NATCHEZ — Whether it’s in person, by phone or online, students deal with bullying on a daily basis, and the effects of this problem are a serious concern for area parents.

To help parents and students understand the bullying problem more, the Alcorn State University Extension Program and the Natchez-Adams School District hosted a peer pressure and bullying youth summit Saturday morning.

A group of approximately 50 parents, students, teachers and area leaders gathered at Natchez High School to hear presentations and learn about different ways bullying affects students in their everyday lives.

“A lot of the time, we don’t think about how the words we say hurt people, because we think it is funny and we want a laugh,” ASUEP youth specialist Manola Erby said. “But we don’t stop to think how it is affecting people.”

The summit was split into six different breakout session groups, each led by a different presenter. The topics covered were bullying, healthy relationships, gang-related violence, self-esteem, peer pressure and the psychological issues of peer pressure.

Erby said bullying is something more people need to be aware of, because of the many negative effects it brings.

“That is why we are here. Our purpose is to give everyone here the knowledge and skills to understand that bullying is not good,” she said. “This is all about giving people the ability to cope with bullying on a daily basis.”

NHS Principal Cleveland Moore said the school district has had to change its bullying policy to help deal with the issue more effectively.

“We have made a newer, more simplified policy,” he said. “It is very student friendly and confidential so students can come to us more with any issues.”

Gloria Howard, who has two children in the Natchez-Adams School District said she was glad to hear about the change in bullying policy.

“This is a problem that has been going on since before I was even in school,” she said. “To have the entire district realize this is a problem, and then to see the effort they are putting in to trying to change things makes me feel better for my kids.”

Howard said the summit’s focus on different aspects of bullying helped her understand aspects of the problem she previously overlooked.

“There was just so much useful information,” she said. “I learned things about bullying and peer pressure that I didn’t even know were an issue.”

The event was also a big hit for 12-year-old summit attendee Jocelyn Higgins, who said she learned a lot from her breakout sessions.

“I see bullying all the time, and there is a lot more to it than just making fun of people,” she said. “(ASUEP) did a good job of breaking the issue down into smaller pieces, so we could all understand the problem better from different angles.”

Higgins said that after the summit she was going to try and continue to spread the word on the negative effects of bullying.