LAKE LINDEN -- As everyone knows, bullying at school is all too common, but some teens in the Copper Country have come up with a different solution to the problem.
Each compliment or correct answer earned Lake Linden fourth graders several spaces as they played their way across the life-sized "Bully Backfire" game board. The students laughed a lot, but they also learned how they should act towards a bully in different situations.
"It was fun, but, at the same time, it got you thinking about people and what happens when they're being bullied," said Caitlyn Zerbst. "Sometimes it can hurt people more than you think it can."
The game was created by the Youth Advisory Council (Y.A.C.), a group of teens working with the Keweenaw Community Foundation to address the needs of local kids.
"We thought bullying was a very big problem," said Beth Sundblad. "We figured if we started it young, in fourth grade for example, and taught them that bullying was bad, then it would stick with them through high school."
After the game, students made a bullying promise and earned lollipops for sharing some of their anti-bullying techniques.
"The younger students have certainly heard about bullying, but it has a lot more impact when the older student that they look up to tells them, 'this isn't a good way to behave,'" said Y.A.C. co-coordinator Joan Chadde.
Y.A.C. plans to bring the "Bully Backfire" game to other schools next fall. They also said they'd like to expand the game to include some of the different problems students might face.
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