Jasmine Flint and spending time on social media. Social Media Impact on BRHS Students Many of our students feel like social media is becoming such a negative space, that it is affecting their mental health. “89% of social media users believe it is damaging their mental health”, according to a study by The Cybersmile Foundation.
Jasmine Flint, a sophomore at BRHS, has used social media since she was 8 years old and has been posting on social media since she was 14 years old. She said “I feel judged because of the different types of lives of the people I see on social media.” She also said when she posts a picture that she looks cute in, she feels judged by the people she follows and worries that they think she doesn’t look cute. Jasmine has multiple social medias including Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok and Twitter. She said she spends around 4 hours a day on social media, but “I feel like social media, such as Instagram, have become a very negative space.” However she does say that social media can also be a positive space because she is able to talk to family and friends that don’t live near her. Social media is supposed to be a happy place, but can cause more harm than good. According to the article “Social Media and Mental Health” “...multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm and even suicidal thoughts.” Gracie Jones, a sophomore at BRHS has had social media since she was age 10 and has been posting on social media since she was 11. Gracie explained that “when I post certain things on social media, I worry that some of the people that I follow will judge what I am posting.” Gracie said that she has noticed that social media is becoming more of a negative space. “When I go on tiktok, I see super negative videos, which affects my mental health.” But she does explain that she feels like the influencers she follows on social media have made a positive impact on her mental health. Social media has had negative impacts on people's mental health and has made people feel bad about certain parts of their life. According to the article “Social Media and Mental Health '' it talks about some effects social media has on people's mind such as “ inadequacy about your life or appearance, fear of missing out (FOMO), social media addiction. Isolation, depression and anxiety, cyberbullying and self-absorption.” However some social media, such as the BRHS Red Pages and the BRHS Instagram, can be helpful and fun. But it is important to be careful when using social media. Article Written by: Zoey Carbine
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Officer Andrews (February 12, 2023) Photo by: Pedro Junyr Solis Students Unsure of Safety At BRHSAccording to the school crime and safety of 2021 there were 93 school shootings including casualties in the public and private schools of the U.S. With the shooting rate being so high, how safe do students feel at school? From a recent Instagram poll, the question was “How safe do you feel at Bear River High?” With 73 responses from parents and students,48% said that there is some improvement that needs to be made in our school safety, 20% said that we need desperate help and 15% of respondents voted that they do not feel safe at school. With that, only about 17% of respondents voted that they feel very safe and secure at BRHS. That indicates that 83% of students do not feel safe at school. In general, parents are voting that work needs to be updated in school security, they will not send their children for a whole 6 hours a day, 5 days a week to a place they feel as though it is a danger to them. Bear River has multiple levels of security. To start off our school does have bulletproof doors that are locked at all times. The District also has installed video cameras to monitor buildings, interior and exterior areas, including, but not limited to parking lots and such perimeters, which are intended to enhance the safety of students, staff and visitors by deterring disruptive, inappropriate, or illegal conduct. Additionally, Bear River has one campus supervisor on staff as well as a School Resource Officer, Officer Andrews, from the Sheriff’s Office to ensure a safe and secure environment. Officer Andrews surveys the school in between class hours, making sure students get to class on time and watching for weird behavior. She also teaches a class about law enforcement. BRHS does have secure security. However compared to other schools in Utah our school could be called weak. “ Layton High has metal detectors that each person must go through before entering their school,” says Hadley Carrigan, a sophomore here at Bear River. Carrigan stated that on a scale from one to ten she voted about five on how safe she feels at Bear River. Although nothing has specifically happened to her, she feels as though our school is fairly easy to access and if an intruder were to get into our school, we wouldn’t have a good chance to fight back. Another sophomore from Bear River, Delaney Mallory, described the security as “ More laid back, definitely easily accessible.” Mallory expressed that she would feel safer if she knew who and what were entering the school. “Someone, even a student, could walk in with a murder weapon and we would never know because we don’t check for those things!” Carrigan and Mallory are just a tiny fragment of how students feel at school. Many don’t feel safe at all. However, Bear River is working to make changes. Last week a teacher safety training was held to inform teachers about procedures and situations to make students feel secure and protected here at BRHS. This and multiple other future improvements allow students to feel more comfortable and safe while at school. Article Written by: Janessa Esquivel David Sayre a 16 year old Junior student here at Bear River High-School who has lived most of his life on different military bases, he has moved multiple time and lived in many states. David gave his comment on his experiences. Putting The Red In Red, White, and Blue The Military does many generous things for students varying from scholarships to covering tuition and setting students up for the bright future ahead. They have an influence on high-school students at Bear River. They even have connections all around the world and you would be surprised by how many students at Bear River have been affected by the military.
David Sayer who lived his entire life on base until the age of 16 stated “The military made me as a person and built who I am and if I was given a chance to change anything I experienced I would do it all over again.” Even after the many struggles David faced varying from depression, social anxiety, loss and grief, and the heart breaking feeling of making new friends and moving never to see them again, he holds to the belief that it was all worth it and he even has plans to join when he graduates high school. Porter Gull, a senior at Bear River High School experimented with his options for a future career and found his place in the National Guard and currently works with heavy artillery and plans to work with artillery for as long as he can. He has plans to continue his journey in the National Guard, working his way up the ranks while managing to turn his homework in on time. His recruiter Staff Sergeant Teven Reed says “Most kids who join after high school have had some experience and strive to continue to apply what they know with what they learn.” There have been many great influences on young adults and students at Bear River. Our school has great examples of students who have had a positive affect by the military. David Sayre, a junior at Bear River, found his passion and is working hard every day to establish a foothold in the future. Faith Thorstead, a sophomore at Bear River made many friends and positive influences that still have an impact on her today and she continues her path towards her dream of protecting her country. Porter Gull, a senior at Bear River experimented with his options for a future career and found his place in the national guard and currently works with heavy artillery and plans to work with artillery for as long as he can. The military continues to influence students at Bear River high school and maintain a bright future for us all. Each of these students have been positively impacted by the military and work hard at Bear River. David, Faith, and Porter are continuing to make their dreams come true and ensure each of their places in the military and we are honored to have them at Bear River. Article written by: Tanner Bluemel Photo by: Pedro Solis Our Special Needs Department handles emergency situations as professionals. In emergency situations, students can become anxious and not understand how to safely exit the building. For students with disabilities or special needs who tend to need extra help, emergency situations become even harder. Even some adults in Bear River High School have a hard time knowing what to do. When it comes down to helping a special needs or disabled student in a potential school emergency, things get a little more complicated. Lena Arias, Adam Williams, and Kati Rhodes who are all in the special needs department at Bear River High school share some extra things to keep in mind when dealing with special needs students in any emergency.
Mrs. Arias says during an emergency, when seeing someone with special needs becoming frustrated, confused, and/or hurt the correct way to assist them is to calmly and directly inform them about what is going to happen next. Let them know that it will be okay. Mr. Williams also states, special needs students often do not have a clear idea on the situations that are occuring around them. Keep in mind that in an emergency anybody will often get scared and flustered. Mrs. Rhodes discusses making sure not to scare them. They all state that being informed and patient with them in an emergency is best. If you find a disabled student in any emergency is struggling or in general looks as if they need help, you need to establish if they do need help. Zoey Carbine, a sophomore with a disability at Bear River High, stated, “It will look like I'm struggling but I'm not.” It is still crucial that you make sure any student you see is okay and aware of the situation at hand, says Zoey. If they are not in need of help, stay by their side ensuring that they are not left alone. This way you both can benefit from each other’s safety. In the article “School Safety Drills for Students with Special Needs” it declares, “After considering the needs of the school as a whole, special education teachers or experts should focus on individual students’ learning needs and how they can teach students to be safe during any school emergency.” All of the staff in the Special Needs Unit agreed that teaching the students how to deal with these types of situations could be beneficial. Learning to deal with situations such as those, can be scary and difficult to maintain. But as a community at Bear River High school, we can ensure that everyone in the building knows how to properly escort themselves and their peers out safely. Article written by : Stephanie Maldonado |