From the desk of Tammy Hayes, Middle School Principal:

Friday, February 27 during Campus Life Block the Brook Hill Middle School met in the Commons to hear a brief awareness presentation on the realities of social media and the consequences that can become very real when it is misused. It was designed to inform and make students aware of themselves in hopes of creating a sense of self and identifying potential potholes ahead. The assembly kicked off with a 4 minute video which makes a strong case for the misuse of social media being the same as a deadly virus and potentially an epidemic. Though short, it was a powerful introduction to the topic and put students in the seat of the victim for a moment, giving them a picture of how fast it can get out if hand and how easy they can be part of the solution to stop it when they see it!

Officer  Ryan Brown followed the video with a highlight of what the actual criminal offense is citing that it falls under “Harrassment” with an intent to harm through ridicule and explained that a minimum sentence of 30 days in juvenile detention is very common. He then reminded students of the care he has personally witnessed from their teachers while being our campus officer and encouraged students to tell someone/anyone they feel they can if they were being cyberbullied in any way.

Director of Campus Life & Ministry, Jordy Barksdale closed the assembly helping students connect the dots from merely knowing  the right thing to do and choosing to consider their faith as an integral part of their decision to do it. He explained to the student body that cyberbullying is an issue of the heart, going straight to the matter of insecurities and their need to exalt self over all others. Ultimately, he pointed our students to the goal of any believer’s life is choosing to exalt Christ above all things & others!

As Middle School principal, I have come to believe we have to teach our children (as well as ourselves) how to get proactive and be part of speaking out and stopping negative behaviors, whether they be on media platforms or in person. If we are silent, we are losing- that is the truth for both young and old! But, when we are brave and  SPEAK TRUE, we have great power to change the direction of the entire story… to apply a truth serum, if you will, that kills the virus!

The assembly was just one hit and no doubt it will take repetitive attention to help students choose well when they snapchat and use other social media. However, at The Brook Hill School, we are making a comittment to keep hitting the hard stuff in the life of our students and give them the biblical worldview from which to fight back and be strong!