Grayslake North has joined a nationwide program known as Green Dot, which is a comprehensive violence prevention strategy that depends on the power of bystanders to prevent violence and shift social and cultural norms, according to The Center Online.

The company “Alteristic,” which founded Green Dot, was started with the goal to motivate young people to take action into helping students from areas known as Red Dots.

“Green Dot is a program that trains bystanders on how to prevent and intervene during issues of sexual assult, dating violence, and bullying at school,” said Jenny Andersen, who is the leader of this school’s Green Dot program.

It is common with programs like this to train kids to intervene in situations where they themselves might be uncomfortable. Green Dot provides students a way to intervene in hostile situations without fully involving themselves.

“The goal is to help kids find different ways to delegate, distract or intervene,” Andersen said.
Many students were invited to be a part of this by teachers, but according to Andersen, students just have to ask her to join.

Zach Weitgenant, who is a member of Green Dot, discussed how Green Dot helped him recognize situations that are considered Red Dots.

“Throughout the passing period, the lunchrooms are the easiest ways for Red Dots to disguise themselves because that’s when things are the rowdiest, and staff won’t always notice it, or they think they’re just friends,” Weitgenant said.

Red Dots are areas where it is more likely negative conflicts could occur amongst people.
Unfortunately, bullying and harassment are constant in school, so this program will continue to teach young people throughout the nation how to protect themselves and their surrounding peers.