Palm Beach County a sea of pink on Pink Shirt Day

March 5, 2012
Contact: Cheryl Crowley, ImMEDIAcy Public Relations, Inc.
561.776.7659 Office
561.371.5631 Cell 

Palm Beach County a sea of pink on Pink Shirt Day

Delray Beach, FL – It's official - this year's Leap Day was overshadowed by a sea of Pink as hundreds of adults and children from local schools, businesses, community and faith-based organizations, neighborhoods, and folks all over the county wore pink shirts on February 29th and participated in Pink Shirt Day to show their support of anti-bullying efforts.

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County coordinated this effort through afterschool programs that are part of the Literacy Coalition's Turning Bullies into Buddies Program. Public events took place in Palm Beach Gardens at Downtown at the Gardens, in West Palm Beach at the City Hall Courtyard, and in Boca Raton at Hughes Park.

Each location was awash in pink as kids and adults, wearing pink "Bullying Stops Here" t-shirts, delighted passers-by with modified flash mobs. Colorful anti-bullying banners and signs hung all around as kids performed skits and raps - all in an effort to send the message that we can stem the tide of bullying and give kids (whether victim, bystander or bully) the tools to use in daily life to stop bullying.

At the Boca Raton location, Jake Long, four-time Pro Bowl left tackle for the Miami Dolphins, was the special guest and spoke to more than 600 kids from several programs including the Florence Fuller Child Development Center.

"I hate bullies and I think it's the wrong thing to do," said Long. "It's not an attractive quality. It's not funny and it's not cool to make fun of someone for wearing a pink shirt or looking a certain way or if they can't do something as good as you."

"Pink Shirt Day was a wonderful way to get the public involved in anti-bullying efforts. Parents, teachers and the general public are so concerned about bullying, and we need to send a message that bullying will not be tolerated in our schools," said Darlene Kostrub, CEO of the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County. The Literacy Coalition's Turning Bullies into Buddies Program gives kids the strategies they need to combat bullying."

Pink Shirt Day began when two high school seniors in Canada witnessed a freshman being bullied on his first day of school for wearing a pink shirt. Friends and classmates united to create a sea of pink on the following day. Pink Shirt Day is recognized and celebrated locally and internationally.

Pink Shirt Day was coordinated in partnership with Prime Time Palm Beach County, with generous funding from the Children’s Services Council and in collaboration with the Center for Creative Education and the School District of Palm Beach County.

Turning Bullies into Buddies Program

Studies show that children identified as bullies by the age of eight are six times more likely to be convicted of a crime by the age of 24. Prime Time Palm Beach County and the After School Reads Program of the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County provide free training and materials for afterschool staff to help students with bullying concerns. The program involves ongoing activities a few times per week for approximately three months and once a month thereafter. Activities include read-aloud books, music, songs, dance, arts & crafts, and cooking and science activities.

About the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County

It is estimated that 1 in 7 adults in Palm Beach County function at the lowest level of literacy and approximately one third of fourth grade students cannot read at grade level. The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County is committed to promoting and achieving literacy for adults, children and families. For more information about the Literacy Coalition and its programs, please contact the Coalition office, 1-800-273-1030.