Sen. Kirk Works With Students To Develop Anti-Bullying Game App
(CBS) -- A game app for Android smart phones has been created by kids, for kids, to combat bullying, and it's coming to a school near you.
U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) said it was rough enough for him growing up as a self-described "nerd." He said the stakes for those bullied on social media today are far higher, and has led some to commit suicide.
Kirk has tried public service announcements and lectures, but his Student Leadership Advisory Board, student leaders from 27 north suburban high schools, suggested a game app.
After some soul-searching, said advisory board member and 17-year-old game app co-creator Colleen Keefe, of Mt. Prospect, the group decided not to target the app to teens, but to the K-5 crowd.
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"We couldn't see ourselves using it," Keefe said. "If we couldn't see ourselves using it, how can we expect our peers to use it?"
Fellow 17-year-old Ryan Goldsher, of Northbrook, said there was a better chance of reaching a younger group, "to stop cyber-bullying before it becomes very popular, before kids really are on that much social media, so they know what to do before it can become a problem."
Working with Kirk and designers from Schaumburg-based Motorola Mobility, the student advisors rejected a host of ideas. The initial list was trimmed to the game app. Student Advisory Board members provided the voices.
"That gives it a little credibility (with younger children), and it's not like a robot (or) an adult talking down to you, Goldsher said. "It's just a kid talking to another kid."
Keefe said that the game has three levels, teaches with questions that can be answered by a "yes" or a "no" as players progress and eventually allows those who play to destroy bullies.
She said it's symbolic, not just of winning a game but of triumphing over bullying itself.
"That's just pretty empowering, and even if they don't get it at that time, it's still fun to see the little bully dude blow up," he said.
As players progress they also win "coins" that can be used to "dress up" their Droid figures.
The senator has urged parents increasingly in recent months to be wary of Snapchat and Yik Yak, which give a high degree of anonymity to authors, which he said can allow those posting to be even bolder and spread more defamatory, insulting and damaging statements -- "anything nasty about your kid."
"The child can get depressed, and think everybody in the world knows about this and can make a disastrous decision," Kirk said.
Kirk said he intends to send the game app to each elementary teacher in Illinois and is asking other members of Congress to follow his lead and do the same. It also available by free download at the Google Play Store.
