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RANKIN INLET
A group of students spent two days learning how to cope with the problem of bullying in their school in Rankin Inlet this past week.

Katauyak Everard, Tatonya Autut, Kakak Mercer, Brenda Anderson and Jessica Eccles, back row from left, Jacob Voisey, Howard Peach (instructor) and Pat De Leenheer (instructor), middle row from left, and Kane Komaksiutiksak, Arthur Siksik and Michael Wallace, front row from left, give thumbsup to stopping bullying at their school in Rankin Inlet this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

The Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik (MUI) students learned a number of skills necessary to gain greater selfconfidence in being able to stand up to bullies.

The MUI RespectEd workshop built upon the Canadian Red Cross program which was delivered to a group of Rankin teachers in October of 2011 by Norm Jakubowski of Regina, Sask.

Participating students included Tatonya Autut, Jessica Eccles, Katauyak Everard, Kakak Mercer, Brenda Anderson, Jacob Voisey, Kane Komaksiutiksak, Arthur Siksik and Michael Wallace. They were instructed in the MUI RespectEd workshop by Harold Peach and Pat De Leenheer.

The nine students will now take what they learned and pass on that knowledge to other students in the school.

Peach said although he would have liked at least one more day with the students, he was pleased with the results.

He said they covered a number of topics, including the different roles played by bullies and bystanders when it comes to bullying.

"These students are expected to take what they learned and pass that knowledge on to either a Grade 7 or a Grade 8 class here at MUI," said Peach.

"We're also hoping to have the students go with a teacher to make a presentation on bullying issues to the kids in the two lower schools."

Peach said the workshop went very well.

He said Rankin students often excel beyond his hopes when they get interested in a topic.

"Once Pat and I explained what we wanted them to do, they came up with their own ideas of role playing and things of that nature to get the message across.

"We were very impressed with how well they understood what we were trying to teach them, and how they took it even further by coming up with their own plans on how they could help others with it."

De Leenheer and Peach will meet with the nine students before the end of the school year to go over their progress.

Peach said many of the Grade 7 and Grade 8 teachers at MUI who took the Red Cross Respect-Ed program did lessons on bullying with their classes earlier in the school year.

He said the lessons helped identify the students who completed the workshop this past week.

"The nine who took this program are among our most socially-aware students.

"They don't get into trouble at school, they show respect to their fellow students and they get along well with their peers.

"We're hoping many of their peers will see them as role models and accept what they have to say on the harmful effects bullying can have.

"Hopefully, these nine will help many of their peers learn new behaviours so they know how to deal with bullying situations."

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