WCEF Program Showcase

Las Lomas Program Targets Intolerance While Promoting Student Safety

Each day, a subtle but pervasive disease affects our nation’s schools, one that causes 160,000 students to stay home in fear. The fear of being bullied, excluded, insulted, harassed, teased or intimidated.

Determined to change the culture of intolerance, a group of committed Las Lomas students and their advisors have embraced a nationally recognized program called Safe School Ambassadors (SSA). “Our goal in participating in Safe Schools is to train and empower students to intervene with their peers to make our campus more welcoming to all students,” explains Principal Pat Lickiss. “We are striving to give students the tools to help one another.”

Realizing the immense value of SSA, the Walnut Creek Education Foundation has chosen to underwrite its cost, placing Las Lomas on a select list of Bay Area schools to participate in this innovative program.

Safe School Ambassadors trains student leaders to recognize signs of bullying, reach out to isolated students, intervene where appropriate and safe, and use their social influence to increase tolerance and respect. Because students see, hear and know things that adults do not, they are far more effective at dealing with peer issues.

The 40 student ambassadors represent different social groups, grade levels, ethnicities and interests, and reflect “great strength of character,” says Valerie Wright, Las Lomas counselor and program coordinator. “They are people who care about others and I have no doubt will continue to touch others by their actions. The ripple effect that this will cause at Las Lomas will be great to see.”

While in its infancy, SSA is already having an impact. According to one student ambassador, “I think it’s important because it can help make our school safe and feel more like our home. We stay here five days a week and many hours and we need everybody to feel comfortable and safe.”

Another participant explains, “This program is such a beneficial thing for the student body because it is a remarkable chance for students to connect to each other so barriers can be torn down.”

As part of the curriculum, the ambassadors undergo an intensive two-day workshop in which they learn communication and intervention skills. Real scenarios are acted out through role playing, and appropriate responses are taught. The training, which will continue throughout the year, has proven invaluable.

“The training was really important for me because it showed me how people have struggled. I realized how we judge people by how they look, but we don’t even know how they’re feeling inside. Everyone that was trained felt that we could make this school a better place for us,” expresses an ambassador.

Adds a student, “The training provided so many valuable learning experiences that all the ambassadors were affected on many levels. Not every student gets the opportunity to really understand and learn how to interact with people in such a way as to avoid problems, especially in high school. It is truly a gift to my fellow students and me.”

In most conflicts on campus, the vast majority of students remain bystanders. They either watch in silence or encourage the aggression so they won’t become targets. The student ambassadors, however, are empowered to safely intervene.

“There are situations that have happened in school that I didn’t know how to deal with before SSA,” says a participant. “People called other people names, or laughed at them because of what they were wearing or their culture. I used to just walk away. I wanted to say something, but I didn’t know how to approach them. Now I feel more confident in dealing with these situations. In the training they showed us some examples that we could say or do to ease the situation.”

Studies show that bullying is reduced 75% when bystanders step in. And when students reach out to lonely peers or diffuse potential conflicts, the school climate dramatically improves. This leads to increased tolerance, fewer disciplinary problems and greater bonding among students. Moreover, research shows that academic achievement rises significantly when students learn in a fear-free environment.

Thanks to the generosity of parents and the local business community, WCEF is proud to bring Safe School Ambassadors to Las Lomas. To learn more about this invaluable program, visit www.safeschoolambassadors.org.