AFN Partners With DOD Overseas Schools to Help Stop Bullying

By George A. Smith

American Forces Network Broadcast Center, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2014 – Three Defense Media Activity organizations and Department of Defense Education Activity schools in the Pacific and Europe are syncing entertainment with command information and social media to help stop bullying.

The seven-hour event -- which starts noon Central European Time/Japan-Korea Time March 23 on AFNfamily -- will give parents and children a mix of highly acclaimed, informative and entertaining TV shows on how to deal with bullying.

AFNfamily program planner Myia Alston said the high-school-student-hosted event is designed to be a “co-viewing event that parents and kids view and discuss together,” noting that bullying is one of the top social concerns for kids all around the world.

“We’ll have resources set up through our partnership with DODEA at dodea.edu and stopbullying.gov,” Alston said. “The important thing for people to consider is these are checked resources and they can trust what they find.”

The event kicks off with “Stand Up: Military Kids Against Bullying.” The AFN Europe show highlights how DODEA students take an active role to stop bullying through their own creative ideas and initiatives. Next up, it’s “Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: Sticks, Stones and CyberSlams.”

Other shows are “Cyberbully,” “Tagged: The Jonathan Wamback Story,” the critically acclaimed, multi-award -inning and deeply emotional theatrical documentary “Bully,” and “NFL Characters Unite”, profiling NFL stars sharing deeply personal stories of overcoming prejudice, bullying and discrimination with the goal of helping young people currently facing similar challenges.

The AFN Broadcast Center negotiated the rights to TV shows and produced segments in which high school students introduce shows and give additional information on where to go for help. AFN Europe also created a show on military kids standing up to bullying.

DODEA is getting the word out to overseas schools and will respond to people’s tweets on Twitter during the show, and the DMA Radio and TV Production Office provided targeted messages on bullying that will air during the event.

To join the live conversation during the event, send a tweet to @DoDEA #StopBullying and share comments, observations and questions with DoDEA staff.