Falcons wide receiver Kevin Cone and fullback Bradie Ewing are spending their offseason trying to make a difference in a lot of ways. The two community-minded players recently tackled the issue of bullying at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, Ga., speaking to 290 freshman during an assembly.

The freshman-only event targeted youth early in their high school experience in an effort to reduce bullying and increase knowledge of resources to combat bullying.

In partnership with The HumanKind Movement, a University of Georgia student-led group that aims to foster acceptance in Athens-Clarke County, Cone and Ewing shared their experiences with the students last week and how important kindness and accepting others is to make a difference that can go a long way on and off the field.

“Football is a crazy sport with guys from all over the country; different races, different backgrounds, and we all come together for one common goal,” Ewing said. “So you have to learn to work with people — to trust people. It’s to spread that and teach others that something as simple as a smile can maybe brighten someone else’s day or change somebody’s life.”

Among students who are bullied, 6-10 percent reported being bullied every day. Cone and Ewing hoped that by speaking they showed the students how to produce a more welcoming and comfortable environment at Cedar Shoals by committing to kindness.

Students at the assembly were encouraged to commit to at least one act of kindness a day, be the good in the Athens community and take advantage of the many resources available in order to combat bullying.