It’s My Life

chaseThe PEERS Project has partnered with Radio One to share the stories of several teens and how they choose to live healthy lifestyles. You can hear these stories at: www.youtube.com/peersproject

PEERS has thousands of teen leaders like these around the state who are choosing to avoid risky behaviors. For the next four weeks we will share their stories here.

As a child we were pushed on the swing by our mother, father or a parent figure. For me it was my mother whom always pushed me on the swing. “I’ll give you one underdog then you got to swing by yourself: Ready… set…go,” she shouts as she pushes me as high as she could, and then makes a sudden run under me. Then to the park bench she goes to watch her “little birdy” swing by herself.

Learning how to swing by yourself without that head start of an underdog can be rough at first, but once you get the swing of things it seems pretty simple. You have to learn to be ready for the world even if you don’t feel as if you are quite ready yet. Learning to push yourself can seem as if one of the hardest challenges in the world, but in the end all you really have is yourself and your own two feet to lead you, or swing you as high as you wish to go.

Joining the Peers Project has made me realize that I’m not alone. I may have struggled to push myself as high as I could but I did it, I succeeded. There are many kids who went through or are going through the same things. You’re never alone. I’m ready to jump off the swing and walk by myself. Therefore I am ready for the world and whatever it has to offer for me.

by: Chase-Marie Rider, 17

Attention PEERS Teen Leaders, Win 4 Tickets to Indy Eleven Soccer Game

Indianapolis is now known as a town that loves soccer since being named the home for the American professional soccer team, Indy Eleven.  Founded in 2013, the team will make its debut in the North American Soccer League in 2014.[1] The official club name, crest and colors were announced on April 25, 2013.

The PEERS Project teen leaders have the incredible opportunity to actually go to one of these sell-out home games. In partnership with Inspired Kids Magazine, PEER Leaders can submit any of their art, videos and writings at  InspiredKidsMagazine and enter a chance to win 4 tickets.

 

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Reality T.V. , Helpful or Hurtful?

You have seen the “ridiculousness” of most reality TV shows, but why do some people, especially teens, still choose to watch them? Reality TV is a very narrow peek into the lives of people who have an unrealistic reality, in fact, most of their lives are written by a producer. These cast members are to do one thing with those lives, make sure it is drama filled so that they make money through that drama. The reputation of most reality TV show cast members is demolished by the finale of their first season. Honestly, the problem lies not only with the producers or cast members, but the audience. It is the audience that allows these shows to have numerous amounts of views. The audience are the people unintentionally saying to those cast members and producers, “Ignorance is bliss, so keep at it!” But their ignorance shouldn’t be bliss, it is disturbing and degrading, not only for them, but to the audience that they are targeting. Take for instance the 16-year-old girl who thinks she is not pretty enough, and watches a reality TV show for the first time and instantly gets hooked. That 16-year-old girl is now being influenced by women who wear tons of make-up and are praised by the media because of their “beauty,” when in actuality it’s as fake as their lives portrayed on their show. That 16-year-old girl and many other girls and women like her are being lied to and influenced by the negative influences suggested through reality TV. It is vital that we don’t allow producers to tell us what we should look like, or the lifestyle(s) we should admire, but that we are confident enough in ourselves to say that we are much greater than that.