STAND FOR THE SILENT INC

SINCE ITS BEGINNING IN 2011, STAND FOR THE SILENT, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION") HAS BECOME ONE OF THE LEADING AND MOST EFFECTIVE ANTI-BULLYING ORGANIZATIONS, REACHING OVER 3.5 MILLION KIDS IN OVER 5,000 SCHOOLS. THE ORGANIZATION EXISTS AS A PLATFORM TO ALLOW KIRK SMALLEY AND HIS PAST WIFE, LAURA, TO SHARE THEIR STORY OF THE LOSS OF THEIR SON DUE TO BULLYING AND TO OFFER EDUCATION AND TOOLS THAT WILL PREVENT THEIR TRAGEDY FROM HAPPENING TO ANOTHER CHILD AND FAMILY. THE MISSION IS TO CONTINUE TO CHANGE KIDS' LIVES AND BRING AWARENESS TO BULLYING AND THE REAL DEVASTATION IT CAUSES. DURING 2024, STAND FOR THE SILENT WAS 100% PUBLICLY FUNDED AND USED THOSE FUNDS TO LEAD OVER 220 IN-PERSON AND ONLINE PROGRAMS THAT EDUCATED CLOSE TO 250,000 PEOPLE. IN ADDITION SFTS REACHED OVER 500K PEOPLE THROUGH YOU TUBE, NEWS CHANNELS AND OTHER ONLINE SOURCES. THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAM ADDRESSES THE ISSUE OF SCHOOL BULLYING WITH AN ENGAGING, FACTUAL, AND EMOTIONAL METHODOLOGY. WITH THE HELP OF STUDENT LEADERS, KIRK SMALLEY PRESENTS HIS INSPIRATIONAL STORY, AND STUDENTS ARE SHOWN FIRST-HAND THE LIFE AND DEATH CONSEQUENCES OF BULLYING. WITH 71% OF YOUNG PEOPLE SAYING THEY HAVE WITNESSED BULLYING AT THEIR SCHOOL, THE ORGANIZATION ADDRESSES AN IMMEDIATE, ONGOING AND CRITICAL NEED IN SCHOOLS. THROUGH THIS UNIQUE APPROACH, LIVES ARE CHANGED FOR THE BETTER. STUDENTS, SOME FOR THE FIRST TIME, DEVELOP AN EMPATHETIC AWARENESS THROUGH EDUCATION AND UNDERSTANDING. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO START A STAND FOR THE SILENT CHAPTER AT EACH PARTICIPATING SITE. EACH CHAPTER CONSISTS OF A GROUP OF STUDENTS COMMITTED TO CHANGE. THESE STUDENTS WILL NO LONGER STAND FOR THEIR PEERS TO SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF A BULLY. AT THE END OF EACH EVENT, PLEDGE CARDS ARE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO AGREE TO STAND FOR THE SILENT. THE PLEDGE SPEAKS OF RESPECT AND LOVEHOPE AND ASPIRATION. ABOVE ALL, IT ILLUSTRATES THE MAIN LESSON TAUGHT THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAM: I AM SOMEBODY. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES CRITICAL RESOURCES TO HELP SCHOOLS, STUDENTS AND PARENTS IDENTIFY BULLING AND PROVIDES STRATEGIES TO USE IN INTERVENTION. THROUGH AN ON-LINE RESOURCE CENTER PARENTS AND SCHOOLS CAN FIND IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON SUCH THINGS AS WARNING SIGNS OF BULLYING, CYBER-BULLYING, INTERVENTION STRATEGIES AND FACTS ABOUT BULLYING. THE ORGANIZATION SAVES LIVES AND EMPOWERS YOUTH TO CREATE CULTURES OF KINDNESS AND STAND UP TO BULLYING.