4/28/10 Local Teen News

 Preview of CHHS ‘The Wiz” – 100 students are participating in Chapel Hill High School’s spring musical “The Wiz,” which will be be adapted from the musical and  not the movie. “They run every aspect of the show, for the most part,” Drago said. “This is educational theater. This is the best possible learning experience the students can have, actually doing the show themselves.” (Chapel Hill News)

 College select summer reading for frosh – UNC has selected Picking Cotton, Duke will be reading Everything Matters, Peace College will read The Blue Sweater and both NC State and Meredith will read Half The Sky by Nicholas Krisof and Sheryl WuDunn.  Half the Sky explores issues faced by women around the world, and it offers ways readers can help make a difference. The book’s title refers to a Chinese saying, “Women hold up half the sky.” “This is one of the hardest books I’ve had to read,” said Roger Callanan, an assistant undergraduate dean at NCSU. “This is not pleasurable. But it’s important. We’re talking about real brutality and grotesque abuse. But if you persist, at the end it is hopeful, and it is challenging. Now that you know, what are you going to do?” (N&O)

 Profile of student activist – Dismayed by a single piece of litter at age 6, Morehead scholar Adam Meyer has devoted himself to environmental education and activism, including the opening of HOPE Gardens, a community garden north of UNC that will offer transitional employment to homeless people.  “I always felt a connection to the environment and being outdoors,” he said. “My parents used to have to pull me inside, kicking and screaming.” (Daily Tar Heel)

 Durham Riverside no-hits Northern – Sophomore Dusty Tatum tossed a no-hitter as Riverside beat Northern 2-0 to remain undefeated in the Pac-6.  “He’s been getting better as the season has gone on,” Blowe said of Tatum’s performance. “He’s got great stuff. He’s got four pitches, and he had command of all four of them tonight. He did a great job with both sides of the plate and working from ahead for the most part.” (Herald-Sun)

4/02/10 Local teen news

Life in foster care - Riverside High School profile of a young man who lived in various foster homes during his teenage years.  “I went to six different places.  I started to keep my stuff in trash bags because I was tired of moving so much.  The systemʼs messed up; once you get in its hard to get out. You have no control. If you want a group of people to decide whats best for you, then foster care is for you.” (Pirate’s Hook)

Student review of Ipad Touch – ECHHS student offers lukewarm review of Ipad, saying that many of the features are already available on other Apple products and that other issues that still need to be worked-out.  However, the iPad was designed to target a specific audience: people who are not skilled with computers. In this regard, the iPad is a wonderful present for say, Grandma. Yet the device may actually encourage computer illiteracy, as people may settle for this tablet instead of gaining the basic skills necessary to use a laptop or desktop. (The ECHO)

Profile of KHS drum major – Student profile of multi-instrumentalist Tram Quach and her many responsibilities as the drum major of an award-winning high school band.  “They’ve become a close knit family,” says Quach. If one is in trouble the rest will come to their rescue. Quach discovered that it is the drum major’s job to take care of everyone in the band and watch over them all even if there is no beforehand knowledge of how to do the job. She explained, “Even if you come from no where and are totally lost, you’ve got to act like you know what you’re doing.” (Knight’s Scroll)

CHHS student raising funds for refugee youth – Profile of Maddy Kameny, who is trying to raise money to send local Thai and Burmese youth to summer camps. Kameny knew refugee children struggling to learn English in school could benefit from more interaction with English-speaking children their own age and thought summer camp would be a good opportunity. She then worked with Carolina Friends School to arrange for eight refugees, aged 7 to 13, to attend the school’s day camps. (Carrboro Citizen)

3/05/10 Local Teen News

CHHS art show focuses on Haiti – Students created art using the events of Haiti as inspiration and are selling the works at a local coffee shop with proceeds going to American Red Cross.  “Kids feel like they want to help and contribute something, but that they don’t have a lot that they can offer,” Watson said. “This gave them an opportunity to give something of themselves.” (Carrboro Commons)

Should schools require minimum GPA for athletes - Daily Tar Heel column argues that all high schools should follow Chapel Hill’s consideration of requiring athletes to maintain a 2.0 GPA instead of the current policy which requires students to pass 5 classes the previous semester.  Sure, some of these students are aspiring to play professional sports after high school. But most of them will not make it, and the school board owes it to every student to ensure they are prepared to join the work force or enrol in post-secondary education. (Daily Tar Heel)

6 local students selected as Park Scholars - 6 Triangle winners were among the 53 Park Scholars who receive a full-ride at NC State and other stipends, valued at $80,000.  Nicole Doris Roscoe from Chatham Central High School and plans to major in biology. Ansilta Zulima De Luca-Westrate from Durham Academy and plans to major in elementary education. Madhulika Vulimiri of Morrisville from Enloe High School and plans to major in biology or public health. Alex Jin-Wei Chin from Broughton High School and plans to major in mathematics and physics. William Hampton Coe from Sanderson High School and plans to major in philosophy. Stephen Thomas West from Trinity Academy and plans to major in aerospace engineering. (N&O)

“Alternative Spring Break” – More and more college students are foregoing the beaches of Florida and instead opting to volunteer for public service projects around the nation and world.  ”Some students come back saying they’ll change their major or career path,”Samantha Giacobozzi says. “Some come back and think differently about the world a little bit. Many students think it was best experience of their lives.” (US News)

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

(∆)Profile of a suspended student – NC has fourth highest suspension rate in nation, disproportionately minority and special education students.  Ricky has been suspended for 150 days in three years at Hillside High School, most recently for threatening a teacher.  His mother disagrees with the school’s actions: “This is not a bad kid. He beats to his own drummer. He’s outspoken, and he’s got a few bad habits, but if you’re in tune to that, he can excel in your class.” (N&O) photo by Ted Richardson

(∆)Why Chapel Hill needs a teen center - According to a Chapel Hill High School student, a teen center would”give the teens a place to unwind, it’d give parents some time to have us outta their hair, and it’d keep us out of trouble! Snacks! That’s another big thing! We like to eat.” (Durham News)

(∆) Cheerleader learned discipline through wrestling - Profile of Briana Maynard, a cheerleader at WSSU who was the only female wrestler at Reidsville High School.“What I know about wrestling and here, it’s a whole lot of discipline. It’s a whole lot of discipline,” said Maynard. “Something that you learn is you have to push through. But once you get to the end, both of them are very beneficial.” (News-14)

1 in 3 older teens get sexting messages -Thirty percent of 17-year-olds who have cell phones say they have received “sexting” photos or video messages, according to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project.Thirty percent of 17-year-olds who have cell phones say they have received “sexting” photos or video messages, according to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. (MSNBC)