-
Teens Who Sleep Less More Likely to Lead Risky Lives
Tweet Share on Facebook September 30, 2011 Comment (1)Teens ages 14 to 18 who get fewer than 8 hours of sleep on school nights—some 70 percent of U.S. high school students—may be more likely to engage in risky behavior, according to a new study released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control.
The study's authors examined the 2007 national Youth Risk Behavior survey and found that students who averaged less than a full night's sleep were more likely to use drugs, drink alcohol, be depressed, and be less physically active than well-rested students.
-
Survey: STEM Engagement Begins Early
Tweet Share on Facebook September 28, 2011 Comment (3)Many students decide to study science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) early in their high school careers, according to a new survey released earlier this month by Microsoft.
Almost four in five college students who are pursuing a STEM-related degree say they decided to go into their field in high school or earlier; about one in five say they decided in middle school or earlier.
-
Denzel Washington, LeBron James Show Support for Boys & Girls Clubs
Tweet Share on Facebook September 26, 2011 Comment (1)Big-name celebrities such as Denzel Washington, LeBron James, and director Ron Howard showed their support for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America by announcing a new public service announcement campaign Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
The Howard-directed spot features 21 notable Boys & Girls Clubs alumni, including Washington, Jennifer Lopez, Ashanti Douglas, New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, former NBA stars Shaquille O'Neal and Magic Johnson, among others.
-
Creative Writing Centers Help Students Become Published Authors
Tweet Share on Facebook September 23, 2011 CommentThe authors of Be Honest write about heartbreak, education, immigration, and the influence of politics with a kind of on-the-ground command you might not expect—but that's because they've lived through it.
The book's authors are dozens of high school students across the country in the latest collaborative effort from 826 writing centers, a nonprofit formed by bestselling author Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, What is the What) and teacher Ninive Calegari. The nonprofit has worked with more than 24,000 students in eight cities nationwide.
-
Top Students' Achievement Falls During High School Transition
Tweet Share on Facebook September 21, 2011 Comment (2)A large number of America's highest-performing middle school students regress during high school, according to a new study released Tuesday by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an educational research firm.
The institute followed 120,000 students at more than 1,500 schools as they studied the transition between elementary school and middle school and the transition between middle school and high school. The elementary school study followed third graders starting in 2004 and followed them through the end of their eighth grade year in 2009. The high school study followed sixth graders starting in 2005 through their 10th grade year in 2010.
-
Two Thirds of Teen Drivers Don't Know Basic Auto Repair
Tweet Share on Facebook September 19, 2011 Comment (2)About two thirds of teen drivers are "clueless" or have "average" knowledge when it comes to basic car maintenance, according to a parental survey released Wednesday that was conducted by AutoMD.com, an automotive repair website.
Two in three teens don't know how to change a flat tire, check or change the oil, or jumpstart a battery, according to the survey. They are also unable to identify basic car parts or perform emergency roadside repairs.
-
SAT Scores Fall as Most Test Takers Miss College Benchmark
Tweet Share on Facebook September 14, 2011 Comment (8)The College Board, creators of the SAT, say they've discovered what score students need to succeed in college: 1550. It's a score 43 percent of SAT takers met in 2011, the nonprofit organization announced today.
Students with a combined score of 1550 across the critical reading, math, and writing portions of the popular college-entrance exam have a 65 percent chance of earning a 2.67 GPA or higher during their first year of college, according to College Board research. The organization says that students who meet that benchmark have a much higher chance of graduating college than students who score below the benchmark.
-
Parents, Students Report Different Rates of Bullying
Tweet Share on Facebook September 14, 2011 Comment (6)About 70 percent of parents across the U.S. say that their child has been bullied on school grounds, according to a new survey sponsored by ADT Security Services and the Cherokee County, Ga., school district—a percentage much higher than students report.
The survey, conducted by parental protection website safetymom.com, included parents of 520 students of all grade levels. In comparison, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported last month that approximately a quarter of high school students were bullied during the 2008-2009 school year, according to a student survey.
-
Obama Jobs Legislation Includes $60 Billion for Education
Tweet Share on Facebook September 12, 2011 Comment (2)President Obama's plan to create jobs includes up to $60 billion in new education funding to prevent teacher layoffs and to modernize and renovate more than 35,000 aging schools across the country.
The American Jobs Act, which Obama announced at a joint session of Congress last Thursday and will be introduced to both houses later this week, would stimulate the economy and save thousands of teaching jobs, according to the White House.
-
Resources Help Teach 9/11 Lessons
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2011 Comment (2)With the 10th anniversary of 9/11 a few days away, high school teachers who want to teach their students about the attacks have a few options.
A number of organizations, including the National History Museum and the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial Fund, have created websites to help educators discuss the significance of the attacks with students of all ages.
