Today the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) announced that author Tina Wells, creator of the Mackenzie Blue book series, has joined its Circle of Respect book club to help teens navigate tough issues such as cyberbullying.
Ms. Wells is also in the May issue of Marie Claire Magazine to talk about her popular character and the franchise built around Mackenzie -- a young girl who tries to survive the trials and tribulations of an average teen and break away from the "mean girl" syndrome in middle school. So far, two Mackenzie Blue titles have been published, with two more scheduled for release later this year.
Mackenzie Blue is the featured selection this month in the Circle of Respect Book Club -- part of an NCPC initiative to raise awareness about bullying and reduce the conflicts that can lead to teen suicide, violent fights, and other forms of school violence. You can download NCPC's podcast with Ms. Wells at www.circleofrespect.org or find it on iTunes.
Tina Wells founded Buzz Marketing Group at the tender age of 16. Prior to becoming America's youth expert, she earned a B.A. in Communication Arts from Hood College, and she's currently a student at Wharton School of Business. Her many honors include Essence Magazine's 40 Under 40 Award, Billboard's 30 Under 30 Award, AOL's Black Voices Top Black Female Entrepreneur's Award, and the 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. She was also named one of Inc.com's Top 30 Entrepreneurs Under 30 and one of Cosmopolitan's "Fun Fearless Phenoms."
Ms. Wells joins other award-winning authors Deborah Norville, Rosalind Wiseman, Rachel Simmons, and Sharon Flake to help NCPC, home of McGruff the Crime Dog, promote respect as a way to manage conflict and prevent criminal behavior.
The recent devastating news of Phoebe Prince and Alexis Pilkington -- two girls who have become tragically part of an unfortunate group of teens who felt the only way out was to commit suicide -- have underscored NCPC's need to reach out to teens and help them create a circle of respect within their environment where behaviors like bullying are not tolerated.
For more information on how NCPC can help you "Take a Bite Out of Crime," visit www.ncpc.org.
For more anti-bullying resources, visit School Safety Partners at www.SchoolSafetyPartners.org
