Every October, schools all across the country take part in National Bullying Prevention Month. New Prague High School is proud to hold an awareness week, raising student awareness to the seriousness of bullying through fun activities. This week is otherwise known as PROUD Week. PROUD stands for People Respecting Others and Understanding Differences.

PROUD Week opens conversations about bullying while holding fun activities. During the last week of October, NPHS held dress-up days, a Halloween movie night, and PROUD Bingo. Ms. Alyce Meyer, in her fourth year as the PROUD advisor, said that students can get involved in PROUD “any way they want,” whether that includes attending a monthly meeting or being more aware of bullying around the school. 

PROUD enjoys staying active with service and volunteering opportunities. Meyer pointed out they go to Feed My Starving Children once a year and participate in the Polar Plunge. Her favorite memory from PROUD was the second year she did the Polar Plunge with the group. PROUD raised a lot of money that year, 24 students, and the Plunge was “cold, but really fun.”

PROUD Week is just one way to spread awareness about bullying in New Prague. The PROUD students participate in random acts of kindness in honor of World Kindness Day and enjoy having a float in the Homecoming parade. Junior Sophie De Jong has been in PROUD since she was in sixth grade. De Jong stated that her favorite memory of being in PROUD is the homecoming parade a couple years ago because “it was raining and cold, but still really fun.” 

All students are encouraged to participate, and if interested, contact Ms. Meyer for more details.