Bully Busters

Bullying has become much more prevalent in recent years, erupting on the news in dramatic tragedies like the shootings in Columbine and Virginia Tech, and quietly pervading local classrooms and schools. At Manchester High School, a group of student leaders has put together a group called Bully Busters that goes into elementary and middle schools using live demonstrations and teaching students how they can make a positive impact against bullying.
“I am the lead speaker when we do our presentation,” said senior Logan Welch. “We teach the different types of bullying - relationship, physical, verbal and cyber. We teach them that if you are a bystander, you are involved, and how to be a positive bystander. We teach them positive thinking in a situation. I teach them how to brighten the room, not darken it. I also teach about the different types of bullies in a comfortable environment so they can come forward and share their own stories. We know now what works with each age group,” said Welch.
Bully Busters is made up of MHS student-athletes, journalists and student government representatives that are recruited by school councilors. Each Bully Buster is active in the community and active with the cause of Bully Busters. They communicate and teach with interactive skits and role-playing so the message is clear - bullying is real, it hurts, and needs to be stopped.
The Bully Busters teach students to stand up for others and to have fun turning the situation into a good one. The program started in 2009 and was small in its infancy, but has grown to something the school and its students are being noticed for.
“I do a skit called ‘Nails in the Fence’ where I am the mother of a little boy," said sophomore Savanna Smith, who is also involved in the campus newspaper. "The mother (me) gives him a bag of nails. Every time he loses control of his temper he puts a nail in the fence, and when he can control himself he takes them out. Eventually, he takes them all out, but it leaves scars and things will never be the same. People can be hurt like the fence,” she said.
The Bully Busters are co-advised by Heidi Macchi, a Manchester Outreach social worker, and MHS guidance counselor Laurie Pels-Roulier. Central Connecticut State University Masters in Family Therapy intern Alexis Relyea-Nieman also assists the group. Joel Waldron, owner of the Academy of Martial Arts and Personal Development, is a Bully Busters consultant who helps in training, skits, story ideas and interventions.
“I have been involved since its beginning. I participate in the skits and often play the ‘bully.’ I don’t really bully in real life," said senior Ashley Mills. "I’m also a reader. I read stories to kindergartners through second grade. At the question and answer part, we see how engaged they were and how much of what we taught them, they remember," she said.
“Bennett Academy did surprise ‘thank you’ cards and a list of ways we can prevent bullying," said Mills. "Others have done the same. I like the creative ways we address bullying.” Mills is the class board vice president, she is on the activities planning board, and serves as a representative to the Board of Education. She also serves on Manchester’s Youth Commission as a public relations officer and interns at Bowers Elementary and Manchester Manor.
“These students are the best of the best. They have leadership potential and passion for working with kids. This program has been successful in raising awareness about bullying with brief strategies and principles,” said advisor Roulier.
The influential 19 students are on a mission to inform and make a difference. Some of them know the personal pain of being bullied and how it changed them as people. Sometimes even a joke amongst friends can sting.
“Yes, I was bullied too throughout my scholastic career, even by teachers. I feel like I can connect and relate with kids who have been through that experience," said sophomore Michelle Hegenauer. "As Bully Busters, we have matured and learned how to handle it better now. It is exciting when kids come up to me and say, ‘You are my hero. I am glad you are here,’” she said. Another active student, Hegenauer is on the MHS volleyball team and also won a place on the boys’ dive and swim team.
The program has gone viral. Welch, Mills and Hegenauer appeared on Manchester Review Channel 15 this past April to describe the program. They were interviewed by host Jack Peak, with whom they shared personal stories of being bullied and of witnessing incidents of bullying.
“Bully Busters has been an amazing group. They are kids that excel in every area and grow and mature as leaders to advocate against peer pressure in their community,” said CCU student Relyea-Nieman.