Whole School Approach:

The Ally Chain is a proactive anti-bullying prevention program focused on how to be stewards in their environments. Teaching skills on how to create inclusive, accepting climates and cultures in classrooms and their school. The Ally Chain introduces a unified language for students and staff that compliments established vocabulary and best practices. Interactive discussions, exercises and art integrate these concepts into their awareness, communication skills and peer inter-action. By focusing on elementary age students, these concepts and philosophies grow with them developmentally. Self-awareness and self-reflection is the vehicle to empathy, compassion and acceptance. When a child feels a part of a community it improves learning, attendance, achievement scores, behavior and their over-all success.

After School Program:

Allies In Action is an after school program expanding on the concepts introduced through the Ally Chain. Students explore, in depth, how and why to be Allies. Using experiential exercises, team building activities and art increase self-awareness, critical thinking and problem solving. Allies In Action serves as stewards to the school and community. These critical life skills empower youth to be a part of the solution and have a direct impact on social, emotional wellness.

Lisa J. Keating created and developed this curriculum as a result of her own leadership development training, work with local school districts as an advocate for gender diverse youth, and her own child’s experience with intimidation, harassment and bullying.