WACO, TX — According to www.stopbullying.gov, about 20% of students ages 12-18 experience some sort of bullying. While the statistic is from a nationwide survey, it proves true here at home.
One of the children to fall victim to bullying is 7-year-old Robin Land.
“I was sad because the person who was bullying me was judging me how I look,” Land said.
A bully at his school would say he looked like a girl.
“Even though I look different, does it mean they can judge me?” He questioned.
While the words hurt him, he now wears his confidence on his sleeve and responds to those who bully him with just a few words, ‘kind is the new cool.’
It’s a statement him and his mother found when looking through quotes to possibly put on a t- shirt. It was his favorite, and something he believes everyone should know and see.
“I responded by making a shirt and I wore it to school the next morning and I became the school's motto,” he said wearing the shirt and a big smile.
You can get the shirt too, and if you do invest, be sure to know that your money is put toward a good cause, like the Cameron Park Zoo.
“Donations are always important to us, and we enjoy receiving them, but when it involves a young person, it's always refreshing to see how they are learning philanthropy,” Duane McGregor, the marketing and public relations manager for the Zoo said.
After the website Land uses to make the shirts takes out the cost to produce them, Land donates the rest of the proceeds.
It’s something McGregor said the Zoo appreciates but also finds impressive for his age.
“The younger they start, whether it's given monetarily or giving volunteer time is so important,” she said. “It's always refreshing to see it.”
Since COVID-19, Robin has switched to an online school, Lone Star Online Academy, and loves it!
Even though he doesn’t attend in-person classes anymore, he said he’ll continue to sell shirts and spread positivity.
”Just imagine you getting bullied by someone bigger than you, it doesn’t feel great to be bullied,” he explained.
If you want to support Robin and buy a t-shirt, you can do so at this link.
