The Sacramento Bee – Loretta Kalb
“In a classroom at Vista del Lago High School, junior Lucy Brancoli balanced her long frame on a stool in front of a digital camera and delivered a dose of moral support to Folsom Middle School students. Her theme: Stand up for others. “An upstander is someone who, when they see something that isn’t right or see someone who needs help, they’re always there,” Brancoli said for the camera. “They are going to step out of their comfort zone to help that person.” Brancoli, 16, is part of a growing campaign to lend social support and perspective to middle school students who, as adolescents, are navigating tough terrain. It’s the shift from elementary to higher grades. From playground to social ground. From childhood to adulthood. The catalyst for the effort came Dec. 3 when Folsom resident Ronin Shimizu, 12, committed suicide. Ronin had enrolled in sixth grade at Folsom Middle School in August 2013, but months later he began a district-supported home-schooling program after his parents complained about bullying.”(more)