Jeff Lasater has been a on a single-minded mission since his son, Jeremiah Lasater, took his life in a bathroom at Vasquez High School a year ago.

"My goal is to make sure this doesn't happen to any other families," he said.

To that end, Jeff Lasater has spoken to family support organizations, founded his own nonprofit organization committed to stomping out bullying, and appeared on television and radio programs advocating for children and families who suffer at the hands of bullies.

With the anniversary of Jeremiah Lasater's death this Tuesday, Jeff Lasater said he plans more work in 2010 to end bullying.

"You take baby steps at first; now I am ready to take some bigger steps to stop bullying," Jeff Lasater said.

On Oct. 20, 2008, Jeremiah Lasater, a freshman at Vasquez High School in Acton, shot and killed himself in a school bathroom stall.

Jeremiah was a special education student at Vasquez High School. Teachers, support staff, students and parents noted the teenager - who stood 6 foot 6 inches tall and weighed nearly 300 pounds - was often the target of ridicule and bullying. Instead of fighting back, Jeremiah withdrew, his father said.

"I knew I couldn't let Jeremiah die in that bathroom," Jeff Lasater said. "Jeremiah was speaking to all of us that day, but I don't think he realized how much he was saying."

Lasater said he believes his son's desperate decision to end his own life was driven by bullying. He immediately formed Project 51 to battle bullying. The number 51 was Jeremiah's football number.

Project 51 provides kids victimized by bullies and the parents of those victims support through a 24-hour hot line.

"Since we started, we have reached more than 150 kids," Lasater said.

Project 51 provides a toll-free number for kids or parents to use when they witness acts of bullying. Callers can leave a name and contact information for the school where the bullying occurred.

Project 51 officials will then ask the school to investigate the incident. If school officials do not launch an investigation within 24 hours, program officials visit school administrators to request an investigation.

Jeff Lasater has experienced mixed reviews with the program.

"A lot of schools don't like us," he said. "Schools don't want people looking over the wall from the outside and observing what actually happens in the school, and that includes the parents too."

Media outlets from KFI 640-AM's Bill Handel to Dr. Phil scrambled to schedule Jeff Lasater to appear on their shows, where Lasater told his son's story and also talked about the work he was doing with Project 51.

After media attention faded, Lasater thought about quitting. In April he visited the scene of his son's death and was reenergized. "I felt I had to go in that bathroom. I felt I was looking for answers," Jeff Lasater said. "The answer I found was that no parent should ever have to deal with this."

Lasater emerged with a new commitment and new objectives for Project 51.

"My goal for the upcoming year is to open a resource center in Acton," he said.

Lasater hopes the resource center can be a place where victims of bullies and their parents can come for counseling and teachers can come for training about recognizing and dealing with bullies. The center, Lasater said, could be a reality by next year.

"We have a location in Acton and we have raised a lot of money toward opening the center," he said.

Lasater has received help from the Knights of Pythias and other service organizations.

When Tuesday arrives, there will be no memorials in Acton for Jeremiah Lasater, Jeff Lasater said.

"I will close my muffler shop and spend time with the family," he said. "Then it's back to work on Project 51."