I couldn’t agree more with Jeremiah Anthony’s classmates: he is an inspiration.

Taking the simple idea of challenging bullying with compliments, he has affected his entire high school and created an environment of positivity that impacts students of all ages.

So many of us, including myself, have experienced bullying at some point in our lives. So, it’s heartwarming to know that, in addition to Adventure In, Adventure Out’s You Belong program, there are other individuals, organizations, and schools working to counteract the destructiveness of bullying.

To check out West Side Bros on Twitter go here, and visit our site to learn more about our You Belong anti-bullying program.

In this article, psychology researchers from Notre Dame point out, “The right brain, which governs much of our self-regulation, creativity and empathy grows through full-body experience.” This is the part of our brain that helps us manage our emotions and delay gratification. Check out how time in an outdoor environment, as well as unstructured time can not only help develop creativity and imagination, but also compassion, ability to navigate emotions and personal resilience. What a difference these skills make for youth as they face the demands of the 21st Century.