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Pepsi Screening Project

Jennifer Huglin

College of Southern Nevada

April 11, 2021

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Biography

The components of this essay directly revolve around an eighteen year old male student.

He is the youngest child of four, with one father, one mother, two older brothers and one older

sister. Consequently, he also has a lot of support from older individuals and is very easy-going in

nature. He attends a dual credit charter high school, where there is a mix of both college courses

and high school classes. Outside of school, he works about thirty hours a week in a retail setting

and has done so for the last two years. In his spare time, he does not mind engulfing himself, and

everyone around him, in the entire universe of Star Wars, Marvel Avengers, and professional

sports.

Moreover, with a more comprehensive perspective in mind, it is worth mentioning that

the behaviors and characteristics of this child are likely to be influenced by the mental illness of

his mother. She was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia shortly before he was born, and the

student has lived with her his entire life. Thus, the child has been heavily dependent on the

financial and emotional reach of his father, and there has not been a strong female character

present as he has matured into adolescence.

Another important factor to be considered is the socioeconomic shift that the subject was

exposed to during primary years. He became a victim of homelessness right before the start of

fourth grade, where he missed a significant amount of schooling opportunities. Though he was

accepted into the fourth grade with no penalties and his family has since found a steady home, it

is important to note that this child has grown up in a very urban environment with high crime

rates and unfortunate poverty. In theory, due to unsteady environments and lack of resources, it

is reasonable to assume that the child is disadvantaged in many aspects of life in comparison to
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his peers. However, he still attends school, shows interest in an abundance of hobbies, and

engages in normal behaviors and interactions with others.

Physical Development

The student under observation is five feet and eleven inches tall, and he weighs roughly one

hundred and eighty pounds. “About Child and Teen BMI” stipulates that a body mass index of

25.1 would place the child in the 82nd percentile, indicating that he maintains a healthy weight

(CDC, 2021). Additionally, he has no record of illnesses or special needs that hinder growth or

development. This means that he never finds himself socially displaced solely because of

physical appearance.

The fitness activities this child participates in mainly take place in the retail setting,

where he is a back of house associate. According to “Fitness and Your 13- to18-Year-Old,”

teenagers can sustain an active lifestyle by, “…walking to school, doing chores, or finding an

active part-time job” (Gavin, 2019). Though he does not directly involve himself in sports or

obvious exercises, it appears that his part-time job allows adequate physical activity for a child of

his age range. Regardless, on his days off, it might be worthwhile to engage in other physical

ventures.

With respect to the student’s everyday diet, it should be pointed out that his household’s

lack of financial security impedes proper nutrition. He also has no real caregiver to cook meals

or teach him how to prepare them himself. This leads to regular consumption of fast food, frozen

meals—or completely skipped meals— to avoid spending money. With regards to the journal

writing, “Impact of The Community Eligibility Provision of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act

on Student Nutrition, Behavior, and Academic Outcomes: 2011 – 2019,” diet plays a major role

in development and, “Food insecurity among children has a deleterious effect on physical and
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psychosocial health, cognitive function, and academic performance,” (Hecht et al., 2020).

Despite maintaining a healthy weight, it is critical to remember that without sufficient meals and

vitamins on a regular basis, it is not unlikely that the child’s health will gradually decline in years

to come.

Emotional Development

Due to this student’s prolonged living conditions in a very impoverished area and the

presence of a schizophrenic mother at home, it is anticipated that the child often experiences a

depressed mood. According to Psychology Applied to Teaching (14th Ed.), “Depressed mood is

primarily characterized by feelings of sadness or unhappiness, although emotions such as

anxiety, fear, guilt, anger, and contempt are frequently present…” (Snowman, 2009, p. 3-5c).

Under observation, the subject would express feelings of discomfort with the apartment he stays

in and would apologize for the behaviors of his mother. Additionally, he shares a room with his

brother and would often communicate his desire for his own room, as he has never had one

before. It is reasonable to conclude that these feelings likely occur daily, rather than only in times

of observation.

Something particularly abnormal in this examination was the student’s frustration when

the topic of goals and aspirations arose. Though it is his final year of high school, the student

does not know what he wants for a career or where he would like to pursue learning in higher

education. He mentioned that he has no clue as to what field he finds inviting, even after

investigating all the majors that local colleges have to offer. Throughout the conversation, he

would become increasingly more short-tempered and avoid even simple questions related to

ambitions. This could very well be a result of the child’s basic survival mindset. To explain, the

article, “Enriching the Lives of Students in Poverty” illustrates, “When resources are scarce, a
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family’s energy must be focused on survival and not on activities like opening and using a

savings account, planning for college, or volunteering at school” (Hobbs, 2014, p. 36). Simply

put, the student is presumably avoiding commitments, as his current financial situation may not

support them, and as he does not have the luxury to devise any solid plans.

Accordingly, the subject exhibits a considerable amount of difficulty in handling

discussions about his own emotions. As was described previously, he quickly became frustrated

when speaking about possible career options. Generally speaking, a healthy solution would be to

explain why the topic is upsetting or ask to move forward with another talking point, as opposed

to internalizing the issue. With an understanding that this child was reared in a male dominated

family with no real caregiver, it is no surprise that he does not practice emotional coping skills

and does not tend to verbalize his feelings with other members of his family. This concept aligns

with the video, “Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Impact on brain, body and behaviour,”

which clarifies that, “When stress is frequent, chronic, and uncontrolled, it is toxic to children,

especially when they do not have a caregiver to provide support or buffer the stress” (Gonzalez,

2018, 1:15).

Nonetheless, the child appears to be happy and content for the majority of the time,

which is fortunate considering the circumstances. There are no immediate signs of substance

abuse, suicidal thoughts, or destructive tendencies that are evident. Though he may gravitate

towards a negative attitude in moments of stress, like stated earlier, he is generally easy-going

and pleasant.

Philosophical Development

In the research essay, “Grounded Theory. A Research Method for Advancing the

Comprehension of Philosophy for Children’s Processes,” the author explains, “We had indeed
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observed that thinking (whether logical, creative, responsible or metacognitive) is not a static

product; it underlies a dynamic process in that each of these modes can be manifested in a simple

or in a complex manner. For example, logical thinking could manifest itself in the simple

statement of a belief, or in a complex negotiated argumentation; creative thinking could manifest

itself in a simple personal example, or in the elaboration of complex divergent relationships”

(Daniel, 2018, p. 321). In that respect, the observed child evidently mirrors a higher degree of

philosophical thinking in contrast with his peers. For example, he demonstrates a higher extent of

wisdom by regularly watching the news and familiarizing himself with global events. He also

revealed that he donates small amounts of money to local charities, even though his living

conditions are not the most ideal. These actions signal that the student is consciously aware of

others and thoroughly realizes the implications of his own choices.

A key factor that illustrates an elevated philosophical understanding is his strong

commitment to a part-time job. The child disclosed that, in two years, he has never missed a day

of work and that he has only been late one time. According to the journal article, “Cognitive

Underpinnings of Moral Reasoning in Adolescence: The Contribution of Executive Functions,”

more social involvement and responsibilities lead to an increase in moral reasoning maturity. It

states, “Age was the strongest predictor of MR maturity, suggesting that progressive exposure to

social interactions, increasing autonomy and the acquisition of new social roles, issues that are

characteristic of the period of adolescence, may contribute to the emergence of more complex

reasoning skills, which are helpful for evaluating situations affecting the moral domain” (Estay et

al., 2014, p. 17). Due to his exposure to a work environment that is crowded with individual

goals and authoritative figures, he presumably feels morally tied to his work and the approval of
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his co-workers or managers. The ability to comprehend his moral obligations is a clear marker of

philosophical intelligence.

With reference to the educational philosopher, Jean Piaget, adolescents of his age

critically examine the intent of a person to leverage their moral reasoning (Snowman, 2009, p. 2-

5a). This is reflected in the everyday behaviors of the student, such as his intent to become

educated about important global issues, to help others when he has the ability to do so, and to

adhere to mutual agreements.

Social Development

Due to a lack of in-person classes, the child primarily exercises his social skills in the

workplace. As maintained by the journal, “Work Socialization Through Part-Time Work:

Cultivating Self-Efficacy And Engagement Through Care,” social engagement at a job can

stimulate positive outcomes and positive character development. It reads, “...qualities of part-

time work that are most important likely have less to do with the tasks being done and more to

do with the relationships and workplace culture that the young person encounters while on the

job” (Herrygers et al., 2017, p. 569). The observed student conveyed a great deal of appreciation

for his fellow coworkers, which points to the idea that he spends an exceptional amount of time

in a socially enriching environment.

Although he actively participates in positive social interactions in the workplace, the

student does not appear to have a close circle of friends that he frequently spends time with. In

fact, he does not spend any time even calling or messaging friends in his spare time. As

mentioned in the writing, “The Importance of Perceived Care and Connectedness with Friends

and Parents for Adolescent Social Anxiety,” friendships are vital to a child’s development

because “...negative social experiences such as being rejected and excluded by peers, as well as
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social failure, may increase the risk of developing social anxiety. Being with trusted and valued

friends has been shown to be beneficial for socially anxious individuals, as close friends tend to

evoke more positive self presentations” (Zalk et al., 2014, p. 347).

In spite of not having a close group of friends, it is important to note that the subject has a

very outgoing and humorous personality that sits well with others. According to the study,

“Styles of humor and social skills in students. Gender differences,” “Sense of humor refers to

individual differences in conducts, experiences, affects, attitudes and skills that relate with

enjoyment or laughter, defined as a highly relevant major psychological trait to help people face

stress and their difficulties, and plays a relevant role in successful social interaction” (Salavera et

al., 2018, p. 571). Therefore, it is expected that he has no real difficulty in making friends or

building positive relationships. With all information considered, the child is relatively average

when it comes to social development for his age.

Intellectual Development

The student shows the greatest strides in his intellectual development, which is

significantly above average. He holds a grade point average of 4.1 and is ranked 4th in all of his

graduating class. In his primary school years, he was enrolled in a Gifted and Talented Education

program, and it is reasonable to assume those strong cognitive qualities are still present. Based

on the journal, “The Perceptions of Parents and Students of the Communication Skills of Gifted

Children,” gifted children have “superior general skills, high-level awareness of responsibility,

and high-level creativity” (Aydin et al., 2019, p. 95). Since his educational records exhibit high

levels of success, it is likely that he is gifted with superior intellect.

Like mentioned earlier, he also enjoys having open discussions and debates about the

originality of his favorite movies, sports, or books in his spare time. This is a noteworthy
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behavior because it highlights the characteristics of a critical thinker even in minor, casual tasks.

As described in, “Developing the Whole Person,” an intellectually advanced child will make

comparisons, inferences, detect bias, and reflect to make interpretations of information

(Ellsworth, 1998).

However, in defiance of his exceptional intelligence, it appears that the student falls short

in the area of metacognition. It is indicated that metacognition “...refers to two things: what we

know about how we think, and how we guide and control our cognitive processes” (Snowman,

2009, p. 8-3a). This imbalance of cognitive strengths versus metacognition can be explained by

the student’s uncertainty of how to study for school tests. To prepare for upcoming exams, he

tends to only memorize information instead of applying it in different contexts. Though he

manages to perform well academically, he has not yet discovered how to challenge his learning

and, consequently, understand how his learning is possible.

Pepsi Graph
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Recommendations

To improve the physical development of the observed student, I recommend that he reach

out to local food banks. This would improve his current quality of life and would not

compromise his financial standing. Also, as he sits at the cusp of adulthood, it would be most

opportune to use those food items and find a hobby in preparing meals for himself.

As for his emotional development, I recommend that he reach out to local community

centers, educational support figures, or even places of worship to seek free counseling and

therapy. Considering a family history of mental illness and indications of childhood trauma, this

would be a method to alleviate emotional wounds and learn healthy coping skills. It would also

be worthwhile to practice healthy communication directly within his household.

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With respect to his philosophical development, I recommend that the student make notes

of his experiences in a personal journal. This would allow for better reflection and analysis of

life experiences.

In order to support his social development, I recommend that he form a study group with

fellow classmates or join a school club. Both of these options would provide a window of

opportunity to establish close relationships with students who share similar interests and fall

within a similar age range.

To advance his intellectual development even further, I recommend that the child write a

small reflection after every complex assignment. This would allow him to visualize his strengths

and weaknesses and improve his metacognition. Another recommendation would be to create a

physical web of information before a test in order to see how every detail corresponds with one

another.

References
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About child & TEEN BMI. (2021, March 17). Retrieved April 08, 2021, from

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi.htm

Aydin, H., Ersoy, E., & Uysal, R. (2019). The Perceptions of Parents and Students of the

Communication Skills of Gifted Children. Journal of Ethnographic & Qualitative

Research, 14, 95-111.

Daniel, M. (2018). Grounded theory. a research method for advancing the comprehension of

philosophy for children's processes. Childhood & Philosophy, 14(29), 321.

doi:10.12957/childphilo.2018.30423

Ellsworth, J. (1998). Developing the Whole Person. Retrieved April 08, 2021, from

https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jde7/ese504/class/essentials/reading1-1-1.html

Gavin, M. L. (Ed.). (2019, June). Fitness and your 13- to 18-year-old (for parents) - nemours

kidshealth. Retrieved April 08, 2021, from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/fitness-13-

18.html

Gonzalez, A. (Director). (2018, October 31). Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Impact on

brain, body and behaviour [Video file]. Retrieved April 07, 2021, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-8jTTIsJ7Q

Hecht, A. A., Pollack Porter, K. M., & Turner, L. (2020). Impact of the community eligibility

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doi:10.2105/ajph.2020.305743
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