Springs Principal Pushes Anti-Bullying Program

Principal Darren Joiner is fed up with bullying, so he decided to send his students to a half-day seminar promoting just the opposite.

Students at Jenkins Middle School attended the seminar last Friday.

Girls and boys attended different presentations around the issues of respect and kindness. Then they were encouraged to perform three acts of kindness a day.

Like any school, Jenkins has had its share of students bullying other students.

“A couple months ago I got a pretty nasty text,” said eighth-grader Luna Boydstun.

“I always step in if I see someone getting bullied since I’m one of the bigger kids at school,” said eighth-grader Logan Stein.

“(I’ve) been guilty of it a few times. Now I stand up for people,” said seventh-grader Alex Pyzola.

These students said they are encouraged by the changes they’ve seen at school after the seminar.

Joiner said its critical to deal with bullying because it has a direct impact in the classroom. “If you have a situation where students are looking over their shoulders wondering what kids are saying about them, they can’t focus. We are hoping to take care of their environment first and student achievement will follow,” he said.