SCA Representative Caroline Keys (front) waves her pink bandana, building enthusiasm among the students for the anti-bullying pep rally.
Forestville Elementary students gathered together on Friday, April 12, for a pep rally to wind up a week of spirit activities designed to send the message, “Be a Buddy, Not a Bully.”
“We wanted to celebrate the good behavior of students who chose to be a buddy not a bully,” says teacher Kaity Rader, who is on the Positive Behavior committee (PBIS) at Forestville.
“Sprit week is a great way to raise awareness and is paired with mini lessons on how to be a buddy.”
As part of the pep rally, Forestville’s “Storm” Dance Team, under the direction of Robin Lundgren, performed an original dance. The dance team, comprised of 30 students in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades, spent weeks creating a cohesive interpretation of what bullying is and how it can hurt.
Music for the dance was created by McLean High School sophomore and DJ Jack Saunders, who combined the empowering message of Bob Marley’s “Stand Up” with the music of “Don’t You Worry Child” by Swedish House Mafia.
“Involving the dance team was pulled from our own personal spirit weeks in high school,” says Rader. “Our hope was to reach all students through multiple messages, and music and dance are just another aspect of expression. The dance team really took it and made the message loud and clear.”