The Bethel Public Schools and the Bethel Community have joined together to create a safety plan for students who feel threatened, unsure of their surroundings, or caught in compromising situations. Businesses that display the newly designed logo have committed themselves to providing a refuge for young people in need. In every identified location, an adult will be available to immediately assist them.
According to Bethel Middle School Principal Derek Muharem, there are now almost 24 Bethel businesses that have signed up to participate in the program. There will be a training for the businesses to fully understand how to help students who may come to them for help. Muharem asked, “What happens when the kids are in a tight spot, where can they go for help right away, before the parents can get there?”
The program intends to answers those questions, and is expected to be fully functional by the end of the second week of school.
The poster was designed by Chella Wolfe, who will be entering the ninth grade. The poster, or a large sticker, will be displayed in the windows of the participating businesses so that students will know which businesses will assist them. The animals on the poster all represent the mascots of each Bethel school.
