Committee for Children Launches Captain Compassion® Comic to Curb Bullying and School Violence, Equipping Students with Life-Saving Social-Emotional Skills Published: SEATTLE – October 31, 2024 – Violent incidents in schools across the U.S. continue at alarming rates, making the link between bullying and devastating outcomes impossible to ignore. A recent report shows a troubling increase in students being threatened or injured with a weapon at school over the past decade, highlighting the urgent need for programs that help students manage conflicts and stand up against bullying before it escalates into violence. In response, Committee for Children, a national leader in social-emotional learning and bullying prevention, is launching its annual Captain Compassion anti-bullying campaign. The initiative focuses on providing young people with the skills to recognize, report, and refuse bullying behavior before it leads to harm. Why this matters now: 40% of students report experiencing bullying at school. 53% of U.S. teens say online harassment is a major issue. Adolescents who experience bullying are 49% more likely to report access to a loaded gun without adult permission. Nearly 80% of school attackers were bullied—some relentlessly—before committing acts of violence (U.S. Secret Service). “Empowering students with the right tools can prevent school violence,” said LaShuna McBride, chief of staff at Committee for Children. “Captain Compassion inspires young people to recognize their power to address bullying. By nurturing empathy, self-regulation, and effective communication, we can build safer, more supportive school environments for children everywhere.” The campaign features a webcomic series that teaches critical social-emotional skills. Together, Captain Compassion and her sidekick, Kid Kinder®, help students understand how empathy and respectful communication can be used as superpowers to prevent conflicts from escalating. This year’s three-week storyline is set in a high school, where arguments and bullying arise on and off the soccer field due to a lack of camaraderie. For more information on Captain Compassion and how social-emotional skills can reduce bullying and school violence, visit CaptainCompassion.org. Comprehensive Long-Term Solutions for Schools The Captain Compassion webcomic is part of Committee for Children’s anti-bullying efforts, along with its research-based Second Step® Bullying Prevention Unit, a curriculum that is used in more than 2,300 K–12 school districts nationwide. Visit secondstep.org/bullying-prevention to learn more. ### About Committee for Children Committee for Children is a global nonprofit that has championed the safety and well-being of children through bullying prevention, child protection, and social-emotional learning for 45 years. Visit cfchildren.org to learn more. Media Contact Jordana Ehling jehling@cfchildren.org
Committee for Children Launches Captain Compassion® Comic to Curb Bullying and School Violence, Equipping Students with Life-Saving Social-Emotional Skills Published: SEATTLE – October 31, 2024 – Violent incidents in schools across the U.S. continue at alarming rates, making the link between bullying and devastating outcomes impossible to ignore. A recent report shows a troubling increase in students being threatened or injured with a weapon at school over the past decade, highlighting the urgent need for programs that help students manage conflicts and stand up against bullying before it escalates into violence. In response, Committee for Children, a national leader in social-emotional learning and bullying prevention, is launching its annual Captain Compassion anti-bullying campaign. The initiative focuses on providing young people with the skills to recognize, report, and refuse bullying behavior before it leads to harm. Why this matters now: 40% of students report experiencing bullying at school. 53% of U.S. teens say online harassment is a major issue. Adolescents who experience bullying are 49% more likely to report access to a loaded gun without adult permission. Nearly 80% of school attackers were bullied—some relentlessly—before committing acts of violence (U.S. Secret Service). “Empowering students with the right tools can prevent school violence,” said LaShuna McBride, chief of staff at Committee for Children. “Captain Compassion inspires young people to recognize their power to address bullying. By nurturing empathy, self-regulation, and effective communication, we can build safer, more supportive school environments for children everywhere.” The campaign features a webcomic series that teaches critical social-emotional skills. Together, Captain Compassion and her sidekick, Kid Kinder®, help students understand how empathy and respectful communication can be used as superpowers to prevent conflicts from escalating. This year’s three-week storyline is set in a high school, where arguments and bullying arise on and off the soccer field due to a lack of camaraderie. For more information on Captain Compassion and how social-emotional skills can reduce bullying and school violence, visit CaptainCompassion.org. Comprehensive Long-Term Solutions for Schools The Captain Compassion webcomic is part of Committee for Children’s anti-bullying efforts, along with its research-based Second Step® Bullying Prevention Unit, a curriculum that is used in more than 2,300 K–12 school districts nationwide. Visit secondstep.org/bullying-prevention to learn more. ### About Committee for Children Committee for Children is a global nonprofit that has championed the safety and well-being of children through bullying prevention, child protection, and social-emotional learning for 45 years. Visit cfchildren.org to learn more. Media Contact Jordana Ehling jehling@cfchildren.org