Why should you S.L.A.Y.?
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Young and BeautifulEverywhere you go, you see how media manipulates images to perpetuate an ideal type of body for both men and women - going as far as to make them seem unattainable. The lack of body diversity directly influences society's lack of self-esteem, which negatively affects many facets of our lives.
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And At Culver High...
*Citation: Culver City Unified School District. California Healthy Kids Survey, 2014-15:Main Report. San Francisco: WestEd Health & Human Development Program for the California Department of Education.
Our school district conducted a school survey to 7th, 9th and 11th graders between 2014 and 2015. The results are truly shocking. 25% of females and 14% of males do not eat breakfast in 7th grade, which increases as they go into high school to 48% for females and 39% for males. Not eating breakfast in the morning is a significant source of why many students do not have energy to start the day on a good note. Taking care of oneself is a very large part of 'self-love' because it is looking after yourself mentally and physically. Additionally, 20% of females and 8% of males feel hopeless in 7th grade, growing to a shocking 42% for females and 18% for males by the time they are in 11th grade - figures that more than double in a span of 4 years. Although the school has hired more mental health counselors in recent years in the Sandy Segal Health Center, this seems like more of a reactive approach rather than a proactive.
*Citation: Culver City Unified School District. California Healthy Kids Survey, 2014-15:Main Report. San Francisco: WestEd Health & Human Development Program for the California Department of Education.
Verbal harassment is a topic that Team S.L.A.Y. takes very seriously, especially since as time has progressed these statistics have shown that Culver City High School students have experienced receiving mean rumors or insults at least once. One occurrence of verbal harassment can have a negative effect on anyone. 'Self-love' is hard to obtain when people constantly point out others' flaws without thinking twice. According to Table A5.2, 17% of students as young as twelve years old have had a mean rumor or lie spread about them in school. To worsen the outlook, 12% of ninth graders and 11th graders have endured sexual harassment through jokes, comments or gestures at least four times. Catcalling and sexual innuendos degrades and diminishes a child's self worth. Also, 13% of students the same age have been made fun of or called a name for the way they looked. Words are very powerful, especially when teenagers and even pre-teenagers are the victims at the hands of ignorance. In order for the youth to truly believe they are beautiful mentally and physically, they must work to find out themselves, which is hard to do when there are other kids criticizing their every unique characteristic at their ear.
Not to mention, other aspects that shape people as a whole such as race, religion, gender, sexuality and any sort of disability have been made fun of at Culver City High School, negatively impacting at least a few students. 9% of students in ninth grade have been harassed because of their race, ethnicity, or national origin - something completely out of their control. Just as outraging, 5% of students in the same grade experienced being harassed by the religion they follow and believe in, which is completely and utterly disrespectful. The youth shouldn't have to experience such offensive and self-questionable actions especially when they are still growing up as a child. 'Self love and acceptance' is truly a hard thing to achieve when exposed to a negative environment as seen through these statistics which is exactly what Team S.L.A.Y. wanted to address.
Not to mention, other aspects that shape people as a whole such as race, religion, gender, sexuality and any sort of disability have been made fun of at Culver City High School, negatively impacting at least a few students. 9% of students in ninth grade have been harassed because of their race, ethnicity, or national origin - something completely out of their control. Just as outraging, 5% of students in the same grade experienced being harassed by the religion they follow and believe in, which is completely and utterly disrespectful. The youth shouldn't have to experience such offensive and self-questionable actions especially when they are still growing up as a child. 'Self love and acceptance' is truly a hard thing to achieve when exposed to a negative environment as seen through these statistics which is exactly what Team S.L.A.Y. wanted to address.
*Citation: Culver City Unified School District. California Healthy Kids Survey, 2014-15:Main Report. San Francisco: WestEd Health & Human Development Program for the California Department of Education.
These statistics conducted at Culver City High School between the years 2014 and 2015 prove another statistic that Team S.L.A.Y. used in our 'in-class' presentations to be valid. To appeal to males, we used the statistic that "There is a direct correlation between self esteem, drug abuse and addiction in young men (Cited from a nine-year study of 870 boys in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse). As seen toward the bottom up-above, an alarming 36% of 11th grade students have used drugs or alcohol as an escape. Not to mention, just two years younger, a whopping 27% of 9th graders reported doing the same. 19% of 11th grade students have also been very drunk or high 7 or more times. Taking into consideration that there is a direct correlation between self esteem and drug abuse in young men as well as the high amount of students' use of drugs and alcohol, Team S.L.A.Y. decided to go forth with targeting not only females but males as well in our campaign. Looking at these answers led Team S.L.A.Y. to start asking more questions. For instance, why did the school district not continue its investigation further? Why was it that only 6 questions were asked relating to mental health, if the name of the survey was titled "California Healthy Kids Survey"?
Map of Culver City High School and Middle School's Location Near Sony Pictures Studios
Map of Sony Pictures Studios' Lot 1 on Washington Blvd.
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Map of Culver City High School and Middle School on Elenda St.
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By viewing the above maps on how Sony Pictures Studios is literally down Elenda St. and to the right of Washington Blvd, within 1.4 miles, anyone can infer the direct pressure to conform to the media.
