Current statistics point to a dramatic increase in the number of students who are affected by bullying each day at schools all across America. One in every three children have either been the victim or the aggressor in a bullying incident, and over 150,000 students a day avoid come to school for fear of being victimized. Bringing awareness to this issue, which is nearing epidemic proportions, is the first step towards addressing the problem. Without intervention, the cycle of violence will continue to have a negative, lasting effect on the self-esteem and learning capabilities of students who are both victimized and victimizer. There are also serious physical and emotional consequences that can come from bullying in every grade from kindergarten to 12th.

Implementing programs to both curb bullying and increase awareness of the problem can come in many forms and it starts with taking dramatic steps toward prevention. Whether it starts with something simple like an increase in adult supervision, implementing zero tolerance policies with stiff penalties for offenders, and bringing parents into the fold, any strategies that reduce the number of incidents on campus should be explored. School budgets are tight, so finding ways to raise awareness that don’t rely on additional resources can be just as important and effective. The goal should always be about empowering those students who have been impacted by bullying from their peers and shedding light on the problem school-wide, so that every student is educated about the damage bullying can represent on campus.

Part of this educational process can come in the form of books geared toward certain grade levels that show how hurtful bullying can be and how to stop it from happening. One such book is the 2014 Moonbeam Award Winner Boy Zorro and the Bully by Kat Aragon and Noel Ill. It tells the story of Benny Lopez and his bravery in the face of a bully at his school. The book teaches valuable lessons about confronting bullies and how they can be stopped if everyone does their part to prevent it from happening. The book also comes with a school play that children can perform in class, offering yet another method by which to get students involved in combating the problem at schools. Teaching children that bullying is wrong at an early age can make an impact in stopping the problem later on.