Why is it important to be an upstander?

​Agape Leaders Rebranded

Agape Leaders’ website has been completely revamped by the talented Jessica Maldonado. She has dragged our organization into the 21st century with her on point graphics and exceptional designs. But don’t take our word for it, you can see her work first hand by perusing our website or by visiting her website at vichesniche.com.

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Meet Kayley Klatt

​Our first guest writer is Miss St. Petersburg Outstanding Teen 2020, Kayley Klatt. She is a recent graduate of Oviedo High School and will be attending Rollins College in the fall. She has held several local titles in the Miss America Organization, earning top 5 recognition during the Miss Florida Outstanding Teen competitions in 2018 and 2019. Her social initiative platform is Be an Upstander: Bullying Prevention. She is passionate about galvanizing Upstanders to help stop bullying. One of her Instagram posts says, “When bystanders become UPSTANDERS positivity shines through.” We are proud to have Kayley Klatt as our first featured writer. We believe you will be as pleased as we are.

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Featured Article: 
Why is it important to be an upstander?

At eleven years old I experienced the effects of bullying for the very first time. I had been picked on and pushed around prior to this experience but it didn’t ever affect me. The fifth grade was different - the picking on, pushing around, and hurtful words seemed never-ending. Even more heart wrenching - this behavior was coming from who I considered to be my closest friends. Because of their behavior, because I believed their comments, because I trusted them, I was changed from the school-loving, care-free, light at the end of the tunnel fifth-grader to one who felt lost in confusion, heart-break, and negativity. I didn’t understand how those I thought I knew and loved so much and who loved me could be the same friends who joined forces to tear me down. 
 At the time I attended an incredibly small school and had been since I was four. A school so small that we were one, big family. How could family be so destructive? I was so confused, but I kept it all in. I didn’t think much of it, I thought it would blow over and suddenly disappear - I was naive. It came to a point where I couldn’t keep it in any longer, my attitude changed and I was filled with anger. I remember talking to my parents with a steady stream of tears as I expressed my frustrations, confusion, and heart-break. I remember my parents calling the principle while I cried in their closet, calling my friend to tell her how I felt. I remember my parents calling other parents to politely address the situation and understand what was taking place. One thing that wasn’t evident at the time was how bruised I really was. Yes, I had the luxury of supportive parents and teachers. No, I was not physically bullied, there was no physical bruising. I was mentally bruised, I was the victim of verbal and social bullying which can be just as damaging as physical bullying. This became evident as the years went by and I would bully myself by not loving myself to the best of my ability. I kept my guard up when making new friends and had what can best be described as a shield around my heart. I wasn’t going to let myself experience a heart break like that again. It wasn’t until recently that I slowly let my guard down and it happened again - several times. These next times was a close mentor, next - a friend, then another friend, then another adult, all of which whose actions and comments and talking behind my back, hurt. I began to understand that these were life's bumpy roads and that I would most likely encounter these experiences in the workforce as well. It was after that realization that I had developed a mentality that I would be proud of who I was and stand up for myself or anyone else who was going through a similar experience. I didn’t let these experiences tear me down and I stood my ground.
Now, at seventeen years old, I still have moments of doubt and insecurity. I continue to come across people who feel empowered by taking the power away from others. I keep my guard up slightly and allow myself to feel defeated but I live by Michelle Obama’s quote, “When they go low, we go high.”. I will not let myself stoop to that level, I will not let my confidence be stripped from me, and I will not let our youth experience an experience similar to mine. I am writing not only to tell my story but to empower our youth, to empower teenagers, to empower the people of tomorrow to have confidence in themselves in order to spread an immense amount of kindness. I urge you to use your voice to put an end to the bullying epidemic. I urge you to love yourself unconditionally and to treat yourself with nothing but respect because there is so much to be proud of. I urge you to be the change. We must listen to our own words and realize that in order to stop the bullying epidemic we must unite, use our voices, and set a precedent for our youth. I am writing to inform those who may not have the strongest support system to tell you that we care, we are here for you.

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Each year, 3.2 million students are victims of bullying. Our youth are relying on the generations ahead of them to combat bullying and reduce it drastically. It is critical that we, as a nation, act and work to save the lives of our future attorneys, doctors, law enforcement, mothers, and fathers. It is essential that we recognize that the bully is also in need of as much help as the victims. It is necessary that we spread never-ending kindness, care for one another, respect each other, and most importantly treat others the way you want to be treated. If we are going to end this epidemic, we need to raise the generations to come with love, kindness, and respect by teaching them how to handle conflict and their emotions without putting others at risk. I encourage you to find your spark and use it to create change. I can do it, you can do it, and we can do it so that no child has to experience the effects of bullying again.
With much love,
Kayley Klatt.
Follow me @missstpetersburgot and @kayleyklatt on both Instagram and Facebook.

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