Local children’s book author visit a highlight of Northrup’s anti-bullying month activities

During the month of October, William Northrup School joined the nation in celebrating anti-bullying month and National Unity Day. Classroom lessons and activities focused on sharing kindness, promoting acceptance, and encouraging inclusion to prevent bullying. Throughout the campus, doors were decorated with positive and supportive messages and the staff dressed in orange, the “official” color of Unity Day.

AUSD schools across the district participated in anti-bullying and Unity Day celebrations, but Northrup had something the others did not…a parent who also just happens to be a children’s book author with a book that perfectly fit with the month’s theme.

Karyn Grasse Chen, whose daughter is a third grader in the Mandarin Dual Immersion program at Northrup, visited primary classrooms each Wednesday to share her book, Mandy Does Mean Things. This story teaches students about kindness, acceptance, and overcoming struggles. The message of the book also empowers students to say no to bullies and the story opens up important conversations on unity and belonging.

Since October was National Bullying Prevention Month, it seemed the perfect time to have "Ms. Karyn" visit Northrup School as their special guest author. “Northrup is grateful to Ms. Karyn, for sharing this vital message with our students and being an important part of the Northrup family,” principal Lindsay Gilbert said.

Northrup kindergarten through second-grade classes were privileged to get a class visit from local children’s book author and Northrup parent, Karyn Grasse Chen, who read aloud to students and encouraged them to follow the lessons of her book Mandy Does Mean Things on overcoming struggles, accepting, being kind and empowered to say no to bullies.