97 high
school students (boys and girls) in 2003-2004 school year from a
Long Beach, California High School completed
the following survey questions. Marissa Tucker conducted the survey
for Kathleen Dickinson. The questionnaire was designed by Kathleen
Dickinson.
39 Seniors
“Do you use
the internet?” 11 responded “No”
“Do you use
the internet?” 28 responded “Yes”
What are the
types of issues that are of concern to you right now (please list
your top five)? (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more
than four people)
War,
girls (or boys), music,
friends,
popularity, college,
graduation,
work, moving out,
insurance
My family,
health, sex, school, career,
weight, love
life,
my band, environment, traffic,
parents,
clothes, abortion, grades, world,
success,
cars,
money, happiness,
sports, chatting, games, shopping, skating,
motor cross, direction in life, death, news, politics, basketball,
baseball, belly button ring, truck, sleep, looks, legalizing
marijuana, finding a job, censorship, meeting new people, life after
graduation, religion.
If one of your
concerns is dating, please give a couple of sentences on what
aspects of dating (i.e., sex, disease, violence, maturity, things in
common, harassment, acceptance by others etc.) (highlighted
responses are ones mentioned by more than two people)
Girls like
me; I don’t want to feel pressured to have sex; boys just use me;
harassment/violence; fitting in; I fear guys will expect me to put
out; girls distract me, I don’t need that right now; my girlfriend
doesn’t want to have sex, but I do; I don’t want to get pregnant; my
boyfriend is too busy for me and won’t talk to me about things;
love; getting along with people and being accepted; I like girls; I
want a boy who has the same interests as me; he never has time for
me. Is he cheating?;
I don’t think girls like me
very much; which girl
do I like more?; if I will be single for the rest of my life;
if
me and my ex will ever get back together;
how long will it last/is it too good to be true?; being too short,
I guess that is not too good; sex and STDs; basically not knowing
who to choose or how to choose, all that related stuff. Finding a
decent guy that is nice, caring, sweet, smart, and a Christian;
If one of your
concerns is your home life, please give a couple of sentences on
what aspects of home life (i.e., parents, siblings, food, safety,
being able to talk honestly and being listened to etc.)
I miss my mom
(I live with my grandparents); parents fighting all the time; I am
afraid to honestly talk with my parents about sex, drugs …; I hate
being told what to do, I am moving out ASAP; I love my family, they
rock; I don’t get along with my sister; my brother is cool and I
feel like a loser; I make my family proud; I’m an only child and I
get lonely; if they are well taken care of; what they are doing; If
I make them proud; If they are safe when I’m away on tour; parents
like to keep tight leash on me and don’t let me say what I want to
when I am going to give them an answer; I have a great home life;
If one of
your concerns is health and happiness, please give a couple of
sentences on what aspects of health and happiness (depression, death
of a relative, incapacity of caregivers, finances, friendships etc.)
I get migraines a lot and it makes it hard to
focus; Looks, I guess if I look healthy; everything; Happiness is
being with Heather; I miss my ex; I’ll be happy as long as I’m
successful and know my life hasn’t been wasted; I’m depressed a lot;
my boyfriend would make me happy, but he is never around; I’m
overweight and I feel lonely; love, success; my band makes me happy;
I am too fat 5’7”, 115 lbs can we say cow???; My asthma gets in the
way of things I like to do;
If one of
your concerns is school, please give a couple of sentences on what
aspects of school (i.e., grades, clothes, peer pressure, bullying,
teachers listening, getting a tutor when needed, harassment,
acceptance by others etc.)
(highlighted responses are
ones mentioned by more than two people)
I feel like an
outcast; I’m not good at math or science; I don’t know if I’m smart
enough for a good job; I hate school; what am I going to do when I
graduate? A job, or college?; Money for college; grades/social
aspects of it (clothing etc.); I’m afraid of going from high school
to college. What if it’s too hard?; I need a career, not just a
“job”, will I ever decide what I wanna be?; I’m popular so people
think I’m stuck up; my best friend just left my school and I feel
alone; I had to leave school to take my GED and feel lonely;
graduating/future;
my grades are good but I don’t have money to go to college;
I want
to go to college, but I don’t know where; I feel
pressured to go to college; I do good in school, I am not stressing;
I don’t
know what I want to be; I am on the basketball
team and have to get good grades; good grades rock; grades;
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35 Juniors
“Do you use
the internet?” 9
responded “No”
“Do you use the
internet?” 27 responded “Yes”
What are the
types of issues that are of concern to you right now (please list
your top five)? (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more
than four people)
Friends
and Family and
work;
parents, dating,
school; dating;
cars, off roading, girl friend;
love, cars, style,
parties;
music, war,
social life; makeup, boys; Presidential Elections; trust and how to
give it out;
health,
grades; sex, disease, violence, peer
pressure, fighting; driving and grades; myself; boyfriend; Laker
loss; why don’t more people call me pimp!, why is George Jr.
President?, why am I so fly!; love life,
happiness,
sex life; racism, career; paintball, water polo; G.P.A., college,
job;
graduation, drugs; politics, media influence on
teens; moving out;
work;
English/Science, acne, camping this weekend, my aunt’s car crashed;
college; ignorance, home, money; dance;
If one of your
concerns is dating, please give a couple of sentences on what
aspects of dating (i.e., sex, disease, violence, maturity, things in
common, harassment, acceptance by others etc.) (highlighted
responses are ones mentioned by more than two people)
Sex, things in
common; I always get involved in dead-end relationships and get
hurt; finding a girlfriend, being accepted by my peers; the sex part
concerns me most and the disease part because everyone is doing it
and some people have disease but don’t like to talk about it; sex
and violence; harassment, maturity; whether or not the guy is
interested in me for me and not just physical stuff; If I should go
further than dry humping, when is a good time have sex?; whether or
not they guy is interested in me for me and not just physical stuff;
if you don’t get the goods, you need to go!; everything never turns
out as I would want it to; not concerned with dating but I want to
have sex; I miss my boyfriend; my friends all have boyfriends but I
don’t; I feel pressured to have sex but I don’t want diseases; I
don’t want premarital sex; not ready to date, just got out of a 3 yr
relationship; I feel left out of the dating scene; I have too many
boys to choose from; how I can make my girlfriend happier; I feel
pressured to have a boyfriend; no one likes me; boys suck.
If one of your
concerns is your home life, please give a couple of sentences on
what aspects of home life (i.e., parents, siblings, food, safety,
being able to talk honestly and being listened to etc.)
Love my family; my
parents argue; mom just got re-married, we’re adjusting, its weird;
my siblings are favored by my parents; my mom is sick and can’t do
stuff with me like she used to; my little sister is a brat; my
parents are real cool and I know they are there for me but I just
can’t tell them my stuff, I don’t know why; my parents don’t love
me, I don’t get to eat; if my room is clean enough…everything must
be clean or it bugs; if my family is safe and happy; siblings;
siblings suck and I wish I was an only child; the relationship with
my parents isn’t all that great; making sure they are happy and
stable/more trust; my parents expect me to be perfect and it’s like
constant pressure; I have to share my room, parents aren’t home
much, I have to do all the housework, I never go out; brothers that
are stupid; parents.
If one of your
concerns is health and happiness, please give a couple of sentences
on what aspects of health and happiness (depression, death of a
relative, incapacity of caregivers, finances, friendships etc.)
My aunt just got in
a car crash and can’t move; lots of violence in the world
that effect many of my friends that constantly brings me down, it’s
dangerous; I’m happy but I don’t know how to stay happy; happiness
concerns me most because people die and friends change and people
get depressed faster; trusting friends, honesty; If I am healthy, I
try to keep myself happy and everyone around me; I’ve been depressed
a lot so I try to stay positive, think positive, be positive, got
it; I am a weird person, everything seems to get me down. I have
tried to commit suicide. I try to be happy but I just always do
stupid things; my grandma died a few months ago and it’s been really
hard on my mom; I am doing all I can for the people I love? I’m
happy when I do my best; being loved, happy;
If one of your
concerns is school, please give a couple of sentences on what
aspects of school (i.e., grades, clothes, peer pressure, bullying,
teachers listening, getting a tutor when needed, harassment,
acceptance by others etc.) (highlighted responses are ones
mentioned by more than four people)
I don’t like some
of my teachers; I feel like a geek because I get good grades; I want
to be a model but I don’t think I’m pretty enough; I want to get a
medallion at graduation; I have too many classes/homework and not
much free time; I still don’t know what I want to do with my life;
I’m trying to be more popular and fit in more; I need more friends;
my teachers are encouraging but I’m still confused;
grades;
college is too
much money; peer pressure; I
don’t ask questions;
career; if certain
boys like me, if my papers I turn in are a reflection of my effort;
clothes; discrimination, requirements, authority figures not doing
their jobs; I want higher than a 3.2;
graduating;
grades and fitting in; how do I find out how to become an interior
decorator: English/Science; my parents want me to be a doctor or a
lawyer and I want to be a teacher; I’m popular but people
automatically assume that means I’m mean, it’s hard to tell who my
real friends are; pass with stupid rules; memorable senior year;
grades, teachers listening; grades, clothes, acceptance;
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11 Sophomores
“Do you use
the internet?” 2
responded “No”
“Do you use the
internet?” 9 responded “Yes”
What are the
types of issues that are of concern to you right now (please list
your top five)? (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more
than four people)
Boyfriend, work,
modeling,
school, music;
Parents, girlfriend, my band,
friends; love,
sex, economy;
family;
college; driver’s license;
getting a job;
watching TV., playing guitar, chugging beer; home life,
dating,
happiness in general; war, fashion;
If one of your
concerns is dating, please give a couple of sentences on what
aspects of dating (i.e., sex, disease, violence, maturity, things in
common, harassment, acceptance by others etc.) (highlighted
responses are ones mentioned by more than two people)
My future with my
boyfriend; my girlfriend doesn’t have much time for me;
sex,
I don’t want to get my girlfriend pregnant but it’s hard to talk to
her about how I feel; girls don’t like me, they call me a loser; I
don’t have a girlfriend; I don’t have any of those concerns because
I’m not a loser; maturity,
pregnancy, acceptance;
if I’m pretty enough or skinny enough;
If one of your
concerns is your home life, please give a couple of sentences on
what aspects of home life (i.e., parents, siblings, food, safety,
being able to talk honestly and being listened to etc.)
My dad is in Egypt
with the army and my mom is really REALLY protective; parents,
siblings, openness, discipline; I can’t talk to my parents openly;
Home is a shield for me, I’m not a loser there; my brother is mean
to me; my parents got a divorce a few months ago and it’s been hard;
If one of your
concerns is health and happiness, please give a couple of sentences
on what aspects of health and happiness (depression, death of a
relative, incapacity of caregivers, finances, friendships etc.)
My future; you
can’t be happy if you’re lonely; happiness is one of my concerns
because it is hard to find; friendships (loyal or unloyal friends),
finances/not having enough money; I think I’m sort of over weight
and people tell me I’m not but I think they are just being nice;
If one of your
concerns is school, please give a couple of sentences on what
aspects of school (i.e., grades, clothes, peer pressure, bullying,
teachers listening, getting a tutor when needed, harassment,
acceptance by others etc.) (highlighted responses are ones
mentioned by more than four people)
Grades/Finals;
I want to fit in and be accepted, graduating, clothes; not enuff
time to drink and smoke; I am an outcast; school is easy, I need a
challenge; my grades are low; I feel useless that I have yet to
decide the career for me, shouldn’t I know by now?; my grades are
dropping and I might get kicked off track; will modeling work out
for me?;
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to Top
13 Freshmen
“Do you use
the internet?” 4
responded “No”
“Do you use the
internet?” 9 responded “Yes”
What are the
types of issues that are of concern to you right now (please list
your top five)? (highlighted responses are ones mentioned by more
than four people)
School,
girls, work,
success, looks; war, video games,
family;
stuff; jobs, college,
sex; soccer,
scholarships; I don’t know; the war (Brother is fighting in it);
dating,
after school (working), happiness; money, everquest; home, career,
choices; music, friends, boys, movies;
If one of your
concerns is dating, please give a couple of sentences on what
aspects of dating (i.e., sex, disease, violence, maturity, things in
common, harassment, acceptance by others etc.) (highlighted
responses are ones mentioned by more than two people)
I like spending
time with my boyfriend; if my parents approve of my dates; I want
everyone to stay healthy and not die; I’m not very popular and so it
is hard for me to talk to girls; I don’t want to be known as a slut;
my friends don’t like my girlfriend; I’ve never had a girlfriend and
feel like there’s something wrong with me;
If one of your
concerns is your home life, please give a couple of sentences on
what aspects of home life (i.e., parents, siblings, food, safety,
being able to talk honestly and being listened to etc.)
My parents are
getting a divorce; we don’t have any money; when will my brother
come back (from the war)?; my brother picks on my all the time and I
don’t want to tell mom and dad; I want everyone to stay healthy and
not die; whether or not me and my mom will ever be closer; moving
ordeals, my parents are getting divorced and I may have to change
schools;
If one of your
concerns is health and happiness, please give a couple of sentences
on what aspects of health and happiness (depression, death of a
relative, incapacity of caregivers, finances, friendships etc.)
My grandma died 3
months ago and I miss her a lot. She was fun; I would be happy if I
got a scholarship; will I be happy with my decisions throughout my
life?;
If one of your
concerns is school, please give a couple of sentences on what
aspects of school (i.e., grades, clothes, peer pressure, bullying,
teachers listening, getting a tutor when needed, harassment,
acceptance by others etc.)
I can’t choose just
one career I like, passing classes; I want a career in computers but
it takes a lot of schooling, I don’t have many friends; Famous
soccer player is hard to be, how do I keep determined?, I have to do
well – I need a scholarship; I feel like I need to look like
everyone else; I want to follow my father’s footsteps, he is so
inspiring; I don’t really know what I want to be, I don’t have a lot
of money for college. My grades are good but people are mean to me
and tease me; I just want to choose the right career. Getting the
grades I need; I need a job; stressful, barely have free time
because of homework.
3. Do you discuss people
skills with your employees? Let them know they are part of a team.
Compliment your employees, treat them with respect. Talk to them
about current issues such as sexual harassment, customer
relations, and positive language.
4. Be gentle when you discuss
Etiquette and Grooming issues. If they have not received this
information at home, or you know they cannot afford soap or
clothes, be creative and non-judgmental.
5. Knowledge is Power. Give
them the information they need to have to do their job well. Give
them knowledge about the business; knowledge about security; What
is their Job Description? How often will they be reviewed? Will
their decisions be backed?
6. Keep your employees busy.
Boredom is a killer. Give your employees a list of things they can
do when things are quiet. Let them know that standing around and
talking to friends or just leaning against the wall is sending a
negative message. Ask them what they think when they see
unoccupied employees when they go into different businesses.
Keeping your employees occupied looks good to your customers and
it teaches your teenagers how to take initiative. It also builds
their self-esteem and their self-confidence.
If you think you are at the end of
your rope, take a deep breath and remember how you wanted people
to treat you when you were a teenager.
