Scholastic Choices articles from October 2002

Scholastic Choices archives from October 2002

Buying confidence. (Consumer).
October 1, 2002... Have you ever felt more confident about yourself after buying a new outfit or a cell phone? If you have, you're not alone. According to a recent survey conducted by the Center for a New American Dream, the majority of kids report that buying...

Wheel info. (Cool Web Site).
October 1, 2002... If you're a teen approaching the legal driving age, chances are you're thinking about a learner's permit, driver's ed, and even... the dreaded road test! Relax. There's a Web site that can help you complete your quest to become a licensed,...

Scare up sight. (Personal Responsibility).
October 1, 2002... While you're getting candy for yourself this Halloween, collect used eyeglasses for others. Who needs used eyeglasses? Needy people, that's who. And thanks to Sight Night 2002, a project run by LensCrafters and the Lions Club International,...

Beef with beef. (Correction).
October 1, 2002... In the January 2002 Choices, we ran an article on fast food called "Quick, Easy, & Harmful." The article misstated that each year cattle are routinely fed the remains of dead cats and dogs. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned such...

Veggie Burger. (Nutrition).
October 1, 2002... Chances are you've eaten your share of greasy burgers. Add ketchup or mayonnaise and you could have easily been consuming a whopping 800 calories and 50 grams of fat in one burger. It doesn't have to be that way. Earlier this year, Burger...

Razor's edge: some teenagers have found a shocking way to cope with pain. When their emotions run too high, they cut them out. (Health).
October 1, 2002... It's hard not to notice Tessa. The 18-yearold from rural Pennsylvania stands taller than six feet and her hair is often colored purple. She's the president of her senior class and a star of her high school's speech and debate team. After...

My brother has Down syndrome: six years ago, Jonathan's brother Timmy was born severely disabled. Here's their story. (Family).
October 1, 2002... They are like any other set of brothers in many ways. Jonathan Fauske, 16, likes to kick soccer balls and act in community plays. Timmy Fauske, 6, loves to swim and work with his plastic tools. When they play together, Jonathan tickles Timmy or...

The coffee scoop: do you need at least one cup of coffee to get through a day?" If so, discover how to enjoy a caffeinated beverage that's not only delicious, but good for your body too. (Nutrition).
October 1, 2002... Coffee used to be a drink adults drank to top off a meal or to help wake up in the morning. Now, coffee is a staple in many teens' diets. Teens are drinking coffee everywhere-at home, in malls, in coffee shops, and in schools. And the coffee...

Heads up real news about drugs and your body.
October 1, 2002... WELCOME TO HEADS UP: Real News About Drugs and Your Body, a drug education series from Scholastic and the scientists of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Our mission is to bring you real news about the effects drugs can have on your...

Meet your incredible brain: check out command central for everything you do. (Heads Up Real News About Drugs and Your Body).
October 1, 2002... What's that gray, wrinkled blob inside your skull? It's your brain--the body's most amazing organ, a three pound factory for feelings, memories, ideas and movement. It makes your heart beat, stores the beat to your favorite song, and prompts...

Smoking gun: cigarettes are addictive and deadly. So why are teens still smoking? (Close up: Nicotine).
October 1, 2002... If you're looking for the Robinson Rams baseball team during fourth period lunch, don't bother searching the cafeteria or the practice diamond. On most afternoons, you'll find a handful of the top players from Robinson Secondary School in...

The lows of getting high: one teen's journey from street corner to jail to recovery. (Close up: Marijuana).
October 1, 2002... At 18, Alby Podolski was living a nightmare behind bars. He felt he was in constant physical danger. "I saw people get stabbed," Alby says. And he experienced daily indignities. "I couldn't eat the food they served. The potatoes were like...

Activities & Resources. (Heads up Real News About Drugs and Your Body).
October 1, 2002... * Review: "Meet Your Incredible Brain" Which brain part do you need to remember what you learned from our diagram? The hippocampus. Put your hippocampus to work and see how much you can recall. Match each brain part with one of its...

Heads Up. (The Best of the Web).
October 1, 2002... [much greater than] www.scolastic.com/HEADSUP Check out our Heads Up site fur more information on drug abuse, pop-up diagrams, and more.

NIDA. (The Best of the Web).
October 1, 2002... [much greater than] www.drugabuse.gov This is the NIDA Web site. There's tons of info about common drugs of abuse and how they affect the brain and body. Plus, there's a special section for students.

National Clearinghouse. (The Best of the Web).
October 1, 2002... [much greater than] www.health.org The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information's site offers many recent reports and much info about drug abuse.

Tobacco. (The Best of the Web).
October 1, 2002... [much greater than] www.cdc.gov/tobacco You'll find great information about tobacco, plus links for tips on how to quit.

National Drug. (The Best of the Web).
October 1, 2002... [much greater than] www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov This is the office of National Drug Control Policy's site. It offers annual reports, drug facts, and more.

For help with a substance abuse problem.
October 1, 2002... [much greater than] www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov If you think you may have a drug problem, checkout this site. Run by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, it offers a facility locator. You can also call their...

Girl fight: words, not fists, are often the weapon of choice for teen bullies. Find out how to avoid being a victim. (Personal Responsibility).
October 1, 2002... Misty Smith had a secret. It was so private that she decided to share it only with a very close friend. Misty thought she could trust this friend. She was wrong. "She wasn't supposed to tell anyone," says Misty, a 10th-grader at Stephens...

On the mend: lost a button on your favorite shirt? Follow these easy instructions to get back in place yourself.
October 1, 2002... What You Need: * Hand sewing needle * Button with four holes * Thread that matches the color of the button Start. 1. Make sure the button you're sewing is the same size and color of the other buttons on your shirt. ...

Head aches: if your head's throbbing, here's how to relieve the pain. (Your Body & Mind).
October 1, 2002... A mountain of unfinished homework stares at you from your desk. But instead of getting to work, you're lying on your bed moaning in pain as your head throbs. Just what you need: a killer headache. Why did your brain have to betray you now? ...

Dollars & sense: can you handle a part-time job? Find out by playing a board game. (Careers).
October 1, 2002... Objective: To hold down a part-time job at Jumpin' Java Coffee Shop while still managing to keep on top of schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and everything else that goes along with being a busy teenager. What You Need: Two or more...

Help! my dad treats me like a prisoner: Marlene Tedeschi answers your tough questions. (The Advice Corner).
October 1, 2002... I'm depressed, because my parents--especially] my father--treat me like a prisoner. They never let me do anything with my friends and I always have to come home right after school. The last thing that happened was when I came home 15...

Setting goals: know what you want, but not sure how to get it? These tips will get you on the goal-setting track to reaching your dreams. (10 Tips).
October 1, 2002... 1. Write It Down. Write your goal and the date by which you want to achieve it on a piece of paper. Keep the paper in a visible place so it will serve as a constant reminder. 2. Think Positively. Attitude is everything when it...

Sticky situation: advice from choices readers.
October 1, 2002... the problem: Dear CHOICES, My friend has a poor singing voice. She always asks if her voice sounds good. I want to say yes, but then I would be lying. What do I do? Truth Hurts Dear Truth Hurts If this person is truly...

Reading graphs and charts.
October 1, 2002... Most of your peers are NOT smoking cigarettes or marijuana. Analyze the real numbers on the line graph and pie chart below. MARIJUANA USE 1. In 2001, was marijuana use among teens more or less prevalent than it was in 1975 when...

What do you know about STDs? (Sexuality Supplement).
October 1, 2002... THINK YOU KNOW THE FACTS ABOUT SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STDS)? TEST YOURSELF WITH THIS TRUE-FALSE QUIZ. 1. Most sexually active teens say they aren't worried about getting on STD. [] True [] False 2. STDs mostly infect adult...

Cutting quiz. (Choices Challenge/Activity Page).
October 1, 2002... DIRECTIONS: AFTER READING "RAZOR'S EDGE," BEGINNING ON PAGE 6 OF THIS ISSUE, TAKE THE QUIZ BELOW. FOR EACH QUESTION, CIRCLE THE ANSWER THAT BEST FILLS IN THE BLANK OR ANSWERS THE QUESTION. ANSWERS ARE ON PAGE T7. 1. In the article, Tessa...

A message from Dr. Glen Hanson, acting director of NIDA.
October 1, 2002... I just want to take a few lines here to tell you about who we are, what we do, and how thrilled we are to be providing the background information and research for this important program. First and foremost, we are scientists. The National...

Thank you for using Choices in your classroom!
October 1, 2002... Welcome to Choices, a magazine about personal growth through positive decision making. This month, readers will learn about a dangerous way some teens relieve stress: they cut themselves. We explore why these kids choose to harm themselves and...

Dear Teacher.
October 1, 2002... How can we talk to teens about drugs? Scholastic, with help from the scientists of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has come up with a simple approach: telling the truth. Welcome to Heads Up: Real News About Drugs and Your Body....