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Back To School … Back To Bullying Prevention With STOMP Out Bullying™NEW YORK, Aug. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- STOMP Out Bullying™ announces its fourth consecutive partnership with Bon-Ton Stores Inc. for the Seventh Annual BLUE SHIRT DAY® WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION to kickoff National Bullying Prevention Awareness month during October. The BLUE SHIRT DAY® WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION is an initiative of STOMP Out Bullying™ to combat bullying and cyberbullying. As students prepare to return to school, the one thing many are not looking forward to is being bullied. That is the reality for many victims at school, on playgrounds and online. In fact 1 out of 4 kids are bullied every year in the United States. To signify the importance of National Bullying Prevention Awareness month, STOMP Out Bullying™ created BLUE SHIRT DAY® WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION. It is observed on the first Monday of October. On this day, we ask kids and adults alike to make Monday, October 5th, the day that bullying prevention is heard around the world by wearing a Blue Shirt in solidarity to STOMP Out Bullying. With the new school year beginning, this is a call to action for students, schools and workplaces across the country. Thousands of schools across the country have agreed to participate and many more are expected to join. This year's campaign sponsored by Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. not only offers a newly designed "2015 limited edition" blue shirt, but offers a PSA created by the Content + Connections Agency, MediaCom, and produced in partnership with Bravo Media, Inc. The PSA will air on major TV and cable networks, as well as online. Additionally, a social media campaign will be a large component of the campaign, as well as celebrity PSAs by Emma Roberts Taylor Shilling, Robin Roberts and many others. Ross Ellis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of STOMP Out Bullying™ said: "We find that as kids prepare to return to school at the conclusion of summer break, feelings of intimidation, depression and fear are at an all-time high for those who may have experienced bullying or cyberbullying during the previous school year. It is our job as experts in the field to shine a light on the growing problem of bullying and cyberbullying so that students feel safe when returning to school this Fall. Schools cannot continue to sweep the issue under the rug." STOMP Out Bullying offers students a safe haven. From information and resources, to an online area where youths can talk about the issue, to getting involved in social media efforts, an area where students can upload videos about their experiences with bullying and why they want to end bullying and a HelpChat Line for kids and teens who are bullied, cyberbullied and at-risk fr suicide. Created in late 2011, the HelpChat Line has helped over 38,000 students and saved 500 lives to date. These numbers increase daily. We ask kids, teens and adults to participate in BLUE SHIRT DAY® WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION by wearing the STOMP Out Bullying™ "2015 Limited Edition" blue T-shirt or wearing their own blue shirt – as long as they GO BLUE! Shirts are available at www.stompoutbullying.org. The price of each shirt is $12 and Bon-Ton Stores Inc. will donate $8 of each sale to STOMP Out Bullying. In addition to being the official BLUE SHIRT DAY™ WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION sponsor, Bon-Ton Stores Inc. has created an interactive social media campaign that offers shoppers discounts and an additional donation. "The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. is proud to support STOMP Out Bullying™ for the fourth consecutive year," said Kathy Bufano, President and CEO, The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. "It is our goal to help students and schools across the nation achieve a decrease in bullying." Ellis said: We are so grateful to our partners joining us in this fight to STOMP Out Bullying. Bullying can be so painful and clearly has played a role in many suicides across the country. And cyberbullying is in full force with the use of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and other sites popular with kids and teens. This social online cruelty is used by individuals or groups intending to harass and harm our youth. Bullying starts as early as kindergarten. We must look at prevention as a community issue. It's up to parents, schools, law enforcement and students to work together to educate and prevent – putting an end to the violence and to the suicides." It is critical to educate students about the harmful effects of bullying and cyberbullying. They can begin by observing and participating in BLUE SHIRT DAY® WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION and National Bullying Prevention Awareness month. Recent Statistics Show:
To learn more about helping your kids and teens handle bullying or if your child is a bully, visit www.stompoutbullying.org. About STOMP Out Bullying About The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. Media Contact:
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/back-to-school--back-to-bullying-prevention-with-stomp-out-bullying-300123459.html SOURCE STOMP Out Bullying 
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