DRESSLER DELIVERS ANTI-BULLYING MESSAGE

Carlyle ObserverByline: Lizz Bottrell

"I was always the smallest kid and got picked on in school for it, " said Weston Dressler, a player with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as he addressed a gym full of students in Manor, Saskatchewan.

"This alone sparked interest in this program for me because I didn't think people should have to go through this. "Dressler came to Manor School April 12 to talk with students about the different types of bullying and harassment and the roles people play in encouraging or stopping the problem.

He started by explaining ways in which people bully others.There is relational bullying, which is excluding someone for anything that is different; verbal bullying, which is using names to hurt someone; physical bullying, which can be kicking, hitting, pushing or anything that can physically hurt another person; and cyber bullying, which is using technology to bully someone.As he explained the types of bullying, he would ask students to give their best their guesses at what the types meant before providing an explanation. Their hands would shoot up in the air and wave frantically as they wanted to give their answers before their friends. Most of their answers were right, leaving Dressler surprised at times.

He talked to students about what makes a person a bully, a victim, and a bystander. Students seemed to have an understanding of why a person becomes a bully and that sometimes people who are victims become a bully too."A victim of bullying can be anyone in this room at any time for any reason, " said Dressler. "But you have to remember, it's not your fault for being a victim.

"Dressler told students the most important role in the situation is the bystander because they have the ability to encourage the bully or stop the bully. He explained that someone who stands by and does nothing acts as an audience to the bully and actually encourages the bully to continue being mean to the victim.He encouraged students who are bystanders to get involved by telling someone who can help the situation.The Saskatchewan Roughrider spent the last few minutes of his presentation talking to students about harassment. Harassment is protected under the law and differs from bullying because bullying is intentional behavaviour whereas harassment is about the impact.

Dressler spoke to kids in a clear, conversational language which kept them engaged for the entire hour and 15 minute long presentation.

And when he finally finished his anti-bullying presentation, he let students pick his brain on his career with the Riders.Many kids asked about the worst hit he took, injuries he's sustained and why he came to play in Canada when he's from the United States.

One young boy stuck up his hand and asked a question which received many laughs from students and teachers in the large gym."Has anyone bullied the 13th man, " asked the young boy.

Dressler answered the question with ease and confidence, explaining that the 13th man wasn't just one guy."We have 42 guys who dress for a game and seven or eight coaches, " he said. "Everyone is talking and communicating all the time. Our defence was out on the field, we have three different teams that go out. With the defence team, some stay on the field and some come off. People have to talk to each other so everyone knows the plan. What happened that day was mis-communication. One player thought he was supposed to be on for the play because he just wasn't told otherwise. ""So no, no one got bullied for the 13th man.

"Manor School was able to host Dressler for the anti-bullying presentation because they raised money through a unique fundraising campaign."We collected pennies and nickels, " said Rhiannon Miller, a grade three and four teacher who organized the fundraiser. "We placed buckets outside the classrooms and students would put pennies and nickels in the buckets.

""Each penny was worth one point and each nickel was worth minus five points, " she continued. "Students could take nickels to another class's bucket and give them minus points. "The students enjoyed the friendly competition and the winning classroom got to spend the noon hour with Dressler. As luck would have it for Miller, her grade three and four class won with $120 in pennies. In total, the school raised $670 in just four days.

Dressler spoke to students in Manor School as part of the "RespectED" program run by the Red Cross. The program aims to prevent bullying by educating youth.
at 20.4.10 1 comments