The Marengo County Sheriff’s Department helped coordinate an anti-bullying campaign at John Essex High School on Friday, March 14.

Sheriff Richard “Ben” Bates and D.A.R.E. Officer Sonja Myles with Linden PD represented the county at the program. Myles worked with John Essex Principal Romekia Johnson to put the program together for the students.

John Essex already had an anti-bullying program in place, and this one-day event was meant to continue to educate the children on the dangers of bullying, how to report bullying, and the signs that they are being bullied or are bullying someone.

In addition to the Marengo County Sheriff’s Department speaking at the event, the Perry County Sheriff’s Department, West Alabama Mental Health and the Department of Human Resources also spoke to the kindergarten through eighth-graders participating in the event.

Students were given access to information on bullying and also took a pledge to speak up and to be against bullying.

Myles has also created a Facebook page for parents and students of Marengo County to help the fight against bullying, www.facebook.com/NBZ36748.