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PARK CITY — Thousands of students in Salt Lake and Park Cities are learning to take the lead to prevent bullying, and they are already stepping up to support those who have been bullied.
Secondary students throughout Park City and Salt Lake City are watching the powerful documentary, "Bully," to learn how to combat a widespread problem. Park City's police chief, who will be honored Friday night for his bully prevention programs, is encouraged the problem is finally getting broad attention.
"We really need to focus on the community effort that this isn't a police problem, it's not a district problem, it affects all of us," said Park City Police Department Chief Wade Carpenter.
After an incident Thursday, school officials feel that it's already making an impact at the schools, too.
A seventh-grader was walking to the bus at Sunset Ridge Middle School when someone put a note on her back reading, "Caution: Wide load."
She was devastated, but her peers' reaction rose to the occasion. Following an exercise where they wrote pledges to stop bullying on sticky notes, hundreds of students wrote notes saying "not in our school" to show her they cared and that bullying wouldn't be tolerated.
"They're not allowing others to dictate how they feel, to put labels on them," said the school's principal, Travis Hamblin. "It's very emotional to see my students take on that role of leadership."
The sticky note became both the tool for the bully and the students who won't allow bullying.
"I think it was extremely rude and I hope the girl knows that we really do care about her."
Police Chief Carpenter says it's about creating this change of mindset and culture that stop bullies in their tracks.
