About 300 students from 18 middle schools came together for the UFT’s annual Anti-Bullying Conference at union headquarters on Oct. 19, where they watched plays, role-played and discussed their experiences with bullying.

“Thirty-five percent of middle school students report being bullied,” said UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell, the event organizer. “We want kids to identify what bullying is and learn how to deal with it.”

Over the course of the morning, students had the chance to see a skit enacted by the NYPD, a workshop organized by the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility, a play staged by the Epic Theatre Ensemble, and a presentation and discussion led by BRAVE, the UFT’s program to combat bullying.

Some of the longtime educators who brought students to the conference said they have witnessed a rise in bullying over the last five to 10 years, which they attribute to the ubiquity of social media.

Evens Barreau, the school counselor at the Science and Medicine MS in Brooklyn, has been attending the conference with his students for four years. He brings students who have either been bullied or who have bullied others. “It’s a serious problem,” he said. “These workshops teach them to speak up.”

Kareem Nelson, the founder of Wheelchairs Against Guns, recounted to the students his own personal journey from a young person who bullied others to a gunshot victim and later to an advocate against violence. He offered a powerful affirmation to victims of bullies: “You are valuable,” he said. “Just because someone’s picking on you — that doesn’t change your worth.”

Lauren Bachman, the school social worker at MS 308, the Bronx Dance Academy, said her goal was to bring back strategies her students could use in positions of leadership. “We want to build a culture of kindness and positivity,” she said.

At the conclusion of the event, she asked her students for their No. 1 takeaway.

“Bullies need help, too,” offered a 6th-grader.

They had been particularly impressed by Nelson’s plea to be an “upstander” and involve adults when necessary. Said one student, “There’s a difference between being a snitch and a hero.”