Third- through fifth-grade students at J.P. Ryon Elementary School gathered on Oct. 17, 2025, for a “Stand Up and Speak Out Against Bullying” assembly during National Bullying Prevention Month. The event, organized by community school coordinator Wanda Proctor, featured interactive games and discussions led by local partners to equip children with tools for identifying and stopping bullying behaviors. With 619 students enrolled in prekindergarten through fifth grade, the school serves a diverse Waldorf neighborhood along Vivian Adams Drive, where such programs reinforce daily lessons on respect and inclusion.
Ciara Hosein, founder of the No Bullying Bear Foundation, kicked off the assembly with a modified Jenga game that turned the classic stacking challenge into a metaphor for school solidarity. “This game of Jenga is a little bit different than how you have played it before, because these blocks represent J.P. Ryon Elementary School,” Hosein told the students. Each block stood for a classmate, and participants pulled one only after answering whether they had experienced bullying. “The objective of the game is to make sure that your school is still standing at the end,” she added, emphasizing how individual actions affect the whole group. The foundation, launched in 2019 by Hosein through her Characterville Entertainment LLC, uses the No Bullying Bear mascot to promote anti-bullying messages in schools, including ambassador programs and workshops that foster kindness and mental health awareness.
Partners joined Hosein to share strategies and personal stories. Lillian Stephens, Miss Charles County Teen Volunteer 2026 and a senior at Southern Maryland Christian Academy, spoke about launching her nonprofit after facing bullying herself. “I wanted to start this nonprofit because when I was in school, I was bullied,” Stephens said. “I want to help people so that they do not end up how I did.” She stressed empowering bystanders: “There are so many people who get bullied every day and she wants to help others know ways to speak up against bullying whether they are the ones being bullied or witnessing someone else being bullied.” Members of the Charles County Branch of the NAACP attended to support the initiative, aligning with their broader youth advocacy, including the ACT-SO academic competition that builds confidence among students.
Lisa Ambers of Beyond the Classroom Inc. contributed elements from her nonprofit, which exposes youth to enriching experiences beyond school walls to build leadership and resilience. Ambers, who previously partnered with Stephens at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School, drew from her own past. “I was bullied, and I remember it like it was yesterday,” she said. “That’s why it is such a big part of Beyond the Classroom.” The organization, founded by Ambers, runs mentoring clubs like Butterflies for girls and Dragonflies for boys, alongside workshops that address social challenges head-on.
Proctor, who spearheaded the event, noted strong student engagement. “Today’s event has been well received by our young scholars. They were so engaged as they learned ways to identify and prevent bullying,” she said. She credited Principal Nicholas Adam for fostering these opportunities. Named the 2025 Charles County Public Schools Principal of the Year, Adam prioritizes community ties at Ryon, where enrollment reflects Waldorf’s growing families drawn to the area’s suburban parks and proximity to the Potomac River. “I appreciate Mr. Adam, our principal, for all he does setting and supporting the goals of our community school,” Proctor added. “He knows the long hours, and heavy lifting involved. It is about being intentional in building relationships and seeing the impact of developing partnerships within the community to make events like this possible. We have awesome partners who donate their time and energy to making our school better.”
Charles County Public Schools, serving 28,162 students across 39 facilities in Southern Maryland, mandates comprehensive anti-bullying efforts under state law. The district’s Bullying, Harassment and Intimidation Reporting Form allows anonymous submissions online or in print, triggering investigations within 10 school days. Preventive measures include classroom lessons on empathy, peer mediation training and positive behavior interventions, all outlined in the 2025-2026 Code of Student Conduct. School counselors facilitate anti-violence programs, teaching conflict resolution to reduce incidents.
Reported bullying cases in Maryland public schools rose 25 percent from the prior year, reaching 7,867 during the 2022-2023 school year, according to the latest state data. While Charles County specifics remain aggregated, the uptick underscores the need for localized responses like Ryon’s assembly, where early education can curb long-term effects such as anxiety or academic drops. Nationally, October’s Bullying Prevention Month, coordinated by the PACER Center, promotes awareness through events like Unity Day on Oct. 22. In CCPS, participants wore orange to symbolize kindness, acceptance and inclusion, extending the message beyond classrooms to homes and neighborhoods.
Ryon’s program fits into broader district strategies, including partnerships with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Unit, where officers address bullying reports alongside safety drills. For families, resources like the county library’s anti-bullying book kits and videos provide follow-up discussions, while state guidelines require annual training for staff on cyberbullying detection. Hosein’s bear mascot, endorsed for its approachable design, appears in school skits and merchandise to reinforce unity, much like the Jenga tower’s fragile balance.
In Waldorf, where J.P. Ryon anchors a community blending naval families from nearby bases with local commuters, these assemblies build resilience amid everyday pressures. By involving teens like Stephens, who competes in the Miss Maryland Volunteer system to amplify her S.E.R.V.E. platform on speaking out, the event models advocacy for younger peers. As October closes, CCPS encourages ongoing vigilance, with reporting lines open year-round to maintain safe learning spaces.
