Pageant Contestant Partners with Acts of Kindness

At the age of 12, Lisa Lineberry experienced a very rough time due to bullying. She was diagnosed with severe scoliosis and needed to wear a back brace. She was teased by her peers nearly every day. While she knew her brace was different, she never thought it was enough to cause such disruption in her school life. She often asked herself why it was happening to her. Rumors spread that she would not amount to anything due to her brace. Lisa’s self-esteem was being crumpled by some of her closest friends simply making cruel comments.

While grade school was difficult for Lisa, she did not give up. Her platform of bullying prevention allows her to share her story and speak to others who do not think it possible to stand up for themselves and get help. Her platform is titled “Braced for Bullies.” With her platform, she speaks at numerous schools and events about her bullying history and ways for young children to receive help and overcome bullies.

Lineberry currently holds the title of Miss Indiana’s Outstanding Teen, and will be competing this upcoming May for the title of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen. This title will help her spread her cause throughout the country, although she already has been making a huge impact in her home state.

Lineberry gained inspiration towards the platform through her school’s involvement with Acts of Kindness programs. In her local high school, she is the president of her Stand Tall Anti-Bullying program which assists teachers with their elementary anti-bullying campaigns.

“It’s a really fun program where I get to interact with children in our elementary school,” noted Lineberry, “it is honestly the highlight of my week, being able to talk with kids about being kind.”

While Lineberry is able to talk about bullying in her school, her platform allows her to venture to other schools and speak about the same topic. She is able to orchestrate workshops for both teachers and students, and ultimately tell her story and hopefully make a difference.

One of Lineberry’s primary promotions is for much of what Acts of Kindness teaches. Due to their involvement at her school, she has knowledge of their steps and has seen first-hand the effectiveness of the organizations campaigns.

“Even if I was not familiar with this organization, I think I would still promote a lot of what they teach,” expressed Lineberry. Acts of Kindness provides schools and teachers educational content that can help prevent the growth of bullying in elementary schools. Content includes educational videos and lessons that teach students the signs of bullying and what actions to take whether they witness it or are apart of it.

One of Lineberry's favorite activities to promote her platform is visiting elementary schools and speaking with students. "I love to share my story, especially with those younger than me," said Lineberry. She believes that talking about her experiences in elementary school, and then having children see her in her pretty dresses and crowns, shows that you can accomplish whatever dreams you have.

"If you had told me, in the midst of my back brace, that in just a little over a decade I would be as confident and happy as I am today? Or that I would be a pageant queen? I would have laughed," continued Lineberry. She feels that she is living proof a bully can not stop someone from rising above it all and becoming something others thought she could never be.

Lineberry is currently working on a pledge to end bullying. Through her platform, and with the assistance of Acts of Kindness, she has been able to develop a pledge for children to read and sign in an active effort to end bullying. "They pledge against bullying," noted LIneberry, "this way, they can use their own voice to make a change." Lineberry discussed how, while she loves to teach, having students make the first step towards ending bullying is what will ultimately eradicate this from schools everywhere. Students signing the pledge is their first step in stopping to end bullying. "While it is their first step, I'm hoping it won't be their last," continued Lineberry, "the pledge will make them feel like professionals who's job it is to prevent bullying."