Reported December 2008

About the Game: "Cool School: Where Peace Rules" came about when the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service asked a Human Development professor to help them design a videogame to help five- to seven-year-old children deal with conflicts in a peaceful manner. The project relied on animators to create the visual environments and for the professor to create scenarios that will help kids learn to resolve problems without resorting to violence. The game uses a wide variety of characters -- including erasers, desks, books and basketballs -- to lead players through 52 different scenarios.

To learn more about the game or to play it, go to: http://www.rtassoc.com/gm_coolschool.html

Tips on Stopping Bullies: This list is adapted from material on the Web site of the United States Health Resources and Services Administration (http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/).

Do:
Tell an adult.
Join clubs and groups where you will meet other kids.
Support someone else who is being bullied.

Do Not:
Think it's your fault.
Fight back or bully a person back.
Reply to online bullying.

The American Sociological Association contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.

If you would like more information, please contact:

David Ottalini, Senior Media Relations Associate
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 405-4076

Jackie Cooper, Media Relations Officer
American Sociological Association
(202) 383-9005, x332
JCooper@asanet.org