Charlotte Hornets point guard Jeremy Lin is known for his charitable acts, such as giving hope to unprivileged children and conducting leadership development programs. Now, the Christian basketball player is determined to put a stop to bullying by launching a reading challenge to educate Charlotte students about the dangers of harassment.
Through his Jeremy Lin Foundation, the 27-year-old player has initiated a 30-day reading challenge. The program gives students in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District an opportunity to learn more about bullying by reading various books and articles. Lin also personally wrote an article for the students, according to Newsela website.
To retain what they learned, the students have regular quizzes about the topic. Moreover, the students who will score high in the quizzes have a chance to meet the Charlotte Hornets Basketball Star, Jeremy Lin.
Aside from raising awareness about ending school bullying, the program aims to increase the comprehension level of students.
According to Business Insider, bullying affects nearly one in three American schoolchildren in grades six through 10. Regarding gender ratio, 83% of girls and 79 percent of boys have reportedly experienced harassment.
Lin also revealed his own experiences with bullying in an article from Newsela. "People who ask me about bullying are often surprised when I tell them that I have been singled out for my race on the basketball court," the Hornets point guard wrote.
As an Asian-American player, some basket players made fun on Lin. He received racial slurs like "'You're a Chinese import' or 'go back to China' or 'can you see the scoreboard with your eyes?'"
The Christian point guard also shared lessons that he learned from being bullied and encouraged people to embrace the things that make them special. He advised that people should not let others decide what they can or can't do.
The player went on to explain that people should have confidence in their selves and understand what makes them such a unique and special person. He stressed that every person is different and possesses really cool characteristics and talents.
This is not the first time that Lin joined a campaign against bullying. The Hornets point guard also supported the White-House-sponsored campaign called "Act To Change," which aims to stop harassment.
Bullying has serious side effects to students, according to the National Education Association. Bullied students experience extreme stress that can lead to symptoms of physical illness and a diminished ability to learn.
