County Lends a Hand to Help Stop Bullying

County-led committees plan to discuss bullying and how to stop it among area youth. The public is welcomed to attend.

In 2009, Hillsborough County Commissioner Rose Ferlita formed the county's Anti-Bullying Advisory Committee – the first of its kind – in an effort to hinder and eradicate all forms of bullying and bring public awareness to this epidemic. “Despite all the news you hear lately about bullying, we were one of the first groups to jump on board and create several programs on the topic, since the school district had none,” said Carol Michel, community relations coordinator for Hillsborough County Criminal Justice.  The Bully Busters program is a collaborative effort between the Hills­borough County Criminal Justice Liaison, the Sheriff's Office and Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay. The team is comprised of adult committees and a youth council. Like …

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Bully Busters Reviews Materials

The Hillsborough County Bully Busters Youth Council got a chance to critique anti-bullying videos, workbooks and Web sites last month.

The Hillsborough County Bully Busters Youth Council got a chance to critique anti-bullying videos, workbooks and Web sites last month. The materials were supplied by the Anti-Bullying Advisory Committee's Resources Subcommittee.  The BBYC members reviewed the materials, rated them for their effectiveness and will report their findings to the Anti-Bullying Advisory Committee.   The BBYC is made up of children ages 7 to 17 from all over Hillsborough County.  The members offer a first-hand perspective on bullying and are taking action to bring bullying issues to their peers. Any student interested in joining the Bully Busters Youth Council is invited. The organization has several activities planned throughout the year including a rally and a …