Anti-bullying advocate and author Justin Matott visits Hershey Elementary School

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - Writer, speaker, and anti-bullying advocate Justin Matott visited Hershey Elementary School on Friday.

Thanks to a John Russell Applegate Grant through the Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation, Hershey was able to book Matott to speak. Hershey teacher Mrs. Allan was awarded the grant this past summer which helped fund Friday’s event.

Matott has more than 50 published children’s books relating to his childhood and presented some of those stories in two assemblies. One being kindergarten through 3rd grade, and the other 4th through 6th grade which provided helpful tips for the older students on how to find inspiration in writing and to stop bullying.

“So it reminded me a lot of the kids I grew up with because I grew up in the country and they are just really wonderful kids and I think they enjoyed it and had a lot of fun because at the end of the day, human beings like to connect human to human and we always like to connect with animals or grandmas or grandpas. I love it when you can inspire a kid to write about something that is in their lives,” Matott said.

5th grader Avery Thompson and 6th grader Tanner Abbott enjoyed Matott’s assembly and plan on using the tips he shared about looking out for signs of bullying.

”Well it was pretty good when he was talking about his life story and stuff and how his brother was mean to him and how he got bullied in his childhood,” Thompson said. “I liked the life lesson within it and how he is so against bullying,” Abbott said.

Matott plans to return to Hershey next year and is open to expanding his school tours to North Platte and the surrounding area.

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