Anti-Bullying Message Delivered By Local Bullied Student

Kendra Ongilibang said she’s been bullied all her life.

Rather than becoming a victim, she’s speaking out, hoping to help others.

“It’s serious and it needs to stop,” said Ongilibang a senior at Desert Hot Springs High School.

She started out at her former school, Desert Springs Middle School in Desert Hot Springs.

Over the next week she planned to talk to hundreds of students.

“I hope they understand they either don’t have to be a victim or they don’t have to be a bully,” she said.

Her message is simple, stomp out bullying.

On Wednesday she met with her former teachers. During the afternoon meeting, she showed them how she planned to teach students to stand up to bullying.

Her former principal Ryan Saunders said, “When you see bullying happen, it doesn’t have to take place on our campus.”

Part of her presentation focuses on what to do if you’re bullied or see it happening. She insisted it’s not just the teachers responsibility, she said some of it is the other students’ responsibility.

Desert Springs Middle School’s psychologist has worked at other schools; he says he’s seen it all.

“They feel like they have to handle it themselves, they believe the way to help out the situation is to fight.

Ongalibang’s message includes other options.

Over the next week she has six presentations scheduled at Desert Springs Middle School.

As part of her presentation she’ll have other students along with her to share their message as well.

Some of them, were actually her bullies growing up.