Media+Influence+on+Teens,+Education+and+Competition+in+School

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Overview
The pressure of being perfect or sometimes imperfect is something that affects teens in a way that can be a really negative thing. Teenagers have pressure in school but toc

they also have pressure through the media. School give kids a lot of pressure, they have the pressure to be perfect in everything that they do at school ("Lakeville"). The pressure however is not coming from teachers or principals it is coming from the students. This pressure affects most of the students in the school, when one student is perfect in school and is in the top of the class then everyone else wants to be up there with them. This creates pressure to get their grade and the GPA up to where that one student who is perfect is or even higher then that student. Some may say that the competition is positive that it is good to make kids work really hard to get good grades. But this pressure is something that can be negative, it can cause kids to drop out because of all the pressure. This is because the pressure got so bad and they thought that they couldn't compete with that person in the top of the class and they drop out.

Media and pressure is something that is a problem in our society. In the media they tell you what is socially acceptable from the way you dress to your attitude. If the media doesn't think that it is "in style" then it isn't cool and you shouldn't wear it or act that way (Johnston). They put a pressure on the people who get involved in media to look perfect and be just like the people in the magazines. In the media they put this pressure on people to look perfect and act perfect. The pressure can really get to people and it can cause a negative impact on people and the way that they are living their life. With the pressures of the media it can make people do or act in a way that may not be them. Media and school are two big pressures that teens have to deal with and the pressures are just things that occur in their lives every day (Johnston).

Pressure from the Media
Pressure from the Media is a problem that has effected many people. The pressure from the media is something that can effect anyone who reads magazines go on the computer or even watch TV. Media changes the way women or any other people look at there self because of what the media says is acceptable. The media puts [|pressure] on what we do, they want you to look like the stars. People want to fit in with the media they want to do and look and act just like the media wants them to. Every kid has a role model in the media they want to fit in and be just like that role model. But their favorite star is someone that may not be a good [|role model] for them, and this role model may change the behaviors of the people who look up to them the most ("A Marketing"). The pressure of being seen "perfect" in the eyes of the media is a problem that has been going on for a long time.

Pressure in School School and pressure go hand in hand, there is a lot of pressure to do well in school this can be positive but in some cases this can be something that is negative. Having the honor to be the valedictorian causes a lot of competition and [|pressure], in school and outside of school (“Lakeville”). It can cause students to drop out. Half of the students that dropped out in the class of 2008 would have generated $4.1 billion in wages and $536 million in taxes. Most students drop out because their classes aren't interesting. The second reason is because they are surrounded by kids that have no interest in school. Other reasons kids drop out is the lack of connection with the school, school is irrelevant and boring, they are unmotivated, the academic challenges, jobs, pregnancy, and family care.

**Media Solutions **
The media is everywhere and in reality there isn't a way to escape it but you can prevent yourself from getting all caught up in the media. You can fins other things to do and not get so caught up in the magazines ("Marketing"). You maybe be a [|role model] for a teen, make sure that you are a positive one. Teach teenagers that media isn't something that can be looked at in only a positive way there are negatives and they need to know what they are. If you are getting influenced by the pressure the media gives off then a teen that looks up to you as a role model may feel the same way because you do and they can really harm themselves in ways that are very negative. Let teens know your values if they know that you think that pressure of the media is negative then they may feel the same way (Common). Media pressure is something that really affects teenagers and if there is a positive role model for them and they are staying away from the magazines then there is less of a chance that they will feel so much pressure.

School Pressure Solutions
Pressure in school is something that can be positive but it is also a negative thing and there are ways that you can prevent it. Armwood High School shows their students that the decisions you make as a kid will help you be successful and be able to face any obstacles in life. Jose found out that it is true in real life. Also they taught the kids that if you work hard to be successful and reach a goal, a opportunity will come up (“Castor”). Last year State Farm introduced a program to limit the amount of drop outs in a year. The program is called 26 seconds and it promotes children to "Bseen, Bheard, Byou, and Bmore." It uses the kids interest to empower teens to be aware of the 1 million kids that drop out a year, and personally commit to graduating ("State"). Supporters include the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Junior Achievement. LeBron James, an NBA basketball player, is the face of the organization and is involved in a lot of commercials and events ("State"). The organization reaches out to all ages but specifically focuses on kids between the ages of 13 and 19 ("State"). The kids that have involved parents are more likely to get good grades then the ones that don't have a supporting family. If the parent sees something wrong they can question it and see what all their son/daughter is not doing. To do this they can keep in contact with the school. Another way to stay involved is to help the student. Help them when they don't understand something and let them know that you care. Letting them know you care is one of the biggest thing a parent can do to make sure they don't drop out. Finally parents that pressure their kid are shown to do worse in school because they are too worried about making the parent happy instead of relaxing and focusing on the work (“Gewertz”). On January 24th President Barack Obama made a speech introducing a new law that will raise the dropout age to 18. He proposed this law because 8.1% of students between the age of 16 and 24 are not enrolled in school. Since the proposal of the law 21 states and the District of Columbia have raised the age to 18. The other states are trying to enforce, it's just that they haven't agreed to it yet. In addition, 11 states drop out age is 17 and 18 states have a drop out age of 16. According to a law proposed a few months ago every child has the opportunity to an education (“Maxwell”).

References
"Castor Joins Brief Filed on Behalf of Jose Godinez-Samperio." Gale. 21 Mar. 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. .

Common Sense on Celebrity Role Models. PDF.

Gewertz, Catherine. "Dropout Costs Priced for 50 Major U.S. Cities; 'The Economic Benefits of Reducing High School Dropout Rates in America's Fifty Largest Cities'.Education Week 2 Dec. 2009: 5. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Johnston, Marianne. "The Media Mirror." Blue Jean Magazine. May/June 1996: 10-13. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 23 Mar 2012.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Lakeville high schools eliminate valedictorian honor." Saint Paul Pioneer Press [St. Paul, MN] 27 May 2007. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"A marketing promotion: The scale of the alignment challenge." Marketing 26 Oct. 2011: 18. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 21 Mar. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Maxwell, Lesli A. "Obama Rekindles State Debates on Dropout Age; But experts warn it will take more than new laws to put a real dent in dropout rates." <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Education Week <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 8 Feb. 2012: 1. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Opposing Viewpoints In Context <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"State Farm: Fourteen National Organizations Join 26 Seconds, a Teen-Focused Campaign to Address the Nation's Dropout Crisis." <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">India Banking News <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 22 Nov. 2011. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Infotrac Newsstand <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Web. 5 Mar. 2012.

**External Links**
[|**Media Influence and Self-Image**]
 * [|Too Sexy Too Soon]**
 * [|High School Dropout Prevention]**
 * [|Dealing with School Pressure]**