About StandUp

STAND UP to Bullying is a program of Empower Peace, a non-profit organization in Boston, bringing together middle and high school students and educating, inspiring and empowering students to take an active role in combating bullying in their schools and communities. Empower Peace, in partnership with the renowned anti-bullying organization the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University (MARC) and The Browne Center conducts these programs to provide training and empowerment in bullying prevention for participating schools.

To date, over 15,000 students and teachers have benefited from STAND UP to Bullying events. STAND UP is committed to empowering students to address the growing concern about the impact of bullying on our youth. The statistics are alarming, and news stories of teen suicide due to bullying are more frequent than ever before. It is estimated that 160,000 students miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students. STAND UP has been addressing these problems since the maiden STAND UP program in Massachusetts in 2011 at Matthews Arena on the campus of Northeastern University. Programs have been held in Lowell and Worcester, Massachusetts as well as Durham, New Hampshire.

The first STAND UP Training & Action Summit (TAS) took place on November 21, 2014 at Fenway Park. Nearly 500 student leaders gathered for a day of skills building and collaboration. Professionals from the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University trained students in bullying prevention and positive ways to address the widespread phenomenon in schools and online. Keynote speakers included Janet Anderson, Vice President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, and Charles Steinberg of the Boston Red Sox.

Empower Peace, in partnership with the renowned anti-bullying organization the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University (MARC) and The Browne Center in will conduct these Summits to provide training and empowerment in bullying prevention for a small team of student leaders from each participating school. Each two-hour session will motivate students to confront and address bullying problems in their own schools through thoughtful dialogue and action plans. Each school will be represented by a team of three to five students who possess leadership qualities and represent diverse groups and interests, along with at least one adult (teacher, counselor, etc).

As we begin to better understand the correlation between bullying and domestic violence, mass violence, and mental health issues in our society, we appreciate the urgent need to address these behaviors through direct action. STAND UP to Bullying is dedicated to help provide that direct action.