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Throughout Austin last week, schools and organizations recognized Unity Day — a day devoted to making a collective stand against bullying and the promotion of friendship.

Pacelli students wore orange throughout the day, the Austin Positive Action Coalition went into Austin High School to promote positive choices and the children of Catherwood Childcare held signs alongside Fourth St. NE to encourage passing motorists to honk their horns in support of anti-bullying efforts.

Adults can stand up and preach against bullying and harassment, but in a lot of ways this effort starts with kids themselves. Being aware of what the negative results resulting from bullying is an important first step.

If we can get students to take their own actions and words into their own hands then we make important progress toward a world of more respect and more caring.

What becomes important in this step is the interaction between younger and older students. In every school, the elementary students will look up to the older Students. It becomes easy to follow those behaviors exhibited by freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors.

It is especially important then that these older students recognize that their own behaviors can have consequences. Those can be bad, but they can also provide a remarkable opportunity to pass on positive traits to the next generation of role models.

We love that groups like APAC and businesses like Catherwood are helping support and guide those kids and students under their care to preach the word of positivity, understanding and acceptance; and we hope it has a profound impact on generations to come.