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Girl Scouts partner with experts on bullying to educate parents, professionals at June 4 seminar

 

MAY 2011

News stories of teenagers committing suicide because of unrelenting episodes of bullying are becoming all too frequent as parents struggle with the fear their child could be a victim of this growing problem. While face-to-face confrontation used to be the norm, bullies now hide behind technology posting vicious attacks on social media sites and through texting. Children frequently live in silent fear, afraid of retaliation by their tormentors if they seek help from adults. Girl Scouts Louisiana East is partnering with experts on bullying to present a one-day seminar for parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals to learn more about this devastating epidemic among today’s youth. Funded in part by the Louisiana Children’s Trust Fund, the Girl Bullying – Awareness to Action seminar is being held Saturday, June 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the New Orleans Marriott Convention Center, 859 Convention Center Boulevard.

“By partnering with leading experts on relational aggression (female bullying) and cyberbullying, we are using our voice to raise public awareness about the dangers of bullying and its effect on our children, particularly girls,” said Yvette Hairston, vice president of membership for Girl Scouts Louisiana East. “We are encouraging all adults, including our Girl Scout parents, to learn more about how to recognize the warning signs of a child being bullied, as well as, the tools and resources available to address this issue.”

            

Breakout sessions throughout the seminar are facilitated by experts in family therapy, psychology, law enforcement, and other areas in the field of bully prevention. Keynote speaker, Dr. Allan L. Beane, internationally recognized expert, speaker, and author of The Bully Free Program, will focus on the nature of bullying, the rationale for preventing it, and the warning signs. 

            

Registration is required with a pre-registration fee of $25 per person or $35 for onsite registration. Visit the Girl Scout website at www.gsle.org to register for the seminar and for a schedule of activities. For more information, contact Yvette Hairston at 504-733-8220, ext. 2238 or gsconference@gsle.org. 

     

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Marianne Addy, VP of Communications
504-733-8220, ext. 2226 or maddy@gsle.org                                            

Cathy Pottschmidt, Public Relations Specialist                                               225-927-8947, ext. 1238 or cpottschmidt@gsle.org

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