4/13/10 Teen news: Local(∆) and national

(∆)Gears of War 3 ready for 2011 – Cary-based Epic Games announced a 2011 release for the final chapter of the trilogy that has already 12 million games to date.  Epic is also releasing a first-person shooter game Bulletstorm next year as well.  Epic’s design director, Cliff Bleszinski, was scheduled to discuss “Gears of War 3″ Monday night on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” The trailer for the game that Bleszinski planned to unveil on the show, called “Ashes to Ashes,” also is set to debut today at www.gearsofwar.xbox.com. (N&O)

 New queen of fashion is TN teen – Blair Fowler’s beauty and fashion videos have attracted 61 million views and she is able to direct record number of viewers to other fashion and clothing websites.  The crossover between saleswoman and internet friend isn’t just blurred, it’s completely unimportant: her audience may be aware that they’re being pitched to, but they don’t really care, as long as the pitch is coming from someone they feel they can trust. (Jezebel)

(∆)Wake Tech students’ culinary contest - As the local jobless rate continues to climb, a record number of students have enrolled in the Wake Tech culinary program, which is hosting a pastry contest today in Raleigh.  ”If I had to do it all again and choose between getting my bachelor’s or going to culinary school, I would go to culinary school,” he said. “It fits what I like to do.” (N&O)

 Oregon school district may go to 4 days – In order to save money, the Klamath Falls school district is considering expanding the school day to 5pm and eliminating Friday from the school week.  Imagine having every Friday off, thus making Thursday night the new Friday night, forever?? So what if you’re in school until five. What are you doing until five anyway? (Gawker)

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)

3/30/2010 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)

3/22/10 Local Teen News

Street Scene Teen Center turns 25 - Robert Humprheys helped created the teen center 25 years ago to give teens something to do, usually 15 to 25 teens will come during the week to use the pool tables or the computers while hundreds will come in for dances or parties on the weekends. “What is interesting is that the teens, the program and the place don’t change so much. What changes is the kind of music they are into,” said Carol Walborn, the center’s director between 1996 and 2001. (DTH)

NCSSM collects 400,000 pounds of food – North Carolina School of Science and Math fell short of their goal to break a Guinness World Record of most food collected on a single day. “I don’t think it could have gone any better,” she said Sunday. “It was really outstanding to see the way the community came together, along with our students, to get over 400,000 pounds of food for the Food Bank.” (Herald-Sun)

Study: Teens working too many hours? – UNC/Duke study finds that many employers are violating laws that prevent teens from working between 11pm and 5 am and 13-14 years from working more than 3 hours on a school day. “Sometimes employers don’t know,” an official said. “It’s not like they deliberately violate the rules. But they need to be informed.” (N&O)

Outreach Program shares idea of college – UNC students created the Tar Heel Outreach Program and to offer students an on-campus glimpse of college life.   Natalie Meier, who teaches fifth-grade reading at the Johnston County elementary school, said the outreach helps give children ideas of what they could do one day. “Most of our kids have never been on a college campus or too far out of Johnston County,” she said. “They’re all excited.” (N&O)

3/18/10 Teen News

Johnston Co. Teen of the Year - 14-year-old LaMale Williams is a preacher, organist, choir director and tutor at the Boys & Girls Club.  Since his father is in prison, he turns to religious leaders for mentorship, although they credit his work ethic for his young success.  “I like being different; I’m not that much of a follower,” Williams said. “What people do around me does not affect me. I do what I want to do.”  (Herald)

Fewer teen jobs this summer – Due to the recession in industry and the government, the city of Durham expects to offer teens fewer jobs than past years, which may lead to more problems related to poverty. “For some of them, it’s a very black and white choice,” said Olson-Getty, internship coordinator for YO: Durham, which serves at-risk youth.”On one hand they can get a job in a legitimate economy. but barring that they’re gong to make their money some other way. And the pull of the street is very strong.” (Durham News)

NCSSM seeks world record food drive - This Saturday, the NC School of Science and Math will seek to break the single day record for food collection of 509,000 pounds.  Additionally, they have already raised close to $25,000 for food banks in NC. “It’s been really great to see people back us like they have,” Lewis stated. “And like I’ve said, record or not, it’s all going for a good cause. And if we beat the record, that’s great, because that means even more food that we got for the Food Bank. But if not, we’re [getting] in one day a lot of food that will go to help a lot of people.” (Herald-Sun)

Basketball team unites gangs – At the same juvenile facility that served as the inspiration for the movie ‘Gridiron Gang” starring The Rock, this year’s basketball team of rival gang members has reached the state playoffs in basketball.  ”We have kids who in the past would rather shoot at each other than pass the basketball to each other,”the head coach said. “I’ve never had a kid for two seasons, and we don’t want to.” (LA Times)