HREI celebrates school staff that support mental health

Schools and businesses nationwide came together to celebrate kindness, acceptance, and inclusion by wearing orange on Wednesday to raise awareness of National Bullying Prevention Month. 

"At the Human Rights Education Institute, we know that effective bullying prevention efforts involve students, parents, teachers, and community members," an HREI press release said. "Bullying directly affects students’ ability to learn."

According to Pacer, the National Bullying Prevention Center, more than one out of every five students will be bullied this year. 

"This could be happening to a person you know and care about," the release said. 

Unity Day began in 2011 as a signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month, bringing together a giant orange message of hope and support. The call to action was to "Make it Orange and Make it End. Unite Against Bullying!"  

According to the Center for Disease Control, students who are bullied are more likely to experience low self-esteem and isolation, perform poorly in school, have few friends in school, have a negative view of school, and experience physical and mental health issues.

Between 2022 and 2024 in Idaho, there were about 80 suicide deaths of teens aged 15-19, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

A communitywide effort shows students that adults care what happens to them and that they are not alone.

"Bullying can make a child who may already feel socially isolated, feel helpless," the release said. "They may feel like no one cares or could understand. Kids may also fear being rejected by their peers and try to handle the situation on their own, which is why so many bullying incidents go unreported."

Local schools create multi-tiered systems of support, schoolwide prevention activities and long-term approaches that focus on involving families and communities, the release said. 

"For this reason, HREI uses this day to honor our mental health providers in our schools," the release said.

Dozens of volunteers delivered 200 seasonal cinnamon rolls, each with a kind note thanking these champions for being the front-line intervention for these activities.

Unity Day shows kids and teens of all ages that it’s important to speak up, reach out, and be a friend to those who need it. The color for Unity Day is orange because it represents feeling safe, said Jeanette Laster, HREI executive director.

“For years, our culture justified bullying," said Jeanette Laster, HREI executive director. "The goal of the day is to bring together youth, parents, educators, businesses, and community members across the nation to emphasize the message that bullying is not acceptable and that all students deserve to be safe in school, online, and in the community."