In an attempt to eradicate name-calling,  Niles West has organized its annual NAMES assembly, held for all freshman in the auditorium, for Tuesday Oct. 4 and Wednesday Oct. 5.

NAMES is a yearly event that highlights the issues of name-calling and bullying and their effects on people. Social workers,  Jen Hahne and Jackie Lipka, freshmen homeroom teachers, and 60 student leaders will all gather to host NAMES this year with the Anti-Deformation League.

“NAMES is an assembly dealing with the issues of name-calling and bullying. [It’s held] in order to address these issues within our freshmen class, and to set the standards of respect we have here at Niles West,” said students activities director, Jessica Ogulnik.

After the assembly, freshmen will participate in smaller group activities to develop a plan for addressing name-calling and bullying, Ogulnik said.

Sophomore Beata Soltys said the assembly was a good experience.

“The NAMES assembly was a good experience for everyone because it showed that although people may look happy on the outside they actually cover up their pain with fake smiles,” Soltys said.

Sophomore Madeline Wozny said it was a great way to express emotions.

“I thought it completely expressed people’s emotions. You get to know people more than just what you see,” said Wozny.

Senior Nashiha Alam says that the NAMES assembly was only helpful for a few days.

” I think that it [the NAMES assembly] made people realize the wrong in bullying, but only for like a couple of days,” Alam said.

After the assembly, homerooms will work together to create a way to avoid name-calling and bullying at Niles West.