Testimonials

Be THE Voice (BTV) works for Paul D West Middle School because it gives our kids an opportunity to unpack many of the stressors that come from home, their community, and school.

Middle school is a challenging time for children regardless of where they attend. From addressing students' unmet mental health needs to accelerating their academic recovery from the pandemic, the work can be daunting. On the contrary, BTV has allowed us to have a positive shift in culture, by assisting kids in how to lead their own discussions about peer pressure, bullying, and social-emotional stressors.

The result has allowed these young people to feel more connected to their peers and it has significantly reduced the number of behavior infractions that remove children from the classroom.

– Darrell L. Stephens, Ed.D., Principal, Paul D. West Middle School

Be THE Voice has had a positive impact on Thomas County Middle School. Students have engaged in Be The Voice videos and discussions in order to learn to become more compassionate and inclusive and have related situations in the videos to things they have experienced at school. Be THE Voice's student-led approach is great because our BTV club students do a good job of making kindness "cool" to their peers. When students are pushing a movement of compassion, it helps to gain buy-in from other students.

– Logan Herring, 8th Grade Counselor

Be THE Voice has had a tremendous impact on our student body at Pope High School. We began the program three years ago and will never stop because the students look forward to the videos and the awards for Be THE Voice VIVs where we recognize individuals and clubs for their efforts with inclusion. The stickers, t-shirts, posters, pens, pencils are spread throughout the study body and school, and we usually have more students than swag to give even though we order more every year. All of our faculty and staff have shirts, and we wear them every Wednesday. All members of the Interact Club have shirts and are constantly asked where they get them.

Students really enjoy the videos we show every Friday on our school-wide video announcements. Our Interact Club captures pictures of faculty and students “being the voice” and includes them on our Instagram account. Be THE Voice matches up well with what we try to do with DEI programs in our curriculum. The program has become something our school rallies around. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard students say “Be THE Voice” in general conversations. In such a time of division in our country, it is wonderful to see our faculty/ staff and student body embrace BTV!

– Ally Williams, English Teacher

I wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for the incredible impact Be THE Voice has had on our scholars at Bunche Middle School. From the moment we launched the initiative, our students have been deeply engaged in learning how to be more inclusive, supportive, and courageous in standing up for what’s right. It has been truly inspiring to see them develop a stronger sense of empathy and leadership as they navigate middle school.

Through the Be THE Voice initiative, our students have gained a deeper understanding of how their words and actions can create a ripple effect of kindness, inclusion, and advocacy within their school and community. Whether through peer-led discussions, storytelling, or service projects, we have seen firsthand how this program empowers students to take a stand and lift others up.

We look forward to continuing our partnership and exploring more ways to amplify the voices of our young leaders at Bunche Middle School!

– Dr. Adrianne Redmond, Student Government Advisor

I love the Be THE Voice campaign because it gives students the confidence to stick up for each other in bullying situations. It has made a great impact here at Hembree Springs.

– Hembree Springs Elementary

Medlock Bridge Elementary School (Fulton County Schools) has a goal to foster a safe, positive, and welcoming school climate. This program directly addresses this goal and we are quite grateful for the ideas that come straight from the program AND for the flexibility to make it what it needs to be at our school given our community's needs. We have a commitment to "provide opportunities for students to communicate, collaborate, think critically, and use creatively". This program supports that commitment as well as our commitment to participate in outreach activities and "teach the whole child by focusing on academic, social, emotional, and physical development." These are our commitments and BTV supports us in our efforts to do so.

In an elementary school, we don't have a whole lot of clubs that aren't sport, fine arts, or academic related. Be THE Voice is one we have during the school day to allow all students to engage in freely. I have seen students who struggle socially brought in through a club that happily welcomes them. They feel included just for this reason. They don't have to be popular, smart, creative, sporty, or have parents who can facilitate after school transportation. I've seen their inclusion change the perception of these students to be friendly and open to relationships. That's life changing for some students.

We are grateful for the influence of Be THE Voice at our school. It's been impactful as it allows for outward discussion of what it looks like to be kind and inclusive. The videos allow students to see what other students are doing. It's real. It's genuine. These examples allow our students to consider what action they can take in their own context. They see models of kindness and seek to replicate that at our school. It's so inspiring! They open the door to conversations about people's needs and how we can all support others. We have students who model kindness through the activities and become leaders for our younger students as well as their peers. The opportunity to recognize students through the Very Important Voice (VIV) awards shows how much our school culture values kindness and inclusivity. It becomes part of our ethos. All that said, one wonderful thing about Be THE Voice is that it FUN, positive, and encouraging.

– Shannan Jones, Assistant Principal

In 2013, Tanner launched Get Healthy, Live Well (GHLW), a comprehensive community health collaborative working to educate, promote and develop sustained conditions for healthier lifestyles where people live, learn, work, and play in Carroll, Haralson and Heard counties.

The Haralson County and Bremen City School Systems have been dedicated, integral partners in GHLW’s school wellness initiatives. In 2019, GHLW community coalition and task forces brought the need of mental health support for their students to Tanner GHLW leadership. We were introduced to the Be THE Voice program and found the program’s approach to supporting mental health of the children and student’s overall well-being including social and emotional support to be a great program to pilot in 2 of the schools in Haralson County.

Due to the great feedback of the program from students, staff, and faculty, we have continued the support for Be THE Voice year after year and have expanded to 5 schools across both school systems. The Junior Leadership teams of Bremen High School and Haralson County High School lead the programs in their respective schools, engaging all students throughout the year.

When asked to provide a PowerPoint presentation at the end of school year, the students included a slide “Why do we need BTV in our school?” The bullets on that slide were:

Instill a positive attitude
Help students find acceptance and understanding
Make school feel like a safe place
Allows students to be leaders in their school and community

I cannot think of a better endorsement or support than hearing from our youth who experience this program and the lasting effects it has on their character, friendships, community engagement and support for one another. We are excited about our mutually reinforcing partnership and collaboration with Haralson County and Bremen City School Systems along with Be THE Voice, as we seek to initiate impactful and sustainable mental health improvements for area youth, helping not only create healthier students and individuals, but a thriving and productive community.

– Tonya Fulks, Outreach Operations Manager, Tanner Health Systems

Haralson County High School is going on to its fifth year as a Be THE Voice devoted supporter. The student-led program helps by sharing personal videos that highlight some of the key topics that young adults are attracted to or feel they need to discuss with their peers. The program enhances the schoolwide PBIS management system that assists schools in their Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support program. Students are proud to be associated with Be THE Voice because it helps them step up and out of their comfort zone to address positive change in their school environment.

– Logan Herring, 8th Grade Counselor

I like that the BTV stories are told by children. My students really get into the videos. I like that we can relate to other children "being the voice" because of the similarities we see. I also like that there is so much diversity amongst the children chosen to share their stories. I teach a diverse population of students and they "light up" when they see someone that looks like them being featured.

I saw a positive shift in my classroom culture. I had a higher number of students actively trying to be kind and be the voice! I love seeing the students and hearing their stories. They are realistic and teach our students that great acts are attainable at any age.

– Darrell L. Stephens, Ed.D., Principal, Paul D. West Middle School

The program shows students the importance of tolerance and acceptance. It gives them an outlet to talk about respecting each other. They get a chance to send nice notes to their friends and that they have the power to help each other. I really appreciate how the students that are a part of the Be THE Voice organization truly care about the school and their creativity because of it. The projects and activities have created a more compassionate campus full of students who become excited at the thought of helping the community.

– AIM Middle School

The BTV program gives our students a voice. They participate in activities to better our school as a community, our students, and themselves. Students are given leadership opportunities through this program that they might not be allowed if they weren't involved. Students also learn to work together to accomplish a goal.
I love how the students work collaboratively to promote kindness and charitable giving within their school community.

The program puts a positive vibe into our school. It gives kids who want to be of service to others an easy outlet. My students (who are not in the BTV club) were positively affected by their BTV peers. They participated in their animal shelter donation more than any other giving opportunity this year!

– Kennedy Elementary School

This year we were afforded the opportunity to implement Be THE Voice at our school. We are a suburban elementary school with high poverty. We navigate issues of poverty while dealing with the aftereffects of the pandemic. Our students come to school with various needs; among them is a need for social and emotional support. Many students exhibit unkind behaviors because that is often what they see. They experience much trauma and have a lot to be angry about. As a school, we work with them and teach them to deal with their anger and be kind to each other.

Be THE Voice is a breath of fresh air. It gives us a common language around issues of bullying and ways we can be kind to each other. Each Friday, students and teachers spotlight the idea of being the voice to make our school a kinder, gentler place. The students selected to be part of the crew wear their shirts as a badge of honor, making others want to emulate those positive behaviors. They remind students to be the voice.

Students engage in service projects to support the overall school and push the message of being kind. This program is easy to implement and positively affects our school culture. We see decreases in our student infractions and overall days of in-school suspension and out-of-school suspension. In addition, students were influenced to make correct choices because they worked to Be THE Voice.

– Shawanna Arnold, Elementary School Principal

The program gives those who feel that they have no voice an opportunity to speak without judgement or fear of harm. Be THE Voice encourages students to be a positive force. I appreciate that it encourages students to live a healthy lifestyle and a positive culture within the school. I love that students lead the program and there is peer pressure to be kinder.

– Taylor Road Middle School

Be THE Voice highlights the fact that differences are good, and that students must be aware of how people are being treated around them. I think it helps them recognize things that might be happening that are inappropriate and helps them to come up with ideas about how to address those behaviors. It helps to make them aware that their words and actions matter and carry consequences; that they should be mindful of other people's feelings and do what they can to make people feel better, not worse.

BTV videos are quick and to the point. I like that the lessons are quick, easy, and something I don't have to plan for. The discussion questions really do a good job of making the kids think about the topic. I see our students helping out students that are sitting alone or looking for friends to eat lunch with and attribute it to BTV.

Our discipline matrix has been followed and we have fewer write-ups this year than ever. When there is a write up it is limited to being a one timer.

Due to the examples set forth by BTV, I have had a specific one on one relationship between two of my students in my homeroom improved. They were able to talk directly to one another about an issue they had.

– Kennedi Harris, Rex Mill Middle School Counselor

– Elena Schulenburg, HCHS Career Coordinator

I like the variety of topics it addresses in that bullying isn't just being mean to someone but being mean to certain groups in particular. I also like that there is focus on body image and problems in the world that we can help with even if we are only doing a small thing. I surveyed teachers who have a home room asking if students watch the BTV video, if they ever comment on them, if they overhear students discussing content, and the feedback I got was very positive.

– Pope High School

– Dr. Adrianne Redmond, Student Government Advisor

As an educator, it is our goal for each and every one of our scholars to achieve comprehensive excellence. This comprehensive excellence is the desire to achieve greatness in all aspects of life. Be THE Voice fostered this and so much more. The lessons and activities incorporated principles and standards we want our scholars to learn, know, and understand as they grow and develop. Community, kindness, and excellence were a few of the many embedded in our school culture through Be THE Voice.

Be THE Voice is not just a program. This is a readily available tool that can help any educator set that foundation and standard of comprehensive excellence for each and every scholar.

Student testimonials:

It was fun and helpful to the Rex Mill community. We did many activities and it was a great learning experience. We were big influences at Rex Mill Middle School. It was good to be able to embrace all and Be You (Be THE Voice Leader)
I learned how to be a leader! Get out of my own shell and meet new people. This prepared me for not only High School life. I am ready to conquer new things and be an inspiration to others (Be THE Voice Leader)
Being in Be THE Voice has helped me in so many ways. This opportunity has given me so much insight into helping my community. I've learned about how good it feels to help others and I am forever grateful for that (Be THE Voice Leader)
Be the Voice helped me gain enough courage to be kind, speak up, and stand up for others (Rex Mill student)
Always be kind and nice. Don't feel scared to talk to anyone, you're always welcome. You get to do fun things that will help you in the future. Remember that you are amazing just as you are (Rex Mill student)

– Kennedi Harris, Rex Mill Middle School Counselor

Be THE Voice is a constant reminder of what is acceptable and examples of how things can be handled with other examples of what happens to some students. BTV gives students an opportunity to see an expansion of bullying and its impact on others.

Be THE Voice supports the idea of trying to make school a safe and trusting place. Doing this through building up peers. Also, great for the work world. The ability to work with different peers and interacting courteously with them.

Be THE Voice has helped students to become more self-aware.

The program is positive and uplifting.

Teens do not always listen to adults or value their input – we're too old to understand obviously. I appreciate that young people providing content to BTV talk about their experiences, teens are then more likely to listen to one another.

– The Cottage School

The presence of the Be THE Voice program, the lessons, the booster kit, and the main BTV message of spreading compassion, kindness and inclusion are all positive aspects.

Ridgeview Charter Middle students are required to complete service activities each year for the International Baccalaureate program. We're proud that Be THE Voice was selected as the #1 program/club in which to do so by 27% of the students polled.

– Ridgeview Charter Middle School

I love the Be THE Voice program because it strengthens the voice of those who normally wouldn’t speak up, those who feel helpless, and those who think there is nothing they can do in bullying situations. I love it because the program does more than just give a voice to the voiceless, it promotes the best aspects of social emotional learning.

– Ridgeview Charter Middle School

BTV has been a highly effective program that has changed the game for the overall culture of our school. The implementation is effortless, and the returns are HUGE! Our students and staff love this program because the focus is NOT on the victim. This program allows the bystander to step up and speak out on things they see wrong happening to innocent peers. It allows them to feel good about being a hero and being a part of the solution and not the problem. This program is a MUST for every school K-12 world-wide! Give it a shot and see how easy it is for students to take a lead in creating a school culture that is filled with kindness, caring and respect.

– Elkins Pointe Middle School

– Dr. Adrianne Redmond, Student Government Advisor

The BTV effort has had a very positive effect on our student body at CMS. Students within the Interact Club were glad to take the reins and lead, speak and introduce the videos for BTV. Our administration, counselors, and teachers all appreciated the professional and engaging interviews with celebrities that were available to choose from and share with our students.

Many worthwhile conversations were started as we used BTV as part of our character education portion of homeroom during fall semester. I am confident that the BTV campaign is making a difference in the lives of some of our middle school students as their fellow students choose to step up and be the voice that stops bullying.

– Teacher, Crabapple Middle School

BTV has definitely had an positive impact on our students, teachers and staff. The students look forward to the videos and the classroom discussions that follow. Students are reminded to Be THE Voice by their peers who are a select group of 4th and 5th graders that are a part of Vickery Mill’s Wise Council. We broadcast the BTV videos every Wednesday during our school announcements and our Wise Council and PBIS team wear our BTV shirts to show our unity. BTV is an excellent initiative that will have a lasting impact on our students as they navigate through life.

– Ridgeview Charter Middle School

– Darrell L. Stephens, Ed.D., Principal, Paul D. West Middle School

Be THE Voice is a great program! Our 4th and 5th graders have participated in Be The Voice for the past two years. The videos are a great starting point for meaningful conversations about empathy and ways to advocate for self and others. We appreciate Roswell Rotary sponsoring the Be The Voice campaign.

– Principal, Mountain Park Elementary

We started Be THE Voice during the 2020-2021 school year. The Findley Oaks Student Council spearheaded the events, and they loved each and every one of them. With the pandemic, we had to get creative to make some things work within the protocols that were in place. The March event that our students enjoyed the most was Read Across America. We had our council members read to both our face-to-face and remote students in grades PK-2. The students loved having 4th and 5th graders read to them.

The student council has decided to purchase a Buddy Bench for our playground, inspired by the Buddy Bench video (included in the BTV weekly video series). One of our meetings was spent thinking about how they would react if they saw someone sitting on the Buddy Bench. I believe that children can be strong leaders when given the empowerment to do so. Each one, reach one.

Be THE Voice has allowed our student leaders to be a part of creating change among their peers. That is one thing that is so great about this program. What a fantastic program this is!!!

– Student Council Sponsor, Findley Oaks Elementary

As one of the supporters of the Be THE Voice program at Vickery Mill elementary school through the Roswell Woman's Club, I had the pleasure of seeing the program in action this past school year. The video materials, monthly challenges and programs, and just the timely topic itself I know was beneficial to the students. The pep rallies, held in two groups, one for the older students and one for the younger students, were engaging with visuals, videos, and music. All of which created a upbeat, positive approach of how to deal with the subject of bullying, in person and/or cyber. The BTV program helped teach the students ways to handle themselves in difficult situations. This is a life skill and one I feel is equally as important as other subjects we should expose our children to in the challenging world we are living in at this time. I feel privileged to have been a part of this movement.

– Roswell Women's Club

– Taylor Road Middle School