FAIRFIELD - An anti-bullying video made by a 13-year-old Westport girl has a lot of people talking about the tormenting problem of bullying. Recognizing the issue associated with peer bullying, students from Fairfield University's Psychology Club will host a bullying prevention rally on 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 10 at the Barone Campus Center. The program is free and open to the public.

Research shows nearly one out of four students in fourth through the sixth grade is bullied multiple times in his or her life, and the problem is not just confined to elementary schools, it is becoming an issue on college campuses, especially after the death of a Rutgers University student last fall.

Joe Calvaruso, a senior from Westchester N.Y. said an effort to raise awareness on the severity of bullying through Fairfield's prevention rally is just one way to bring the problem to light. "We want to educate people on what bullying is and how to deal with it in everyday life," said Calvaruso.

The rally will feature guest speakers and students from Fairfield University, Yale University, Sacred Heart University, and Southern Connecticut State University. Calvaruso said the Psychology Club also sent out invitations to Fairfield County elementary schools and high schools to attend the weekend rally. "It should be a pretty big event, and one of the highlights of the day will be a student giving a personal account of what it's like to be bullied," he said. According to event organizers there will also be live entertainment as well as arts and crafts. 

Calvaruso, a psychology major, explained that by coordinating the event, he hopes to grab the attention of as many people as possible. "We decided we should try to raise awareness of the nation-wide bullying problem, and we hope to address the issue during the rally," said Calvaruso.

For more information contact Mark Gregorio, director of media relations at 203-254-4000 ext. 2647 or e-mail at mgregorio1@fairfield.edu

Editor's note: The information in this post was wholly contributed.