The problems being addressed by YAP are all chosen by its student members, and these very same members work on solutions themselves.
On Thursday last week, members of the YAP chapter of Marianas High School went to the public elementary schools in San Vicente, Oleai, and Garapan to give a power point presentation on the effects of bullying.In addition to their presentations, YAP performed comedic skits that portrayed the differences in physical bullying, verbal bullying, and cyber bullying.
The activities of YAP were meant to convince younger students that bullying is unacceptable, and to also show the harmful effects bullying does to children psychologically.YAP specifically targeted elementary students because they believe that it is better to start changing students for the better while they are young, says YAP vice chair Alana Leon Guerrero.
“The kids paid very close attention to what we had to say. I could see on their faces that they did learn from us, and that they knew a lot about what bullying was and that they experienced it,” YAP member Ignacio DLC. says.
“Overall…we got great feedback from teachers and administrators. The students were really prepped up and excited, and from the feedback we realized that they wanted more activities,” says YAP coordinator Christopher Cabrera.
Parental involvement is the next issue the Youth Advisory Panel will address in March,
Cabrera says.“We feel that there is a lack of parental involvement toward their children’s academic life, and we know that students are wishing that their parents are more involved in what they do during school.”
The Youth Advisory Panel concluded Anti-Bullying Week with a parade on Friday.
Starting at 4:30 p.m., YAP led dozens of elementary students and their parents from American Memorial Park to the Carolinian Utt.
“Of course, this parade won’t end bullying overnight,” says MHS teacher Victoria Saures. “But if we all unite and keep tackling this issue then the problem of bullying in schools will lessen.”
The Anti-Bullying Parade was YAP’s idea to bring students out of their homes and be active in the campaign against bullying.
YAP chairman Frankie Deleon Guerrero says that it was important for YAP to get students to listen to their no bullying message, so the Youth Advisory Panel came up with the idea of the parade.
“Seeing a large group of people who have the same ideals and hopes is a really motivating thing,” he says. “We feel that we’ve been successful in today’s parade.”
At the Carolinian Utt, students were treated to guest appearances by Trench Tech, as well as dancers from MHS and Kagman High School.
Fifth grader Etham Babauta says that he joined the parade because he felt that he had a moral obligation to combat bullying.“The parade was really fun, too,” Babauta says.“I really hope bullying in schools stops, and I also hope that there are other events that kids like me can go to.”
