NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Sa’Niya Johnson, a senior at Heritage High School in Newport News, spends time teaching middle school students the dangers of bullying.
“There’s a lot of people that don’t know how to speak up for themselves and anti-bullying helps people know that they’re not the only ones," Sa'Niya said.
The senior joined others in signing an anti-bullying pledge at the Warwick versus Denbigh football game Thursday night. The school division calls the event “STAND.”
“The month of October is Bullying Prevention Month, so everyone wearing blue is basically coming out to support the prevention of bullying,”Sa'Niya said.
Bridget Adams, the Youth Development Program Administrator at Newport News Public Schools, said the division has held STAND since 2016. But this year, it also features an anti-violence message.
“No longer can schools not be concerned with community and school violence. So, the two go hand-in-hand,” Adams said.
Hundreds of students lapped the football field during halftime carrying signs chanting their message.
Adams said STAND is special because the students put it together themselves.
“It really is a way for us to stand in solidarity against bullying, not just the students, but there are many administrators here, there are staff people, and families,” she said.
Sa’Niya said spreading an anti-bullying message is important because it’s an issue she’s heard about all to often.
“I still know people to this day that come to me as a friend or underclassman, like our middle school friends or middle school piers, that come to us about bullying," Sa'Niya said.
For Newport News students who may be experiencing bullying, Adams says there is an anonymous reporting system. You can find more information by clicking here.