As teenagers, the students of Steinbrenner are constantly being immersed in the world of social media. With that comes the hard reality that many students have been victims of cyberbullying in the past. In the coming months, Courtney Nickel’s social media class plans to raise awareness for the issue that so many students face through a variety of methods, including t-shirt sales, a personalized selfie station during both lunches, notes of kindness written on desks, and through the hashtag “#GSHSSeeMe.” The students hope that their efforts will put an end to cyberbullying here at Steinbrenner High School.
“We were doing an assignment about digital citizenship and we started talking about cyberbullying. A couple of the kids in the class had been personally affected by cyberbullying and [had seen] the results of kids being hurt by cyberbullying and they became very passionate. We decided that we wanted to do more,” said Courtney Nickel.
Sep. 10 is National Suicide Prevention Day. The students involved in the project will be set up in the cafeteria during both lunches with their selfie station to raise awareness. When other students take pictures there, they will use the hashtag the class has created to post on their social medias about why they should choose to live another day and not let negative comments get inside their heads. The use of social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram in the project is important, as those are where most teens have experienced cyberbullying and online hate in the past.
Additionally, on Oct. 1, also known as National Anti-Bullying Day, the students will be planning an event where they sell t-shirts to raise money for the cause. They would like as many students as possible to get involved, wear their shirts, and spread kindness. They will be leaving sticky notes with kind messages written on desks in the morning and will have a pledge that students can sign, vowing not to cyberbully and to say something when they see something hurtful being posted online.
With the help of our proactive and passionate students here at Steinbrenner, we can make a positive change and help impact the lives of those who may feel as though they have not been seen or heard.
Grace Barnett // Staff Writer
