Fishbein Group strives to improve the quality of life in our local community. Our Fishbein Foundation programs encourage acceptance and positivity in our Northwest Florida community. EmBraces, our anti-bullying initiative, helps students stand up to bullying with a smile. Read more about the EmBraces ambassadors here or below.
Three local students will receive free orthodontic treatment for submitting the winning essays about their experiences with bullying to Fishbein Orthodontics’ EmBraces anti-bullying essay contest.
The inaugural EmBraces initiative — open to local students in grades K-12 — is offered through Fishbein’s philanthropic arm, the Fishbein Foundation, in an effort to spread positivity and acceptance throughout the community.
The winning essays were submitted by:
- Kaitlyn Henry, 16, of Gulf Breeze
- Rilee Marshman, 10, of Pace
- Kyra Russell, 12, of Pensacola
Kaitlyn wrote in her essay that bullying is a challenge she has dealt with based on how she dresses, the music she listens to, and the appearance of her teeth.
“As a result of the unkind names (and) comments about needing to have my teeth and smile fixed, I opted to just stop smiling,” she wrote. “My family couldn’t afford the luxury of braces.”
In addition to receiving free treatment, the three winners will be the first of the Fishbein’s EmBraces Anti-Bullying Ambassadors.
Fishbein Orthodontics will offer a second EmBraces contest, and will accept essays online through April 13. Interested students are asked to create a 30-second to 2-minute video or write a short essay that shows how they overcame a bullying experience as a victim, bystander or former bully. Essays can be submitted at https://www.emeraldcoastbraces.com/embraces.
