Competition against bullying awards the best

Teams of students from various schools assembled to create a one-minute public service announcement (PSA) using the Trigger-Proof Anti-Bullying 12 Tools To Keep Your Cool and Confidence as the basis for their production.

The result was more than 10,000 views in three weeks of the PSAs which still can be viewed on the YouTube channel by typing in “Anti-bullyingPSA Trigger-Proof.”

Filmmaker Lyndale Pettus produced a behind-the-scenes film of the students making the PSAs. The film premiered during the Awards Celebration at Cinema Paradiso in Fort Lauderdale, during which the following schools that won the Anti-Bullying PSA Competition were presented with trophies,

Broward Sheriff’s Office pins and sponsor prizes for their school:
• First Place: Cooper City High School — Media Teacher Al Pichardo
• Second Place: Hallandale High School — Media Teacher Dawn Donelly
• Third Place: West Broward High School — Media Teacher Chuck Rivera   
• Celebrity Film Panel Pick: Mary Bethune Elementary School — Media Teacher Nerissa Street

The anti-bullying campaign is being organized by The Empowerment Center Corporation (TECC), a 501(c)3 that delivers training for elementary, middle and high school students, and whose mission statement is “Empowering people everywhere.

Eliminate bullying wherever it raises its ugly head!” The campaign has been approved for use in the Broward County Public Schools, the sixth largest public school district in the nation. 

“This training actually shows students how to recognize their emotional triggers and manage their reactions from the inside,” said author Gay Lynn Grigas.
“Simply shifting focus from external to internal can set students on a positive life course they never dreamed possible.” 

Speaking at the event and congratulating the students was Broward County District 9 Commissioner Dale Holness, who helped to spearhead the project by connecting Pettus and Grigas with Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti and Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie. 

During the ceremony, Holness expressed appreciation for the support given by the superintendent and sheriff from the onset of the collaborative effort that engaged stakeholders from among the city and county, schools, students, parents and community at large.

“This project should be life training for success as our children seek to benefit from skills in filmmaking,” Holness said. “I believe this will help tremendously in their future profession. I hope to see more support for this project as we aim to strengthen our children’s dreams knowing that they will make a better future for our community.” 

For more information contact: call 954-275-8600 or email:

triggerproof@gmail.

com