Notes from National Trends and Services Committee Bullying Trash Talking: It’s No Joke Worksho

These are my notes from the Links Inc. National Trends and Services Committee workshop titled, "Bullying Trash Talking: It’s No Joke."  It was held on Friday, June 29, 2012, during the national Links convention.

Pilot chapters have been working a year to develop anti-bullying programs. Wendy D. Thomas, director of National Trends and Services, and Link Denise Cooper, Southern Area National Trends Chair, discussed the following:
Rationale: All children are possible targets of bullying. Many children suffer in silence. Parents might also feel victimized.
Overview of the National Trends and Services Committee Program toolkit:
- A Pre-test is used to find out what participants already know.
- A posttest is used to find out what participants learned.
- Educators, psychologists and professors discuss the issue of bullying, definitions, implications and solutions. Cyber bullying – email, tweets and Facebook are almost worse than bullying in person. They can be forwarded.
- Foster an open environment to encourage participants to share their experiences

The goal is to get youth to take a stand. They must be empowered to stop bullying:
- 1st session – inform – provide basic definitions and information
- 2nd session – interactive, hands-on activities, role playing
- 3rd session – develop contracts, skits and public service announcements to show what they learned. Encourage participants to go out and help others.

Link Shari Lamb, Western Area NTS chair shared the following program expectations:
- Open to all chapters
- 2-year commitment
- select a target group
- self fund
- look for other funding resources
- develop a PSA
- integrate all five facets
- seek collaborative partners and oversee their involvement

Participants will lean
- definition of bullying
- bullying behaviors
- what it is versus what it is to be bullied
- how to handle bullying

Chapters may integrate the Links initiative into current programs or execute it separately. Other ideas:
- Bully police
- T-shirts
- Rubber bracelets
- Focus groups to see if students feel safer

Link Jocelyn Freeman, Alameda Contra Costa (CA
- Created a community of caring
- Want to get Links bullying program meshed into the curriculum
- Work to be proactive rather than reactive
- You don’t just walk away, you report it to someone.
- Develop a pledge – each student signs
- Promise not to be a bully or a bystander

Link Nona Jones, Gainesville, FL
- Q&A is the most powerful part of program – you want students to let down their guard.
- Make sure parents are part of the process. They have to understand the seriousness of bullying.
- Parent is the first line of defense

Link Lisa Williams, Greenville (SC) program
Obstacles:
- Manpower – they only have 20 active members
- Obtaining parental consent was a challenge
- Worked with after-school program
- Some parents used the program as a babysitter

Link Jan Brown-Thompson – Louisville (KY)
- T-shirts with a promise that students can sign

Link Cheryl Gray Evans, New Orleans (LA) Chapter
- Think about your audience
- Difficult for this chapter because district only let them work with bullies. Participants were unruly.
- Work with both bullies and victims
- Encourage teacher and parent support
- Look at state law. Make sure school district has adopted an anti-bullying police – use it as a model to develop program

Link Janice Garnett, Omaha (NE)
- Worked with after-school program
- PSA produced by students
- Average bullying behavior lasts only 30 seconds
- Teachers intervene in one out of 25 episodes
- 35% of students have been threatened online
- 58% have not told an adult

Link Sherilynn Johnson Kimble, Philadelphia (PA) Chapter
- Worked with fifth graders over a two-year period
- Interactivity – incorporated scenarios and plays
- African American males dressed in suits
- Three sessions
- Students also saw adults as bullies

Next Steps – Link Alma Stokes, Co-director, NTS
- Visit the Links website to get a copy of the toolkit
- Should be available by Sept. 1

Best-Dressed Links

Our first winner was Link Felicia Coleman (not pictured in the winning attire)

Our second winner was Link Terri Woods-Campbell (featured in her winning attire)

To encourage Waco Link sisters to wear green attire to meetings, President Josette Ayres and Link Vashon Sutherland instituted a monthly contest in which the best dressed member wins a prize and is allowed to walk the runway.

The chapter's first winner was Link Felicia Coleman who sported a crisp, frilly, white blouse with an elegant ruffled collar along with a sporty green jacket and skirt.

The second winner was Link Terri Woods-Campbell, who took the runway in a beautiful Links scarf, ruffled blouse and black slacks.

"Her matching travel cup helped seal the deal," said Link Vashon who spearheads the effort.

Link Ayres said she thinks the contest encourages members to put forth a little extra effort to look good when they come to monthly meetings.

"It is a great way to encourage our members to look their best in Links' attire," Ayres said. "It is fun and in good spirit."

Link Luwenda Pollard

Link Edna Hampton

Link Ella Shankle

Not pictured- Link Sandra Jennings

Link Hazel Rowe- September 2012

Links in the news...

If you have a news item you would like featured on this page, please e-mail it to Link Mia Moody-Ramirez.

Links in the news

Waco Chapter of The Links, Inc.

A Brief History

The Waco Chapter of The Links, Inc. was chartered in 1974 in Waco, Texas. Link Dolly Adams petitioned the chapter’s charter, while on leave from the Angel City Chapter of Los Angeles, Calif.

The formal installation of the Waco Chapter was held on May 25, 1974, with Link Vera Codwell, the organization’s then national vice president, serving as the installing officer.

Charter members were Links Beulah Barksdale, Dolores Harris and Martha Forney. The three members have remained very active in the chapter since their installation.

The Waco Chapter of The Links, Inc. has flourished since its inception. Today, the group is comprised of more than 40 women who are active in the community and the Central Texas work force.

Western Area History

When The Links, Incorporated adopted a national structure in 1949, a vital geographical link was missing — chapters from the West.  In September 1950, three chapters were chartered in California (Los Angeles, Oakland Bay Area and San Francisco), connecting the chain of friendship from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.  From there, the Western Area spread Linkdom from the southern tip of Texas northward to Alaska and westward across the Pacific to Hawaii.

Drawing on the synergy generated by women who are committed to friendship and service, the Western Area now has 55 chapters, located in ten states — Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Washington.

Vada Sommerville was the organizer for Los Angeles, with Loraine Rickmond leading the efforts for Oakland Bay Area and Hortense Thomas for San Francisco. Co-founder and National President Sarah Strickland Scott appointed Loraine Rickmond, Oakland Bay Area Chapter, to chair the cluster.  The Western Area became a formal unit in 1954, when The Links, Incorporated was organized into four geographical areas.

Information taken from Western Area Website.

For more information on the Western Area, visit http://www.walinks.org/

The Gamma Upsilon Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. Honors Three Waco Links/Connecting Links

Links Ella Shankle and Hazel Rowe

The Gamma Upsilon Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. honored three Waco Links/Connecting Links earlier this year. 

Recipients who have distinguished themselves as leaders for excellence in education are: Link Hazel Rowe, Connecting Link Fredrick Moseley and Connecting Link Alvin Pollard.

“They were selected based on their career accomplishments,” said Link Ella Shankle, who attended the event.

The mission of Phi Delta Kappa International is to promote high-quality education, in particular publicly supported education, as essential to the development and maintenance of a democratic way of life. These goals are accomplished through leadership, research, and service in education.

The organization's motto is "To Foster a Spirit of Sisterhood Among Teachers and to Promote the Highest Ideals of the Teaching Profession."

Links Inc. Meet & Greet

Members of the Waco Chapter of The Links, Inc. and guests enjoyed a Meet & Greet on Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Baylor School of Social Work in Downtown Waco.

About 50 members and guests attended the event coordinated by Link Vashon Sutherland, membership chair. The keynote speaker was Link Tanya Brice, Ph.D., who discussed the history of African-American women's organizations.

"Members of modern organizations might benefit from some of the same tactics used throughout history," Brice said. "We have a strong, rich history that we should never forget."


Brice included women such as Harriet Tubman and Mary McCleod Bethune in her discussion. She offered insight and tidbits of information not usually addressed in history books.


"The talk was interesting because she included some facts that I was unaware of before today," said Link Felicia Coleman, who chaired the decorations committee.


The Meet and Greet is held annually to allow members to mingle with women in the Waco community. The attire was dressy/casual and attendees enjoyed a variety of pastries, fruit and coffee, which were provided under the direction of Link Demetra Kennedy and her committee.

"I want to send out my sincere thanks to each of you for stepping and up and contributing to the success of the event," said President Josette Ayres.