Oct. 24, 2018 - Four girl scouts at Mandarin Middle School took Unity Day, the nation's bully prevention awareness day, into their own hands by encouraging their classmates to write a note about themselves on a banner in hopes to create unity.
Lily, Megan, Riley and Sarah told Team Duval News the action they are taking towards bully prevention is inspired by their own experiences with being treated unfairly.
"I feel like a lot of us have been bullied at one point and know how it feels," said Lily.
The girl scouts paired with School Counselor Marie Farjian and Art Teacher Sarah Colado in making a large orange banner with the words "If you really knew me...you'd know" written in black across the top.
Students flooded around two tables in the central auditorium of the school on their way to lunch and wrote down what they want others to know about them, creating a more positive and understanding conversation.
After posting their notes on the banner, each student had the opportunity to take a pledge against bullying and pin an orange ribbon to their school lanyard or shirt.
"We know the impact bullying has on people and we want it to stop," Riley said.
The girls, pictured above, are optimistic about the positive impact opening the conversation about bully prevention will have among their classmates.
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