Students anti-bullying video goes viral

NORWICH, Conn. (WTNH) - Students at the Norwich Free Academy are getting a lot of attention for raising awareness about bullying, but it's the reaction to their anti-bullying message the students were not expecting.

Within days of creating a video, it went viral .

While many are familiar with the mantra "spread the word to end the word," from the Special Olympics, after the student video went viral many may also now recognize "spread the word, just don't say it."

That word students are encouraging not be said is the "R word," and it was part of a bigger program at Norwich Free Academy, spreading the word about the "R word," "N word," and "F word."

"I couldn't do something myself and he kept on calling me retarded," one student said crying.

Aspiring film maker Patrick Kudej, a junior at Norwich Free Academy produced the five minute video, which has spread the word beyond the school's hallways.

"We have 2,000 plus hits I think on YouTube which means 20,000 people have seen our video," Patrick said, "and hopefully the majority of them will think twice about saying the R word again."

"Gilio is not retarded," said a family member of Gilio. "She is funny and she's my friend. We are not the R word, we're family. Not the R word."

Truth be known, the video was inspired by junior Gilio Wilson.

"I was very proud of myself," Gilio said.

Gilio heard the "R word" and asked his teacher what it meant and if he was that. When he got his answer he wanted to do something about it.

When asked why he didn't like the word Gilio said simply, "It's hurtful."

"You're not gonna stop right away," Patrick said, "but over the course of a couple of weeks you're gonna hopefully progress and eliminate it out of your vocabulary."