Marlboro Middle School

Developed by California-based nonprofit Community Matters, and adapted for local school districts by the Orange County Youth Bureau, this leadership program harnesses the power of socially influential students to prevent and stop bullying and mistreatment.

After being hand-selected by their teachers, a group of new student leaders participated in a day-long interactive training session to learn how to

resolve conflicts, defuse incidents, and support isolated and excluded students. The next day, the students came together with last year’s ambassadors to practice working as a team. The group will continue to meet with their adult mentors over the coming weeks to strengthen their skills, analyze their intervention methods, and sustain their commitment to the program.

The goal of the program is to empower students to help create a safe and more welcoming climate in their school.