In an environment with rich diversity and many ideological differences, North Atlanta strives to present a unified front. Yet whatever calamities arise, the treasured “No Place For Hate” assembly is always there as a reminder that being kind is the better option.

This year’s assembly took place virtually, and the difference between past years and the new webinar was very noticeable. Among the most praised additions to the assembly were the celebrities who gave input and advice. Big names, such as TikToker Dixie D’Amelio and “Black-ish” actor Anthony Anderson attracted the attention of the virtual crowd. Hearing speeches from prominent figures can positively impact students.

There are certainly some improvements that could have yielded an even better result. Many of the celebrities featured regurgitated the same overstated stories and advice, and redundancy does not help reinforce the importance of the assembly. The polls were also unnecessary, since most were very basic questions with obvious answers.

If the “No Place for Hate” webinar adjusted their focus to more pressing matters, such as highlighting Black Lives Matter and LBGTQ+ topics, students may have learned more. These are things that studentsresonate with, as seen by the Black Student Union and Gay-Straight Alliance. Junior Kathryn Ackerman wishes some attention had been drawn to these issues. “This past year has been very hectic within both communities,” she said. “People face a lot of hate for speaking out against what’s wrong, which could’ve been mentioned during the assembly.”

It is without a doubt that the issues highlighted by the emcee and the respective guest speakers are ones that are highly prevalent in today’s world, and that addressing important topics like identifying bullying, knowing what to do if you are a witness, or if you yourself are a victim makes teens aware of the danger they can bestow upon others and how they can help those in these troubling situations. The experience as a whole served as an indication that bullying exists in many forms — especially cyberbullying — and that none of it will be tolerated at North Atlanta.