Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) students and staff observed the Week of Respect, October 7-11

BRIDGEWATER – Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) students and staff observed the Week of Respect, October 7-11, with several activities throughout the campus. The Week of Respect is an annual event that is held to recognize the importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) and to promote the prevention of harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) in schools.

Throughout the week, teachers incorporated these themes into their classrooms. Among the projects students worked on were a series of posters created by Mrs. Deborah Gichan’s Photography I class that increased awareness and encouraged the prevention of HIB behaviors. The posters were designed to attract attention through the use of black and white photography and just one color – red – to draw the eye. The posters were displayed in the school lobby, in an area where most students and staff pass by throughout their day.

Another activity that students were invited to participate in was adding more artwork to the SCVTHS Wall of Peace. Started in 2008, the wall now includes over 475 bricks painted by students to promote themes of understanding and acceptance.

The culmination of the week was an assembly featuring illusionist and motivational speaker Tom Coverly. Using humor and a bit of magic, Mr. Coverly delivered a message that encouraged the creation of an environment of respect through mutual understanding and acceptance, telling students “Life can get hard. We need to stick together.”

The observation of the Week of Respect started in New Jersey in 2010 as an outgrowth of the State’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act. Over the years, school districts around the State have developed programs designed to raise awareness among students and staff about respect, diversity, and the importance of preventing and standing up to bullying. SCVTHS Director of Special Services Maria Johnson explained “Each year, students and staff come together during the Week of Respect to generate community awareness for respecting one another's differences as well as similarities. We encourage acceptance and respect throughout the year, but this week allows us to focus on these behaviors and see how we can develop an even more positive climate in our school community.”

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