Bullying
frontpage AI
school for more than a year, until
the abuse became physical. When
the bully pushed Kofi's head into a
window on the school bus, Kofi
finally broke the silence.
Mclver said he was shocked to
learn the extent of his son's suffer
ing. He and Evans met with the abu
' sive child's parents and
with school adninistrators
in search of a solution. In
the end, it was Kofi who
put a stop to the ordeal.
"Kofi was the most
effective in addressing the
problem," Mclver said.
"He went to the boy and
said, 'You don't really
realize the good friend that
you're missing out on.'
After that, Kofi became a
little leader in his class."
Today, Kofi is back on
track, and excelling in his
third grade class at
Phoenix Academy in High
Point, but Mclver said the
experience - made an
impression on him. In
hopes of sparing others
from the heartache his
family suffered because of
bullying, the Wake Forest
School of Law alumnus
founded an anti-bullying program
that he hopes will change the mind
set of area youth.
'Tve wanted to do something for
awhile. As a lawyer, I wanted to
give back and get a social action
program together, and this just
seemed like a good fit for my prac
tice," he said of the project, which
will target local students through a
variety of local partnerships and ini
tiatives. "I have just a soft spot for
kids."
The project began in earnest last
week, when The Law Offices of
Roderick T. Mclver footed the bill
for 20 high school students from the
Goler Institute for Development and
Education's Youth Education
Academy (GIDE-YEA) to travel to
Greensboro to see "Bully," a ground
breaking documentary about peer-to
peer bullying in America. GIDE
YEA Program Director Bill
McClain said he was grateful for the
law firm's support.
"I appreciate him having the
courage to step forward. Most adtilts
don't get involved in youth issues,"
said McClain, who has worked with
"young people for close to two
decades. "It'll set an example for the
kids and let them know that there are
adkilts who care about them, and that
makes them care about themselves
more."
Mclver, who was out of town
over the weekend and unable to
make the trip to the movies, met
briefly with the youth on Thursday
at Winston-Salem Preparatory
Academy. As the students gathered
around him in the school's gymnasi
um Mrlvpr churv*H *c
Ulll , 1*1 VI I VI J1IU1VU IWtl u
story and his aspirations
for the program, which
has yet to be named
"Luckily, we were
able to addess it and help
try to fix it, but it never
should've happened" he
stated "He dich't deserve
to be bullied"
Eighteen year-old
Maleek Peoples said he
already has a low toler
-ance for bullying.
"I don't condone it,"
stated Peoples, a senior at
Carver High School and
longtime GIDE partici
pant. "I don't like it hap
pening around me, so I
try to stop it as best as I
can."
GIDE participant
Darrell Sims says he
nnrWctQnrk: hnu/ mcv it
u ? iuk/1 JIUIIVU uvn vwj 1?
can be to get caught up in peer pres
sure and foiget the effects bullying
can have on its victims.
"It's been a couple of occur
rences at school where a couple of
kids got bullied," related Sims, the
fourth of seven children. "At the
time, 1 was going along with ... the
bullying, then a couple of my
friends actually got on me about it."
Sims says one of his school
mates committed suicide because he
was being bullied. The West Forsyth
senior added that he now realizes the
gravity of the situation, and would
hande things differently if he wit
nessed an act of bullying again.
"You've got a lot of kids com
mitting suicide," he pointed out.
Mclver said he hopes his pro
gram will help students like Sims to
recognize the danger in condoning or
participating in bullying before it's
too late.
"My whole focus is to make it
uncool," he said.
For more information about
Melver's anti-bullying program,
visit www.nobullybumper.com.
Sims
Peoples
Residents come together to pray
Photo* by Layla
Oarnu
Local
Christians
left their
hands in
prayer on
Tuesday
evening.
I
BYLAYLAGARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Christians from across the city
convened at Old Salem Tuesday
evening to take part in "Come Alive,
Winston-Salem."
The city wide prayer event was the
first staged by the Winston-Salem
branch of the New Canaan Society -
an international group for male
Christians - and Love Out Loud, a
local organization that fosters
Christian love through community
outreach.
James
Helvey III
hosted
Tuesday's
gathering,
which also
included
women. He is
one of the
founders of the
Winston
Salem Chapter
ot the New Canaan society. Helvey
said he attended a New Canaan
Society national retreats following
his unsuccessful bid for U.S.
Congress in 2004, and felt compelled
to bring the oiganization's message
and mission to the Twin City.
"It's really just men getting
together based on friendship with
each other and based on friendship
with Jesus Christ," Helvey said. "It's
really just men telling their story
about how God has been active in
their lives."
The local chapter, which meets
twice a week, boasts 400 active
members, representing more than SO
local churches. Love Out Loud
Leader Chuck Spong is also a mem
ber of the Society, which he
describes as "a life-giving group of
guys, energizing one another and
growing together."
Kalim Andaos, a member of
Friendly Arabic Church in
Kemersville, said he fell in love with
the New Canaan Society right away.
"It's just a wonderful Christian
group, encouraging men to be men
of valor," said the father of four who
co-owns a dozen gas stations in the
area. "...It's God's glory. That's what
it is."
Andaos was one of six bilingual
men who read a designated prayer in
their native tongues during the
"Come Alive" service. He also led
the group in a Prayer of Repentance,
one of six formal prayers offered as
part of Come Alive.
Audence members murmured
their fervent agreement as one prayer
melted into the next.
City native Terrance Hawkins
praised the event, calling it unlike
any he has seen in the Twin City.
"Things like this don't happen a
lot as far as across denominational
lines and racial lines and socio-eco
nomic lines," said Hawkins, who
serves in Winston-Salem First's
Outreach and Evangelism depart
ment. "I think it's a unique thing and
hopefully, a sign of renewal for the
city."
Hawkins said he believed the
event's inclusive nature would breed
other good things for Winston
Salem.
"I just see it as a group of people
who love Jesus and love this city
linking arms to pray and ask God to
accomplish his work in this city of
redemption and renewal," concluded
the Mount Tabor alumnus.
For more informction about the
New Canaan Society, visit
www.newccmacnsociety.org. For
more informction about Love Out
Loud, visit
www.loveoutloudws.com.
Helvty
Kalim Andraos reads.
Terrance Hawkins (left) with
Chuck Spong.
A sweet, smooth
and sippable treat
i y | [ j
/
Made with 100% fruit
juice with natural flavors.
Combining the natural
sweetness of cherry and
raspberry in a smooth
and sippable treat!
m
i'm lovin' it*
c
At participating McDonald's
for a limited time. ID 2012 McDonald's