In hopes of further reducing negativity on the internet and cyber bullying, the #ICANHELP message was presented to Heritage High School in Brentwood on Thursday with a goal of creating more positive warriors.
The idea behind the ICANHELP message is to fight negativity with kindness and become more positive—the goal is that when a negative message is posted, positive warriors come to the aid to get the negative post removed.
The campaign started last year after a student made up a fake profile of a teacher at Excelsior Middle School that was negative. In response, the program began as a way to say negativity on the internet is “not cool” and that people do have the power to have influence on social media.
During Thursdays forum at Heritage High, ICANHELP Co-Founder Kim Karr spoke to students about how they can help reduce negativity and become more positive on social media.
“The reason they call it social media is because you socialize. But one of the things I am learning about it is you don’t have to be on the sites if you don’t want to. You have that choice,” says Karr. I have a lot of students who come up to me and say they got rid of one of these sites because I wasn’t comfortable on it and people were being mean to me on it, they were being rude on it.”
Karr explained how one student got rid of their phone completely because they were tired of getting inappropriate messages from a freshman—this was when she was in 7th grade. She got so nervous and felt alone and was embarrassed.
Karr challenged students to think about who they “friend” or what they “like” because social media and “real life” are different. On the internet, it’s a click and you are socializing with someone but outside the internet, you are not going to hang around a certain person if they do not make you feel good so why should one do it on the internet.
“You don’t socialize with people who don’t make you feel good I hope. If they don’t make you feel good in real life, I hope you don’t hang out with them,” explained Karr. “It’s one of those things you must ask yourself is does this make you feel good.”
Karr further challenged the students to delete negativity from their life if someone doesn’t make them feel good but instead be around people who make them feel good.
“Are you hanging around the right people or are you going to be embarrassed?” asked Karr.
Karr explained to the students that when you laugh at someone being called a name it says you “approve” of the message. Defensive mechanism is now to laugh because you have been called a name so much—for some it can be as simple as “stupid” or “annoying”.
“This is the thing you need to realize is these types of words are hurtful and that we have people committing suicide everyday over these words,” explained Karr.
For Karr, her word is “stupid” and even today and at her age the word still hurts. But she went a step further explaining that one of her student’s words was “terrorist” because of her nationality.
“I had a student who one of her words was terrorist and their friend looked at them and said they didn’t know it hurt your feelings and why didn’t they ever tell me,” said Karr. “The student replied I am fighting the world, I don’t know why I should have to fight my friends too.”
In terms of sexting, it’s becoming a problem because kids are making it cool.
She explained how boys will ask girls “how far they have gone” or other personal questions over the internet, but that face to face, they would never ask such personal questions.
Karr addressed the female students in the room stating “we need more ladies who value themselves and value who you are and what you are about. It’s okay to say it’s none of your business” when a boy asks personal questions about your sex life.
Karr addressed the male students stating “we need more gentlemen to make being a gentleman cool where you can make sure you are respectful to both men and women because you are making what is cool here, cool for middle schoolers.”
Karr says that you can stop the negativity by being positive and sharing positive words and messages to people.
“We need people who can say I can help and make a difference in your school and in this world. I can do something that creates positivity,’ said Karr. “People forget what you say or what you do, but they will always remember how you make them feel. Did you make them feel like they are important or are they worthless. People don’t forget.”
Assemblyman Jim Frazier (D-Oakley) was on hand to recognize Kim Karr and the program stating that she is showing the best teachers how to teach from the heart and from a book.
“When her students at asked her how to deal and stop cyber bullying she told them to use their voice. That they could make a difference and together they did leading to ICANHELP. A student driven, teacher generated program whos message is being shared across the state and the country,” said Frazier. “I am proud to support this amazing program and sponsor this program to help others be helpful…Thank you for teaching our kids to end negativity and to become positive warriors to all.”
STEPS FOR IMPLEMENTING #ICANHELP
- Post only positive comments
- Respectfully comment, then report anything inappropriate
- Block inappripiate people
- Inform students & adults
- Stop negative talk w/positive
- Follow #IcanHelp online
- Facebook – icanhelpdeletenegativity
- Instagram – icanhelpdeletenegativit
- Twitter – icanhelp__
- YouTube – icanhelpdeletenegativity
ICANHELP Campaign is still looking to raise funds to take its message national and create more materials. You can donate by visiting http://www.gofundme.com/icanhelp
1 comment
Way to go Kim Karr. Thank you for all of your efforts in this mission. I love this concept and wish kids in Antioch get to see this message.
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