projects will be presented to a panel of judges. The winning project will receive $2,000 to be given to the charity of the winner's choice.
Lorna decided to hold an anti-bullying program at East Forsyth.
Fink heard about Bartoli through the Dave Ramsey radio-talk show and called Bartoli, who agreed to speak in Kernersville.
News of Bartoli's talk spread throughout Forsyth County, and many high-school teachers are offering extra credit to their students who attend his talk. It also is open to middle-school students.
Fink said she hopes her "No Bull! Be Noble!" campaign will win. If it does, she will put the winnings into making the program an annual one. "The Bureau of Justice statistics say that one of every four kids have been bullied. That's just not right," Fink said.
Principal Patricia Gainey of East Forsyth said she supports Fink's vision.
"My hat is off to Lorna Fink for writing a grant and inviting Tony Bartoli to the East campus and the Kernersville community," Gainey said. "Lorna's passion for 'Stomping Out Bullying' is amazing. Her vision goes way beyond her years."
• More information can be found at www.forsyth.cc/CES.
According to a recent survey, 1 out of every 4 children have been bullied and 77% of America's youth have personally experienced bullying!
Friday, January 12, 2007
Anti-bullying speaker planned at program led by East Forsyth senior
By Monica Young
Tony Bartoli, an anti-bullying advocate, will speak Saturday at East Forsyth High School. A student there recruited him to participate in an effort to reduce bullying.
Bartoli, who lives in Orlando, Fla., will be at East Forsyth from 9 a.m. to noon. He will participate in the "No Bull! Be Noble!" event.
Bartoli suffered bullying as a child, mainly because he has cerebral palsy. His personal experience is part of his presentation. Bartoli has worked with teenagers since 1993 - as a substitute teacher, youth pastor and motivational speaker, according to his Web site.
Bullying happens to girls in middle school and high school, It may be a sly remark about one's clothes or hair. It also occurs when one group of girls shuns and isolates another group of girls.
For boys, bullying tends to be more physical than social ostracism. Ganging up on someone perceived as weaker or different or intimidating someone defines the typical bully.
Lorna Fink, a senior at East Forsyth High School, is calling for no more bullying. She said she has been on both ends of bullying. She has been the recipient, and she doled some of it out, too.
"To some extent, there isn't someone who hasn't been bullied," Fink said. "There was even a movie, Mean Girls with Lindsay Lohan, about it. That movie is not really exaggerated. Every school, I've ever been to, I've seen it," Fink said.
A challenge during an Emerging Public Leaders forum at Furman University last summer inspired Fink to do more than just shake her head at bullying. The program provided a $500 grant for a community-service project. The participants were told to create a program and return in March.
Projects will be presented to a panel of judges. The winning project will receive $2,000 to be given to the charity of the winner's choice.
Lorna decided to hold an anti-bullying program at East Forsyth.
Fink heard about Bartoli through the Dave Ramsey radio-talk show and called Bartoli, who agreed to speak in Kernersville.
News of Bartoli's talk spread throughout Forsyth County, and many high-school teachers are offering extra credit to their students who attend his talk. It also is open to middle-school students.
Fink said she hopes her "No Bull! Be Noble!" campaign will win. If it does, she will put the winnings into making the program an annual one. "The Bureau of Justice statistics say that one of every four kids have been bullied. That's just not right," Fink said.
Principal Patricia Gainey of East Forsyth said she supports Fink's vision.
"My hat is off to Lorna Fink for writing a grant and inviting Tony Bartoli to the East campus and the Kernersville community," Gainey said. "Lorna's passion for 'Stomping Out Bullying' is amazing. Her vision goes way beyond her years."
• More information can be found at www.forsyth.cc/CES.
According to a recent survey, 1 out of every 4 children have been bullied and 77% of America's youth have personally experienced bullying!
posted by Lorna Fink at 12:20 PM
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