=bWceh_p_d] j[[d fh[]dWdYo - Teens in Print

More documents

Recommendations

Info

How would you feel about your parents having direct access to your grades?This is one service provided by Edline. You might have read or watched aboutit in The New York Times or on “NBC Nightly News.” Recognized as a force intechnology-enabled education, Edline “provides the world’s leading technologysolutions that help schools improve student performance by harnessing thepower of parental involvement, supporting teachers, and engaging the learningcommunity,” according to Edline.net. It is used worldwide to connect parentsto teachers and teachers to students.Schools with password-protected Edline accounts offer grades, along withassignments, school activities, a calendar, student opportunities, lists of classes,sports, and a contact us page. Edline is a full-service resource, meaning it isdesigned for teachers, parents, and students, as well as administrators.Arielle Saavedra, a teacher at Boston Community Leadership Academy, oneBPS school using the system, says, “It’s an efficient way to communicate andnot only academically.”Headmaster at BCLA, Nicole Bahnam, hopes parents will use Edline to keeptrack of their children’s academic performance and ask if they completed theirhomework, even if parents cannot help them on it.On the other hand, Edline, affiliated with the online grade book GradeQuick,costs $2 to $2.50 per student for the entire school year, which not all schoolscan afford. If schools do subscribe, another reality is that not all BPS parentsand students have computers at home, which would limit their access toEdline’s services. Josiah Quincy Upper School and Tech Boston High are twoother BPS schools using Edline.It’s hard to think about the benefits of avoidingprocrastination when you’re lying on the couch eatinga bag of Doritos and watching “CSI: Miami.” Butthink about the things you actually could be doing.You could finish your homework or even get thatEnglish Lit paper done, the one that’s due next week.How exactly is going on Facebook and YouTubegoing to help you in the future? Of course it isn’t agood idea to never stop to sniff the roses, but it’simportant to find a balance. If you really have a lotof time on your hands, it would be better to useyour time wisely. You can learn an instrument, join asports team, give back to your community, or makea friend.One can’t deny that it’s hard tostay away from procrastination,especiallywhen you’re sitting in front of a computer with aniPod in one hand and your cellphone in the other.And wasn’t there supposed to be a new episodeof “One Tree Hill” tonight? What about trying tobeat your brother’s high score in “Guitar Hero”?So many distractions, so little time! Let’s face it.There’s no benefit to procrastinating. It just leavesyou exhausted and lowers your grade point average.If you have the discipline to restrain yourself fromprocrastinating and make it a habit to get your workdone, you are going to have a lot more time to do thet h i n g s you love. Not only will you get your homeworkdone earlier, but you’ll get moresleep. With more rest, it’s easier topay attention in class, and get bettergrades.“When I study I go to a quiet place so thatno one and nothing can distract me.”–Cindy Wong, 15“I try to work ahead on weekends, getsome homework done in study halls, anddo a little reading on the bus to reducethe amount of homework I have.”–Nicole Estevez, 17“Don’t wait to do your homework. Onceyou get home and settle down, youshould start your homework.”–Jennifer Yu, 16“Just don’t use [electronics]. Turn offyour cell and sign off of AIM, andyou’re fine.”–William Goldstick, 18AFH photo by Darren Hicks“When I do my homework at home, Iwear an elastic around my wrist, andwhenever I catch my eyes wandering to adistraction, I flick the elastic. It hurts, butit keeps the distractions away.”–Jesenia Aracely, 15
Have you ever felt like theair in your school is toostuffy? Ever get headachessitting under yourschool’s lights for hours? Well, theNexus Green Building ResourceCenter in Downtown Crossing, anoffice dedicated to making everybuilding in Boston green, may beable to help you out. This is goodnews for most Bostonians. “We spendalmost 90 percent of our lives indoors,”says Andrea Atkinson, who works at the Nexusresource office.For most BPS students, a majority of the day is spentindoors in a classroom and leaving class when theydon’t like the atmosphere is not an option.While it may sound unbelievable, there are simplethings schools can do, not only to improve their overallenvironments, but also to simultaneously cut costs andhelp the earth. Having more windows and less electriclighting is the easiest way any school can help makeitself greener. Not only does this save energy, money,and improve the environment, but according to anarticle in the Washington Post by reporter Kenneth J.Cooper, students who have more light in their classroomsscore up to 25 percent better on standardizedtests than students who don’t .According to the US Green Building Council(USGBC), not only would greener schools increase studentperformance in class, but they would also improveAFH photo by Jane Carperair quality, reduce spread of colds andthe flu, help teachers teach better,and save money. One way to makegreener schools is to build themaccording to Leadership in Energyand Environmental Design (LEED)standards (see sidebar). Even thoughit would be impossible to instantlyrebuild every city school according tothese standards, changes can be madethat would make a difference.In 2006, BPS won the Commonwealth ofMassachusetts Environmental Purchasing andSustainability Award for their transition to green cleaningproducts in all schools throughout the district, theiranti-idling policy for school buses, their use of naturalgas for heat and cooking, and the installation of solarpanels in three schools. Earlier this year, a proposalwas submitted to put wind turbines in six of BPS’swindiest schools to reduce CO2 emissions as well asteach students about alternative energy.“This is a wonderful opportunity for students to seeup close on a daily basis the power of new technologyin creating a cleaner, greener environment,” CarolJohnson, BPS superintendent, said in a press release.“These turbines will serve as outdoor classrooms forstudents and help prepare them for the jobs of tomorrowin the fast-growing field of renewable energy.”While using natural light, wind energy and othergreen fixes alone won’t save the world, the little piecesadd up, and eventually BPS could make a big difference.Considering the positives, going green has manyeducational and health-related advantages for both thestudents and staff of Boston Public Schools. So whilebuilding new schools along LEED standards and makingschools greener can’t make school any less boring,it can make school more bearable, and this makes itworth pursuing.—Monika Derrien contributed to this story. Are built with materials that are sustainable(made from recycled materials, for example, orrenewable resources like bamboo). Send less garbage to landfills. Conserve energy and water. Use lots of natural lighting. Have windows that open for good ventilation. Are healthy and safe for everyone inside them. Don’t put out greenhouse gases. Demonstrate concern for the environment andsocial responsibility.Go to the US Green Building Council website formore information at www.usgbc.org
Page 5 and 6: IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, it was easy f
Page 7 and 8: Pac Sun is a great store to shop at
Page 12 and 13: Sadness, helplessness, loneliness,
Page 14 and 15: Residents celebrate last month’s
Page 16 and 17: Omaha Beach in France was the site
Page 18 and 19: (March 21-April 19)Symbol: The ramS
Page 20 and 21: Most people thought that toys were
Page 22 and 23: Photo by: Alana AndonianHave you ev
Page 24: Hey You!I have been trapped in the

=bWceh_p_d] j[[d fh[]dWdYo - Teens in Print

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?