In the United States alone 500,000 people are injured each year as a result of drunk driving and an additional 17,000 people are killed (“Drinking and Driving Key facts and Issues,” 2013). Unfortunately, drunk driving is especially prevalent on prom night. Therefore, as prom night approaches it is important to be aware of the dangers and consequences of drinking and driving. While driving a drivers performance can be hampered by a blood alcohol content (BAC) as low as .2 g/l (“Effects of Alcohol Consumption,” 2005). Additionally, drinking reduces people’s reaction times, which may cause a car to not stop quickly enough and crash into the car in front of it. This begins to occur at a BAC of .6 g/l and reaction times continue to worsen at higher concentrations of alcohol.

Moreover, drinking and driving can have legal repercussions even if it does not result in an accident. For adults it is illegal to have a BAC over 0.08, but for minors it is illegal to have any alcohol in your blood while driving. Being caught drinking while intoxicated can result in having to pay fines, license suspension, and in some cases even jail time (“DUI: Driving Under the Influence,” 2011). Thus, while prom should be enjoyable night it is important to not drink and especially to not drink and drive.

By: Andrew Mulderrig

Resources:

• (2013). Drinking and driving key facts and issues. International Center for alcohol policies. Retrieved from http://www.icap.org/PolicyIssues/DrinkingandDriving/KeyFactsandIssues/tabid/132/Default.aspx

• (2005). Effects of alcohol consumption. European commision. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/knowledge/alcohol/effects_of_alcohol_consumption/effects_on_driver_capabilities.htm

• (2011). DUI: Driving Under the Influence. State of new jersey motor vehicle commission. http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Violations/dui.htm

Every victim of bullying wonders, “Why me?” Maybe it was the old non-brand clothes or the frizzy hair, the braces, huge nose, or acne. Maybe it’s the personality. Bullies usually don’t have a clear reason. But this doesn’t stop the bullied person from trying to change something about them self. This can lead into a lifetime feeling of not feeling ‘good enough’. The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress lists this effect as one of the most serious caused by bullying. Others include difficulty trusting, lingering feelings of revenge, and the predisposition to be a loner.

 The most concerning effect can be the violent tendencies developed by bullying. Many people who have been constantly bullied just ‘snap’ one day and let out their suppressed anger and desire for revenge. The people who feel their anger can be classmates and teachers, as in many school shootings like Colombia and other universities or high schools.

Bullying negatively affects everyone involved, changing their lives forever. Stopping bullying would mean helping young people all over the world to have a better life.

By Victoria Johnson

Nadia Ilse is a beautiful 14-year-old who happened to have slightly larger ears. This caused many to bully Nadia for being different. The bullying started in first grade and didn’t stop since then. In an interview with CNN medical advisor Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Nadia recounted how the taunting turned her from being talkative and outgoing to being withdrawn and antisocial. The taunting “hurt so much” that the young woman had thoughts of suicide. At the age of 10, Nadia confessed to her mother that she wanted otoplasty – surgery to pin her ears back, in an effort to stop the bullying. At the time Nadia’s family could not afford surgery and Nadia had to live with this for another 4 years.

When Nadia was 14 her mother stumbled across the Little Baby Face Foundation, a non-profit organization that offers free plastic surgery for children born with facial deformities. The charity flew Nadia and her mother to NY from Georgia on an all expense paid trip. There they met with Dr. Thomas Romo who performed the surgery. In addition to pinning her ears back, Dr. Romo suggested a reduction of her nose and modification of her chin. These three surgeries; otoplasty, mentoplasty and rhinoplasty were done.

Post-surgery, Nadia had another interview with Dr. Gupta in which she has no regrets regarding her surgery and that she feels beautiful and happy now. Nadia is grateful to the Little Baby Face Foundation and to her mother for being supportive of her and giving her lots of love.  Nadia admits that the surgery has been but one step on the road to recovery, she is now attending counseling to ease the burden years of hurt have placed on her shoulders.  As stated in her interview, Nadia will attend school in the fall with her chin, and her hair, up.

Cases like Nadia pose questions about how far bullying has gone nowadays. Now should bullying victims endure physical as well as emotional pain? Are cases like Nadia’s teaching victims that surgery is the answer to their problems, or is it teaching them that they can feel good about themselves again? Should charities like Little Baby Face Foundation be focusing on the physical attributes of the victims or on their self-esteem and how they feel about themselves on the mental level?

By Laya Manoj

This January 21-25 is the 9^th annual NNCW. Hundreds of schools participated by making anti-bullying posters, talking daily about the effects that bullying has on the victims, watching videos, having classroom discussions, and taking action to spread respect and kindness to their neighborhoods.

This year, GLSEN is hosting a Creative Expression Exhibit and Contest. For the exhibit, students can submit a piece of artwork that features NNCW's message of anti-bullying. For the contest, an entire school can participate! Any type of display(s) that express the school's efforts to promote kindness can be created. Pictures of the display will be judged and the winning school will win a NNCW prize kit including anti-bullying books and facts sheets, t-shirts, wristbands, Stop Bullying: Speak Up posters, and much, much more!Hopefully NNCW at Biotech has informed everyone more about bullying. Of course, even though NNCW is over, everyone should remember to respect others' feelings. Take a stand against bullying year round!

By Emily Lau

Through commercials and print ads, the Advertising Council is trying to encourage parents to talk with their children about what to do if they see a bullying incident.  “They want to help, but they don’t know how.  Teach your kids how to be more than a bystander.”

One of the main issues that the campaign addresses is the misconception that some parents are under.  Many adults do not understand how truly harmful bullying can be.  The old saying “boys will be boys,” and the thought that taunting and teasing are merely are rites of passage into adulthood are no longer true.  With the help of social media, bullying has become even more aggressive.  Bullies say things online that they would never dare to say in person, and they can even say things anonymously.  Bullies have become even more ruthless. Students are bullied at school and online.  It never stops.

Organizations such as Johnson & Johnson and the New York ad agency DDB are helping to fund the campaign.  Companies including Facebook, CNN, the MLB network, and AOL are all dedicated to helping to spread the word about the effects of bullying.  They are trying to show that by stepping up and helping victims, you can help to end bullying.

The next time that you witness a bullying incident, remember to be more than a bystander.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/business/media/campaign-tries-to-help-defuse-bullying.html?_r=0 

By Rachel Weinstein

Being that this week is especially dedicated to anti-bullying, this is extremely disappointing news.  This proved that the world cannot be completely be good for just one week, and that there are people out there who will not try to end their mean ways.  This incident, along with what happened in the Newtown shooting a month ago, has made it clear that anything is possible, and no matter how safe a school can be, danger is still present.  These two incidents have prompted schools to increase safety and anti-bullying laws in their schools.

By Hannaan Choudhry

“I think that years of abuse in school and so many things were said to me that haunted me every day and I went from having all these friends to none and that’s the effect that bullying can have on you,” said Demi Lovato. She left school as a teenager because the torment got so terrible. After going through a recent breakdown, Demi Lovato returned stronger than ever, releasing “Skyscraper”, a song that puts forth the concept of not letting anyone bring you down. “Go on and try to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground like a skyscraper.”

Lady Gaga has just announced that she will be starting an anti-bullying campaign called “Born Brave Bus”, which is a three-hour session in a bus before her concerts in March. It will be open to people under 25 who want to talk about their bullying and acceptance problems, with no judgment added. Also bullied as a child, Lady Gaga wants to “foster a more accepting society, where differences are embraced and individuality is celebrated.” 

By Emma Mueller

Most family members do not intentionally bully these teens. Most comments that parents make that bully their children are said with good intentions. They are only trying to help their children. Rebecca M. Puhl, the lead author of the study mentioned above, says that the majority of this bullying comes “in the form of verbal comments.” These verbal comments have a very wide range in nature. Some parents nag their children about eating too much, while others criticize their own weight and appearance, making their children feel more insecure about themselves.

Some teens also report feeling bullied by their parents after trying to talk to them about their problems with bullying in school. This happens when teens are bullied in school and then try to talk to their parents about it. Some parents disregard the issue, which makes their children feel neglected. Some parents tease their children for being “too sensitive”. Some parents also unintentionally bully their child by voicing the opinion that the child has a problem that needs to be fixed. This makes some teens feel even more flawed and inferior than they felt before.

Anti-bullying week has definitely made us all look inside ourselves and inspired us to take a stand against bullying everywhere.  

By: Anshul Agrawal

About 30% of teenagers in the United States have been involved in bullying, either as the bully or as a victim. Relatively, it may seem like a small percentage, but it isn’t. Thirty percent isn’t a small number when referring to the number of teenagers hurt emotionally or physically during their school lives. These students, who share the same rights of freedom of speech and free will, shouldn’t have to be silenced and marginalized because of their differences.

Over the past few years, the state and nation has taken initiative to increase awareness in bullying and harassment. This year, BTHS participated in its first “No-Name Calling Week”, an event brought together by the Students of Service Club, led by Mr. Brown.

Throughout the week, “dress-up days” were held to promote a certain aspect of unity and anti-bullying. The class with the most participation throughout the week would receive a pizza party. Monday’s theme was “Black Out Bullying”. Students wore black. Walking into the MPR, one could only a sea of black. BTHS was participating whole-heartedly. Even the staff seemed to be enjoying this activity. Tuesday’s theme was “Walk a Mile in Some Else’s Shoes”. It was an amusing sight to see both faculty and students walk around with two different types of shoes on. Wednesday brought in “You Can’t Take Your Words Back”, asking students to wear their shirts backwards. One junior decided to wear all his clothes backwards! Except for his shoes, though of course. Students wore mismatched clothing on “Appreciate Our Differences” Thursday. The school was a lot more colorful than when it was on Monday! Finally, Friday was “Unity Day”. BTHS overflowed with people wearing either BTHS clothes or the official school colors: black, silver/grey, or maroon.

After the total tallies, the junior class won the pizza party! It was a fun week full of fun activities like sitting with new people, signing pledges, and making posters. Hopefully the week long event made the different aspects of bullying and the importance of accepting differences more apparent to more people.

Stopping bullying means the same as turning off the mute button. We should all try to blockade this rise in harassment that people have previously ignored. This week has made it clear. The tape must be taken off the mouths. The festering wounds of hate should be treated. The mute button must be taken away. 

By NaYoung Yang

To further the movement against bullying, all students have been asked to participate in “dress-up” days. On Monday, students wore all black to “Black out Bullying.” Tuesday began with some laughs, as the theme was “Walk a Mile in Someone Else’s Shoes;” numerous people were walking around with two different shoes! “You Can’t Take Your Words Back” was Wednesday’s theme, so students at Biotech wore their shirts backwards!

Thursday’s theme was “Appreciate Our Differences.” Students have been instructed to wear mismatched clothing and to “mix it up” at lunch; the goal was to have as may people as possible sitting next to people they wouldn’t normally eat lunch with. The last day of “No Name Calling Week” is “Unity Day.” Everyone will wear Biotech clothes or colors. An anti-bullying pledge will be available for all to sign in the front lobby, showing individual commitment to completely eliminate bullying.

Did I mention that there was a prize? The grade that has the highest percentage of students participating in the “No Name Calling Week” dress-up days will win a pizza party! As of January 23^th, Biotech’s juniors are in the lead, with the freshman following close behind. It’s too soon to tell which grade will have the greatest amount of students who stand up to bullying.

When “No Name Calling Week” commences on January 25^th, we must not forget how important it is to support our peers. The end of the event does not mean the end of our goal to eliminate bullying. Biotech is currently taking steps to form an Anti-Bullying Team to continue to promote respect and kindness towards others. Remember: words can hurt. Take a moment to think about what you’re about to say before you say it because you can’t ever take your words back. 

By: Jenna Weingarten