by Jeremy Couso
Members of Lassen High’s Violence Intervention Prevention club have created a powerful anti-bullying video which was recently shown to the school as part of the club’s mission – decreasing violence amongst teens and pre-teens.
The VIP Club was developed by Lassen Family Services in 2008 and is comprised of students from Lassen High that are trained as advocates against bullying, domestic violence, teen dating violence, sexual assault and suicide prevention.
The club presented the anti-bullying campaign video to classes at the high school along with an activity illustrating how bullying affects a person.
“Our video had a different effect on each class,” explains the club’s Public Information Officer Mikalah Gray. “They reacted how we expected, and a few students asked questions. It was mostly positive feedback.”
According to Lori Watson, who coordinates VIP Club, working as a Prevention Educator, the video is now getting national recognition.
Lassen High Principal Robbin Pedrett said that from her perspective, “The students, advisors, and staff involved with our VIP program do tremendous work with a focused interest in violence intervention and prevention. It is an area of concern and need in this and all communities.”
“I thought the video that was produced spoke volumes on how social media and comments made by others can significantly hurt, influence, damage and destroy people among us,” continued Pedrett. “It gives us a springboard for conversation and a hope that positive comments and support by the same social media can build people up rather than tearing them down.”
Pedrett said she is proud of this campus group and their commitment to helping others around them.
Lassen Family Services initiated the VIP program to help educate the county’s youth about preventing violence within their own lives. The club operates in conjunction with the Lassen County Prevention and Education Program – multiple local agencies who work together to find a way to reduce the rates of school violence, substance abuse and delinquency in the county.
Represented agencies include the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, the Susanville Police Department, Lassen County Behavioral Health and Lassen Family Services. The program is funded by the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant.
“Watching the club members put this video together was life changing for me,” said Lisa Bernard, coordinator for the county-wide multi-agency Prevention and Education program. “It was beautiful to watch their courage and conviction evolve throughout the project as they perfected their message.”
“The video is effective because it is comprised of their own stories and experiences. It’s easy for me, as an adult, to think that I know what kids need to be told about bullying but as I watched this story unfold, I realized how much I have to learn from them.”
According to Gray, it took about five days to write the script for the video and another three days to film it. Editing took about two weeks altogether.
“We originally were going to show it last year,” explains Gray, “but due to controversial subjects that the video dealt with we had to get it approved by the school board.”
Along with producing the video, the club has participated in a number of recent events in the community. At Lassen High, the group held a Teacher Appreciation day where members gave each teacher at the school a card and a bag of M&Ms showing their gratitude.
During last year’s Lassen Family Service’s Walk a Mile in Our Shoes event the entire VIP club walked with participants and did face painting.
Members of the organization also lent their time and talents helping produce Lassen Family Services’ annual Dancing For a Brand New Me fundraiser.
The members attended their first annual Life Skills Leadership Retreat at Burney Falls last April where they engaged in activities geared toward developing leadership skills and building resistance to risky behaviors associated with transitional periods in adolescent development.
What’s next for the VIP club?
“Our next big project is an after school anti-bullying event that will be open to the public – trying to illustrate the effects of bullying on high school students,” said Gray, “and emphasizing the vulnerability of minority students to its effects.”
One of the club’s current goals is to put in place a program where they regularly visit local elementary schools within Susanville to help younger students deal with these difficult subjects.
“Their message is that every ending has a beginning and that the end of bullying can only happen when each of us takes personal responsibility to choose kindness,” said Bernard.
The VIP club’s motto is, Violence ends where kindness begins; it begins with me.
“The club members chose to end the video with that challenge,” Bernard said. “It’s a call to action that we should all heed.”
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