Make an Impact: Demolish the Sadness
By Kendall Haney
Staff Writer
On January 28th, the Make an Impact Club (makeanimpact@gmail.com) led a lively and informative class connect, steered by Julie Davis and Vice President Ashanti. The vice president led the meeting with artistic slides that made up the bulk of the meeting’s agenda. This month’s theme: Stop the Cyberbullies by Demolishing the Sadness in Ourselves.
After opening remarks, Ashanti thoughtfully wished happy birthday to any January babies in the room, and then quickly got the meeting underway. Initially, the meeting focused on discussing the importance of stopping cyberbullies, and as always, attendees talked about real-life action plans they could use to support people who were targeted by mean-spirited words and threats.
The vice president had attendees move onto the activity she had prepared. She painted a situational picture in their minds, and then gave them three different options for what they would do in that situation. Most students chose the right answer, which would be helping the person in need. However, something to be noted is that questions like these have no right answer, only preferred ones. Ashanti then moved on with a slide entitled Demolish the Sadness.
“Instead of focusing on things like stopping bullies, everyone should focus on being better people,” said Ashanti. It was a very ‘kill them with kindness’ way of thinking. If people worried more about how they could help others, instead of how they could stop a few bad eggs, would the world not be a better place?
Afterwards, students were shown a list of possible things they can do right now to help others. Something as simple as smiling at a stranger is a good way to help make other people’s days better. And if they don’t smile back, at least you know you were kind. The reward for doing the right thing isn’t always something in return. Sometimes the reward is knowing you were committed to doing what was right, and doing what is right feels good.
Much of the meeting revolved around what students can do to help other people who might be having a hard time. Many things that were suggested by the moderators were simple. Just having manners, or showing a little bit of kindness can go a long way. When in doubt, a smile works wonders. Students and teachers alike shared stories of when they showed a bit of kindness to strangers.
Make an Impact introduced the January Challenge. Participants were challenged to write a short note to random strangers, a short paragraph at most. Words of encouragement should be written, as well as asking the person to pass on the note. Smiley faces: optional. The hope is that the trend of passing on words of encouragement might become a community norm instead of a foreign idea.
After announcing the challenge, the meeting moved back to the main subject: cyberbullying. Moderators explained that cyberbullying was of particular interest because students in attendance attended school in a virtual environment.
Examples of cyberbullying and where it can happen came up in the discussion. It can happen on any social media website, or online multi-player game. They talked about things like being careful of what you say when online, because you could easily hurt other people’s feelings, even without meaning to do it.
Ashanti shared with the class a song called “You’ll Be Okay” by A Great Big World that she thought would be a good inspiration to anyone going through a hard time. It’s interesting because it applies to not just people being bullied, but anyone going through a hard time in general.
The meeting was wrapped up with a sneak peek at next month’s meeting, which would revolve around Random Acts of Kindness Week in February, abbreviated RAK. Students were asked what they could do during RAK, or in what ways they could promote it. The next meeting would be at 11 am, Eastern Time, on February 28th.