First post!
My name is Hannah Frazer and I’m super excited about a new project I’m going to start called Question Connection. I wanted to create a blog to give people more access to my journey. Please read my mission statement for more information! XOXO Hannah
Hello, my name is Hannah Frazer and I am a junior at Highland Park High School in Illinois. Under the supervision of my AP Psychology teacher, I am currently working on an independent study project that focuses on how to improve young students’ overall social and emotional wellbeing––starting with the lunchroom. Specifically, I have developed a card game called Question Connection that is designed to decrease isolation, eliminate bullying, and enhance social interactions both in and outside of the classroom.
The goal of Question Connection is to create an open dialogue between middle school students who may not know one another well so that they can foster relationships and build friendships. To play the game, kids are broken up into small groups and given a deck of cards. One player begins by drawing a card from the deck and reading the sentence out loud. The player completes the prompt with personal information, attempting to answer as honestly and creatively as possible. Other participants may discuss and reflect on the information. Each group member takes turns repeating these steps until every card has been played or time is up. The objective of the game is to create an environment that leads to acceptance, inclusion, and more broad-based interaction amongst peers.
Personally, I recall my own struggles at the lunchroom table beginning in the sixth grade. I wondered where and with whom I should sit and how to include people that others might not want to welcome. It was a challenging time, filled with angst and self-doubt. Although I managed to find my group and fit in, I remained concerned about others who were still having trouble navigating lunchroom cliques and loneliness. With the advancement of technology and social media, kids today have lost interpersonal skills and are feeling more isolated than ever. This is a concern that has stayed with me, and I have often thought about how I can help to change it and make a difference.