Green Dot is a school wide program in which the POLs (popular opinion leaders) promote kindness, spread positivity, and set an example for everyone in the building. The POLs are students who were selected by their fellow classmates for their leadership skills and influence at Lafayette. They will go through a full-day worth of training to ensure that they are qualified for this responsibility. However, they are not the only ones who can join in this movement.

According to Ms. Chastain, Green Dot’s goal is to change the culture of our school to where “violence of any kind is not tolerated and everyone in the building is expected to play their part”.  You may have already heard the speech that was given to everyone in the building, stating an overview of what the program is all about and in what ways you can participate. Staff and students can use the technique of the three Ds. These are Distract, Direct, and Delegate. In a red dot situation (bullying, harassment,etc.), you can distract the participants, direct them away, or delegate an adult to help; doing one of these techniques will turn the situation into a green dot. No matter if you are a POL or not, you can help make our school a better, safer place.

Having a safe school is a realistic goal when everyone participates. In the words of Ms. Chastain, “by one person making a difference, it creates a ripple effect across Lafayette. The Green Dot program moves us one step toward shifting our school’s culture”.