EPIC ProIEP C Program Encouragiing Positiv IInformed Choices in our Schoolsnformed Choices in our Schools
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Many of us may remember the DARE program from our school days, which is conducted in schools across Canada and the US. It is designed to give youth the skills they need to avoid involvement with gangs, drugs and violence. Because of the changes in today’s schools, the Medicine Hat Police Service saw a need to implement a similar program that is tailored to our city specifi cally, so they created the EPIC program under the Medicine Hat Safe Community Association.
The EPIC program is conducted by about 20 police offi cers, and has been launched in Grade 4, 6, and 8 classrooms throughout Medicine Hat. At the Grade 4 level students are given two presentations addressing tobacco use and the foundations to solid and healthy friendships. In Grade 6, there are four presentations on alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use, cyber safety/online bullying and refusal skills. At the Grade 8 level students are further educated in cybersafety and online harassment, as well as drug use.
Bullying and cyberbullying are important components of the EPIC program. Did you know that each student between Grade 4 and 12 in Medicine Hat either has been bullied, or knows someone who is or has been bullied? This startling fact was made known to the EPIC committee and is a testament to just how many children are affected by bullies.
“Especially with today’s technology, children are being exposed to a lot more, at a much earlier age.” Milvia Bauman, Medicine Hat Safe Community Association President says. “So, it is important to empower our children to make informed decisions. The purpose of the program is to educate them on the different life experiences they will (or have already) encountered, to give them the tools to prevent bullying, addiction, harassment, etc.”
Bauman emphasizes the fact that social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have completely changed the game of how students interact with one another. Bullies today can operate on a whole different level than we remember. Instant messaging and constant connectivity with cellphones have contributed to a new issue you may have heard of called “sexting.” It involves one taking nude or partially nude photos, and then sending them electronically. Youth are not equipped with the maturity or life experience to fully understand the possible consequences of participating in sexting, therefore it is addressed within the EPIC program. These digital images are easily duplicated and dispersed, over which the originator has not control.
Every mother is sure to have heard in the news or on TV about young people who have taken their own life because of the bullying they face in school. This can seem like an insurmountable issue at a time in a child’s life where their peers are so important to them, resulting in a terrible, needless tragedy. Bauman recognizes that we can’t make bullying in schools go away completely, and that is why we must do everything in our power to equip our youth with the tools to develop a healthy self esteem, enabling them to take preventative measures to stop these problems from starting in the fi rst place.
Parents, teachers, grandparents and babysitters are encouraged to understand that bullying is a serious issue, and it affects each child in different ways. The EPIC program teaches children and youth to limit information displayed on their online profi les by using a fi rst name only and not to list a birthdate, address, school, or other personal information. They advise granting profi le access to friends with whom they have positive, healthy relationships, and to always know who you are talking to. It is important to be engaged in your child’s social life, and Bauman suggests anyone involved in a students life can do so by having open conversations about their school day starting as young as possible. Be observant of how your child acts after the school day or social events. Do they act withdrawn at all, or avoid the computer or cellphone? Ask your child if he or she has used the computer/Facebook, today, or had conversations via text. Initiate conversations about your own social networking, Internet, and texting activities daily to encourage this type of conversation. If you see signs of bullying, take action by talking about the problem and notifying the school.
By standing up for themselves, a child can show their bully that they won’t be manipulated anymore. This is the best way to deter the bully, as it forces them to turn to easier prey. The EPIC program hopes to effectively deliver this and other necessary tools to our youth so that they may protect themselves, prevent bullying and harassment, and be best informed as they make critical choices during these formative years.
The Medicine Hat Safe Community Association won the provincial Governor General’s Award in 2010 for the creation of the EPIC program. For more information, or to fi nd out how you can get involved, go to
www.mhsca.ca.
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41073675•02/28/12
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