All eyes were glued to KIP team members Lylee Orr, Avery MacDuff, Hannah Willis and Madison Topley last Thursday afternoon as they made an anti-bully presentation to the Beyond Border Circle of Change committee and community partners. Taylor Weaver Meridian Source
In keeping with Anti-Bullying Week, the Beyond Borders Circle of Change (BBCOC) committee and community partners had the pleasure of hearing a presentation on anti-bullying and healthy relationships from members of the KIP (Kindness of Power) team.
KIP is an element of BBCOC made up of students from both the Lloydminster Public and Lloydminster Catholic School Divisions.
Last Thursday’s presentation was put on by Madison Topley and Avery MacDuff from Holy Rosary and Lylee Orr and Hannah Willis from the Lloyd Comp.
“Today we were presenting for lots of different people,” said Willis.
“They pretended they were Grade 5 students and we gave them a demonstration of how we do our anti-bullying presentations so they could see what we do and have a better understanding of our presentations.”
KIP team members make these types of presentations to students from Grades 5 to Grade 8 throughout Lloydminster to ensure no student is left out.
Willis also pointed out this was the first time the four girls had gone through the presentation together.
“When we did get together, it felt like we were already friends,” she said. “I didn’t really know them other than from training a year ago, but we all have really good chemistry.”
The presentation talks about healthy relationships within schools as well as kids’ self esteem, but the “big picture” discussion revolves around anti-bullying.
“That includes the rolls within bullying and types of bullying,” said Willis. “We really try to make an emphasis on the impacts of bullying. I think lots of times kids will participate in different negative actions and they don’t always realize the impact they’re having on people or person the behaviour is directed towards.”
According to Grade 12 student Lylee Orr, presentations have been going well thus far.
“Presenting to the Grade 5 students is definitely fun because they look up to us old students. I feel when we present to Grade 8 students it’s more impactful because they have a better understanding of what’s being talked about,” she said.
“We give them the building blocks at an early age so they’re able to stop bullying when they’re older, and they’re able to use the coping mechanisms we give them in any situation.”
Despite the fact this was the first time the students put on the presentation, Avery MacDuff, a Grade 11 student at HRHS, said the team gelled really well.
“The experience so far has been amazing,” said MacDuff. “Everyone at the Comp and Holy has been great to one another.”
MacDuff also explained the importance of setting a good example for younger students.
“I think most people have either been bullied or they’ve witnessed bullying, and it’s good to be able to tell the kids what can happen, what we can do to be better, and if you are getting bullied, it can get better as you get older.”
Madison Topley explained BBCOC helps funds KIP programming such as anti-bullying presentations.
“One of the great things about today was we got to present to this room full of people, most of whom support BBCOC, so it was great for us to be able to show them what we get to teach the kids, as well as what is being funded,” she said.
