Bullying has become an increasingly alarming problem within schools.

Nearly 70 percent of young people have seen bullying in their place of learning, according to a report by stopbullying.gov.

With the number of bullying incidents on the rise, and with the popularity of texting and social media turning bullying into a 24/7 concern for students and parents, the Harlem Globetrotters basketball program designed a community outreach program, “The ABCs of Bullying Prevention,” in coordination with the National Campaign to Stop Violence to help prevent bullying.

On Wednesday, a member of the Harlem Globetrotters named “Flight Time” Lang visited students at Oak Manor Sixth Grade Center in Niles to talk about bullying. His appearance occurred during the Niles-Buchanan YMCA and Niles Community Schools Y-Club after-school program.

Lang’s message was to discourage bullying, increase empathy among youth and give kids, teachers and youth administrators the means to tackle the growing issue of bullying. The program focuses on “Action,” “Bravery” and “Compassion,” comprising the ABCs.

Lang asked students how they could use the “ABCs” to combat bullying in their daily lives before showing off a few of his basketball tricks.

He even got students and teachers involved in the show, having them perform a short choreographed basketball passing demonstration.

The event ended with Lang taking a group picture with the students.

The Globetrotters will be performing at 7 p.m. Saturday in South Bend, Ind.

For more information on the Globetrotters, including their bullying prevention program, visit their website harlemglobetrotters.com.