Scholastic Choices articles from February 2007

Scholastic Choices archives from February 2007

Read it & reap!(Web site)(Website overview)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... THERE'S PROBABLY NO BETTER WAY TO SPEND A RAINY AFTERNOON than curling up with a good book. It can be easy to forget how much fun reading is because most teenagers stick to what they have to read (books for school) instead of what they want to...

Vanessa's values.(Relationships)(Vanessa Anne Hudgens)(Interview)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Actress Vanessa Anne Hudgens, 18, is one of the stars of High School Musical and the upcoming High School Musical 2. She's also a singer. Her debut CD V was released last fall. She talked to Choices about friendship. Choices: How would you...

Girl power.(Careers)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... In general, men earn more than women in the workplace, a fact that doesn't sit well with girls of all ages. But the news is not all bad, ladies. A report posted on CNNMoney.com last year listed 39 jobs in which women's median earnings exceed...

Billion$ babies.(Personal Responsibility)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... HERE'S ANOTHER REASON FOR TEENS NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN: Babies born to teens are a huge drain on the economy. According to By the Numbers: The Public Costs of Teen Childbearing, a study released by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy...

Kicked to the curb: Kyle Kubaska spent six months living on the streets. In his own words, he describes how he survived being homeless.(family)(Cover story)
February 1, 2007... You probably see homeless people in your town. Maybe you give them some change. Maybe you cross the street so you don't have to deal with them. But you don't really see them. You don't notice if they're mothers or fathers--or kids like me. If...

Breaking free: after overcoming her boyfriend's abuse, Shaina Weisbrot has made it her mission to stop relationship violence among teens.(personal responsibility)
February 1, 2007... When Shaina Weisbrot was in eighth grade, she began dating a guy in her class named Brad *. "At first, it was amazing," Shaina tells Choices. "He was caring and attentive. He always called me to see now I was doing, and he wanted to be around...

Drain on the brain: abusing alcohol during the teen years can lead to dire consequences, including damage to your growing brain.(substance abuse)
February 1, 2007... Four years ago, the daily alcohol-fueled party finally ended for Toren Volkmann when he entered a rehabilitation program. He was 23 and lucky to be alive. For the previous eight years, Toren had binged on alcohol. His abuse got him arrested on...

Suddenly stricken: four years ago, Angela Wright had an epileptic seizure that changed her life. Find out how she regained control of her health.(health)
February 1, 2007... Angela Wright was on her way to swim-team practice one morning when she began to shake uncontrollably. Then she passed out. Scared that their daughter might die, Angela's parents rushed her to a hospital where doctors gave them good news and...

Desert alert: a dessert can still be delicious even when you make it healthier by cutting down on its fat, sugar, and calorie content.(nutrition)
February 1, 2007... Here's the definition of the word dessert, according to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2006: a usually sweet course or dish, as of fruit, ice cream, or pastry, served at the end of a meal. Read that definition carefully; it says...

Classic crepes: our teen chef's crepes are delicious and easy to make.(recipe 101)(Recipe)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... ingredients 1 cup of flour 2 eggs 1 1/4 cups of milk 2 tablespoons of melted butter 1 tablespoon of sugar What to do 1 Mix all the ingredients together in a blender or by hand using a whisk and a bowl...

Handle with care: how do you prevent yourself from getting sick? The answer lies in your hands.(your body & mind)
February 1, 2007... If you answered "no" to any of the above, you have increased your chances of getting sick. Why? Germs on your hands contribute to your becoming ill. Washing your hands regularly with soap and water reduces your body's contact with germs. ...

Pocket$: learn how to use your allowance to save, spend, and set goals.(your money)
February 1, 2007... Many kids get a sum of money called an allowance from their parents. The rules on allowances vary. Some teens get an allowance in exchange for doing chores like taking out the garbage or cleaning their rooms. Sometimes an allowance is for a...

Right resume? Will the resume below help this teen get a job? Or does it need a serious rewrite job?(you future)
February 1, 2007... A resume is a written summary of a person's education, accomplishments, and job experience. Many jobs--even the part-time ones that teens get--require applicants to submit a resume Even if you've never worked before, you need to be able to...

Pet project: before bringing Fluffy or Fido home, make sure that owning a pet is for you.(your life)
February 1, 2007... There are many advantages to having pets. They can be loyal and fun to play with. They never criticize, complain, or pass judgment. They help us relax and some of them even assist us in getting exercise. Who wouldn't want to have a pet? Maybe...

Stress and drug abuse.(HEADS UP: REAL NEWS ABOUT DRUGS AND YOUR BODY)
February 1, 2007... Myth vs. reality Myth 1: Drug abuse is harmful, but it does relieve stress. Reality: Some drugs of abuse affect your brain the same way stress does. Long-term abuse of drugs makes users more sensitive to everyday stress than non-users....

Smoke signal: advice from Choices readers.(sticky situartion)
February 1, 2007... DEAR SMOKE FREE, Tell them you don't like smoking. You could say, "l like you as a friend, but I don't like smoke. If you're a true friend, you will respect my wishes and stop smoking around me." If they don't stop smoking around you,...