Mariana Ronquillo works hard to raise her son, hold down a full-time job and attend high school. Photo courtesy Natalie Guillén/The New Mexican.
Huffington Post: The latest bullying-prevention strategy is “bullyproofing,” which teaches potential victims how to stand up for themselves, and parents and educators to take action when they see bullying in action. While it is important for children to know how to safely confront a bully, the Huffington Post wonders, “Should the burden really be on potential victims to learn these skills, rather than on punishing or reforming the bullies?”
Bullyproofing has become a multi-million dollar industry, with books, curricula and even self-defense classes claiming to have the key to creating a culture of respect and kindness within schools. Parents and school staff who have utilized bullyproofing programs say that they’re more than about teaching kids to talk back; they’re about making sure all students learn the social and emotional skills necessary to getting along.
Communities In Schools site coordinators are especially equipped to help students deal with bullying. They provide mentoring, mental health counseling, after-school programs, service-learning opportunities, and college and career planning to help students, both victims and bullies alike, find their path to a productive, violence-free life.
GOOD: While the current job market looks bleak to most graduating college students this summer, many still hold on to the hope of landing their dream job. And according to a new survey by Net Impact, the key to a student’s dream job isn’t the amount of money they’ll earn; it’s about the difference they’ll make in the lives of others. Net Impact’s survey found that the majority (72 percent) of graduating college seniors believes that being able to make a “positive societal impact” through their career is essential to their happiness. So much so that almost half of these respondents also said they would take a 15 percent pay cut for an organization that makes a positive societal or environmental difference. One of the most important things a student gains from their time with Communities In Schools is the ability to give back to his or her community. When students are able to make a positive difference in the world around them, they feel like valuable members of society.
The New Mexican: The New Mexican profiled Mariana Ronquillo, a 16-year-old single mother struggling to raise her son, work full-time and graduate from high school. Although Ronquillo’s high school offers a teen parent center, she is floundering and considering dropping out. Yesterday, we featured a blog post about the cycle of poverty that begins when a teenager has to sacrifice an education to raise a child. Young parents need a community of support to successfully complete their high school education, so that they can forge a bright future for both themselves and their children.
