Lunsford Middle Learns the Effects of Bullying

Release, Loudoun County Public Schools:

Students at J. Michael Lunsford Middle School got a lesson on the effects of bullying from someone who has been on both sides of the equation.

Author Ben Mikaelsen spoke to students April 1st about the unusual places life has taken him and the effects this has had on him.

Mikaelsen was born in Bolivia and was the only white child in his neighborhood. This led him to be tormented about his race. Mikaelsen became so despondent he smeared shoe polish on himself to blend in.

“Did it help? No, it made me look like a Gringo with shoe polish on his face.”

Compounding his outsider status was the fact that Mikaelsen had no formal schooling – or home schooling – until he was in the fourth grade. He could neither read nor write.

Mikaelsen’s first school experience came at a harsh boarding school. There he was mocked because of his total lack of academic ability. By the time Mikaelsen’s family decided to move to Minnesota for his seventh grade year, Mikaelsen was more than ready to go. “All I cared about was that I wouldn’t be different anymore.”

That proved to be a misconception.

Mikaelsen wore his Bolivian school uniform his first day of seventh grade in Minnesota and this, coupled with his lack of fluency in English and total lack of knowledge of American sports and culture, made him the target of unrelenting bullying. 

Finally, a revelation came to Mikaelsen one day as he was crying at his locker after getting beaten up. “Why don’t I just – for the fun of it – be myself?” As long as he was getting beaten up anyway, Mikaelsen decided he might as well do what he enjoyed.

Inspiration to lead a different life came in the form of Richard Bach’s book “Jonathan Livingston Seagull.” This tells the story of a seagull whose passion for flight leads to him being expelled from the flock. However, he finds the individual path he pursues leads to a happy life.

Taking this lesson to heart, Mikaelsen did any menial job he could so that he could afford flying lessons. (It took him three weeks of work to afford 45 minutes of instruction.) By the time he graduated high school, he had become a pilot and state-champion skydiver. “A dream is not worth a plugged nickel unless you make it come true.”

Unfortunately, Mikaelsen said he also was a bully for a short time. Seeing bullying from all angles led him to some conclusions.

Mikaelsen said if you did an X-ray of a bully, you’d find he has no backbone. He noticed that bullies are insecure; they constantly have to look at one another for signs of approval.

Mikaelsen said in 26 years of appearances around the world he has spoken to more than five million students. Through all of those appearances and all those students, Mikaelsen said he has yet to meet a successful bully. 

People who find themselves bullying others have to ask themselves a question. “Is this what you want to do with this one life you have?”

Mikaelsen has won awards such as the International Reading Association Award , the Western Writer’s Golden Spur Award and state Reader’s Choice awards. His novels include “Rescue Josh McGuire,” “Sparrow Hawk Red,” “Stranded, Countdown,” “Petey,” “Touching Spirit Bear,” “Red Midnight” and “Tree Girl.” He remains modest about his literary accomplishments.

“I still struggle with the English language.”

Besides his writing, Mikaelsen is famous for raising a 750-pound American Black Bear, named Buffy, who was a member of his family for 26 years until the bear’s death in 2010. “That bear taught me more than any university.”

Mikaelsen said he once had to cover up the fact that Buffy had let himself into the bathroom and decorated the walls with several brands of shampoo while wrecking a shower curtain. Mikaelsen worked frantically to undo the damage (including a record-setting-quick trip to Kmart) and thought he’d taken care of everything until his wife called him into the bathroom.

Buffy (and Mikaelsen) were busted by the fact that his wife noticed – where Mikaelsen had not – that Buffy had squirted toothpaste all over the ceiling.

Mikaelsen explained why he has a deep love of animals. “I never had one tease me.”

The author left the students with this thought: “It’s taken me a lifetime to discover who I really am.” Mikaelsen then asked the students to discover who they are.

“You cannot cheat on your life’s story. Make it the most awesome story you have ever told.”