Projected onto the large screen in the Seaquam Secondary theatre, in front of an audience of Grade 8 and 9 students, is an image of three models. All three are tall, thin females that are, well, perfect.
In reality, however, there is nothing perfect about them - they are not even real.
A photo from a clothing advertisement of three models that are actually three mannequins with Photoshopped heads of real people on them is one of the many slides shown to the school's youngest students during the Love Your Life assembly.
The event was organized by Grade 12 students that think it is important for youth to realize being happy does not equate to mirroring what is portrayed as perfect in the media.
"You feel so inadequate and it's heartbreaking," said Reema Ismail, a Grade 12 student and one of the organizers of the assembly.
Growing up Ismail noticed how saturated youth are with images of models and celebrities. She found it particularly difficult in grades 8 and 9 to fight the feelings of needing to live up to these standards.
As she got older she realized there is more to life and happiness, but to recognize this fact requires support from other people, Ismail explains. Support is what the assembly is all about.
"We want to give them a good role model and to let them know their older peers support them," she says.
