Hey Guys! It's been a while! A lot has happened since my last blog, basically, over Summer I realized that the Sage Creek PTSA Student and Teacher resource webpage does not include resources for a few very important issues which are taboo, and thus, not talked about. Driving safety, drugs, alcohol, stress, and suicide prevention are all topics which are covered but there are a variety of other harmful mental health issues that are not touched upon. This is where my project comes in, I've decided to create my website to display four of these issues― Anxiety, Eating disorders, Self-harm, and Depression. Moreover, I've started contacting mental health professionals about these topics so I can start to build a credible website for parents to use. I believe that this website can benefit many parents who do not know about how prevalent these four mental health issues are in adolescents. However, I have made little progress farther than what was previously stated on my genius project and website itself, but I am trying to gather as much information as I can to inform myself on these issues. Additionally, My genius project has morphed over the Summer to focus more on the website than a panel, nevertheless, I still am planning to hold a panel but at a later date than anticipated. Through my progress is not where I would like it to be, I am proud to be where I am in overcoming my fear of communicating professionals and adults in general as I feel as if I am burdening them. Even with just the beginning of my communications with these professionals, I have realized that people really enjoy helping out others and will go out of their way to do so! The support I have felt when talking about my project to teachers, family, and volunteers has made a substantial impact on increasing my drive to accomplish, at the very least, building my website. There is a long road ahead in terms of my project but I couldn't be more excited for the journey! Link to my Genius Project Pitch: CLICK
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After the Genius Project Forum I realized that I don’t want my project to get lost in the abyss like so many of the Seniors’ projects did this year. Furthermore, the amount of projects that either went unfinished or not started was astounding to me and made me truly realize the importance of perseverance through this project. Personally I have anxiety when reaching out to adults. Connections made with professionals in mental illness as well as the PTSA itself is the basis of my project and it integral in its success, thus, I need to start my networking now before I let my fear paralyze my passion for this project. Seeing the failure of others, in this situation, made me want to work harder for my own success and made me not want to let my petty fears get in the way of the importance of this project. My next steps― now that I have had this epiphany― is to make connections with whoever I can and start to reach out to different people so I can really get started on this crazy journey I am about to embark on.
Let me start off by stating that so much has happened since my last Genius Post! I have a clear direction with where I want to go and some super amazing people to support me in completing my project. In class we did a speeding dating simulation where we shared out our Genius Project ideas with both professionals and other students. Therefore, I had to explain my project idea a few times which made me realize what exactly I would like to do with my project. Also It was extremely beneficial in hearing what others thought about my project and listening to potential things I can implement into it to overall make my project more impactful. My next step in my project is to completely update my website! On another note, I wanted to specifically post my blog today because countless people around the world drew hearts on their skin to represent the trials they have gone through (or are going through) dealing with bulimia, anorexia, depression, self harm, etc. Having a project that relates so closely with all these topics I have realized the importance of events like this which spreads awareness for important causes. Walking around my school today, I realized how many of my own peers have had trouble with these serious and harmful taboo topics. Today has made me realize how much my project is needed in my community. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- At this point I am pretty certain on what I would like to do for my genius project. After going through and still getting out of a rough season I have discovered a demographic uneducated about the amount of adolescent self-harm and the true effects of it. Parents, who are arguably the most influential people in a child's life, often are not aware of the prevalence of self-harm in general and how to approach that situation. Though parents always have their children's best interest at heart, sometimes their aims to help their child not self-harm can make the situation drastically worse. Seeing as many friends as I have suffer through self-harm, eating disorders, depression, and anxiety has inspired me to do this. Also my experience with both anorexia and self-harm ended up creating rifts in my relationships with my parents, therefore, I know first hand how destructive mentally and physically it can be. In my case, what I was doing to myself hurt my parents more than it hurt me because at that point I stopped caring what effects it had on me and my general health. Thats when I thought of reaching out to parents instead of children who might be going through the same thing because, at least in my situation, my parents needed more support than I did. Therefore, I want to make a separate website from this with information on self-harm, eating disorders, and other common disorders adolescents struggle with. As well as hold a panel for parents about these topics with a professional and other high schoolers who have experienced these things.
My next steps is to find a mentor and professional in this field so I can start building the website. Then after that I want to go to the school board with my proposal to hold a panel to educate parents. My goal by sharing what I've gone through and the commonality of self-harm, I will have positively effected the community around me. |
Brianna RobisonA pretty normal teen going through high school Archives
September 2018
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