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Rally for Bully-Free Communities on October 21, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. (Grades 5-12)

We are thrilled to announce that the second annual Rally for Bully-Free Communities will take place during National Bullying Prevention Awareness month on October 21 (Unity Day).

Once again, the good folks at EMPOWER Leadership Sports in Middletown have generously offered to host the rally on their grounds. The Council of Business Partners at CFMC will provide free bus transportation for all Middlesex County middle and high school students and educators who want to attend this informational and motivational event.

Please RSVP by October 5 by email to Doretta@MiddlesexCountyCF.org or by phone to (860) 347-0025.

Spotlight Award

Our other exciting news is the establishment of the Bully-Free Communities Spotlight Award to be given to Middlesex County schools that encourage students, faculty and staff to stand together for change and stand up to mean-spirited behavior.  The award opportunity, which includes a grant, plaque and award presentation publicity, is for programs that have been implemented in K-12 schools in the towns of Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Saybrook, Portland, and Westbrook.  Please take a moment to review the award criteria details and application form online and consider submitting your school’s program.  The first honorees will be recognized at the October rally.

Highlights include: Upcoming Second Annual Bully-Free Communities Rally October 21, 2015, in Middletown, Conn., coinciding with National Bullying Prevention Month and Unity Day; Presentation of the Inaugural Bully-Free Communities Spotlight Award.

MIDDLETOWN, CT – (September 2015) – Working to prevent bullying since 2009, the Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC) and its Council of Business Partners have announced positive results and strong momentum after the first year of their county-wide Campaign for Bully-Free Communities. The ongoing collaborative effort rallies Middlesex County residents, businesses, municipalities, school districts, libraries and other community organizations to take a pledge to stand together against bullying and all mean-spirited behavior, and highlights the school-based No Bully Zone Program, underwritten by the Council of Business Partners Fund created through CFMC To date, more than 500 pledges have been signed and close to 7500 students, educators, school bus drivers and parents Continue Reading »

CFMC and its Council of Business Partners extend a big THANK YOU to the staff of the camps at Incarnation Center. As they prepared to welcome the campers to the 2015 summer camp programs, they joined you in taking the Campaign for Bully-Free Communities pledge – becoming the newest UP-Standers in Middlesex County.

The Community Foundation of Middlesex County and its Council of Business Partners are pleased to announce the Bully-Free Communities Spotlight Award to be given to Middlesex County schools that encourage students, faculty and staff to stand together for change and stand up to mean- spirited behavior. The award opportunity is for programs implemented at K-12 schools in the towns of Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Saybrook, Portland, and Westbrook.

Recognition will be bestowed to deserving schools whose programs and activities meet or exceed the following criteria:

• The program/activity assists the school in providing a safe and healthy environment.
• The program/activity supports parents and the community at large to become involved in the school.
• The program/activity encourages active student participation which has improved the overall school climate.
• The program/activity must be educationally sound, stimulating the school and students to build a positive school climate.
• The program/activity must not place an undue burden or obligations on students, their families, teachers, or school.
• The program/activity must not exclude any student because of race, handicap, creed, or gender.

Two schools will be recognized each semester. Fall semester winners will be announced at the Bully-Free Communities Rally in Middletown in October. Spring semester winners will be announced at a to-be-determined date and location.

The award-winning schools will be recognized as follows:

• Grant award for unrestricted use.
• Bully-Free Communities plaque for permanent display on school site.
• Award presentation with press release/photo sent to local news media.
• Award announcement and news posting on Connecticut Association of Schools and Community Foundation of Middlesex County websites, social media sites, and through eblasts.

An application for the Community Foundation of Middlesex County Bully–Free Communities Spotlight Award is available here

or the application can be requested via email to Doretta or by calling (860)347-0025.

Applications for the October 2015 awards are due by September 30.

Applications for the April 2016 awards are due by March 20, 2016.

On October 22, students, parents, neighbors, and colleagues from Middlesex County joined together in a show of unity for bully-free communities at Middlesex Community College.

Team building activities and demonstrations were lead by  partners EMPOWER, Rushford, First Tee of Connecticut, and LiveKind. Special guests Liz Shulman, LMFT, and campaign spokesperson Donny Marshall spoke about their personal experiences.

Here are some of the highlights of the day!

The bully-free website provides other free resources including ideas to host your own rally or sign our pledge.

Bully-Free Communities Campaign highlighted in the Hartford Courant and FoxCT

Sarah Cody sat down with CFMC President & CEO Cynthia H. Clegg and Bully-Free Communities Campaign Partner Liz Shulman to discuss why this campaign is so important to the youth of Middlesex County and Connecticut.

Liz Shulman with Sarah Cody preparing to tape the interview at CFMC

Read the article on the Hartford Courant HERE

Watch Sarah’s interview with Liz and Cynthia HERE