With this week focusing on anti-bullying at Niles North, Haven, a program run by English teachers Jean Ordoñez and Ivan Silverberg, has become especially relevant.

Haven is a safe place for students to share their stories about what it’s like to be them – from their stories to their culture and everything in between. This week in specific, Haven is an extension of the NAMES Assembly, teaching the student body that it is necessary to sustain the idea of sharing ourselves with one another, and most importantly, respecting one another.

The program is set up like a small focus group with the same approach as the NAMES Assembly takes. “It’s an exciting time for students to share their stories and listen to each other. We’re always looking to develop that empathetic ear, which, when developed, is sort of like a gateway to compassion for one another,” Ordoñez said.

Haven aims to be a place where all students, no matter their story, feel comfortable sharing it with others, and hopefully, relating to one another. Prominent topics discussed during Haven include the issues of bullying, race, LGBTQ, and in short, making sure that our student body feels accepted.

There will be Haven meetings for freshmen as an extension of the NAMES Assembly this Tuesday, Oct. 8 during periods 4 and 5 and Wednesday, Oct. 9 during periods 6 and 7 in the Student Activities Office that focus on the topic of anti-bullying. In December, there will be meetings about sharing and being proud of our culture in order to celebrate International Week at Niles North. In January, there will be meetings on race reflection and respect in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

“Encourage your classmates to give Haven a try,” Ordoñez said. “If we’re taking care of the human condition, then everything else falls into place.”

For more information on Haven, watch the promotional video here or visit the Haven website.