KILLEN — Pete Key had a message this week for the 3,400 high school students in Lauderdale County: “Standing by and not doing anything to help a kid being bullied isn’t helping. It makes you part of the problem.”

Key is a Florence resident and motivational speaker who travels the country speaking on a variety of topics affecting youth. On Thursday morning, he played out the role of Ray Ray, a high school bully who committed what has been termed as bullycide. As a result of bullying another student to the point of suicide, his character was serving a 25-year prison sentence.

Dressed in an orange prison issuance-type jumpsuit and bandana, a handcuffed and shackled Key began the dramatization as he was led into the Brooks High School gymnasium by sheriff’s deputies.

He began telling his story as the character of Ray Ray and how a growth spurt that sent him towering over his peers by eighth grade led to his feeling of superiority, fed by a small group of friends. It was soon afterward that Ray Ray began bullying classmates, first by taking lunch money from other students and verbally harassing them. The behavior grew to include threats to other boys talking to his girlfriend. Ultimately, overtaken by anger over his girlfriend breaking off their relationship, he threatened her friend, Maurice. Much smaller in stature and frightened for his life, Maurice committed suicide.

Students didn’t know until his dramatization was over, that Ray Ray was merely a character being played out.

“Man, I thought he was a convict, for real,” said Brooks eighth-grader Sawyer Hanback. “He was convincing and he sure makes you think.”

Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 256-740-5735 or lisa.singleton-rickman@TimesDaily.com.