Your bulletin of current news involving adolescents

Thursday, November 20, 2008 — Teenagers’ Internet Socializing Not a Bad Thing, MacArthur Study Finds.  NEW YORK, NY: The New York Times reports that all those hours their teenagers spend socializing on the Internet are not a bad thing, according to a new study by the MacArthur Foundation. “It may look as though kids are wasting a lot of time hanging out with new media, whether it’s on MySpace or sending instant messages,” said Mizuko Ito, lead researcher on the study, “Living and Learning With New Media.” “But their participation is giving them the technological skills and literacy they need to succeed in the contemporary world. They’re learning how to get along with others, how to manage a public identity, how to create a home page.” The study, conducted from 2005 to last summer, is part of a $50 million project on digital and media learning, and used several teams of researchers to interview more than 800 young people and their parents and to observe teenagers online for more than 5,000 hours. Because of the adult sense that socializing on the Internet is a waste of time, the study said, teenagers reported many rules and restrictions on their electronic hanging out, but most found ways to work around such barriers that let them stay in touch with their friends steadily throughout the day. While online socializing is ubiquitous, many young people move on to a period of tinkering and exploration, as they look for information online, customize games or experiment with digital media production, the study found. What the study calls “geeking out” is the most intense Internet use, in which young people delve deeply into a particular area of interest, often through a connection to an online interest group. “New media allow for a degree of freedom and autonomy for youth that is less apparent in a classroom setting,” the study said. “Youth respect one another’s authority online, and they are often more motivated to learn from peers than from adults.”
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the New York Times, 11/20/08
www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/us/20internet.html?hp
 

Thursday, November 13, 2008 — High School Students Build a Cloud Chamber.  BRANDON, SD: When high school science teacher Steve Boint put out a call to students interested in building a cloud chamber to photograph subatomic radioactive particles flying through the school, he wasn’t sure if he’d generate any interest at all. Turns out, six to 10 high schoolers – depending on their Thursday after-school schedules – were intrigued by the invitation. “These are kids who think that the meaning of life is understanding it,” Boint said. “I’ve been wanting for a long time to have a cloud chamber to show students that particles do fly around here and, actually, building is better than buying.” Why are Boint and the small group of student scientists concerned if subatomic radioactive particles are flying through Brandon Valley High? “It’s not really that we care if there’s a small amount of radioactive particles flying around, we’re just studying the radioactive particles,” said Kyle Larson, a junior member of the group. In the four weeks the group has met, an aquarium-like box has been fitted with some of the needed elements. “I think their biggest challenge will be sealing it airtight with caulking,” Boint said. “Dealing with cold temperatures is the biggest technical challenge they’ll have.” By building the cloud chamber themselves the district is saving from $225 up to $1,000. About the only expense the project will incur is the cost of dry ice and pure alcohol. Dry ice will be placed underneath the chamber and an alcohol-soaked material will be laid across the top of the chamber. As the alcohol falls down, the temperature gradient will cause a fog. From that fog, the students will be able to track particles traveling through droplets that will form a line. Once the construction of the cloud chamber is accomplished, “we’ll shut off the lights, huddle around it and wait 15 to 20 minutes to see if we have any particles, and that will verify there is stuff flying around we can’t see,” Boint said.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: BrandonInfo.com, 11/13/08
www.brandoninfo.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081113
/NEWS/81112008/1001
 

Sunday, November 09, 2008 — Obama Victory Inspires Harlem Students.  NEW YORK, NY: Hope is in the air at the predominantly black public middle school just a day after Sen. Barack Obama made history as the first African-American elected president of the United States. Students are buzzing with excitement. Fifth-grade students are eager to talk about what the historic election means to them, how Obama inspires them and their expectations for him as the nation's next president. "We need some new ideas, and I think Barack Obama is the right man to do that," said Malcolm Mitchell, 11. "He kinda motivated me because looking at the past, people say, 'black men can't do this; black men can't do that.' ... You know, he's changing time, little by little. Women can vote now, and he's the first African-American president." Malcolm says he's also shared his thoughts about this year's election with other kids on Nick.com, the Web site for the children's television network Nickelodeon. Earlier in the week, the school had a mock election, which Obama won by landslide. Teachers say the kids have paid attention to this election. Some went to the polls to watch their parents vote, and many were awake until the wee hours of election night because of honking horns as people celebrated Obama's victory in the streets. Like many Americans, presumably echoing the concerns of their parents, the students told CNN their top issues are the economy, health care, race relations, the environment and the Iraq war. "[When] Barack Obama becomes president, he can stop the war," said Kaish Bhuyian, 10, whose parents are from Bangladesh. "I want him to help some black people and white people to get together and share." Of the 425 students at the middle school, 80 percent are black, 17 percent are Hispanic, and 3 percent are white or Asian. But Koolie Brown, 11, is quick to point out that both blacks and whites voted for Obama in the national election, because, he says, they believe he represents change. "I think Barack Obama should make a speech about [how to] stop climate change and to make more foundations for people who are poor and to help people [with cancer] so they can find a cure," said Michael Rosa, 10. "I feel that Obama is going to be a very good president because he is very brave, intelligent and successful, and he gives me the courage to go out there and be the first girl president of the United States," said Fatoumata Gakou, 11.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: CNN.com, 11/7/08
www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/06/harlem.school/?iref=hpm
ostpop
 

Wednesday, November 05, 2008 — High School Students Head to the Polls as Volunteers.  LOS ANGELES, CA: In Tuesday's historic election in which the votes of young people were expected to be pivotal, thousands of Los Angeles County high school students mostly tasted their first civic duty as poll workers -- not as voters. In 2000, 617 students participated in the student volunteer program. This year more than 4,200 worked Los Angeles County polls, with more than 3,100 others helping to inspect ballots after the polls closed. Students can earn extra credit and are paid $80 for their labor (plus an extra $20 if they attended a training session). The county's volunteer program began in 1998, and the 2000 election was the first presidential contest in which high school students could participate. To volunteer, students must be 16, a U.S. citizen, have at least a 2.5 grade point average and must have permission from parents and their school. The students got a first-hand look at democracy in action and gained experience that might make an impression on a college application. But they have also become an essential part of the county's 25,000-strong election day army of workers. "The good thing about students is they're in a learning mode," said Marcia Ventura, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder, adding that they are more likely to show up, are more tech savvy and many are bilingual. "For veteran poll workers they bring an enthusiasm to the process, and for elderly workers they can help set up tables and equipment. Hopefully, they come out with a better understanding of the election process." Students from 216 schools, both public and private, participated in Tuesday's election. Alex Osborne, 17, a Pacific Hills senior, said his parents were surprised when he told them he wanted to volunteer at the polls. "I feel like it's a special election to be working in because of its nature," Osborne said. "I'm sorry I can't vote today, but my time will come."
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Los Angeles Times, 11/5/08
www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-student5-2008nov05
,0,5366042.story
 

Monday, November 03, 2008 — Politically Savvy High School Students Simulate Election from Start to Finish.  FLUSHING, NY: The room is buzzing as John McCain frantically paces back and forth, Sarah Palin by his side. "I need an opening and info on Social Security," he shouts to his speechwriters and policy analysts as they scurry about. It's the day of the final debate before Election Day, and McCain and his team have been preparing for weeks. The scene isn't campaign headquarters, but a 12th grade classroom in Queens, New York. "McCain," "Palin" and the rest of the group are actually students participating in Townsend Harris High School's election simulation, which is the only program in the country that simulates every aspect of the presidential race, start to finish. Unlike popular (and surprisingly accurate) indicators such as the Scholastic News Election Poll, the Harris elections have had only a 50/50 record when it comes to predicting real-world results since the program began in 1996. But it has been accurate in educating students about the election. In order to prepare for his role as Barack Obama, senior Damian Charles and his team of policy analysts tuned in to CNN, read the New York Times daily and even checked out conservative news outlets to learn more about the Republican policies. "All of my views I probably know just as well as [Obama] does," Charles said. "Because the freshmen ask really hard questions, and I have to be ready to answer them." The students are chosen by their teachers to fill specific roles, from the candidates themselves to policy analysts, speechwriters, press secretaries and campaign managers. There are also students assigned to work as election reporters for the school paper or on the live call-in radio show. Others work for one of 15 mock special-interest groups, including MoveOn.org, the Sierra Club and the Christian Coalition. The students also have to complete 10 hours of community service for a real campaign. Both campaigns, represented by two groups of seniors, are given a budget of 4,000 Simbucks, fake money that can be used to purchase in-school demonstration permits and ad time during one of the school's two election-news programs, or it can be used to pay Federal Election Commission fines for inappropriate campaigning (they also have their own FEC). The underclassmen each receive 25 Simbucks, which the campaigns compete for by holding fundraisers throughout the semester (some anonymous fat cats receive 100-500 Simbucks). "I'm not leaning towards anyone right now; that's why I'm doing these different commercials, trying to get informed," Bill Pastore, Harris' "Joe the Plumber," said during a shoot in the boys' bathroom. "
 
For FULL STORY, go to: MTV.com, 11/3/08
www.mtv.com/news/articles/1598464/20081103/story.jhtml
 

Thursday, October 30, 2008 — Students Capture the Election on Videos for PBS.  PEEKSKILL, NY: Students in Allison Risoli's American government and politics course were among 50 schools nationwide selected to take part in Video Your Vote, a project sponsored by PBS' "News Hour with Jim Lehrer" in which they will make short films related to Election Day. The TV show has partnered with YouTube, allowing students to upload their videos onto the videoyourvote.org Web site while giving them an opportunity to learn about the voting experience. Yesterday, several students roamed the halls wielding a pocket-sized Flip video camera provided by "News Hour" searching for prospective people to interview on topics ranging from why they vote to whether they have ever encountered problems at the polls. Risoli said this presidential election more than any other has caught the attention of students, in part, she thinks, because the candidates have utilized technologies such as text messaging and MySpace to reach this population. Video Your Vote has been an exciting addition to their curriculum. "We're almost of voting age," said Catie Davis, 17. "It's good to hear from people about their voting experience to learn why it's so important." In total, the students will complete 10 videos about one to two minutes long that will be posted on the Video Your Vote Web site as well as directly on YouTube. Five videos will be posted before Election Day. The remaining five pieces will be filmed and uploaded on Tuesday. Some students will head to the high school, one of the polling sites, and interview poll workers, elected officials, newly registered voters and others on the activities of Election Day. "I'm very excited about it," said Nick Baran, 17. "Unfortunately, I miss voting by a month and it's upsetting because it's such a historical election. But I do plan to vote next year."
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Lower Hudson Journal News, 10/30/08
lohud.com/article/20081030/NEWS01/810300460/-1/newsfront
 

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 — Online Tools Help Students Share Election Views and Votes.  EVANSTON, IL: Beginning Oct. 29, K-12 students in Chicago area communities will be casting their votes for president. iVote! ’08 -- an initiative of Northwestern University’s Collaboratory Project -- will keep an online running tally of student vote until the victor is revealed on Election Day. “We know from research that the earlier people vote, the more likely they are to become lifetime voters,” said Bob Davis, who heads up the Collaboratory. “We hope the students who participate in iVote! 08 come to realize that voting is an important of citizenship and become lifetime voters.” iVote! ’08 is designed to stimulate student interest in the electoral process, and give youngsters opportunities not only to vote but also to learn about the activities that go into presidential campaigns. A student-developed September poll of 621 students participating in iVote! ’08 found that the environment, Iraq War and economy were youngsters’ biggest concerns. Nearly a quarter named the environment their foremost concern while nearly 23 percent said the war in Iraq was their primary issue. More than 2 out of 5 students favored a timeline for withdrawal of troops, although only 16 percent of them reported having a family member serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. By a 52.3 percent to 28.3 percent margin, the polled students said illegal residents who have attended a U.S. high school, done well academically and have not been convicted of illegal activities should allowed to attend college or serve in the military. Thirty-seven percent said they want the government to subsidize organizations developing alternative fuels; only 18 percent were in favor of offshore drilling. More than a third said the government should provide health care for everyone, and one student in four said health insurance should be mandatory and the government should guarantee it for those who cannot afford or find it. Where did these opinionated youngsters get the information that helps to shape their poll answers? Almost half cited television while one out of five said family and friends were their primary source of information. Ten percent reported paying little or no attention to news, while another 10 percent said they got their news from the Internet and almost 8 percent said newspapers and magazines inform their opinions. Online tools used by iVOTE! ‘08 participants included the Cybrary, Survey Studio and interactive maps. Students made use of virtual libraries of Internet resources to support research and education/advocacy campaigns with the Cybrary. Using the Survey Studio, they created personalized public opinion polls, collected data, and were able analyze their results. Interactive maps made it possible for iVote! 08 participants to share data and more broadly present their findings.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: Media Newswire, 10/29/08
media-newswire.com/release_1077414.html
 

Sunday, October 26, 2008 — Ron Clark Academy 7th Graders’ Rap Performance of Obama/McCain Debate Becomes Hit Video.  ATLANTA, GA: WKCD was alerted to this virtuosic performance by a story on CNN—and the original amateur video (which has “gone viral,” with over 116,000 views) of the group singing their version of T.I.’s “Whatever You Like” at the Coca-Cola Leadership Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, is linked below. The 7th graders from the Ron Clark Academy dance and rap a debate between Obama and McCain supporters, “You Can Vote However You Like,” with their teacher joining in and cheering them on. The lyrics, posted beside the YouTube video, lay out the points of contention between Democrats and Republicans, with the addictive refrain, “Obama on the left, McCain on the right, we can talk politics all night, and you can vote however you like, you can vote however you like. Democratic left, Republican right, November 4 we decide, and you can vote however you like...”
 
For FULL STORY, go to: YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj5eWRzDhNI
 

Friday, October 24, 2008 — Massachusetts High School Students Host Lively Debate Between Political Candidates.  WESTON, MA: Weston High School students enjoyed a lively debate between local leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties yesterday morning, asking tough questions of the politicians and gaining insights on issues before many of them vote for the first time. "Students have a huge ability to make a change," said State Rep. Paul Loscocco, R-Holliston. "We get numerous letters and e-mails on various issues, and we really do listen. You can have a huge impact on the process." Throughout the debate, Weston High School students asked tough questions ranging from Sarah Palin to taxes to the economy. One student even corrected Rep. Loscocco when he misspoke about the capital of Pakistan, with the student noting the capital is actually Islamabad. Democrat Steve Grossman explained to the students how there are fundamental differences between the two tickets that will directly affect them. Grossman quoted a Boston Globe article which said high school recruiting for the armed forces was down for the third year in a row because of the Iraq war. Overall, Weston High School student Becca Kimball thought the debate was informative. "While I learned a lot, it actually solidified the positions I already had," she said. "The speakers did very well, and handled a lot of different information." Senior Misha Checkovich balked when Republican candidate Sandi Martinez of Chelmsford said Palin is more qualified than Obama, but she also has uncertainty with the Democrats’ plan for the economy. "It’s like choosing the lesser of two evils," she said, adding that she is thinking of eventually moving to France.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Weston Town Crier, 10/23/08
www.wickedlocal.com/weston/news/x1261532948/Weston-High
-School-students-enjoy-lively-debate
 

Saturday, October 18, 2008 — Students Apply for Patents for Energy-Saving Inventions.  DES MOINES, IA: Students from Highline School District’s Aviation High School in Des Moines have developed two inventions and are applying for a patent for one of them. Students developed one invention while designing and building a hovercraft in science class. Students decided a practical use for hovercraft might be to use them to move heavy store shelves, allowing staff to clean under them and re-arrange displays. The concept of the hovercraft was joined with shelving to produce “hovershelving.” Students researched the idea and found that there was nothing like it in existence. They have applied for a patent through the United States Patent Office. Studying house systems led to another invention. While looking at electrical, heating, and plumbing systems, students learned that the average person uses about 50 gallons of water today. With the goal of conserving water, students designed a model home that separates graywater (non-sewage wastewater) from total wastewater. The graywater can be stored and used to irrigate lawns and gardens. On October 20, students will present their model home idea to State Representative Dave Upthegrove. Students hope to convince Upthegrove, chairman of the ecology committee, to promote legislation to allow graywater use.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the B-Town Blog, 10/16/08
www.b-townblog.com/2008/10/16/aviation-high-school-stud
ents-to-apply-for-patent/
 

Monday, October 13, 2008 — Program Enlists Students in Promoting Culture of Honesty to Reduce Cheating.  STORRS, CT: A New York Times editorial observes that cheating in school — plagiarism, forbidden collaboration on assignments, copying homework and cheating on exams — has soared since researchers first measured the phenomenon. According to a national study of 25,000 high school students surveyed from 2001 to 2008, more than 90 percent said they had cheated in one way or another. Dr. Jason Stephens of the University of Connecticut has now embarked on a three-year pilot program to reduce cheating. His premise is that honesty and integrity are not only values but habits — habits that can be encouraged in school settings, with positive benefits later in life. The program seeks to enlist students and teachers in six high schools in promoting a culture of honesty. Schools will be asked to consider honor codes, and, since peer pressure is vitally important, students will be invited to help shape policies and strategies to discourage cheating. Students of both genders and every demographic group cheat even though they know it is wrong, a mind-set Dr. Stephens describes as “a corrosive force” — especially when it is acquired in the early years of moral development. The fact that so many students cheat doesn’t make them intrinsically bad, he says. The biggest determinant is not the values that students are exposed to at home, but peer norms at school. Students are under pressure to achieve high grade-point averages, which helps them rationalize their behavior. And the schools themselves are complicit, because they reward high grades more than the process of learning — while too often turning a blind eye to the cheating. But there’s hope. Previous research suggests that cheating dropped in schools that encouraged a culture of integrity — either by formally instituting an honor code or by stressing at every turn the importance of honesty and integrity--and that dishonest business behavior was lowest among employees who had attended schools with an honor code and whose workplaces encouraged ethical behavior. If the effort shows results, Dr. Stephens plans to enlist more schools in the hope that eventually a standardized program will be adopted throughout the state.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the New York Times, 10/13/08
www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/opinion/13mon4.html?ei=5070&
emc=eta1
 

Sunday, October 12, 2008 — Alaskan Students Petition to Revamp Sex Education.  ANCHORAGE, AK: Politically minded Anchorage college students and local high school students are banding together to reform the way sex education is taught around the state. They're reversing roles and telling their parents and school administrators that kids need more safety talk, not less. Their goal: mandatory comprehensive sex education in high school. It would be a radical shift from the hands-off approach Alaska takes, which leaves sex ed to individual school districts. The proposed change raises questions about what role, if any, schools should play in teaching beyond the ABCs, especially in a time of stringent federal testing requirements that are pushing schools to curb electives. Amber Sawyer, who heads a group at the university called Vox, Voices for Planned Parenthood, is circulating a petition hoping to get attention. Planned Parenthood of Alaska drafted the original petition and has already collected 1,100 names since late August, including 300 people under 18, said chief executive Clover Simon. Simon said they hope to collect 5,000 names and show legislators "that there is general concern in the community that our sex education programs need to be improved." According to a statewide study, 63 percent of Alaskan high school seniors in 2007 reported having sex. And, while Alaska has about average U.S. rates on teen pregnancies, in 2006 birth rates for Alaskan and U.S. teens rose for the first time since 1991. This isn't the first time adults, teachers and administrators have heard from kids who say they need more "real" information. Anchorage high school students a year ago stood up in a series of public forums at schools across the city and said they wanted more instruction, said Anchorage School District health curriculum coordinator Sharon Vaissiere. "It was interesting to me that it was brought up by students, themselves," Vaissiere said.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Houston Chronicle, 10/11/08
www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/6052489.html
 

Wednesday, October 08, 2008 — Students Study Polar Bears in Canadian Tundra.  SALT LAKE CITY, UT: Live via satellite from the arctic tundra near Churchill, Canada, where she is enrolled in a camp for teenagers interested in the conservation of polar bears, a 15-year-old Cottonwood High School sophomore chatted with her Salt Lake City classmates. Abriana Peto was one of 33 students worldwide chosen to participate in a program sponsored by Polar Bears International, a California-based nonprofit that seeks to raise awareness of the problems faced by the massive white bears in the changing arctic. "Earlier this morning, I was about a foot away from a polar bear cub," an excited Peto explained to her classmates, gathered at the Granite School District office. Peto is spending her days on the tundra in a makeshift shelter comprised of rugged vehicles, which the more curious of the bears sometimes approach. "My heart was pretty much pounding out of my chest," she said of the encounter. "It was the coolest experience I'd ever had in my life." Peto, a teen volunteer at Utah's Hogle Zoo, said she's excited to return home "to spend every single weekend I have to spend at the zoo talking to people about polar bears." Peto's tundra blog can be read at www.opbbs.org.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Salt Lake City Tribune, 10/07/08
www.sltrib.com/news/ci_10660825
 

Sunday, October 05, 2008 — High School Students Broadcast Election Results.  NEW ALBANY, IN: Floyd County residents looking for live results on Election Day have an interesting option -- television and radio broadcasts conducted largely by high school students. New Albany High School students in government and radio classes have provided manpower for live broadcasts on the radio and a community cable channel for more than a decade. About 60 students will head to the county's precincts after polls close on Nov. 4, collecting results and bringing them back to the school for tallying. Another 17 students will be on the air, and 14 will run the cameras and audio equipment or serve as directors and producers. The high school's broadcasts have developed fans over the years. Marcey Wisman, the New Albany city clerk and head of the county's Democratic Party, said she's at party headquarters on the night of the election. But she often leaves the building to listen to the broadcast since the results are so quick. "I think they do a wonderful job," Wisman said. County GOP chairman Dave Matthews said the project gives students a chance to learn about politics and community service. "It's a unique opportunity for them," he said. Students get class credit for their efforts, and many like working on the project, said senior Nick Gahan. "I think it gets you more interested -- you want to find out what happened and who won," he said.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Associated Press, 10/4/08
www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-studentbroadcaste
,0,4296927.story
 

Saturday, October 04, 2008 — U.S. High School Joins Forces With Syria to Tackle Iraqi Refugee Crisis.  LAND O' LAKES, WI: Using drawings from Iraqi children who fled to Syria to escape the war in Iraq, American Conserve School and Syrian Al Enawi Secondary School have published a book in hopes of raising awareness of the 1.5 million Iraqi refugees. The book contains drawings by Iraqi children who fled to Syria to escape the Iraq war. “Through the Eyes of Children: The Iraqi Refugee Crisis 2008” was produced as part of the Mondialogo School Contest. The U.S./Syrian team asked Iraqi children to draw pictures that either depicted a memory or a hope. What they collected was frightening: drawing after drawing of death, bombs, and violence. No trace of hope was drawn. "I was shocked at how gruesome the drawings were from children either my age or younger. I can't believe they've already lived through such tragedy," said Kate Allen, Conserve School student team member. The Syrian team collected the drawings from the refugee children, while Conserve School's team organized them into the book using MyPublisher.com to print a limited first run. The U.S./Syrian team took third place in the international contest, which included 2,740 school teams with a total of 36,000 school students between the ages of 14 and 18 from 144 countries. Winners were announced at the International Symposium, held Sept. 25-28, in Beijing, China. Only three schools from the United States were among the top 25 teams to attend the International Symposium; Conserve School was the only U.S. school to rank in the top four. Being one of the top 25 finalists in this global contest is a familiar experience for Conserve School. It has been invited to attend the International Symposium in all three years of the contest's existence, bringing its students to Barcelona in 2004 (with partner Pakistan) and to Rome in 2006 (with partner Iran), where Conserve School received the Unity in Diversity Award. Mondialogo is a global initiative launched by Daimler and UNESCO in October 2003. It aims to promote intercultural dialogue among young people from different cultures in pursuit of peace and the nonviolent resolution of conflict. It has brought together more than 60,000 students from 140 countries, becoming the largest worldwide school contest in support of intercultural dialogue. Conserve School is a non-sectarian college-preparatory boarding high school with special emphasis on wildlife, natural habitats, outdoor sports, and ecology.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: PRNewswire, 10/3/08
www.marketwatch.com/news/story/us-high-school-joins-for
ces/story.aspx?guid=%7B392EB26D-EFAD-4F7A-AC69-43AAACAAB747%7D&di
 

Thursday, October 02, 2008 — Students Create Public Art Gallery Space in High School.  FRANKLIN, MA: If there were an award for best transformation of storage space, this year it would surely go to the Franklin public schools. After months of demolition, cleaning, and painting, an unused space in the high school is now home to Gallery 218, a spiffy new art gallery open to the public. Though small, the gallery is the real deal. A white awning with a student-designed logo hangs above its glass door, giving the entrance a bit of a Newbury Street feel. Inside, white walls hold artworks by faculty members, in an exhibition running through Nov. 7. A student art auction provided a small pool of funds for renovations. Then students and teachers, covering kindergarten through Grade 12, provided the elbow grease. High school art students run most aspects of the gallery. They help organize and hang exhibitions, hold fund-raisers, and staff the gallery, which is open during school hours and evening events such as theater performances. Students also will soon have the opportunity to help jury artwork for future shows. It's hoped the gallery will inspire students by exposing them to different art techniques and styles. Senior Sarah Sharp, who hopes to become an art teacher, says it's already working. "When I was walking through the faculty show, I got a bunch of ideas for different projects, not to copy them but to use similar techniques," said Sharp. "One work was done on wood with paint and carving, so I want to try that. It just inspired me to do different things with my own artwork." For overscheduled students, it also helps that the gallery is convenient. "I like to go to galleries and museums whenever I get the chance, but it's my senior year. So I'm so busy that I rarely get the time," said Sharp. Other students, including senior Rachel Nault, who plans to pursue a career in fashion design, also have reaped another one of the gallery's benefits: seeing their work in a formal art show. "It's honestly really cool. It's limited space, so when you have your work up here it feels very special to be selected among the few," said Nault, one of the gallery's volunteer staff members. Student and parent interest is high. Students at the high school stop by during lunch time, as well as before and after school, and students in lower grades come on class visits. Turnout for openings has been impressive; several hundred people attended the opening of the spring show, which featured works by students in every grade.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Boston Globe, 10/2/08
www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/10/02/creative_
use_of_space/
 

Sunday, September 28, 2008 — Fourth Grader's Letter Inspires $110,000 Grant, New School Playground.  CENTRAL FALLS, RI: At The Learning Community, a public charter school in Central Falls, one student's letter inspired a $110,000 grant from Lowe's and a new school playground. "This playground is a perfect example of our mission in action," said Meg O'Leary, Co-Director of The Learning Community. "We believe that literacy is a tool for change. Students should learn that using your voice, listening and working on behalf of others are important individual responsibilities. Because our strong literacy curriculum encourages students to speak up, and because Lowe's listened, the playground is powerful proof for our students that their voices can make a difference." Three years ago, a group of Learning Community second graders approached the school's administration with a suggestion - they wanted a better place for recess than an asphalt parking lot. The group formed the Playground Planning Committee and began brainstorming ideas, talking to their peers, and sketching their ideas for a great playground. Two years later, fourth grade teachers asked their students to write a letter about something in the world they wanted to change and send it to someone they thought could help. Fourth grader Bernardo Garcia wrote a persuasive letter to executive vice president Mike Brown at Lowe's headquarters requesting turf to cover the parking lot so he and his peers could play safely. Bernardo's letter inspired the Foundation's board to grant $110,000 to The Learning Community. During the spring of 2008 students, staff, teachers and board members worked with artist and designer Laurencia Strauss to plan a playground worthy of the voices of The Learning Community's students. Part playground, part park, the playground contrasts fast and quiet, rubber and grass, and traditional climbing equipment and natural environments.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Learning Community press release, 9/26/08
www.thelearningcommunity.com/studentvoice.html
 

Monday, September 22, 2008 — College Admissions Panel Calls for Less Focus on SATs.  The New York Times reports that a commission convened by some of the country’s most influential college admissions officials is recommending that colleges and universities move away from their reliance on SAT and ACT scores and shift toward admissions exams more closely tied to the high school curriculum and achievement. The commission’s report comes amid growing concerns that the frenzy over standardized college admissions tests is misshaping secondary education and feeding a billion-dollar test-prep industry that encourages students to try to game the tests. A growing number of colleges have made the SAT and ACT optional. The report encourages institutions to consider dropping admission test requirements unless they can prove that the benefits outweigh the negatives, and also expresses concerns “that test scores appear to calcify differences based on class, race/ethnicity and parental educational attainment.” The report calls on admissions officials to be aware of such differences and to ensure that differences not related to a student’s ability to succeed academically be “mitigated in the admission process.” The report calls for an end to the practice of using minimum-admissions-test scores to determine students’ eligibility for merit aid. And it specifically urges the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to stop using PSAT scores as the initial screen for eligibility for recognition or scholarships. The National Merit Scholarship competition “contributes to the misperception of test scores as sole measures of ‘merit’ in a pervasive and highly visible manner,” the report says. It suggests that what is needed is a new achievement test, pitched to a broad group of students, that would predict college grades as well as or better than available tests. Using such an achievement test in admissions would “encourage high schools to broaden and improve curricula,” according to the report, and would also send a message to students to focus on their high school course material instead of on test preparation courses.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the New York Times, 9/22/08
www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/education/22admissions.html
 

Thursday, September 18, 2008 — Gamers Well Adjusted and Civic Minded, According to Pew Study.  A new survey from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, called "Teens, Video Games and Civics: Teens' gaming experiences are diverse and include significant social interaction and civic engagement," was meant to show the relation of civic-minded behavior, but you can learn much about the perception of gaming and how it impacts the lives of children and teenagers. The results are interesting in that they're banal: gaming is like going to the movies, and it's hard to draw many conclusions from the fact that someone is a gamer. 97 percent of children and teenagers ages 12 to 17 claim to have played some kind of video game. Racing is most popular with 74 percent of teens playing games like Mario Kart or Gran Turismo, with puzzle games a close second at 72 percent and sports games coming in third with 68 percent. Gaming is also a social activity, with 65 percent of teens playing games with others in the room with them, while 27 percent of teens are playing online. Gaming has become a way for teens to socialize, and is more often than not a social activity with their peers, not an antisocial hobby enjoyed alone in the room. Online gaming is also just a tool to do more socializing, as 47 percent of teens are playing online with people they know in real life. According to Pew researchers, if you're playing games with others in the room, you're trending slightly toward a politically active life. Teenagers who play games with others have a 65 percent chance of going online for political news, compared to 60 percent of those who do not. There is a 26 percent chance that they have persuaded others in how to vote, compared to 19 percent who do not. This seems to show that those who play games with others are slightly more engaged in politics. Teens who take part in social interactions about games, such as discussing them online, seem to be more engaged politically as well. Eighteen percent of those teens who play games and engage in social interaction related to games have participated in protests over the last year, compared to eight percent who aren't social gamers.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: Ars Technica, 9/17/08
arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080917-the-kids-are-all
-right-gamers-well-adjusted-civic-minded.html
 

Tuesday, September 16, 2008 — Student Group Proposes Changes to Michigan’s New Graduation Rules.  DETROIT, MI: A group of high school students today proposed dramatic changes to the state’s tough new graduation requirements that would create separate routes to a high school diploma based on whether a student planned to attend college, enter the work force or pursue a career in the fine arts. Some routes would require less rigorous coursework for students. The Michigan Youth in Government was challenged by the House Education Committee to study the requirements and recommend improvements. Students who presented their recommendations to the committee said that among the concerns their group of 1,600 students addressed was the fear that placing the rigorous mandates on all students would increase the dropout rate. The current requirements “are not worth cutting so many students out of the system altogether,” Sam Wohns, a student at East Grand Rapids High School, said. Currently, students beginning with the Class of 2011 are required to take four years of math; they also must have four years of English, three years of science and three years of social studies. The students recommended having students follow the Michigan curriculum for the first two years of high school, which would include two credits of math, including algebra I and geometry. After that, students would choose one of several pathways. “This curriculum would create students who are willing to take charge of their own education,” said Ben Brelje, a student at Portage Northern High School.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Detroit Free Press, 9/16/08
www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/NEWS0
6/80916052/1008/NEWS
 

Sunday, September 07, 2008 — Minneapolis Students Protest Convention, War.  MINNEAPOLIS, MN: Several hundred young people gathered at the State Capitol on Thursday, to protest the presence of military recruiters in schools and the spending of tax dollars on the military instead of in schools. Organized by Youth Against War and Racism, the group of about 200 to 300 included some who had walked out of area high schools at 11 a.m. in protest. After the gathering at the Capitol, the students held a peaceful march through downtown to Harriet Island. "The Republican National Convention is going on and I don't agree with a lot of their stances on the war," said 17-year-old Katharine Anderson, who walked out of school at the Perpich Center for Arts Education. She was at the protest with Caleb McMahon, who said that he walked out of school to protest "purely on an idealist level," to show that students and young people who can't vote yet still have strong political opinions forming. "It's not like people suddenly appear once they turn 18," he said. Organizers were careful to encourage students to keep things peaceful during the march, while criticizing a phone message sent to some parents of students in the St. Paul district that discouraged students from skipping class. The message said that students have a right to free expression, but leaving school without permission could result in disciplinary action. The Minneapolis School District sent a notice to families earlier this week, saying it is "proud of students who use nonviolent protest as a means of political expression," and that it's "important for students to make their voices heard," but it wishes it would take place outside of school hours. The Youth Against War and Racism group has organized other protests, and organized efforts to place restrictions on military recruiters in St. Paul and Minneapolis schools. Brittney McCoy, 15, walked out of St. Paul's Highland Park Senior High, saying that witnessing a controversial election up close was a "once in a lifetime experience."
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Minneapolis Star Tribune, 9/5/08
www.startribune.com/politics/national/conventions/27867
639.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUnciatkEP
 

Thursday, September 04, 2008 — Y-Press Journalists Finally Land Credentials for Republican Convention.  ST. PAUL, MN: It looks like the rest of the Y-Press team shut out of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., will get in tonight after all. Lynn Sygiel, bureau director the Indianapolis-based youth media group, said they landed eight passes today and plan to attend tonight’s session. The RNC denied credentials to the teenage journalism group, in part because they weren’t old enough, Sygiel said. One of the guest credentials came from Karen Pence, wife of U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., while the rest came from Pence’s office and the RNC. Among tonight’s speakers is GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, who will make his acceptance speech. Wednesday, Y-Press had to rely on three guest passes provided by “8-18 Media,” a similar youth media organization based in Marquette, Mich. Y-Press then drew names from a hat to determine the last night’s three lucky representatives to the convention. “They didn’t come this far not to be part of the convention,” Sygiel said. “Inside (the hall), you have a better sense of how the convention works and a sense of how government works... This convention, more than any other one in the past, is about involving young people in the political process. And while they can’t vote right now, they (a) eventually will become part of the political process, and (b) can influence people by what they write and hear. This is the best civics lesson in the world.” Y-Press had credentials in 2004 to cover both parties’ conventions; it also did in 1996 and 1992, when it was known as Children’s Express. Y-Press also had five credentials for the Democratic National Convention last week in Denver. This week, the group has interviewed several leading Republicans in St. Paul, including Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., and former presidential candidate and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: The Indianapolis Star, 9/4/08
www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/NE
WS0502/80904047
 

Wednesday, September 03, 2008 — Chicago Students Skip School in Funding Protest.  NORTHFIELD, IL: More than 1,000 Chicago public school students skipped the first day of classes Tuesday to protest unequal education funding, a boycott organizers said would continue through the week with help from retired teachers who will turn office lobbies into impromptu classrooms. The students took church buses 30 miles north to the wealthy suburb of Northfield, where they filled out applications to enroll in the better-funded New Trier district. The move was largely symbolic because students must pay tuition to attend a school outside their home district. The turnout fell short of the thousands organizers expected, and was a tiny fraction of the more than 400,000 students who attend Chicago public schools, but protesters and their parents said they're willing to keep the boycott going as long as it takes to persuade state officials to give their district more money. "It's on us kids," said 14-year-old Tracey Stansberry, a student at Corliss High School. "If we don't, we'll be on the bottom." On the bus ride to the suburban district, volunteers told the children they were taking part in a historic event similar to the bus boycott in Alabama in the 1950s.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Associated Press, 9/3/08
ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h25Dp22bLwMyo-g2MUiwq4f6qX0
wD92V02NG0
 

Sunday, August 31, 2008 — Students Organize Online to Protest Dress Code.  GREENVILLE, NC: Students are voicing their opposition to Pitt County Schools' new dress code electronically. A generation or two ago, students might have staged sit-ins, carried signs or circulated petitions to oppose the code, which took effect Aug. 25 at all grade levels in the county's public schools. But the current protest is more than just a demonstration; it's a demonstration of how tech-savvy students launch an offensive. The Daily Reflector of Greenville reported that D.H. Conley High School freshman Trey Simpson has created a PowerPoint presentation to show his opposition to the new policy, which requires students to wear collared shirts and school-designated colors. Trey hopes the county Board of Education will agree to take a look at his presentation, which says uniforms unfairly penalize students who abided by the school system's former dress code. Students have e-mailed members of the Board of Education, an idea being promoted by the Facebook group Pitt County Students Against School Uniforms (PCSASU). J.H. Rose High School student Uriah Ward started the group this summer in response to the new dress code. Launched in July, PCSASU now has about 400 members and reports representation from all six of the county's public high schools. There are at least two similar Facebook groups with memberships of about 100. PCSASU is seeking "coordinators" to lead groups at each of the county's high schools and middle schools. With school back in session, news of the effort is now traveling by word of mouth.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: the Daily Reflector, 8/31/08
www.wral.com/news/state/story/3462528/
 

Monday, August 25, 2008 — High School Students Converge on Denver to Participate and Report on Convention.  DENVER, CO: Over 250 high school students from across the nation are converging upon Denver to attend the Junior Statesmen Foundation's Election 2008 Symposium at the Democratic National Convention. Among the students are eighteen first-time voters, and over thirty student correspondents who are writing and reporting about their Convention experience for their local media outlets. The students, who represent 35 states and U.S. territories, will hear from political speakers and convention delegates, attend state delegation events and participate in Convention-related activities. The experience will culminate in attending Senator Obama's anticipated nomination acceptance speech at Invesco Field. An integral part of the five-day program is the Speakers Program which will include speeches by former presidential candidate George McGovern, West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III, Obama top pollster Joel Benenson, and U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ). Students will have the opportunity to ask questions of these speakers, and will also participate in daily lectures on the 2008 elections. The Foundation will hold a second Election 2008 Symposium during the Republican Nominating Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul. The non-partisan Junior Statesmen Foundation's mission is to strengthen American democracy by educating and preparing high school students for life-long involvement and responsible leadership in a democratic society.
 
For FULL STORY, go to: MarketWatch.com, 8/25/08
www.marketwatch.com/news/story/high-school-students-fir
st-time-voters/story.aspx?guid=%7B0873B8BE-9B67-401C-9934-EAA04E9