BAKERSFIELD,CA--Research shows every seven minutes a child is bullied and 85% of the time, there is no intervention. But local schools are trying to send anti-bullying messages to their students with the help of a recording artist.
The website, stopbullying.gov shows 160,000 students miss school each day nationwide due to bullying. On Wednesday morning recording artist Keenan West visited Pioneer Elementary to remind students it's never too early to teach kids about anti-bullying and prevention.
Shut up, you're ugly, I don't like your shoes are some of the things fifth grader Chanteice Gillard hears bullies around her school say to her friends. But Gillard doesn't just watch it happen.
"I will stop it and stand up. Tell a teacher," said Gillard.
Standing up against bullies, that was recording artist Kennan West's message to Pioneer Elementary students. A message he delivered through song.
"Me using my singing talent, mixing in with a music video engages the kids. They're in tune. Everyone wants to get up sing and dance and once I have them engaged I have them on my team and I can better talk to them. They'll pay attention to me a little bit better," said West.
West has spent the last few years touring the nation teaching children about anti-bullying and prevention. A concept West and school faculty say starts at home.
"As a parent it's very imperative, it's really important that they teach their kids that not everything that they see is okay. The behavior that they're watching on t.v. it's not okay and then explain to them why," said Elva Arroyo.
Arroyo also teaches fifth grade at Pioneer. She says the school has made strides in the past three years to reduce bullying by including lectures on social behavior.
"A lot of times our students are coming in to school not knowing how to respect a person," said Arroyo.
Studies show schools that have anti-bullying programs reduce bullying by 50%. West's next stop is Thursday morning at Downtown Elementary School.
The website, stopbullying.gov shows 160,000 students miss school each day nationwide due to bullying. On Wednesday morning recording artist Keenan West visited Pioneer Elementary to remind students it's never too early to teach kids about anti-bullying and prevention.
Shut up, you're ugly, I don't like your shoes are some of the things fifth grader Chanteice Gillard hears bullies around her school say to her friends. But Gillard doesn't just watch it happen.
"I will stop it and stand up. Tell a teacher," said Gillard.
Standing up against bullies, that was recording artist Kennan West's message to Pioneer Elementary students. A message he delivered through song.
"Me using my singing talent, mixing in with a music video engages the kids. They're in tune. Everyone wants to get up sing and dance and once I have them engaged I have them on my team and I can better talk to them. They'll pay attention to me a little bit better," said West.
West has spent the last few years touring the nation teaching children about anti-bullying and prevention. A concept West and school faculty say starts at home.
"As a parent it's very imperative, it's really important that they teach their kids that not everything that they see is okay. The behavior that they're watching on t.v. it's not okay and then explain to them why," said Elva Arroyo.
Arroyo also teaches fifth grade at Pioneer. She says the school has made strides in the past three years to reduce bullying by including lectures on social behavior.
"A lot of times our students are coming in to school not knowing how to respect a person," said Arroyo.
Studies show schools that have anti-bullying programs reduce bullying by 50%. West's next stop is Thursday morning at Downtown Elementary School.