Every day, thousands of teens wake up afraid to go to school for fear of bullying. According to the CDC, suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, resulting in about 4,600 deaths per year. Over 14 percent of high school students consider suicide, and almost seven percent attempt it. Victims of bullying are two to nine times more likely to consider suicide than those who are not bullied, according to studies by Yale University.
The Reno County Sheriff’s Office recognizes the enormity of the bullying epidemic. In collaboration with Communities that Care and ESSDACK, they have arranged for two speakers who are experts on teen violence, bullying and suicide to present workshops for the Reno County community.
Joe Schillaci, star of The First 48 on A&E and Phil Chalmers, teen violence and bullying expert who is featured on Biography’s Killer Teens, will present three workshops April 8, 2013 for educators, students and parents.
Lieutenant Schillaci is a 30-year veteran of the Miami Police Department and is currently assigned to the Communications Section where he has the responsibility of coordinating and overseeing the entire 911 systems for both police and fire.
Chalmers is America’s Leading Authority on Juvenile Homicide and Juvenile Mass Murder and has interviewed over 200 teen killers and school shooters, along with numerous serial killers, mass murderers and sexual predators.
The three workshops will be presented on April 8, 2013 at 10 a-m, 1:15 p-m, and 7 p-m.
Educators interested in attending the “Why Teens Kill” session at ESSDACK must either email www.pamm@essdack.org or call 663-9566. Seating is limited to 100.
The “True Lies” session at Reno Valley Middle School is for USD 309 only and is not open to outside attendance.
The 7 p-m “True Lies for Parents” session at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is free to the public and no advanced reservations are required.
Funding for these workshops is supported by a grant from the Tyler Foss Memorial Fund at the Hutchinson Community Foundation.