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WWE Superstars, Divas and Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon host a Be a STAR rally at Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Stamford, Conn. -
The New Day's Xavier Woods pumps up the crowd of more than 350 children and teens. -
Michael Cotela, Executive Director of Boys & Girls Clubs of Stamford, kicks off the event. -
McMahon asks the kids, who range in age from 6 to 16, if they're fans of WWE. -
McMahon tells the group that the Superstars and Divas will teach them how to stop bullying. -
Congressman Jim Himes talks about the importance of not being a bystander to bullying. "Stand up. Say it's not OK, and be a star." -
Natalya talks about the importance of WWE's Be a STAR anti-bullying program and says she was bullied when she was younger. -
"You guys are not alone. I've gone through everything you're going through," she says. -
The "Total Divas" star takes a selfie with the kids. -
The New Day's Big E suggests being kind to someone is being bullied and tell a trusted adult. -
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Titus O'Neil talks about how the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Delray Beach, Fla., helped him when he was younger -
"The most important thing you can learn today is about treating each other with respect," the WWE Tag Team Champion says. -
Woods tells the kids he attended the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Inglewood, Calif., when he was growing up. -
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Woods gets the kids to cheer each other on at the rally, which is held in the same city as WWE's headquarters. -
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McMahon announces that several members who have taken a stand against bullying will be honored at the event. -
Norvins Charlestin, 2014 Youth of the Year; Maureen Ferrara, Torch Club Leader; and Nasir Pettigrew, Grammer School Program Leader receive certificates from Stephanie McMahon. -
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McMahon surprises the Boys & Girls Club with a check for $25,000! -
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By Jeff Laboon
STAMFORD, Conn. – Stephanie McMahon and WWE Superstars and Divas led a Be a STAR rally at the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford, wrapping the fun-filled event with a $25,000 donation.
Natalya, Titus O’Neil, Big E, Xavier Woods and Renee Young joined McMahon, WWE’s Chief Brand Officer, at the event near WWE Headquarters to talk about how to prevent bullying and to reveal how they’ve overcome with bullies. Michael Cotela, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stamford, and Congressman Jim Himes also showed their support.
McMahon kicked off the rally by asking the children, ages 6 to 16, how many of them have been bullied. The children gasped when all of the Superstars on-stage raised their hands, too. Congressman Himes followed by telling the students that they need to be courageous when they see someone being bullied.
Natalya explained that she and the rest of the people on stage had to overcome bullies when they were children.
“You’d never know that people like myself have gone through the exact same things that you guys have,” she said.
Big E asked the children how many of them were familiar with the term “snitch.” He then said that word shouldn’t have a negative connotation and that you can stand up to bullying by telling a trusted adult.
Former Boys & Girls Club members O’Neil and Woods talked to the children about how the organization helped them become the Superstars they are today. Woods added a story about how his teacher and aunt stopped a gang in Inglewood, Calif., from bullying him and his friends at the local Boys & Girls Club.
“If it wasn’t for them, I could have possibly joined one of these gangs,” he revealed. “I could possibly be dead. I could possibly not be standing here today. I could possibly not be a WWE Superstar.”
McMahon presented awards to three students, Norvins, Maureen and Nasir, for their commitment to preventing bullying before revealing a $25,000 check to Cotela and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stamford.
The children and McMahon closed the rally with a raucous “Don’t be a bully, Be a STAR!” chant.
