'Grave Digger' Drives Home Anti-Bullying Message

had a couple of iconic visitors Friday afternoon: Grave Digger and driver Charlie Pauken.

Pauken was at the school with the popular monster truck as part of a "Crush Bullying" rally in which 12 students from the third, fourth and fifth grades spray painted a "crush car" with anti-bullying sentiments. That car will be taken to Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday and squashed to smithereens by monster trucks at Monster Jam.

The lucky students who painted the car will attend the show as guests of Monster Jam.

Ignoring bullying doesn't work

As part of the anti-bullying rally, of Kids Empowered gave a 20-minute presentation in the school gym.

"The most important thing is to stand up for yourself," Bishop-Yanke said. The message of ignoring bullies doesn't work, she said. "Everyone used to think if you ignore bullies it sends a message that you don't care and they will go away. What it really sends is a message that it is OK to treat you like that."

Kids Empowered teaches kids to show they do care how they are treated and spoken to.

"We ask kids to try three different times to get the bullying to stop. If they can't get it to stop on their own, an adult needs to step in to help them," Bishop-Yanke said.

Michigan passed one of the in the country in December.

The Monster Jam show is 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit. Ticket prices start at $10 for kids and $20 for adults if purchased in advance. All ticket prices increase $2 on the day of the show. For more information on Monster Jam go to www.MonsterJam.com.