When 11-year-old Payton Pinkston faced cyberbullying, like most kids her age, she felt sad and hurt. But she didn’t let that experience keep her down. She used it as motivation to help others. As the founder of the Bully Patrol project, Payton is on a mission to stop bullying before it starts.
During National Bullying Prevention Month, a time dedicated to fostering awareness and encouraging action against bullying, Empowered Flower Girl proudly shines a light on the inspiring youth who refuse to remain silent in the face of adversity.
“I started Bully Patrol last year because I experienced cyberbullying. I thought the kids that put me in a group message were my friends only to find out they were saying mean things about me. It was disappointing and hurtful,” Payton explained. “When I experienced cyberbullying, I knew what to do because I was always taught to speak up and let my mom or an adult know. But other kids may not know and are afraid. So that’s why I came up with Bully Patrol – to stop bullying before it starts.”
With unwavering determination, Payton uses her voice and experience as powerful tools for change. Fueled by empathy and compassion, Payton strives to eradicate bullying and cyberbullying – issues that affect so many young people worldwide.
“When I came up with the name, I was thinking about the cartoon ‘Paw Patrol’ and my mom was like, “that’s a great name,” Payton noted. “My mom told me how she used to be a safety patrol when she was in school. So we put our ideas together and said Bully Patrol will be just like a safety patrol. We patrol the hallways. We patrol the bathroom. We patrol the lunch room. We patrol at recess and we will speak at different schools and in our community.”
Payton’s ultimate goal is to take Bully Patrol nationally and even globally. “I want to have a Bully Patrol Club in every school just like they had a safety patrol club,” she said.
In addition to her work with Bully Patrol, Payton is an entrepreneur, actress, dancer, singer and model. The ambitious tween is not only working to banish bullying, but she’s also working the runway and the stage.
Connect with Payton via Instagram.
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