ELAYNA HASTY CREATES WORKSHOPS TO ENCOURAGE SELF-ESTEEM, LEADERSHIP AND COMPASSION

When Elayna was six years old she had forgotten to bring her gym shoes to school. That’s when the bullying began and continued day after day until she broke down and cried. That bullying continued for two years. But Elayna wasn’t alone. One day she watched a fifth grade boy teasing a kindergarten child while grabbing his lunch bag. But when her best friend started being homeschooled because of bullying, it hit too close to home.

She told her mom that they needed to somehow stop bullying. Her mom said they would never stop people from being purposely mean, but that they could do things to support those being bullied. Then her parents helped her set up a Facebook support page that they named G.A.B. (Girls Against Bullying). They even ordered G.A.B bracelets and t-shirts. GAB is dedicated to helping empower students nationwide to be comfortable and proud of their own true beauty. 

When Elayna turned twelve, she created her first workshop, The Princess Within Me, for girls ages five to eight, to encourage self-esteem, leadership, and compassion for others. They role play and break into small groups to discuss bullying. Then Elayna encourages these girls to discuss what makes them special. Since then Elayna has developed several other workshops to meet the needs of boys as well as girls. She works vigorously to reach out to students across the country, encouraging them through her motto; Encourage, Lead, and Empower.

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This story is now published in Tales2Inspire ~ The Pearl Collection Stories of Awesome Kids

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