64 thoughts on “Investigative Journalism (period 2)”
It all started in 2001 in Montpelier,Vermont with a boy named Ryan Halligan. Ryan was in 10th grade and had accounts on instagram and twitter. A group of students at Ryan’s school thought it would be funny to spread a rumor. Unfortunately for Ryan, the rumor was about him, that he was gay. Ryan was unaware of the rumor and lived his normal life as about as normally as he would. Ryan had thought he met a nice girl on AOL instant messenger, but instead the girl and her friends were in on the rumor and teased him about it. This trend of teasing and cyber bullying continued for a year after this. Ryan fell into a deep depression and in 2003 he committed suicide.
The epidemic that is cyber bullying has continued for 10-20 years all around the world. Emma Sirota, an 8th grader at El Rodeo says she knows at least 8 people that have been cyber bullied.Even the principal at the school has started braking down on cyberbullying in the upper grades, he says that we here at El Rodeo are a family, we can’t pick on eachother.
Half of all kids in the world with social media accounts have reported cyber bullying and ¼ have reported a recurrence in cyber bullying. A new study, released by the University of California, shows that out of all bullying in the world, 33% is cyber. The fact is that 79.1% of kids in schools around the world have reported cyberbullying more than twice. And out of that 38.7% have committed suicide.
That number, from Nobullying.com, is too high according to Ryan’s parents and many others.Ryan’s parents have started a foundation against cyberbullying. The Halligan’s Foundation is privately funded and attempt to stop cyber bullying by reporting every case to the police. The police then track where the comment was made and arrest the perpetrator. The arrest is made on account of Vermont’s Bullying Law. The Halligan Foundation has stopped an estimated 105 cases world wide.
There are several organizations like this one even government organizations like the NSA that have looked into stopping cyber bullying. But the question still remains: why aren’t these campaigns working? People argue that there isn’t enough funding for the programs that are trying to stop it. Weather law enforcement, government, or even private organizations like the Halligan foundation, don’t have the correct resources.
The step that many are taking is actually one backward. The parents of victims and perpetrators are taking a step back and giving their kids 15 years. No social media, increasing punishment in school. They think the entire international problem of cyber bullying will go away entirely. All people can do is wait. Organisations like the Halligan Foundation do not only advise parents of the victims, but also all parents in general. What can you do? You can step down from social media. Take a leave of absence from your social pleasures for the benefits of others.
Your writing is excellent for this topic. Your writing provided great statistics and facts to support your topic and included a story that drew me in. Excellent work.
Phones. Are they Distracting You?
By Penelope La Paglia
Distractions. Everyone knows it’s not good to be distracted while doing anything. Yet almost everyone owns one of the biggest distractions known to man… Mobile Phones.
Today at Cedars-Sinai Urgent Care, a baby boy dropped his toy on the floor, began crying, and his father didn’t know why.
The father had walked into Urgent Care pushing his baby son in a stroller. After finding a seat, the man began checking his phone. While the father was staring at his phone, the little boy dropped his elephant toy, and began to cry. The man could not figure out why he was crying. He tried singing to him, bouncing him up and down, and giving him milk. The baby did not stop crying.
People in the waiting room began to become annoyed with the excessive crying. They began to fidget in their seats, and they shot rude looks. The man became flustered and frantically rocked his baby. After the baby had been crying for about five minutes, his wife walked into the room. As she sat down, she spotted the toy, picked it up, and gave to her son who then stopped crying. The man thanked his wife, then went back to his phone.
This can be seen in many situations. People don’t pay enough attention to their surroundings because of technology, specifically phones.
Phones seem to be linked to our lives in such a significant way that it seems we wouldn’t be able to get through one day without out them. There is a constant search for free wifi, and “I’ll just check my phone really fast.”
We have become so codependent on phones that we don’t feel safe without them.
“I always sleep with my phone on in case of some freak emergency. I’m not able to sleep without it on, because I don’t feel safe,” Aimee, 45.
Whereas others feel that they are out of the loop if they don’t check their social media every second of every day.
“I don’t put my phone down because I feel like my friends will try to talk to me, or post something and I don’t want to miss out on what’s going on with other people,” Eve, 13.
On the other hand some people just sit down and watch cat videos for hours and hours and hours.
“I just like watching minecraft videos, and funny videos on instagram,” Lola, 10.
Kids don’t go outside and play anymore. They sit inside and play on their phones. Or they sit in restaurants on their phones. This is a classic tired parent move.
Being distracted is much more dangerous than you may think. According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, nearly 1.3 million people die in road crashes each year, on average 3,287 deaths a day. An additional 20-50 million are injured or disabled. Studies show that the average time your eyes are off the road while texting is five seconds. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded. Like 9/11. Crash, boom, and then it’s over. That’s all it takes for your life to be gone.
One Mississippi: “DING” you receive a text message while driving. Two Mississippi: You glance down and read the message. Three Mississippi: You take one hand off the wheel, and start typing your response. Four Mississippi: You don’t notice the car in front of you is merging into your lane. Five Mississippi: You crash into them. Your car spins out of control. You crash. You die instantly. That’s all it takes. Was that text message worth it?
We all know that the classic Doofenshmirtz, from Phineas and Ferb, who is always so distracted by telling Perry about his evil plans, that Perry escapes and his plans are foiled. Distractions aren’t good for him, and they aren’t good for you.
Research shows that worldwide 56 million people die each year. If people were to put their phones down while driving, we might be surprised on the positive impact it will have on society. Perhaps we could save the lives of 1.3 million people. Maybe limit your phone time, and go outside instead. Or even just don’t use it in the car. Anything helps. Just try it.
Homework. Do you really need it? Many students feel like homework puts more stress on their lives. Bystanders first became aware of homework stress when a student was given four projects to do in two weeks. His point of view was, “Just last week I was the most stressed that I have ever been in my life. Our teacher gave us four projects to do in two weeks! I did little on the first week because I like to go outside and play with my friends. When the last week came I stopped meeting my friends, I didn’t go downstairs and out of my room to socialize with my family because I had to stay in my room and do homework. When you talk to your parents they usually say they were always outside playing but in today’s world homework stops that from kids playing.”
You may think this was an isolated incident, but there was research that from 18 students, that 65% feel stressed over homework. Research has also shown that 86% of students miss at least one homework assignment each month, because of the amount of homework they have.
Another source says that students may be right when they say they have too much homework. High-achieving students that complete their homework deal with more stress, alienation, physical health problem, and a lack of balance. The most a student should have for homework is under 2 hours. Anything over may be counterproductive.
Students that spend more time on homework and studying receive lower scores, and receive more stress. Homework, other than causing stress, can decrease your grades. When the class ends, teachers may pack three or four lessons for homework. Teachers can cause the students to be counterproductive, lowering their test scores, IQ, and their intelligence over all. In Finland, students are given 30 minutes per night and none on the weekend. The world should adopt this, so students would be stress free and have higher test scores. Students should be given time to be a person, having time to relax and not stress over anything.
Homework, which can be good in many ways, is abused often. If your child has too much homework, ask their teacher, “Are you trying to pack a lesson in homework?” Don’t ask so fiercely, but see how many times you struggled with homework. Write your nearest district, “How much homework are you given your kids?” If you have a child, notice the little decrease in their grades. Students are exposed to deal with depression. Homework is a good thing and a bad thing, but if it becomes counterproductive, ask yourself, “Do you have too much homework?”
Long before the modern era, during the beginning of the Roman Times, alcohol has always been for celebration. But as people began proliferating the production of alcohol, there have been more and more alcohol related deaths.
USC’s former head coach Steve Sarkisian was recently fired after frequently abusing alcohol. As of now he is in a rehabilitation center hopefully recovering. But not everyone is this lucky. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC) over 88,000 people each year die due to alcohol related deaths, whether it’s from driving under the influence or an overdose. Even for those who survive, alcohol abuse can leave long term effects. Cancer of breast, liver, and the colon ares some of the more common effects. Some of the more uncommon affects of drinking one can also be diagnosed with are dementia or other mental problems.
Truth be told, it’s hard to put down a glass of alcohol, or even a bottle of beer. But just like Peter Griffin, the main character in the TV show Family Guy, did, drink in moderation. In fact, studies have shown that drinking alcohol, even if the amount is above the legal limit of 0.08 percent of blood toxicity proves to be healthier than staying sober. Many of the countries that “out drink” us (such as England, Ireland, and Germany) have only half of the amount of heart disease and cancer risk than we do. Remember, this is still drinking moderately and not severely.
In a new study, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, they categorized almost 2000 people from ages 65-75 into three groups. People whom were sober, light to moderate drinkers, and alcoholics. The study took place for 20 years. Obviously the greatest amount of deaths occurred under the alcoholics category, but in second place were the people whom refused to drink at all. The group which had the least amount of deaths were the light to moderate drinkers.
People may still be wondering, “What’s the science behind it? Why is alcohol good for you?” But there really is no explanation or scientific reasoning that we have found yet that proves as to why small, consistent amounts of alcohol can prevent heart disease or cancers. So, if you do drink a bottle of beer or a glass of red wine two or three times a week, I strongly advise you to continue doing so.
You found a very interesting study to cite. It supports the idea that a little more relaxation and a little less stress are good for you! It also proves that the Romans were an advanced civilization!
i agree with your statment, being a student with about a trillion tests a week. I think your article is very well writen and eludes to a bigger context. Good. Job.
First it was two months, then three, then five. The months can differ for a teenager that is being cyberbullied to become depressed and/or suicidal. These kids affected by cyberbullying are no longer happy, their world is no longer the Magic Kingdom, it’s a dark place and they can’t find the light. This is a serious worldwide problem that we as a community need to start paying better attention to.
Social media is not always fun and games. So many teenagers these days get cyber-bullied and some (if not all) of the nasty comments that are being said are mostly surprising, like Kanye’s announcement to run for president. Cyber-bullying can cause both male and female teenagers to become depressed, and in many cases, people have committed suicide. 8-12 local girls in Beverly Hills, California got a notification on their phones about an account trying to follow them on Instagram, a popular social media website where people of any age can post pictures and chat with their friends and family. This account targeted them. Pictures were posted of them and the person behind this account would call them names and say things about them that left them in tears. We interviewed the girls and found out that the creator of the account was one of their close friends. When the girls found out, they were in complete and utter shock. We interviewed them separately and some of their thoughts that they had that are most relevant are “How could she do this to them?” or “What did they ever do to her?” Anyone can do this. It is all done behind a screen, where if you please, your true identity will never be revealed.
In a saddening article about a pretty recent suicide of a 14 year old girl, her mother states that she was constantly bullied online. “She had been getting bullied for a long time, to the point where the happy, bubbly girl that I knew changed,” she said. “They hacked into her email and they created a Facebook page and they massacred her.” Unfortunately there are many other cases just like these where kids as young as 12, 13, and 14 feel the need to commit suicide when they have their whole lives ahead of. This story is one of many.
Although many articles, documentaries, movies, and TV show are made on this topic, unfortunately this is still something that happens everyday. We need to raise more awareness on the issues related to cyber-bulling, or any type of bullying.
According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, about 71.9% of the students have been cyberbullied 1-2 times during the school year, 19.6% of the students have been cyberbullied once or twice a month, 5.3% of the students have been cyberbullied once or twice a week, and finally about 3.1% of the students reported that they have been cyberbullied almost every single day. From 2010-2011, about 1 million children reported being cyberbullied online, according to Consumer Reports. Imagine how many children are being affected by this 5 years later when social media has become more popular. Also, 43% of teens have reported that they have experienced cyberbullying according to the National Crime Prevention Council.
Out of all the 21 kids in an El Rodeo English class, 12 of the students have been either teased or bullied on the internet. Think about how many students there are in each school. Think about how many more classes there are at El Rodeo and how many more children experience the same thing.
Having social media shouldn’t be stressful. It should be about communicating with you family members and your friends whom you don’t see often. It should be about sharing your thoughts, pictures, your day. You should be able to do these things without being criticized. Kids these days shouldn’t go online everyday thinking they will be targeted. Think about how many students can be affected by this. Think about it.
In the well known college of Santa Monica, the SMC Swim Team know as TSM, is working children beyond the breaking point. Children are being hurt greatly, and are forced to leave, as Harry Potter and his friends are expelled from Hogwarts when Snape takes over. As a matter a fact, a “Snape” did take over TSM, with the old head coach of the swim team old and retired, and new coach has come around. His name is coach Dave.
Dozens of coaches have quit and have been sacked under his wing. New tough coaches have come and hours of swimming have increased. From 2 and a half hours to 3 and a half leaving no time for students to study. Ex-swimmer Obrien takes a horrible injury to his spine. He has this to say, “I just was working so hard, I went 8 days a week and didn’t even go on Sundays, but I had to keep up my school work. I was growing in my swim strength but losing hours of sleep by the dozen. There was nothing to do. Dave threatened to kick me of the team unless I was committed.” Some swimmers have seen the threat in this, and dozens of swimmers were leaving the team, most for separate reasons. Obrien had to leave because of an injury but Luke Jankowski, yet another ex-swimmer claims, “The drive was to long, but what made it worse was the fact that the hours ran late into the night, pushing the ride home into rush hour, we would get home and 9, with homework to do, tired, stressed, and without dinner.”
Studies have shown that stress does increase injuries, and not long after the arrival of Dave, the team collapsed. The team has annual fundraising events, and the after the last event, the team raised much less money than they have before. The last event before Dave joined the team, the team raised $53,000 approximately, and the amount of money raised was at a steady high. At the most recent event while coach Dave
was the head coach, $1,000 approximately were raised. But more concerning than the amount of money raised is the amount of people that left the team This incident was not special, but is very common, 11 out of 15 children asked in a survey at El Rodeo Middle School said they have experienced some intense sports injury. This is a large amount of injuries, and the percent of kids hurt is higher than ever.
So next time you are going to the gym or about to lift some weights, stop and wait for a second. Look at your self, your body, and try to protect it, maybe pushing yourself, or those you know beyond the breaking point isn’t the best.
Over 8,000 people a year die in the U.S. due to the misuse or abuse of firearms. In England, only less than 60. Why is there such a drastic difference? There are many views on gun control policies. Two are the democratic and republican views.
“We can focus on effective enforcement of existing laws, especially strengthening our background check system, and we can work together to enact commonsense improvements–like reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole–so that guns do not fall into the hands of those irresponsible, law-breaking few.” This is an excerpt from 2012 Democratic Party Platform, Sep 4, 2012 on Gun Control policies. They think that if we strengthen the laws on firearms, it could minimize the death by guns. 91% of Americans say that there should be at least minor restrictions on gun ownership; 57% of Americans say that there should be major restrictions or a ban. Source: Background on Gun Control, On The Issues.
Although this could be true in many ways, the republican party has a different view. “We defend the constitutional right to bear arms. We oppose federal licensing of law-abiding gun owners and national gun registration as a violation of the Second Amendment and an invasion of privacy of honest citizens.” Source: Republican Platform adopted at GOP National Convention, Aug 12, 2000. The Second Amendment states that any American citizen has the right to bear arms, but is it too easy for the mentally ill or unstable people to get guns? They don’t agree and think that things should stay the same as they always did.
A survey done at El Rodeo Middle school showed 20/22 people think that Gun Control laws need to be more strict. Statistics show that 40% of all US homes have guns.
So, who is right? This debate has been a huge one for years, and it doesn’t look to be getting any better. Even though the numbers are going against some parties, they are fighting for their rights as an American.
I really like how you tied in everything together at the ending and how it gave the reader something to think about. There are several pieces of evidence supporting your claim of gun control-from surveys to certified sources. Overall, it was an eloquent newscast that was very interesting to read.
Great piece, well documented, on hardest issue. I would be interested to find out more what you meant at the end: I assume right to live vs right to bear arms. Both parties are right but they are coming from different points of view. Reconciling those could mean a compromise such as continuing rights to bear arms, tighten up screening considerably, and deal pro-actively with mental health which is becoming an increasingly important problem in this era of social and informational stress. Great job.
Teenager Sleep Deprivation Epidemic
Today’s story takes us to El Rodeo School, in west Los Angeles. We aren’t looking into the usual bullying story, or the fact that the school’s bell tower could collapse at any second, but a story that doesn’t get a lot of press. The story is lack of sleep among teenagers.
We started by visiting Mrs. Stuart’s 8th grade honors English class. The class is working on journalism, and we sat and watched for a little while. One of the most common things that we saw was yawning, and dark circles under the eyes of students. It appears that in the honors students’ relentless studying, they have forgotten the most important part of being a teenager: sleep.
With a few minutes left in class, we got permission to talk to the kids. We asked them if they felt tired, and what their sleep schedule was on a normal school night. The results we got pointed to one conclusion: that teenagers need to sleep more. ⅔ of the students said that they were tired, and the other third said that they slept abnormally well the previous night. 60% of the students said that on average the went to bed after 11 o’clock. 10 of the 11 students who said they went to bed after 11 reported waking up before seven. That means on average about 7-8 hours of sleep each night. According to sleepfoundation.org, teens need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep a night. And for kids who play sports, they need more. All of this means that teens at El Rodeo aren’t sleeping enough to do well in school or in their busy teenage lives.
After researching some more, it turns out that teens everywhere aren’t sleeping enough. In a survey conducted by the Journal of Adolescent Health, which included 12,000 high schoolers, revealed some crazy facts. 23% of the group reported sleeping 6 hours or less, and another 10% reported sleeping 5 hours or less. Another problem with not sleeping enough is missing the REM, or Rapid Eye Movement, cycle. The REM period of sleep is when the brain gets the most replenishing. Missing this part of sleep can leave you “messed up” for the entire day.
You’d think that there is one easy solution to this problem. Just make the kids go to bed earlier. Sadly, nothing is ever that easy. Teenagers, for a wide range of reasons, have trouble and don’t like falling asleep early. The only other time to extend the amount of sleep time is in the morning. Oh wait, school! Studies show that schools with a later start time see higher test score and lower tardiness rates. Many people think that school needs to start at or later than 8:30, and some even think that it shouldn’t start until 10:00.
Unfortunately, this problem isn’t going away anytime soon. Many districts refuse to change start times, while others are stalling. This is one example of adults running school for the benefit of themselves, not the students themselves. But until anything gets done, students at El Rodeo and schools around the country will still be yawning and sleeping in class.
I liked how you made it seem as if you were working for a real, professional news company like CNN. I also really liked how you provided insight into the situation in the last paragraph. Another part that also helped make the article really good is that you provided lots of statistics to show the reader precisely how big of a problem this is. Finally, I really liked how you ended the article by showing what will happen if no one does anything about this.
This is an extremely relevant issue and you explained the challenges well, using first hand observations and interviews and well as surveys and data. I couldn’t agree more with the suggestion that school should start a bit later – I think teens and their parents would both benefit!
Are guns a threat or insurance? Ever since the beginning of America, Americans were given the right to have their own guns. The second ammendment of the constitution states,”A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” In short, it states that all men have the right to own their own personal weapon.
Lately, this right has been brought under review. In the past year alone, there have been more than 300 mass shootings in the United States. Most recently, there was a shooting at a college in Oregon. Umpqua university was utterly horrified when they found out that there had been a shooting on thier campus. The shooter killed 9 people including Lucers Alcarez and Treven Taylor Anspach. This tragedy brought over the president who talked and consolled the families of the victims. The fact of thhe matter is, there is no true way to console someone elses family. Numerous people have tried, including the president, but the families always end up the same, or sometimes even worse off, than they had before. The shooters father said,” I know words cannot bring families back. I know there is nothing that I can say that can change what happened, but please believe me, my thoughts are with all of those families. I hope they can get through this,” This is the result that comes from a bad system of governmemt.
surveys have shown that guns have had a big impact on most people in the United States. over half of our population have family members who own a gun. There is also a mutual agreement of 10 to 1 that our gun laws are too lax and that it is too easy to obtain one if them. There are only a few gun laws that are being imposed at this moment. They ban most assault riffles, all .50 callibur riffles, and limit handgun purchases to one per month. These laws are pretty strict on their gun purchases, but what about who purchases them? The only thing that is required is a very lax background check and an easily obtainable gun license. Almost anyone who is determined to acquire a gun will eventually be able to obtain one. No one else should have to suffer for these unprecidented mistakes. Whatever way you can, help make America safer.
I agree with your statement that “…words cannot bring families back.” I can’t imagine the horror of losing a family member to a bullet. And your plea at the end to help make our country a safer place is a very worthwhile goal that resonated with me. Maybe we should write an email to the President to ask for stricter gun laws? What else can we do? Good job!
“Every year close to a billion pounds of toxic chemicals are intentionally introduced into the environment and our food supply each year.”According to the EPA
Recent Reach search shows that an increasing amount of toxins in our society is greatly affecting our health and environment. One form of toxin that is especially damaging is called a Pesticide. Pesticides are used in farming to protect crops from insects, and they have also created millions of jobs, But Pesticides can be very damaging to teens and adults because they are potent neurotoxins. When people are exposed to neurotoxins they may feel dizzy, lightheaded, confused and may have reduced coordination and ability to think. Which could greatly affect students in school. But these are just the short-term effects, while long term exposure can result in reduced IQ and learning disabilities. But only until recently, few studies could link permanent brain damage to exposures to toxins and chemicals. Now there is new evidence that suggests that exposure to pesticides in areas where they are used greatly may cause permanent brain damage to children who live in these areas, even though most people in the United States live in urban areas, pesticides are also being used in the foods we eat daily.
Besides pesticides CO2 which is another type of toxin is also greatly affecting teens, rising greenhouse gas levels may be contributing to expanding rates of asthma in U.S. cities and worsening allergies in millions of urban and suburban people, according to a new Harvard Medical School report. A rise in greenhouse gasses has already caused more than normal amounts of rain and cold, also flooding and other natural disasters. Although invisible Co2 is one of the greatest problems facing the world, and it’s only gonna get worse.
A very recent example of toxins in our community is, The Beverly Hills Unified School District said that testing was done on the fields at Beverly Hills High School, and that arsenic was found on the fields. Arsenic is a toxin that is found in metals and other materials, so it is unclear how the arsenic got on the fields or how long it has been there. This discovery raised many concerns in the community, about how many high school teens were exposed or if any teens were exposed. Currently no health effects have been reported that relate to the arsenic on the fields, but this event has parents very concerned about how the arsenic could affect the students in the future and if the toxins could affect their performance in school. There are many types of poisons and toxins in our world today, and most times we are too late to notice the effects until they cause major damage, and in the future there are only gonna be more toxins and chemicals, and the current epidemic is going to grow even larger. But there are ways to prevent it from getting out of hand, one way is for people to act faster and preventing problems from becoming too big . Also for people to realize and accept the problems that we face today, for example there are people who deny that global warming and climate change is real and is currently happening, and one of the biggest things that you can do to benefit the world is for you to make better choices in your daily life. So the next time you go to the market or are looking for a new car think about the affects that your decisions can have on your health now and in the future, also the effects that your actions can have on the environment, and all of the people that call earth home. The Former governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee once said “Whether humans are responsible for the bulk of climate change is going to be left to the scientists, but it’s all of our responsibility to leave this planet in better shape for the future generations than we found it.”
The newscast is in the proper order and it has great transitions that work with the vocabulary. Also, the story is backed up with research and result. The ending really ties the whole story together and leaves the reader with something to think about.
This is a timely story. There are many toxins at BHHS and arsenic is just one. I hope your article provokes discussion about the environment at BHHS and the oil drilling that takes place on the field. How will you and your parents act to rid the high school of toxins before 2016? I hope this is a call to action. Thank you for bringing this important issue to light.
The first day of high school, going to prom, buying your first car, graduating, and getting a job are some of the most memorable events that occur in the life of an average American teenager. However, now more than ever, a new event has been added to many teenager’s lists: becoming a parent. Teenage pregnancy, however, is not a new issue. In fact, it has been a rising concern in the United States for decades.
“It was a decision that ruined my life forever.” Annabelle McKinley, 17, is a victim of teen pregnancy. “I came from an extremely strict home and my parents were so distraught and disappointed. My mom even kicked me out the house. I was already in a (live on campus) trade school in upstate but she said I was not welcomed back home. I went to better myself and to be independent away from my strict parents. After 6 months of me starting I met a guy. We dated until my 18th bday. Then I found out I was pregnant 2 months later. I was afraid because I had only known this guy for less than a year and I wasn’t finished with school. I didn’t believe in abortion and I felt so scared and lonely.”
Teenage pregnancy is an event that affects over one million young teens in the United States, such as Annabelle. In fact, the United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the western industrialized world. 3 in 10 teen American girls will get pregnant at least once before age 20. That is the equivalent to nearly 750,000 teenage pregnancies every year.
Adolescent pregnancy can cause many endless problems in the life of the teen and the newborn child. There are many causes of unplanned pregnancies, such as teens experimenting with sexual encounters at a young age. Lack of sex education (from parents, teachers, and health care providers) can cause young women to make many wrong decisions when faced with a sexual encounter. Another major cause is the lack of guidance due to parents who are in disbelief of the pregnancy.
These causes can have devastating effects on the teen and the baby in the household. Some effects of early pregnancy include an unexpected rise of responsibility for the teen and can cause many health concerns for both the teen and newborn child.
Many minors are conflicted with the fears of disapproval of parents and are anxious of how the pregnancy will affect their future. You would expect parents to be the first source of acceptance and guidance, but in reality most teens fear being rejected or even abused. This leads to teens not receiving a sufficient amount of prenatal care during the early months of development. However, it is crucial that teens receive adequate medical attention so if they go forward with the pregnancy, there isn’t risk for the mother and the baby.
When it comes to your body, teenage girls have to be like Rosa Parks, and stand up for themselves. Teenage pregnancies cause young women to focus more on decisions about the pregnancy and forget about themselves. This is a common mistake and may cause harm to the mother or baby’s body. It is critical that young women are able to tackle their fears of rejection and stand up for what they believe is right, as Rosa Parks had done. Although it is a rise in responsibility, teenagers have to take control to make a felicitous decision, that will consider both the health of the mother and her baby.
Teenagers who become pregnant are forced to make an agonizing decision of whether to keep the baby or to terminate the pregnancy. Imagine having to choose between killing a life, and continuing education or keeping a life, but having to stop education. Teen pregnancies can jeopardize the teenager’s future if she can’t complete high school or go to college. Parenthood is the main reason why teenage girls drop out of school. More than half of teen mothers never graduate from high school. Additionally, less than 2% of teenage moms earn a college degree by age 30. Young fathers may also be objected to limiting their education.
Teenage pregnancy is a complicated modern phenomenon which requires attention of guardians, educators, and health care providers. Although the tendency of teenage pregnancy in the U.S. seems to be gradually decreasing, certain groups still remain vulnerable to this phenomenon.
What can you do? As a parent or healthcare provider, it is crucial that you provide sex education to teenagers. Schools aren’t usually useful with providing sex-ed classes. On the teenager’s part, it is important to make the right decisions when faced with such a phenomenon as teenage pregnancy.
Teen Pressure
It was just like any other day at the high school when someone’s friends asked them if they wanted a cigarette. “What’s the matter it is only one cigarette, and besides, I don’t want to look bad in front of my friends.” One might think.
It turns out that this story is one of many. 19 year old Connor Eckhardt died on July 11, 2014. ” ‘In a moment of peer pressure, he gave into that, thinking that was ok, it was somehow safe, and one hit later, he goes to sleep and never wakes up.’ Connor’s father, Devin Eckhardt said.” Connor gave in, he was not able to stay strong and that cost him his life. We may think that he was stupid and the people we know would never do something like that, but Connor was just like everyone else. He was pressured and pushed and knew the easiest way out, unaware of the bigger cost.
Peer pressure among adolescence is common and difficult to deal with. It can damage people’s lives, especially when combined with smoking. Others have a strong influence on the way a person behaves and acts, especially among teenagers, who are going through mental and physical change in their lives. They are faced with a lot of stress and pressure from their environment and are in danger of smoking.
Although in their perspective it may not seem like it, it is completely up to them if they give up to their pressure and stress, and smoke a cigarette. But giving in to smoking is like the bombing on Dresden to your body. Smoking devastates your body and ruins your life. One might feel alone, and pressured and all of these other bad emotions at this point in their life, but that is far better than the effects of smoking.
One is not going to die from one cigarette, but nicotine is highly addictive and it is much harder to stop that to start. It is not immediate, but after a while, smoking comes back around and causes lung cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Not to mention, it makes you look much older than you actually are, so good luck finding dates.
Teenagers certainly are not all powerful like Oz, but when it comes to their own life and decisions, they have all the power. It is their responsibility to stay strong and keep themselves safe.
*ktla.com
I loved your descriptions! Ugly, (and stinky), sickly and life ruining, Dresden to your body! You’re so right. You describe peer pressure as powerful and the consequences of succumbing to it even more powerfully! This is wonderful and persuasive article.
Sleepy Students-
A Growing Epidemic That Has Infected the Nation
by Alex McDermott
Mary A. Carskadon, Ph.D. says that the purpose of education is to “maximize human potential.” However, starting times at high schools around the country are undermining this main goal of education. At Beverly Hills High School, and the majority of high schools throughout the nation, students are losing precious sleep because of old-fashioned bell schedules.
Adri Goldman, 13, who wakes up at 6:55 every morning for school, shared her unfortunate story.
“I have a set alarm in my head. It’s really bad. I’ll try to sleep in [on the weekends], but I can’t.” When asked if she thought more sleep would help her, she said,
“I wouldn’t feel as tired. I would be more alert during the day and be able to contain more information.” This is a reality for most kids in America and around the world who desperately need more sleep and different sleeping schedules.
Studies, such as the one by Dr. Carskadon, have shown that sleep patterns change as children become adolescents, with prime sleeping times and schedules ending later in the morning. But bell schedules clash with biological clocks. In order to maximize the learning of students, school should be starting no earlier than 9:00 a.m., maybe even later. Trying to teach a kid at eight o’ clock in the morning, or even earlier for kids who take zero periods, is like trying to teach a sedated dog a trick. It just doesn’t make sense.
A survey taken in the eighth grade English honors class at El Rodeo School yielded interesting, but not totally unexpected results. The average time that students woke up for school is six-thirty, and when asked if they thought that their sleeping schedule has been shaped or interrupted by school, almost 4 out of every 5 students said yes. Adults often look past the students opinions with a dismissing “that’s just how it is” or a “I wake up early to go to my job. You just need to deal with it”. However, an interview with several teachers at El Rodeo, who are up close with students and see this fatigue on a daily basis, showed that sleep actually does matter.
“They need time to wake up. My first period is usually not participating. Also, test scores in my first period are usually lower,” says Ms. Makhmudyan vehemently. Other teachers stated similar ideas.
“I think studies have shown that teenagers function better at schools with later start times,” said Ms. Stuart.
But many are not sympathetic to this cause. Many parents and coaches look past their child’s education and complain that school starting at later times will mess with sports schedules and decrease practice time. On Debate.org, a website where people can anonymously post comments about important topics, one person complained saying,
“School is fine the way it is. If you went later that would put kids that are in sports home later and they would be missing supper times, homework time, and family time.” The same problem applies to other extracurriculars. Also, many parent work schedules would not fit into the new school schedules, leading to logistical problems and a need for heightened responsibility from students. Another teacher at El Rodeo also opposes later start times, but for different reasons. “Behaviorally they are just not ready,” the teacher said, going on to explain that on Wednesdays, a day when school starts at nine-thirty instead of eight, students are more energetic and act out in class more.
Other arguments against the issue are based on incorrect facts.
“There’s no point in starting later,” an arguer states. “Most teenagers ranging from 15+ years old only need about 7 hours of sleep. If you can manage to get more sleep at night, then you should be set.” While this sounds like common sense, it is not true. During this phase in adolescents life, sleep is critical as it aids in the development process.
“Teens need 9-10 hours of sleep to be at their best. However, daily life is centered around adults who need 7-8 hours of sleep to be at their best,” a scientist rebuts on Debate.org. Also, those who think that teens should sleep more at night have not fully examined the best sleeping patterns for teenagers. Naturally, adolescents going through this period of rapid growth and development tend to go to sleep later, and to wake up later.
More evidence, such as a reduced risk of teen crashes, fewer mood changes, and improved physical health, as well as improved academic performance, leads to most parents and students pushing for a later start time at school.
So, the question needs to be asked: are we willing to make a few sacrifices to greatly benefit students around the country? Why do we complain about test results when studies have already proven that they improve when school starts later? Lobby your school board, spread the word, and call for change. We cannot put this off any longer because the fate of the children of America rests in the answer.
I liked how you used people’s quotes to support your argument. You also had great flow throughout your newscast, and I loved how you expressed and clearly conveyed your thoughts. You also showed how your argument was effecting more than just one type of person like the teacher and student. Overall I really liked your newscast.
In 2014, Maggie Valentine weighed more than 200 pounds. She was just 12 years old. She tried everything she could think of, but still remained overweight. Through tears, she once said, “I want people to know that … obesity isn’t as simple as [people] … make it seem.”
It turns out this was not an isolated incident. This story is one of many where adults and children alike are overweight but cannot figure out how to change it. Research by the University of Washington shows that worldwide overweight and obesity rates among adults in the past 33 years have increased by 27.5%, while the same rates among children and adolescents have increased by 47.1%. Lately, the fact that so many people are overweight has become widely accepted as just another part of life, but the question still arises: why is this happening?
In a survey conducted among 25 eighth graders attending El Rodeo Elementary School in Beverly Hills, 52% said the reason why so many people are overweight is because unhealthy foods generally cost less while 32% claimed it is because people eat too much sugar. Of the remaining 16%, half believed it’s because people don’t exercise enough and the other half stated people are overweight because there are lots of chemicals in low-fat foods, which people think are healthier. But what do experts say?
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, multiple reasons are to blame for this epidemic, the biggest being a “lack of energy balance.” Energy balance means that one’s energy in, which comes from food and drinks, equals his or her energy out, which comes from being physically active. In other words, this means that obesity happens over time when one takes in more calories than he or she uses. Another reason is that many people live an inactive lifestyle without much physical activity. The main reason for this is that society spends more and more time staring at TVs, smartphones, and computers doing work, schoolwork, and leisure activities. Also, with modern conveniences and technology, we are required to do less and less physical activity at work and at home. The third reason is that our environment “encourages” obesity. This is shown in many ways, including oversized food portions, a lack of access to healthy foods, and a lack of safe places for recreation.
But what, you may ask, should you do? The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says that there are many ways to avoid becoming overweight, if you keep in mind the concept of energy balance. One method is to follow a balanced eating plan and make healthy food choices. Another is to focus on portion size and cut back if necessary. Also, you should be active in order to have more energy out. Finally, you should reduce screen time as it limits time for physical activity – health experts recommend two hours or less per day that is not work-related. However, to truly prevent yourself from becoming overweight or obese, you must use and follow all of these methods.
I like how you start with one specific example, and then go off and say that it happens all over the world. You also had a good survey which gave people the chance to more accurately state what they thought. The survey showed people’s views very well.
Little did the El Rodeo School student, Louis Chung, know that he was putting himself at risk when he was purchasing a phone. When he was interviewed about how phones have affected his life, he answered,” At first, I thought a phone would help me have fun through social media, texting, and games.Now I know it was a big mistake to consider even buying a phone. It consumed up my valuable time because I was so distracted by it.” Phones are everywhere in the 21st century and they cause many problems, but the most common one is distraction.
People are constantly on their phones these days and are using them 24/7 whether or not it is relevant to what they’re supposed to do or not. Just being on a phone for 19/7 would cause less distraction to any phone users worldwide. As a reporter surveyed El Rodeo School middle school students about this case, he realized that Louis wasn’t the only one who was being distracted by a phone. Out of the 18 students who were surveyed, 83 %( 15 kids) admitted that they were tempted to use their phones at unnecessary times because of all the alluring amenities it provides. Although people know that distraction causes unwanted consequences, we, as impotent human beings succumb to the power of phones.
Adverse effects result from distraction caused by phones. People have a plethora of actions they need to implement, but petty things like phones hinder them from achieving them. Fortunately, for many users who have been distracted by phones, there are cures or precautions they could take to prevent digital distraction. One effective way is to shut off their phones, mute their phones, and put it in an unreachable place when needless. This will block off any notifications that will remind the user of their phone and make the phone user have to work extra harder to obtain their phone. They could also delete unimportant apps which are the main forms of distraction provoking digital object on a phone. Through these precautions, anybody, regardless of whether or not they have been affected by digital distraction, could prevent or cure themselves from digital distraction. Click. See it wasn’t so difficult to delete the app.
Terrific opening paragraph and some fantastic descriptors: (alluring amenities…, impotent human beings succumb to the power…, a plethora of actions…). A great conclusion.
The amount of shootings that have taken place in the United States is far from normal. Picture this, as of November 2, 2015 there have been 319 shooting, and 304 days in the year. Schools alone have had 54 shootings with 30 dead and 53 injured since October 10, 2015.
The Second Amendment allows citizens the right to bare arms, but the big question is to what degree should this be allowed. Some people are eager to support gun control while others despise it.
Some citizens question why the United States is leading in the amount of shootings. Countries such as England, France, and Germany don’t have nearly the same amount. England makes it difficult for people to own firearms. Citizens of the United Kingdom have to have specific motives to own a gun, and they have to prove that they are not a threat to the world, and to society as well. These people have to fill out tons of paperwork, whereas people of the United States can be in control of a gun simply because it is one of their rights.
Many believe that the United States government should be making it more challenging for citizens to own guns. Most people believe that the number one cause of the shootings is mental illness. It’s not. It is proven that mentally ill people tend to be the victims of these crimes. When one person gains control of a gun, and makes a bad decision they aren’t only affecting the person they kill or injure, but that person’s family and friends as well. It is simply too easy for people to own a gun, and it’s time for change.
Even victims of shootings are in favor of the Second Amendment. Jesse Fitzgerald, whose sister was recently injured at a shooting in Oregon said “We’re pro-Second Amendment, pro guns. My sister, my mother, my whole family are all in favor. We were talking about it in the hospital and none of us have changed our minds.”
We did a survey at an eighth grade English class in Beverly Hills, California. 13 students were questioned about whether there have been too many shootings and if it is too easy for people to be in control of a gun. They were also asked if they were pro guns or anti-guns. Every student responded by saying that there have been too many shootings and it is not challenging for people to own a firearm. Only one student stated that they were pro guns. Another felt that certain handguns are appropriate for civilian use, as long as the situation requires it. Most people agree that the police, and other authorities, should own guns.
The shootings have become all too familiar. For citizens and police this has becoming a routine. Garry F. McCarthy, Chicago Police Superintendent said, “Here we go again.” The shootings have almost lost their meaning. They’ve become normal. It’s time for change.
I like how you used evidence to support your essay. It was very well structured and I loved how you talked about what is going on in society today.
-Adrianna
I like how you point out that there are strong opinions on both sides of this issue – even people affected by gun violence may still be pro-guns. Despite the statistics you provide, it’s hard to create consensus about gun policies. Excellent concluding paragraph.
Is it too Much Pressure?
Social Isolation. The feeling you feel when there is nobody around to talk to. The pain of not being able to express your thoughts to anyone. The depressing feeling of being alone. The feeling a teenager has when not accepted by a certain social circle. As a teenager, it is so tough to find a social cluster to fit into. Kids must try to be recognized as a member of these groups. During these times teens are irritable and emotional.
In the middle of the 2015-2016 school year in El Rodeo, 8th grade students found out that a new student was joining the grade. She was from a foreign country and did not speak English very well. This shy, thirteen-year-old walked down the narrow hallway alone, with no one guiding her. She stared from door to door trying to find the correct room number for her first period, lost and alone. As a student it is hard to understand and take in information, especially when you don’t know how to speak the language. On top of stress related to seven academic classes, many teenagers need to handle the difficulties of social stress as well. The only way to go through these hardships is to find a person to talk to. A person that would be able to relate or understand ones pain.
It turns out that this was not an isolated incident. Out of a sample of 16 El Rodeo eighth graders, 81% said that they feel pressured to fit in. An eighth grader currently attending El Rodeo, totally agrees that teens have to deal with too much stress. Adrianna Goldman explained, “When I first came to this school three years ago, I was scared to death that I wouldn’t be able to find a group of friends. In the beginning of the school year I was caught off guard by all the assignments and I didn’t have anyone to help me. This was a tough time for me and I was very stressed out.” Social pressure also occurs with new students. Since many teenagers have become friends over a number of years, the new students find it hard to enter a friendship that has been lasting for so long.
Research has shown that the pressure to fit in leads to teens making bad decisions. Kids want to be accepted into a specific social group so badly that they will do whatever they are told. Most teenagers will follow the hazardous behavior of the group. The social cluster might even have an awful influence on the teen. They will teach the new follower horrible patterns such as using alcohol and illegal drugs. The pressure to be part of a crowd can have horrible effects that will affect the future of a teen. A student by the name of John T. Edmerson, a junior at Carson High School, explained in an article for the Los Angeles Times that peer pressure is the cause of kids getting in trouble. Therefore, kids must find the perfect group of friends not just the group that everyone considers to be popular.
Too much pressure to be popular can also lead to problems in the body. A website named “Kids Health”explains that too much worrying causes hypertension, or high blood pressure. This can result in strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, kidney failure, or loss of vision. These are very serious medical issues that can greatly impact a persons life. Other possibilities of stress related issues include anxiety or depression. Less unneeded stress in ones life may help reduce the risks of these medical complications.
There are many steps you can take to prevent the horrible outcomes of too much pressure. Make sure the student has an adult they can trust and talk to about problems they are going through. The teenager will have someone they can share their stress with. This will help lower the level of stress the teen is feeling.
Many youngsters don’t know how to find themselves a group of people they can have fun with and be themselves around. Most are fearful of not being approved for a certain group of people. These poor teenagers then feel as though the cause of rejection is due to flaws in their personality or physical shape. However, the social circle was not able to relate to that teen.
The life of any teenager across the world is like the life of Squidward Tentacles from Spongebob. The teenagers are always feeling taut and stressed out. Being a social butterfly is challenging and not as easy as it seems. So next time you see a teen that is struggling with finding friends introduce yourself and maybe you will even find a great friend and possibly help prevent depression
Imagine going to school one morning and never coming back. This tragic thought is becoming a reality for some unlucky students, at schools all around the country. Is the place where most children spend almost a third of their lives not safe anymore? Do we blame the shooter, the teacher, the security guard, maybe even the second amendment of the U.S. Constitution for these awful occasions?
On December 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary school, twenty people were killed, twenty young students, and six adults. This shocked the hearts of many, and made schools all around the U.S. rethink their security. Gun control laws were soon the subject of much debate, along with violent video games and their affect on children. This will be one of the first of many mass school shooting to come.
Since 2013, there have been more than one hundred fifty-three shootings, one per week. Almost as fast as the bullets have left the shooters’ guns has President Obama been addressing the public with his thoughts on the matter. Obama recently said “this has become routine,” this was after the shooting in Oregon. Obama is saying that his response to the matter, the grieving, and the charity, has become almost routine because of the large quantity of shootings.
The fact that after the Sandy Hook shooting, like falling dominoes, there have been approximately a shooting a week, shows how poorly the government and the people working towards stopping theses instances have done. Maybe its time to have teachers carry guns in the classroom, or maybe get rid of guns all together, whatever the solution is, it needs to happen soon, or else we will see many more of these shooting in the years to come.
“Under Japan’s firearm and sword law, the only guns permitted are shotguns, air guns, guns that have research or industrial purposes, or those used for competitions. However, before access to these specialty weapons is granted, one must obtain formal instruction and pass a battery of written, mental, and drug tests and a rigorous background check. Furthermore, owners must inform the authorities of how the weapon and ammunition is stored and provide the firearm for annual inspection.” – Jonathan Masters. These intensely strict regulations have led Japan to have the lowest gun related homicide rate in the world.
The U.S. should look to other countries for inspiration. While a staggering eighty-nine out of every one hundred Americans own firearms, the next highest amount is Norway at about thirty. The gun related homicide rate in the U.S. is also much higher than in other nations. It seems like a good time to crack down of gun laws, and take control of this growing issue like everyone else has.
Really well made article. it expresses some global issues that play a factor into our society today. Maybe we can institute larger background checks and still keep the second amendment in place.
I really like how you referenced the Japan’s strict regulations and how it has led Japan to have the lowest gun related homicide rate in the world. Good information.
In 2013 a woman was killed while using her phone while it was charging prompting an official apollogy from Apple. This terrible incident was not the first or the last of its kind. Many people people have suffered similar injuries.
Over the past few years the amount of technology that surrounds us and is in our lives has drastically increased. These devices have changed our lives in more ways than one, but are they good or bad.
Many peope are constantly glued to there phones and when they wear down the battery and plug in their phones they are putting their lives at risk by using phones while they are charging. What most people think about when they charge their phones is how much electricity is flowing into my phone? The answer is simple: More than enough to kill you. As the number of phones go up so does the risk of losing more lives.
To stop this people can take a variety of steps from simply not using a phone while it is plugged in and charging to singing a petition to raise safty standards of phone chargers. Any step will make a difference and it is up to you to take that step.
Hike! Crash! Done. “We need a doctor!” The ram was made and what had happened could not be undone. Reality seemed as it would slip away in the eyes of Patrick Levy, who was rushed to the school nurse. The world was as hazy as a thick layer of fog in the middle of a swamp. Once the nurse laid her eyes upon Patrick, she called the ambulance and he was taken to the Emergency Room.
“You’re done for the season I’m afraid to say.” The nurse had told Patrick as he was sitting on his hospital bed. “The x-rays look bad. Your finger has been cracked in half, and will require an operation. You will need metal pins inserted to put the bone back together. How did this happen again?” Looking glum, Patrick looked up and replied, “Football.”
Football, one of the most played sports in America does come with a price. Every year, teens in high school are injured by football. Football brings these young players concussions, broken bones, and overtraining pains. All of these things can stop a player for playing their beloved sport for a whole season. In the 2005-2006 highs school football season, half a million injuries occurred. We went to El Rodeo de Los Aguas school and asked 15 random children if they have ever experienced a sports injury, and 88% said they have experienced a sports injury. Most of the students who experienced these injuries had concussions from football. This was only a middle school where football isn’t offered. If this is the case at a middle school, what does that mean for high school football players? Some believe that football is to injuries as depression medicine is to unwanted side effects. Patrick Levy is just one of many who have been through this soul crushing experience first hand (pun intended).
These injuries, especially concussions, have effects that can bring harm to one’s normal un-football related lives. Concussions and broken bones can make one miss many days of school. Concussions usually make one miss about two weeks of important hours of study, while broken bones may need to keep one home for a couple of days. These days missed, affect one’s academics, which most would say are more important than athletics. Also, when one breaks a bone, like Patrick Levy, it is likely that one may not be able to write, and will have to figure out how to manage school’s writing based curriculum, without writing. Football injuries not only bring problems on the field, but also on the court of life.
Football related injuries also cause unwanted side effects for the future. Concussions can lead to Alzheimer’s Disease and ALS. Also if one gets four concussions, they may be the victim to vision loss, loss of brain cells, and an even greater chance of developing Alzheimer’s and ALS. Overall, football’s injuries can cause problems for the future, and even death.
According to Patrick Levy, football has become a cloud of confusion. ” I love football but this injury has hurt me in so many more ways than imaginable. I had seen team,ages go through the same thing but when it happens to you it’s no small happening. It feels like a big deal. Football already keeps me up late doing my homework, for practices are so long, and this injury just puts this over the top. I don’t know what I’m going to do for next season.” Patrick is very confused, but still loves football. His injury has taken its toll on his grades. ” I need to look good for college but this injury has been bringing my grades down further and further. This came at the wrong time.”
Football also causes brain damage. Even without a diagnosed concussion, football players’ brains are showing signs of severe brain damage. In a study by Science Daily, researchers found that 50% – 70% of high school football players showed altered neurological function. Changes to the wiring and biochemistry are common, and most players don’t know this is happening. About half a team of football players are experiencing these changes. Overall, hits to the head can be the most dangerous, for they go unnoticed and happen often, while leaving big impacts.
High school football players also may be more vulnerable to concussions than adults. A new study shows that high school football players try to hide their symptoms of a concussion. They try to hide their symptoms for they don’t want to let anyone down. A concussion that is hidden and not treated correctly, can create many problems for the players brain. Studies also show that if one gets a concussion once, they are more susceptible to another. In the end, concussions in high school football are very common.
Football seems extremely dangerous, but most feel that football is to them as flying is to birds. Many love the sport and are happily willing to take the chance of getting an injury. Though injuries are common, the spirit one feels when playing football makes up for it. Also, not everyone gets injuries, and many play football and never have any problems. Football has even tried to become safer by coming up with new helmet models that protect the head better, and better pads to absorb the shock of a hit more efficiently. It seems as if football is on a road to becoming safer.
Though football is on the road to a safer future, many actions need to be taken place before it gets there. You can help donate money to research teams who are learning on how to create better helmets and pads to prevent injuries. You can also donate money so that schools can buy these new helmets and pads, for many schools don’t have the money for this new technology. You can also write letters to local districts, on how they can use new rules that don’t change the game dramatically, but protect America’s football players. In the end, football is a great sport that many love, but which also comes with sacrifices in the form of injuries.
Teenagers’ never ending stress is like a tangled ball of rubber bands. Many middle school students in El Rodeo School complain about the amount of schoolwork they receive and the stress this causes them. The students focus their attention all day at school and then also at night on their school work while still having to worry about their after school activities.
Emma Sirota, an eighth grader in El Rodeo said, “I have so much work to complete, and I have piano today!” They are required to come home and do even more school work. They become so overly exhausted which causes them to experience even more stress. Www. webmd.com, an online source wrote, ” Stomachaches and headaches. These kinds of complaints show that kids are stressed.”
Stress is unhealthy and can interfere in students’ efforts to study because it affects their concentration and energy levels. Stress also impacts students’ ability to sleep resulting in students not doing well at school because they are too tired to focus and learn. Students should sleep at least eight hours per night in order to do and feel their best. However, most students get less than the necessary hours of sleep which is unhealthy for their growing bodies and developing brains.
Research noted in http://www.symptomfind.com documented, “Stress has been linked to cases of insomnia, mood swings and anxiety disorders.” Students are at a greater risk for emotional and physical problems due to the amount of stress they endure. Sometimes, students may turn to drugs or alcohol as a way of dealing with or forgetting about their stress. Another way students may deal with their stress is by “stress eating.” These eating habits can lead to obesity causing more medical issues. These students may become more self-cautious and have an increase in social isolation. This can lead to depression.
On November 5, students from just one class were being asked, “Do you think that students have more stress than they should be having at this age?” You may be surprised to find that fifteen out of nineteen students replied “ Yes, students do have more stress than they should be having at this age.” In other words, 78% of students think that they contain more stress than is needed.
The moment that students are handed another worksheet or given another assignment, they automatically feel their stress levels rise. Students have way more school work, time crunches, and pressure to excel than they should be having at this age. This leads to kids freaking out about all the things they have to take care of and feeling overwhelmed. Parents also get fed up as they have to hear their kids’ complaints, have to help them organize their time, and feel sad that their kids miss out on valuable family time. It hurts them to see their kids spending all their free time locked in their rooms studying. Kids need some time to themselves to just be. They need some downtime, free time, or simply just nap time. It’s important for kids to distract their minds off of their school work for a while.
Having too much school work can also tamper with family plans. Students usually get assigned weekend homework or several projects which interfere with their free time to go on a little vacation or even just attend a family gathering. This is a lose-lose situation for both the family and the student. An El Rodeo parent said, “Come out for lunch with me and take a break from your homework.” In response their child, also an eighth grader, said, ” I can’t take a break because I have too much work to complete.” This punishes both the child and the parent.
To make sure that students stress level decreases, students and parents should speak up. They should talk to teachers and the school board and tell them what is happening with their students. Parents should talk amongst each other and make a plan to put a stop to all of this stress. In order to do so, parents should plan a parent-teacher conference. This would hopefully give the teachers a hint to change the amount of work they give to their students. Do the teachers and board members care about their students as much as they say they do? Make them prove it!
Well documented and written with passion. I like how you explained that the demands of school work are interfering with family and social activities – important parts of growing up.
This is a great article. I love the thoughtful comparisons that enhance the readers understanding of feeling related to football and the story that went along with the facts to make the reader understand how often these injuries occur and makes the problems seem more down to Earth. Also, the last section of your article is very strong and inspiring, and offers the reader hope while helping them to understand what they can do.
What an impressive group of thinkers and writers! It’s a pleasure to see this group aware of current issues and capable of critical and analytical thought.
Middle English 
It all started in 2001 in Montpelier,Vermont with a boy named Ryan Halligan. Ryan was in 10th grade and had accounts on instagram and twitter. A group of students at Ryan’s school thought it would be funny to spread a rumor. Unfortunately for Ryan, the rumor was about him, that he was gay. Ryan was unaware of the rumor and lived his normal life as about as normally as he would. Ryan had thought he met a nice girl on AOL instant messenger, but instead the girl and her friends were in on the rumor and teased him about it. This trend of teasing and cyber bullying continued for a year after this. Ryan fell into a deep depression and in 2003 he committed suicide.
The epidemic that is cyber bullying has continued for 10-20 years all around the world. Emma Sirota, an 8th grader at El Rodeo says she knows at least 8 people that have been cyber bullied.Even the principal at the school has started braking down on cyberbullying in the upper grades, he says that we here at El Rodeo are a family, we can’t pick on eachother.
Half of all kids in the world with social media accounts have reported cyber bullying and ¼ have reported a recurrence in cyber bullying. A new study, released by the University of California, shows that out of all bullying in the world, 33% is cyber. The fact is that 79.1% of kids in schools around the world have reported cyberbullying more than twice. And out of that 38.7% have committed suicide.
That number, from Nobullying.com, is too high according to Ryan’s parents and many others.Ryan’s parents have started a foundation against cyberbullying. The Halligan’s Foundation is privately funded and attempt to stop cyber bullying by reporting every case to the police. The police then track where the comment was made and arrest the perpetrator. The arrest is made on account of Vermont’s Bullying Law. The Halligan Foundation has stopped an estimated 105 cases world wide.
There are several organizations like this one even government organizations like the NSA that have looked into stopping cyber bullying. But the question still remains: why aren’t these campaigns working? People argue that there isn’t enough funding for the programs that are trying to stop it. Weather law enforcement, government, or even private organizations like the Halligan foundation, don’t have the correct resources.
The step that many are taking is actually one backward. The parents of victims and perpetrators are taking a step back and giving their kids 15 years. No social media, increasing punishment in school. They think the entire international problem of cyber bullying will go away entirely. All people can do is wait. Organisations like the Halligan Foundation do not only advise parents of the victims, but also all parents in general. What can you do? You can step down from social media. Take a leave of absence from your social pleasures for the benefits of others.
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Amazing
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So ask yourself…
Whats in your wallet?
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Your writing is excellent for this topic. Your writing provided great statistics and facts to support your topic and included a story that drew me in. Excellent work.
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Interesting story and message delivered with strong writing and developments.
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Thank you for bringing more awareness to this terrible trend. It really needs to stop.
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Phones. Are they Distracting You?
By Penelope La Paglia
Distractions. Everyone knows it’s not good to be distracted while doing anything. Yet almost everyone owns one of the biggest distractions known to man… Mobile Phones.
Today at Cedars-Sinai Urgent Care, a baby boy dropped his toy on the floor, began crying, and his father didn’t know why.
The father had walked into Urgent Care pushing his baby son in a stroller. After finding a seat, the man began checking his phone. While the father was staring at his phone, the little boy dropped his elephant toy, and began to cry. The man could not figure out why he was crying. He tried singing to him, bouncing him up and down, and giving him milk. The baby did not stop crying.
People in the waiting room began to become annoyed with the excessive crying. They began to fidget in their seats, and they shot rude looks. The man became flustered and frantically rocked his baby. After the baby had been crying for about five minutes, his wife walked into the room. As she sat down, she spotted the toy, picked it up, and gave to her son who then stopped crying. The man thanked his wife, then went back to his phone.
This can be seen in many situations. People don’t pay enough attention to their surroundings because of technology, specifically phones.
Phones seem to be linked to our lives in such a significant way that it seems we wouldn’t be able to get through one day without out them. There is a constant search for free wifi, and “I’ll just check my phone really fast.”
We have become so codependent on phones that we don’t feel safe without them.
“I always sleep with my phone on in case of some freak emergency. I’m not able to sleep without it on, because I don’t feel safe,” Aimee, 45.
Whereas others feel that they are out of the loop if they don’t check their social media every second of every day.
“I don’t put my phone down because I feel like my friends will try to talk to me, or post something and I don’t want to miss out on what’s going on with other people,” Eve, 13.
On the other hand some people just sit down and watch cat videos for hours and hours and hours.
“I just like watching minecraft videos, and funny videos on instagram,” Lola, 10.
Kids don’t go outside and play anymore. They sit inside and play on their phones. Or they sit in restaurants on their phones. This is a classic tired parent move.
Being distracted is much more dangerous than you may think. According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, nearly 1.3 million people die in road crashes each year, on average 3,287 deaths a day. An additional 20-50 million are injured or disabled. Studies show that the average time your eyes are off the road while texting is five seconds. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded. Like 9/11. Crash, boom, and then it’s over. That’s all it takes for your life to be gone.
One Mississippi: “DING” you receive a text message while driving. Two Mississippi: You glance down and read the message. Three Mississippi: You take one hand off the wheel, and start typing your response. Four Mississippi: You don’t notice the car in front of you is merging into your lane. Five Mississippi: You crash into them. Your car spins out of control. You crash. You die instantly. That’s all it takes. Was that text message worth it?
We all know that the classic Doofenshmirtz, from Phineas and Ferb, who is always so distracted by telling Perry about his evil plans, that Perry escapes and his plans are foiled. Distractions aren’t good for him, and they aren’t good for you.
Research shows that worldwide 56 million people die each year. If people were to put their phones down while driving, we might be surprised on the positive impact it will have on society. Perhaps we could save the lives of 1.3 million people. Maybe limit your phone time, and go outside instead. Or even just don’t use it in the car. Anything helps. Just try it.
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Homework. Do you really need it? Many students feel like homework puts more stress on their lives. Bystanders first became aware of homework stress when a student was given four projects to do in two weeks. His point of view was, “Just last week I was the most stressed that I have ever been in my life. Our teacher gave us four projects to do in two weeks! I did little on the first week because I like to go outside and play with my friends. When the last week came I stopped meeting my friends, I didn’t go downstairs and out of my room to socialize with my family because I had to stay in my room and do homework. When you talk to your parents they usually say they were always outside playing but in today’s world homework stops that from kids playing.”
You may think this was an isolated incident, but there was research that from 18 students, that 65% feel stressed over homework. Research has also shown that 86% of students miss at least one homework assignment each month, because of the amount of homework they have.
Another source says that students may be right when they say they have too much homework. High-achieving students that complete their homework deal with more stress, alienation, physical health problem, and a lack of balance. The most a student should have for homework is under 2 hours. Anything over may be counterproductive.
Students that spend more time on homework and studying receive lower scores, and receive more stress. Homework, other than causing stress, can decrease your grades. When the class ends, teachers may pack three or four lessons for homework. Teachers can cause the students to be counterproductive, lowering their test scores, IQ, and their intelligence over all. In Finland, students are given 30 minutes per night and none on the weekend. The world should adopt this, so students would be stress free and have higher test scores. Students should be given time to be a person, having time to relax and not stress over anything.
Homework, which can be good in many ways, is abused often. If your child has too much homework, ask their teacher, “Are you trying to pack a lesson in homework?” Don’t ask so fiercely, but see how many times you struggled with homework. Write your nearest district, “How much homework are you given your kids?” If you have a child, notice the little decrease in their grades. Students are exposed to deal with depression. Homework is a good thing and a bad thing, but if it becomes counterproductive, ask yourself, “Do you have too much homework?”
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Long before the modern era, during the beginning of the Roman Times, alcohol has always been for celebration. But as people began proliferating the production of alcohol, there have been more and more alcohol related deaths.
USC’s former head coach Steve Sarkisian was recently fired after frequently abusing alcohol. As of now he is in a rehabilitation center hopefully recovering. But not everyone is this lucky. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC) over 88,000 people each year die due to alcohol related deaths, whether it’s from driving under the influence or an overdose. Even for those who survive, alcohol abuse can leave long term effects. Cancer of breast, liver, and the colon ares some of the more common effects. Some of the more uncommon affects of drinking one can also be diagnosed with are dementia or other mental problems.
Truth be told, it’s hard to put down a glass of alcohol, or even a bottle of beer. But just like Peter Griffin, the main character in the TV show Family Guy, did, drink in moderation. In fact, studies have shown that drinking alcohol, even if the amount is above the legal limit of 0.08 percent of blood toxicity proves to be healthier than staying sober. Many of the countries that “out drink” us (such as England, Ireland, and Germany) have only half of the amount of heart disease and cancer risk than we do. Remember, this is still drinking moderately and not severely.
In a new study, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, they categorized almost 2000 people from ages 65-75 into three groups. People whom were sober, light to moderate drinkers, and alcoholics. The study took place for 20 years. Obviously the greatest amount of deaths occurred under the alcoholics category, but in second place were the people whom refused to drink at all. The group which had the least amount of deaths were the light to moderate drinkers.
People may still be wondering, “What’s the science behind it? Why is alcohol good for you?” But there really is no explanation or scientific reasoning that we have found yet that proves as to why small, consistent amounts of alcohol can prevent heart disease or cancers. So, if you do drink a bottle of beer or a glass of red wine two or three times a week, I strongly advise you to continue doing so.
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I really like the articles and its references, and I like how you talked about how it’s
okay to drink (in moderation).
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You found a very interesting study to cite. It supports the idea that a little more relaxation and a little less stress are good for you! It also proves that the Romans were an advanced civilization!
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i agree with your statment, being a student with about a trillion tests a week. I think your article is very well writen and eludes to a bigger context. Good. Job.
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First it was two months, then three, then five. The months can differ for a teenager that is being cyberbullied to become depressed and/or suicidal. These kids affected by cyberbullying are no longer happy, their world is no longer the Magic Kingdom, it’s a dark place and they can’t find the light. This is a serious worldwide problem that we as a community need to start paying better attention to.
Social media is not always fun and games. So many teenagers these days get cyber-bullied and some (if not all) of the nasty comments that are being said are mostly surprising, like Kanye’s announcement to run for president. Cyber-bullying can cause both male and female teenagers to become depressed, and in many cases, people have committed suicide. 8-12 local girls in Beverly Hills, California got a notification on their phones about an account trying to follow them on Instagram, a popular social media website where people of any age can post pictures and chat with their friends and family. This account targeted them. Pictures were posted of them and the person behind this account would call them names and say things about them that left them in tears. We interviewed the girls and found out that the creator of the account was one of their close friends. When the girls found out, they were in complete and utter shock. We interviewed them separately and some of their thoughts that they had that are most relevant are “How could she do this to them?” or “What did they ever do to her?” Anyone can do this. It is all done behind a screen, where if you please, your true identity will never be revealed.
In a saddening article about a pretty recent suicide of a 14 year old girl, her mother states that she was constantly bullied online. “She had been getting bullied for a long time, to the point where the happy, bubbly girl that I knew changed,” she said. “They hacked into her email and they created a Facebook page and they massacred her.” Unfortunately there are many other cases just like these where kids as young as 12, 13, and 14 feel the need to commit suicide when they have their whole lives ahead of. This story is one of many.
Although many articles, documentaries, movies, and TV show are made on this topic, unfortunately this is still something that happens everyday. We need to raise more awareness on the issues related to cyber-bulling, or any type of bullying.
According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, about 71.9% of the students have been cyberbullied 1-2 times during the school year, 19.6% of the students have been cyberbullied once or twice a month, 5.3% of the students have been cyberbullied once or twice a week, and finally about 3.1% of the students reported that they have been cyberbullied almost every single day. From 2010-2011, about 1 million children reported being cyberbullied online, according to Consumer Reports. Imagine how many children are being affected by this 5 years later when social media has become more popular. Also, 43% of teens have reported that they have experienced cyberbullying according to the National Crime Prevention Council.
Out of all the 21 kids in an El Rodeo English class, 12 of the students have been either teased or bullied on the internet. Think about how many students there are in each school. Think about how many more classes there are at El Rodeo and how many more children experience the same thing.
Having social media shouldn’t be stressful. It should be about communicating with you family members and your friends whom you don’t see often. It should be about sharing your thoughts, pictures, your day. You should be able to do these things without being criticized. Kids these days shouldn’t go online everyday thinking they will be targeted. Think about how many students can be affected by this. Think about it.
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Very dramatic and interesting. Grabs the reader. Good allusion. Nice transitions through paragraphs. Good use of surveys and quotes. -Harrison
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You have strong evidence that supports your claim. I really like this.
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The Breaking Point
In the well known college of Santa Monica, the SMC Swim Team know as TSM, is working children beyond the breaking point. Children are being hurt greatly, and are forced to leave, as Harry Potter and his friends are expelled from Hogwarts when Snape takes over. As a matter a fact, a “Snape” did take over TSM, with the old head coach of the swim team old and retired, and new coach has come around. His name is coach Dave.
Dozens of coaches have quit and have been sacked under his wing. New tough coaches have come and hours of swimming have increased. From 2 and a half hours to 3 and a half leaving no time for students to study. Ex-swimmer Obrien takes a horrible injury to his spine. He has this to say, “I just was working so hard, I went 8 days a week and didn’t even go on Sundays, but I had to keep up my school work. I was growing in my swim strength but losing hours of sleep by the dozen. There was nothing to do. Dave threatened to kick me of the team unless I was committed.” Some swimmers have seen the threat in this, and dozens of swimmers were leaving the team, most for separate reasons. Obrien had to leave because of an injury but Luke Jankowski, yet another ex-swimmer claims, “The drive was to long, but what made it worse was the fact that the hours ran late into the night, pushing the ride home into rush hour, we would get home and 9, with homework to do, tired, stressed, and without dinner.”
Studies have shown that stress does increase injuries, and not long after the arrival of Dave, the team collapsed. The team has annual fundraising events, and the after the last event, the team raised much less money than they have before. The last event before Dave joined the team, the team raised $53,000 approximately, and the amount of money raised was at a steady high. At the most recent event while coach Dave
was the head coach, $1,000 approximately were raised. But more concerning than the amount of money raised is the amount of people that left the team This incident was not special, but is very common, 11 out of 15 children asked in a survey at El Rodeo Middle School said they have experienced some intense sports injury. This is a large amount of injuries, and the percent of kids hurt is higher than ever.
So next time you are going to the gym or about to lift some weights, stop and wait for a second. Look at your self, your body, and try to protect it, maybe pushing yourself, or those you know beyond the breaking point isn’t the best.
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Like the analogy, relevant and good message for kid’s health and exercise. Interesting story and very factual.
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An interesting story with real lessons about what inspires us and what brings us down. It was an insightful commentary on youth sports, as well.
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Firearms By: Grace Bot
Over 8,000 people a year die in the U.S. due to the misuse or abuse of firearms. In England, only less than 60. Why is there such a drastic difference? There are many views on gun control policies. Two are the democratic and republican views.
“We can focus on effective enforcement of existing laws, especially strengthening our background check system, and we can work together to enact commonsense improvements–like reinstating the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole–so that guns do not fall into the hands of those irresponsible, law-breaking few.” This is an excerpt from 2012 Democratic Party Platform, Sep 4, 2012 on Gun Control policies. They think that if we strengthen the laws on firearms, it could minimize the death by guns. 91% of Americans say that there should be at least minor restrictions on gun ownership; 57% of Americans say that there should be major restrictions or a ban. Source: Background on Gun Control, On The Issues.
Although this could be true in many ways, the republican party has a different view. “We defend the constitutional right to bear arms. We oppose federal licensing of law-abiding gun owners and national gun registration as a violation of the Second Amendment and an invasion of privacy of honest citizens.” Source: Republican Platform adopted at GOP National Convention, Aug 12, 2000. The Second Amendment states that any American citizen has the right to bear arms, but is it too easy for the mentally ill or unstable people to get guns? They don’t agree and think that things should stay the same as they always did.
A survey done at El Rodeo Middle school showed 20/22 people think that Gun Control laws need to be more strict. Statistics show that 40% of all US homes have guns.
So, who is right? This debate has been a huge one for years, and it doesn’t look to be getting any better. Even though the numbers are going against some parties, they are fighting for their rights as an American.
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I really like how you tied in everything together at the ending and how it gave the reader something to think about. There are several pieces of evidence supporting your claim of gun control-from surveys to certified sources. Overall, it was an eloquent newscast that was very interesting to read.
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Great piece, well documented, on hardest issue. I would be interested to find out more what you meant at the end: I assume right to live vs right to bear arms. Both parties are right but they are coming from different points of view. Reconciling those could mean a compromise such as continuing rights to bear arms, tighten up screening considerably, and deal pro-actively with mental health which is becoming an increasingly important problem in this era of social and informational stress. Great job.
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Teenager Sleep Deprivation Epidemic
Today’s story takes us to El Rodeo School, in west Los Angeles. We aren’t looking into the usual bullying story, or the fact that the school’s bell tower could collapse at any second, but a story that doesn’t get a lot of press. The story is lack of sleep among teenagers.
We started by visiting Mrs. Stuart’s 8th grade honors English class. The class is working on journalism, and we sat and watched for a little while. One of the most common things that we saw was yawning, and dark circles under the eyes of students. It appears that in the honors students’ relentless studying, they have forgotten the most important part of being a teenager: sleep.
With a few minutes left in class, we got permission to talk to the kids. We asked them if they felt tired, and what their sleep schedule was on a normal school night. The results we got pointed to one conclusion: that teenagers need to sleep more. ⅔ of the students said that they were tired, and the other third said that they slept abnormally well the previous night. 60% of the students said that on average the went to bed after 11 o’clock. 10 of the 11 students who said they went to bed after 11 reported waking up before seven. That means on average about 7-8 hours of sleep each night. According to sleepfoundation.org, teens need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep a night. And for kids who play sports, they need more. All of this means that teens at El Rodeo aren’t sleeping enough to do well in school or in their busy teenage lives.
After researching some more, it turns out that teens everywhere aren’t sleeping enough. In a survey conducted by the Journal of Adolescent Health, which included 12,000 high schoolers, revealed some crazy facts. 23% of the group reported sleeping 6 hours or less, and another 10% reported sleeping 5 hours or less. Another problem with not sleeping enough is missing the REM, or Rapid Eye Movement, cycle. The REM period of sleep is when the brain gets the most replenishing. Missing this part of sleep can leave you “messed up” for the entire day.
You’d think that there is one easy solution to this problem. Just make the kids go to bed earlier. Sadly, nothing is ever that easy. Teenagers, for a wide range of reasons, have trouble and don’t like falling asleep early. The only other time to extend the amount of sleep time is in the morning. Oh wait, school! Studies show that schools with a later start time see higher test score and lower tardiness rates. Many people think that school needs to start at or later than 8:30, and some even think that it shouldn’t start until 10:00.
Unfortunately, this problem isn’t going away anytime soon. Many districts refuse to change start times, while others are stalling. This is one example of adults running school for the benefit of themselves, not the students themselves. But until anything gets done, students at El Rodeo and schools around the country will still be yawning and sleeping in class.
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I liked how you made it seem as if you were working for a real, professional news company like CNN. I also really liked how you provided insight into the situation in the last paragraph. Another part that also helped make the article really good is that you provided lots of statistics to show the reader precisely how big of a problem this is. Finally, I really liked how you ended the article by showing what will happen if no one does anything about this.
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This is an extremely relevant issue and you explained the challenges well, using first hand observations and interviews and well as surveys and data. I couldn’t agree more with the suggestion that school should start a bit later – I think teens and their parents would both benefit!
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Gun Control
Are guns a threat or insurance? Ever since the beginning of America, Americans were given the right to have their own guns. The second ammendment of the constitution states,”A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” In short, it states that all men have the right to own their own personal weapon.
Lately, this right has been brought under review. In the past year alone, there have been more than 300 mass shootings in the United States. Most recently, there was a shooting at a college in Oregon. Umpqua university was utterly horrified when they found out that there had been a shooting on thier campus. The shooter killed 9 people including Lucers Alcarez and Treven Taylor Anspach. This tragedy brought over the president who talked and consolled the families of the victims. The fact of thhe matter is, there is no true way to console someone elses family. Numerous people have tried, including the president, but the families always end up the same, or sometimes even worse off, than they had before. The shooters father said,” I know words cannot bring families back. I know there is nothing that I can say that can change what happened, but please believe me, my thoughts are with all of those families. I hope they can get through this,” This is the result that comes from a bad system of governmemt.
surveys have shown that guns have had a big impact on most people in the United States. over half of our population have family members who own a gun. There is also a mutual agreement of 10 to 1 that our gun laws are too lax and that it is too easy to obtain one if them. There are only a few gun laws that are being imposed at this moment. They ban most assault riffles, all .50 callibur riffles, and limit handgun purchases to one per month. These laws are pretty strict on their gun purchases, but what about who purchases them? The only thing that is required is a very lax background check and an easily obtainable gun license. Almost anyone who is determined to acquire a gun will eventually be able to obtain one. No one else should have to suffer for these unprecidented mistakes. Whatever way you can, help make America safer.
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Gets straight to the point. Good use of facts & grace notes.
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Beautifully and thoughtfully written.
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I agree with your statement that “…words cannot bring families back.” I can’t imagine the horror of losing a family member to a bullet. And your plea at the end to help make our country a safer place is a very worthwhile goal that resonated with me. Maybe we should write an email to the President to ask for stricter gun laws? What else can we do? Good job!
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“Every year close to a billion pounds of toxic chemicals are intentionally introduced into the environment and our food supply each year.”According to the EPA
Recent Reach search shows that an increasing amount of toxins in our society is greatly affecting our health and environment. One form of toxin that is especially damaging is called a Pesticide. Pesticides are used in farming to protect crops from insects, and they have also created millions of jobs, But Pesticides can be very damaging to teens and adults because they are potent neurotoxins. When people are exposed to neurotoxins they may feel dizzy, lightheaded, confused and may have reduced coordination and ability to think. Which could greatly affect students in school. But these are just the short-term effects, while long term exposure can result in reduced IQ and learning disabilities. But only until recently, few studies could link permanent brain damage to exposures to toxins and chemicals. Now there is new evidence that suggests that exposure to pesticides in areas where they are used greatly may cause permanent brain damage to children who live in these areas, even though most people in the United States live in urban areas, pesticides are also being used in the foods we eat daily.
Besides pesticides CO2 which is another type of toxin is also greatly affecting teens, rising greenhouse gas levels may be contributing to expanding rates of asthma in U.S. cities and worsening allergies in millions of urban and suburban people, according to a new Harvard Medical School report. A rise in greenhouse gasses has already caused more than normal amounts of rain and cold, also flooding and other natural disasters. Although invisible Co2 is one of the greatest problems facing the world, and it’s only gonna get worse.
A very recent example of toxins in our community is, The Beverly Hills Unified School District said that testing was done on the fields at Beverly Hills High School, and that arsenic was found on the fields. Arsenic is a toxin that is found in metals and other materials, so it is unclear how the arsenic got on the fields or how long it has been there. This discovery raised many concerns in the community, about how many high school teens were exposed or if any teens were exposed. Currently no health effects have been reported that relate to the arsenic on the fields, but this event has parents very concerned about how the arsenic could affect the students in the future and if the toxins could affect their performance in school. There are many types of poisons and toxins in our world today, and most times we are too late to notice the effects until they cause major damage, and in the future there are only gonna be more toxins and chemicals, and the current epidemic is going to grow even larger. But there are ways to prevent it from getting out of hand, one way is for people to act faster and preventing problems from becoming too big . Also for people to realize and accept the problems that we face today, for example there are people who deny that global warming and climate change is real and is currently happening, and one of the biggest things that you can do to benefit the world is for you to make better choices in your daily life. So the next time you go to the market or are looking for a new car think about the affects that your decisions can have on your health now and in the future, also the effects that your actions can have on the environment, and all of the people that call earth home. The Former governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee once said “Whether humans are responsible for the bulk of climate change is going to be left to the scientists, but it’s all of our responsibility to leave this planet in better shape for the future generations than we found it.”
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The newscast is in the proper order and it has great transitions that work with the vocabulary. Also, the story is backed up with research and result. The ending really ties the whole story together and leaves the reader with something to think about.
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This is a timely story. There are many toxins at BHHS and arsenic is just one. I hope your article provokes discussion about the environment at BHHS and the oil drilling that takes place on the field. How will you and your parents act to rid the high school of toxins before 2016? I hope this is a call to action. Thank you for bringing this important issue to light.
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The first day of high school, going to prom, buying your first car, graduating, and getting a job are some of the most memorable events that occur in the life of an average American teenager. However, now more than ever, a new event has been added to many teenager’s lists: becoming a parent. Teenage pregnancy, however, is not a new issue. In fact, it has been a rising concern in the United States for decades.
“It was a decision that ruined my life forever.” Annabelle McKinley, 17, is a victim of teen pregnancy. “I came from an extremely strict home and my parents were so distraught and disappointed. My mom even kicked me out the house. I was already in a (live on campus) trade school in upstate but she said I was not welcomed back home. I went to better myself and to be independent away from my strict parents. After 6 months of me starting I met a guy. We dated until my 18th bday. Then I found out I was pregnant 2 months later. I was afraid because I had only known this guy for less than a year and I wasn’t finished with school. I didn’t believe in abortion and I felt so scared and lonely.”
Teenage pregnancy is an event that affects over one million young teens in the United States, such as Annabelle. In fact, the United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the western industrialized world. 3 in 10 teen American girls will get pregnant at least once before age 20. That is the equivalent to nearly 750,000 teenage pregnancies every year.
Adolescent pregnancy can cause many endless problems in the life of the teen and the newborn child. There are many causes of unplanned pregnancies, such as teens experimenting with sexual encounters at a young age. Lack of sex education (from parents, teachers, and health care providers) can cause young women to make many wrong decisions when faced with a sexual encounter. Another major cause is the lack of guidance due to parents who are in disbelief of the pregnancy.
These causes can have devastating effects on the teen and the baby in the household. Some effects of early pregnancy include an unexpected rise of responsibility for the teen and can cause many health concerns for both the teen and newborn child.
Many minors are conflicted with the fears of disapproval of parents and are anxious of how the pregnancy will affect their future. You would expect parents to be the first source of acceptance and guidance, but in reality most teens fear being rejected or even abused. This leads to teens not receiving a sufficient amount of prenatal care during the early months of development. However, it is crucial that teens receive adequate medical attention so if they go forward with the pregnancy, there isn’t risk for the mother and the baby.
When it comes to your body, teenage girls have to be like Rosa Parks, and stand up for themselves. Teenage pregnancies cause young women to focus more on decisions about the pregnancy and forget about themselves. This is a common mistake and may cause harm to the mother or baby’s body. It is critical that young women are able to tackle their fears of rejection and stand up for what they believe is right, as Rosa Parks had done. Although it is a rise in responsibility, teenagers have to take control to make a felicitous decision, that will consider both the health of the mother and her baby.
Teenagers who become pregnant are forced to make an agonizing decision of whether to keep the baby or to terminate the pregnancy. Imagine having to choose between killing a life, and continuing education or keeping a life, but having to stop education. Teen pregnancies can jeopardize the teenager’s future if she can’t complete high school or go to college. Parenthood is the main reason why teenage girls drop out of school. More than half of teen mothers never graduate from high school. Additionally, less than 2% of teenage moms earn a college degree by age 30. Young fathers may also be objected to limiting their education.
Teenage pregnancy is a complicated modern phenomenon which requires attention of guardians, educators, and health care providers. Although the tendency of teenage pregnancy in the U.S. seems to be gradually decreasing, certain groups still remain vulnerable to this phenomenon.
What can you do? As a parent or healthcare provider, it is crucial that you provide sex education to teenagers. Schools aren’t usually useful with providing sex-ed classes. On the teenager’s part, it is important to make the right decisions when faced with such a phenomenon as teenage pregnancy.
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Good information and good advice!
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Teen Pressure
It was just like any other day at the high school when someone’s friends asked them if they wanted a cigarette. “What’s the matter it is only one cigarette, and besides, I don’t want to look bad in front of my friends.” One might think.
It turns out that this story is one of many. 19 year old Connor Eckhardt died on July 11, 2014. ” ‘In a moment of peer pressure, he gave into that, thinking that was ok, it was somehow safe, and one hit later, he goes to sleep and never wakes up.’ Connor’s father, Devin Eckhardt said.” Connor gave in, he was not able to stay strong and that cost him his life. We may think that he was stupid and the people we know would never do something like that, but Connor was just like everyone else. He was pressured and pushed and knew the easiest way out, unaware of the bigger cost.
Peer pressure among adolescence is common and difficult to deal with. It can damage people’s lives, especially when combined with smoking. Others have a strong influence on the way a person behaves and acts, especially among teenagers, who are going through mental and physical change in their lives. They are faced with a lot of stress and pressure from their environment and are in danger of smoking.
Although in their perspective it may not seem like it, it is completely up to them if they give up to their pressure and stress, and smoke a cigarette. But giving in to smoking is like the bombing on Dresden to your body. Smoking devastates your body and ruins your life. One might feel alone, and pressured and all of these other bad emotions at this point in their life, but that is far better than the effects of smoking.
One is not going to die from one cigarette, but nicotine is highly addictive and it is much harder to stop that to start. It is not immediate, but after a while, smoking comes back around and causes lung cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Not to mention, it makes you look much older than you actually are, so good luck finding dates.
Teenagers certainly are not all powerful like Oz, but when it comes to their own life and decisions, they have all the power. It is their responsibility to stay strong and keep themselves safe.
*ktla.com
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I really like how Matthew uses a good example for peer pressure.
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I loved your descriptions! Ugly, (and stinky), sickly and life ruining, Dresden to your body! You’re so right. You describe peer pressure as powerful and the consequences of succumbing to it even more powerfully! This is wonderful and persuasive article.
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Sleepy Students-
A Growing Epidemic That Has Infected the Nation
by Alex McDermott
Mary A. Carskadon, Ph.D. says that the purpose of education is to “maximize human potential.” However, starting times at high schools around the country are undermining this main goal of education. At Beverly Hills High School, and the majority of high schools throughout the nation, students are losing precious sleep because of old-fashioned bell schedules.
Adri Goldman, 13, who wakes up at 6:55 every morning for school, shared her unfortunate story.
“I have a set alarm in my head. It’s really bad. I’ll try to sleep in [on the weekends], but I can’t.” When asked if she thought more sleep would help her, she said,
“I wouldn’t feel as tired. I would be more alert during the day and be able to contain more information.” This is a reality for most kids in America and around the world who desperately need more sleep and different sleeping schedules.
Studies, such as the one by Dr. Carskadon, have shown that sleep patterns change as children become adolescents, with prime sleeping times and schedules ending later in the morning. But bell schedules clash with biological clocks. In order to maximize the learning of students, school should be starting no earlier than 9:00 a.m., maybe even later. Trying to teach a kid at eight o’ clock in the morning, or even earlier for kids who take zero periods, is like trying to teach a sedated dog a trick. It just doesn’t make sense.
A survey taken in the eighth grade English honors class at El Rodeo School yielded interesting, but not totally unexpected results. The average time that students woke up for school is six-thirty, and when asked if they thought that their sleeping schedule has been shaped or interrupted by school, almost 4 out of every 5 students said yes. Adults often look past the students opinions with a dismissing “that’s just how it is” or a “I wake up early to go to my job. You just need to deal with it”. However, an interview with several teachers at El Rodeo, who are up close with students and see this fatigue on a daily basis, showed that sleep actually does matter.
“They need time to wake up. My first period is usually not participating. Also, test scores in my first period are usually lower,” says Ms. Makhmudyan vehemently. Other teachers stated similar ideas.
“I think studies have shown that teenagers function better at schools with later start times,” said Ms. Stuart.
But many are not sympathetic to this cause. Many parents and coaches look past their child’s education and complain that school starting at later times will mess with sports schedules and decrease practice time. On Debate.org, a website where people can anonymously post comments about important topics, one person complained saying,
“School is fine the way it is. If you went later that would put kids that are in sports home later and they would be missing supper times, homework time, and family time.” The same problem applies to other extracurriculars. Also, many parent work schedules would not fit into the new school schedules, leading to logistical problems and a need for heightened responsibility from students. Another teacher at El Rodeo also opposes later start times, but for different reasons. “Behaviorally they are just not ready,” the teacher said, going on to explain that on Wednesdays, a day when school starts at nine-thirty instead of eight, students are more energetic and act out in class more.
Other arguments against the issue are based on incorrect facts.
“There’s no point in starting later,” an arguer states. “Most teenagers ranging from 15+ years old only need about 7 hours of sleep. If you can manage to get more sleep at night, then you should be set.” While this sounds like common sense, it is not true. During this phase in adolescents life, sleep is critical as it aids in the development process.
“Teens need 9-10 hours of sleep to be at their best. However, daily life is centered around adults who need 7-8 hours of sleep to be at their best,” a scientist rebuts on Debate.org. Also, those who think that teens should sleep more at night have not fully examined the best sleeping patterns for teenagers. Naturally, adolescents going through this period of rapid growth and development tend to go to sleep later, and to wake up later.
More evidence, such as a reduced risk of teen crashes, fewer mood changes, and improved physical health, as well as improved academic performance, leads to most parents and students pushing for a later start time at school.
So, the question needs to be asked: are we willing to make a few sacrifices to greatly benefit students around the country? Why do we complain about test results when studies have already proven that they improve when school starts later? Lobby your school board, spread the word, and call for change. We cannot put this off any longer because the fate of the children of America rests in the answer.
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I liked how you used people’s quotes to support your argument. You also had great flow throughout your newscast, and I loved how you expressed and clearly conveyed your thoughts. You also showed how your argument was effecting more than just one type of person like the teacher and student. Overall I really liked your newscast.
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You are such a sophisticated writer! Congratulations on an articulate and persuasive news story. You have a natural journalistic ability – wow!
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In 2014, Maggie Valentine weighed more than 200 pounds. She was just 12 years old. She tried everything she could think of, but still remained overweight. Through tears, she once said, “I want people to know that … obesity isn’t as simple as [people] … make it seem.”
It turns out this was not an isolated incident. This story is one of many where adults and children alike are overweight but cannot figure out how to change it. Research by the University of Washington shows that worldwide overweight and obesity rates among adults in the past 33 years have increased by 27.5%, while the same rates among children and adolescents have increased by 47.1%. Lately, the fact that so many people are overweight has become widely accepted as just another part of life, but the question still arises: why is this happening?
In a survey conducted among 25 eighth graders attending El Rodeo Elementary School in Beverly Hills, 52% said the reason why so many people are overweight is because unhealthy foods generally cost less while 32% claimed it is because people eat too much sugar. Of the remaining 16%, half believed it’s because people don’t exercise enough and the other half stated people are overweight because there are lots of chemicals in low-fat foods, which people think are healthier. But what do experts say?
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, multiple reasons are to blame for this epidemic, the biggest being a “lack of energy balance.” Energy balance means that one’s energy in, which comes from food and drinks, equals his or her energy out, which comes from being physically active. In other words, this means that obesity happens over time when one takes in more calories than he or she uses. Another reason is that many people live an inactive lifestyle without much physical activity. The main reason for this is that society spends more and more time staring at TVs, smartphones, and computers doing work, schoolwork, and leisure activities. Also, with modern conveniences and technology, we are required to do less and less physical activity at work and at home. The third reason is that our environment “encourages” obesity. This is shown in many ways, including oversized food portions, a lack of access to healthy foods, and a lack of safe places for recreation.
But what, you may ask, should you do? The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says that there are many ways to avoid becoming overweight, if you keep in mind the concept of energy balance. One method is to follow a balanced eating plan and make healthy food choices. Another is to focus on portion size and cut back if necessary. Also, you should be active in order to have more energy out. Finally, you should reduce screen time as it limits time for physical activity – health experts recommend two hours or less per day that is not work-related. However, to truly prevent yourself from becoming overweight or obese, you must use and follow all of these methods.
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I like how you start with one specific example, and then go off and say that it happens all over the world. You also had a good survey which gave people the chance to more accurately state what they thought. The survey showed people’s views very well.
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Excellent writing, quality references and clear suggestions for the reader. Great job.
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I like the way that you started with one example, then went off into many different stats about juvenile and adult obesity.
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Digital Distraction by Louis Chung
Little did the El Rodeo School student, Louis Chung, know that he was putting himself at risk when he was purchasing a phone. When he was interviewed about how phones have affected his life, he answered,” At first, I thought a phone would help me have fun through social media, texting, and games.Now I know it was a big mistake to consider even buying a phone. It consumed up my valuable time because I was so distracted by it.” Phones are everywhere in the 21st century and they cause many problems, but the most common one is distraction.
People are constantly on their phones these days and are using them 24/7 whether or not it is relevant to what they’re supposed to do or not. Just being on a phone for 19/7 would cause less distraction to any phone users worldwide. As a reporter surveyed El Rodeo School middle school students about this case, he realized that Louis wasn’t the only one who was being distracted by a phone. Out of the 18 students who were surveyed, 83 %( 15 kids) admitted that they were tempted to use their phones at unnecessary times because of all the alluring amenities it provides. Although people know that distraction causes unwanted consequences, we, as impotent human beings succumb to the power of phones.
Adverse effects result from distraction caused by phones. People have a plethora of actions they need to implement, but petty things like phones hinder them from achieving them. Fortunately, for many users who have been distracted by phones, there are cures or precautions they could take to prevent digital distraction. One effective way is to shut off their phones, mute their phones, and put it in an unreachable place when needless. This will block off any notifications that will remind the user of their phone and make the phone user have to work extra harder to obtain their phone. They could also delete unimportant apps which are the main forms of distraction provoking digital object on a phone. Through these precautions, anybody, regardless of whether or not they have been affected by digital distraction, could prevent or cure themselves from digital distraction. Click. See it wasn’t so difficult to delete the app.
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A really good point about a problem that affects so many people today. Evidence supports argument and is relevant to the claim.
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Terrific opening paragraph and some fantastic descriptors: (alluring amenities…, impotent human beings succumb to the power…, a plethora of actions…). A great conclusion.
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The Push of a Finger can Ruin Lives
The amount of shootings that have taken place in the United States is far from normal. Picture this, as of November 2, 2015 there have been 319 shooting, and 304 days in the year. Schools alone have had 54 shootings with 30 dead and 53 injured since October 10, 2015.
The Second Amendment allows citizens the right to bare arms, but the big question is to what degree should this be allowed. Some people are eager to support gun control while others despise it.
Some citizens question why the United States is leading in the amount of shootings. Countries such as England, France, and Germany don’t have nearly the same amount. England makes it difficult for people to own firearms. Citizens of the United Kingdom have to have specific motives to own a gun, and they have to prove that they are not a threat to the world, and to society as well. These people have to fill out tons of paperwork, whereas people of the United States can be in control of a gun simply because it is one of their rights.
Many believe that the United States government should be making it more challenging for citizens to own guns. Most people believe that the number one cause of the shootings is mental illness. It’s not. It is proven that mentally ill people tend to be the victims of these crimes. When one person gains control of a gun, and makes a bad decision they aren’t only affecting the person they kill or injure, but that person’s family and friends as well. It is simply too easy for people to own a gun, and it’s time for change.
Even victims of shootings are in favor of the Second Amendment. Jesse Fitzgerald, whose sister was recently injured at a shooting in Oregon said “We’re pro-Second Amendment, pro guns. My sister, my mother, my whole family are all in favor. We were talking about it in the hospital and none of us have changed our minds.”
We did a survey at an eighth grade English class in Beverly Hills, California. 13 students were questioned about whether there have been too many shootings and if it is too easy for people to be in control of a gun. They were also asked if they were pro guns or anti-guns. Every student responded by saying that there have been too many shootings and it is not challenging for people to own a firearm. Only one student stated that they were pro guns. Another felt that certain handguns are appropriate for civilian use, as long as the situation requires it. Most people agree that the police, and other authorities, should own guns.
The shootings have become all too familiar. For citizens and police this has becoming a routine. Garry F. McCarthy, Chicago Police Superintendent said, “Here we go again.” The shootings have almost lost their meaning. They’ve become normal. It’s time for change.
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I like how you used evidence to support your essay. It was very well structured and I loved how you talked about what is going on in society today.
-Adrianna
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I like how you point out that there are strong opinions on both sides of this issue – even people affected by gun violence may still be pro-guns. Despite the statistics you provide, it’s hard to create consensus about gun policies. Excellent concluding paragraph.
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Is it too Much Pressure?
Social Isolation. The feeling you feel when there is nobody around to talk to. The pain of not being able to express your thoughts to anyone. The depressing feeling of being alone. The feeling a teenager has when not accepted by a certain social circle. As a teenager, it is so tough to find a social cluster to fit into. Kids must try to be recognized as a member of these groups. During these times teens are irritable and emotional.
In the middle of the 2015-2016 school year in El Rodeo, 8th grade students found out that a new student was joining the grade. She was from a foreign country and did not speak English very well. This shy, thirteen-year-old walked down the narrow hallway alone, with no one guiding her. She stared from door to door trying to find the correct room number for her first period, lost and alone. As a student it is hard to understand and take in information, especially when you don’t know how to speak the language. On top of stress related to seven academic classes, many teenagers need to handle the difficulties of social stress as well. The only way to go through these hardships is to find a person to talk to. A person that would be able to relate or understand ones pain.
It turns out that this was not an isolated incident. Out of a sample of 16 El Rodeo eighth graders, 81% said that they feel pressured to fit in. An eighth grader currently attending El Rodeo, totally agrees that teens have to deal with too much stress. Adrianna Goldman explained, “When I first came to this school three years ago, I was scared to death that I wouldn’t be able to find a group of friends. In the beginning of the school year I was caught off guard by all the assignments and I didn’t have anyone to help me. This was a tough time for me and I was very stressed out.” Social pressure also occurs with new students. Since many teenagers have become friends over a number of years, the new students find it hard to enter a friendship that has been lasting for so long.
Research has shown that the pressure to fit in leads to teens making bad decisions. Kids want to be accepted into a specific social group so badly that they will do whatever they are told. Most teenagers will follow the hazardous behavior of the group. The social cluster might even have an awful influence on the teen. They will teach the new follower horrible patterns such as using alcohol and illegal drugs. The pressure to be part of a crowd can have horrible effects that will affect the future of a teen. A student by the name of John T. Edmerson, a junior at Carson High School, explained in an article for the Los Angeles Times that peer pressure is the cause of kids getting in trouble. Therefore, kids must find the perfect group of friends not just the group that everyone considers to be popular.
Too much pressure to be popular can also lead to problems in the body. A website named “Kids Health”explains that too much worrying causes hypertension, or high blood pressure. This can result in strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, kidney failure, or loss of vision. These are very serious medical issues that can greatly impact a persons life. Other possibilities of stress related issues include anxiety or depression. Less unneeded stress in ones life may help reduce the risks of these medical complications.
There are many steps you can take to prevent the horrible outcomes of too much pressure. Make sure the student has an adult they can trust and talk to about problems they are going through. The teenager will have someone they can share their stress with. This will help lower the level of stress the teen is feeling.
Many youngsters don’t know how to find themselves a group of people they can have fun with and be themselves around. Most are fearful of not being approved for a certain group of people. These poor teenagers then feel as though the cause of rejection is due to flaws in their personality or physical shape. However, the social circle was not able to relate to that teen.
The life of any teenager across the world is like the life of Squidward Tentacles from Spongebob. The teenagers are always feeling taut and stressed out. Being a social butterfly is challenging and not as easy as it seems. So next time you see a teen that is struggling with finding friends introduce yourself and maybe you will even find a great friend and possibly help prevent depression
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Very thoughtful essay.
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Imagine going to school one morning and never coming back. This tragic thought is becoming a reality for some unlucky students, at schools all around the country. Is the place where most children spend almost a third of their lives not safe anymore? Do we blame the shooter, the teacher, the security guard, maybe even the second amendment of the U.S. Constitution for these awful occasions?
On December 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary school, twenty people were killed, twenty young students, and six adults. This shocked the hearts of many, and made schools all around the U.S. rethink their security. Gun control laws were soon the subject of much debate, along with violent video games and their affect on children. This will be one of the first of many mass school shooting to come.
Since 2013, there have been more than one hundred fifty-three shootings, one per week. Almost as fast as the bullets have left the shooters’ guns has President Obama been addressing the public with his thoughts on the matter. Obama recently said “this has become routine,” this was after the shooting in Oregon. Obama is saying that his response to the matter, the grieving, and the charity, has become almost routine because of the large quantity of shootings.
The fact that after the Sandy Hook shooting, like falling dominoes, there have been approximately a shooting a week, shows how poorly the government and the people working towards stopping theses instances have done. Maybe its time to have teachers carry guns in the classroom, or maybe get rid of guns all together, whatever the solution is, it needs to happen soon, or else we will see many more of these shooting in the years to come.
“Under Japan’s firearm and sword law, the only guns permitted are shotguns, air guns, guns that have research or industrial purposes, or those used for competitions. However, before access to these specialty weapons is granted, one must obtain formal instruction and pass a battery of written, mental, and drug tests and a rigorous background check. Furthermore, owners must inform the authorities of how the weapon and ammunition is stored and provide the firearm for annual inspection.” – Jonathan Masters. These intensely strict regulations have led Japan to have the lowest gun related homicide rate in the world.
The U.S. should look to other countries for inspiration. While a staggering eighty-nine out of every one hundred Americans own firearms, the next highest amount is Norway at about thirty. The gun related homicide rate in the U.S. is also much higher than in other nations. It seems like a good time to crack down of gun laws, and take control of this growing issue like everyone else has.
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Really well made article. it expresses some global issues that play a factor into our society today. Maybe we can institute larger background checks and still keep the second amendment in place.
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I really like how you referenced the Japan’s strict regulations and how it has led Japan to have the lowest gun related homicide rate in the world. Good information.
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In 2013 a woman was killed while using her phone while it was charging prompting an official apollogy from Apple. This terrible incident was not the first or the last of its kind. Many people people have suffered similar injuries.
Over the past few years the amount of technology that surrounds us and is in our lives has drastically increased. These devices have changed our lives in more ways than one, but are they good or bad.
Many peope are constantly glued to there phones and when they wear down the battery and plug in their phones they are putting their lives at risk by using phones while they are charging. What most people think about when they charge their phones is how much electricity is flowing into my phone? The answer is simple: More than enough to kill you. As the number of phones go up so does the risk of losing more lives.
To stop this people can take a variety of steps from simply not using a phone while it is plugged in and charging to singing a petition to raise safty standards of phone chargers. Any step will make a difference and it is up to you to take that step.
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Your writing taught me something that I did not know. You took a story that shocked me and made me to continue reading. Good job Jack.
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Good information, thank you.
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Hike! Crash! Done. “We need a doctor!” The ram was made and what had happened could not be undone. Reality seemed as it would slip away in the eyes of Patrick Levy, who was rushed to the school nurse. The world was as hazy as a thick layer of fog in the middle of a swamp. Once the nurse laid her eyes upon Patrick, she called the ambulance and he was taken to the Emergency Room.
“You’re done for the season I’m afraid to say.” The nurse had told Patrick as he was sitting on his hospital bed. “The x-rays look bad. Your finger has been cracked in half, and will require an operation. You will need metal pins inserted to put the bone back together. How did this happen again?” Looking glum, Patrick looked up and replied, “Football.”
Football, one of the most played sports in America does come with a price. Every year, teens in high school are injured by football. Football brings these young players concussions, broken bones, and overtraining pains. All of these things can stop a player for playing their beloved sport for a whole season. In the 2005-2006 highs school football season, half a million injuries occurred. We went to El Rodeo de Los Aguas school and asked 15 random children if they have ever experienced a sports injury, and 88% said they have experienced a sports injury. Most of the students who experienced these injuries had concussions from football. This was only a middle school where football isn’t offered. If this is the case at a middle school, what does that mean for high school football players? Some believe that football is to injuries as depression medicine is to unwanted side effects. Patrick Levy is just one of many who have been through this soul crushing experience first hand (pun intended).
These injuries, especially concussions, have effects that can bring harm to one’s normal un-football related lives. Concussions and broken bones can make one miss many days of school. Concussions usually make one miss about two weeks of important hours of study, while broken bones may need to keep one home for a couple of days. These days missed, affect one’s academics, which most would say are more important than athletics. Also, when one breaks a bone, like Patrick Levy, it is likely that one may not be able to write, and will have to figure out how to manage school’s writing based curriculum, without writing. Football injuries not only bring problems on the field, but also on the court of life.
Football related injuries also cause unwanted side effects for the future. Concussions can lead to Alzheimer’s Disease and ALS. Also if one gets four concussions, they may be the victim to vision loss, loss of brain cells, and an even greater chance of developing Alzheimer’s and ALS. Overall, football’s injuries can cause problems for the future, and even death.
According to Patrick Levy, football has become a cloud of confusion. ” I love football but this injury has hurt me in so many more ways than imaginable. I had seen team,ages go through the same thing but when it happens to you it’s no small happening. It feels like a big deal. Football already keeps me up late doing my homework, for practices are so long, and this injury just puts this over the top. I don’t know what I’m going to do for next season.” Patrick is very confused, but still loves football. His injury has taken its toll on his grades. ” I need to look good for college but this injury has been bringing my grades down further and further. This came at the wrong time.”
Football also causes brain damage. Even without a diagnosed concussion, football players’ brains are showing signs of severe brain damage. In a study by Science Daily, researchers found that 50% – 70% of high school football players showed altered neurological function. Changes to the wiring and biochemistry are common, and most players don’t know this is happening. About half a team of football players are experiencing these changes. Overall, hits to the head can be the most dangerous, for they go unnoticed and happen often, while leaving big impacts.
High school football players also may be more vulnerable to concussions than adults. A new study shows that high school football players try to hide their symptoms of a concussion. They try to hide their symptoms for they don’t want to let anyone down. A concussion that is hidden and not treated correctly, can create many problems for the players brain. Studies also show that if one gets a concussion once, they are more susceptible to another. In the end, concussions in high school football are very common.
Football seems extremely dangerous, but most feel that football is to them as flying is to birds. Many love the sport and are happily willing to take the chance of getting an injury. Though injuries are common, the spirit one feels when playing football makes up for it. Also, not everyone gets injuries, and many play football and never have any problems. Football has even tried to become safer by coming up with new helmet models that protect the head better, and better pads to absorb the shock of a hit more efficiently. It seems as if football is on a road to becoming safer.
Though football is on the road to a safer future, many actions need to be taken place before it gets there. You can help donate money to research teams who are learning on how to create better helmets and pads to prevent injuries. You can also donate money so that schools can buy these new helmets and pads, for many schools don’t have the money for this new technology. You can also write letters to local districts, on how they can use new rules that don’t change the game dramatically, but protect America’s football players. In the end, football is a great sport that many love, but which also comes with sacrifices in the form of injuries.
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Good information and a good call to action!
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Teenagers’ never ending stress is like a tangled ball of rubber bands. Many middle school students in El Rodeo School complain about the amount of schoolwork they receive and the stress this causes them. The students focus their attention all day at school and then also at night on their school work while still having to worry about their after school activities.
Emma Sirota, an eighth grader in El Rodeo said, “I have so much work to complete, and I have piano today!” They are required to come home and do even more school work. They become so overly exhausted which causes them to experience even more stress. Www. webmd.com, an online source wrote, ” Stomachaches and headaches. These kinds of complaints show that kids are stressed.”
Stress is unhealthy and can interfere in students’ efforts to study because it affects their concentration and energy levels. Stress also impacts students’ ability to sleep resulting in students not doing well at school because they are too tired to focus and learn. Students should sleep at least eight hours per night in order to do and feel their best. However, most students get less than the necessary hours of sleep which is unhealthy for their growing bodies and developing brains.
Research noted in http://www.symptomfind.com documented, “Stress has been linked to cases of insomnia, mood swings and anxiety disorders.” Students are at a greater risk for emotional and physical problems due to the amount of stress they endure. Sometimes, students may turn to drugs or alcohol as a way of dealing with or forgetting about their stress. Another way students may deal with their stress is by “stress eating.” These eating habits can lead to obesity causing more medical issues. These students may become more self-cautious and have an increase in social isolation. This can lead to depression.
On November 5, students from just one class were being asked, “Do you think that students have more stress than they should be having at this age?” You may be surprised to find that fifteen out of nineteen students replied “ Yes, students do have more stress than they should be having at this age.” In other words, 78% of students think that they contain more stress than is needed.
The moment that students are handed another worksheet or given another assignment, they automatically feel their stress levels rise. Students have way more school work, time crunches, and pressure to excel than they should be having at this age. This leads to kids freaking out about all the things they have to take care of and feeling overwhelmed. Parents also get fed up as they have to hear their kids’ complaints, have to help them organize their time, and feel sad that their kids miss out on valuable family time. It hurts them to see their kids spending all their free time locked in their rooms studying. Kids need some time to themselves to just be. They need some downtime, free time, or simply just nap time. It’s important for kids to distract their minds off of their school work for a while.
Having too much school work can also tamper with family plans. Students usually get assigned weekend homework or several projects which interfere with their free time to go on a little vacation or even just attend a family gathering. This is a lose-lose situation for both the family and the student. An El Rodeo parent said, “Come out for lunch with me and take a break from your homework.” In response their child, also an eighth grader, said, ” I can’t take a break because I have too much work to complete.” This punishes both the child and the parent.
To make sure that students stress level decreases, students and parents should speak up. They should talk to teachers and the school board and tell them what is happening with their students. Parents should talk amongst each other and make a plan to put a stop to all of this stress. In order to do so, parents should plan a parent-teacher conference. This would hopefully give the teachers a hint to change the amount of work they give to their students. Do the teachers and board members care about their students as much as they say they do? Make them prove it!
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Well documented and written with passion. I like how you explained that the demands of school work are interfering with family and social activities – important parts of growing up.
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This is a great article. I love the thoughtful comparisons that enhance the readers understanding of feeling related to football and the story that went along with the facts to make the reader understand how often these injuries occur and makes the problems seem more down to Earth. Also, the last section of your article is very strong and inspiring, and offers the reader hope while helping them to understand what they can do.
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What an impressive group of thinkers and writers! It’s a pleasure to see this group aware of current issues and capable of critical and analytical thought.
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Enjoyed reading all of the newscasts!!! Great job everyone!
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