Sit With Us. It’s a simple concept transformed to the age of smartphones by a 16-year-old, once ostracized by classmates at lunch. Her lunchtime rejection led to bullying, but the teen wasn’t going to let that cycle continue — so she developed the “Sit With Us” app. Sit With Us lets students become school ambassadors who open up their lunch table to anyone looking for a friend. First Student hopes ambassadors apply this friendship-making idea to recess and, especially, school bus journeys.
The numbers are staggering; according to a study by the Department of Justice:
- 1 in 4 children ages 12-18 say they have been a victim of bullying; while
- 40% of students reported the bullying to an adult.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month (#StompOutBullying). And this year, it also coincides with National School Bus Safety Week’s (#NSBSW) theme of “Bully Free Zone.”
For First Student, the wellbeing of the students we carry is our top priority, nothing matters more to us.
To prevent bullying on our buses, the First Student Central Safety Support team designs company-wide training programs which give our driving teams tools to create positive bus environments. Buses become a safe place because we establish appropriate age-related behavioral expectations, learn how to understand the signs of bullying and how to intervene.
This month on our social media accounts, you’ll see how First Student promotes healthy environments on the bus and in the workplace. You can also find bullying information for parents by visiting our Parent Resources page.
So together, we let’s work together to Stomp Out Bullying. Visit the Stomp Out Bullying (@STOMPOutBullyng) website at: http://www.stompoutbullying.org/ for tips to prevent bullying.