Students, teachers and staff at every campus in the Canutillo Independent School District renewed their commitment to inclusivity and collaboration by earning the coveted No Place for Hate designation for work done during the 2022-23 school year.
No Place for Hate is an Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Southwest self-directed program for schools that help students, educators and families build a learning community of inclusivity, respect and equity.
“As a District, it is our responsibility to create safe and inclusive environments for all our students,” said Superintendent Dr. Pedro Galaviz. “No Place for Hate programming at our campuses allows our students, teachers and staff to lead the way in building a culture of care and cultivating activities that help others understand and appreciate kindness, respect and diversity.”
To be designated No Place for Hate, a school must form a No Place for Hate Coalition, sign the pledge and complete at least three school-wide activities. Upon completion of the required program components, schools receive a No Place for Hate banner that can be displayed in the school.
Throughout the District, campuses jumped at the chance to spread the love. Check out how each campus brought the program to life through an array of activities that show students their campus was no place for hate.
Bill Childress Elementary School (BCE) - This year, BCE kicked off No Place for Hate activities with a virtual rally that introduced the campus to the foundations of the program and concluded with students, faculty, staff, and parents signing the Resolution of Respect. A popular No Place for Hate activities was a children's literature read aloud paired with an extension activity. Activities were tailored to early/upper elementary needs and focused on promoting and maintaining a positive and equitable school climate. The lessons were selected by the campus No Place for Hate coalition composed of faculty, staff, parents and students.
“The impact of No Place for Hate has resulted in our campus working towards building a community where everyone feels empowered to stand against bias and bullying through implementing a culture of respect,” said BCE Assistant Principal Sabina Lazos.
Canutillo Elementary School (CES) - The CES community participated in activities such as 100 Ways to be Kind, Be a Friend not a Bully and Only one you. 100 Ways to be Kind allowed for teachers and students to hold a classroom discussion about the program concepts then created a poster as a class or grade level to display 100 ways to be kind. Be a Friend not a Bully again called for a discussion with students on the importance of anti-bullying and concluded with all students, staff and community members wearing pink to draw awareness to anti-bullying. To commemorate Only one You Day, students painted a river rock adorned with one word that described what makes them unique. All students placed their painted rock in the school garden.
“No Place for Hate is impactful for our campus to show students what it means to be kind and respectful while recognizing and appreciating their own unique attributes and those of others,” said CES Assistant Principal Veronica Frias. “The activities they take part in build a culture of kindness that resonates with the entire campus and discourages bullying of any kind.”
Deanna Davenport Elementary (DDE) - This year, DDE took part in No Place for Hate by having students write a short note on a heart that describes love and peace. This activity was called Peace of my Heart. After students wrote on their hearts, teachers and staff placed them at the entrance of the campus for everyone to read and acknowledge,including parents. At the beginning of the year, the entire campus signed the No Place for Hate pledge that includes five promises they pledge to abide by the entire year.
“No Place for Hate has helped our students take part in collaborative activities that focus on inclusivity, acceptance and diversity,” said DDE Principal Lupe Montanez. “These activities are grade appropriate and the entire campus participates in every activity, teachers adaptied the activity per grade level.”
Gonzalo and Sofia Garcia Elementary (GES) - At GES, the campus showcased No Place for Hate by participating in the Only one You activity that involved having students design their own unique river rock with a defining characteristic, trait or value and place it in the garden on campus. Students signed the pledge committing to always respect, value and honor their fellow classmates from all backgrounds.
“By taking part in these types of activities, it shows our kids that we are all different and yet share similar ideas on how we want to be treated,” said GES Assistant Principal Ruben Aguirre. “No Place for Hate helps everyone understand differences and respect those differences in others.
Jose Damian Elementary (JDE) - JDE had a No Place for Hate committee that met monthly to support the program and events and included student representatives and parent volunteers. Students and staff signed the No Place for Hate pledge and took part in activities that made learning the principles of the program fun and memorable for students such as the Glow dance party that taught students about bullying, inclusivity, respect and equity. Students participated in the No Place for Hate pep rally and parade where Chico, the El Paso Chihuahuas baseball team mascot, was invited to teach students about respect and bullying. They also took part in Kindness Week that highlighted important program topics with various activities and a visit from military soldiers.
“The activities helped students understand how being nice and kind to others will help guide them in understanding how to treat others as they want to be treated,” said JDE Assistant Principal Janeth Plaza. “Students can value and appreciate not only how they treat others, but also how they want to be treated.”
Congressman Silvestre and Carolina Reyes Elementary School (RES) - RES provides an array of lessons and activities connected to No Place for Hate that promote kindness and combats bullying at the campus. Students are taught to embrace diversity, cultures, differences and respect. They sign a pledge during a pep rally that holds them accountable to be part of the movement. Teachers and administrators did a book study on “The Energy Bus” by Amy P. Kelly and Jon Gordon to learn along with the student about positivity and did monthly activities with a children's book that derived from “The Energy Bus.”
“No Place for Hate is important because the collaborative framework allows for every person to play an important role in order to build a positive culture. This goes from teachers, parents, custodial staff, office staff, counselors, administrators and community members,” said RES Assistant Principal Maggie Castillo. “It is incredible to listen to students using the same language and correct each other's mistakes. Students remind each other of expectations and remind each other of kind acts.”
Jose J. Alderete Middle School (AMS) - AMS has brought the concept of No Pace for Hate to life for the campus community with fun and engaging activities that bring students together. They have held activities throughout the year to include Kona Ice Day with Friends, No Bullying Night at Peter Piper Pizza, Pop-in with Friends Dance, Presenting the Pledge, level- up weekly tickets of recognition for doing the right thing and Eagle Connection Recognition. Students took part in creating a collage on what traits and characteristics define them and got to delve into activities that taught valuable lessons on respecting difference such as One School Different Stories Noche Buenas.
“Our students learned the fundamentals of the program by having fun and being rewarded for actually living what they learned,” said AMS Principal Nidia Avila. “The program has been very successful in demonstrating the importance of kindness and respect on our campus and allowing students to take ownership of their own positive behaviors towards their peers.”
Canutillo Middle School (CMS) - Two lessons in particular got students at CMS excited about being a No Place for Hate campus. It Only Takes One and Posts of Positivity and Kindness were activities that made students feel part of a community by creating a heart with their thumbprints. They enjoyed sharing words with others that could possibly elevate their day. Students walked down the hallways and took a positive message written on Post-its throughout the day when they needed an uplifting word. After watching a five minute video "The Science of Kindness" and having a conversation about the main points, the students made their way to put their thumbprints for all to see. Students learned that acts of kindness are scientifically proven to be contagious. They got the opportunity to be part of a campus-wide collaborative mural where they used their thumbprints and paint to fill in a heart. The mural represented the idea that one small act of love and kindness can repeat itself and spread. They talked about the impact that positive and kind words can have on someone.
“The No Place For Hate program is important for students, teachers and staff because it fosters a positive and inclusive school environment where everyone feels safe, respected and valued,” said CMS Assistant Principal Alejandra Flores.
Canutillo High School (CHS) - CHS started the year with a No Place for Hate activity called Walk a Mile in My Shoes and spent a week learning about each other. Students picked a shoe and embellished it with things that described who they are. They shared their creation within their classes and created a path along the main hallway with all the shoes to enable students to continue to learn about each other. The activity aimed to promote acceptance of every person’s differences and showcase their individuality. The campus also has a program where student athletes and student leaders adopt a student in the special education program. They spend time doing activities together, helping them in class and honoring them in a special court during Homecoming.
“We found that the No Place for Hate activities have helped in the reduction of bullying and all our students feel much more included and a part of the campus,” said CHS Assistant Principal Donna Gray.
Northwest Early College High School (NWECHS) - Each year, the NWECHS No Place for Hate Coalition facilitates three campus-wide anti-bias and diversity related activities, along with presenting and participating in smaller events such as club fairs, Teal & Black days, Griffin Academy, parent/teacher conferences among others. Throughout the year, the No Place for Hate Coalition and activities impact the campus culture by building an inclusive and safe community while educating and empowering students, faculty, administration, and family members to take a stand against hate and bullying.
“No Place for Hate impacts our school community by sending a clear, unified message that all students have a place to belong,” said NWECHS No Place for Hate sponsor Kirsten M. Wieseman. “We are proud to be a No Place for Hate school. We believe in maintaining a positive campus culture where students and staff rise to our Griffin expectations. We are committed to making our campus a safe school with a culture that values all students and staff. No Place for Hate is one of the reasons why we are able to achieve this mission.”