Team Upstanders
What is Team Upstanders?
Team Upstanders is an anti-bullying initiative launched by actor and
producer Trevor Donovan along with middle school school counselor
Jackie Jaros, and Trevor’s manager Michael Yanni. Trevor uses his
social media platform for GOOD…encouragement, kindness,
support for self-care, and thinking of others. His platform connects
people. His influence and example makes you want to be a better
person. Mr. Donovan has taken all of his qualities that make him a
good human being and a responsible citizen and combined it with his
social media following and turned it into a way to support teens through the Team Upstanders movement--aspiring to be a nationwide initiative. The role of an Upstander is to support fellow classmates, share their positive influence, serve their community, and access support for those who need it by reaching out to a teacher or staff member. Students participate in classroom activities, school assemblies, recognize peers, visit other schools in the district, support classmates, assist the community, and serve as a good example.
History
Team Upstanders began in 2019 with a school assembly at Deer Lakes Middle School in Cheswick, Pennsylvania, led by Trevor Donovan and Jackie Jaros in collaboration with Michael Yanni. Originally intended as a one-time event, the powerful anti-bullying message delivered by Donovan and Jaros resonated deeply with students and staff as well as with Trevor’s social media followers. The assembly’s success sparked conversations about creating an ongoing initiative focused on helping students, responsible social media use, and bullying prevention—with guidance from adults. Inspired by Trevor Donovan’s positive presence on social media, the program aimed to empower students to be role models online and in real life. In 2022, Trevor returned to Deer Lakes Middle School for a follow-up assembly, and with support from Great American Family, and the Team Upstanders initiative continued to grow. The program’s focus is to offer resources and support to start programs at middle schools across the country free of charge.
Board
The Team Upstanders board is made up of passionate individuals that share an interest in supporting the anti-bullying message. Board members bring a wide variety of expertise and background to serve and support the work of the organization. The board members come from a variety of professional backgrounds: accounting, education, military, corporate, counseling, social work, entertainment, and leadership. These members are committed to sharing the mission and vision with others while building a program that can support students and add value to school programs across the nation.
