Ulster County Executive Mike Hein Recognizes Student Artwork That Was Done In Conjunction With "No Name Calling" Week In Ulster County

Posted February 4, 2015

Kingston, NY– County Executive Mike Hein highlights student artwork done during No Name Calling Week in Ulster County.   No Name Calling Week (NNCW) is a national bullying prevention campaign developed by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and is co-sponsored by the Safe Schools Round Table of the Hudson Valley.   It includes various educational activities that raise awareness of bullying issues in schools and promotes kindness.  To highlight NNCW, County Executive Hein visited an 8th Grade Art Class at the J. Watson Bailey Middle School and participated in a collaboration of the students’ artwork pertaining to NNCW.  He was joined by Principal Julie Linton, Art Teacher Rachel Forte, and Vanessa Shelmandine, Project Director of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center.  County Executive Hein spoke to the students about the importance of mutual respect and human dignity and stressed that bullying is unacceptable and resources are available to help students, parents and school administrators. 

“This is the fifth consecutive year that Ulster County is participating in No Name Calling Week and we are pleased to be working once again with the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center in Kingston and the Safe Schools Round Table of the Hudson Valley,” said County Executive Hein.  “Bullying is a very serious problem that affects students and their teachers as well as families. Statistics show that one of four children will be bullied sometime throughout their adolescence.  There are many different forms of bullying such as name calling, attacking someone physically, or cyberbullying. With technology presenting itself to children at such young ages, cyberbullying has become an increasingly important issue for today’s youth.  It is important that we remind children that there is help if they are being bullied and to encourage them to help eliminate bullying in their schools.”

“It is so important that students realize art can be a vital way to create awareness about important issues,” said Rachael Forte, Art Teacher at Bailey Middle School.  “We are very fortunate to share our work with the County Executive and have a dialogue with him about some of our wishes and hopes.” 

“The Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center commends Ulster County Executive Mike Hein for his continuing support of safe school initiatives, including this year’s annual No Name-Calling Week,” said Vanessa Shelmandine, Project Director of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center.  “By actively endorsing No Name-Calling Week each year, Ulster County’s leader encourages all schools and agencies serving youth and families to teach kindness, celebrate diversity, and provide for inclusive resources for LGBTQ-identified and all youth. We’re excited to join County Executive Mike Hein at Bailey Middle School as students share their artwork in support of kindness, dignity and respect for all.”

“County Executive Hein's support of No Name-Calling Week over the years has been invaluable! I can't express enough my gratitude for his making it a priority again this year,” said Rob Conlon, Co-Chair, GLSEN.

According to BullyingStatistics.Org:

  • Bullying can include various types of behavior from physical attacks, to destroying one's   personal property or clothing, verbal abuse, starting rumors, name calling, verbal attacks online as well as other forms of cyberbullying;   
  • One of four children will be bullied sometime throughout their adolescence;
  • About 56 percent of all students have witnessed a bullying crime take place while at school;
  • About 71 percent of students report bullying as an on-going problem;
  • Over 50% of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyberbullying;
  • Over 25% of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the internet;
  • There is a strong connection between bullying, being bullied and suicide, according to a study from the Yale School of Medicine.  Suicide continues to be one of the leading causes of death among children under the age of 14 and “bullycide” is a term used to describe suicide as the result of bullying.

In participation with GLSEN’s NNCW, the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center and the Safe Schools Round Table of the Hudson Valley will also be hosting its Student Creative Expression Exhibit at the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library and Home from February 22nd-27th 2015, with the opening reception on February 23rd from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm.  Students from J. Watson Bailey Middle School are expected to submit some of their artwork for the exhibit.

In past years, Ulster County has highlighted NNCW by creating bullying prevention videos for middle school students and elementary school students which can be seen on the Ulster County website www.ulstercountyny.gov or on YouTube at http://youtu.be/_eTPNXCVRHg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a8iJAP8Gys. To learn more about NNCW please visit www.nonamecallingweek.org or http://lgbtqcenter.org/safe-schools-round-table/.

Anti- Bullying and Bullying Prevention Resources in Ulster County:

The Ulster County Victims Assistance Hotline 845-340-3442

  

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