Archives for January 2011

High School Accreditation – What’s It Worth to Students?

While you don’t hear much about it, high school accreditation is actually worth a great deal. These days, nobody knows that more than the students of Wake County, North Carolina who are in jeopardy of losing their national accreditation.

Simply put, accreditation is a means of quality assurance that speaks to the worth of one’s high school diploma.  Should Wake County sever ties with the agency that provides their accreditation, students may face the loss of scholarship opportunities and be turned away from the college of their choice.

The Wake County school board owes it to the community to resolve their issues before the students have to pay.

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Portland Sets Precedent with Free Bus Passes for High School Students

Being a high school student in Portland, Oregon sure does have its advantages. Regardless of whether or not he or she can afford it, each student will receive a free pass to ride city buses.

Each of these bus passes retails for approximately $26 a month and will assist students in commuting to and from school, work, and recreational activities. The program receives some funding from money that would traditionally be spent on yellow school buses.

All in all, this sure beats having to wait from a ride from mom or dad…

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It’s FAFSA Time Again For High School Students Going To College

For graduating high school students getting ready for college it is time to fill out the dreaded FAFSA form so you can get your financial aid in order.

It may seem like a drag now – and it is – but a couple of years from now, when you know how to really milk the system and pimp your new apartment with a flat screen you bought with your financial aid money – you’ll be sure to get your form in early.   Start now…  Oh yeah – Yahoo’s got some real inside tips on how to work it for all its worth.  Check the link below.

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High School Basketball Player Wins YouTube Lottery

Don’t quit school kid, cause you’re not getting drafted up to the pros anytime soon…

You may have millions of hits on YouTube and are getting repped in major newspapers – but you’re not going to be making a career in basketball anytime soon….

Check the video on YouTube here.

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Arizona’s Central High Adopts New International Standards For High Schools

With the terrible tragedy of the recent shootings in Arizona, it is good to know that there is still some good news coming out of the beleaguered state.

You hear so much about how the U.S. is laggin in educational standards and performance these days, so it is good to know that change is happening here – even if it happening slowly…

Central High School is the first public school in the state to adopt the University of Cambridge International Examinations, a rigorous system that will upgrade the curriculum at the Phoenix school to international standards.

Board-examination systems are one way schools in Arizona are becoming more academically competitive.

Unlike regular benchmarking tests such as AIMS and SATs:

– Board exams are complete instructional systems, already aligned with the new Common Core Standards adopted by Arizona last year.

– The end-of-course exams are internationally recognized, so students and schools can compare scores not just within a district or the state, but globally.

– Board-exam systems are broader than Advanced Placement classes or the International Baccalaureate Diploma program because they encompass all high-school grades as well as all subjects, including physical education and career-technical education.

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Teen pregnancy epidemic hits Memphis high school

First of all, they’re not experiencing the joys of parenthood yet – if they’re still pregnant.

Even still – wow!  90 kids pregnant at your school – can you imagine that?

What everyone hasn’t figured out yet – is that this really is an epidemic – caused by MTV’s hit show ‘Teen Mom‘.  I mean really – what did you expect when you take a young, impressionable, unmarried pregnant girl – and offer her fame and fortune?  That girl that just got arrested for spouse abuse earns like $280k a year?!?!?  This is an epidemic for real – and we’re just seeing the beginning.

Ninety students who attend Frayser High School in Memphis are currently pregnant or have already had a baby this year. The stunning number means nearly 11 percent of the school’s approximately 800 students are already experiencing the trials of parenthood.

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Jared Lee Loughner’s high school girlfriend tells all

Kelsey Hawkes, high school sweetheart of Arizona shooting suspect Jared Lee Loughner in high school, says “He was completely different back then than he is now.”

Poor girl.  The media has bum-rushed her as if she’s going to have any critical insight into the mind of a sociopath – when she hasn’t seen him since her freshman year in high school.

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Wake will continue accreditation process

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Video: High School Players Miss Dunk, Break Backboard — Back

I’ll admit it, we’ve had a YouTube run on trick plays and buzzer beaters recently. You could pretty much guarantee that if it was a story about high school sports, it either involved trickery, or last-second heroics (or both).
Back Porch FanHouse – http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2010/05/12/hs-basketball-star-actually-22-years-old-arrested-as-imposter/?icid=mainhtmlws-main-ndl4link3http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2010/05/12/hs-basketball-star-actually-22-years-old-arrested-as-imposter/

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American Heart Association Wants All High School Kids To Learn CPR

So if Biology, Chemisty, AP Math, and gym wasn’t enough – now we’re supposed to expect all high school kids to become little life savers too?

The American Heart Association wants to require all high school students to be trained in performing CPR.

Seriously?

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High School Sports: An Introduction

High school athletics have been responsible for launching the early careers of most major NFL and NBA athletes. But they also help you build a more well-rounded high school career (read: one that could be more attractive for college admissions personnel), as well as build social and competitive skills, discipline and organizational skills. In some cases they are also the springboard to a competitive and valuable college scholarship.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), 3.1 million girls and 4.4 million boys actively participate in high school sports across the nation and data indicates those numbers continue to climb. This is good news for a nation in which statistics for childhood obesity continue to be alarming.

Most Popular High School Sports

The most popular high school sports regularly include: football, basketball, track and field, baseball, and soccer for boys; and basketball, track and field, volleyball, and soccer for girls. It’s likely the local news outlets—TV, newspaper and online sources—cover the most competitive area match-ups. But we’re also to a point in our technological history in which you can watch your favorite high school sports teams on YouTube, or “friend” and follow teams and players on Facebook and elsewhere.

Emerging High School Sports

“Emerging” sports are those that have not enjoyed widespread popularity. Sports like lacrosse and cheerleading, or “competitive spirit squads,” may be regional favorites, or interest may be trickling down from colleges or private high schools, where lacrosse, equestrian, tennis and field hockey have long histories.

Other emerging sports to keep your sights on include: rowing, rugby, and even competitive dance.

Participating in High School Athletics

If you’re interested in a high school sport chances are good that you’ll have to try out. The most popular sports have varsity and junior varsity teams and many students show up for try-outs. But space is limited. Besides varsity and junior varsity, though, you may also have the option to participate in intramural or club sports. You get the rush without the pressure. And then again, less popular and emerging sports teams may welcome all who’d like to participate.

Getting a College Athletic Scholarship

Can you use your high school sports career to land a college scholarship? The college athletic scholarship arena is quite competitive, but with adequate advance planning and the right motivation and skills, scholarships for college sports are possible.

NCAA division I and II colleges and universities hand out many thousands of full and partial sports scholarships every year to high school athletes. In the most popular sports, these are ultra competitive. However, less competitive are athletic scholarships in less popular sports, such as swimming and diving and volleyball, among many others.

Keep in mind that if you’re a high school athlete and really want to use scholarship money to help pay for college that many community colleges and junior colleges also offer some athletic scholarships. Guess what? Many of these types of colleges “field” exceptionally competitive teams, so don’t rule them out.

High School Academics and College Prep

If you are preparing for college or any type of post-high school education, the courses you take in high school are fundamental. What basic information do you need right now to find out if your high school has what it takes to prepare you for college and your career beyond?

  • Evaluating your high school’s academic record
  • Setting your own academic goals
  • Maximizing your high school coursework

Evaluate Your School’s Academic Record

Never before in history has the country’s educational system been so scrutinized. Local news sources may regularly report on your high school’s academic record and major media outlets like U.S. News and World Report publish popular annual high school rankings lists.

Data on your high school’s academic record is available to almost anyone with a computer and an internet connection, including college admissions personnel.

Here’s a suggestion: Find out how your high school ranks regionally and nationally for academics, and leverage that information to prepare for college accordingly.

Set Your Academic Goals Early in High School

Good, bad or ugly, your high school’s academic record—whether it’s a public or private high school—plays only a small role in your college plans. Your high school’s academics are what you make of them, so the earlier you begin thinking about college, the better. If you wait until your junior or senior year in high school, even the best academic record may not save you.

As soon as you can in your high school career, create a strategy for the coursework you’d like to pursue. A well-worn business adage goes like this: Plan your work and work your plan. Create an academic plan and follow it. If college is the goal, keep it uppermost in your mind.

Tips and Tricks for Maximizing Your High School Coursework

You have a high school academic strategy laid out, you’re following it, and you have college uppermost in your mind….But how might you punch up this strategy even more?

  • Find out what you can about the colleges you’re interested in attending and plan your high school academic strategy accordingly.
  • Build on your high school academics by pursuing learning opportunities outside the classroom: volunteer in organizations that may help you gain some experience in your intended career, gain access to industry resources (books, reports, research data, etc.) that can enhance your classroom learning, and more.
  • Get involved in high school athletics, hobbies or other non-academic interests that prove to college admissions professionals that you are a well-rounded, active and motivated student.
  • Seek additional help and support for subjects that keep your grade averages low:  tutors, help sessions, extra credit coursework, and even online and offline resources outside the classroom are all excellent options and show you have what it takes to overcome challenges.

Remember, use your high school’s academics as a starting point for your college prep education.

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