Raising awareness about eating disorders and body image

State Representative Randy Pike presents a House proclamation on National Eating Awareness week at the Performing Arts Center on Friday. Gloria Tucker/Daily Mail

Nevada Daily Mail

National Eating Disorders Awareness week was Feb. 23 to March 1, this year. The goal is to spend that one week devoted solely to increasing conversation and awareness about eating disorders. The week is about creating a safe, encouraging environment for people with eating disorders and to reach out to counselors, friends and family.

National Eating Disorders Awareness week also acts as a way to help people recognize the very serious facts about eating disorders.

Cottey student Carly Schooley speaks during the National Eating Awareness assembly at the Performing Arts Center on Friday. Gloria Tucker/Daily Mail

I began working on establishing a National Eating Disorder Awareness week at the Nevada High School in late November, after meeting with the Cottey College director of the Center for Women's Leadership, Denise Hedges.

I was entering level four of the Leadership, Experiences and Opportunities program, and it was time for me to make a decision on what I was going to do for my presidential project.

The idea of starting the awareness week came from my previous work on eating disorder awareness projects at Cottey, and the lack of any similar event on the high school's campus.

After connecting with Maddi Gordon and the Nevada Student Council, under the direction of Deidre Goins, we began in early January, working on simple programming for the five days. Each day, a new activity was added to the school's walls to help students learn more about eating disorders and even their own body image issues.

The events and spirit days were easy, simple ways for students to gain more knowledge about eating disorders, and the students were also encouraged to share their newfound knowledge on social media.

On Monday morning, students arrived at the school to see all of the mirrors covered, and students were encouraged to take a positive note from the Positivity Wall on Wednesday.

The activities were also matched up with different dress-up days that the student council created.

Throughout the week, the students were videotaped answering questions about why National Eating Disorder Awareness week was important to them. The video allowed students to have a visual record of the knowledge they gained.

The short video was shown during the assembly on Friday, where State Rep. Randy Pike recognized Nevada High School for its support of National Eating Disorder Awareness week.

On Thursday, students were given the chance to put their name in to be drawn for a chance to smash a scale at the assembly, which Maddi facilitated.

After the video, I spoke to the students about the importance of continuing the conversation about eating disorders. My biggest goal for the week was to impact the students enough to continue educating themselves.

While the success of the week is wonderful, five days is not long enough.