Anti-bully program yielding progress Middle school students are saying they're happy at Great Meadows. Wednesday, December 20, 2006 • BY LYNN OLANOFF • The Express-Times INDEPENDENCE TWP. | Great Meadows Middle School students wore shirts saying "American Eagle," "Hollister" and "Gap" on Tuesday, but the most prevalent T-shirt message on Tuesday was "Truth." The "Truth" T-shirts stated that 97 percent of the school's students are against teasing in a mean way. The shirts are part of the school's multi-faceted program to discourage bullying. Bullying awareness has been part of students' regular routine this year. Colorful posters stating more statistics about how Great Meadows Middle School students feel about bullying cover the school's walls. The daily announcements always contain an anti-bullying message. And then there are the monthly anti-bullying activities during which students can win prizes such as iPods and flat screen TVs for being good school citizens. The program is financed through $5,000 state grant. Great Meadows Middle School was one of 10 schools statewide to receive the grant this year, Superintendent Jason Bing said. Bullying is perceived as a major middle school issue nationwide, but an anonymous survey conducted in the spring found only 3 percent of Great Meadows Middle School students say they've ever been bullied. District officials are running the yearlong program to be proactive, Bing said. "Most of these kids believe bullying is wrong," he said. "If you're constantly feeding them the message of the norm in the school, it will translate to actions." Many Great Meadows students said during the anti-bullying assemblies that bullying doesn't happen much at the middle school. Seventh-grade student Arielis Santana is new to the school this year. Starting at a new school can be a terrible situation for many teens, but she said it wasn't for her. "All the girls were really nice, treating me like they've known me," she said. Olivia Slacke had some problems with snotty girls in another school district, but has never been bullied at Great Meadows, she said. "If you want to make friends here, they don't ignore you or anything," the seventh-grade student said. "Here, it's like paradise from bullies." Students will take another anonymous survey this spring to measure the program's success. Middle school Principal Tim Nicinski said he's already seen some progress. Two students reported bullying incidents to him this fall because anti-bullying program encourages such behavior, he said. "If you speak up, it will work like a little chain of dominos," Bing told the students Tuesday. "And this will be a great place to go to school." Reporter Lynn Olanoff can be reached at 908-475-8044 or by e-mail at lolanoff@express-times.com. © 2006 The Express-Times. Used by NJ.com with permission.