After presenting to parents the pros and cons of using social media last fall, Massapequa High School’s Student Advisory Council took its Power Point presentation to Alfred G. Berner Middle School where they spoke to seventh graders about using social media responsibly.
The Council — a 40 member student government organization — discussed the values and dangers of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Tumblr and Ask.fm, including those associated with privacy, safety and cyberbullying.
“As technology evolves, we want to make sure you use technology in the correct way,” said Senior Class President Jacqui Finston to a group of seventh graders. “Social media is a reflection of yourself; it’s a reflection of your character.”
Council members who applied to college this year pointed out that some applications asked them for their social media accounts and were subsequently followed by the colleges. Similar practices are becoming common with job applications.
As a result, the Council advised students to keep this sentiment in mind when posting to social media: “Don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see.”
The presentations are part of the Advisory Council’s long-range mission to protect and inform students and parents as the number of social media sites expand and evolve.
Last fall, the Council’s initial social media presentation at Massapequa High School drew about 60 parents and was very well received, according to Dr. Thomas Fasano, assistant to the superintendent for curriculum and instruction who advises the Council in collaboration with Massapequa High School Principal, Dr. Barbara Williams and Massapequa High School-Ames Campus Principal Patrick DiClemente.
