PEPSI Screening 1

The PEPSI Screening of a Seventeen-Year-Old High School Student

Logan P. Bateman

EDU 220

February 8, 2020
PEPSI Screening 2

Biography

Name: Shelby Bateman

Gender: Female

Age: 17 Years

Shelby Bateman is a seventeen-year-old girl in her senior year of high school. She

comes from a household with a single mother and older brother. Though she shared a home with

her father as well for a number of years, after her parent’s eventual divorce she chose to continue

living with her mother. She is a head strong young woman with a knack for schoolwork who is

always striving to do what is right. Armed with a swift temper and sharp tongue, she is not afraid

to stand up for what she believes in. She currently attends Northwest Career and Technical

Academy and is enrolled in the Mechanical Technology program. She attends the school and is

taking several college-level courses with the hope of accomplishing a feat shared by neither of

her parents, a college degree. Indeed, none from either her mother’s or grandmother’s generation

have even attempted college making the pressure of attending all the more strenuous. Shelby’s

greatest enemy is undoubtedly laziness. Throughout her formative years school came easily to

her, leaving a rather lax attitude in its wake. Now, in her senior year of high school, the stakes

have never been so high. On the cusp of graduating and moving on towards a bright future, the

only roadblock standing in her way is herself. She holds a deep appreciation and love of the arts,

which is only matched by her love of animals. As an aspiring artist she practices her craft almost

daily and hope to one day be doing it full time.

PEPSI Screening 3

Physical Development

The physical development of a teenager is nothing to scoff at. Both the physical changes

brought on by puberty and the physical needs and activities participated in purposely by the

young adult. Being a homebody and somewhat uncomfortable with social interaction for much of

her life, Shelby has always struggled to find the physical activity she needed. There were also

several years where she was homeschools due to issues with bullying which resulted in her rarely

leaving the house. This has led to her struggling with her weight. She is unfortunately not very

physically active and will, at times, let her own self-care and well-being slip due to the

psychological pressures and doubts she holds deep inside. She has also struggled with being a

fair bit taller than most other girls her age and that combined with the fact that she doesn’t reflect

the staple image of the “popular girls” has only further dampened her image of herself. It is no

secret that many people of this age struggle with their self-image, in fact, “Many teenage girls

are concerned with the way they look and are dissatisfied with their bodies and their weight”

(American Medical Association, 2010). Recently, however, she has begun taking new strides to

improve the things she doesn’t like about herself. With increasing trips to her neighborhood gym

and a new penchant for eating healthier she has taken the first steps to her ideal self. However,

while she is looing to lose weight and reach her goal, she does not want to get sucked into the

latest diet trend. A study in adolescent dieting found that anywhere from “41% to 66% of

teenage girls have attempted weight loss at some time in the past” (Canadian Pediatric Society,

2004) and the American Medical Association tells us “Nearly half of all high school girls diet to

lose weight” (American Medical association, 2010). These are extraordinarily high numbers and
PEPSI Screening 4

having many friends who have suffered or who are suffering from eating disorders credited to

unhealthy dieting and psychological trauma Shelby is very aware of the dangers of societal

pressures. She intends to improve herself in the most positive and healthy way she possibly can.

Emotional Development

High school is known for being a difficult time for anyone emotionally. Physical changes

happening in tandem with emotional and psychological development creates a volatile mixture of

stress and change which can make a person feel uncomfortable in their own skin to say the least.

This was no different for Shelby. Throughout middle school she suffered greatly from bullying

and teasing. So much so, in fact, that she soon found herself dropping out of her public school in

favor of pursuing a homeschooled environment. This was a dark time for Shelby as she had very

few friends to speak of and basically ended up walling herself off from the world. Coming back

to a public high school was not an easy decision for her but even she knew what she was doing

was anything but healthy. Luckily, she has been making fantastic strides up to now. Despite a

somewhat rocky and frustrating freshman year, she now has a small but close-knit group of

friends who she feels she can count on and who has helped to bring her out of her shell. This in

combination with support from her family has helped her immensely in one of the keys of

improved well being as stated by familydoctor.org, “Building their confidence and self-esteem.

( Familydoctor.org Editorial Staff (1 Sept. 2000.)). Shelby has been diagnosed with clinical

depression for years now which has been coupled with severe anxiety that can flare up at almost

any moment. “In 2007, 35.8 percent of high school females and 21.2 percent of high school

males reported feeling so sad and hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row that

they stopped engaging in some usual activities” (Snowman, J., & McCown, R. (2015)). One of
PEPSI Screening 5

Shelby’s main focuses in life is her art. It is her release and escape from the world. It has

introduced her to many new people and improved her confidence and despite the earlier statistic

she refuses to let her depression and anxiety get in the way of what she loves. This has been a

primary driving force in her attempt to regain control of what she saw as her roadblock. And not

only are the arts the force driving her to conquer her depression but they also help to stave it off

as stated here, “Participating in the arts can enable people to deal with a wide range of mental ill

health conditions and psychological distress” (Mental Health Foundation, 2019).

Philosophical Development

Shelby is a bit of a paradox when is comes to her philosophical development. You see,

she has had to grow up far to quickly. When her parents divorced and she began living solely

with her mother, her mother had no job to speak of and was living off the money earned from

selling off their house and the divorce itself to get by. She spent many months under intense

stress and had to begin helping her now smaller family out by taking new responsibility on. She

had to take care of her own meals and could no longer rely on her mother or older brother to take

care of the house and dog. No longer did she have a parent hovering over her shoulder to make

sure she was getting her homework done, her mother was far to busy searching for a job to do so

and her brother was trying to get himself through school and prepare for the coming college

years. Shelby had to start growing up much quicker than she expected. This led to her depression

and anxiety about what troubling events the next day would bring to an unforeseen high. Divorce

can wreak havoc on a child and, “…divorce was associated with a higher incidence of several

mental health problems in children: depression; withdrawal from friends and family; aggressive,

impulsive, or hyperactive behavior” (Marripedia). However, though in many ways she began to
PEPSI Screening 6

grow up, her rebellious nature and anxiety about the current situation fought against the change.

She will still attempt to shirk off her work onto someone else at any give opportunity and hates

being told what to do by anyone she views as an authority figure. By nature, she is a girl who

holds strong to her beliefs and she has a very black and white view of what she believes is right

and wrong. She remains completely unafraid to stand up for what she believes is right and is

fiercely defensive of those she loves, not backing down to anyone. Her philosophies on life are

strict but she is, at the end of the day, someone who values kindness and who uses their quick wit

to try and make the world around her a better place for everyone. Her beliefs have changed

greatly during these formative years and most likely will continue to change. A researcher on

changing beliefs as we age said, “Middle-aged people -- like me -- often look back on our

teenage selves with some mixture of amusement and chagrin. What we never seem to realize is

that our future selves will look back and think the very same thing about us. At every age we

think we're having the last laugh, and at every age we're wrong.” (Castillo M., (2013) showing

that no matter what age we are or how much we think we might stay the same, we are all bound

to change and so are our beliefs.

Social Development

Shelby has never had an abundance of friends, preferring the company of the few to that

of the many. She is a firm believe that it is not the quantity of friends which matters but the

quality. Shelby herself knows what it is like to be considered an outcast, spending many of her

middle school years ignored and shunned by her fellow classmates. Now, she is the first to reach

a helping hand towards those who may be looked down on. There were many years her mother

worried and fretted over her in the fear that she would not be able to make friends like she used.
PEPSI Screening 7

She was afraid she would continue to shut the world out like she had for so long. And at first, it

seemed like that was exactly what was happening upon her first couple years of high school.

Shelby, however, quickly proved her wrong. All it took was the right type of people to help bring

her out of her shell and now she is making strides toward improving her social development at an

unprecedented pace. Another issue Shelby struggled with for years was her sexual identity. This

is not an uncommon issue among people her age as, “Teens become more aware of their sexual

orientation…” (American Medical Association, 2010) during this time and begin to discover

who they are as person. Shelby’s father was known for being unaccepting of LGBTQ associated

people and for many years she lived in fear at her own household that she would be found out.

Eventually coming out to first her brother and then her mother, Shelby began to grow in

confidence, especially after the separation with her father. This was researched in a study at the

University of Arizona which stated that though teen who come out at a young age may face

bullying or other stressors at first, “…they also grow into young adults with higher self-esteem

than the LGBT teens who kept their sexual or gender identities hidden in adolescence.” (Sonali,

2015). Age may also play a role in Shelby’s new-found confidence as “Older teens are more self-

assured and better able to resist peer pressure than younger teens.” (American Medical

Association, 2010). Either way, she doesn’t want to hide anymore and is proud of who she is.

She is no longer quite as nervous to meet new people or speak in front of her class. Day by day

she is improving.
PEPSI Screening 8

Intellectual Development

Shelby considers herself a lifelong learner and has always had a knack for learning new

things. For Shelby, school is easy and, at times, so easy she finds it boring. This has led to her

becoming disinterested in many of the classes she doesn’t personally value. She herself has

admitted to being lazy at times and missing a few assignments here and there in favor of just

making them up later or just not caring enough to be bothered. A bright and quick-witted mind,

she is able to shut down and silence most who call her out on these tendencies. Indeed, whether it

be her mother, or some other authority figure, Shelby has no problem arguing her point as do

many other teens who “…frequently question and challenge school and parental rules.”

(American Medical Association). Her lax attitude combined with a rough couple of years filled

with uncertainty and sadness may also be contributing because, “When emotional issues come

up, they can cause problems with a child’s ability to think in complex ways.” (Cognitive

Development in Adolescence). It is only hitting her now, in her final year of high school, that in

order to move onto the college programs she is looking at that she must show she has the drive

and dedication to match her intelligence. A reader from a young age, Shelby has all the tools to

become everything she wants and more but lacks the need. High school students of any age have

developed to the point where they are much better able to utilize their minds for great things but,

“…tend to use these skills inconsistently; as a result, they sometimes do things without thinking

first.” (American Medical Association, 2010). Shelby is wealth of knowledge and potential and

is well on track for her intellectual development. Now that she is beginning to see the

repercussions of her actions she can better adapt and change in order to be the person she wants

to be.
PEPSI Screening 9

Graph

Shelby's Average Development VS. Average Development

6

0
Physical Emotional Philisophical Social Intellectual

Shelby's Develpment Average Development

Through the many sources I have researched through, while Shelby has improved greatly in her

last few years, she still has quite a bit of learning to go. She has made amazing strides in all areas

and has shown impressive determination to improve. However, due to both her past trauma and

present temperament she still has some ways to go. I am confident that given the proper support

and circumstance, Shelby will be able to easily get back on track.

PEPSI Screening 10

Recommendations

Physical Recommendations- My recommendation to Shelby’s parents would be to encourage

her. She is already considering making a change and taking steps towards her goal. However,

Shelby has a tendency to underestimate herself or to give up when the going gets tough to

encouragement and support would be the most crucial element. Keeping stock of healthier foods

in the house and possibly joining her in her exercise endeavors would improve her physical

health and give her the support she needs to stick to those goals.

Emotional Recommendations- Emotionally, I would recommend to both Shelby’s parents and

teachers hear her out when she has a problem because usually when she speaks out it means it

has become a real problem. Shelby can, in layman’s terms, be a tough nut to crack. I would

recommend having as much patience as you can muster and working with her to solve the

problems she faces. Shelby has a history of being ignored and shunned so make sure to let her

know you are paying attention and at least trying to understand her lest she put up her walls once

again.

Philosophical Recommendations- Shelby has strong beliefs developed from her personal pain

and experiences. She is, however, very hardheaded and can sometimes fail to see the other side
PEPSI Screening 11

of things. I would recommend trying to show her both sides of the story and demonstrating that

everyone has their own personal views the deserve respect whether she agrees with them or not.

Social- in this area Shelby has improved the most by far. From being too scared to even attempt

making a new friend to having a reliable group of peers she enjoys being around. She is far

happier than ever before and has the hope of making new friends still on her mind. I would

recommend that her parents encourage her more social hobbies and that her teachers encourage

her to talk to new people and continue this trend of making friends through group activities

which, though they may be uncomfortable at first, will encourage her to foster and develop the

social skills she has been working on.

Intelligence- Shelby is extremely intelligent and has managed to stay on target if not surpass the

intelligence standards set before her. Her main problem on this front lies with motivation. I

encourage her teachers and parents to challenge her and to try and help her see that everything

she is doing right now will matter in the long-run.

PEPSI Screening 12

References

American Medical association. (10 Sept. 2010.). Manoa.hawaii.edu. Retrieved from

http://manoa.hawaii.edu/studentparents/downloads/ParentInfo_TeenHealth.pdf

Canadian Pediatric Society. Dieting in adolescence. PubMed Central (PMC). Retrieved from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2720870/

Castillo, M., (4 Jan. 2013.). Your beliefs likely to change as you age, study

suggests. Cbsnews.com. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/your-beliefs-

likely-to-change-as-you-age-study-suggests/

Cognitive Development in Adolescence - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester

Medical Center. Urmc.rochester.edu. Retrieved from

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=90&Content

ID=P01594

[Marripedia]. Effects of Divorce on Children's Health. Marripedia.org. Retrieved from

http://marripedia.org/effects_of_divorce_on_children_s_health

Familydoctor.org Editorial Staff (1 Sept. 2000.). Understanding Your Teen's Emotional Health -

familydoctor.org. familydoctor.org. Retrieved from

https://familydoctor.org/understanding-your-teens-emotional-health/

Mental Health Foundation (25 Jun. 2019.). How arts can help improve your mental

health. Mental Health Foundation. Retrieved from

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/blog/how-arts-can-help-improve-your-mental-health

Snowman, J., & McCown, R. (2015). Psychology Applied to Teaching. In J. Snowman,

&R.McCown, Psychology Applied to Teaching (Ch. 3-5c). Stamford: Cengage Learning.

Sonali K. (10 Feb. 2015.). LGBT youth who come out as teens have better self-esteem
PEPSI Screening 13

as adults. Quartz. Retrieved from https://qz.com/341921/lgbt-youth-who-come-out-as-teens-

have-better-self-esteem-as-adults/