Third annual anti-bullying conference

TRAVERSE CITY — Registration is now open for the third annual Anti-Bullying Conference on Friday, Oct. 17, set to focus on student engagement and empowering students to create safe, inclusive school environments.

Offering sessions for both youth and adults, the one-day conference is appropriate for parents, helping professionals, high school student leaders and community members. The conference is presented by the northwest Michigan regional Anti-Bullying Task Force, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and NMC.

The focus of this year’s event is student engagement, including tracks on being an upstander and starting a Not In Our School (NIOS) campaign. An upstander is a person who speaks up or stands up to bullying and intolerance, either to prevent or intervene when someone is being harmed. A NIOS campaign is an ongoing commitment to empower students to create safe and inclusive environments that are free of bullying, harassment and all forms of intolerance

“We are thrilled to bring Not In Our School to Michigan. Their focus is on tolerance, acceptance and inclusion – which is part of our mission at the Michigan Department of Civil Rights,” said department Director Matt Wesaw. “This conference will bring together students, educators and experts to share best practices and respond with models to best serve our Michigan communities.”

Conference facilitators are from the national “Not In Our Town” organization, the parent of Not In Our Schools. Not In Our Town films, new media, and organizing tools help local leaders build vibrant, diverse cities and towns, where everyone can participate.

The conference will be held from 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Hagerty Center on NMC’s Great Lakes Campus, 715 E. Front Street, Traverse City. Admission is free and lunch will be provided.

The Anti-Bullying Task Force was formed in 2012 and has focused its efforts in the five-county northwest Michigan region, with an emphasis on improving school climate and helping vulnerable populations of all ages. Members are NMC, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, TBAISD, Michigan State Police, Child & Family Services/Third Level Crisis Center, Disability Network, Women's Resource Center, Conflict Resolution Services, MSU Extension Office, Blackbird Arts, and TCAPS.

To learn more about MDCR, please visit www.michigan.gov/mdcr. NIOS materials can be viewed at http://www.niot.org/nios/.

Release date: September 24, 2014

For more information:

Lisa Thomas
Associate Dean of Student Life
lthomas@nmc.edu
(
231) 995-1043