Blog

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis is bringing the message against bullying to ninth-grade students in the Hazelwood School District. From March  through April 11, freshmen at Hazelwood Central, Hazelwood East and Hazelwood West high schools will experience a new play titled “Cruel to be Kind?” followed by a companion workshop, “Bullies and Boundaries.”

“Cruel to be Kind?” explores bullying between two brothers set in 1599 as Shakespeare writes a play. The workshop provides opportunities for activities, as well as referencing the characters and situations within the play. The workshops are lead by trained actor/teaching artists. Students will discuss and role-play in a safe workshop environment, define bullying and learn methods for diffusing cruel behavior. The performances of “Cruel to be Kind?” are 50-minutes. The workshops are an hour, and will include groups of 30 students.

Funding for the performances and workshops is being provided by the District’s Safe Schools-Healthy Students Initiative.  In 2008, the U.S. Department of Education chose the Hazelwood School District as the only Missouri district to receive a four-year Safe Schools-Healthy Students grant valued at $6 million. The initiative supports District efforts in creating safe learning environments that promote healthy childhood development, as well as preventing youth violence and drug use.

HSD established an anti-bullying campaign in all schools beginning in August 2010. Each school showed a public service announcement video against bullying featuring District students during assemblies and academic mentoring sessions, and all students were encouraged to sign anti-bullying pledge cards. Teachers, counselors and staff received training on bullying, including cyber-bullying, and suicide prevention.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us