Cyberbullying Incident Spurs Social Media Campaign

A hurtful photo circulated in a private chat group among Scarsdale High School students has become the impetus for a social media campaign against cyberbullying.

When SHS sophomore Jillian Stachyra learned that other SHS students were sharing a photo of her face atop a whale with the caption "JillWhale," she took the negative and turned it into a positive. She posted the image on her Facebook page with the following message:

"This hurtful picture was created to bring laughter to others at my expense, which is absolutely disgusting, I want to take this time to talk about how realistic cyber bullying is and how it can affect one's mental state. You think you know people, you think these things won't happen to you, but it's 100% possible! I know that being well known throughout SHS obviously has its ups and downs, I know that people talk S***, it's part of life and I usually brush it off. But being subject to this kind of bullying was completely tormenting and heartbreaking, especially being exposed to it during school, which is supposed to be a safe place. I am sharing this with all my facebook 'Friends' to prove I am more than what stupid boys say, I am more than any meme, and I am more than 'JillWhale' I am taking this as a learning experience and an opportunity to prove to myself and only myself that I AM BEAUTIFUL and anyone saying otherwise is simply incorrect. (btw that picture is legit from 7th grade, like c'mon)"

Friends have rallied to her side, by taking the whale photo, affixing their own faces to it and posting it on Facebook with the hashtag #whale yourself.

Jillian's mother brought the photo to the attention of the SHS Assistant Principal who took it seriously and let the parents of the offenders know what their children had done. 

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