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Bullying is a form of youth violence and an adverse childhood experience (ACE). CDC defines bullying as any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths, who are not siblings or current dating partners, that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance, and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm. Common types of bullying include:

Physical such as hitting, kicking, and tripping

Verbal including name-calling and teasing

Relational/social such as spreading rumors and leaving out of the group

Damage to property of the victim

Bullying can also occur through technology, which is called electronic bullying or cyberbullying. A young person can be a perpetrator, a victim, or both (also known as "bully/victim"). For more information about bullying definitions please see Bullying Surveillance Among Youths: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements, Version 1 [8.64 MB, 116 Pages, 508] .

Bullying is widespread in the United States. Bullying negatively impacts all youth involved including those who are bullied, those who bully others, and those who witness bullying, known as bystanders.

Bullying is common. About 1 in 5 high school students reported being bullied on school property. More than 1 in 6 high school students reported being bullied electronically in the last year.

Some youth experience bullying more than others. Nearly 40% of high school students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and about 33% of those who were not sure of their sexual identity experienced bullying at school or electronically in the last year, compared to 22% of heterosexual high school students. About 30% of female high school students experienced bullying at school or electronically in the last year, compared to about 19% of males. Nearly 29% of White high school students experienced bullying at school or electronically in the last year compared to about 19% of Hispanic and 18% of Black high school students.

Bullying is a frequent discipline problem. Nearly 14% of public schools report that bullying is a discipline problem occurring daily or at least once a week.

Reports of bullying are highest in middle schools (28%) followed by high schools (16%), combined schools (12%), and primary schools (9%).

Reports of cyberbullying are highest in middle schools (33%) followed by high schools (30%), combined schools (20%), and primary schools (5%).

Bullying can result in physical injury, social and emotional distress, self-harm, and even death. It also increases the risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school. Youth who bully others are at increased risk for substance misuse, academic problems, and experiencing violence later in adolescence and adulthood. Youth who bully others and are bullied themselves suffer the most serious consequences and are at greater risk for mental health and behavioral problems.

Bullying is preventable. There are many factors that may increase or decrease the risk for perpetrating or experiencing bullying. To prevent bullying, we must understand and address the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence. CDC developed, Youth Violence Prevention Resource for Action [4 MB, 64 Pages] , to help communities take advantage of the best available evidence to prevent youth violence. This resource is also Cdc-pdf available in Spanish [3.89 MB, 68 Pages, 508] and can be used as a tool in efforts to impact individual behaviors as well as the relationship, family, school, community, and societal risk and protective factors for violence. The approaches in this resource, particularly universal school-based programs that strengthen youths' skills and modify the physical and social environment, have been shown to reduce violence and bullying or key risk factors.

Different types of violence are connected and often share root causes. Bullying is linked to other forms of violence through shared risk and protective factors. Addressing and preventing one form of violence may have an impact on preventing other forms of violence.

See Youth Violence Resources for articles, publications, data sources, and prevention resources for bullying.

1. Gladden RM, Vivolo-Kantor AM, Hamburger ME, Lumpkin CD. Bullying surveillance among youths: Uniform definitions for public health and recommended data elements, Version 1.0. Atlanta, GA; National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Department of Education; 2013. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullying-definitionsfinal-a.pdf.

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth risk behavior surveillance-United States, 2019. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report-Surveillance
Summaries 2020; 69(SS1). Available fromhttps://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/2019/su6901-H.pdf

3. Diliberti, M., Jackson, M., Correa, S., and Padgett, Z. (2019). Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2017-18 (NCES 2019-061). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.

4. Farrington D, Baldry A. Individual risk factors for school bullying. Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research 2010; 2(1):4-16. Available from https://doi.org/10.5042/jacpr.2010.0001.

5. David-Ferdon, C., Vivolo-Kantor, A. M., Dahlberg, L. L., Marshall, K. J., Rainford, N. & Hall, J. E. (2016). Youth Violence Prevention Resource for Action: A Compilation of the Best Available Evidence. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Note: The title of this document was changed in July 2023 to align with other Prevention Resources being developed by CDC's Injury Center. The document was previously cited as "A Comprehensive Technical Package for the Prevention of Youth Violence and Associated Risk Behaviors."

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Adolescents & adults often unaware teens experience dating violence

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WE Charity was founded in 1995 when Craig Kielburger, then 12 years old, read the story of Iqbal Masih, a child labourer of the same age who escaped slavery and was murdered for advocating for children's rights. Inspired to take action, Craig rallied his classmates and his brother, Marc, to join him. Iqbal's story showed Craig and Marc that people as young as them could drive significant change in the world. They channelled this inspiration into creating WE, a global movement that sought to give young people a voice and a platform to become agents of change around the world and in their own communities.

Through WE Schools innovative service-learning programs, the organization helped turn the tide on declining civic engagement in Canada by engaging and inspiring students to support more than 5,000 causes and log over 70 million hours of volunteer service. Through WE Day, a global series of events that featured renowned speakers, activists, celebrities and youth taking action, WE inspired hundreds of thousands of young people to act on issues that mattered to them, some for the very first time in their lives.

Internationally, what began as a fight against child labour grew into a global movement that works in partnership with communities to develop the tools to uplift themselves from poverty. The pillars of WE Charity's international development model, WE Villages, were engineered over 25 years to work in five key areas-education, water, health, food and opportunity-that together create transformative and lasting impact. WE has built over 1,500 schools and school rooms around the world, educating 200,000 children; partnered with 30,000 women in its alternative income programs; and helped one million people gain improved access to clean water and sanitation.

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About WE Charity - WE Charity Foundation (WCF)

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For 25 years, WE Charity empowered change and worked in five key areas - education, water, health, food and opportunity - to create transformative and lasting impact.

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Alex Lin Helps Reduce E-Waste⎢TakePart TV

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Community Service Has a Number of Important Benefits

Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community which has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills, as well as provide a service to those who need it most. These are some of the common benefits of participating in a community service program:

1. Psychological benefits: Volunteering increases overall life satisfaction and helps you feel good about yourself because you are helping others.

2. Social benefits: Volunteering engages students with the community, creates special bonds with the population being served, and increases social awareness and responsibility.

3. Cognitive benefits: Volunteering helps students enhance their personal knowledge, grow from new experiences, and develop important interpersonal communication skills.

Participating in community service not only makes a difference to the organization and people being served, but also makes a difference to every student's career prospects. Participating in community service activities helps to enhance student resumes by allowing students to obtain work-related skills prior to graduation, builds good references for employers in regards to community involvement, and provides a forum to network with future potential employers. It also helps students develop civic and social responsibility skills and become more aware of what their community needs.

You can also make a positive contribution to your community by earning an online degree in criminal justice or psychology. Contact us today for more information about our programs where you can learn how to help real people and leave a positive impact on the world.

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Why is Community Service Important? - Florida National University

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Community Service Has a Number of Important Benefits Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community which has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills, as well as provide a service to those who need it...

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The Daily Show - Malala Yousafzai Extended Interview

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images, Twitter, Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Teen Vogue

Twitter

After an impressive academic career that includes a bachelor's degree from New York University Abu Dhabi and becoming the United Arab Emirates' first Rhodes Scholar, which earned her a master's in public policy from the University of Oxford, Mazrui was appointed as Minister of State for Youth Affairs when she was 22.

The nod earned her a spot on the 2018 Forbes Middle East Arab 30 under 30 list, but she describes her role as a much larger effort to empower young people in the UAE to be active in their society and government.

"In the UAE, Arab youth are similar to youth around the world," Mazrui told the Los Angeles Times of how she seeks to boost fellow young people's abilities. "They all want to go to the best universities. They all want to have stable careers. They want lives of purpose and they want to feel part of a cohesive community and family."

Yousafzai was an activist long before she became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history in 2014, but she's since become a household name.

Growing up in Pakistan under Taliban occupation, Yousafzai's family ran a chain of schools, which inspired her impassioned and public defense of women's education, that included the then-11-year-old writing a blog post under a pen name for the BBC and starring in a New York Times documentary about life in the middle of military occupation.

However, her outspoken spirit earned her enemies in the Taliban and in October 2012, Yousafzai was shot on a school bus. She not only survived the attack, but also became the center of an international movement to support her that led Taliban officials to announce a possible second assassination attempt.

She later published her first book, " I Am Malala." Yousafzai and her family have since moved to the United Kingdom, where she is currently studying at Oxford.

David Hogg, Jaclyn Corin, Emma González, Cameron Kasky, and Alex Wind were at the center of a massive youth movement for gun control after surviving a massacre that killed 17 of their classmates at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The five teenagers sparked the #NeverAgain movement, which saw thousands of students walk out of school in a massive nationwide youth protest that swelled behind causes like stricter gun regulation and a general increase in youth participation in politics and policy.

The students have gone on to continue their work as vocal advocates for advancing gun policies and youth participation through online campaigns, media appearances, and speaking tours.

Shahidi first entered the spotlight as a young actress but came into her own right as an activist after taking on issues like diversity in Hollywood and female empowerment in education.

She formed Yara's Club in partnership with The Young Women's Leadership School, which sets up digital hangouts for high school students together to discuss and confront social issues.

Shahidi also worked on former first lady Michelle Obama's Let Girls Learn education initiative before Obama provided her with a letter of recommendation that contributed to her road to undergraduate studies at Harvard University.

Hirsi is the eldest daughter of prominent Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, but she's earned a reputation in her own right as a climate change activist.

After learning about the sharp racially divided effects of climate change, then-15-year-old Hirsi sprung into action to get climate change on the official agendas of local and national lawmakers.

In January 2019, Hirsi founded the US Youth Climate Strike group, an American chapter of a global climate activist movement. In her role as executive director, Hirsi has been a key part of activating a chapter to join the estimated 1.6 million students across 120 countries to skip school in March to demand official action on climate change and spoke at the Minneapolis march as part of the global climate strike on September 20.

Dias is the founder of the #1000blackgirlbooks campaign, which she started when she was 11 in 2015 to collect and donate 1,000 books to her peers that featured black girls as the main characters when she was "sick of reading about white boys and dogs," she told her mom.

The campaign was a massive success, and she's since been honored on the Forbes30 Under 30 list. In January 2018, she published a book to inspire other potential activists titled " Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You!"

She told the Chicago Tribune in 2018 that even as a published author, her initial mission remains intact as she wants to create and share stories to "be reflected for the black girls who are reading them, so they can identify themselves and learn about their history" as well as "open up to people who are different, to understand and to see and grow from those things we don't understand."

Copeny, who is also known as "Little Miss Flint," shot to fame when she was eight years old in March 2016 when she wrote a letter to President Barack Obama about the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. After reading her letter, Obama flew to Flint and shined a national spotlight on the crisis.

After her big presidential moment, Copeny has continued her work, including in ads for the Peoples Climate March and starting the hashtag #WednesdaysForWater, in which she sends out a weekly alert about places in need of clean water. Copeny's partnership with a water-filtration company also facilitates drinkable water in deprived communities.

More: Features Greta Thunberg Yara Shahidi activists

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These 10 young activists are trying to move the needle on climate change, gun control, and other global issues

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After an impressive academic career that includes a bachelor's degree from New York University Abu Dhabi and becoming the United Arab Emirates' first Rhodes Scholar, which earned her a master's in public policy from the University of Oxford, Mazrui was appointed as Minister of State for Youth Affairs when she was 22.

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Life after Bully: Teenage star of hit documentary finally escapes his tormentors... and finds happiness in new school

Alex Libby's life has changed since he featured in the hit anti-bullying documentary, Bully.

The highschool freshman now has other students come up and hug him in the corridors, has good friends and gets on well with his teachers.

The unlikely fame has potentially saved him from becoming one of two thousand American teenagers who have committed suicide because of relentless aggression from their peers.

Some 13million schoolchildren in the U.S. are victims of bullying, with 3million absent from class each month because they cannot cope with the torment.

The award-winning documentary by Lee Hirsh follows five kids and families over the course of a school year, including two families who have lost children to suicide because of bullying.

Alex agreed to take part in Bully in the hope that his persecutors would stop tormenting him.

He didn't realise that the brave act would bring him national notoriety, a trip to the White House and a chat with a beauty pageant winner.

Much of the bullying took place on the school bus, on which Kim Lockwood, assistant principal of East Middle School in Sioux City, Iowa, insisted the kids were 'as good as gold'.

Alex knew different.

'Most of the kids on that bus, I knew from elementary school, and we were good friends then,' he said in the documentary.

'But then in middle school, everything changes, and it's all about popularity and who dresses the best and who's the most athletic and who has the best hair. I was not the kid with the best hair.'

The bullies in Iowa called him 'fishface'. They threatened to break his bones, sexually assault him and kill him.

Perhaps, more crucially, the bullies scared away other kids who were his genuine buddies.

'I craved friends. I didn't have any friends. That was all I wanted, some friendship, someone to come over, someone to lift me back up when I'm knocked down. I didn't have that, he said.

However, today things have changed dramatically, reports the Des Moines Register .

A move to a new school, Edmond Memorial School in Oklahoma, has broken the cycle of bullying but Alex is also enjoying his unlikely fame and has become a spokesperson for the bullying cause.

He wears a T-shirt that says, 'I stand for the silent'.

Alex is not the only one: the documentary has already been seen by over 90,000 American schoolchildren and has 97,000 'likes' on its Facebook page .

Watch the video:

Watch the documentary trailer:

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Life after Bully: Teenage star of hit documentary finally escapes his tormentors... and finds happiness in new school

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Alex Libby's life has changed dramatically since he featured in the anti-bullying documentary, Bully. After leaving the school in Iowa he has now settled in a new school in Oklahoma.

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Greta Thunberg - Inspiring Others to Take a Stand Against Climate Change | The Daily Show

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Marley Dias is a purpose-driven 18-year-old founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks and author of Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! Currently, a college student at Harvard. She is also the Ambassador of National Educational Association (NEA) Read Across America. Host and Executive Producer of Netflix's Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices.

Marley launched the #1000BlackGirlBooks drive in November of 2015, leveraging the power of social media to reach a larger audience. The goal was to collect 1,000 books featuring Black female protagonists by February 2016. The story went viral and was picked up by media outlets around the world as well as bloggers, schools, youth-focused organizations and millions of individuals who wanted to participate in the project. Marley has collected over 13,000 books to-date.

Marley has spoken at the White House's United State of Women alongside Michelle Obama and Oprah, The Forbes Women's Summit, United Nation's Girl Up, Inbound, CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, the Social Innovation Summit and several others. Marley was recognized by TIME, as one of the 25 most influential teens in 2018.

In light of the campaign's huge success, Marley has appeared on Ellen, CBS This Morning, The Today Show, The View, and several others. In her Editor in Residency at ELLE, Marley has been in conversation with Ava DuVernay, Misty Copeland and Hillary Clinton for Elle.com. Marley has been featured in a Microsoft Commercial, a Disney World Resorts digital campaign and a Walmart Black History Month campaign.

Marley is the youngest member of the Forbes 30 under 30 list to date and was included in the list for 2018. She has been awarded the Smithsonian Ingenuity Award, Ebony 100, and more. Marley resides in West Orange, NJ with her mother, father and dog Philly.

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Marley Dias is a purpose-driven 18-year-old founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks and author of Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! Currently, a college student

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Young people have a unique relationship with the environment: They are often the first affected when something goes wrong, yet the least represented when decisions are made.

They, more than any other generation, have been raised to feel a responsibility toward the environment. And that's important because they will be the first generation in charge of correcting the problems caused by the widespread pollution of the atmosphere and rampant misappropriation of natural resources.

Youth today feel the "clock is ticking in terms of the amount of time we have to deal with the major issues like clean air, clean water and global warming," says Sharon Smith, program director of Brower New Leaders at the Earth Island Institute, a support group for youth environmental campaigns and initiatives.
Growth in activism
Smith has seen firsthand the growth in environmental activism. "I graduated from college in 1999, and right in my first year out of college I went to an eco conference, which at that time was held in the Northeast. It was one of the largest environmental youth conferences held to date, and it had about a thousand people."

Contrast that with a 2009 conference that drew 12,000 young people from all 50 states, she said. "You can really see the growth of the environmental movement even over the past decade by looking at these conferences and the trainings designed and led and initiated by young people."

Canon Envirothon has seen similar growth in youth activism. A nonprofit specializing in the delivery of environmental education for high school students, the program has grown from three states in 1988 to 54 states and provinces in North America today.

Young people are "looking for avenues where they can make a difference and become knowledgeable, and then they can take and share that knowledge and experience," said Clay Burns, executive director of Canon Envirothon in Mississippi. They need to be "willing and prepared to work toward achieving and maintaining a balance between the quality of life and the quality of the environment."
Raising new leaders
But an increase in youth activism is not enough to stave off environmental peril - we need new ideas and new leaders, according to Eban Goodstein, economics professor at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore., and co-director of the 2009 National Teach-In on Global Warming, a nationwide network of teachers at all educational levels that, on Feb. 5, engaged more than a million Americans in a "solutions-driven dialogue."

Eban says the U.S. must act aggressively in the next year or so to reduce global- warming pollution and invest in clean energy technologies or "you guys are going to be looking at a very different world in 2050," when the world will be 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit higher.

"To put that number in perspective, during the last Ice Age, it was only nine degrees Fahrenheit colder than it is on average today," he explained.

Goodstein says youth need to move beyond being the front lines of environmental activism to being the visionaries. Both the Brower New Leaders and Canon Envirothon have devoted more than two decades training them to do just that.

Earth Island Initiative was founded in 1982 by renowned environmentalist David Brower to support young people who have new strategies for saving the earth. In 2000, the organization started the Brower Youth Awards, which honor six youth ages 13 to 23 each year for their leadership and activism with a gala ceremony, campout and $3,000 prize.

"We felt like young people so often are sort of the workhorses of these campaigns and aren't always recognized, aren't always supported at a critical time in the development of their careers, in the development of their activism," Smith said.

The Canon Envirothon also honors young environmentalists in a yearly competition that engages more than 500,000 high school students throughout North America. The Envirothon works in partnership with local conservation districts, forestry associations, educators and natural resource agencies to organize and conduct competitions on the local, regional, and state and/or provincial level. This year's hands-on problem-solving competition is Aug. 2-6 at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, where local finalists will compete for recognition, scholarships, and prizes.
Issues addressed
While recycling clubs abound at all age levels, more and more youth are expanding their efforts in other directions. In Massachusetts, young people involved in Gardening in the Community promote organic gardening and bicycle use. In Florida, a young man developed an interactive curriculum to educate youth about the plight of loggerhead turtles. In California, youth helped pass a bill requiring cosmetic companies to alert the Department of Health if their products contain carcinogens.

These are just a few examples. Youth across the country are cleaning up local wetlands, shutting down toxic waste sites, promoting clean energy and combating landfills. They have educated their peers, parents and the public on carbon emissions, reusable goods and conservation of resources.

Brower New Leaders have dealt with many such issues, and the Earth Island Institute currently oversees 60 projects, ranging from "Project Coyote" to the "Sacred Land Film Project," in 26 countries worldwide.

Students involved in Canon Envirothon pay special attention to natural resources, specifically those related to soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry and wildlife.

"Conservation is the big thing that we're involved in," Burns said, explaining that such work is more grassroots, and thus a more viable venue for youth activism.

And while most youth activism is local, many are entering the political realm to effect long-lasting change.

"There's a recognition that this is a time when we need major action from government if we're going to sort of lay the foundation and give you guys the tools that you're going to need to transform the world," Goodstein said.
New worldview coming?
Goodstein envisions a day soon when people automatically think about the environmental impact of their actions before they act. "We'll move on to a phase where we just sort of naturally mimic nature and create things that are in harmony with nature and don't produce waste and pollution."

Smith shares his optimism because she's seen the changes enacted by the youth involved in her program. "Just this year we were looking at the past 10 years of awardees, and at least 87 percent of our award recipients are still in leadership roles in the environmental movement. So it's a great sign that these young folks were committed when they applied to do this work and that hopefully the support we provided ensured they could stay committed and rise as leaders," she said.

The presidency of Barack Obama gives more reasons for hope. "It's rejuvenated the environmental movement in a number of ways," Smith said. "People have been really hitting their heads against the wall for eight years trying to push forward environmental initiatives."
Click here to read these Y-Press profiles:
Grind for the Green, San Francisco, CA
Urban Roots, East Austin, TX
West Oakland Urban Students Uprising against Pollution, Oakland, CA
Click here to read how students at two high schools are recycling and promoting environmentalism.

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Researchers from the United Negro College Fund went to West Virginia last year and asked 62 high school dropouts in the federal Job Corps program a simple, open-ended question. ¨What was it about school,¨ they wanted to know, ¨that caused you to quit?¨

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Animal Population Control - American Humane Society

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All cats and dogs adopted from animal care facilities should be spayed or neutered Pet “overpopulation” encompasses two primary factors: (1) allowing cats and dogs to reproduce with little chance to find homes for the offspring and (2) pets being relinquished by owners who can no longer keep their animals, or who no longer want […]

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Center for Youth Political Participation

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Bio

Marley Dias (age 17) launched #1000BlackGirlBooks in November 2015, at the young age of 11, with the goal of collecting and donating 1,000 books featuring black girls as the main character. Since then, she has collected nearly 13,000 books with the number rising constantly. Her campaign brought attention to the lack of representation of women of color as main characters in books, more specifically, children and young adult books, where representation is most needed. In 2018, Marley was featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list and became the youngest member ever selected, a title she still holds today. She is also the author of "Marley Dias Gets it Done and So Can You," which is a project she worked on with Ava DuVernay. Read her official bio here.

Follow Marley on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

In the News
Marley Dias: America's Favorite Book Enthusiast Marley Dias on Her Female Heroes, Representation, and Changing the World From Activist To Author: How 12-Year-Old Marley Dias Is Changing The Face Of Children's Literature

"My passion for books has changed my life"

"I believe activism is the true source of change in the world. Pushing to change social structures in communities that you are a part of is critical for making real lasting change."

"Girls of color and young women need to be seen, heard, and valued. Schools can help make this happen by including our stories in the curriculum."

Special Note: The Center for Youth Political Participation, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University or any of its affiliates, are not directly connected or affiliated with the following individual. This page is to be utilized as a teaching tool for the RU Ready in the Classroom program.

Back to Role Models of Engagement

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Marley Dias - Center for Youth Political Participation

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Marley Dias (age 17) launched #1000BlackGirlBooks in November 2015, at the young age of 11, with the goal of collecting and donating 1,000 books featuring black girls as the main character. Since then, she has collected nearly 13,000 books with the number rising constantly.

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Top 10 Youngest and Most Influential Activists

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Teen activists mobilize massive Black Lives Matter protest through social media

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The NYCLU has prioritized youth activism for more than 20 years. We work with youth organizers across New York State to ensure that young people know their rights, know how to access those rights and learn how to effectively organize around civil rights and civil liberties in their schools and communities. To meet the needs of New York youth and to build on our past success, the NYCLU has expanded our work in youth activism through a variety of ways by adding new programs, campaigns, and initiatives.

We are eager to organize alongside youth activists, educators and parents alike to effect change in New York.
Read our 2022 Youth Agenda FOLLOW OUR YOUTH ORGANIZERS ON INSTAGRAM
TEEN ACTIVIST PROJECT (TAP)

TAP is an exciting leadership development program that engages New York City high school students as organizers and activists on civil rights and civil liberties.
JOIN THE TEEN ACTIVIST PROJECT TODAY How to Get Involved
Our History

The NYCLU's youth program began as the Teen Health Initiative in 1997, founded with the mission of removing barriers that prevent young people from accessing critical health services and information. Now, over 20 years later, TAP carries on the mission of the Teen Health Initiative and is a part of the NYCLU's new Education Policy Center. TAP students work on broader NYCLU advocacy issues, including ending the school to prison pipeline, protecting student privacy and creating safe and supporting schools for all students.

TAP Today

TAP is the NYCLU's marquee youth organizing program, reaching nearly 200 young people in New York City. TAP members learn about civil liberties and legal issues, reproductive justice, community organizing and activism. Students work together as peer educators to make sure the youth of New York know their rights, create campaigns on issues the NYCLU is working on, and organize protests, rallies and marches across the city. TAP is a great opportunity for young people interested in law, health care, social justice and community organizing.

For students, TAP provides a unique opportunity to develop leadership skills as they learn about, and advocate for, civil rights and liberties alongside NYCLU professionals. TAP students simultaneously provide the NYCLU a window into the challenges faced by public school students in New York City as they help shape and promote the NYCLU's youth agenda.
We work on advocacy issues, such as: We work on reproductive rights issues, such as:
STUDENT AMBASSADORS
JOIN THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM TODAY
Student Ambassadors are directly impacted high school students who speak publicly on NYCLU education issues and work alongside staff to advance the mission of the Center. Our students are a diverse group with passions and personal experiences that touch on the foster care system, metal detectors in schools, specialized high schools and high stakes testing, sex education and teen health, the immigration system, and the college admissions process. The NYCLU continues to identify different ways to elevate their stories in our work including media interviews, blog posts and speeches at events and actions. We are recruiting Ambassadors from all areas of the state.

CAMPUS ORGANIZING
JOIN THE CAMPUS ORGANIZING PROGRAM TODAY
The NYCLU also works with college students from various regions across the state. Campus organizers are students from a university, college, or trade school that defend and protect civil rights and civil liberties in their community and on their campus. Participants from the NYCLU's Campus Organizing Program attend workshops on community organizing, lobbying, and other social justice issues. Campus organizers deliver Know Your Rights trainings on their campus and are connected to campaigns led by key NYCLU staff. The NYCLU's Campus Organizing Program is a great way for students to develop leadership, public speaking, advocacy, and community organizing skills.

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The NYCLU has prioritized youth activism for more than 20 years. We work with youth organizers across New York State to ensure that young people know their rights, know how to access those rights and learn how to effectively organize around civil rights and civil liberties in their schools and communities.

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FOUR PAWS International - Animal Welfare Organisation

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The abandoning of pets has far-reaching consequences for the animals involved as well as for the community. Abandonment exposes dogs and cats to an uncertain fate, once on the streets they must fend for themselves and may suffer from hunger, thirst, injuries and diseases. As well as feeling distressed and confused because they have been left on their own in an unfamiliar place by their owner.

Furthermore, dumping animals has consequences for the community that many people are often unaware of: The animals may pose a road safety risk if they run out in front of cars searching for their owner. They may cause a 'nuisance' to the community searching for food, barking at other dogs, or even biting someone due to feeling unsafe.

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The Harmful Consequences Caused by Pet Abandonment

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The abandoning of pets has harmful consequences for the animals, their owners and shelters. Learn why pet dumping should be avoided!

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The shocking number of animal cruelty cases reported every day is just the tip of the iceberg-most cases are never reported. Unlike violent crimes against people, cases of animal abuse are not compiled by state or federal agencies, making it difficult to calculate just how common they are. However, we can use the information that is available to try to understand and prevent cases of abuse.

Who abuses animals?

Cruelty and neglect cross all social and economic boundaries and media reports suggest that animal abuse is common in both rural and urban areas.

Intentional cruelty to animals is strongly correlated with other crimes, including violence against people.

Hoarding behavior often victimizes animals. Sufferers of a hoarding disorder may impose severe neglect on animals by housing far more than they are able to adequately take care of. Serious animal neglect (such as hoarding) is often an indicator of people in need of social or mental health services.

Surveys suggest that those who intentionally abuse animals are predominantly men under 30, while those involved in animal hoarding are more likely to be women over 60.

Most common victims

The animals whose abuse is most often reported are dogs, cats, horses and livestock. Undercover investigations have revealed that animal abuse abounds in the factory farm industry. But because of the weak protections afforded to livestock under state cruelty laws, only the most shocking cases are reported, and few are ever prosecuted.

Organized cruelty

Dogfighting, cockfighting and other forms of organized animal cruelty go hand in hand with other crimes, and continues in many areas of the United States due to public corruption.

The HSUS documented uniformed police officers at a cockfighting pit in Kentucky.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has prosecuted multiple cases where drug cartels were running narcotics through cockfighting and dogfighting operations.

Dozens of homicides have occurred at cockfights and dogfights.

A California man was killed in a disagreement about a $10 cockfight bet.

The HSUS's investigative team combats complacent public officials and has worked with the FBI on public corruption cases in Tennessee and Virginia. In both instances, law enforcement officers were indicted and convicted.

Correlation with domestic violence

Data on domestic violence and child abuse cases reveal that a staggering number of animals are targeted by those who abuse their children or spouses.

There are approximately 70 million pet dogs and 74.1 million pet cats in the U.S. where 20 men and women are assaulted per minute (an average of around 10 million a year).

In one survey, 71 % of domestic violence victims reported that their abuser also targeted pets.

In one study of families under investigation for suspected child abuse, researchers found that pet abuse had occurred in 88 % of the families under supervision for physical abuse of their children.

To put a stop to this pattern of violence, the Humane Society Legislative Fund supported the Pets and Women's Safety (PAWS) Act, introduced to Congress in 2015 as H.R. 1258 and S.B. 1559 and enacted as part of the farm bill passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in 2018. Once fully enacted, the PAWS Act helps victims of domestic abuse find the means to escape their abusers while keeping their companion animals safe-many victims remain in abusive households for fear of their pets' safety.

State legislative trends

The HSUS has long led the push for stronger animal cruelty laws and provides training for law officials to detect and prosecute these crimes. With South Dakota joining the fight in March of 2014, animal cruelty laws now include felony provisions in all 50 states.

First vs. subsequent offense

Given that a fraction of animal cruelty acts are reported or successfully prosecuted, we are committed to supporting felony convictions in cases of severe cruelty.

49 states have laws to provide felony penalties for animal torture on the first offense.

Only Iowa doesn't have such a law.

Animal cruelty laws typically cover intentional and egregious animal neglect and abuse.

Changes in federal tracking

On January 1, 2016, the FBI added cruelty to animals as a category in the Uniform Crime Report, a nationwide crime reporting system commonly used in homicide investigations. While only about a third of U.S. communities currently participate in the system, the data generated will help create a clearer picture of animal abuse and guide strategies for intervention and enforcement. Data collection covers four categories: simple/gross neglect, intentional abuse and torture, organized abuse (such as dogfighting and cockfighting) and animal sexual abuse.

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Facts, statistics and trends of animal abuse, animal cruelty and abused animals in the U.S.

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How many pets are in the United States? How many animals are in shelters?

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One out of every five intentional animal cruelty incidents reported to police involves another criminal offense, according to a new study by researchers from the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and American University's School of Public Affairs. Using newly available police data from across the country, the study is one of the first to analyze and categorize crimes against animals as either neglect or intentional cruelty.

"Animal cruelty has received growing scholarly attention over the past few decades," said Dr. Lynn Addington, a criminology professor at American University's School of Public Affairs. "Previous research tended to group both forms of cruelty together, which limited the ability to develop targeted prevention and intervention policies. We hope that our research will help prevent crime and inform policy."

The study, published in Criminal Justice Police Review and titled "Intentional Cruelty Versus Neglect: New Insights on Animal Cruelty Crimes and Implications for Policy," cites FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program data for 2017 and 2018, the most recent years available. Starting in 2016, the FBI began collecting data on animal cruelty incidents from state and local police under its National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).

"Cruelty incidents that come to the attention of police are particularly important to study, as they present opportunities for intervention and treatment," said Dr. Mary Lou Randour, senior advisor for AWI's animals and family violence program. "Research that distinguishes between intentional cruelty and neglect is especially significant because we know that early, recurring physical aggression against animals and anti-social behavior are linked to violent behavior against animals and people that continues into adulthood."

According to Addington and Randour, "intentional cruelty" encompasses violent acts such as beating or killing an animal, animal fighting, and animal sexual assault, while neglect is more passive, such as failing to care for an animal.

"We were surprised to see the difference in co-occurring offenses between intentional cruelty and neglect," said Addington. "While the majority of both types of animal abuse occur independently, 20% of intentional animal cruelty crimes occur with another offense, including violent crimes against people, compared to only 3% of neglect incidents."

Youth ages 18 and under were almost seven times more likely to be involved in intentional animal cruelty than in passive neglect, the study found. Males were slightly more likely to be involved in neglect cases and four times more likely to be involved in intentional animal cruelty. More than a third of intentional cruelty incidents ended in an arrest, compared to only a quarter of neglect cases, the authors reported.

"AWI urged the FBI to add animal cruelty as a separate category to NIBRS, which made this research possible," Randour said. "Our findings illustrate how important it is for law enforcement agencies to take animal cruelty crimes seriously - both as an animal welfare and public safety issue - and to systematically collect and report incidents to federal authorities."

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New Research Identifies Key Differences Between Intentional Animal Abuse and Neglect

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One out of every five intentional animal cruelty incidents reported to police involves another criminal offense, according to a new study by researchers from the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and American University's School of Public Affairs.

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Learn about animal cruelty and what you can do to fight animal cruelty and stop animal abuse.

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Young people have a unique relationship with the environment: They are often the first affected when something goes wrong, yet the least represented when decisions are made.

They, more than any other generation, have been raised to feel a responsibility toward the environment. And that's important because they will be the first generation in charge of correcting the problems caused by the widespread pollution of the atmosphere and rampant misappropriation of natural resources.

Youth today feel the "clock is ticking in terms of the amount of time we have to deal with the major issues like clean air, clean water and global warming," says Sharon Smith, program director of Brower New Leaders at the Earth Island Institute, a support group for youth environmental campaigns and initiatives.
Growth in activism
Smith has seen firsthand the growth in environmental activism. "I graduated from college in 1999, and right in my first year out of college I went to an eco conference, which at that time was held in the Northeast. It was one of the largest environmental youth conferences held to date, and it had about a thousand people."

Contrast that with a 2009 conference that drew 12,000 young people from all 50 states, she said. "You can really see the growth of the environmental movement even over the past decade by looking at these conferences and the trainings designed and led and initiated by young people."

Canon Envirothon has seen similar growth in youth activism. A nonprofit specializing in the delivery of environmental education for high school students, the program has grown from three states in 1988 to 54 states and provinces in North America today.

Young people are "looking for avenues where they can make a difference and become knowledgeable, and then they can take and share that knowledge and experience," said Clay Burns, executive director of Canon Envirothon in Mississippi. They need to be "willing and prepared to work toward achieving and maintaining a balance between the quality of life and the quality of the environment."
Raising new leaders
But an increase in youth activism is not enough to stave off environmental peril - we need new ideas and new leaders, according to Eban Goodstein, economics professor at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore., and co-director of the 2009 National Teach-In on Global Warming, a nationwide network of teachers at all educational levels that, on Feb. 5, engaged more than a million Americans in a "solutions-driven dialogue."

Eban says the U.S. must act aggressively in the next year or so to reduce global- warming pollution and invest in clean energy technologies or "you guys are going to be looking at a very different world in 2050," when the world will be 3 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit higher.

"To put that number in perspective, during the last Ice Age, it was only nine degrees Fahrenheit colder than it is on average today," he explained.

Goodstein says youth need to move beyond being the front lines of environmental activism to being the visionaries. Both the Brower New Leaders and Canon Envirothon have devoted more than two decades training them to do just that.

Earth Island Initiative was founded in 1982 by renowned environmentalist David Brower to support young people who have new strategies for saving the earth. In 2000, the organization started the Brower Youth Awards, which honor six youth ages 13 to 23 each year for their leadership and activism with a gala ceremony, campout and $3,000 prize.

"We felt like young people so often are sort of the workhorses of these campaigns and aren't always recognized, aren't always supported at a critical time in the development of their careers, in the development of their activism," Smith said.

The Canon Envirothon also honors young environmentalists in a yearly competition that engages more than 500,000 high school students throughout North America. The Envirothon works in partnership with local conservation districts, forestry associations, educators and natural resource agencies to organize and conduct competitions on the local, regional, and state and/or provincial level. This year's hands-on problem-solving competition is Aug. 2-6 at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, where local finalists will compete for recognition, scholarships, and prizes.
Issues addressed
While recycling clubs abound at all age levels, more and more youth are expanding their efforts in other directions. In Massachusetts, young people involved in Gardening in the Community promote organic gardening and bicycle use. In Florida, a young man developed an interactive curriculum to educate youth about the plight of loggerhead turtles. In California, youth helped pass a bill requiring cosmetic companies to alert the Department of Health if their products contain carcinogens.

These are just a few examples. Youth across the country are cleaning up local wetlands, shutting down toxic waste sites, promoting clean energy and combating landfills. They have educated their peers, parents and the public on carbon emissions, reusable goods and conservation of resources.

Brower New Leaders have dealt with many such issues, and the Earth Island Institute currently oversees 60 projects, ranging from "Project Coyote" to the "Sacred Land Film Project," in 26 countries worldwide.

Students involved in Canon Envirothon pay special attention to natural resources, specifically those related to soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry and wildlife.

"Conservation is the big thing that we're involved in," Burns said, explaining that such work is more grassroots, and thus a more viable venue for youth activism.

And while most youth activism is local, many are entering the political realm to effect long-lasting change.

"There's a recognition that this is a time when we need major action from government if we're going to sort of lay the foundation and give you guys the tools that you're going to need to transform the world," Goodstein said.
New worldview coming?
Goodstein envisions a day soon when people automatically think about the environmental impact of their actions before they act. "We'll move on to a phase where we just sort of naturally mimic nature and create things that are in harmony with nature and don't produce waste and pollution."

Smith shares his optimism because she's seen the changes enacted by the youth involved in her program. "Just this year we were looking at the past 10 years of awardees, and at least 87 percent of our award recipients are still in leadership roles in the environmental movement. So it's a great sign that these young folks were committed when they applied to do this work and that hopefully the support we provided ensured they could stay committed and rise as leaders," she said.

The presidency of Barack Obama gives more reasons for hope. "It's rejuvenated the environmental movement in a number of ways," Smith said. "People have been really hitting their heads against the wall for eight years trying to push forward environmental initiatives."
Click here to read these Y-Press profiles:
Grind for the Green, San Francisco, CA
Urban Roots, East Austin, TX
West Oakland Urban Students Uprising against Pollution, Oakland, CA
Click here to read how students at two high schools are recycling and promoting environmentalism.

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Researchers from the United Negro College Fund went to West Virginia last year and asked 62 high school dropouts in the federal Job Corps program a simple, open-ended question. ¨What was it about school,¨ they wanted to know, ¨that caused you to quit?¨

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WASHINGTON (AP) - The climate change generation is saying officials are talking too much, listening too little and acting even less. And they are fed up.

"Instead of talking about how to solve the climate crisis, they negotiate about how to continue polluting," said Mitzy Violeta, a 23-year old indigenous activist from Mexico. "Youth movements are realizing the solution isn't going to be in international gatherings," like the one taking place in Egypt.

"We're upset with the inaction that's being done," said Jasmine Wynn, 18, of the environmental group Treeage.

With decades of warmer and extreme weather ahead of them, young climate activists envision a future that has them frustrated and anxious, according to more than 130 activists questioned by The Associated Press. Most of them said they think their strikes and protests are effective. But lately in high-profile, attention-grabbing actions, a handful of activists have gone beyond skipping school to targeting art work, tires and fossil fuel depots.

Experts and funders expect these in-your-face actions to escalate.

"They will do whatever is non-violently necessary. They're on fire," said Margaret Klein Salamon, a clinical psychologist who runs the Climate Emergency Fund that financially backs some of the in-your-face protest events. "They're so passionate. Some of that comes from youth, sure. But it is powered by reality, by having a sort of confrontation with the truth."

At one of the more traditional protests in New York City in September, 14-year-old Truly Hort said she was scared about the future: "I've always had all these dreams, and now I'm like 'God, I can't do that.'"

The trouble, she said, is that leaders talk about what they hope to do, "but it's not a lot of people taking action."

Also mentioning her anxiety at the same protest 16-year-old Lucia Dec-Prat said, "it's one thing to worry about the future and it's another to get out there and do something about it."

But protesting only does so much, Dec-Prat said: "I honestly feel that adults aren't listening."

Governments and international organizations are advancing too slowly to fight climate change, many of those interviewed said about climate conferences. A vast majority of activists asked agreed with Greta Thunberg's characterization of climate negotiations as all talk and no action, or "blah blah blah," as the Swedish activist put it in a speech last year.

"So rather than just making noise to contribute to the blah blah blah, make noise for action. I think that has to be the critical thing," said 25-year-old Jevanic Henry of St. Lucia in the Caribbean. "We are driving action."

"Money doesn't matter because we're not going to have anywhere to live," said Aniva Clarke, a 17-year old activist from Samoa. "And that's probably the biggest issue that a lot of world leaders aren't really focusing on."

While many youth activists don't feel they are being listened to, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres credited the world's youth for spurring negotiators to do more. University of Maryland social scientist Dana Fisher, who studies the environment movement and youth activists, said they've testified before Congress and spoken before the United Nations and at past climate negotiations.

"Young people have gotten a lot more say than they did in any other time during my adult life," Fisher said. "I think a lot of them felt like because they were invited and given these opportunities that that meant everybody's going to snap and change policy."

And she said that's not what happens, which then causes them to get frustrated.

Speaking at a London cultural event, Thunberg said annual climate conferences like the one in Egypt will not bring about meaningful change. "Unless, of course, we use them as an opportunity to mobilize," she said, "and make people realize what a scam this is and realize that these systems are failing us."

One of the most prominent youth climate activists, Vanessa Nakate of Uganda, has been both on the outside as a protestor starting the Rise Up Movement and later inside as a UNICEF ambassador on climate change.

"The question should be like, what should the leaders do? What should governments do? Because this whole time I've done activism, I have realized the youth have done everything," Nakate told The Associated Press.

And there's little doubt about who young activists think needs to foot the bill in the fight against climate change: wealthy, industrialized nations that historically have emitted more greenhouse gases than poorer ones. Rich countries have pledged to pay poor ones to adapt against the hurricanes, droughts and floods made worse by climate change, but so far they've not fulfilled their $100 billion promise.

While investors on Wall Street continue pouring money into funds that call themselves 'green,' many young climate activists blame free-market capitalism itself for adding heat-trapping gasses to the atmosphere - something that adult analysts and officials often ignore as a factor.

Most of those interviewed called targeting corporations and businesses with more pressure, protests, and shaming - like a recent New York demonstration staged inside financial investment firm BlackRock's headquarters - an effective tactic in fighting climate change.

Minutes before they marched past the famous Wall Street bull statue and near the site of the Occupy Wall Street movement, 17-year-old Oscar Gurbelic squarely blamed the free market system and big business.

"Inherently climate change and capitalism are intertwined," Gurbelic said.

Many say they're willing to make changes to their own lives to take responsibility for reducing emissions. They fly and drive less, and walk more. A large chunk of activists questioned say they would likely have fewer children because of climate change. Most said they don't take part in certain activities at least once per week because it is wasteful or polluting.

"We no longer want to live in a world in which we only seek to consume and use things and discard them," said Violeta of Mexico.

Similar to other protest movements, there are differences in thought over whether to work inside or outside the system. Some activists that AP spoke with collaborate with governments, international organizations and non-profit groups to raise awareness of climate risks facing their communities. Others strictly work at the grassroots level, fighting the powers that be.

Experts studying youth climate activists say that while the generation they belong to is the most educated in history, many want to pause their educations to focus on climate action. Others, like Jevanic Henry, want to merge their professional lives with climate activism. He's worked for governments and non-profits on climate issues.

"I'm trying to remain optimistic as much as I can," Henry said in an interview, but he said it's tempered by a fear that socioeconomic collapse will come if action is not taken across the board.

But hope only goes so far.

"More and more people are going to be upset and frustrated and willing to take more aggressive action," University of Maryland's Fisher said. "And the problem is that at some point that can become violent."

The newer tactics, such as throwing soup or mashed potatoes on famous art work - which has glass protecting them from damage - is born from that frustration, Climate Emergency Fund's Klein Salamon said.

"We've tried everything. Marches and lobbying, writing letters, making phone calls," Klein Salamon said. "We're just not where we need to be."

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AP journalist Teresa de Miguel contributed from Mexico City.

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Follow AP's climate and environment coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment

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Follow Seth Borenstein and Suman Naishadham on Twitter at @borenbears and @SumanNaishadham

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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP's climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Fed up young climate activists: 'Adults aren't listening'

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WASHINGTON (AP) - The climate change generation is saying officials are talking too much, listening too little and acting even less. And they are fed up. "Instead of talking about how to solve the climate crisis, they negotiate about how to continue polluting," said Mitzy Violeta, a 23-year old indigenous activist from Mexico.

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PROFILES

Grind for the Green
San Francisco, Calif.
by Rebekah Taft, 17, Y-Press
Rachelle Ruiz, 18, did not know she was applying for a job when she applied for a scholarship with the nonprofit Alliance for Climate Education earlier this year. Now she's youth director for Grind for the Green, a yearlong mix of concerts, workshops and beat battles that combine hip-hop music and environmental justice.

The purpose of Grind for the Green is to bring youth of color from the margins to the epicenter of the environmental movement through events that combine hip-hop, education and life skills. The high point is a solar-powered summer music festival, which is produced by and for youth throughout the San Francisco Bay area.

Ruiz credits the youth focus for the success of the Grind, now in its third year. "One of the main things is that youth projects, they are what youth want to do. And when adults take on a project, it might be like 'Oh that's kind of interesting, but I'm not too sure,'" she says.

How would you describe your work with Grind for the Green?

I love the work that we do. I think it's really empowering. I mean, there are not many organizations out there that you could say get youth involved, especially youth of color, through the tools of hip-hop.

How has social networking been used by your group?

It's actually very interesting. We just started yesterday working on what we hope will be a four-part video for Grind for the Green, kind of like a miniseries. And so that and Facebook and YouTube especially and Myspace and Twitter and Flicker will hopefully continue to push Grind for the Green and raise awareness.
Over the past decade, have you seen a rise in youth activism in the environmental area?
I definitely think so, certainly because the environmental movement, the green movement, has gotten bigger. You know, you can buy the green bags and your bag says, "I'm green" or whatever. So it's kind of that whole trend along with it, and I think that's the reason that has pushed youth to at least think about it. But I think there's also a stronger pull on the local level with youth.

Urban Roots
East Austin, Texas
by Joi Officer, 15, Y-Press
At Urban Roots in East Austin, working on an organic farm helps youth sustain a healthy environment and their neighbors. In the process, they learn leadership and other life skills and get the satisfaction of benefiting their community.

According to Vivian Alston, 17, a day at Urban Roots starts out with a group warm-up then a trip to the farm, where they divide into three groups for three different tasks. For example, one group might be harvesting a crop, one might be washing down plants, and one might be planting seeds. Later they have lunch and then have a workshop on an agricultural topic, like learning about a certain plant, or a practical one, like money management.

Vivian and Steve Young, 18, have been with the program for more than a year, while Demontre Urdy, 14, Jessica Montoya-Olivares, 15, and Marisela Lopez, 16, are relative newcomers. Though part of their harvest is sold and part is donated to a food pantry, all agree that they receive as much as they give. "I didn't have a clue about any environmental stuff beforehand, and I have learned a lot in the program," said Vivian.
How would describe Urban Roots?
Jessica: The main idea of Urban Roots is to cultivate young leaders, to cultivate young teenagers to learn more about agriculture.
Has there been any change in environmental awareness?
Vivian: I think all the youth of this program are more environmentally aware [just by] being around people who really care about the environment and who are trying to make the world a better place. We can see, from working on the farm, that no one really appreciates farmers and that it is important for farmers to be appreciated because they grow everybody's food.
Have you made any mistakes?
Steve: It was hot and we were planting carrots, but we planted the wrong ones. We had to pick up all the carrot seeds, [which] were real small. I felt so bad. I still think about that until this day.
What advice would you give to Americans?
Marisela: Use smart ways and not hurt the planet. Like when farming vegetables and fruits, they should not use any chemical pesticides. Even though it could be kind of hard sometimes, it's better for the people and their health.

WUSUP
West Oakland Urban Students Uprising against Pollution
Oakland, California
by Laura Cockman, 17
Students from Ina Bendich's class at EXCEL High School in Oakland had little idea how much they would be impacted when their teacher handed them a list of pollution laws and took them for a walk down the street from their school. Jamelah Isaac, 16, was part of the second class to walk by Custom Alloy and Scrap Sales (CASS), notice the smells coming from the building, and take action to stop the pollution.

The students used pie plates and test tubes to collect dust samples from around the school and their houses and send the samples to a laboratory for testing. The results showed that the air contained dangerous amounts of lead and other metals. Wanting to make a change, the students wrote reports describing their results and contacted news outlets to get the word out about the pollution.

Two years later, the students are still attending neighborhood meetings, conducting surveys and taking air samples in order to bring about a cleaner environment in their community.
What do you consider to be your group's biggest success?
By like telling all the neighbors that live around the factory what's going on, now they want to get something done. So they're complaining a lot, and now the CASS Company is trying to move their company.
What's the best response to your work?
There are so many. ... Adults have been saying "Good job." And if it wasn't for us, nobody would still have a clue what's going on.
What advice would you give to other kids who want to get involved with the environment?
When they do something like this, they have to really be into it. They have to make sure they have all their facts straight, because they don't want to be in the middle of something and have someone be like, "No, that's false information." What else? Let the community know what you're trying to do. Have support.
Back to main story >

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Researchers from the United Negro College Fund went to West Virginia last year and asked 62 high school dropouts in the federal Job Corps program a simple, open-ended question. ¨What was it about school,¨ they wanted to know, ¨that caused you to quit?¨

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Polar bears in the zoo do the same thing over and over, like swing their heads. Some say it’s because they’re confined. It’s no picnic for those in the wild either, their habitat is shrinking.

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Newsela | Restoring ecosystems could bring back wildlife and reduce carbon

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Activists insist the rebuilding of ecosystems could help mitigate climate change.

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Newsela | Much ado about what to do with the nation's feral cats

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A fierce battle is raging between cat lovers and bird lovers over how to handle the millions of feral cats living on the streets.

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Newsela | Ohio community wages war on bullying

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Ohio high school students highlight problem of bullying.

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Stop Bullying on the Spot

When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time.

Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.

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StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on bullying, cyberbullying, prevention and response.

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Newsela | Taking classes online to avoid school bullying

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A growing number of students are attending online schools. For a number of them, their parents pulled them out of public school because they were being bullied.

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Newsela | A survey of American teens finds that online bullying is a big problem

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Online bullying of all kinds remains a major problem for teens.

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US Department of Health and Human Services

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Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA)

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There are things you can do to keep yourself and the kids you know safe from bullying. Find out more at StopBullying.gov.

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What Is Bullying?

Bullying is when someone is picked on by a person or group. Bullies might make fun of people who they think don't fit in.

Bullies might make fun of others for many things, including:

appearance (how someone looks)

behavior (how someone acts)

race or religion

social status (whether someone is popular)

sexual identity (like being gay, lesbian, or transgender)

Bullying can come in different types:

Physical bullying is when bullies hurt their targets physically. This might be shoving, tripping, punching, or hitting. Any form of touching that a person does not want can be bullying and possible sexual assault.

Verbal bullying is taunting or teasing someone.

Psychological bullying is gossiping about or excluding people to make them feel bad about themselves.

Cyberbullying is when bullies use the internet and social media and say things that they might not say in person. This can include sending mean texts, posting insults about someone on Twitter, or making rude comments on their Instagram pictures. Cyberbullies also might post personal information, pictures, or videos designed to hurt or embarrass someone else.

What Are the Effects of Bullying?

Bullies often pick on people over and over again. This can make teens:

feel afraid, stressed, depressed, or anxious

have thoughts about suicide or hurting themselves

have trouble with their schoolwork

have problems with mood, energy level, sleep, and appetite

What Kind of People Are Bullies?

Both guys and girls can be bullies. Bullies may be:

outgoing and aggressive. This kind of bully might make fun of you to your face or physically hurt you.

quiet and sneaky. This kind of bully might try to manipulate in secret. They might anonymously start a damaging rumor just to see what happens.

friendly and fake. This kind of bully might pretend to be your friend so that you tell them things, but then do hurtful things behind your back.

Many bullies are a lot alike. They:

like to be in control of others

are focused on themselves

have poor social skills and have a hard time getting along with people

might not care about people, or lack empathy

are often insecure and bully others to make themselves feel better

Some bullies don't understand normal social emotions like guilt, empathy, compassion, or remorse. These people need help from a mental health professional like a counselor, social worker, psychiatrist, or psychologist.

What Can I Do?

There are many things that you can do if you're being bullied or know someone who is. You can:

Tell a trusted adult. Adults in positions of authority, like parents, teachers, or coaches, often can deal with bullying without the bully ever learning how they found out about it. It's vital to report bullying if it threatens to lead to physical danger and harm. Stalking, making threats, and physical attacks are very serious and when they're not reported, they give the bully license to become more and more violent.

Ignore the bully and walk away. Bullies like getting a reaction. If you walk away or ignore them, you're telling them that you don't care.

Walk tall and hold your head high. Using this type of body language sends a message that you're not vulnerable.

Don't get physical. You're more likely to be hurt and get into trouble if you try to fight a bully. Work out your anger in another way, such as exercising or writing it down (make sure you delete or tear up any emails, posts, letters, or notes you write in anger).

Try to talk to the bully. Try to point out that their behavior is serious and harmful. This can work well if you notice that a member of your own group has started to pick on or shun another member.

Practice confidence. Practice ways to respond to the bully verbally or through your behavior. Practice feeling good about yourself (even if you have to fake it at first).

Talk about it. It may help to talk to a guidance counselor, teacher, or friend - anyone who can give you the support you need. Talking can be a good outlet for the fears and frustrations that can build when you're being bullied.

Find your (true) friends. If you've been bullied with rumors or gossip, tell your friends so that they can help you feel safe and secure. Avoid being alone, especially when the bullying is happening a lot.

Stand up for friends and others you see being bullied. Your actions help the victim feel supported and may stop the bullying.

Join your school's bullying or violence prevention programs. Peer mediation is another way you may be able to work things out with a bully. If your school doesn't have these programs, start one of your own.

What If I'm the Bully?

Some people bully to deal with their own feelings of stress, anger, or frustration. Bullies might also have been bullied and now want to show their power by bullying someone else.

But bullying behavior backfires and makes everyone feel miserable - even the bullies. People might feel intimidated by bullies, but they don't respect them. If you would rather that people see your strength and character - even look up to you as a leader - find a way to use your power for something positive rather than to put others down.

If you have bullied someone:

Try talking to a trusted adult to talk about why you have become a bully. Ask them for some advice on how you could change.

Try thinking of how the person being bullied feels. Imagine how you would feel if you were the target.

Even though people are different, it's important to treat everyone with respect.

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Bullying has everyone worried, not just the people on its receiving end. Learn about dealing with bullies, including tips on how to stand up for yourself or a friend.