Staff photos / Bob Coupland Breck Deppe, 7, practices self-defense techniques with Paula Vivoda-Klotz, program coordinator and a certified professional trainer at Combat Athlete Performance Academy in Howland. She and Chris Hughes, an anti-bullying program co-coordinator, recently hosted an anti-bullying program for children.

Paula Vivoda-Klotz, program coordinator and a certified professional trainer at Combat Athlete Performance Academy in Howland, and Chris Hughes, an anti-bullying program co-coordinator, recently hosted an anti-bullying program for children.

Paula Vivoda-Klotz, program coordinator and a certified professional trainer at Combat Athlete Performance Academy in Howland, said she and Chris Hughes, an anti-bullying program co-coordinator, work together to instruct the children on how to deal with bullies.

Vivoda-Klotz said the program is for four weeks with children ages 5 to 13 taking a pledge and earning raffle tickets for prizes and gift baskets by doing various good deeds in their lives to help others.

Vivoda-Klotz and Hughes said bullying is a deliberate behavior that is meant to upset or hurt someone over a period of time, and can be done by an individual or group of people.

There is physical, verbal, social and cyberbullying.

“Most people are afraid to get involved or prevent bullying, sometimes fearing becoming the target of the bully. The truth is no one deserves to be bullied and you will never get in trouble for reporting it,” Vivoda-Klotz said,.

They said reporting bullying is the first step in stopping it, and showing support to someone being bullied is important.

Vivoda-Klotz said she tells the children if there is someone sitting alone at lunch, go and sit with them or invite them to sit with the group,

“Chances are they feel sad, scared and very alone,” she said.

Vivoda-Klotz said she tells children they can help change someone’s life by standing up, speaking out and being a friend to someone who is bullied.

CARDS FOR VETERANS

The children in the program learned about kindness and made special cards for veterans for Veterans Outreach.

“We focus on each person being courageous and standing up for others, such as friends. We focus on not leaving anyone out, but including others in what we do,” she said.

Vivoda-Klotz said for four weeks on Saturdays through Sept. 7, the focus is on different topics such as kindness.

“We are combining anti-bullying and functional fitness. We have older students here who are mentors to the younger children. You can earn tickets by drawing a picture and showing kindness,” she said.

Vivioda-Klotz said she has heard from children who said they have been bullied or witnessed bullying.

“As adults, we know that bullying will stop and things will change,” she said.

“It’s so easy these days to bully online, and online bullying is the worst,” she said.

She said some of the students were told to not be bullies themselves.

“I want the children to leave after four weeks and have the courage to stand up and not let someone be bullied or sit alone. I want them to be a friend to someone who needs a friend,” she said.

CARDIO BOXING

In addition to dealing with bullying, the children also learn to defend themselves and stay healthy.

Vivoda-Klotz said there is functional fitness and cardio boxing focusing on good health.

“The cardio boxing provides good mental health and relieves stress since so many people, including children, carry stress,” Vivoda-Klotz said.

Each class begins with a learning session and activity and then moves into different physical activities and self-defense strategies such as cardio boxing.

“We teach them to look out for danger and stay away from dangerous situations.” she said.

Parents who brought their children to the program liked what was being offered.

James Halton, stepfather of Leo Jennings, 5, of Howland, said he is glad the program instills good values in the children,

“They have shown the children how to avoid situations where someone can be bullied,” Halton said.

Alexis Cesene, mother of Carson Cesene, 10, of Howland, said she came for herself, but she was glad they offered a program to help children defend themselves and deal with bullying situations.

Renee Williams of Warren brought both of her children to the program. She said her son, Micah Pollard, 11, of Warren,wanted to be in the program and has been shown how to deal with different situations at school and other places.

Tickets are presented to children when someone sees you helping someone else, or if someone draws a picture and colors it and gives it to someone as an act of kindness.

“We want the children to show how they have helped a friend or included someone who needed a friend. I want them to treat others with respect and include those who are left out,” Vivoda-Klotz said.

Children on the first day took an anti-bullying pledge promising to stand against bullying and to report any bullying to a parent, teacher or counselor.