Looking around at your high school, self expression is on full display: art, religion, family, athletics, gender, and sexuality, all coming together to form a parade of identities. Yet with each passionate identity type comes struggle and conflict: an individual can face rejection, judgment, temptation and more. While some might compromise their true self in order to satisfy norms, avoid risk, and conform, many of the more confident students at PRHS are gravitating towards their identity, staying true to it, expressing it, strengthening it and finding that they are more than the struggles that haunt/stalk/threaten/etc them.
Modern attacks on identity such as threats, hate, and judgment come with each day in high school. Language of racial or homophobic slurs challenge students’ self expression and drive students to stay in their shell. These kinds of attacks are known as a social identity threat, which The Coach Foundation defines as “a psychological experience where a person feels that their identity is being negatively stereotyped or devalued in a particular context.” These assaults of another person’s identity can increase stress, anxiety, decrease performance or evoke feelings of disconnection from the community group.
We wanted in this issue to dig deeper into the specific experiences of Bearcats with defined identities who could share their “identity assaults” with our readers.
We have published papers such as Paso’s Participation Problem, that focus on the decline in student participation. In this In-Depth the fight against student struggles will be examined through identity. Protocols involving discriminatory language and offense are being enforced, such as the Inclusive Excellence presentation which was a slideshow given during tutorial to inform students on the new dispositions that will occur if students are found using figurative language. As verbal attacks on racial identities are being re-evaluated in order to ensure school as a safe and welcoming environment for all students.
“It means making sure that all students are learning in an environment where every student feels respected, valued, and understood in our schools,” stated slide three of the Inclusive Excellence presentation.
At the top of the first slide the quote "Let us work together so that every student feels respected, valued, and understood at our school,” a message from Superintendent Loftus.
KENNEDY WILLIAMS - 10
If you were to talk to sophomore Kennedy Williams, she’d tell you, “don't be afraid to take the leap over the canyon” because she understands how the road to self discovery can create a vast amount of doubt and confusion in teenagers that are still figuring out their sense of individuality in society.
Teens may use religion as a way of identifying themselves, while others use sports, but this Bearcat found comfort in the form of drawing where she fought through isolation and depression, eventually building her own identity through her own creativity.
“I would definitely say [drawing] is a major part of my identity because I do it every day. It's helped me make so many friends and connect to so many people. I wouldn’t be who I am today without it,” Williams said.
Though Williams fought hard against her stresses, she still struggled to adjust to some changes that took place during her middle school years and eventually found herself in a position of, “being consumed by the emotions.” Drawing became a sanctuary for Williams, a place where her walls could be let down and she could express her true feelings without judgment.
During this phase of her life Williams would draw “emotionless” things that were full of dull colors and shades but now, she describes her current art pieces as something that pops with color, preferring the brighter look of things and hardly ever using black.
“I drew while I was in my depressive state and most people would be like ‘Oh my gosh, you weren’t depressed, you could do all this stuff’ but my art reflected it very much, and you could see the transition from that,” Williams said.
Art can be seen in many different ways however, not just in drawings. Take dance for example. Jaklyn Woodland, a junior, has been participating in dance since the age of six, after her mom decided to sign her up for classes and she became inspired by all the older and advanced dancers around her.
Woodland now views dance as a part of her identity, due to the fact of it being, “something I do everyday, so I think when people think of me they think of dance because I base almost everything I do off of it.”
Teenagers around the world have a difficult time dealing with mental health issues daily, but these young girls found a way to overcome those battles through drawing and dance, teaching us that mental struggles can be overcome with passions and your own self identity.
ANGEL DOHERTY - 11
Angel Doherty, while discovering his identity as aromantic and transgender, experienced stress when it came to others respecting his identity. Deadnaming became a large issue, and suppression along with it. “I would get very upset about it,” Doherty said. “I hid that for a long time. And I would try to embrace it and be feminine for a while and try to be very girly. I hated it; it was awful. It wasn’t who I was.”
Because of disagreements with family, Doherty finds support through his friends and teacher; finding community was an important factor in his experience with his identity. “Having queer friends, I’m able to be myself with them and I get to talk about trans and aromantic issues with them,” Doherty said. “Finding community is really important. That’s what helps me a lot.”
Not only have they accepted and supported him, but also showed him how he can be comfortable and confident in his identity. “It’s also helped a lot in terms of confidence because I’ll see my friends who are confident in their identity.and that helps me know that I can be who I am,” Doherty said.
SAM DANIELS - 12
When the stress of school pours on students like floodwaters, homework and deadlines beating down on students, many struggle to keep up without proper preparation, but Senior Sam Daniels stands tall against these difficulties because he has built himself up on the strongest foundation of all: his faith. Daniels has always walked closely with God, partially due to his family's beliefs but as his life continues, he is finding his faith independently. “The church provides structure in a structureless world. Having that structure to lean on is like a guide through highschool for me.”
Despite the various efforts to crack down on vapes and alcohol presence at school, it is still a very real issue. Many students fall into these things because of peer pressure, but Daniels uses the rules of the LDS church to keep these things out of his life completely. “One of the things that we believe in is no drugs and alcohol. We’re not going to sit here and deny the fact that that goes on in highschool. I can say that I don’t participate in any of that so I don’t have those things clouding my judgment.”
Just because he can stay away from these things doesn't mean he doesn't face other struggles. Being a triple varsity athlete, it can be very easy to get frustrated when the outcome of the game isn’t as he hoped, and can even lead to some regretful situations. “There’s always locker room talk, I’ll admit it. Sometimes I do say things I shouldn’t, and it’s always something I’m trying to improve upon.”
For people who aren’t knowledgeable on the LDS church, it’s very common to make assumptions about their beliefs, poking fun at their practices and theology. One of Daniel’s best abilities is to turn ignorance into intelligence. “I use it as an opportunity to teach them and tell them about what the LDS church really is.” It’s easy to let differences in beliefs divide people and it’s one of the most common things in our society.
Separation of people by political beliefs, gender, and religion are all regularly seen. Daniels wields a strong sense of faith and morality but doesn't let it stand between him and his relationships. “Some of my best friends who I play football with, even though some of them do things that I don’t believe in, it doesn't get between us.”
ASTER WATSON - 11
Aster Watson, a gender-fluid lesbian, expresses their identity through fashion expression and community. However, being in an environment where their identity expression is commonly detested has caused themselves and others to be afraid of being who they are.
“It is a struggle especially living in a town that is so self-deemed conservative. I was not comfortable being in this environment and I had to learn how to suppress my identity in a way that I hadn’t before,” Watson said. “I’ve experienced and I’ve seen my friends who have transgender friends struggle with ‘Should I detransition because people are treating me differently?’ Every transgender person I’ve ever spoken to or heard of has not wanted to detransition because they regretted it, but because they were facing social pressures and being shunned from society.”
Despite that, they continue to experiment with their style, attend Equity Club events, and express themselves on social media. “Queer culture–vocabulary, pop culture, and the internet; I definitely can express my identity more on the internet than in my life. Where I can just proudly say, like out loud, that I’m queer, I’m transgender, or under the transgender umbrella. Knowing when it’s safe to do that and also having the courage to say it,” Watson said.
MIA KOSHAREK - 11
Mia began doing worship at churches when she was six, enjoying the fun of singing with her peers and other members of the church. Over the years, she continued participating with her church worship and is now leading worship at Maverick Church every Sunday, alongside many of her friends and family.
“I started doing worship around Covid and started doing it by myself, but now I do it almost every Sunday. Sometimes I have to remind myself I'm actually doing worship and not just Ben's daughter up there, but that I'm really there to worship and to spread God,” Kosharek said.
The Kosharek family has always walked closely with God, building new churches and tying communities together. During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mia found a new way to show her passion for God through songwriting, and creating a Christ centered life.
“I find my identity in Christ overall, but there are other things in my life that make me, me. I do songwriting and music but it’s usually for the purpose of the church so it all comes back to it.”
For Mia, the church is a different community where she can be authentic and stress free. At church, Mia can focus on her friendships and family without worrying about homework, deadlines, and classes. She can and her time and attention to serving in the church and connecting with God.
“It's kind of like a home for me, a place I belong, a place where I don't dread being, I’ll be there at 7am and won't dread it because I know I’m valued there and what I'm doing has a purpose.”