The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXXIII

ISABELLA CHAREST
VALERIE CARVALHO, TEACHER
Keith Middle School, New Bedford, MA
What I think courage means is being able to handle a situation bravely, without
giving up. Courage is being able to get through a frightening situation while
being able to maintain yourself by being brave, and to have a good mind to
carry on in a difficult situation.
When I was in the first grade, I used to get bullied for being “ugly” or for
wearing glasses. I used to get called “four eyes” and get bullied for my looks.
Often, I would get teased or hit, but I was too scared to tell anyone. When I was
in the first grade, I wanted to be friends with everybody, and I let people take
advantage of me. One specific time in my school cafeteria, a girl in my class
punched me in my nose. Why, you ask? Because older kids saw me getting
bullied, and yet they provoked my classmate to punch me in the face. I don’t
know why they wanted the satisfaction of seeing younger kids hit each other,
instead of being good role models. I knew what the girl did was wrong, so I
tried to tell the teacher, but she didn’t listen and simply said, “Get back in line.”
I didn’t understand why the teachers paid no attention to what just happened,
but I left it at that.
Day after day, I would constantly get bullied in the stalls, hallways, and
classrooms. The teachers acknowledged what was going on, but they didn’t take
it seriously and thought it was just a “play fight.” I finally told my parents about
how I was getting bullied. My breaking point was when some girl pushed me
hard down the stairs. I fell, but I caught myself on the railing when my face
banged against it, causing my glasses to fall and break. I remember when I got
home the day my glasses broke, my mom was aggravated and asked what
happened. When I told my parents everything that had been happening, my
dad was furious. The next day, when my dad picked me up, he was talking to
my teacher about what happened. She said it would never happen again. I went
to school the next day relieved, thinking nothing bad would happen to me, but
I was wrong. The bullying never stopped. My classmates would still make fun of
me. At recess, I would get pushed to the ground and scrape my skin on cement.
I would get pushed into metal monkey bars and hurt my head. Now, I always
told my parents, so my dad kept a notebook where he would write everything
that would happen. My mother and father began looking into new schools,
trying to get me to transfer.
“IF YOU ARE GOING
THROUGH SOMETHING
I WENT THROUGH OR
SOMETHING SIMILAR,
YOU SHOULD TELL A
TRUSTED ADULT. I
KNOW I WOULDN’T
BE HOW I AM NOW
IF I HADN’T. ”
They finally found a school that said they would help me and make sure I
would feel comfortable at all times. Once I got transferred there, I expected
the bullying, and I expected to be alone. When I got assigned to my classroom,
everybody was so welcoming, and I finally thought my problems would be
solved. I didn’t get bullied in this new school, but I was struggling with the
curriculum. I didn’t know how to add on top of each other, multiply, or tell
time. I was struggling in this new school—not with bullying, but now I was
struggling with schoolwork. I had a hard time adapting to the new school and
knew I had to start working harder. I remembered how, when I was getting
bullied, I was scared to tell anyone. Once I told my parents, the bullying was
solved. I was able to solve it. I knew that if I trusted myself, things would go
just fine, so I started to ask more questions and asked for help.
In the second week of my new school, I started making new friends, and I
started showing growth in my work. I went home one day and realized
something: I never would have been so happy if I kept everything a secret. If I
had never told my parents about constant bullying that wasn’t being handled,
I would have never been able to go to the new school I attended at the time.
If you are going through something I went through or something similar, you
should tell a trusted adult. I know I wouldn’t be how I am now if I hadn’t.
I used to think I would get hurt by my “friends” if I told anyone about the
bullying. That wasn’t true. You never know until you try. Do what you’re able
to do, without giving up.
Never give up, no matter what. Have faith in yourself.
THE COURAGE OF CHILDREN: BOSTON AND BEYOND
VOLUME XXXIII
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