About #WhatsYour17: Take the Challenge Mission #WhatsYour17 is a 17-day challenge that aims to reduce school violence by ending social isolation on campus thereby making schools a more welcoming place. Background Social isolation is an underlying cause for many problems that affect students—including acts of violence that take innocent lives. Acts of kindness have the power to change the way that students feel about themselves, their peers and their school by transforming their campus into a more welcoming, inclusive place. How it Started #WhatsYour17 started when a student, during a classroom discussion about school protests suggested that students honor the

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Students Speak Out Against School Violence & Social Isolation March 14th, 2018 was #NationalWalkoutDay. Since the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, students from all across the country have joined together for 17 minute-long demonstrations on and around their school campuses: young activists have stood in front of their schools holding signs; they have rallied together in school gymnasiums, and they have walked onto their schools’ football fields to honor the 17 people that lost their lives in Parkland, Florida. Students have also marched to their State’s Capitol to address legislators and the public at large with the goal

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National No One Eats Alone Day February 9, 2018 Take a look around your school. Have you ever noticed students that are alone on a daily basis? Some students feel that they do not belong anywhere or with anyone. They may carry the psychological and emotional burden of feeling “different” from everyone else. They may feel isolated and excluded, and they might even be targets of bullying. Not much feels worse than the sense that one doesn’t belong anywhere or with anyone. Perhaps that’s you, or perhaps you’ve been there before… A simple act of kindness such as inviting a

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Social Isolation: An Underlying Issue Stories of bullying and violence in schools are prevalent in the media today. The actions of those who intentionally inflict harm on others are troubling, and the outcomes are often tragic. Students who are socially isolated and bullied over a period of time may return to school to carry out acts of violence on campus, or they may commit self-harm or attempt suicide. Extreme cases are not to be ignored, but rather to prompt consideration of an underlying factor; the problem of social isolation. An isolated person might feel lonely and disconnected, yet social isolation

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Student Poll: School Climate School climate shapes the daily experiences of students on a campus. Your perception is based on your own observations, feelings and experiences. Your answers are confidential and will be combined with others who take this poll. How do you think students from your school will respond to these poll questions? This poll may serve as a useful tool for you to plan your No One Eats Alone Day event and initiative to stop social isolation. Be sure to read our other blogs to learn more about social isolation, the effects on students, and ways that you

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iDrive Student Advisory Board – Nationwide Initiative: Calling All Video Producers Attention all high school students: Do you enjoying creating films? Have you ever yearned to be on camera? Are you ready to give script-writing a shot? Well, whether you’ve taken film class or you’ve just dabbled with iMovie, this is your chance to make a video for an important cause, and to collaborate with iDrive in a nationwide movement! iDrive Initiatives in the Upcoming New Year January 2018: Human Trafficking Awareness Month January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Many people think that Human Trafficking is an issue that happens

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iDrive Agent – Join the Movement: Spread the Word About Safe Online Shopping iDrive has a message for online shoppers during the hustle and bustle of the season. Watch our PSA! Spread the word by sharing this video! After reading our Featured Article: e-Commerce: When Online Shopping is a Real Steal, you may be interested in spreading the word to your peers on how to shop safely. Here’s what you can do: Follow iDrive on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Check out our 5 Tips for Smart, Secure Online Shopping. Each of the tips are shareable on social media. Like, comment,

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iDrive | 5 Tips for Smart, Secure Online Shopping This holiday season, millions of shoppers are eagerly buying gifts for loved ones near and far, taking advantage of great deals on major e-Commerce sites like Amazon or Alibaba, the websites of major department stores, online shops from independent merchants–even online auction sites and classified ad services like Craigslist. But as e-Commerce booms and spirits rise, consumers need to know how to ensure a safe and secure online shopping experience. Here are five tips that may help you steer clear of scammers and thieves that want to rob you of more

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Featured Article – e-Commerce: When Online Shopping is a Real Steal A few decades ago, the thought of purchasing items on a website from a cell phone sounded futuristic. The world has certainly changed. Did you know that, this past Cyber Monday, consumers spent a record $2 billion from their mobile devices? (Thomas, 2017)? What is more, a whopping $6.59 billion was spent online on this same day making U.S. history as the largest online shopping day ever (Thomas, 2017). Despite the massive success of online shopping, foot traffic in stores decreased less than one percent (Wattles, 2017). Yes, Black

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iDrive Student Advisory Board |Take Initiative: Teens, Technology & Tolerance Are you looking for even bigger ways to promote Tolerance in your school, community, and even the nation and the world? Join the iDrive Student Advisory Board on the issue of Teens, Technology and Tolerance and to expand this movement nationwide! Here are some questions to get your wheels turning: How tolerant is your school campus? Your local community? Do you have a story to share that would promote tolerance, respect and dispel misconceptions? How might you use technology to promote tolerance and respect? Now that you have a clearer

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