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Recently we have read and heard stories of teenagers who suffered from bullying at school — and sometimes the tragic result of such abuse.

Jamea Warren, a Northwest High School senior, participated in several programs with The National Conference for Community and Justice of the Piedmont Triad that addresses this kind of abuse.

Jamea participated in the award-winning Anytown summer camp, which promotes respect and understanding among people of all backgrounds, religions and cultures.

“I got to know people who were different from me yet, in many ways, were like me,” she said. “We talked openly about our differences — but without judging one another.”

She described this as a “non-typical” camp experience where they did activities that helped them really see and learn from one another.

While she was brought up a Christian and had heard about Buddhists and Muslims, she had not had the opportunity to interact openly with people of different religions. She learned by listening to others and was amazed at what she heard.

Anytown offers rising Guilford County high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to live and interact with a diverse group of students from different schools, ethnicities, religions, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The students come together to build a community based on inclusivity, respect and understanding, a community that can serve as a model to the larger communities from which they come.

Delegates at the camp have the opportunity to learn from and teach each other, and in doing so, build and enhance their own leadership skills in conflict resolution, coalition building, group facilitation and diversity management.

Anytown prepares high school students to take on leadership roles and excel across a wide range of living, working and educational situations.

Jamea went back into her high school and led group discussions with her peers.

“We talked about cliques and how we do not always have to 'buy into’ all of the ways people are excluded,” she said.

Jamea said they did a lot of reflecting on their own behavior and choices. She expanded her friends to include some people different from her usual circle of relationships. “I learned to put myself out there to all kinds of people, and it was fun.”

NCCJ youth leaders across the county have organized special events on their campuses, including human relations days and unity events, Gay-Straight Alliances, and social justice and multicultural clubs. They’ve also taken leadership roles in student human relations commissions and student councils.

The mission of NCCJ of the Piedmont Triad Inc., a human relations nonprofit organization, is to promote understanding and respect among all cultures, races, religions through advocacy, education and dialogue.

NCCJ does not advocate for any particular group or philosophy, but works to build mutual respect among all people — regardless of race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic background or faith.

Founded in 1927, The National Conference for Community and Justice was formerly The National Conference of Jews and Christians for the Advancement of Justice, Amity and Peace. In 1999, the organization’s name changed to The National Conference for Community and Justice.

Though the name changed, the mission of the NCCJ has always remained the same, to fight bias, bigotry, and racism in America.

Other programs offered by NCCJ include:

• Unity Events: Using youth as peer facilitators, unity events allow schools to introduce the student body or entire grades to concepts of diversity and human relations.
• Changing in the Middle: This program gives middle school students an opportunity to engage in a series of activities that focus on self respect and respect for others while celebrating each other’s differences.
• Educator/Parent/Adult Workshops: Interactive 90- minute workshops to create a shared vision of and commitment to youth-led initiatives that improve school climate. Adult participants gain self-awareness and develop higher expectations of all students.

Jamea, off to college in the fall, said her experience at NCCJ has prepared her to meet new people and to be inclusive as she considers a degree in business.

Ruth D. Anderson is executive director of The Servant Leadership School of Greensboro and chairwoman of programming for the Guilford Nonprofit Consortium.