Aretha Franklin's “Respect” livened up the gym at Glenshire Elementary School's anti-bullying presentation last week. Presented by former teacher and anti-bully advocate Joseph Savage of Soul Shoppe, the program included an interactive video and plenty of information.

Marti Reedy, Glenshire's counselor heard about the Soul Shoppe assemblies from a parent, and approached the Rotary Foundation Board for part of the money. Glenshire's PTO matched the money.

“I love the way he said there is ‘no such thing as a bully. There is just bullying behavior,'” said Reedy.

Savage's presentation, “Free to Be” included reasons why children bully, defined three types of bullies and offered advice to cope with bullies.

Why do children bully? Reedy appreciated “using the metaphor of a balloon…that people who experience uncomfortable feelings put them inside themselves, like air in a balloon, and when the balloon gets real full, those feelings ‘leak out' onto other people.”

Savage held a red balloon, and each time he mentioned a situation that might cause a child pain or grief, he blew it up a titch. For example, parents fighting, Dad is never around and stressed due to work, more and more and more examples until that balloon was ready to blow.

The video presented three young teens who were bullies: Physical, social and verbal bullies.

Physical bullies push others around, social bullies start ugly rumors and talk about peers behind their backs and verbal bullies use words to hurt. Each time these characters were presented, Savage asked the students in the gym to say “there must be a better way!” The response from the Glenshire students was resounding and sincere.

Savage proceeded to teach the children how to “empty their balloons:” Stop and breath, walk away, ask an adult for help, do something else if you feel the bullying urge.

Reedy agreed: “We need to find ways for people to empty their balloons without hurting others. He taught the kids some easy things they can do to express these uncomfortable feelings. Some of the techniques we are using now.”

Safety, both emotional and physical for Glenshire students is always important and a priority for Reedy. “I do not think we (GES) have any more of a problem than any other school, but we wanted to be as proactive as possible,” she stated.

And what is a child to do if he or she is being bullied? Anti-bullying techniques can be summed up as “FREE.”

Flow: Don't let it bother you. Radar: Find a way to stay safe. Express: Stand your ground and speak up. Enough: Know when it is time to ask for help.

For information about bullying or Soul Shoppe's presentation, visit www.soulshoppe.com.