Brooklyn Rappe: Miss South Dakota High School America

What is B.R.A.V.E.? Brave is a platform that teaches kids and teens how to handle bullying and to always be kind. The acronym stands for Building Respect and Values for Everyone and is something that young adults and children struggle with every day. We are so focused on our own personal problems, that we never give ourselves a chance to be kind and help others through their issues. That needs to change and I think we can do it!

Something that everyone should always remember is that you never know what someone is going through. As my mother always says, “everyone has a story”. Even if we ask them about it, it shows people that they matter and they have a purpose. Kids often bully one another out of fear. They are afraid to ask what’s wrong, so instead they make fun of their peers for being different.

​As a teen who struggles with acne, I have always feared going outside without makeup and going to school on picture day. The B.R.A.V.E. platform has helped me through my insecurities and inspired me to help others through theirs. Society has created a world where kids grow up thinking they aren’t normal if they don’t fit the beauty standards social media portrays. B.R.A.V.E. helps kids with their confidence and shows everyone that they are beautiful inside and out. 

A huge problem is that adults often tell the victim that they shouldn’t let it bother them and to just forget about it. By doing this they are causing even more problems for the victim in the future, and without consequences, the bully is going to continue making fun of people. 

I believe that we need to start at the root of the problem and teach young kids how to be kind to everyone and teach them how to respect others. Rather than waiting too long until it’s too late and having the kids grow up to be bullies. By doing this, we can decrease the number of bullies and in return, the number of victims as well. 

The High School America system teaches young girls all about B.R.A.V.E. and to promote B.R.A.V.E. across America. I have always been passionate about spreading awareness on bullying and now I can share this platform with all of you. 

If everyone chose to be kind the world would be a much better place and one we could be proud of. I encourage you to do or say one kind thing to someone each day. You would be surprised how much you can change someone’s life by being kind to them. Not only are you making someone else feel good, being kind makes you feel better about yourself and causes that person to pay it forward and creates a chain of kindness. Challenge yourself to be kind everyday and soon enough it will feel natural to always help others. 

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