kr
Millions of Israelis depen
on MDA's fast response. And
we're depending o
Lauren Lewis, Lauren Todaro and Kathleen Sullivan of Friendship Circle
launch T-shirts into the crowd during the game show.
Upstander Unite
Event culminates eight months
of anti-bullying student training.
Your support provides Magen David Adorn with the
equipment, medical supplies, training, ambulances, and
other vehicles needed to save lives in Israel every day.
More than 7.8 million Israelis are counting on MDA's
fast response — for everything from heart attacks to
rocket attacks. Your support makes the difference.
Save the Date
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Dr. John J. Mames Chapter Annual Dinner
to honor the legacy of Eva, z"/
and Dr. John J. Mames, z"/
DR. JOHN J. MAMES CHAPTER
MICHIGAN REGION
23215 Commerce Park Road Suite 306, Beachwood, OH 44122
Toll Free: 877.405.3913 • Cari Margulis Immerman, Director
cimmerman@afmda.org
wo hundred students
the field of anti-bullying and self-
gathered May 16 at the
determination. With developmental
Berman Theater inside the
funding in part from the Department
Jewish Community Center in West
of Justice and the Walmart State-
Bloomfield for the "Upstander Unite"
Giving Foundation, the Upstander
event that celebrated the final culmi-
curriculum was officially launched
nation of eight months of anti-bully-
in five Metro Detroit high schools —
ing training for five local high schools
West Bloomfield, Walled Lake Western,
in Metro Detroit.
Northern and Central, and Bloomfield
The program is a special project of
Hills Andover.
Friendship Circle, a nonprofit organi-
The structure of the Upstander
zation for children with special needs.
curriculum consists of eight interac-
After spending a full year in devel-
tive seminars during the school year,
opment, the Upstander curriculum
rather than a one-time exposure. The
kicked off in the high schools in the
educational material provides students
fall of 2011 with the support of the
with interactive activities and the
Walmart State-Giving Foundation.
opportunity to become an active part
The Upstander Unite event began
of the solution by proposing new ideas
with a heartfelt video recapping the
to reduce bullying within their own
years' worth of activities and lessons,
school environments.
followed by a game show that tested
Unlike most available programming
the knowledge of each school on the
that focuses on perpetrators or victims
topic of bullying.
in bullying situations, Upstander zeros
Upstander Unite
in on the bystander's perspective, a
also hosted national- category in which the vast majority
ly renowned speaker of students fall. These students are
John Halligan as the
neither perpetrating nor being bullied,
main event of the
but their presence gives an implied
morning. Halligan's
acceptance that may allow hurtful
13-year-old son Ryan behaviors to continue.
committed suicide
Bassie Shemtov,
nearly 10 years ago
John Halligan
Friendship Circle
after years of ridicule
. director and
and humiliation. Halligan, a former
Upstander founder,
corporate CEO, is dedicating his life
said, "I want all of
to telling Ryan's story in an effort to
you in this room to
educate young men and women on the
remember you have
evils of bullying.
the power to stand
As he spoke of his fond memories of Bassie
up against not only
his late son and the tragic emotional
bullying, but also
Shemtov
journey of his family, all were deeply
against the nega-
touched and inspired to not allow any- tive behaviors that lead to bullying
one to go through the pain that Ryan
like gossiping, judging, excluding your
faced as the victim of bullying.
peers. You have been educated and
Development of the Upstander
empowered, and now it's your turn to
program began in 2010 and was over-
lead the movement?'
seen by Jina S. Yoon, Ph.D., of Wayne
To learn more, go to www.
State University, a leading expert in
Upstander.com .
❑
22
May 31 • 2012