"It's okay to be different:" Students learn about Braille, sign language in effort to fight bullying

MILWAUKEE -- Students in Milwaukee are learning how to read Braille or understand sign language, even though they're not deaf or blind. And the learning starts before they're even in first grade!

These children don't need Braille to read, but learning about it is a lesson in accepting others at Penfield Children's Center for Anti-Bullying Awareness Month.

Penfield serves many children with developmental delays or disabilities.

Through the Kohl's Building Blocks Program, Penfield experts also travel to Milwaukee area schools -- teaching students to be accepting of each other's differences.

"You can say 'yeah that person does use a wheelchair. They have either an injury or an illness that caused that to happen, but they get to do the same activities you get to do,'" said Rebecca Michelsen, community outreach and education coordinator at Penfield.

After their anti-bullying workshops at local schools, Penfield Children's Center officials handed out bags to the children. Inside -- materials on learning about being different -- including a Braille alphabet card, a sign language book and the book "It's Okay to be Different."

"Whether a person has a disability or delay or not, it is about teaching them to be a good friend," said Michelsen.

And even at age three, students learn what to tell an adult if they see bullying.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Penfield experts will be at dozens of area schools through the next few weeks, for anti-bullying workshops.