Silence only does the bully a favor.

That’s one reason why Norfolk Public Schools this month launched a district-wide anti-bullying poster campaign to increase student awareness. NPS has also opened a hotline to give students an avenue for reporting instances of bullying at their schools.

According to Dr. Elsie Harold-Lans, senior director of pupil personnel services, the hotline (757)628-1171, will provide students with a way to take action and put a stop to bullying.

“Too often people see bullying happen or they experience it and don’t know what to do about it,” Harold-Lans recently told a group of Tanners Creek Elementary School parents at a Bullying Prevention Workshop. “Silence isn’t the answer. Getting information to the people who can help is the key.”

NPS’ automated hotline system will ensure that all messages are kept confidential by not requiring students to leave contact information. Callers will be directed to give the name of the school where the bullying has taken place, names of victims, dates when bullying has occurred and any details surrounding the incident. Harold-Lans hopes that the inception of the hotline and the poster campaign will help draw attention to bullying and give students a stronger voice in reporting it.

“Norfolk Public Schools recognizes that bullying can be a problem and we want to take every preventative measure we can,” Harold-Lans said.

Norfolk does not stand alone; there is a national spotlight being placed on bullying and how to prevent it. Events like the parent workshop at Tanners Creek help to educate students and their parents about the ways NPS can help keep children safe in school.

“It is not only important that our students are safe, but also that they feel safe,” said Celeste M. Jones, Tanners Creek assistant principal. “We are working for them to be safe and to feel safe.”

Click below for videos on bullying.

Tanners Creek Teacher and AP on Bullying - Amateur Video

NPS Student Talks About Bullying - Amateur Video

When it comes to quality health care and career opportunities, the spotlight is on Norfolk Technical Center!  Recently, NTC’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) program brought home state and national honors from the HOSA Virginia Conference. The big win included eight First Place Awards, four Second Place Awards,  eight Third Place Awards and four Fifth Place Awards.  In addition, HOSA received three National Recognition Program Awards for healthcare accomplishment portfolios and four Barbara James Awards for individual community service.

“Every day I strive for excellence from myself and my students because in order to demand it, they must see it, believe it and know they can achieve it,” said Crystal Stokes, NTC pharmacy teacher and HOSA lead advisor. “My pharmacy students entered the competitions not quite knowing what to expect and I know their success came from the enthusiasm for the profession, the strength acquired from the high expectations from the pharmacy program and constant stretching of abilities they themselves didn't know they possess."

HOSA is a national student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Education Division of ACTE. HOSA's two-fold mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people. Over 800 students from more than 60 HOSA chapters in Virginia recently attended the state leadership conference in Williamsburg.  NTC students participated in 18 different competitive events individually or as a team.  Workshops focused on such topics as Alzheimer's disease care, leadership training, air ambulance training and service dogs.

Select place winners will be traveling to the HOSA National Conference in California this coming June.

Ashley Kelly, a Maury High School senior and NTC pharmacy technician student, won first place in researched persuasive speaking as well as the National Recognition Award and the Barbara James Award at the HOSA conference.

“I personally love to compete because it helps me become competent in something I love,” Kelly said. “Being competitive brings out the best of my abilities and challenges me to improve my skills."

Fellow pharmacy student and Maury High School senior Luke Wyckoff agreed. Wyckoff, who placed first in both pharmacology and extemporaneous speaking, said the competition helped to widen his horizons and solidify his belief in the healthcare profession.

“The win means that I have proven to myself and my peers I'm ready to enter and excel in my profession,” Wyckoff said. “I chose pharmacy because the strong foundation gained helps enrich society and the world as a whole."

National Recognition Award and Barbara James Award

• Deshara Smith, Pharmacy Technician
• Ashley Kelly, Pharmacy Technician
• Nequel Williams, Pharmacy Technician
• Danyelle Charles, Pharmacy Technician

First Place

• Darlene Green, Practical Nursing I, Researched Persuasive Speaking-Post Secondary
• Marina Clagett, Victoria McDonald and Antoinisha English, Pharmacy Technician, Creative Problem Solving
• Ashley Kelly, Pharmacy Technician, Researched Persuasive Speaking
• Carol Stark, Practical Nursing I, Medical Terminology
• Luke Wyckoff, Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacology and Extemporaneous Speaking
• Monique McKinney, Home Health, Home Health Aide
• Monna Rae Brown, Medical Assisting II, Medical Assisting

Second Place

• Anissa Osborne, Dental Assisting I, Dental Terminology
• Antoinisha English, Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacology
• Morgan Scudder, Medical Assisting II, Medical Assisting
• Taylor Riddick, Pharmacy Technician, Medical Photography

Third Place

• Andrea Sweat, Medical Assisting II, Medical Assisting
• Anissa Osborne, Dental Assisting I, Extemporaneous Writing
• Datrelle Anderson and Jamir Cooper, Pharmacy Technician, Community Awareness
• LaToya Claiborne, Practical Nursing I, Researched Persuasive Speaking
• Mercedes McMullen, Practical Nursing I, Nursing Assisting
• Randi Clark, Home Health, Extemporaneous Poster
• Shannon Smith, Practical Nursing I, Home Health Aide
• Victoria McDonald, Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacology

Fifth Place

• Ebone Selfridge, Medical Assisting, Job Seeking Skills
• Kelsey Vanderhall, medical Assisting II, Pathophysiology
• LaToya Claiborne, Practical Nursing I, Medical Math
• Quincy Peele, Dental Assisting II, Prepared Speech

Click on the Link to view the video.

Dr. Bentley's Relay For Life Promo 2011