This article about the benefits of volunteering appeared in the Sunday edition of the Courier-Post and was written by guidance counselor Mark Petito.

As a guidance counselor at Deptford Township High School, I see a tremendous need for high school students to volunteer their time with community service projects or area agencies. Not only is there a great need for volunteers, but volunteering can bring students many benefits in the future.
Read the rest of this entry »

With the beginning of school comes homework. And, in many cases, more of it than in the past. High school students are signing up for advanced placement, IB and college-credit courses through dual enrollment at record numbers. Knowing where to go to get homework help is a necessity.

Many online services provide homework helping in everything from math and physics to health and English. While the majority of these services are free, some do charge for answers. Others offer free help, but none of them will do the homework assignment for you. Instead, they point you in the right direction to find the answer, or help explain assignments so that you grasp the concepts.
Read the rest of this entry »

Halima Ramsey has perfected her juggling act. At 16-years-old, she has found a way to successfully balance a heavy course load at her college prep high school, a position on her school’s basketball team and an active role in her church youth group.

Having a busy schedule is as much a part of a modern high school student’s life as homework. Help your students get a handle on their schedules with these helpful organization tips.
Read the rest of this entry »

A new trend is sweeping through the nation?s high schools. School districts are rethinking the traditional school model, many developing Small Learning Communities (SLC) to better reach their students.

What is a Small Learning Community
Small Learning Communities are called by a variety of a name, like school within a school, academic teaming, career academies and houses. Despite the variety of titles, the basic purpose of all of the programs is very similar ? to create a close-knit, small learning environment within a large school. These programs give each student an adult leader, someone at the school who knows the student well and can act as a trusted advisor.
Read the rest of this entry »

It seems that teachers, administrators, parents and school counselors are not the only ones who think high school should be harder. According to a recent story reported by the Associated Press, high school students want more of an academic challenge in the classroom. Read the full article below.

The campaign to make high school more demanding seems to be picking up support from the people who have the biggest stake in the matter: the students themselves.

Almost nine in 10 students say they would work harder if their high school expected more of them, a new survey finds. Less than one-third of students say their school sets high academic expectations, and most students favor ideas that might add some hassle to their life, such as more rigorous graduation standards and additional high-stakes testing.
Read the rest of this entry »

Beyond entrance exams and admissions essays, every college student is expected
to occasionally wield the mighty pen for a paper of some fashion. No matter
what your major is, dreaded term papers and e-mails to professors and classmates
loom ahead. Writing skills can be the gateway to better grades and greater
academic achievement. Any author, from Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. to Diane McKinney-Whetstone,
can polish his or her writing by practicing these seven easy tips:

1. Read, and read a lot. The more you read, the more
your parameters will expand. No matter what interests you – whether
it’s history, sci-fi or adventure – reading will subject
you to different writing styles, expanding your vocabulary and your familiarity
with grammar and punctuation. Don’t limit yourself to books -
magazines also are quick and informative reads.

2. Be yourself. Write what you know. You can write
more intelligently on familiar subjects. Sure, more research can be done,
but don’t start with a foreign topic. On a similar note: avoid
unfamiliar words. If you use fancy language that’s not “you,” it
shows. Big words do not equal intelligence. Be cautious when using your
thesaurus!

3. Practice, practice, practice! Go beyond writing
for school assignments. Write in a journal daily. Write short stories
or poetry. No matter what you write, as long as you are putting pen to
paper (or fingers to keys), it will only help you grow.

4. Create an outline. Outlines are extremely helpful
when writing because they will help you stay on topic. It’s
tempting to branch off into new information as you write, but you should
keep your reader in mind at all times -
you don’t want to
confuse them. Creating an outline will facilitate organization and cut
your writing time down dramatically.

5. Learn proper grammar. Grammar is often overlooked
these days. As you read more, you will become more familiar with grammatical
principles. Learn how to diagram a sentence. This will make you very
conscious of the different parts of speech and how they relate to each
other.

6. Revise your own work. You are your own worst critic,
which will show as you edit your work. Many students write without editing
or even rereading their papers. This can be a fatal error – spell/grammar
check WILL NOT catch everything. Guaranteed. Ask friends to read over
your work, too. Someone else’s revisions can help just as much,
if not more, than your own.

7. Review your past work. Take an hour every month
to go back through what you’ve done in the past. See what you did
and analyze how you might write it differently now. You’ll be able
to see your growth, and you can give yourself a pat on the back for a
job well done.

Standing Out in the Crowd: References that Set Your College
Application Apart

With more than 20,000 applications flooding some major universities
annually, it may take a little something extra for your submission to
stand out in the stack.

One key in ensuring that an admissions team sees your positive attributes
is to choose good references. Typically, colleges require the
following information with each application:

• A listing of your academic capabilities (reflected in your grades)

•
A personal essay

•
Two or more letters of recommendation

While your academic achievements and personal essay are aspects you
can "control," you
may feel at the mercy of your references in terms of what they say about
you in the letters they write. These letters are, after all, extremely
significant in terms of providing a third-person perspective on who
you are as an individual. And their extra touch personalizes your application
for admissions officers, adding a human element to the words
on a piece of paper.

But you have more control over the words that go into your letters of
recommendation than you probably realize. That’s because you choose
who will write those letters. Choosing who writes them can make all the
difference in the world.

Who you choose: BE PICKY!

In selecting someone to write your recommendation, you should consider
a number of elements. To help you remember what each of these elements
are, use the acronym BE PICKY and you’ll choose only the best,
most suitable letter writers:

Break down a list of people whom you know well, and who know you well,
also. Consider:
•
Coaches
•
Teachers
•
Employers
•
Musical Directors

Eliminate those who would not be able to state anything specific about
your positive traits.

Prepare
and ask! Make sure you have all the required forms your recommender
may need, including a stamped, self-addressed envelope for each school
for which you are requesting a letter. Remember, these individuals are
doing you a favor! Be as organized and helpful as possible.

Initiate a time to meet with the referrer to explain what you need from
him or her. Simply leaving the request in a mailbox or on a desk or sending
an e-mail message allows opportunities for your request to get misplaced.

Check in occasionally. It is your responsibility to be sure all deadlines
are met. Plus, the person writing your letter may also be writing recommendations
for others with different deadlines for each letter. A friendly reminder
not only keeps you on track, but keeps your recommender on track too.

Kindness is owed! Be sure to show your appreciation for the referrer for taking the time to help you. Remember, this is a favor he or she
is doing for you.

You are on your way! With
solid recommendations from the people who know you best – those who can
offer specific examples in clear,
concise letters – you are on your way to becoming a student at
the college of your dreams!

Always, there were admirers. People who were amazed by her abilities
or, at the very least, intrigued.

For all intents and purposes, she was an intellectual celebrity throughout
high school. Her involvement in several activities frequently made her
the
focal point of attention. She was a math whiz, a cheerleader, an
accomplished pianist. So, when Lissa X. Yu, a 2004 graduate of Dos
Pueblos High School in Santa Barbara, Calif., scored a perfect 1,600
on her Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), it was – and it wasn’t
– big news..

"I wasn’t at all surprised," said Jeffrey Souther, Yu’s
AP Latin instructor for four years. "I had an opportunity to see
her intellect in action, and she was not only superb in foreign languages,
but also mathematics."

In 2004, Yu’s high school academic record, along with her perfect performance
on the SAT, earned her the highly esteemed designation of Presidential
Scholar and an invitation to Yale University. Her rise to the highest levels
of academia, according to her, are not due to sheer genius, but rather
a strong work ethic and a close to perfect upbringing in southern California.

"It was one of those paradise-like childhoods,” Yu said. “My
parents took me to the beach all the time. There was perpetual 70 degree
weather. It was probably the soundest environment imaginable."

Born in China, Yu came to the United States when she was four. The oceanside
hamlet of Santa Barbara, with its lush mountains and beach resorts, was
the backdrop for her educational beginnings..

Childhood bliss

Far from a child prodigy, she was encouraged to learn from an early age.
Throughout her youth, rather than enrolling her in after-school daycare
programs, Yu’s parents instead allowed her to study dance and music.
She also showed a particular fondness for reading.

Her involvement in multiple organizations throughout high school, such
as cheerleading, orchestra and math competitions, introduced Yu to a diverse
group of personalities, though she admits her friends did not always relate
well to one another. Souther said Yu remained committed to her friends
and her hunger for knowledge, which particularly manifested itself her
senior year.

"She asked to meet with me a couple times a week after class to master
the material, not just to get a decent grade," Souther said. "I
thought that was extraordinary for someone with so many commitments."

Her goal in the fall of 2003, like hundreds of thousands of other students
across the country, was simply to do the best she could on the SAT. Yu’s
best was among the best in the nation and landed her selection as a Presidential
Scholar.

A presidential honor

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive
order of the president, to honor the nation’s most distinguished
graduating high school seniors. Each year, up to 141 students who represent
excellence in education are named Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s
highest honors for high school students..

"She is a pretty modest person about her accomplishments," said Yejin
He, Yu’s mother. "I asked her how she did on the
SAT test and she said, ‘Fine. I think I did OK.’ That was after
she got a perfect score. She doesn’t brag about it. We didn’t
expect her to do lots of things until they happened."

A commission appointed by the president of the United States makes selections
from more than 2,700 eligible applicants who have demonstrated exceptional
accomplishments in academics, the arts and public service.

"I was not No. 1 at my high school," Yu said. "I’d
be the first to tell you if you get a ‘B,’ don’t cry.
There were definitely people who scored better than I did every semester
and in special classes. I’ve been fortunate."

A very humbling experience

The Presidential Scholar designation contributed to Yu’s admission into
Yale University in the fall of 2004. Technically her major is undecided,
but she plans to major in psychology with a focus in neuroscience.

"Yale has been a very humbling experience’" Yu said. "My
high school was a great place, but it was a public school. I go to Yale
and find that some people went to private schools where 80 percent of the
student body goes on to Ivy League schools."

Her drive at Yale has turned away from perfection as the material and
coursework have become more involving. At home, the wishes for her well-being
have stayed down to earth.

"I never hoped that she would accomplish anything big
or that she would be a star," her mother said. "I just wanted
her to be a good person and welcomed by society – for everyone to want
to be around her. That was enough for me."

Fashion is like a revolving door. Something can be in one season and out the next. As a college student, you aren’t going to be exempt from the fashion patrol, but who has time to keep up?

When it comes to fashion, there are definite rules to follow. To make it easier for you to balance your schoolwork and wardrobe, KEY fashion editor Nourisha Wells has created a top 10 list of clothing must-haves
for any college campus.

1. Jeans: The beautiful thing about jeans is that they can be dressed down or up. Consider light to medium finishes for those just-crawled-out-of-bed days and darker rinses with a nice top for nights out.

2. College Wear: You’re not an official student until you beef up your collegiate wear. Whether it’s t-shirts, hoodies, shorts or jackets, every student should have school paraphernalia. Show your school spirit!

3. Business Suit: Universities are notorious for hosting networking opportunities. You don’t want to be underdressed. A suit is also useful when it’s time to interview for internships. Try to stick with traditional colors like navy and black.

4. Sweats: Athletic wear has become an acceptable staple in today’s fashion world. This is good news for college students. Not only can you be comfortable, but you can look good at the same time.

5. White shirts: It’s amazing what a crisp white shirt can do for your mood. You can pair one with jeans, slacks or a nice skirt. Whatever your taste, there’s a style with your name on it.

6. Jacket: No matter where your school is, you will probably need a jacket. Plan ahead by purchasing both a dress jacket and a casual one. Try a chic leather jacket to spice things up and an updated denim jacket for laid-back hip.

7. Khaki Kraze: No wardrobe is complete without khakis. Guys – khakis are appropriate for both business and casual. Girls – khakis can be versatile by adding a splash of color in shirts or accessories.

8. Bathrobe: Although the thought of community bathrooms might make your skin crawl, they are a reality at many college dorms. Avoid the embarrassment by packing a bathrobe.

9. Comfortable Shoes: Your feet will thank you as you lug your heavy backpack across campus. Go sports-trendy with a pair of hip gym shoes or nice flip-flops. If you’re wise, you’ll pack both!

10. Tightie Whities: Your mother was right; you can never have enough underwear. I recommend a month’s supply to get you through when studying trumps laundry time.

For many high school students, the summer meant freedom from homework, freedom from rigid schedules and freedom from relying on their parents for transportation. Now, equipped with newly acquired driver’s licenses, these same high school students will head back to school behind the wheel of a car.

Driving is a lot of responsibility and teens tend to overlook safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), crashes involving drivers ages 16 through 20 rose 1.3 percent in 2003. Teenage drivers have twice as many fatal car accidents than drivers overall.
Read the rest of this entry »