Students from seven area high schools will use their musical and artistic skills to send an anti-bullying message during the second “BAND Against Bullying” school competition to be held at 7 p.m. March 4 in the Center for the Arts.

The event, sponsored by UB’s Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention, M&T Bank and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children/New York/Buffalo Office, is an inter-school music and arts competition related to the theme of dignity for all students. Participating students have developed themed performances to raise community awareness of bullying-related issues and support for anti-bullying education efforts.  

One act chosen from each of the participating schools will perform, mixing information on bullying awareness with artistic talent and sharing their visual projects or musical performances with students from other schools. Last year’s event attracted hundreds of students from area schools who wanted to perform their original works and spread the anti-bullying message to their peers.

The event will feature KISS 98.5 personalities Janet Snyder, who will host the event, and Nicholas Picholas, who will serve as a celebrity judge. Other judges scoring the acts include former boxer Baby Joe Mesi; Buffalo Sabres alumnus Andrew Peters; Dennis R. Black, vice president for university life and services; and Amanda Nickerson, associate professor of counseling and director of the Alberti center.

Students who earn the highest scores in the artistic competition will receive trophies and other recognition.

“Clearly, the issue of bullying and harassment in schools is a prevalent concern,” says Nickerson. “And it’s really the young people who are going to take the lead in setting a culture and climate of acceptance and dignity for all people.”

For more information on the event, visit the BAND Against Bullying website. Tickets are $5 and are on sale at the website or at the CFA box office.