Final “Circle of Support” session deals with school and cyber bullying issues
The final “Circle of Support” session for the 2013-14 season will deal with the relevant issue of “bullying.” Parents, teachers, church youth leaders, and anyone involved with youth are encouraged to attend this free panel discussion on Thursday, March 27, from 6:30-8pm at Prairie Winds Event Center in Orange City. Topics to be discussed include cyber-bullying, recent area bullying incidents, bullying in school and at home, campaigns to fight bullying, and the fact that bullying is being seen in younger ages. Recent national statistics indicate that 71 percent of students report bullying as an on-going problem, and some of the top years for bullying include 4th through 8th graders with 90 percent reporting being victims of bullying. The panel includes Dr. Dayton Vogel, Creative Living Center mental health counselor; Wayne Dykstra, Unity Christian High School principal; Crista Smidt, Orange City and Sioux Center Christian Schools guidance counselor; and Todd McDonald, MOC-Floyd Valley High School guidance counselor. There will be ample time for questions and discussion. There is no charge to attend, and no pre-registration is required. The session is being hosted by MOC-Floyd Valley and Unity Christian high schools. Circle of Support is a collaborative series of sessions revolving around the critical cultural issues impacting our youth today and is sponsored by Orange City Area Health System, MOCHA Kiwanis Club, Creative Living Center, Community Health Partners, and Compass Pointe. For more information contact Lisa Burg, Orange City Area Health System Public Relations and Community Education, at 712-737-5367.