International "Buddy Booby's Birthmark" Read-Along for Tolerance and Awareness

why it's important:

In 2006, after creating a children's book called, "Buddy Booby's Birthmark", I began receiving thousands of emails from parents of children with birthmarks. Despite coming from many different countries, they all shared similar stories about their children having a 'hard time' in school. Most of the struggles were due to the negative treatment they received from classmates. Many of these families invited me to visit their children's schools to share my book. On my days off, I visited as many schools as I could (throughout my home state of NY). I spoke to thousands of students and answered hundreds of intriguing, intelligent questions about birthmarks from kids as young as 4-years-old. I found that just half-an-hour of education and discussion immediately changed kid's attitudes about birthmarks and towards the people who have them. But, I couldn't possibly get to every school in every country. Then, one day I received an email from the parent of a 5-year-old girl with a birthmark. The parent had made arrangements for her daughter's teacher to share "Buddy Booby's Birthmark" with the class, in an effort to educate them about vascular birthmarks and hopefully get them to stop excluding her daughter. I posted the woman's idea on my website. Within days, other parents were asking if they could get involved in spreading awareness by educating their children's classrooms too. The Vascular Birthmarks Foundation (www.birthmark.org) suggested I create an actual reading 'event' in conjunction with their annual "Day of Awareness" campaign. The "International Buddy Booby's Birthmark Read-Along for Tolerance and Awareness" was born. The Read-Along is a group effort to: Educate early school-age children about birthmarks (before they develop prejudices and misconceptions); and Open up the lines of communication between teachers and students about relevant topics such as tolerance, diversity, prejudice, and the pressures for 'physical perfection'. Teachers,(from both private and public schools anywhere in the world) register on-line (at www.buddyboobysbirthmark.com) and promise to read and discuss the children's book, "Buddy Booby's Birthmark" with their students on May 15th,(in honor of the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation annual Day of Awareness Campaign). By engaging groups of students to discuss characters in the book, no individual child is put in an uncomfortable situation. By inviting students to discuss (as a group), ways in which they're similar to the book's characters (whether they have a birthmark or not), develops a shared experience, empathy, and compassion. Early feedback from the read-alongs proved that when armed with the facts -- children are less likely to fear, shun, or ridicule individuals with birthmarks. In turn, school became a less 'threatening' place for kids with birthmarks. By introducing the concepts of tolerance, compassion, diversity, and global thinking to students in early grades (K-5) -- children with birthmarks will have a better shot at experiencing less anxiety, bullying, and self-esteem issues throughout their time in school. My project is a simple, free, fun opportunity for teachers and children to participate in a global educational effort aimed at increasing tolerance and compassion for each other's differences; promoting self-esteem; and raising birthmark awareness by reducing the prejudice and myths surrounding vascular abnormalities. My project unites children and educators from multiple cultures and countries on one special day each year -- all to discuss tolerance, diversity, and the stigmas and myths surrounding birthmarks.

the plan of action:

The "International Buddy Booby's Birthmark Read-Along for Tolerance and Awareness" began with just 7 schools in 2006. Thanks to the support of teachers, parents of children with birthmarks, and adults with birthmarks --the event has grown to include over 250 classrooms and schools representing nearly every state in the U.S.A, Australia, Ireland, England, Germany, Malta, Panama, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands! I have never had the money to 'advertise' or promote the event. It has grown, strictly by word-of-mouth. Just by taking 1/2 hour to share and discuss the children's book, "Buddy Booby's Birthmark" --children are developing an understanding of birthmarks, getting the facts about them, and learning to embrace diversity, not just of race, culture, and religion -- but physical features as well. Teachers have reported "a noticeable improvement" in the way children with birthmarks are treated by their peers after reading and discussing Buddy Booby's Birthmark. And parents have written to say their children with birthmarks are less anxious and apprehensive about social situations when they have the book to use as a tool to teach classmates. With the help of my family, I've developed an easy, on-line registration form for teachers who wish to participate. The event is free to all participants. All we ask is that they promise to share the book and discuss how the story relates to every child in the class, whether they have a birthmark or not. It seems most everyone has an instance where they've felt 'different' or 'left out'. By discussing those instances together, children are realizing how similar they are because of their differences! Our website (which I developed with my family using educator's suggestions) offers free downloadable resources, including puzzles, coloring pages, book marks, and project ideas and essay suggestions for older children. After the event, we provide every registrant a thank you letter, an official Certificate of Participation, and (provided we have the funding), a free copy of the book for their library. That book remains as a resource in school libraries for years to come, and will hopefully continue to remind children to be more compassionate and tolerant of all types of diversity. If awarded a grant, I would utilize the funds to: 1) Increase the scope of the "Read-Along" by targeting advertisements to teachers in schools, world-wide. 2) Recruit 500 schools world-wide. 3) Create a more professional version of a DVD presentation I give to kids about living with a birthmark. 4) Provide each participating school with a "Tolerance Packet" as a thank you, including a free copy of the book Buddy Booby's Birthmark, and the DVD. 5) Hire a professional web designer in order to enhance and improve the current Read-Along website (which I maintain on my own). I'd use the money from this grant to help fund distribution of the books to the first 100 participating schools. Over time I would like to have the book's text translated into the many languages teachers have requested from me -- including Spanish, French, German, and Chinese. I'd like to obtain professional help in developing a formal mailing list and better system to track registrations and send thank-you packets. Right now everything is done by me and my family, by hand -- and, as the Read-Along grows, it's getting harder for us to maintain it alone.

how you can get involved:

TOP TEN WAYS YOU CAN HELP increase tolerance and birthmark awareness in your community: 1) Ask teachers (in pre-school through 5th grade) to register on-line at www.buddyboobysbirthmark.com and participate in the May 15th "International Buddy Booby's Birthmark Read-Along for Tolerance and Awareness". 2) If you see a kid with a birthmark, don't ask them, "What's wrong with your face?" or "What happened to your face?" Just say, "Hi!" and be nice. Get to know them FIRST before making any judgments. 3) Invite community leaders, physicans, and/or teens and adults with birthmarks to participate in local school "Read-Along" events. 4) Learn the facts about birthmarks. They're NOT contagious, they may never 'go away', and they are medical -- not cosmetic-- issues. 5) Don't perpetuate negative stereotypes. Not everyone with a birthmark is unhappy. Not everyone with a birthmark wants to have it removed or feels the need to cover or hide it. 6)Clear your mind about everything anyone has ever told you about 'beauty'. Open your mind and heart, and be your own judge of what's really "beautiful" in a person. 7) Write to your favorite magazines and tv networks. Tell them you'd like to see some more 'diverse' photos (including children and adults with facial differences such as birthmarks) represented in everyday situations. 8)If you see anyone bullying a fellow classmate; be the strongest leader, and defend the classmate that's being bullied. 9) Put yourself in another person's shoes BEFORE you say anything that could be hurtful. THINK before you say anything that could damage a child's self-esteem, or make them feel they aren't accepted 'just the way they are'. 10) Be considerate of the parents or siblings of children with birthmarks. Your rude or negative comments can be just as hurtful to them.

videos: