Students share school's anti-bullying message

A Sudbury-area anti-bullying program has caught the attention of the Ontario Minister of Education.

Three students at a secondary school in Hanmer spoke with Minister Laurel Broten Wednesday about the Beyond the Hurt program.

Through a teleconference call, a group of students at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School talked with the minister. Students from a high school in Toronto joined in the call as well. They came together to learn about one another's bullying programs and what makes them successful.

In Hanmer, the program is called Beyond the Hurt. 

Grade 12 student Riley Kant said the reason it works is because it is run entirely by the students.

"I think it's very important that Grade 12s and Grade 11s and some Grade 10s are talking to Grade 9s and … Grade 8s, so that they see and want to be more like us, as role models," Kant said.

She said the program also puts on events and activities to get the word out about how important it is to have a safe school environment.

Heather Duguay, a teacher at the school who oversees the program, welcomed the attention from the minister, as well as from other students.

"It was very beneficial for the students here today to listen to other students from the other schools to help them when they're looking at improving their program," she said.

The minister is pledging to develop more programs like this to improve the mental health of all students in the province.