Screen image from Jonah Maxwell’s anti-bullying video.

A YouTube video written and directed by a St. Charles middle school student has topped 1 million views this week.

“The Bully,” posted late last summer by soon-to-be-eighth-grader Jonah Maxwell, packs a powerful anti-bullying message that has resonated with people from across the country and around the world.

The video is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOV7pSoib5s

The video shares many of the same messages communicated by Kane County Chief Judge Susan Clancy Boles and Judge Clint Hull, who have been visiting schools throughout Kane County with an outreach program on cyber-bullying.

Maxwell wrote the script and directed the video with help from his dad and mom. He reached out to friends and classmates to participate in the 6 minute, 37 second video that features a hometown setting, arresting images and a smart, targeted narrative.

“… We knew who locked him in a cupboard, and we know who sent him really bad Tweets and messages, but I think we all expected somebody else to do something about it,” Maxwell says in the video narrative. “… If you’re not part of the solution, you could still be part of the problem.”

The video’s emotional messages are supported by hard facts.

“In the United States, over 3 million students are victims of bullying every year. Bullying can be physical, sexual, verbal or emotional,” he says in the video narrative. “In 2016, it’s almost impossible to guess how much of this goes on after school on Facebook, Twitter, Poke, Whisper, Tumblr, Boxer, Line or Instagram.”

Unlike some other videos and PSA’s that focus only on the problem, “The Bully” shows how good a young person’s school experience can be, provides examples of friendly behavior and offers practical solutions.

“If it’s happening to you, you have to tell someone. If you’re doing it, remember this: It’s just as easy to be nice as it is to be mean …

“And manners and respect cost nothing.”

–St. Charles youth’s anti-bullying video hits 1 million views–