PAL Educates Young Girls About Bullying
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Bullying was the focus of a youth summit Thursday night at the Wynnefield Police Athletic League Center.
This was part of PAL's girls mentoring program. Officers took part in sit-down discussions, there were anti-bullying arts and crafts and speeches by women leaders, like PAL commanding officer Evelyn Cintron.
"It's about being able to guide them and be there for them when they need us," she explains, "and give them some tools they can carry on into their personal lives so that they can better manage the different adversities they deal with in the communities they are growing up in."
Her speech touched on teen suicide generated from bullying in schools and online:
"If I can get across to them that their lives are of value and if I can save a life then I've accomplished my goal."
Among the over 200 girls in attendance was 17-year-old Keyianna.
"I'm already a leader and I wanted to come here and show a good example to the PAL Centers," she tells KYW Newsradio.
She says the girl's learned important lessons:
"Don't bully nobody, don't be doing nothing you're not supposed to be doing and be a good leader. Be a better person than you were yesterday and if you ever get bullied, tell somebody."
Exactly what PAL executive director Ted Qualli hoped the girls would take away from this:
"Getting tools to deal with bullying so they can learn what it is, what it isn't, when to see it and what to do if they are being bullied or they see someone who is being bullied."
There are 19 PAL centers throughout the city, all taking part in this program. Qualli says new girls are always welcome.
