Every seven minutes, a child is bullied. One out of every 10 students drops out of school because of repeated bullying. More than 3.2 million students across America have been impacted by bullying. So how do we reverse this tren? Sunflower health Plan, Centene Corporation, and Cenpatico are undertaking a national initiative to prevent bullying among school-aged children.

As part of that effort on Thursday ( Sept. 18 ), Centene Corporation and Sunflower Health Plan will host an anti-bullying event for 200 students at Spring Valley Elementary School in Junction City.

The “No Bullying Zone” event will feature award-winning children’s author Michelle Bain, reading a new anti-bullying book called “Splotch the Madpole Does a Whole Lot of Bullying.” The event will also feature Miss Johnson County, Meagan Johnson, who is traveling around Kansas discussing her expriences with bullying, as well as an anti-bullying “graffiti wall” where children will write positive messages about themselves and their friends.

The anti-bullying assembly will be held at Spring Valley Elementary School from 9-10 a.m. Thursday.