Flash Memoir - Rough Draft
Samantha Miller
Period 5
Welcome Wednesday
The cold, hard floor pressed into my body as I sat in on one of the zoom discussions for the HOPE squad in the school hallway during Friday learning time. My earbuds are filled with people discussing ways we can be friends with others, and I start to think to myself about the different ways my friends have acted around me and how I could improve my listening skills to create a safer environment for them. That friend looked sad today, I should go have a conversation with them today… that friend was sitting alone at lunch, and I should go eat with them. After attending that HOPE Squad zoom class, a couple of friends and I made a goal to stand at the entrance of the school almost every Wednesday morning for the rest of the year to play music, tell people “Good morning, welcome to school!” and “Have a great hump day!”
When I stand at the front of the school, I feel the crisp outside air blowing on my face and think to myself, Why am I doing this? But as soon as someone walks in and has a look of wow, I feel like what my friends and I are doing is making a difference.
My friends ask with a laugh, as they walk through the door, “why are you guys standing here this early in the morning? It’s freezing cold!”
I responded with a quick,” why not? It made you happy didn’t it?”
“Haha yeah, it did,” They say with a slight laugh as they come and stand nearby to observe how we welcome people.
Our example is rubbing off on others, as more are starting to come and welcome other students. Teachers come to pass out required masks to students in the morning and see a bunch of students standing at the cold entrance just to say hi to their fellow classmates.
“Are you guys here to just welcome people?” asks one of the teachers.
“Yep! We started doing this after our morning swim practice and liked the effect it had on others so here we are!” replied one of my close friends.
“That is so awesome! There are so many of you here!” The teacher said as he also began to welcome people as he gave them each a mask.
The acts that my friends and I do may be small, but they may affect how someone's day will go. Although HOPE Squad focuses more on preventing suicide and reducing suicidal behaviors, this group is a great example of anti-bullying and gives similar advice to what other anti-bullying groups have to offer. The website, stopbullying.gov, gives important information regarding this rising issue in our nation like, “Bullying has affected about 20% of students, ages 12-18, nationwide” (Facts About Bullying). . Bullying has a huge effect on students, in and out of school, so if we can find a way to conquer anti-bullying and do simple acts to improve kindness, the world could change indefinitely.
Works Cited
- Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA). (2021, September 9). Facts About Bullying. StopBullying.gov. Retrieved January 26, 2022, from https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/facts
- Home. Hope Squad. (2022, January 10). Retrieved January 27, 2022, from https://hopesquad.com/
Period 5
Welcome Wednesday
The cold, hard floor pressed into my body as I sat in on one of the zoom discussions for the HOPE squad in the school hallway during Friday learning time. My earbuds are filled with people discussing ways we can be friends with others, and I start to think to myself about the different ways my friends have acted around me and how I could improve my listening skills to create a safer environment for them. That friend looked sad today, I should go have a conversation with them today… that friend was sitting alone at lunch, and I should go eat with them. After attending that HOPE Squad zoom class, a couple of friends and I made a goal to stand at the entrance of the school almost every Wednesday morning for the rest of the year to play music, tell people “Good morning, welcome to school!” and “Have a great hump day!”
When I stand at the front of the school, I feel the crisp outside air blowing on my face and think to myself, Why am I doing this? But as soon as someone walks in and has a look of wow, I feel like what my friends and I are doing is making a difference.
My friends ask with a laugh, as they walk through the door, “why are you guys standing here this early in the morning? It’s freezing cold!”
I responded with a quick,” why not? It made you happy didn’t it?”
“Haha yeah, it did,” They say with a slight laugh as they come and stand nearby to observe how we welcome people.
Our example is rubbing off on others, as more are starting to come and welcome other students. Teachers come to pass out required masks to students in the morning and see a bunch of students standing at the cold entrance just to say hi to their fellow classmates.
“Are you guys here to just welcome people?” asks one of the teachers.
“Yep! We started doing this after our morning swim practice and liked the effect it had on others so here we are!” replied one of my close friends.
“That is so awesome! There are so many of you here!” The teacher said as he also began to welcome people as he gave them each a mask.
The acts that my friends and I do may be small, but they may affect how someone's day will go. Although HOPE Squad focuses more on preventing suicide and reducing suicidal behaviors, this group is a great example of anti-bullying and gives similar advice to what other anti-bullying groups have to offer. The website, stopbullying.gov, gives important information regarding this rising issue in our nation like, “Bullying has affected about 20% of students, ages 12-18, nationwide” (Facts About Bullying). . Bullying has a huge effect on students, in and out of school, so if we can find a way to conquer anti-bullying and do simple acts to improve kindness, the world could change indefinitely.
Works Cited
- Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA). (2021, September 9). Facts About Bullying. StopBullying.gov. Retrieved January 26, 2022, from https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/facts
- Home. Hope Squad. (2022, January 10). Retrieved January 27, 2022, from https://hopesquad.com/