Friday, November 5, 2010

Body Rocks -Doing Bigger and BODYIMAGEBETTER things!

As many of you know, several years ago I created a school club that promotes positive body image and self esteem awareness. Body Rocks The Purpose of Body Rocksis to promote positive body image and eating disorders awareness. BODY ROCKS is a Peer Education Group devoted to promoting positive body image and eating disorders awareness in our schools and community. BODY ROCKS-IT ONLY GETS BETTER EVERY YEAR!

Our Objectives:
1. To encourage students and other members of the school and our community to respect themselves and their bodies.
2. To increase public awareness of the prevalence of body image disturbances and eating disorders.
3. To provide reliable resources available on school campus for treatment and
recovery from disordered eating or body image.
4. To provide education about the health risks, getting help, and how to have
accepting attitudes toward any body size.
5. To provide education of eating disorders and methods of treatment
BODY ROCKS offers our students an opportunity to get involved and to take on new leadership roles. Students will learn effective public speaking, how to facilitate effective discussions, how to handle sensitive topics, and how to effectively work in a group and be a team player.

Through the years, the club has grown from all girls, to boys, students with different walks of life, students who want to make a difference. I am amazed to see the kids want to be involved.

BR Members made T-Shirts that said "Looking for the Perfect Girl. Go Buy Yourself a BARBIE!"



BARBIE-OUTTA LOOK LIKE US!

Halloween-"The Nerd Team". The idea? Make fun of us (if you dare) so we can educate you on how bullying or teasing someone because they look different can change their life. Accept people for who they are!

What many don't realize is not all of our members suffer from an Eating Disorder or Body Image issue. Many want to be in the club to make a difference in the lives of others. I have spent numerous hours researching, trying to find ways to help students who are suffering. Taking time to raise awareness. Some days longer than others because I have the need to continue trying to find a solution to these life threatening disorders. This year, our club has grown by 23 members. This excites me. We also started discussions of these disorders at meetings by using artwork to express how we feel. I am so excited of what is to come. Body Rocks has come a long way. We started in 2006 with NEDAW (National Eating Disorders Awareness Week), implemented LOVE YOUR BODY DAY every year after, and now Make-Up Free Monday AND End Fat Talk Day.

End Fat Talk Day just so happens to have taken place this week and I am so excited to share our photos. End Fat Talk Day educated students on the importance of ENDING FAT TALK, using the "F" word, and/or calling others FAT. We took the initiative to educate the students with handouts and the opportunity to write their own positive affirmations and sign the pledge to END FAT TALK!






BODY ROCKS MEMBER SHARE THEIR BULLETIN BOARD MADE FOR THE 1ST GRADE CLASS AFTER READING MOLLY LOU MELLON,"STAND TALL". ALL OF THE ARTWORK ON THIS BULLETIN BOARD WAS MADE BY THE STUDENTS. WHAT MAKES YOU STAND TALL?
Body Rocks has been in the classrooms of K-8TH grade schools reading self esteem books or creating media literacy lessons to inspire students to be amazing students and individuals and stop comparing themselves to the media. This alone is fulfilling to all of us.

MY DAUGHTER EMILEE SHOWING HER SUPPORT FOR BODY ROCKS BY SPORTING HER BODY ROCKS T-SHIRT!

In October, 2010, Dr. Robyn Silverman, Good Girls Don’t Get Fat: How Weight Obsession Is Messing Up Our Girls & How We Can Help Them Thrive Despite It. published this amazing book. I had spoken with Dr. Silverman prior to having any knowledge she was writing a book. She was so caring and helpful and had so much interest in what Body Rocks did in the school. Dr. Robyn Silverman is a child development specialist, body image expert, sought-after speaker and award-winning writer. She is known for her no-nonsense yet positive approach to helping young people and their families thrive. Her ground-breaking research at Tufts University on young women and plus-sized models is the foundation for her book,Good Girls Don’t Get Fat: How Weight Obsession Is Messing Up Our Girls & How We Can Help Them Thrive Despite It from Harlequin Books as part of their Fall non-fiction adult line.

Dr. Silverman has been a featured expert on Good Morning America, Nightline, The Tyra Show, NBC’s LXtv, Fox News, NPR, The Santita Jackson Show and the Dr. Drew Pinsky’s Radio Show. She has been quoted in the Washington Post, The Daily News, Parenting Magazine, Prevention Magazine, Marie Claire, InTouch Weekly, Women First, SELF, on hundreds of popular websites like Aol.com and U.S. News and World Report and on award-winning blogs such as Junkfood Science and BlogHer. She has also been the body image and teen development expert for 18 books, including 113 Things to Do By 13 and 16 middle school trade books (The Strong, Beautiful Girls Series & The Guy’s Guide Series) for the middle school girls’ and boys’ market. She is also the expert in appearance discrimination and body esteem development for the Applied Developmental Science Encyclopedia, a handbook for psychologists. Dr. Silverman serves as an Advisory Board Member for Shaping Youth, a consortium of media and marketing professionals concerned about harmful messages to children, and serves as their Body Image and Character Impact Expert. Dr. Silverman also founded Sassy Sisterhood Circle, a program for young adolescent girls that explores issues that affect body esteem and self-image. It is designed to foster self-awareness, challenge stereotypes, counter trends toward self-doubt, and enable genuine self-expression through verbal sharing and creative activity. Dr. Silverman is amazing!
Her website can be found at http://www.drrobynsilverman.com/


So how has Body Rocks got BODYIMAGE BETTER?


Dr. Silverman asked me to share my insight and experiences for her book on body image issues in our schools and now, after reading it, I am so grateful I did. I not only learned more about body image and its effects with not just my students, but parents, family and friends. The smallest of words can scar ones body image for life. Just read the book. You will see.

On top of this great book being published, Body Rocks will be featured on the Today Show November 11th with Dr. Silverman and her new MUST HAVE BODY IMAGE AND SELF ESTEEM book that can and will change the way you think about BODY IMAGE! Inspire and educate yourself, read the book!
For details on this book, see http://www.facebook.com/DrRobynSilverman?ref=mf#!/pages/Good-Girls-Dont-Get-Fat-by-Dr-Robyn-Silverman/112642638758233


Body Rocks is a supporter of this book and all the programs Dr. Silverman has to offer. She is like the parenting bible! Thank you Dr. Robyn for finally publishing a book ANYONE can understand and relate to!

To my Body Rocks, you are best kids in the world. You inspire me, make me who I am (for helping you) and most of all, the most AMAZING kids in this world. Keep the awareness going!

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