Bullying is a growing epidemic in today’s society that is being overlooked much too often. No one can fully comprehend the severity of it until they have been through it personally.

"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it" -Martin Luther King-

Look around, I know you see it…the boy in gym that isn’t as strong as the other guys, the girl in the back of class who’s overweight or just too “different”. The names are said, the tears are shed, but yet you still stand there staring at the evil taking place right in front of you.

Statistics show that when bystanders intervene they can stop bullying within 10 seconds. So, when you see such horror happening right in front of you just remember; you have the power to stop it.

Is that information not enough to get you into action? How about that fact that 90% of students have witnessed bullying in their life, but only 11% actually step in and stop it? Now, compare that to 4% of ADULTS that intervene. I’m not too great at math, but that seems pretty sad to me. If you’re the kind of person that observes from afar and waits for someone else to step in, remember those numbers…you have a better chance at winning the lottery.

Since I was 9 years old I’ve been bullied just about every day. I know what it’s like to be the new-kid, overweight, and the outcast. It was kind of hard to forget when I was reminded about it constantly. It’s not a great feeling…at all.

When I really think about it, I just needed someone…just one person to stand up for me. One single peer to say “Hey, knock it off.”

It only takes a spark to get a fire going. Be that spark in someone’s life. You could ultimately mean the difference between life and death to someone. Be the person someone needs right now.

Be a hero.