Brianna
(WNYC)
Like most teenagers, Brianna loves spending time on Facebook and, most of all, she loves the drama that is constantly unfolding on her friends' and enemies' Facebook pages. But, unlike like a lot of teens, Brianna's mom puts a lot of energy into helping her navigate some of the trickier and more painful aspects of coming age in the era of social media.
Here’s an excerpt from Brianna’s Radio Rookies story:
Ok, truthfully, if it weren’t for my mom I’d go wild on Facebook. But my mom would never let that happen. She tells me “You guys think it’s fun and games and all cutesy, cutesy now, but there is going to come a time where it’s going to have an impact on your lives.”
My mom is right. I’ve seen people writing, “I got drunk last night” or saying “I’ll open my legs for you if...” you can fill in the rest. What is wrong with them? That could prevent them from getting scholarship to college! Because I know my mom is reading, I don’t post anything she would consider “inappropriate.” But best believe I’m still watching all the arguments, the breakups, the hookups--I mean one every second!
This past summer Facebook especially got interesting when someone started making these Staten island “Who Looks Better” pages. Some unknown person would steal pictures off Staten Island kids’ Facebook pages. And I’d read all the comments and laugh with my friends. Until I found my picture on one, next to my own cousin’s! And the question was “Who gets Flyer?”--flyer meaning more stylish. Most of the comments said that my cousin “gets flyer.” Even a kid I used to like wrote “Jayda all the way,” and that hurt me the most. I admit it, I felt violated.
LISTEN TO BRIANNA’S STORY TO HEAR HOW HER MOTHER STEPPED IN.
If you would like to comment on Brianna's story please send your thoughts to radiorookies@wnyc.org.
Comments [6]
Brianna you have done such a great job in orchestrating this creative and formative report, I know you put a lot of time and effort into it and it shows. I am always amazed by your tier of maturity and focus. And even though I’m not an avid fan of Facebook, yes despite the fact that I do have a page. I am a fan of this report and I am one of the biggest fans of Brianna Fugate.
What a commendable job, Brianna. I am so proud of you!!! You worked EXTREMELY hard: tirelessy interviewing people, sometimes even approaching strangers to engage them on your topic, going to meet your producer after school even when you had a test for which to prepare the following day or just sifting through all of your tapes to come up with the creative edits to enhance your story. One of the listeners called it "informative, playful and funny." In life, you have positive and negative criticisms. Of course we would all love to hear positive feedback, but it's the negative comments, that make us stronger. So to "John From the Office", I say, thank you for exercising ignorance as your First Amendment right. The story was well articulated and if you were actually "listening", you would have recognized the art of storytelling and editing in the piece. Like I recited in the piece the definition of the word "shallow." I rest my case.
I like that john from the office criticizes Brianna while commenting with incorrect punctuation and a run-on-sentence.
As an educator who has helped many students produce their own videos, I think Brianna's work was incredibly well composed. When I think about the hours of recording she (and the other rookies) must have done to put together a 7 minute piece, I am very impressed.
Here's the comment I meant to post when I came to this page: I'm under 30, and from the generation that invented cyber-bullying. In the late 90s kids were setting up "Bash-Boards" using free discussion forum sites. Still, Facebook has blown up in a way that overshadows anything my classmates came up with, because it's not just a place to be nasty; it's actually a part of the social environment that has to be engaged. Thanks Brianna and WNYC for offering a teen's perspective on a subject that is impossible for us old wrinkleys to really grasp.
I agree with Hugh. Brianna did a great job. In fact, after listening to her piece I spent about half an hour vainly searching for it on NPR's website before coming here. I'm a high school librarian, and this will be the perfect centerpiece for a lesson on safe use of the internet for my 9th graders. Instead of me yammering at them like an adult, they'll get to consider these well thought-out, artfully presented ideas and opinions from a peer. Great job, Brianna!
Have to disagree with "john from office".
Brianna sounds a great deal more intelligent than all but three or four members of Congress, more intelligent and insightful than most op-ed writers in the Times, more intelligent than many adults.
That the rookie here -- Brianna -- uses the language of her peers is part of what makes this piece so strong. And the other students she interviews sound a great deal more thoughtful than many of the people leading decision-making in the US. Contrast the ignorant, racist ranting of Rep. Peter King with _any_ of the people in Brianna Fugate's segment.
Outstanding.
Can we have more substantial shows. The "rookies" you pick sound like idiots and I cannot listen. There are plenty of smart well spoken kids out there. You always pick the inarticulate and ignorant.
Are there no black or hispanic kids out there, who speak english well, yes there are, you always use the worst speakers.