The Aragon High School Compliments page on Facebook has provided a new outlet of positivity for students. Active since Nov. 29, the page operates on an entirely anonymous basis; both the moderator and posters remain nameless while certain Aragon students are recognized by fellow students for admirable traits, actions, or attitudes. Posts range from sincere (“Laynie Mitchell is the most amazing person I have ever met. She is so talented and cares about everyone, I love her!”) to humorous (“Josh Barney… has arms that must have been sculpted by Michelangelo”). The page was inspired by the compliments pages of nearby high schools in addition to Operation Beautiful and the PostSecret project, which aim to build the self-esteem of adolescents.
After one week, the page had garnered 440 likes and had posted hundreds of compliments, with traffic to the page continually increasing over the next several days. Says sophomore Vivian Shen, “I think the most memorable posts are the ones that clearly took a lot of thought and sincerity to write. The ones that are lengthy and detailed seem more meaningful, as if the writer really wanted to show the receiver just what they mean to them.”
The page’s popularity is evident and students embrace the anonymity. Says junior Jacqueline Pei, “I think it’s really sweet that it’s anonymous. It just kind of adds to how nice the page is. Nobody is trying to take credit for anything.”
Adds junior Andisheh Kabiri, “[The anonymity] provides a way to share your feelings with a person that you might not feel comfortable complimenting in person. The only ambiguity that might be troubling is not knowing who manages the page. Although I’m not sure that there is a way to ‘fix’ that system, it is nerve racking to think that you might be sending a compliment about the page’s administrator straight to them.”
The anonymous administrator defends the lack of names on the page, stating, “I am completely anonymous. No one knows who I am, what I post, or who submitted what. I feel that if I reveal who I am, people will feel less comfortable sending me genuine compliments, since they will know who is reading their submission. I also figure that if my word is not enough, my anonymity is a form of insurance. I can’t tell anyone who posted what without revealing who I am.”
Beyond the anonymity of the page, a topic of debate is whether or not the page has made a difference online or offline. Says junior David Leong, “People should be complementing each other in person rather than online, but people feel more brave when they’re anonymous.”
Says senior Carly Olson, “I think as of now, the compliments page has mostly stayed on the internet. However, despite saying that, every day in [AP Stats] class last week, my friends and I have talked about the compliments page and how awesome it is. Overall it has really given me a better mindset about our school: even though we don’t have a ton of visible “rah-rah” spirit, the fact that the compliments page has taken off with such success is really telling of our student body and the pride we have for both the school and each other.”
Adds the page’s administrator, “I’ve certainly heard conversations at school during class or brunch about this page. I can’t help but listen to students’ opinions because I always want to know if I am making a difference with this page. Truthfully, I receive more positive feedback online rather than what I hear at school. I’ve been sent many kind messages explaining how much they like the page and the concept of it. At school, however, I hear more people being interested in the more gossip-y part; who said what? Who is the moderator? Does anyone know if I can become part of it? However, I’ve never heard anyone bash the page or someone else’s compliment, which I really appreciate. I think I make more of an impact online because it’s more in the moment, but at school people seem more interested in the mystery of it all.”
Some raise the concern that the page could still be used against its purpose. Says Leong, “I’m worried these comments will turn into sarcastic insults. Also, people have been complementing the more noticeable kids and that’s not fair.”
Junior Alex Griffis disagrees, saying, “Although there is some exclusion toward people who don’t get compliments, I don’t think many people will take it personally. This is a community page, not an ‘I want compliments’ page.”
Concludes the moderator, “There are certain posts I choose not to post. Aragon is a large, diverse community, and I feel that I have to keep everyone’s feelings in mind. I’ve started to be a little more careful about the compliments I post, as I’ve overheard at school that others have been offended by this post or that post. If someone should ask me to take down a compliment because it hurts their feelings, I would immediately do so. This page is meant to bring spirits up, not down.”
