Anti-Bullying Program Earns Penn State Support
In 2006, Linsey Covert was pursuing her master of education at Penn State. During this time, her passions for both teaching and promoting positivity in schools led her to develop a program to reduce bullying in and outside of the classroom.
Covert named the program, which promotes a team-building approach to anti-bullying, Project TEAM. According to its mission statement, “Project TEAM introduces students to a world that is bigger than their community and beyond,” it goes on to say that the program gives “ …an opportunity for kids to focus on the importance of teamwork and leadership in their daily lives … it allows for them to take those foundations and make a difference in the lives of those in need.”
During her time as a school counselor, Covert tested the program, and saw positive outcomes. This encouragement led her to partner with Richard Hazler and Jolynn Carney to turn the concept into a company.
TEAMology LLC was launched in 2016 to provide Project TEAM to schools. Covert and her associates attribute their success, in large part to the support they have received from Penn State and from consulting with MBA students at Smeal College of Business. The company received $75,000 from the Invent Penn State Venture & IP Conference.
“Penn State’s partnership has been instrumental in our success with schools and students,” Covert said. “With the support we’ve received, we are able to continue to validate our effectiveness, as well as grow and evolve our exciting product.”
The results of the curriculum are compelling. Since Project TEAM’s implementation, schools that have utilized the program have seen up to a 75 percent decrease in behavioral episodes, as well as a significant increase in student success, according to teachers.
Covert said, “I strongly believed there was an opportunity to use this TEAM framework to make an impact on schools,” she went on to say that, “If we could help students understand their responsibility to each other and teach actionable skills that made sense to kids in school and beyond, it could have a tremendous impact in our school and society.”
