36 THE QUEENS COURIER • KIDS & EDUCATION • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM kids & education Sponsored by ‘Superhero’ gives Bayside kids a lesson on good behavior BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI smonteverdi@qns.com/@ smont76 Students at a Bayside school enjoyed a lesson from a superhero about respecting each other everywhere they go. High-energy superhero “Omega-Man” captured the attention of the student body at P.S. 159 on Wednesday, Feb. 15, by combining fascinating feats of strength, motivational speaking and audience participation into one dynamic anti-bullying presentation. Students were taught about the dangers of all types of bullying, including physical, emotional and cyber through a series of colorful presentations. In one instance, Omega-Man ripped a phone book, dubbed the “Book of Bad Choices,” in half — a metaphoric way of teaching children that their past mistakes don’t have to defi ne their futures. “If you can get their attention, you can get a message into their lives,” said Omega- Man, otherwise known as Marc Wilkes. “It’s the same message that teachers and mom and dads are saying; it’s just wrapped up in a diff erent package.” Wilkes is the founder of Omega-Man Schools. Smart Student BANKING1 Open your Student Checking2 Account and/or Savings Account and enjoy: ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ �������������������������������������������������������������������������� ����Free Visa® debit card ����Free Direct Deposit ����Free e-Statements ����NYCB Online and NYCB Mobile3 Bank Anywhere You See NYCB! (877) 786-6560 • myNYCB.com All services not available at all locations. 1Student Banking is available for personal accounts only and is free of maintenance and activity fees. 2Student Checking Accounts with a Visa® debit card are automatically enrolled in the Even >more Rewards Program. For complete terms and conditions speak with a branch representative. Restrictions apply. 3Standard messaging and data rates may apply. © New York Community Bank- Member FDIC Equal Opportunity Lender Formed in 2008, the group has visited more than 5,000 schools nationwide to discuss topics like bullying and peer pressure through engaging and energetic presentations. Isabella Chang, 10, spoke about the educational and entertaining elements of the assembly. “I learned to not do things and to not lie and be nice to everyone,” the fourth-grader and student council member said. “My favorite part was when he was talking to everyone about all the bad things people do and how to try not to do them. And also my favorite part was when he broke stuff .” T h e event was organized by the school Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and coincided with the Department of Education’s “Respect for All” week. “We feel that it’s so important for students to make good choices, to respect others and to stand up if they see something wrong, to say something,” said Teresa Kirchhofer, treasurer of the PTA. “We wanted to educate the students and empower them to have those tools, so that when they’re confronted with a situation, they know how to respond.” P.S. 159 is a National Blue Ribbon elementary school located at 205-01 33rd Ave. Photos: Suzanne Monteverdi/THE COURIER Omega-Man teaches students at P.S. 159 how to respect others through an interactive assembly. ust kage.” chools.ed
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