Scholastic Choices articles from October 2003

Scholastic Choices archives from October 2003

Seat belt stats.(Personal Safety)
October 1, 2003... Here's a sad statistic: In 2001, more than 5,000 teens in the United States died in car accidents. And it gets worse. At least two thirds of those teenagers were not wearing seat belts. Why aren't teens buckling up? According to a new study...

Baby bust.(Personal Responsibility)
October 1, 2003... It appears that teenagers in the U.S are continuing to get smarter about their sexual behavior. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that the birthrate among adolescent women ages 15 to 19 dropped tO 42.9 per 1,000 in 2002....

Nutritiously sweet.(Nutrition)
October 1, 2003... Drinking chocolate milk is better for you than you might have thought. According to a recent study done by University of Vermont researchers, teens that regularly drink flavored milk increase the levels of calcium and vitamins in their diets....

Video game ban.(Consumer)
October 1, 2003... Last summer, legislators in Washington state passed a law making it illegal for stores to sell or rent violent video games to people younger than 17. The fine for breaking the law is $500. What is the definition of a violent video game?...

Two-minute drill.(Health)
October 1, 2003... How long you take brushing your teeth and how much force you use while brushing makes a difference in the health of your teeth. A study done at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England reports that brushing for about two minutes while...

Peer pressure: if you're a teenager, you've probably felt pressure from your peers to do things you're not comfortable doing. How you handle that pressure can mean the difference between being a strong individual and someone who ends up in a lot of trouble.(personal responsibility)(Cover Story)
October 1, 2003... Last summer, Katie Brule's friend called her and asked her to go tO a party. Katie, 16, declined, but her friend wouldn't take no for an answer and Katie caved in. At the party, she felt pressure from those around her to drink alcohol so she...

Big white lies: at first, cocaine made Miguel feel powerful. But the drug's promises turned out to be lies.(Close-Up: cocaine: heads up real news about drugs and your body)
October 1, 2003... If you'd met Miguel Flores when he was in junior high school, you'd have met a young man who listened to his mother and did well in school. If you'd met him in high school, you'd have met a different person--a teenager who cut classes and got...

"I'm losing my mind": a young woman's experience with the hallucinogenic drug LSD.(Clos-up: LSD)
October 1, 2003... Sometimes when Amanda Contadino moves her hand in front of her face, she sees trails behind it, like the mark of smoke a skywriter leaves. Sometimes when she's sitting perfectly still, the wind and birds seem to swirl around her at dizzying...

Blossoming Rose: budding pop star Rose Falcon has had her share of ups and downs. Her honest lyrics tell her life story and honor the mother she lost 15 years ago.(family)
October 1, 2003... Rose Falcon's last memory of her mother isn't as clear as she'd like. Blame it on the fact that Rose was just 4 years old when her mom died of breast cancer. Rose remembers a ghostly-white hospital room. And there's a blurry picture in her mind...

Super skin: how much do you know about the skin on your body? Take this multiple choice quiz and then turn the page to see how you did.(nutrition)
October 1, 2003... 1. If the skin of a typical 150-p0und person were stretched out flat, it would cover how many square yards and weigh how many pounds? a. 12 square yards; 20 pounds b. 2 square yards; 9 pounds C. 20 square yards; 50 pounds 2....

Radio DJ: do you love music? Ever think about getting paid to play it on the radio? Here's how to make that goal possible--starting right now!(careers)
October 1, 2003... Mysti Cox is a disc jockey (DJ) on radio station WNOU, a top-40 station in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mysti plays records on the air during an afternoon shift. Mysti has become a successful DJ by working hard, being persistent, and keeping true to...

Crazy for caramel: hosting a haloween party? Our teen chef's caramel apples will attract a crowd!(recipe 101)
October 1, 2003... CARAMEL APPLES INGREDIENTS * 6 apples (Any type will do, but Red Delicious or Gala are recommended.) * 1/2 cup of butter or margarine * 2 cups of brown sugar * 1 cup of corn syrup (Light syrup is recommended.) ...

Bruises: not only do bruises hurt, they can even be painful to look at. Here's how to treat them so they'll vanish from sight.(your body & mind)
October 1, 2003... You stumble out of bed in the middle of the night, headed for he bathroom, but the combination of the darkness and your sleepy state lead you to walk right into a table instead. Ouch! The next morning, you wake up to the throbbing result of...

My friend's parents hit her: Marlene Tedeschi answers your tough questions.(the advice corner)
October 1, 2003... Q. My friend gets hit by her parents. She and her sister tell me when it happens, but they won't tell anyone else. I try to help my friend, but she won't listen. What should I do?--Secret Person A. Your friend is in a dangerous situation....

10 tips: getting along with your parents: been arguing with mom and dad? Here's how to smooth things over.
October 1, 2003... 1. Communicate. Want your parents to trust you? Then be straightforward about what you're doing and where you're going. If you're honest with your parents, they'll be honest with you. 2. Apologize. If you know that you did...

Sticky situation: the problem: advice from choices readers.(students helping students)
October 1, 2003... Dear Choices, My friend got blamed for stealing another friend's cell phone. I saw the blamed friend with the phone. I ended up telling on her. Now my blamed friend hates me. What should I do. --Caught In The Middle. Dear Caught in...