Covenant News

Bullying is Focus of 'Change' Program

STRATHMORE, ALBERTA (March 1, 2005) - A Covenant teenager who has suffered daily bullying for years has been featured in a television news series highlighting a program designed to help stop the behavior.

Patrick Bauhuis, 14, is the son of Rob and Marie Bauhuis, who attend Hope Community Covenant Church in Strathmore. He attends Holy Cross Collegiate, a private school of 150 students in Calgary.

Patrick has been at the receiving end of bullies' attacks since third grade, Marie says. The family would spend hours each night, she says, discussing ways to deal with the abuse and encourage Patrick.

Last fall, "Be the Change," a program that has been offered to more than 500,000 individuals in America, came to Calgary. Students, parents and faculty all took part in the one-day, emotionally intense event. It was held at a local hotel so the students would be off their home turf.

Students who had been victims of bullying received apologies. But by the end of the day, it was Patrick - who had suffered the most - who received the most attention. Half the student body - many in tears - apologized to Patrick and asked forgiveness for inflicting the abuse. "One of the kids apologized to Patrick, to me and to his sister," Marie says. "Of all the kids in the room, he would have been the last one I would have expected to do this."

Marie says one key to the program's success is splitting the students from their cliques and requiring them to get to know other students as people. The entire event, she says, "gave these kids a graceful way to stop without losing face in front of their peers."

The day concluded with the program moderator asking Patrick to stand on a chair in the center of a circle comprised of all the students. When he asked the students to indicate how many of them think Patrick is perfect as he is, the room exploded with cheers and applause. That was when Patrick wept. This time, it was not because he had been bullied.

Videos of the newscasts can be seen at www.canada.com/calgary/globaltv/index.html. More information on "Be the Change" can be found at www.bullying.org. An article by Steve Burger, director of children and family ministries for the Evangelical Covenant Church, details how preventing bullying also leads to a reduction in crime. To read his article, visit http://www.covchurch.org/cov/formation/impact/0401/children3.html

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