A United Front

My daughter Grace was interviewed for an article that appeared in TIME For Kids online and in print. Grace, like so many of her peers, knows the importance of standing together, so that no one stands alone, but then again, as her mother, I am biased :)

On October 9, kids will wear orange to show their support for Unity Day and to stand up against bullying.

September 27, 2013

By TFK Staff

Grace Hertzog knows what she is wearing on October 9. "Tons of orange," the sixth grader from Watertown, Minnesota, told TFK. "Orange glasses, shoes, beads, a skirt, and an orange Unity Day T-shirt."

Unity Day is an annual event that Grace's mom, Julie, helped start. She is the director of Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center. People can take part in Unity Day, which this year is on October 9, simply by wearing the color orange. They can also perform a group dance, make bullying-prevention paper chains, and sell Choose Orange bracelets that will help Pacer pay for future programs.

The goal of these activities is to show support for kids who are bullied. A study by the Youth Voice Project, at Penn State University, found that one in four students is bullied emotionally, by being left out, teased, or called names regularly, and about one in 10 is bullied physically, which includes pushing and hitting.

"When awareness is raised around bullying, students no longer feel alone, and they learn they have options," explains Julie Hertzog. "All kids have the right to feel safe at school and in their community."

Unity Day is one of several Pacer events planned for October, which is known as National Bullying Prevention Month. Details about the activities are available at pacer.org/bullying.

Grace plans to continue her anti-bullying efforts throughout the year by being an upstander. That is a person who reports bullying to an adult and is kind to anyone who is bullied. How will you help make sure bullying is not an issue at your school this year?

To access the digital edition of TIME For Kids, go to