The Northampton Area School District middle school gym was awash in a sea of pink last Friday as 950 students and faculty celebrated National Go Pink to Stand Up Against Bullying.

The district colors of orange and black took a back seat for a day as nearly every student displayed the color pink.

Students could be seen wearing pink shirts, pink pants, pink socks and pink shoes.

Mike Seng, a teacher who served in the military in Iraq, found the day's attire much different than the brown and tan combat gear he wore while serving the country.

However, Seng said he felt the day was necessary to bring attention to the harmful effects bullying has on students.

"Invisible," a chart-topping hit by Hunter Hayes, was played. The song was equated by many in the crowd as a theme of sorts to stop bullying.

A paper chain encircled the floor of the gym, on both sides of the gym. The paper chain was held up by students and faculty.

Katherine Carney, a guidance counselor at the middle school who is credited with putting together the program, spoke on the topic of bullying.

She also had the pleasure of spraying Principal Patrice Turner, eighth grade assistant principal Jackie Welsh and seventh grade assistant principal Dave Lafferty's hair pink.

The principals previously promised to spray their hair pink if there was a 95 percent participation rate by the student body.

Harley Bender, Ireland McGinnis, Maxwell Martinez, Quinn Smith and Jeremy Sell received awards for most fashionable, most creative and best accessory.

Other activities included an assembly where students completed a survey to become part of a student task force to assist students being bullied, viewing a staff video encouraging students to stand up against bullying, special events during lunch breaks to promote acceptance, creating and signing a pink promise link to stand up against bullying and a schoolwide assembly to connect the entire student body within the signed pink links.

The mission of eliminating bullying will continue throughout the school year.