When brother Bob Kelly joined SigEp at Vincennes University in 1977, he found himself in a brotherhood filled with members of all different backgrounds and experiences. Despite their differences, Kelly and the 10 brothers who joined with him quickly bonded and eventually became best friends.  

Now, more than 30 years later, that brotherhood is still intact, and Kelly is using their story to write a children’s book that teaches about diversity, acceptance and avoiding bullying.

“The anti-bullying thing was really on my head,” says Kelly. “I created this because I felt if you taught children early and you taught them the right values – basically what the Fraternity taught – then you wouldn’t potentially have as much of this problem.”

His book, 11 Fish Friends, stars a young fish on his first day at school. As he arrives, he meets 10 other sea creatures, each with different talents and personalities. The story shows how they rely on each other to overcome adversity.

Kelly says he has already spoken with five school districts in Indiana about the book, and hopes every school district in the nation will eventually carry the publication.