Ridge Elementary Students Fight Bullying With Creative Flair

Ridge Elementary School students aren't going to tolerate it. And they're not shy about it either. In fact, they'll tell you they don't support bullying through a catchy, popular song.

Ridge Principal Jean Schoenlank, 5th Grade teacher Andrea Petrone and Technology Coordinator Rachel Oldenburger presented the school board with a video students produced to take a stand against bullying, the aptly-titled "Stand Up."

Petrone enthusiastically explained that she'd been humming country-pop group Suglarland's song "Stand Up" for quite some time. The song's lyrics touched her, she said, and as the national and local focus on bullying prevention continued to grow, it dawned on her.

"I kept thinking... in Open Circle (a discussion group with students) about bullying, standing up for yourself and self respect and respect for others. And this was something where every time I thought about it I thought about the kid being bullied or I thought about the bully who just didn't know better and I thought, 'God, we need to do something.'

"I just thought to myself, 'You know what, I need to be that person who's going to do something," Petrone said. 

With the help of Oldenburger, students formed the Lights, Camera, Action! Club and learned how to produce films in iMovie. After ten weeks of work toward the end of last year, the film was unveiled at a Ridge "Rock Assembly" to the whole school.

In the short film, students are seen holding signs that correspond with the Sugarland lyrics. The film culminates with students telling the audience they'll stand up for the new kid, for their best friend, for the girl who was left out.

"I'll stand up for you," a girl says as the song ends.

Ridge faculty say it's just a start. There's a good chance the creative Ridge community might just have a few more Top-40 hits up their sleeve when it comes to preventing bullying.