This past September, the story of Rebecca Sedwick was everywhere. She was the 12-year-old who committed suicide due to cyber and face-to-face bullying at school. The two bullies were 14 and 12 years old and they pleaded not guilty to the felony of aggravated stalking.

Anyone can be a bully, and some people don’t even realize that they are bullying until a situation like Rebecca Sedwick’s occurs. The only realization of our actions we have is when something terrible happens, like suicide.

Vista works to create a bully-free zone by having advisory lessons about poking holes in people’s buckets and hiding behind masks so people don’t bully. But is it helping? Is Vista just like Sedwick’s school in Florida without us realizing it? 

“I wanted to fit in,” said a junior who asked to remain anonymous in an interview. “I was the more physical bully, my so-called friend changed me into a more aggressive person.” 

His friend was the instigator, and he was the pet, only doing what he was told.  “He let me hang out with him because of my size. I was bigger than most seniors.” 

This junior became like this because when he was in elementary school, he didn’t realize that he was being bullied. “The locker room was the worst, one day I retaliated because I was so fed up, and I won, but I had just had enough.” 

What some people don’t realize is that most bullies were once victims. He became aggressive because he was used to people being aggressive and rude towards him. 

“After years I finally realized what I was doing. I stop bullying when I see it; no one messes with me and I don’t mess with them,” he said.

This junior uses his experience to help little kids and has completely stopped what he used to do in the past. “My best friend didn’t want anything to do with me before, and now that I’ve stopped, we’re friends again.”

Even if people don’t see bullying first hand, it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening–we just need to pay more attention. School should be a safe zone for students, which is exactly what Vista tries to create. Vista has been–and will continue to be–a place where students can come and feel safe, without having to deal with bullies.  

“I realized it doesn’t matter where I am in the social class, as long as I have my true friends,” he said.