About Us

ABOUT

Hey U.G.L.Y. has been saving the lives of youth who are suicidal due to bullying through content on our HeyUGLY.org website and in our self-esteem and empathy-building school assemblies, books and social-emotional learning activity plans.

OUR MISSION

Empower youth to be part of the solution of bullying, suicide, school shootings, substance abuse, racism and gangs through self-esteem and empathy-building web content, peer-to-peer learning programs, social-emotional activity plans, school assemblies, and Choose To Change Radio Show…all to help youth who are suffering with low-self-esteem, bullying, suicidal ideation and emotional trauma from adverse childhood experiences (ACES).

Hey U.G.L.Y. – Unique Gifted Lovable You is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 2002. We became a nonprofit in 2004 and are dedicated to empowering youth, across the globe, to be WHO THEY ARE instead of having to act how they think they need to be in order to fit in. We remember what it was like being afraid to be ourselves and always feel the need to compete with others. We know what it feels like to be bullied, especially the bullying we do to ourselves. When someone says something awful to us we repeat it to ourselves, 3,000 times. We coined the term, Self-bullying® to help youth tame the voice in their heads that tell them they are not good enough. We also know what it feels like to think self-harm and suicide is the only way out of the pain which is why we created the Why I’m Glad I Didn’t Take My Life web page to give youth hope concrete examples of how life does get better.

OUR TOOLS

Major tools are our in-school Assemblies, Bullying Prevention Boot Camps, Stop Bullying Handbook and Deal Feel Heal program that helps youth get in touch with their hurt feelings. Youth who have gone through our programs report being able to be more themselves and actually stop the bullies from bullying. Completing our books certifies them to teach younger kids what they learned. How cool for them to be able to be part of the solution. But we’re not here only for the bullied. We also want to help the bullies because they are being bullied and have very low self-esteem too. BULLYING IS THE CAUSE OF BULLYING.

Older students teach younger classmates what they’ve learned

OUR IMPACT

We are saving the lives of youth who are suicidal because of being bullied.

Students tell us content on our HeyUGLY.org website and in our school assemblies has made them decide to live instead of taking their lives. One student actually saved herself and three other suicidal girls with content on our website. Three students, who attended the same Hey U.G.L.Y. assembly, contacted us when they were in their twenties to tell us they were were suicidal, had a plan, and the assembly, and our website made them decide to live. We are proud to report they are on Board.

Bullying Statistics
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OUR WORK

The Hey U.G.L.Y. message has reached over a million students

Our programs enable students to become an integral part in the teaching and learning process through our Stop Bullying Task Force Program Curriculum, Empathy Learning Activity Plans (ELAPs), Assembly Presentations, seminars, website, “Choose To Change” radio show, self-esteem-building contests, and work with schools, community organizations and youth development professionals. Our programs enable students to become an integral part in the teaching and learning process.

OUR DIFFERENCE

We help youth have empathy for themselves and others, especially the bully. After completing the empathy for the bully exercise in Hey U.G.L.Y.’s Stop Bullying curriculum, students report an 85% reduction in the pain level experienced because of a bullying situation and also report no longer feeling alone. This is huge because, according to the Department of Education, 160,000 students report staying home from school each day because they fear being bullied. That is three million a month!

OUR APPROACH

Hey U.G.L.Y. believes the first step to empowering youth is communicating with them in a way they can relate. Since the #1 influence on youth is their peers, Hey U.G.L.Y. develops all of its programs to empower youth to come up with the answers in peer-to-peer group settings, with facilitators guiding them through the process using our social emotional activity plans and free, online content. The #2 influence is the media, which is why Hey U.G.L.Y. provides schools with in-school presenters from speakers from the media and/or singer/songwriters. During assembly presentations the speakers help students learn how to tame that ‘voice in their heads’ that tell them they are ‘all alone and not good enough.’ Their personal stories about overcoming bullying and life’s obstacles empower students to never give up and teach them ways to cancel out negative judgments against themselves and others by replacing them with positives thoughts. Hey U.G.L.Y.’s website is full of celebrity quotes about self-esteem, bullying, body image and dating. Their radio show, CHOOSE TO CHANGE, has youth discussing the lyrics to songs they believe will inspire positive self-esteem, equality, a healthy planet, peace or never giving up.

Average survey results from students attending these assembly presentations are:

87% have not been bullied since the presentation;
86% reported not bullying anyone;
77% now recognize when they are having negative judgments against themselves and others; and
69% state they learned to cancel out negative judgments and replace them with positive thoughts.

-Hey U.G.L.Y. Campaigns

-Board of Directors and Advisors

PARTNERS

Hey U.G.L.Y. – Unique Gifted Lovable You is proud to partner with the following organizations
that empower youth, as well as corporations that provide resources, assistance, and programs to our members and youth who are dealing with bullying, self-harm, addiction and mental health concerns.

To be a Partner, Sponsor or Advertiser Email PreventBullyingNow@heyugly.org.

[it_vc_logo_showcase layout=”grid” desktop_column=”4″ tablet_column=”3″ padding_top=”10″ padding_right=”30″ padding_bottom=”10″ padding_left=”30″ shadow=”outset” shadow_h=”” shadow_v=”” shadow_blur=”” item_animation=”rubberBand” effect=”ls-zoomin” tooltip=”true”][it_vc_logo_showcase_item image=”3500″]Hey U.G.L.Y. is proud to partner with this academic honor society that promotes the endless pursuit of knowledge & civil service.[/it_vc_logo_showcase_item][it_vc_logo_showcase_item image=”3067″ website=”https://www.bornthisway.foundation”]Born This Way, led by Lady Gaga & her mom, Cynthia Germanotta, fosters a more accepting society, where differences are embraced & individuality celebrated in building a kinder, braver world. Hey U.G.L.Y. is proud to spread their message.[/it_vc_logo_showcase_item][it_vc_logo_showcase_item image=”2148″ website=”www.headstogether.org.uk/”]Heads Together aims to change the national conversation on mental health and well being. Hey U.G.L.Y. is proud to be a part of this campaign.[/it_vc_logo_showcase_item][it_vc_logo_showcase_item image=”3068″ website=”https://afterschoolapp.com/about”]After School, the largest teen-focused social network, fosters fun and creative online and offline experiences for America’s teens. Hey U.G.L.Y. loves how this app helps high school students connect and share with their classmates.[/it_vc_logo_showcase_item][it_vc_logo_showcase_item image=”3070″ website=”https://www.imperosoftware.com/us”]Impero – Hey U.G.L.Y. is the U.S. Bullying partner for their internet safety technology to protect students & and empower educators w/early warnings of bullying, violence & and suicidal ideation[/it_vc_logo_showcase_item][it_vc_logo_showcase_item image=”3065″ website=”https://community.wwe.com/diversity/programs/be-star”]Be A Star – Be a STAR is an anti-bullying alliance co-founded by The Creative Coalition and WWE. Hey U.G.L.Y. was honored to be asked to join their alliance.[/it_vc_logo_showcase_item][it_vc_logo_showcase_item image=”3064″ website=”https://www.internationalnaturalday.com”]Love Your Natural Self Foundation is dedicated to improving self-esteem and empowering others to be the best version of themselves possible. Hey U.G.L.Y. supports their Intn’l Natural Day, celebrated annually on February 13th[/it_vc_logo_showcase_item][it_vc_logo_showcase_item image=”3252″ website=”http://www.projecttoe.com/”]Project Toe – Hey U.G.L.Y. is excited to promote this website so youth can help themselves, or others with their own stories, in online support groups and more.[/it_vc_logo_showcase_item][it_vc_logo_showcase_item image=”3071″ website=”https://www.lokwishingtree.org”]The LOK Wishing Tree Foundation, in honor of Lindsey O’Brien Kesling, who died from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, does carbon monoxide education and programs to unleash the artistic dreams of youth.[/it_vc_logo_showcase_item][it_vc_logo_showcase_item title=”Do Something” image=”3501″ website=”https://www.standforthesilent.org”]Stand for the Silent was formed by students from Oklahoma State U in honor of 11-year-old Ty Field-Smalley who took his own life because of being bullied. Hey U.G.L.Y. unites with SFTS in our joint passion of saving the lives of suicidal youth.[/it_vc_logo_showcase_item][/it_vc_logo_showcase]

PROUD SPONSORS