This year’s Beau and Abe Merfish No Place for Hate Youth Summit convened over 400 middle school students and more than 70 educators at South Texas College of Law to help those students and educators learn to prevent, recognize and respond to bullying. 

Students came from numerous districts, including Alvin, Clear Creek, Cy Fair, Damon, Deer Park, Fort Bend, Houston, Klein, Lamar Consolidated, Spring Branch, and Spring, as well as one charter school. 

The day started with a play by the Dionysus Theatre Troupe entitled “True Confessions of a Bully,” and then students and educators went to breakout sessions. 

Special thanks to our lay leaders who volunteered to help with the Summit: Kathy Berkman, Robin Converse, Emily Deakins, Scott Jacobson, Alan Jacobson, Julie Jacobson, Rochelle Jacobson, Elyse Kalmans, Larry Lachman, Kathryn Paine, Peggy Portnoy, Janet Pozmantier, Beverly Robinson, Lyn Schmulen, Jessica Starkchall and Eileen Westerman, and to our sponsors, H-E-B Tournament of Champions, Fund for the Future of the ADL Southwest Region, Rochelle, Alan, Julie and Scott Jacobson, and South Texas College of Law.

Thanks also to our partners: Cypress Woods High School CFISD, Fort Bend ISD Student Support Services, Jason’s Deli, Klein ISD Student Support Services, Spring Branch Student Support Services, and the University of  Houston Graduate School of Social Work.