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First-graders in Pam Douthit's class constructed a treasure chest, and when they saw a fellow classmate doing something good during the school day, they wrote that down on a piece of paper with the student's name and dropped it in the treasure chest. Then names were drawn from the chest and the winners received prizes.
Penny Graham's second-graders recited a pledge each day that included these promises: "I will not tease people... I will help make my classroom and school a safe place... I will be more caring and understanding... I will help to solve problems."
The students said they learned to use those same principles outside the classroom. One of Graham's students said, "When I'm playing with my friends and I am building something and they start to make fun of what I'm building, I tell them, ŚRemember the pledge' and they quit teasing me."
Fifth- and sixth-graders sponsored a Student of the Day. That student received a folder, and during the day students wrote in it the good things that student accomplished that day. Comments included "He helped me with my math," "He picked up my pencil for me," "He shared his potato chips at lunch." At the end of the day, the student got to keep the folder full of comments.
"It's a great self-esteem builder," the teachers agree.
The schoolwide effort was spearheaded by eighth-graders who took up the charge prompted by last year's Student Council, which produced a video on how to deal with violence in the school. The video illustrates the wrong way, then right way to deal with issues such as threats, gossip and bullying. Council members presented the video to members of the Jackson County Board of Education, who were so impressed they agreed to donate $57 to each class that initiated a project promoting nonviolence.
CVS's eighth-graders took up the challenge to promote nonviolence in the school by designing activities and projects that target the cause of gun- and violence-related actions.
"We wanted to eliminate the segregated groups and cliques and make everyone feel included," said Cara Wittekind.
If students committed violent acts because they felt alienated or rejected, "our goal became promoting unity and understanding," said Brianna Douthit.
"We did this by sponsoring contests and activities and by setting an example of acceptance and respect to all our classmates," said students Louisa Madill and Emily Mull.
"The students have done this all on their own time. Since day one it's been a student-driven project," said Doughtery.
One of their most successful projects was the Pen Pal Project, which matched an eighth-graders with another eighth-grader he or she did not usually hang out with.
"We learned a lot about each other... such as what kind of sports and music they liked," said Dylan Coward, noting that was a good thing when it came to playing the Newly-Met Game, loosely based on the Newlywed Game. "The game show host would ask us questions about our pen pal, and we had to write down the answers. The one with the most points got a prize."
"We learned the strengths and weaknesses of our Pen Pal and most of us shared an immediate bond," said Erin Hayes.
Bonding was a good thing, too, when it came to the game of "Six on the Box," which the students played on Field Day. Here six people in a group had to "bond" as they fit together on top of a box they described as "really small." No feet could touch the floor in this cooperative group effort.
The Pen Pal Project made Kevin Bleil look beyond a person's outside appearance to learn about the real person inside.
"We had to give up our breaks to participate in this, but it was worth it," Bleil said.
The group also gave up a party to give their remaining money to REACH.
"Jackie Hooper from REACH came and talked to us about how to prevent bullying and how to deal with dating violence," said Savannah Byerly. The students were so impressed with the non-profit agency's commitment to zero tolerance of domestic violence and sexual assault that they agreed to donate their remaining money to REACH.
"We want to be part of breaking the cycle of violence in our school and in our community," said Brinna Douthit.
In receiving the donation along with Hooper, REACH community educator Sandy Frazier said, "Cullowhee Valley's eighth-graders could package their program of nonviolence for other schools."
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