George Westinghouse College Prep Students ‘Stand For The Silent’

High school students at George Westinghouse College Prep participated in a special assembly, “Stand for the Silent” on Wednesday.

Stand for the Silent was formed in 2010 by a group of high school students in Oklahoma City, OK after learning about an 11-year-old boy, Ty Field-Smalley, taking his own life. His parents Kirk and Laura Smalley use the organization’s platform to share the story of how Ty took his life after being suspended from school for retaliating against a bully who had been bullying him for more than two years.

Eighteen-year-old Westinghouse student Jasimine Ash, a Garfield Park resident shared how the day went from her perspective.

Today at George Westinghouse College Prep we were introduced and exposed to anti-bullying activists with “Stand For The Silent.” [We heard from] Kirk Smalley [who brought awareness to] the suicidal issues that young children and adults face all over the world.

This national issue not only got the attention of myself and other GWCP students, but it opened our eyes to truly love and understand one another. There were a lot of tears shed from the whole audience, and at one point, we became more of a united crowd willing to make the change and fight against bullying in our communities.

If there was one thing I had to truly take with me for the rest of my life, it’s the saying Kirk Smalley stated, ‘I am only one, but I am one.’ This not only sent the message that we can’t do everything alone, but we can do something that can change someone’s life, and in this case save a life. This was an experience that I hope everyone could be exposed to. It has influenced me and other GWCP students to start a chapter with “Stand For The Silent” and become a a fighter for those who are silenced and neglected and not be a bystander. THANK YOU SFTS!

And here’s Jeffery Manor resident and senior Nneka Jones’ take on the event.

Stand for the Silent’s empowering message at our school assembly allowed students to see the true impact of bullying. By hearing the experiences of other young people, students realized the influence of their words and actions. We learned that it is important to uplift each other instead of tear each other down because you never know what someone else may be going through.

Personally, I was able to identify with the pain and isolation that was portrayed in the presentation, as I had been a victim of bullying in my early elementary school years.

I believe this presentation served as a call to action for everyone. The most empowering moment was hearing the students of George Westinghouse College Prep state in unison “I Am Somebody.”