Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

MARQUETTE -- For some kids, a middle school hallway is one of the toughest places to be.

The Student Leadership Fellowship Program is taking it upon themselves to help educate young students about how common bullying is in schools.
    
The NMU organization had a variety of social issues to choose from, but group members thought that bullying was a topic that hit close to home for almost everyone.

"It's a problem with all ages. As much as you try to hide it, it's there. So it's a problem," said Olivia Steil, Student Leadership Fellow of NMU.

The college students played games, put on skits, and conducted ice-breaking exercises to help showcase their message to the middle schoolers.
    
During the activities, students were encouraged to put up their 'stop' sign whenever they saw something that resembled bullying.
   
One seventh grader has experienced both sides of bullying.

"I've been bullied once, and I went to someone right away and that stopped then," said middle school student, Kees Gray.  "I've bullied a few times without knowing it, and I realized it, and I don't like it."

Since the seventh graders will be eighth graders next year and leaders of the school, the college students thought it would be necessary for them to set great examples for younger students.  The Student Leadership Fellowship Program also thought it was important to target seventh graders because they will be going to the high school soon, and sometimes bullying is even more common there. 

To learn more about the NMU Student Leadership Fellowship Program, click here, http://webb.nmu.edu/Centers/StudentEnrichment/StudentLeaderFellowship/index.shtml.