ADL has completed another successful season of anti-bias and bullying prevention programs in the Desert Sands Unified School District (DSUSD). For the seventh year, ADL’s A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE ® Institute provided free Anti-Bias and Bullying Prevention programs to Coachella Valley schools thanks to the generosity of the Jewish Federation of the Desert.
Including Anti-Bias education in professional development, trainings for educators and administrators at Indio Middle School, Desert Ridge Academy, Palm Desert Charter Middle School, and Indio High School focused on building understanding of the value and benefits of diversity and providing the skills and knowledge to ensure safe, respectful learning environments for all students. Workshops also provide effective strategies to address and prevent name-calling and bullying — particularly bullying rooted in bias and prejudice — to promote justice and equity.
ADL’s Becoming An Ally program for students, Desert Ridge Academy empowers youth to become effective allies in incidents of bias and bullying by increasing their understanding of the impact of name-calling, bullying and other bias behaviors in their school and community. This program educates them about the specific role of being an ally, and provides them with opportunities to develop and practice alternative responses to take action against name-calling and bullying.
Following the programs, middle school students shared that they came away from the workshop knowing:
- “To accept people for who they are and how to better understand people and what they’re going through.”
- “Everyone is different and that’s okay, don’t treat them differently because of it.”
- “That including someone can make a big difference.”
- “It’s better to stand up for others than be silent.”
- “The difference between stereotypes and prejudice.”
- “Lots of people feel the same way I do in these everyday situations.”
- “The different types of discrimination which made me understand bullying in different aspects.”
- “How to address certain topics and how to confront them appropriately.”
To learn more about ADL’s resources for educators, please visit our education page for materials such as Current Events Classroom Lesson Plans and Bullying and Cyberbullying Prevention Resources.
If you are interested in bringing ADL programs to your school, please contact A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute Education Director Annie Ortega at aortega@adl.org or (310) 446–8000.