2/02/10 teen news – local(∆) and national

YA author LC’s reading list – For EW.com’s book blog Shelf Life, Lauren Conrad shares her favorite books: Goodnight Moon, The Great Gatsby, Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Lord of the Rings, The Contortionist’s Handbook, The Notebook, and Speak. (Gawker)

(∆)Profile of teen princess Maria Cannon – Cardinal Gibbons High School senior dresses up as a princess to entertain at children’s parties and then donates all of her proceeds to the Ronald McDonald House of Durham.“It’s easy to forget about other people—and especially people who are less fortunate than you are,” she says. “This has really helped me to think of other people before me and help me grow more compassionately toward others. So it has really been a really good thing for me. And I would hope that it has helped someone else in the community.” (Carolina Parent)

W.V. lawmaker wants to ban calculators - Frustrated that young people can’t make change, Ray Canterbury, a former math major at University of Chicago, wants to ban calculators at elementary and middle schools so that students are forced to learn basic math without technical assistance.“It’s like giving them a crutch. I don’t like using that term, but that’s essentially what it is,” the delegate said. “They really don’t learn math the way they once did. A lot of things just need to be learned by practice and rote memorization.” (Charleston Daily Mail)

(∆)Half of NC high schools lack certified athletic trainers – Editorial by UNC newspaper outlines danger of 200 high schools not having certified trainers to prevent and treat injuries, especially concussions.  Schools and their communities must take it upon themselves to take care of their young, developing athletes. It is a decision that could affect the lifelong well-being of their students. (Daily Tar Heel)

NC high school cheerleading championships (photos)

(click images to enlarge – photos by wjzo.com)

Monday’s teen news – local(∆) and national

(∆) Raleigh family has 3 valedictorians – Sister and two brothers all graduated top of class from Cardinal Gibbons and now attend Norte Dame. “It’s unbelievable,” said their mother, Mary Ann Enzweiler. “We don’t know what they did, but they’re so competitive with each other. When number one did it, number two did it. It’s contagious.” (News & Observer) photo by N&O

Half of HIV-positive teens unaware – According to a new study by the CDC, 48% of teens with HIV were unaware of their infection and less than 25% of sexually active teens ever get tested for HIV. (RedOrbit)

Valedictorians discuss future with NYTimes – Profiles and excerpts. “For our entire lives someone or somebody or some entity somewhere has been controlling what we do,” Ms. Edwards said. “I can’t imagine how liberating it’s going to be.” (NYTimes) photo by Beatrice de Gea

(∆) Top 10 teen novels of 2009 – According to Wake County Library.

NJ law grants immunity to teen drinkers – If a teen drinks too much and needs medical attention, a friend can call police without either person being charged for underage drinking. (Philly.com)

10 Warning Signs of Teen Dating Abuse – And 10 ways to protect yourself. (ABC News)

Terrible job market for teens – Many places not hiring and if they do, are hiring older workers who were recently laid-off.  Myra Arias said the sour economy has been driven home for her …. when she visited the sandwich shop where she had worked during high school and found a friend’s mother, laid off from a managerial job, behind the counter. (LA Times) photo by Allen Schaben

Fewer college scholarship opportunities – Recession has forced foundations, corporations, colleges and state governments to reduce their financial support for scholarships.  The result is more applications for loans and federal aid.  (NYTimes)

Urban high school has 0 dropouts – Untraditional, small public school in Camden, NJ teaches students to follow their passions. “Our students have the same issues, dilemmas and challenges as students at the larger high schools,” says principal Timothy Jenkins. The graduating class includes students who became pregnant or homeless but still made it through school. (AP) photo by Mike Derer

Study: 15% of teens think they’ll die young - Researchers claim that these teens engage in risky behavior because they believe they are likely to die before 35. The study, based on a survey of more than 20,000 kids, challenges conventional wisdom that says teens engage in risky behavior because they think they’re invulnerable to harm. (LA Times)