Corbin High School student creates anti-bullying social media campaign as Rogers Scholar service project

2020 Rogers Scholar and Corbin High School student Spencer Hays partnered with community leader, Jeremy Patton, of United Martial Arts, to develop a social media anti-bullying campaign for males and females, ages 5-18, in Laurel, Knox, and Whitley counties.

Photo Submitted

The goal was to demonstrate ways to combat bullying while teaching morals to children and teens.

During the course of the nine-month project, Hays was able to reach 1,700 people with nearly 25 social media anti-bullying posts.

“This project means a lot to me because I was once an uncoordinated, chubby kid. I was shy and bullied into doing things I didn’t want to do,” said Hays. “United Marital Arts gave me a place to be myself, and once I learned self-defense, that confidence bled over into other places, such as school. Bullying is awful and by campaigning on social media, I can give everyone the same confidence I have against bullies.”

“I’ve watched Spencer grow into a confident, young man,” said Patton. “He represents the martial arts well and I appreciate his efforts to share them with the community.”

Each graduate of The Center for Rural Development’s Rogers Scholars program is required to complete a community service project.