Upstander Heroes

2017 "For Good" Video Contest Winner - The Middleburg Upstanders

Middleburg Community Charter School (MCCS), from Middleburg, VA promotes Upstander behavior by engaging students in immersive classes about mindfulness and the effects of stress. MCCS also started the Three R's Program, which teaches students about respect for self, respect for others, and respect for property. The Three R's Program is all about remembering that respect is an empowering attitude for oneself and for others. In Physical Education class, students learn about how to include everyone in team games. In the STEAM lab, students learn about how to work together and about how to cooperate.

Throughout their "For Good" Contest video submission, the students at MCCS thoughtfully reflect on the negative impact that bullying has on its victims and on the bullies themselves. The students have a dialogue about what they would do to stop bullying and discuss what it means to make the world a better place. According to an MCCS student, at MCCS, "we can learn not just to learn, but to learn how to be a better person". MCCS brings together students, teachers, faculty, parents, and community members all working toward a unified goal of making their school a safe environment. In their video, even the Middleburg Fire & Rescue Department and Police Departments came out to dance to the song "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons on World Kindness Day!

As the grand prize winning school of the 2017 "For Good" Video Contest, Middleburg Community Charter School will be visited by a cast member of WICKED to share more about their anti-bullying efforts, and to learn more about what they can do to strengthen their upstander efforts "for good"! Congratulations Middleburg Community Charter School!