10-Year-Old Starts Anti-Bullying Group at Fenton Elementary School

When 10-year-old Jaden Williams noticed some of her fellow Tomek-Eastern Elementary School classmates being bullied, she decided to do something about it.

Williams formed an anti-bullying group with seven of her friends and began placing posters around the school urging students to stop bullying. The posters have different messages such as "bullying is wrong" and "stand up and help others."

"It wasn't good to see people hurting," Williams said. "It feels awful to hear that all my friends have been bullied."

Williams started spreading her anti-bullying message before 17-year-old Linden student Josh Pacheco commited suicide last month and his parents blamed bullying and schools started to take a deeper look at the issue.

"I try to tell people to stop, that they are just hurting people," Williams said.

She said she also creates videos and posts them on YouTube to urge people to stop bullying. She is tackling the subject for her fifth-grade project as well, said her teacher Jennifer Snyder.

"I think she's pretty amazing. I think everyone has felt like an outsider at some time," Snyder said. "She's helped spread the message that people need to be friends with everyone despite their differences. It's nice to see her taking action."

Her family has been impressed with her actions as well.

"Jaden is the most caring, compassionate enthusiastic kid I know," said her aunt Miranda Bathurst. "I myself was bullied as a kid and would do anything to fade into the background. It really takes a special something to be willing to stand up amongst your peers especially in the middle school years."

Williams said she plans to continue to meet with her group and continue to come up with ways to help prevent bullying.

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