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Toronto – The Argos Foundation – Stop the Violence has committed to visit 75 schools this year through its Huddle Up Bullying Prevention School Program. The Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program presented by Tim Hortons, in partnership with the Canadian Safe School Network,
enters its sixth year of helping to keep Toronto area schools safe. In
that short time, the program has reached more than 120,000 students
with more than 220 school presentations.
In
collaboration with the Canadian Safe School Network, this three part
interactive program empowers students to make positive choices when
faced with the issue of bullying. A Huddle Up Student Committee made
up of 10-15 students including students affected by bullying, combine
efforts with the Argos players and send messages to the rest of their
student body, before, during and after the Huddle-Up School
Presentation. The school year concludes with a Student Summit,
inviting the Huddle Up Committees from each participating school to
share their ideas on bullying awareness with other students from across
the GTA. In 2008, Bryan Crawford, Taylor Robertson, Orlondo Steinauer, Chuck Winters, and Jordan Younger are the featured Argos players.
“We are thrilled to support this community initiative,” says Diane Bond,
Regional Marketing Manager, Tim Hortons. “As an active member of the
GTA, we also want to do our part to ensure that our schools are safe
from bullying.”
“The
Huddle Up Program encourages students from across the GTA to make
positive behaviour choices when faced with conflict,” commented Heidi Spannbauer,
Executive Director of The Argos Foundation. “2008 will be one of the
busiest years for the program, made possible by the tremendous support
of Tim Hortons, The Canadian Safe School Network, the school boards and
school administrators. Huddle Up empowers students to team up with
fellow students and teachers to keep schools safe from bullying –
students become champions of team work and kindness.”
With only a few spots remaining for this year, schools interested in bringing the program to their students should email huddleup@argonauts.on.ca.
The following school assemblies have been confirmed through the end of February:
January 31 St. John Catholic Elementary
February 1 St. Thomas More Separate School
February 4 Dolphin Road Senior P.S.
February 5 Oakdale Park Middle School
February 6 Meadowvale Village School
February 6 Robert H. Lagerquist Sr. P.S.
February 7 United Synagogue Day School
February 8 Oakville Christian School
February 8 St. Marguerite D’Youville Secondary School
February 11 St.Edmund Campion Secondary School
February 12 Silver Pines Public School
February 13 Father John Redmond Catholic S.S.
February 14 Fairbank Middle School
February 15 Iona Secondary School
February 19 David And Mary Thompson Collegiate
February 20 Holy Cross Catholic Academy
February 21 Neil McNeil Catholic Secondary School
February 21 St. Agnes of Assisi School
February 22 St. Brendan’s C.S.
February 22 Hazel McCallion Senior P.S.
February 25 Whitchurch Highland P.S.
February 26 Oshawa Central Collegiate
February 27 Stanley Road P.S.
February 27 Dublin Heights Middle School
February 29 F.M. Heard P.S.
February 29 Lambton Park P.S.
Please visit www.stoptheviolence.ca for a full listing of 2008 participating schools.
Remember: Be a friend. Support, report and defend.
The
Argos Foundation – Stop the Violence, launched by the Toronto Argonauts
in August 2005, is a community-wide response to the violence that had
rocked our city. Encouraging grassroots support, business sponsorship
and the active participation of communities, schools and government,
“Stop the Violence” focuses on a clear set of goals: to unify a shaken
city, to respond to the violence with constructive actions and to
strengthen the city’s resolve. The Argos Foundation is committed to
reducing gun violence, empowering through mentorship and youth
engagement, educating on the perils of gun violence and gang
involvement and supporting violence prevention and intervention
programs.