These days, bullying goes beyond the playground. The Internet, cell phones and other forms of communication are new venues for bullies to harass their victims.

The Winston-Salem Forsyth County School System is planning two events this week to help stop bullying. On Wednesday, the district will celebrate Unity Day.

Kathy Jordan, is the program specialist for safe and drug free schools. She is encouraging all students and staff to wear orange.

“On that day, every student and staff member in our district will be given a bracelet and the bracelet has our motto on it which says stand up and step up against bullying. We know kids enjoy wearing the silicone bracelets but it will be a very visible reminder for kids to take the pledge to stop bullying,” said Jordan.

Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools is also planning a community event Saturday, October 13 at the Lawrence Joel Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum to get the community involved in its anti-bullying campaign. The event called Link Up includes a walk to raise awareness, student performances and family fun activities.

Jordan says real change against bullying starts at home.

“We are trying to engage the community in looking at taking on one aspect of what is known as Rachael’s Challenge and that is to start a chain reaction of kindness and compassion. Each family that comes to the event will be given chain links to help start that chain reaction of kindness in their own family. Change begins at home and then it begins to spread out into the community,” says Jordan.

The keynote speaker is Craig Scott, a survivor of the Columbine High School tragedy. Rachel’s Challenge is named after Scott’s sister Rachel. She was the first victim killed in the shooting rampage.

There is free admission and parking at the coliseum for the Link Up event.