On Monday November 18, all schools throughout Ontario are celebrating the start of Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week. This is a week to help promote safe schools and positive learning environments. During Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, students, school staff and parents are all encouraged to learn more about bullying and its effect on student learning and well-being.

St. David Catholic School and the Greater Sudbury Police Services used the launch of this week to introduce students to the “THINK” bracelet. Special Constable Denise Fraser visits the students of St. David School on a weekly basis. Together with Greater Sudbury Police Services, St. David Catholic School has implemented a crime prevention and safety program to better support its students and their families. This program helps develop positive relationships between children and police, as well as provides access for students to reliable, accurate information about the law and how it protects them.

Through this program, Mrs. Fraser provides guidance and direction to students, parents and teachers as well as provides opportunities for students to form a better understanding of the role of a police officer in the community. The police liaison program’s topics include: bullying awareness and prevention, street safety, drug and alcohol education, internet safety, cyber crime and law awareness.

This week, the THINK program was introduced. The THINK program is a program sponsored by the Greater Sudbury Police Service. Each student was give a bracelet with the word “THINK” on it.

According to Mrs. Fraser, “we want children to THINK when they are addressing someone or talking to someone about someone. The first letter is T which stands for true. Truth is very important. If what a student is saying is not true and based on gossip it is not worth saying in the first place.
The next letter is H. H stands for hurtful. We are stressing to all students that they need to ensure their words are not hurtful to others. Calling someone names or gossiping about them hurts their feelings. I stands for illegal. Be aware of your actions. Words can be spoken verbally or electronically. On Facebook, twitter or in a text it is it illegal to threaten someone. Ask yourself, is what I am saying illegal? Is it defamation?
The N stands for is it really necessary. Life is too short. We should spend our precious seconds during the day doing things that bring joy and happiness to ourselves and others. Finally, K stands for kindness. Let’s start being kind to each other so that we can erase the bullying that exists in our schools.”

The students of St. David Catholic Elementary School embraced Mrs. Fraser’s message and proudly wore their THINK bracelets throughout the day. They hope all schools embrace Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week and start to live by the THINK bracelet motto.