There are events I have been very lucky to photograph, but this event in particular is one that I felt very moved and inspired by.
New Rochelle resident Beth Feldman has made it her mission to focus on boosting kids’ self-esteem. On March 3, Beth held the first annual Stomp-Out Bullying Event at New Rochelle’s Temple Israel. She has spearheaded raising awareness about bullying in schools and cyber bullying and is transforming her community in the Lifetime Network’s Clean Start Challenge.
She has chosen Love Our Children USA. as her charity, a wonderful organization that protects children and keeps families safe. The winning team through this challenge will be awarded $10,000 for the charity of their choice. In her video leading up to the day of the event she said “It’s about empowering that other kid who’s being bullied to feel good about themselves to be independent.”
Guest speakers of the evening included Love Our Children USA and STOMP Out Bullying founder and CEO Ross Ellis, Lauren Ruotolo author of “Unstoppable in Stilettos,” self-esteem specialist Taryn Grimes-Herbert, National Teen ambassador and former Miss South New Jersey Krysten Moore, Lisa DeMauro, a youth counselor at Center Lane, Westchester’s LGBTQ support center. Psychologist and author Dr. Jeff Gardere, Alexander Drab Jr. with Center Lane and Amy Steifel, a high school junior were also among the speakers.
As the packed auditorium reverberated with the bustle of parents and children of all ages, Beth Feldman stepped up to the microphone. Her message was vigilant, honest and clear as she shared a painful part of her life with the audience that lead her to stand where she did that evening.
Bullying was a subject she herself had personal identification with as a child. Beth was bullied as a young girl because of her weight. Her personal up and down journey with her esteem founded her desire to use this Clean Start Challenge as a platform to help raise the esteem of children who are dealing with bullying today.
One of the event’s first speakers was Taryn Grimes-Herbert. As the audience quieted to a whisper, Taryn’s gentle voice asked every man woman and child in front of her to close their eyes. While their eyes were closed they were asked to imagine their most incredible dream life, to concentrate on it. She had the room imagining that their lives could be something that they created, a life they could look forward to.
Krysten Moore, Former Miss Teen NJ,National Youth Ambassador of Love Our Children and Stomp Out Bullying, spoke passionately about her experience being bullied. During those years, a website was created to make fun of her online. She has since been determined to take a stand.
She offers her lessons learned as advice to young people and serves as an inspiring example to hundreds of children that they don’t have to live in the negative. She believes that that with one small gesture we can change a person’s life.
Lauren Ruotolo got up and left the crowd speechless telling her story of growing up with the rare degenerative bone disorder called McCune Albright Syndrome. Her book is titled Unstoppable in Stilettos.
Dr. Jeff Gardere and Ross Ellis, Love Our Children USA founder spoke bringing knowledge to parents on how to better protect their children in and out of school. Ross’ organization focuses on reducing and preventing bullying, cyber bullying and other abuse.
The audience later was broken down into workshop groups of elementary kids, adults and middle school age children. Each was divided and the adults stayed in the auditorium to discuss the pressing issue of cyber bullying.
Taryn Grimes-Herbert, who is also a Creative Dramatics Specialist, worked with the elementary children in a room just off to the side of the auditorium where she brilliantly won over all their attention. The workshop started with having the children close their eyes and create their most incredible life. A life that is whatever in the universe they could imagine. With hands raised and giggling throughout the room the kids all contributed their dream lives and mapped out a route of how they were going to get there.
Then they were asked to remember a very positive memory, whether it was something funny that happened or something good that was said to them but to really think about something that they had experienced that made them feel truly confident and great. Taryn asked them to then try really hard to relive that happy positive feeling and hold onto them for a moment.
Kids then made a bubble with their arms and imagined that positive feeling all around them. This happy bubble represented their confidence and that nothing can affect that bubble. They were able to imagine that negative things would just bounce off their bubbles. They were beginning to realize that inside that “bubble” was who they truly were.
At the end of the evening, Rabbi Beth Nichols read quotes written by the children on notecards: These were a few of the quotes from the kids…
“Tonight reminded me that just a simple smile can change someone’s life”.
“Tonight reminded me that….Bullying is WRONG to infinity and beyond.”
“Tonight reminded me that bullying is horrible and never should happen”.
“Tonight reminded me that…Life can still be hopeful even if you are bullied. Life will always be awesome”.
These can also be viewed here.