Make Bullying Disappear
Donation protected
The conventional wisdom when I was a kid stated that if you stand up to a bully, he'll back down. While that may or may not be true, one flaw in this logic that we have learned over the years is that bullies are really good at choosing the victims least likely to stand up to them!
In the wake of the 1999 Columbine massacre, when bullied students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 12 and injured 21 people at Columbine High School, the direct link between bullying and high school violence took the national spotlight, and in the years that followed, the anti-bullying movement began to take shape.
14 years later, there are some great anti-bullying programs available to schools and institutions, and there are days, weeks, and months set aside on calendars across the country and around the world to raise awareness about bullying. Nonetheless, with all the hype and awareness, kids are still not much better off than they were before. A recent study in the UK showed that in England alone, 15 to 25 bullied teens commit suicide each year.
As an educator, I know that different people respond to different methods of teaching. What hits the message home for one child might be completely lost on another.
As a magician, I understand the power of using magic to send a powerful message. I also understand the power of magic as a self esteem builder.
The purpose of this campaign is to create a program that will be dubbed "Make Bullying Disappear." This program will deliver an anti-bullying message through the performance of magic, with follow-up support and education provided under the auspices of a nationally recognized anti-bullying program with proven results across the country.
The money raised in this campaign will be used as follows:
(1) TRAINING:
Although I am an experienced educator and well-known magician, I have a lot to learn about what psychologists know about bullying. I will be trained by one of the nation's top anti-bullying programs and provided with all of the certifications necessary to deliver the program in schools, workplaces, and organizations.
(2) SHOW DEVELOPMENT
Once I have been educated and certified, I will work with an expert in the field who will make sure that the magic does not water down or alter the core message of the presentation.
(3) PROPS
Once the show is developed, I will need customized magic props that will be used in the performance.
(4) MARKETING & STARTUP OPERATIONS
Once the show is ready to perform, remaining funds will be used to get in front of the decision makers who are the key to getting the program into the schools, workplaces, and organizations that can best benefit from it.
STAGE TWO: The long term plan for "Make Bullying Disappear" involves training magicians in every part of the country to bring the program to their communities.
Thank you in advance for your support. With your help, we can MAKE BULLYING DISAPPEAR!
Organizer
Avi Frier
Organizer
