Flint Public Library, GISD to Launch Literacy through Photography Exhibit

The Genesee Intermediate School District (GISD) will launch a four-week exhibit that captures voices, images and stories of how bullying impacts children. The Bullying Awareness through the Eyes of a Child exhibit will kick-off with a special event on Tuesday, June 5th.

The Literacy though Photography is an innovative project of the GISD developed through funding  from the Ruth Mott foundation. It is a project that seeks to address the complex issue of bullying through self expression in the form of photography and writing. It is designed to raise awareness of bullying related issues while improving student literacy and writing skills. Students are encouraged to explore emotions related to bullying and express themselves in writing and through pictures.

The project takes place during the after-school programs hosted at Atherton Community School District, Beecher Community School District, Flint Community Schools, and Genesee School District.Participating students view bullying through three different lenses: the victim, the bystanders, and the perpetrator. Each perspective helps students to more fully understand the complex issue of bullying and violence. Students are then asked to express themselves by writing about the images they capture to share with others. Preliminary data from the project show promising results as a tool to reduce the incidence of bullying and mitigate issues when they arise.

The exhibition will be hosted at the Flint Public Library and be available to the public from today until June 30, 2012.