Close your eyes and imagine a map of Homer High School, like the ones with the fire escape routes you see in the classrooms.

Now, on that map, picture two red dots in the gym, one in the classroom upstairs, three in the commons and one in each hallway.

Those red dots are a moment in time where someone makes the decision to harm a peer. They can be any form of power-based personal violence — bullying, sexual assault, or dating violence. Now imagine each of those red dots being covered with a green dot. Those are the re-active “green dotters” who are there in the moment of violence and choose to step up and stop it. There are many ways to stop a moment of violence, and at the recent Green Dot Training, I learned easy ways to intervene when I see an act of violence happening.

I asked a few people who have attended the Green Dot Trainings at Homer High School how they have seen Green Dot being enforced in the social environment.

“Kids know the language and what behaviors are unacceptable (red dots) and now they know what to do: delegate, be direct, or distract,” said program coordinator Jessi Felice. She hopes that someday Green Dot will become a way of life and not just a group to join and that her children will attend a high school where violence is not acceptable.

Things seem to be headed in the right direction. Brooke Knott, a sophomore, who just completed the recent training, said that she has seen people pointing out stuff that is not right and also more people are spreading the word about Green Dot.

Homer High School students need community support to continue the Green Dot Movement at our school. Felice is looking for sponsors to support the trainings, lunches, meetings and prizes.

“We need about $1,200 per year and we are willing to advertise our sponsors,” Felice said.

Please contact Jessi Felice at jfelice@kpbsd.k12.ak.us if you might be interested in sponsoring Green Dot at Homer High School. As Max Lucado would say, “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

I’ve got my eyes open. I’m ready to make a difference! Please join me.

Rylyn Todd is a student at Homer High School.