Anti-bullying group visits Byron school after student’s death, promotes support

Byron Middle School students attended three assemblies Thursday focused on bullying awareness and suicide prevention, more than a month after a student died by suicide, though officials said the events were not related.

Motivational speaker Willie Raines, president of Warner Robins-based company Reclaiming Ground Inc., led the annual anti-bullying program, urging students to report mistreatment, support one another and help create safe learning environments.

Raines’ Combat Bullying Tour followed the February death of a 12-year-old Byron Middle School student whose family said she experienced prolonged bullying. The death has prompted community grief and calls for accountability.

Peach County School District leaders and Raines said the assemblies were planned in advance and were not a response to the death. Raines said he has been involved with bullying prevention initiatives in the district for about 15 years, and globally for decades.

“Just a month ago, there had been a death by suicide. What I’m trying to do now is stop the madness,” Raines told the students. “If you are hurting (and) if you are going through some things, there’s hope for the hopeless, and there is help. Talk to somebody.

“Suicide is a permanent decision over a temporary problem,” Raines said. “It doesn’t matter what you’re going through ... Because once you leave here, you leave a lot of people hurt. There’s a lot of people hurt all because of this.”

The students watched a video from Tonja Simmons Lee, former Central Georgia Technical College’s executive director for counseling services, who outlined different forms of bullying, including physical attacks, verbal harassment and social media abuse. She warned that the impact can be severe, contributing to anxiety, depression and, in some cases, suicide.

Students acknowledged additional impacts of bullying, including mental distress, physical harm and drug use.

The assembly also focused on practical steps for students and staff. Raines stressed the need to create a “paper trail” whenever bullying occurs, telling students to report incidents to teachers or administrators and to involve parents when necessary. Documented reports, he said, help school leaders investigate patterns of behavior and respond consistently.

Raines closed his speech with a call for empathy. Students were urged to manage their emotions, avoid joining in ridicule online or in person, and remember their actions can deepen someone’s pain or help break a cycle of harm.

“It costs absolutely nothing to be kind to one another,” he said.

In a social media post, Raines thanked sponsors who helped fund the assembly and allowed the organization to distribute 90 anti-bullying shirts, suicide prevention cards and hallway banners.

Chris Sandefur, a Bibb County resident and one of the assembly sponsors, called the initiative “much-needed” for students to understand the severe impacts of bullying. Sandefur, a longtime friend of Raines, said he has supported the anti-bullying tour since its inception.

“Hearing from someone like Willie Raines, who shares real stories and promotes empathy, can help students better understand the consequences of their actions and the importance of treating others with respect,” Sandefur said in a statement. “This initiative creates a space where students can reflect on their behavior, feel supported, and learn practical ways to stand up against bullying.”

Sandefur said the events are especially relevant now, as “bullying has expanded beyond the classroom through social media, making its effects more constant and harder to escape.”

He added that school leaders should consider how to extend the impact of anti-bullying assemblies after they end. He said the effectiveness of Raines’ presentations increases when schools reinforce the message through continued discussions, student involvement and other ongoing efforts.

“Preventing bullying is a shared responsibility. It involves not only students, but also teachers, administrators, and parents working together to create a positive and inclusive environment,” Sanefur said. “Assemblies like this serve as a powerful starting point for long-term cultural change within schools.”