By London Foster
Staff Writer
Helping Educate Acts of Respect Together, a new bullying support group for Costa students, began meeting on Wednesday to address bullying issues at Costa.
The program is focused on students who identify as either victims or potential oppressors, and victims attend meetings voluntarily. Potential oppressors partake in a separate meeting. Program leaders select participants according to discipline records.
“ Although I am the coordinator, the program is really [about] everyone working together, so the T in HEART is very important,” HEART coordinator Janet Allen said.
The groups meet October through May during Wednesday office hours; victims of bullying will meet during morning office hours, and bullies will meet during afternoon office hours.
Eight student volunteers, 16 teachers and four additional support staff members help facilitate the meetings. They lead groups through activities and discussions that are focused on ways to avoid peer pressure and cope with bullying.
“Through HEART, [students] will have a place to go talk specifically about bullying and peer pressure,” Allen said.
Allen stated that during HEART meetings, victims and potential oppressors can seek both support and information. In the meetings, they talk about their experiences with bullying through group activities and discussions.
Allen created HEART after hearing about students’ encounters with bullying at Costa. She hopes to further expand the program to Manhattan Beach Unified School District elementary schools next year.
“I know that this is Ms. Allen’s passion, and she’s put a lot of hard work into making this program a success,” Special Ed Co-Department Chair Monica Pherson said.
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