News Details Home / News Details

Unity Over Division: School Launches Powerful Anti-Bullying Campaign with ‘Handshake Highway’ and Team Building

In a vibrant display of solidarity and community spirit, students and faculty gathered on June 19, 2026, to launch the school’s annual Anti-Bullying Campaign. Aimed at fostering a culture of inclusivity, kindness, and mutual respect, the jam-packed, half-day event successfully united the entire student body—including the school's youngest learners from the preschool department—through interactive traditions, expert-led talks, and team-focused challenges.

The morning commenced in the school's covered basketball court with a foundational session focused on awareness and core values, led by two prominent faculty members. Ms. Gelliane Sepnio, a PSM teacher, opened the seminar by breaking down the specific types of bullying—including verbal, social, physical, and cyberbullying—and explaining how subtle social exclusion can spiral into harmful behavior. Fellow PSM teacher Ms. Janice Umayam then took the stage to discuss the crucial framework of the Formative Five: empathy, self-control, integrity, embracing diversity, and grit. She emphasized that actively practicing these five traits is the key to fostering healthy, resilient relationships. Concurrently, the preschool students participated in specialized, age-appropriate sessions designed entirely around valuing friendship, sharing, and practicing everyday kindness.

Following the educational talks, the action shifted to the school's open field, which had been transformed into a festive picnic area under a colorful canopy for the Munch and Mingle session. Moving away from traditional social cliques, students of all ages, including the preschoolers, were encouraged to bring and share food with peers they hadn’t met before, breaking down social barriers over shared snacks and laughter.

Once everyone had mixed and mingled, the energy escalated with the launch of the Handshake Highway, a unique tradition designed to formally integrate new students into the school community. The entire returning student body, eager preschoolers, and faculty lined up across the field to form a massive, winding pathway. One by one, new students walked down the "highway," greeted by a roaring chorus of cheers, high-fives, and warm handshakes, ensuring that every newcomer felt a deep sense of belonging.

As the final and main activity of the half-day campaign, students transitioned directly from the highway into a series of dynamic team building activities. Mixed-grade teams competed in various challenges designed to put the Formative Five values into practice through active communication, mutual trust, and collective problem-solving. By requiring students to work together to achieve common goals, these closing activities highlighted the core message of the campaign: that the student body is stronger when lifting each other up.

With the conclusion of the team challenges, the half-day event officially came to a close. School administrators emphasized that while this intensive launch has wrapped up, the activities mark the beginning of a year-round dedication to ensuring every single student, from preschool upward, feels safe, seen, and valued.