IDENTIFY
Problem Statement
Students need ways to feel safe at school because feeling safe leads to feelings of happiness and belonging, leading to higher success in school and life.
WHY THIS IS A PROBLEM
What I've Learned:
I know from firsthand experience that when I feel good at school, I do great in school. When I walk through these doors with a big smile on my face, surrounded by my friends, I flourish in my work. The reason why I can be so happy at school is because I feel safe here. I know almost every single face here, I’m near people I trust, I laugh and talk with my teachers and so much more. All of these things help make me happy in school which leads to succeed in my academics and personal (emotional) life.
I asked one of my friends if they felt safe in school and they said no. They told me they felt comfortable in school but did not feel safe in the way where they could be physically hurt by an outside intruder. They are very anxious of an intruder entering our building and hurting them. I also personally know my friends grades aren’t the best. I also have so many other friends who I know don’t feel safe at school and they don’t have the best grades or emotional health. This stems a correlation between the two.
THE FACTS
Here is some research I collected
A study was conducted by Carolyn Côté-Lussier of the University of Ottawa's Department of Criminology and Caroline Fitzpatrick, a researcher for preventive health, to test that if students don’t feel safe at school, they will have a decreased chance of success in school and develop emotional problems. They found that “students who felt safer were more attentive and efficient in the classroom. These students also reported fewer symptoms of depression, such as feeling unhappy and having difficulty enjoying themselves. Making sure that students are engaged and attentive in the classroom can contribute to long-term success above and beyond intellectual capacities such as reading or math skills”. It is scientifically proven that when students feel safe in school, they will do better in academics and possibly their future. Feeling safe is crucial to our health and fortune. We all deserve to feel safe so we all can live a healthy and comfortable life. Feeling safe makes up happy, it makes us comfortable. It helps us achieve our dreams and gives us opportunities to learn and try new things.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME
I care about this problem because everyone deserves to feel safe. I believe everyone deserves to feel welcomed, like they belong, to not fear that you will be hurt. This problem connects to me because I personally know when I feel safe, I prosper in my life. And I know that because I feel safe at school, I do better in my academics and that my life has been pretty good. I have many friends who don’t feel safe at school and other places. I want to help make STEM a place where everyone feels safe so they can be happy and succeed in their own personal lives.