Are you ready for school? ADL’s No Place for Hate® Initiative had a stellar 2014-2015 school year and we are prepared for more success with our partner schools in 2015-2016. Students and staff from Durango to Fort Collins worked diligently in their year-long No Place for Hate® Campaigns creating school climates of respect and inclusion for over 50,000 students in ADL’s No Place for Hate® Initiative’s eighth year. Administrators and staff at 46 schools experienced a markedly improved school culture:

 

• 82% said that No Place for Hate was “very effective” or “effective” in creating a positive and safe school climate.
• 87% stated that No Place for Hate was “very effective” or “effective” in providing tools to address bias-motivated behaviors.

 

• 72% reported that the campaign has been “very effective” or “effective” in reducing name-calling behaviors.

 

These numbers are best demonstrated by the work our schools developed and engaged in with their communities, such as Durango High School, which was recognized by the Durango Herald at the end of the school year. The power of students’ voices was also evident at Rampart High School, which received ADL’s No Place for Hate® Excellence Award on April 14, 2015, for its comprehensive approach of activities reaching students with messages that created dialogue. Rampart’s TV Station, KRAM, created four powerful public service announcements that were written, scripted and produced by students. The announcements were regularly viewed by all 1600 Rampart students, helping to facilitate and support ongoing dialogue led by student leaders on subjects such as bullying and name-calling that are often challenging to initiate.

 

These student-led efforts, under ADL’s guidance, demonstrate that encouraging students, educators and families to have a voice in the creation of age-appropriate activities for their school communities results in its members becoming vested in creating intentional, inclusive school environments in which all students feel valued and have the opportunity to succeed regardless of their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, economic situation or other identities.

Comments from educators and students indicate the positive influence No Place for Hate® has had on their school communities and how it can assist yours to begin to reach higher and dig deeper to create an environment that welcomes everyone.

• “I used to be nervous when someone was being bullied.  After spending the day with my friends and ADL I won’t be nervous anymore.  Being an ally is what’s most important.”

– 5^th grade participant

• “Several students over the course of the year would stand up for another peer and used ‘Ally’ as a way to model for others that standing up was ‘cool’” – Educator

 

• “As a school, No Place for Hate® has been a key initiative for us. Training our student leaders helped develop allies for our school community. This year, we’ve heard of students intervening in bullying, making an extra effort to include other children in play and advocating for a more positive culture.” – Educator

 

We are thrilled to already have 30 schools signed up for the 2015-2016 school year by committing to a year-long effort to rally their school communities to improve school culture and climate. If you are interested in learning more, visit ADL Mountain States’ No Place for Hate® web site and sign up your school today!

Thank you to our generous donors who have allowed us to provide resources and the No Place for Hate® Initiative for a nominal fee to our schools, including: The Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado, The David & Laura Merage Foundation, Jay & Rose Phillips Family Foundation of Colorado and many other individuals, businesses and foundations that help ADL make schools No Place for Hate. We couldn’t do it without you!