Sticks & Stones

Brandon DeMarco is an average teenager - just another face in a crowded suburban High School. Lindsay Boone is one of the most popular girls in her grade - smart, pretty, friends with everyone else around her it seems. When she needs help in one of her classes she turns to Brandon - and they begin talking regularly online - quickly becoming secret friends, and maybe something more. But after a very public confrontation with Lindsay's boyfriend Corey, Brandon immediately becomes an easy target for harassment. Embarrassing rumors and vicious taunts spread like a wildfire through his school. As Brandon struggles to defend himself against this vindictive and faceless enemy he sees only one way to make it all stop - confronting Lindsay. Having to deal with bullies has always been an unfortunate, but natural part of growing up. However, in recent years bullying has shifted to the Internet. In chat rooms, over Instant Messenger, and through text messaging - bullies can bombard victims with an electronic assault while remaining faceless. Sometimes the bullying becomes so severe that the victim feels they have absolutely no way out. Brandon represents just one of the thousands of children that are taunted, harassed, and humiliated in the hallways of schools throughout America every day. Sticks & Stones provides an unflinching window into the complex world of the modern American teenager - depicting many of the challenging issues they face - all accelerated and intensified by today's technology.