R.I.P. HIP at Palmetto

I am involved in the HIP program at Palmetto. It's a club where students teach other students about health topics that are relevant to teens (similar to this blog) and we have candid conversation about those topics that teens might find difficult or awkward discussing with an adult. This program has helped a countless number of students at our school and many other schools across dade county. We used to teach to the biology classes but this year we had to switch to the P.E. classes. We have made accommodations to keep HIP at our school but today the PHE's were informed that HIP will no longer be a program at Palmetto. This might be the most inconsiderate, ignorant, uninformed decision ever made by our new principal. Harley would not negotiate with anyone from our current board and future board. HIP had tons of new recruits coming in for next year and the juniors involved this year were all going to continue on to next year. Now, all of these kids who are eager to help and inform their peers will miss out because Harley is unreasonable. And hopefully I can say all of this because this is my blog and it's freedom of speech but I am infuriated. This is probably THE most important club at our school and it deserves to be taken care of. There are no sex education classes at Palmetto and this year we taught students a lot that they were not aware of. I know that a lot of kids didn't listen but it was worth it if we helped just one person. The HIP website has even helped the PHE's. It has resources to help find free clinics around our school and tells you if you need a parent to get STD checked and what clinics let you go alone and much more information. We need HIP at Palmetto. The school is already so... disgusting, mainly because students are uninformed. Imagine what school will be like without the one program that gives students information that could change their lives? When there are STD outbreaks and more kids dying from mixing drugs and more pregnant girls at our school, maybe Harley will regret her lack of support in HIP. We don't have the club at school anymore but you can still stay informed. Go to the BEHIP.org website and it can show you all of the health topics covered in a year and give you resources and answer questions you may have. You must stay informed and take it upon yourselves to learn about everything you have questions on. Take care of yourselves as best you can and I'm always here to help, as well as www.behip.org

Bullying

At palmetto and probably every other high school in the world, bullying occurs to all different people for all different reasons. It is a sick and pathetic way for people to feel better about themselves. But why must people be so cruel to lift themselves up? Bullying has pushed many teens over the edge to the point of suicide. Other people tourture their peers and make them feel terrible about themselves and the bullier thinks its funny. We are all human and we all have feelings. People spread rumors, call people names, spread more rumors, scream things at them in the hallways, give nasty looks, embarrass them in front of others, and ask like they know what they're talking about. You may think the worst part is when people start to believe the rumors without question, but it's not. The worst part is when YOU start believing them and you gain a sense of worthlessness and just give in and give up. You succumb to the low lives who pretend to know everything that goes on in your life. If you're being bullied to a point where you can't handle it anymore, talk to an adult. Don't let yourself get to a place of self loathing and misery because other people made you feel that way. Don't let other people have the power over you to "make you feel" anything you dont want to feel. Last year, I had to report two girls for harassment because they tortured me for a whole year. They screamed names at me in the hallway, they'd see me at the falls and cause a scene, still screaming vulgar names at me. The final straw was when they followed me halfway home screaming at me and tellig me what a disgusting person I was. Ignoring these girls didn't help anything so the next day I reported them to Bales and they never bothered me again. But of course there are always more people to give you a hard time. If you plan on sticking up for yourself, as in speaking up for yourself, make sure you let them know that they don't know you and they don't know anything abou your life. Also, use big words and don't curse. It makes you seem more intelligent and above the people who are giving you problems. If these people have such low self esteem that they have to put others down to feel better about themselves, they are pathetic and honestly sad. I know I've had more problems with bullying than most should have but I'm trying to learn from my experience and I don't want any of you getting to the terrible lows I've experienced because I let other people rent negative space in my mind. Don't lose sight of who you are, no matter what people tell you. Stay true to yourself and know that you're the better and bigger person. Also, if things get out of hand you need to talk to an adult you can trust. Sometimes we can't handle everything on our own and it's okay to ask for help. And if you see someone being bullied, help them out. I know people don't like to get involved in other peoples drama but wouldn't you want someone to stick up for you? Be the better person and take care of yourselves as best you can. If you don't walk with your head up, this world will chew you up and spit you out. You control how you feel. Don't let others have that power over you.