A 2016 Baker High School graduate who wanted to make a difference in the final days of his secondary education earned a standing ovation from the student body when he spoke out against bullying.

It took Austin “Charles” Mitchell-Voechting just 60 seconds to make his point on June 2 as part of many other activities that took place on the final day of school for seniors.

He called on his fellow Bulldogs to think about how their words and actions can affect others. And he asked them to pledge not to act as bullies.

He created a poster that will remain in the BHS Commons through next fall, said Chelsea Hurliman, the high school’s assistant principal.

The poster states:

“Don’t Like Bullying? Join me and sign this pledge:

I pledge …

To be kind,

Considerate,

And thoughtful towards others,

And I pledge NOT to bully.”

Charles, as he prefers to be called in honor of his great-grandfather, collected signatures from students as part of his poster display.

The graduate says he was taken by surprise when the assembly audience rose to honor him with a standing ovation.

“My jaw dropped,” he said. “That is not what I expected.”

Hurliman expressed her approval of Charles’ project, especially because “he has overcome some obstacles with bullying,” she wrote in an email to the Herald.

“We know that bullying does occur at the secondary level and we are always trying to diminish it,” she stated. “Having students within our student body share their own experiences and hopes that people will think twice before saying, or posting something hurtful online, will help create a positive educational learning environment.”

Charles acknowledges that he was motivated to speak because of the teasing, harassment and bullying he’d experienced during his school years.

But it’s not all about him, he says.

He’s watched — and even sometimes intervened — when he’s seen others faced with the same kind of treatment that he’s experienced.

“I did it for everybody,” he says of his anti-bullying presentation. “I didn’t want it to be about me.”

He expressed appreciation to Mrs. (Lynn) Schmitt, an educational parapro at BHS, who helped him put the presentation together in a short amount of time. And Schmitt credited Julie Homan, the Baker School District’s print shop director, with helping produce the poster and sign-up sheets.

Schmitt saw Charles daily as part of his first-period class, and was happy to help him with his project.

“It was a great way for him to end his career at Baker High School,” she said.

Schmitt was proud of how Charles approached the topic and developed it.

“He was a ‘class’ act in personally seeing this through from his heartfelt idea, seeking approval and advice, putting together the pledge poster, collection of signatures and, finally, to the point of preparing and delivering his passionate speech to the student body,” she wrote in an email to the Herald.

“Instead of a speech of blame, (Charles) touched on the hurtful effects on an individual and an invitation for all to join him with a stand against bullying.”

See more in the June 20, 2016, issue of the Baker City Herald.