Kids to Know: Wee Macree Junior Leadership Board
Earlier this year, Wee Macree welcomed a Junior Board of Leaders to help govern the direction of the 501c3 nonprofit. With a mission of ‘kids helping kids,’ it was a unique and important approach to have children (ages 7 to 14) at the helm of key decisions like selecting which issues to support and fundraise for. At their first meeting, the Junior Board voted to address the epidemic of bullying in collaboration with IAmMore Foundation.
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Please share what it means to you to be a leader for Wee Macree.
Sanaya: It means a lot to me to help other kids overcome fears or struggles that they face every day of their lives. I’m happy to be a part of something that helps other people be happy.
Kate: Wee Macree is kids helping kids. To be a part of something that helps people means I get to make a difference in the world as a kid. It’s really cool to do that.
As a member of the Junior Leadership Board, what are some of the things you get to do in your role?
Bronson: I get to stand up for kids who have been bullied. I also get to take on a leadership role at a community-wide event.
Ella: I get to learn about new issues affecting kids. I am hosting an event with my other Board members. Also, we recently had our meeting over a nice dinner at Donatello Italian Restaurant with a special etiquette and confidence training by Patricia Rossi.
How did the Junior Leaders of Wee Macree come to the decision to focus efforts on bullying this year?
Tegan: There’s a lot of kids being bullied, and we want to help them so there are not as many. We were asked what issues we wanted to help, and then we all voted on what we thought needed the most help. Bullying is something that no one has events for here in Tampa.
Why do you think bullying is such a problem for so many kids?
Bronson: Bullying creates a toxic environment where kids do not feel safe or comfortable. I think it happens because kids want to make themselves feel powerful by putting others down.
Jase: It’s a problem for so many kids because friends do not know how to step in and help.
Have you ever seen a friend be bullied or know a friend that was bullied? What did you do about it?
Hendrix: I have heard of people being bullied. The same person that hurt me (in preschool), hurt other people. I only heard about it, but no one did anything at the time because we wanted to protect ourselves.
Ella: Yes, I was there when my friend was bullied over snack-time at school. The other person told my friend to give her the food, and she wouldn’t leave us alone. I spoke up and told the bully to find her own food and buzz off. The situation felt familiar to me because I have also been badly bullied before.
Tell us about the upcoming event hosted by Wee Macree and the IAmMore Foundation.
Emily: It’s an event that can help kids that have been bullied to learn the skills to overcome their experiences. It’s also an event for anyone that has been a bystander and didn’t know what to do when they saw bullying happen. It’s our goal to make sure that kids are able to stand up for themselves in the right way or find someone to help them in these situations.
Brock: We even want bullies to come so they can get support and know there is a community of nice people around them. All kids will leave as ‘Upstanders.’
What does being an ‘upstander’ mean to you?
Dani: To me, it means to stand up for other people and do what is right. It also means to tell someone, like an adult, that a friend needs help.
Kate: It means to stand up for my friends and family when they are hurting. If I can be an Upstander for someone, I will. Becoming an Upstander is one way to stop bullying.
As a junior nonprofit leader in Tampa, what is something you want to say about bullying in our city and at our schools?
Tegan: Nobody should be bullying anybody. Be kind to others.
Khimaya: I think it’s wrong and someone has to do something to stop it. I want people to support what we are doing for the sake of everyone’s mental health and happiness.
About “Brave Hearts: A Rally Against Bullying”
With the City of Tampa Community Engagement & Partnerships Department, Wee Macree and IAmMore Foundation will feature an opening keynote speech by Nick Swisher, MLB World Series Champion; a call-to-action by 9-year-old Blakely Stuntz, who started a successful anti-bullying club at her elementary school; three parent panels with expert support; three youth panels with educational and empowering activities; and five skills mastery stations. The event will conclude with a pledge station commitment to be an ‘Upstander.’
Feature Image: Brock, Bronson, Dani, Emily, Tegan, Khimaya, Sanaya, Jase, Ella, Kate, Hendrix | Photo Credit: Carolina Araujo | Originally published in the October 2024 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.