National Bullying Prevention Month: Hey Dude, Nice Shoes

 

In honor of National Bullying Prevention Month, School Safety Today by Raptor Technologies, host Dr. Amy Grosso sat down with Carolyn Jennings-Brown, Founder and Program Director of “Hey Dude, Nice Shoes” to discuss the importance of:

  • Raising awareness about bullying and shifting the focus from merely identifying the problem to finding solutions and promoting kindness.
  • How bullying has evolved over the years, especially due to the influence of social media and technology.
  • Setting clear standards of behavior for children, to create safe spaces for communication, and to model pro-kindness behavior, as well as celebrating and appreciating children for who they are.

Guest Carolyn Jennings Brown is a dedicated advocate and motivational speaker for anti-bullying and pro-kindness initiatives. She travels across the United States to deliver her presentation, “Hey Dude, Nice Shoes” to students and parents, impacting thousands of lives each year. She also received the National PTA Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to school safety and mental health awareness.

Recent Episodes

Student disengagement, the rapid rise of AI, and shifting workforce expectations are pushing higher education to rethink how it prepares graduates. Engineering programs—long defined by rigor and technical depth—are now under pressure to stay relevant, improve retention, and produce graduates who can actually solve real-world problems, not just theoretical ones. And the numbers back…

Skills-based learning has moved from buzzword to mandate as colleges face mounting pressure to connect credentials, employability, and measurable learner outcomes. Employers are increasingly using skills-based hiring practices, and NACE’s Job Outlook 2026 notes that students need to demonstrate concrete examples of skills in action during hiring processes. At the same time, higher education…

Education systems around the world are under pressure to evolve faster than ever, especially for underserved communities. In the U.S. alone, millions of students in low-income households still lack access to STEM resources and career pathways—fueling a widening opportunity gap. For more than 30 years, the TGR Foundation, founded by Tiger Woods, has worked…