Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Project ®

Walnut Middle School, Grand Island, NE-Partner Since 2000

Students prepare Hands & Words float for "Harmony of Harvest" parade October 2007. Thousands gather from all over the state in Grand Island to watch the annual event.

“Anyone visiting Walnut Middle School on any day of the school year will see everything at Walnut come to a halt at 8:05am, when every student and every adult in the building, led by student volunteers on the intercom, repeat the United States Pledge of Allegiance followed by the Purple Hands Pledge. Students know that taking the Pledge each morning is a promise to take responsibility for their words and their actions during the day! …teachers and support staff have continually emphasized the importance of respect and responsibility …in the classroom and in informal student interactions.” –Vikki Deuel, Principal and Mary Ann Richards, Counselor

June 2005, Operation Respect & the Don’t Laugh At Me Program selected Walnut Middle School, Grand Island, Nebraska as one of five schools in the United States and Canada to receive recognition as a model for positive change in schools. On June 30-July 1, 2005 at Operation Respect’s national symposium in Washington, D.C. representatives from Walnut Middle School presented their results which highlighted the Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Project. Participants included national and state education organizations, leading government officials, educators, and researchers. The goal of the symposium was to demonstrate conclusively that schools can transform their environment. (more…)

2004/2005 Walker Middle School Peer Helpers of Salem, Oregon

partnered with Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Project to teach over 300 preschoolers about abuse and violence prevention. The young children that attend 6 Salem preschools learned to value themselves and to be kind to others while the teens learned to be positive role models.
The Peer Helpers also lead Oregon Governor Kulongoski and other guests in the Hand & Words Are Not For Hurting Pledge at the April 2005 Child Abuse Prevention Rally held on the steps of the courthouse in Oregon’s capitol city.

“Kids’ pledge is wedge against violence” (Oct. 17, 2005)

“Community can put an end to child abuse” (April 06, 2005)

“Olson honored for contributions” (March 15, 2005)

Schools across the nation and around the world take The Pledge to end violence!! (more…)