4/12/10 National Teen News

 Some unpaid internships may be illegal – With young people facing a lack of jobs, government regulators worry that companies may be using internships to obtain labor without paying minimum wages.  “If you’re a for-profit employer or you want to pursue an internship with a for-profit employer, there aren’t going to be many circumstances where you can have an internship and not be paid and still be in compliance with the law,” said Nancy J. Leppink, the acting director of the department’s wage and hour division. (NYTimes)

 Teen to attempt Everest summit – 13-year-old Jordan Romero is attempting to be the youngest climber to ascent Mount Everest and the Seven Summits.  “Obese children are the future of America the way things are going,” he tells CNN in Kathmandu Friday as he prepared to leave for the mountain on Sunday.”I am hoping to change that by doing what I do — climbing and motivational speaking. I want to motivate children and inspire them to get outdoors.” (CNN)

 Should students be paid for school? – Time Magazine profiles Roland Fryer’s national study of paying students money for better grades, higher test scores, etc., which obtained mixed results depending on the method and the city.  One clue came out of the interviews Fryer’s team conducted with students in New York City. The students were universally excited about the money, and they wanted to earn more. They just didn’t seem to know how. When researchers asked them how they could raise their scores, the kids mentioned test-taking strategies like reading the questions more carefully. But they didn’t talk about the substantive work that leads to learning. “No one said they were going to stay after class and talk to the teacher,” Fryer says. “Not one.” (TIME)

 Best college tours - Stanford University, another school that offers a self-guided campus walking tour iPhone app, also offers golf cart tours, which enable prospective students and families to see parts of its 8,200 acre campus that aren’t covered in walking tours. (US News)

3/31/10 National teens news

H.S. junior owns dj company, develops tv shows - 17-year-old entrepreneur Oliver Bogner balances school with promoting parties for his dj company, producing and hosting a teen dating show for television and pitching other reality shows to national tv networks.  “When he walked through the door, I was like, ‘What is this?’ He’s a kid,” said Jenny Daly, a producer with Target Entertainment Group. “He was 16. He’s doing what people in the industry coming to me have been doing for 10 years. (LA Times)

A teen jury of peers – 17 teen courts throughout the nation hear cases and decide punishments for first-time juvenile offenders, with the idea that teen jurors would better know what questions to ask and the punishment that may be most effective.  Timothy Williams, a senior who last year sat in the defendant’s chair for fighting and petty theft, said his trial before other students was intimidating and more than a little embarrassing — but effective.”They pretty much understood where I was coming from,” recalled the 17-year-old, who was back in court — this time as a juror. After he was sentenced to curfew, tutoring, community service and meeting minimum grade requirements, he has been doing better in school and hasn’t been in trouble since, he said. (LATimes)

Students still prefer school food to chef’s - After working with a West Virginia school as part of “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution,” most students still preferred the school’s nuggets and pizzas to the chef’s healthier menu.  And when denied the food they were used to, many stopped buying the school lunch. (Salon)

Why girls outperform boys in school? - NYT columnist Nicholas Kristof examines why girls are outperforming boys in almost every single academic category. Mr. Whitmire argues that the basic problem is an increased emphasis on verbal skills, often taught in sedate ways that bore boys. “The world has gotten more verbal,” he writes. “Boys haven’t.” (NYTimes)

3/30/2010 Local teen news

Teens face dismal summer job market – Competing against unemployed workers, teens face a summer job shortage but might have luck in the malls or in stores that are coming soon.  “These jobs are in high demand as we all know with unemployment where it is,” Kane said. “I would be out looking right now for June or May.” (MyNC)

FDA might ban tanning beds for teens - A FDA panel is considering banning artificial tanning for teens after a study demonstrates the deadliest form of skin cancer increases 75 percent in people who use tanning beds in their teens and 20s. Between 40 and 60 percent of teenage girls surveyed went artificial tanning in the prior year, despite awareness of cancer risks, according to studies cited by the FDA. (N&O)

Teen smoking rates way down - A 2009 survey shows that teen smoking rates in North Carolina are at an all-time low of 16% as compared to 32% in 1999. Survey officials attribute the drop to comprehensive tobacco prevention with students. But smokeless tobacco and cigar use in teens remain areas of concern for trust fund officials.(News 14)

Wake make-up day sees many absences – Instead of the first day of Spring Break, a make-up snow day on Monday saw three times as many student absences as a normal Monday and 1,000 teacher absences. Despite the empty desks, “we teach all our classes just as we would if all the students were here,” said Perry, who expressed surprise at the number of student absences. (N&O)

2/26/10 High School Newspaper Stories

Jerk, jerk, jerk – Durham Riverside article explores the origins of Jerkin’ and the popularity of Northern Durham dance group The Rejerks.  “We jerk because it expresses who we are. And, we stand out in teen society, without any negative connotation.  Many people respect us for our videos and popularity we receive,” Brandon Cook of Rejerks said.  ”Many people want to join our group, but what they should really do is create their own, individual group.  Jerkin’ crews are like families.” (Pirate’s Hook)

“Why we love bad t.v.” – East Chapel Hill High School column explores the bliss of sinking into a couch and watching truly awful television.  ”I’ll be the first to admit it, loud and proud: I thoroughly relish watching girls tear each other’s weaves off. I love the catty confession room remarks that accompany each minor tiff. I take sides. I have strong opinions on which contestant Flava Flav, Bret Michaels, Tiffany New York Pollard, and Ray J should have picked as their lifelong soul mate. I just appreciate good television.”  (ECHO Observer)

Mac or P.C. – Athens Drive High School article compares the pros and cons of Mac vs. P.C. in terms of buying a computer for college.  “PCs aren’t just good because they’re usually cheaper, though that is a plus. They’re easier to program than Macs. There’s a reason so many people like them,” said Holmes. “Macs are universally accessible; anyone can use one. They’re easy to understand.” (Athens Oracle)

Is daily cosmetic use bad? – Broughton High School article reveals the hidden health dangers of using cosmetics on your face on a daily basis.  Even products marked “all-natural” and “organic” are not always safe and may contain these hazardous ingredients. Recent studies have revealed troubling amounts of lead in lipstick and hair dyes, mercury in mascara, and a seemingly never ending list of chemicals in a variety of other products. (Hi-Times)

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)