***The student’s name in the article has been changed to keep her true identity anonymous and avoid drawing any negative attention. Some specific details of events cannot be disclosed to avoid further problems.***

*Hannah Smith tries to eat her lunch in the cafeteria quietly, minding her own business when chunks of food start hitting her and people begin yelling harsh words.

Smith, sophomore, has been a victim of bullying since middle school. The pain of all the negative comments and actions toward her have made her feel unaccepted and think lowly of herself. The bullying has caused her so much pain that she has contemplated suicide.

ABC news reported that 30 percent of students are bullies or suffer from bullying and 160,000 kids choose do skip days of school each year because they are terrorized by bullying. According to a study in Great Britain, at least half of teen suicides are due to bullying.

Bullying is the act of making someone else feel incomplete, according to Bullying Statistics. It can involve physical intimidation and/or verbal assault with the intentions of causing a person distress. The Kirkwood School District deals with bullying as a serious offense. If a student is caught bullying they he or she may be suspended, removed from participation in activities or expelled from school, according to district policy.

“Our first responsibility is to make sure kids are safe here at school,” Jeff Townsend, sophomore principal, said. “It’s tough to control 1,800 students and what they do every day, and then, of course, what they do outside of school is different and then what they do online and via social networks. All of those things develop and are brought into that bullying mix.”

According to Bullying Statistics, physical, verbal, emotional and cyber bullying are the four types of bullying. The most detectable form is physical, which involves hitting, punching or kicking a person. Verbal includes repeatedly making remarks to a person intending to damage their self-image. Emotional bullying causes a person to feel abandoned and usually leads to depression. Lastly, cyber bullying is attacking a person over a social media site.

Smith was harassed twice outside of school in Downtown Kirkwood when she was in middle school. The first time she came in contact with two peers and a verbal argument ensued which then led to physical violence. Smith said she responded to their words by physically hitting them in an attempt to defend herself.

The second time she was harassed she was in the Kirkwood Public Library and peers were yelling insulting words at her. She eventually called the police and they broke things up and no charges were pressed. After the two incidents, the verbal bullying then continued over Facebook.

“It’s hard dealing with that kind of stuff,” Smith said. “They tell me my hair is ugly, and that I am fat. You start to look in the mirror and believe it and it makes you want to cry and end your life.”

Smith’s family decided to get counseling for her and she is now working with Barnes-Jewish/ Christian (BJC’s) bullying department. Smith is appreciative of her family’s support and the guidance they give her. Smith also gets help from Joe Fisch, counselor, and other teachers at KHS in addition to seeking help from her aunt, a counselor in Kansas City. Her mother supports her and gives her advice on how to deal with the abuse, since she was also bullied as a kid.

“I try to tell her that she is a very special person, and they don’t see that. If they are being mean you have to try and not react and walk away and that’s hard to do because it hurts,” Smith’s mother said. “The sad thing is feeling her hurt as a parent. You just feel so helpless because you do not know what to do.”

Smith has learned to accept herself and continues to get help from her family and counselors. She reached out to the bullies by inviting them to try out for a sports team with her. The girls joined the team and they have had no further problems.

“I don’t let them get to me because I know I am better than that, and I don’t want to stoop to their level,” Smith said. “If I do they’re just going to keep on [bullying] because they want me to react. I remember that I am a good person and I am able to accept myself.