Anti-cyberbullying advocate Lynelle Cantwell featured in new documentary
Torbay teen featured in documentary about youth who take the high road
Last year, Lynelle Cantwell was making headlines across North America for turning the tables on bullies participating in an anonymous 'ugliest girls' poll.
Since then, life for the Torbay teen has taken an unexpected turn, filled with speaking engagements across Canada — and even an appearance in an upcoming documentary about inspiring youth.
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"I literally feel like I'm living in a virtual reality somewhere, it's crazy," Cantwell told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show.
"I was approached by movie producers that live in Toronto. They were doing a 90-minute documentary film on people who came … across a not-so-good situation and decided to take [the] high road." she said.
Cantwell's is one of nine stories featured in Rising Above: Stories of Courage and Hope, which is being shown in select Cineplex theatres across Canada. It premieres in St. John's and Corner Brook in April.
Shortly after filming, Cantwell was approached by Telus about becoming a youth ambassador. Since then, she's been speaking to young people about cyberbullying at WE Day events across the country.
"Craig Kielburger started [WE Day]. It's like a big concert and they have motivational speakers from across the world that come and give a talk to the thousands of children who are in the stadium," she said.
Cantwell's already spoken to tens of thousands of students about bullying and body shaming at conferences in Toronto and Calgary. On Wednesday, she's off to Vancouver to speak at another WE Day event.
'We had a bit of a heart to heart'
Cantwell said she had no idea confronting a school cyberbully would lead her to be an advocate for young people.
She said she's put plans of pursuing a career with the RCMP on hold for now, in favour of more motivational speaking.
As for the student behind the 'ugliest girls' poll, Cantwell said "all is good now."
"When I figured out who it might have been, I popped them a [Facebook] message," she said.
I told them if they need anything they can just come to me.- Lynelle Cantwell
Cantwell said the student promised to not create any more online polls, and agreed to apologize to all of the girls whose names were listed.
"We had a bit of a heart-to-heart conversation and I told them if they need anything they can just come to me, because obviously they're going through something too."
"If they're able to do that and have no remorse when they did it, they had something going on."
With files from The St. John's Morning Show