subject: Teens Reveal True Selves in New MTV Show By Laurie Wink [print this page] "If You Really Knew Me" is a must-see for all teens, parents, and teachers says Jill Zimmerman Rutledge, a Chicago-based therapist with more than 20 years of experience counseling teens and board of advisor member of Hey U.G.L.Y. She believes the program gives a realistic view of what it's like for a teen to navigate through high school.
"It shows teens that it doesn't really matter what group or clique they belong to," Zimmerman Rutledge says. "Deep inside, the commonalties of their inner pain and problems are what hold the promise of uniting them so that they can support one another."
Kurt May, a seventh grader, says "If You Really Knew Me" allows teens to see others' pain and to realize that we all go through different things that hurt us.
"I think the show will help others have a voice if all schools did this because it will help kids and teens speak and be heard," May says. "We have the power to cause a positive chain reaction to stop bullying and see people in a positive way."
As a middle school student, May joined the Hey U.G.L.Y. Stop Bullying Task Force, created through a partnership between Hoeffner and K-8 school principal Dr. Sue Bryant. Bryant was concerned about bullying she observed among students.
Hoeffner says that, like those who participated in the Challenge Day experience, the anti-bullying task force members bond with each other through a series of exercises that helped them deal with racism, self-bullying, inability to forgive and the the sting of negative judgments.
"It's so empowering to see students learn how to not only recognize when they are negatively judging others and themselves, but learn how to turn that negative into a positive like we did by turning 'ugly' into Unique Gifted Lovable You," Hoeffner says.
The task force students came up with the "Stop Bullying Handbook" to help other teens form their own anti-bullying movements. The handbook suggests activities that teach teens about who bullies and why, how to spot common forms of bullying -- verbal and physical abuse, social alienation, intimidation and cyber-bullying -- and how to defend themselves and others against bullies.
Hoeffner says there's a clear connection between bullying and poor self-esteem.
"Teens and tweens who single out other kids to pick on usually don't feel good about themselves," Hoeffner says. "They first have to recognize their own part in bullying before they can find a solution. Shows like "If You Really Knew Me" are a great way to help youth tear down the walls of protection so they can be seen as who they are."
Teens Reveal True Selves in New MTV Show By Laurie Wink
