As I fumbled through the hallway on my crutches my sophomore year, people shouted “cripple.” They tripped me. And threw things at me. Eventually I stopped coming to school. I was used to bullying from middle school, but I didn’t think it would effect me when I came to high school. Luckily, I had a safety net of counselors by my side. They told me to report whenever bullying happened and once I did, it stopped immediately. I felt relief that it was all over.

Unfortunately I’m not the only one at my school who has been bullied. During my senior year, Yik Yak, an app where you can type whatever you’d like anonymously, came out. At first people made innocent jokes, but soon it took a turn. The app became a medley of hate. People were cornered and helpless due to the anonymity of it all.

My school took a stand against Yik Yak. They put up a geofence, making it inaccessible at school. Following the Yik Yak situation, our school hosted No H8 week. During this week, students were encouraged to wear different colors to support anti-bullying, diversity, GLBT, disabilities, and the school motto: be Appropriate, be Respectful, and be Responsible.

Sticky notes were posted on everybody’s lockers with uplifting messages. “The past is in the past,” “make today a great day,” and “keep smiling” were some of the many messages. I still have my sticky note on my locker and smile whenever I see it.

Whiteboards were put up in the hallways where positive messages are written daily. They are about keeping your head up, uniqueness, and having a good day. It made me feel hopeful.

Over the years, I have seen a decrease in bullying and an increase in positive energy around school. There was a time when I came back to school on the same crutches, but this time, I didn’t worry. I didn’t worry about people shouting “cripple,” being tripped, and I didn’t worry about having things thrown at me. I didn’t need to. Because my school took a stand and ended bullying.