Former Students Start Anti-bullying Group

Four recent graduates of Winthrop High School have launched an anti-bullying group.

Mike Lynch, Kaycee Corea, Makenna Wright, and Zack Sullivan, all graduates of the Class of 2013 and college freshmen, started Stand Up To Bullying on Sept. 19.

Corea was the originator of the group. “I saw on Facebook that family members of mine were bullied and the recent activity that was going on in the Winthrop Middle School to do with bullying, so I contacted Mike and suggested we should do something to help prevent bullying and raise awareness of it,” said Corea.

The group created a Stand Up To Bullying Facebook page and according to Corea, the page generated  400 “likes.”

“We wanted to take our effort one step further so we filed papers with the state and started our group as a non-profit organization,” said Corea, who is president of the group.

The group is selling “Stand Up To Bullying” merchandise and fundraisers have been planned to aid the cause.

Correa said Winthrop High administrators Gail Conlon and Robin Kostegan and the teachers
did a very god job in making sure that students were comfortable in their environment” during their years at the high school.

Lynch said the group will be contacting  Superintendent of Schools John Macero and hopes to make a presentation about its efforts at a Winthrop School Committee meeting.

The group has met with Middle School vice principal Ryan Heraty.

“We came up with the idea to launch an anti-bullying week at the school from October 21 to October 25,” said Correa.

Also being proposed is a “Silent March” in which students, parents, and residents will walk through the streets to create awareness for the group’s efforts.

Fore more information about the group, please visit: www.standuptobullyinginf.wix.com/standup.