Being Bullied is NO Joke – By Priyanka Kumar, Brentwood High STARS student (originally published BrentwoodHomePage.com 11/08/10)
Every day, thousands of kids are bullied by their peers. Students Taking A Right Stand (STARS) helps kids ask for help when they need it the most. What are the causes of bullying? Many kids bully others because they, themselves, have been bullied. Being the bully instead of the victim makes them feel powerful instead […]
Get Off The Bench And Be Part Of The Bullying Solution – By Kevin Dyson, board member of Students Taking A Right Stand (STARS), Independence High School coach and former Tennessee Titan (originally printed in Middle Tennessee Sports Magazine, 11/10)
Moving as a teen from Las Vegas, Nevada, where I was in the majority, to rural Utah where I was in the minority, I was presented with unforgettable challenges and life lessons. I can relate to the apprehension and self-consciousness of looking different and wanting to be included and liked. I used to anticipate kids […]
Guest Column, Rodger Dinwiddie, STARS (Students Taking A Right Stand) Executive Director (originally published in The Tennessean 09/09/10)
Bullying has become an all too familiar word in our daily experience. Carl Walker Hoover, Phoebe Prince, Tyler Clementi, Asher Brown, Billy Lucas, Seth Walsh are the names of young people who have taken their lives in response to horrible bullying acts. While there are various definitions of bullying, all have some semblance of at least three […]
Imagine, By Christina Smith, STARS Board Member and chairman of the Vince Gill & Friends STARS Benefit Concert
Imagine being in a small, agricultural town in rural North Carolina in the late 1970s and early 1980s where the two main social outlets for all ages were a Hardees and a Village Inn pizzeria. Furthermore, consider a town with only one large county high school and a Baptist church in which you actually know every single […]
Bullying Awareness Week – Nov. 14-20
Gov. Phil Bredesen has proclaimed November 14-20 “Bullying Awareness Week” in Tennessee joining Students Taking A Right Stand (STARS) in heightening awareness and offering steps to combat this tough issue. According to Gov. Bredesen’s proclamation, “bullying is considered aggressive behavior involving unwanted, negative actions, repeated behavior over time and involves an imbalance of strength. Nearly […]
MOVE 2 STAND against Bullying!!
From South Hadley, MA teen Phoebe Prince to Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi, bullying takes lives and Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 gets the enormity of this issue as they highlighted the STARS Move 2 Stand program October 4 at Freedom Middle School. (http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=13266799) The helplessness of the students facing this issue is very frustrating but the Move […]
STARS Honors Stellar Supporters – Patricia and Rodes Hart
In our 18th year of hosting the STARS golf tournament, the incredible tourney committee and STARS board have decided to rename the event, Hart Golf Classic, honoring our stellar STARS supporters Rodes and Patricia Hart. Active throughout the area, STARS is so fortunate to have the support, time and talents of this dynamic couple […]
The Platinum Rule – by Erin Daunic, Director of Development
I had the good fortune to participate in the Center For Nonprofit Management’s Bridges to Excellence Conference on May 22, 2010, met some good people, visited with old friends and learned something remarkable: The Platinum Rule. During the last workshop of the day, I attended Cathy Self’s LEADING WITH LOVE & NOT FEAR presentation on […]
Pizza Delivery – by Erin Daunic, Director of Development
I ordered pizza the other night from our favorite little shop in East Nashville. Over the years, my family has become close with the family who owns the shop. They have five children ranging in age from 5 to 24 and all of them work at the restaurant. Often, the mom or the one of […]
An Extra 20 Minutes – by Rodger Dinwiddie, Executive Director
On the way to work a few weeks ago my early morning drive was interrupted. The sun had barely risen; enough darkness remained as I started down a slight incline on Charlotte Pike. My eyes caught the attention of a man standing on the side of the road who appeared disoriented. My focus was only […]
