The tragedy at Columbine High School five years ago brought national attention to the problem of bullying in schools and the serious consequences of such actions. At Mineola High School, students take a proactive approach to the problem with a club that teaches youngsters that bullying is not cool.

To mark the fifth anniversary of the Columbine shooting that claimed the lives of 12 students, a teacher and the two shooters, Increase the Peace, an organization at Mineola High School dedicated to ensuring a safe, inclusive and caring environment for all reaffirmed its pledge, which now hangs in the lobby of the school just inside the main entrance.

The roots of the organization date back to 1990 when some students became upset about horrible graffiti on a Martin Luther King exhibit on the second floor of the high school. The students went to Bruce Castellano. The teacher and the students began meeting weekly. One of the students suggested going into the classrooms to tell others about their vision for a school without bias.

Castellano then went to the local police precinct, the Human Rights Commission and Adelphi University and C.W. Post to take courses, bringing his students with him. The group then started going into classrooms in the high school, but realized that students must be educated at an earlier age about the negative effects of having a school where there is bias. Thus the club "Increase the Peace" was born.

"It took off big time. People asked me to come into their classrooms," said Castellano. "Now, I teach it as a half credit course and it's a club."

When the club began, there were only five students involved. Now, there are over 100 students, including some reformed bullies, trained in Mineola High School and able to go to Mineola Middle School and the elementary schools to teach younger students about how to accept differences, reduce prejudice and prevent bullying. The target years are students in the third, fifth, sixth and eighth grades. "When the high school kids go in there, the elementary school kids and middle school kids really listen to them and they really want to be there," he said.

Castellano trained the members of Increase the Peace to speak in front of a group and be objective. There are a lot of interactive activities on taking a stand in what you believe in and discussing different forms of prejudice.

The club has gotten so effective it now goes to colleges to present. "We've come full circle. We used to go there to learn. Now, we are going to present at Adelphi, Post and Hofstra. Graduate classes and graduate professors have come and they listen to these kids and take notes. The kids are really blown away by it," said Castellano.

The most satisfying thing for Castellano, the club's advisor, to see is students becoming empowered since he said the students run the program. "What makes me feel really good is that everything we stand for is now here in this building [Mineola High School]. I hear things from friends who teach in other buildings where bullying is in. The cool thing to do is to bully. Here, the cool thing to do is to intercede, to stop it. Teachers come to me all the time and say that one of your kids stood up in class and said, 'don't use that word faggot or don't use that word bitch.' We have kids who are empowered and feel they have a voice," said Castellano, who has also gotten calls from teachers in the elementary schools and middle school who say that bullying has stopped or ask for a refresher course.

Increase the Peace has taken the high school and perhaps some of the other schools in the district along the way to a level where it is cool to be against prejudice and bullying.

As part of the anti-bias pledge, all members of the Mineola High School Community agree to:

* Respect one another.

* Respect and learn from each other's differences and celebrate our similarities.

* Recognize and appreciate the inherent value in everyone.

* Think before speaking and always be aware that put downs and hate words are offensive.

* Solve problems with discussion and never with violence.

* Praise everyone's abilities; give support to anyone with disabilities.

* Denounce all jokes and comments that are offensive to race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, appearance or disability because in the end they are more harmful than funny.

* Accept and practice these beliefs and behaviors in our school, with our families, with our friends and throughout our community.

* Always remember that peace begins with respect for all.

Included in those Castellano thanked during the ceremony on Tuesday, April 20 were Paul Sommer, John Brady, Maureen Connolly, Peter Hutchinson and Principal Michael Nagler.