An innovative approach to combat bullying in middle schools

WASHINGTON, DC, USA, October 17, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On Friday, October 21, 2022, No Weapon Productions (NWP), in conjunction with NexxtOne Academy (N1A), will present We Don’t Do That Here!, a 30-minute musical designed to combat bullying in middle schools. The showcase presentations, at 10 am and 1 pm, will be held at the renowned Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Invited guests include educators, school mental health teams, arts teachers, and administrators in the DC Public School system.

We Don’t Do That Here! is just one component of the Don’t Be A Bully (DBAB) Project™, a social responsibility campaign that uses entertainment to reduce bullying in middle schools and help prevent teen and pre-teen suicides. The 30-minute musical is followed by a cast talkback and includes a comprehensive, ongoing program that middle school educators, in partnership with school social workers, can use to improve school culture.

Geena Young, founder of NexxtOne Academy says, “We chose to partner with No Weapon Productions on this important initiative because it meets our mission of developing youth through the arts, among our other programs. Our partnership with DCPS allowed us to present this innovative approach to educators and school mental health teams in the DC area to address the bullying epidemic. It’s not a magic bullet; it’s another tool in the toolkit to complement the work they are already doing.”

“Although this showcase performance uses professional actors, We Don’t Do That Here! is designed for high school students to present to middle schoolers,” said Connie St. John, founder of NWP and creator of the DBAB Project. “The role model aspect cannot be overlooked. We also intentionally created a musical so that the melodies and the affirming lyrics will get stuck in their heads.”

The word choice in the production is very intentional, as well. Targets (not victims), Culprits (not bullies), Onlookers and Interveners, are the language used in the play. Ironically, every single one of the talented performers featured in the workshop presentation has had an experience with bullying.

We Don’t Do That Here! has already gained national attention. Arts schools around the country were introduced to the concept at the Arts School Network conference in Chicago a year ago, and the DBAB team has been asked to speak at other national conferences on the issue of bullying. Duke Ellington is one of the founding partners of this innovative approach, along with L.A. County High School for the Arts – the number one arts school in the country.

High school and middle school administrators or educators who would like to experience this life-changing production or see it performed in their community may contact No Weapon Productions at (202) 500-4037 or email info@noweaponproductions.com.

###

Launched in 2004, No Weapon Productions is a family friendly production company that produces change your life entertainment™ for the stage, screen, and through live events. With a reputation of excellence, No Weapon’s signature productions feature no gratuitous sex, profanity, or violence.

NexxtOne Academy, founded in 2019, is a nonprofit organization that has a mission to develop Black and Latinx youth through science, technology, engineering, arts, athletics, and math (STEAAM) programs. Guided and informed by their beliefs and commitment to the principles of equity, opportunity, access, and integrity, N1A’s vision is for young people to be change agents who transform communities.

Rasheedah Thomas
Emerald Digital Solutions
+1 202-390-5545
email us here

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.