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Congratulations to Pacer Center, Champions for Children with Disabilities, in Bloomington, Minnesota. This group is taking a strong stand against bullying by sponsoring the fourth annual National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, October 4-10, 2009. Read the story of their hero’s journey.

Introduction

Joseph Campbell, the author of “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” teaches the process of taking a hero’s journey. Many books, movies, and other projects have been based on this journey. I based a large part of my conflict resolution curriculum called the 3 C’s: Conflict Resolution, Character Education, and Communication Skills on the hero’s journey approach.

As I discover schools, organizations, and people taking a stand against bullying, we will learn more about their particular hero’s journey.

     The 5 W’s of the Ordinary World

Who: Pacer Center – National Center for Bullying Prevention
Where: Minneapolis, Minnesota
When: October 4-10, 2009
What: 4th Annual National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week
Why: As reported on the Pacer Center website, “Pacer Center is a parent training and information center for families of children and youth with all disabilities from birth through 21 years old. Located in Minneapolis, it serves families across the nation, as well as those in Minnesota.”

     Call to Adventure

On any hero’s journey, a Call to Adventure or a Call to Action is issued. Naturally, the hero has two choices. He or she or they can accept their Call to Adventure and embark on their hero’s journey. Or they can attempt to refuse the Call to Adventure.

Sometimes, whether they want to or not, a hero is forced into going on this journey anyway.

Pacer Center found reason to accept this call to adventure years ago in 1977. They started with just one project known as Parents Helping Parents. It evolved through the years to incorporate 30 different projects.

In 2006, Pacer received their call to adventure to more pro-actively help children who are bullied. They launched an interactive website to “help children deal with and prevent bullying.” The website is called Pacer Kids Against Bullying.org.

Another Call to Adventure they received was to sponsor the first National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week back in 2006. This tradition has continued. This week of Oct. 4-10, 2009 marks the advent of the 4th Annual National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week.

     Cross First Threshold

One of the ways this organization is working to make certain young people get over the threshold of learning more about how to deal with and prevent bullying is the launching of its new Pacer Teens Against Bullying.org website.

Disney teen star Demi Lavato helps with this effort. Watch her on YouTube to learn more.

     Approach to the Inmost Cave

As the Pacer Center helps others approach the challenges of the Inmost Cave, they provide all kinds of resources for kids, for teens, and for adults.

Elementary students have access to the Bullying prevention website for kids, stick puppet role plays featuring the Club Crew, Kids against Bullying Coloring Books, tool kits, lesson plans, bookmarks, contests, reading lists, videos, Where’s Pip, and the option to take the oath to “Be A Kid Against Bullying.”

Middle school and high school students have access to the Teens Against Bullying Website, toolkits, video contest, bookmarks, ACT! Resources, opportunities to share their story, the ability to request a governor’s proclamation, and directions of how to form a Bullying Prevention Committee.

Naturally, the adults who care about young people can benefit from all of these resources and more.

     Supreme Ordeal

Being bullied is a Supreme Ordeal for any child, teen, and grown-up. The next worst thing is to be a bystander or witness of this bullying. Knowing how to deal with bullies is also a Supreme Ordeal.

In order to prevent, or at least reduce, the number of bullying incidents, the National Center for Bullying Prevention “encourages communities nationwide to work together to increase awareness of the prevalence and impact of bullying on all children.”

     The Road Back

The part of the Hero’s Journey known as “The Road Back” might make you feel that the danger is over and there is no longer a need to be vigilant or concerned. According to Joseph Campbell, there are still dangers to be faced. This is not a time to relax your guard.

The Pacer Center is well aware of that challenge. On their website, they state, “Families, students, schools, organizations and other groups can unite with PACER to prevent bullying in several ways. Activities and materials such as contests, toolkits, and online bullying prevention training are available on how to help reduce bullying in schools, recreational programs, and community organizations.”

     Resurrection & Return with the Elixir

It is too soon to know how the hero’s journey of Pacer Center’s National Center for Bullying Prevention will end. This is an uphill battle. However, armed with such activities as the annual National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, the Support TEAM Fundraising Drive for Teens Against Bullying, following them on Twitter and Facebook, making use of the activities and resources on the teen and kids bullying websites, etc., this is the elixir that can help reduce and prevent bullying. Additionally, teens can vote to help the ‘Teens Against Bullying Movement’ be awarded up to $250,000.

What is the Resurrection of this particular Hero’s Journey? It is the resurrection of hope that all this hard work and vigilance will pay off currently and in the future so that there will be fewer bullies everywhere.

Resources:
Pacer Center – National Center for Bullying Prevention website
Pacer Facts
History of Pacer Center
Join the Movement to end Bullying
Pacer Teens Against Bullying.org
Pacer Kids Against Bullying.org
The Hero with a Thousand Faces (first published in 1949) by Joseph Campbell