A relatively new anti-violence initiative that began on the University of Kentucky campus has made its way to Webster County.

Donna Bumpus, the coordinator for the Webster County High School resource center and Youth Education Services (YES), said she became interested in the program known as Green Dot during a seminar she attended about 18 months ago.

“It really caught my attention and I thought, ‘This is something we definitely need to do,’” she said.

When she came home from the seminar, she began talking to students and colleagues about the idea, and found a great deal of support for implementing the concept here.

“I’ve been so amazed by the support,” she said. “It’s been a consensus with everyone, that this is a wonderful philosophy and something everyone can do.”

Green Dot, is focused on the idea of encouraging bystanders to intervene on behalf of people they see being victimized. It takes its name from the idea that red dots are typically used to identify areas of violence on statistical maps, and proposes the concept of putting more green dots in place of the red ones.

“It takes three seconds to make a conscious decision to stop (a violent act),” Bumpus said. “Versus one innocent person being victimized, there’s no question it’s got to be done.”

Bumpus’ daughter, Hillary, who is a member of the YES council, agreed.

“Three seconds of our life is nothing to a life-time for a victim,” she said.

Donna Bumpus said the program presents different methods bystanders can render aid in a dangerous situation.

“We never encourage anyone to get involved if they might get hurt,” she said. “But people can use the phone to call someone. If you see someone abusing a kid at a store, don’t just drive off. Sometimes, an intervention is as simple as not turning your head.”

The YES council will perform as many as four different skits for students at WCHS over the next couple of weeks as part of the Green Dot program. Most of the skits will center around the impact that bullying can have on different people, and will include a focus on the people who stood by and watched it happen without helping.

Bumpus said a long-term goal for her is to see the program implemented in every school across the district.

“This is a program we can start with young children,” she said. “If they learn the principle behind it, that if you see someone picking on your friend, say, ‘That’s not okay.’ My goal is that every student will know Green Dot.”

“And know how to stop bullying,” Youth Council Vice-President Lynette Harris quickly added. “They need to understand the effectiveness of it.”

Bumpus also had collected comments on Green Dot from several students, and pointed out one made to her by Youth Council President Audrey Martin.

“She said, ‘I want Green Dot to be as recognizable as Red Ribbon, where people just see the dot and know,’” Bumpus said of Martin’s comment.

At the Webster County Fiscal Court meeting on Monday, Webster County Judge Executive Jim Townsend signed a proclamation declaring Friday, March 19 “Green Dot Day.”