16-Year-Old Charles Kolin Spearheads Initiative to Get Unity Day Recognized by Congress

Charles Kolin, a junior at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, CT, has overcome bullying to spearhead an initiative that will hopefully result in Unity Day being officially recognized by Congress as a day for students to come together in support of kindness, tolerance, and respect. Charles is working with Senator Blumenthal (D-CT) and Congressman Himes (D-CT), as well as the PACER Organization in Minnesota, to raise as much support for the resolution as possible. If the resolution passes, Unity Day will be celebrated on Oct. 23 of each school year. Charles spoke to NYMetroParents about his journey.

He explained that the bullying he went through as a younger student was life-changing–but certain factors in his life have given him a sense of purpose that allowed him to turn a negative experience into a positive agent for change.

“I was born with a natural sense of confidence,” Charles said. “I’m a surviving triplet, the only child who survived, and that has given me a sense of purpose. And that sense of purpose is what drove me to overcome my bullies. Changing schools to Greens Farms gave me an additional confidence boost to make sure bullying doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

Schools have already begun hosting Unity Day events that include bringing students who don’t know each other very well together in activities that encourage collaboration and respect, such as carving a pumpkin together with a design that emphasizes the theme of unity. Charles explained the difference between Unity Day and anti-bullying days that are often held in schools.