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Should The High School Military Test Be A Mandatory Test?

Students taking a computerized examHigh school students interested in serving in our armed forces must take an entrance examination called the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). The ASVAB is used to not only assess a recruit's aptitude for military service, but also help identify their Military Operational Specialty - service-speak for job - if they choose to serve. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, over 722,000 high school students took the ASVAB during the past school year

The ASVAB is also used as a mandatory test for high school sophomores and juniors at hundreds of schools in 34 states. The schools that make the ASVAB mandatory share the results with the military and assist their students in their career development, regardless of whether they decide to enlist.

There are problems with this practice.

First, the mandatory test gives the military the opportunity to circumventny-borg
the opt-out provisions under No Child Left Behind; a student may be forced to take the test even though he's asked to opt out of communications with the branches of the armed forces.

Second, school administrators have the say as to whether the ASVAB results can be shared with military recruiters, assuming they require the test for their own purposes. In effect, a school administrator is placed in the role of circumventing the wishes of students who are not interested in military service, as well as their parents. A high school principal or superintendent should not be put in this position; an exceptionally vocal group of parents could get him fired.

Swedish schoolThird, the ASVAB is given to students who have not turned 18. The military should not be contacting students who are more than a year from graduating high school. Given the passage of a symbolic act such as No Child Left Behind, the military should not be recruiting high school drop outs, or asking students disinterested in school to consider dropping out. Reporting to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on January 31, General Thomas Bostick, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, stated that the percentage of high school graduates among military recruits had fallen to a low of 79 percent.

I don't believe we need a Congressional hearing to resolve these problems; there is nothing to be gained from such theatre. Instead, we need some solutions that are fair and easy to implement. I personally do not object to the test itself, or the idea of making it mandatory at wartime, but there should be an opt-out check box right on the front page of the exam booklet. If a student checks no, then no should be recorded in the collective database of test takers. It's not too difficult to add one checkbox to a three hour standardized exam.

ClassroomFourth, if a school in need of improvement under No Child Left Behind uses the ASVAB as a career assessment tool, it should allowed to use it as a school assessment. Improvement in performance on the ASVAB should carry bonus credits towards a school's efforts to take itself out of Need of Improvement status.

Fifth, and I stated this in a prior column, the military should not call high school students until they have reached their 18th birthday or three months before their graduation, whichever is earlier. If we are to leave no child left behind in the classroom and make all children proficient, we should not try to leave them behind on a battlefield before they have had a chance to earn their high school diploma.

High School Students: Why You Must Display Caution When Using Youtube



YouTube website screenshotAre you a high school student who enjoys using YouTube?  You might not only enjoy watching videos on YouTube, but you may also like to make and share your own videos.  Even if you are in high school, you can do so with YouTube, as YouTube allows those thirteen and older to share their videos.  While this can be fun to do, you need to display some caution when making your YouTube videos. 

Display caution when making your YouTube videos?  If you are wondering why you need to do so, aside from the obvious safety concerns, you might be wondering why all the worry.  What you may not realize is that your online content, including your YouTube videos, may be watched by those who are associated with your school.  Those views may come from your friends, other classmates, or even school officials.  That is why it is extremely important that you thoroughly examine your YouTube video content and make sure that no harm can come to you later on.

Video posting permitted
When it comes to YouTube video content that you should avoid, particularly if you are a high school student, the most obvious is illegal activities.  You do not want to have video of yourself or your friends drinking underage, doing drugs, or committing another crime, no matter how minor it may seem.  As it was previously mentioned, you never really know who will come across your videos. With the way that high schools and gossip works today, if one of your classmates found a video of yours on YouTube it is likely that they wouldn’t keep that video to themselves; they will almost always share it with others that they know.

DSC_0084.JPGAnother type of video content that you may want to avoid is content that is offensive to other students at your school. This type of content most commonly comes up in video blogs.  Many internet users use video blogs to vent their frustrations or talk about their day.  If you are a high school student, there is a good chance that you may want to discuss school, your friends, or your classmates.  While this is more than possible to do, you will want to refrain from sounding too negative or even threatening.  Although you may just be joking, “I’m so mad I could kill her,” could be taken out of context by someone viewing your YouTube video, whether it is a video blog or not.

As it was previously mentioned, one of the many individuals who could end up viewing your YouTube videos are your classmates or even school officials.  While we would all like to believe that our classmates are cool, not all of them are.  Should one of your classmates find a video on YouTube that they found offensive or poor in taste, they may report it to your school.  Speaking of your school, your school officials may even come across your YouTube videos, as many schools are now using the internet, namely social networking sites, to monitor their students and their activities.  Having illegal activities documented in your YouTube videos could spell trouble for you, in more ways than one.

Screenshot0025When it comes to YouTube videos with illegal activities or threats documented in them, the consequences that you suffer, if any, will all depend on the school district in question.  It is not uncommon for school districts to suspend students that they find doing illegal activities, even if those activities were not committed on school properties.  Should you participate in extra circular activities, including sports, you have find yourself suspended from all sports teams or other school sponsored organizations, temporarily or even permanently.  In serious situations, like where threats against other students have been documented, it is not uncommon for the authorities to be contacted.

New youtube screenshotAs you can see, there are serious consequences to not thinking before
 making and sharing your videos on YouTube.  All high school students, including you, are urged to think about your future, before using YouTube as a source of fun entertainment.

The Advantages Of Earning A High School Diploma

A high school diploma is not just another piece of printed-paper but rather is a very important base on which you could lay down the path of your future studies or your career. There are many advantages of earning a high school diploma. So, if you are truly thinking of working towards a high school diploma then read on for the benefits of this piece of printed-paper.

It Provides An Entry Ticket To College.

If you are planning to pursue higher studies then you might require getting your high school diploma first. Even though some community colleges do not insist on a high school diploma, having one can be of immense benefit since your future studies could become a little easier if you have attained a high school diploma. Even if you just want to enter to some specialized courses such as a dental assistant course, you might still require a high school diploma.

It Provides A Higher Paying Job.

If you have a high school diploma, you can find a better paying job with a higher designation. Most employers would prefer an employee with a high school diploma since that would make it easier for them to understand the requirements of the job. In future, the chances of advancing up the employment ladder will also be higher if you have a diploma to back you up.

It Provides Confidence.

A high school diploma will give you the required confidence in yourself. You will be respected more at your workplace or in college and it will also help in the future if you need to convince your children to work towards attaining a higher education since it would be very difficult to explain to your children on the benefits of a good education if you yourself have dropped out of school. Your self-respect too will increase once you manage to get a high school diploma.

It Helps You In Real Life.

Most of the subjects offered in high school such as mathematics or science can also help you in real life. So, the knowledge gained while achieving that diploma will not go waste once you have completed your high school.

Changing Times Increase The Importance Of A High School Diploma.

In the past, you could easily have taken up a manual job that would not have required any education, but with technology advancing at such a rapid pace and with machines taking up most of the manual jobs, even operating heavy machinery or doing construction work requires skills in mathematics and science. A high school diploma is now necessary even for jobs that previously did not exist or were only labor intensive. Subjects like English are also very important if you need to operate a computer or to read any instructions before operating any machine.

It Opens Your Mind.

By going in for a high school diploma, you can discover many hidden talents that you might not have known existed. A high school diploma can thus help you to try out new avenues and further pursue those that interest you the most.

A high school diploma can therefore open the doors to future education and improve your job prospects and can also give to the assurance to face the world. It can lead to the discovery of hidden talents and can also instill self-discipline, which can help you in the future.

Career Planning For High School Students

Once you are into high school, you should start thinking of your career plans. It is better if career planning starts once you begin high school.

It is an ongoing process, needs in-depth study, and requires much thought as it a decision that affects your future. As you take up your high school courses and learn new things you get an understanding of what you are interested in, what you would enjoy doing and what will be one of the best paying options. Career planning is a never-ending process as you gain experiences, grow, and improve. However once in to high school you need to give it a thought.

As a high school student, you have to start thinking of skills and abilities youhave developed. Equally important is to understand in what you are interested. You have to decide what your personal priorities are. Would yoube able to undertake future education immediately after high school graduation? On the other hand, would you rather take up a job? These things require consideration well in time, in high school itself.

Deciding on your career goal helps you focus on the possible avenues open for you. You would not be distracted or pressured into finding things that you feel would not be of any interest to you. To know what you would like to do, what you can excel you can try doing a few things. You may undertake a self-assessment. Go for a variety of classes to learn different things in which you may be interested. You may visit some activity clubs, career experts and counselors, who may be able to give you an idea of options available for you. It helps you to find several career options you may not even be aware were available.

If it seems that you would rather take up a college degree immediately after high school, it can be a beneficial if you make a survey of various collegesoffering courses that seem to fit you career aims. Check out University sites and all possible information about the areas you can major in, and general career options they have to offer. It can be useful to know what jobs you can aim at and what salary and work standards you may find on completion of college. You also have to make yourself aware about steps that you need to take to implement your career and related academic plans.

If you have decided to take up a job, try out various internship programs, volunteer for programs in and out of school, etc. The advantage is the money you get as well as experience that can be immensely useful for you to understand if a particular field suits you. Maybe you can take up a job, save money, and then join a course that can take you to higher levels in a career of your choice. A college graduate can find many opportunities to earn much higher than without one.

Considering various factors and your career goals, it is important that you plan well about how and what you plan to do to achieve it. Focused efforts can take you to greater heights in your career and give you a much-needed satisfaction in life.

Tips on High School Dating

You're young, you're in love, but you don't want all those crazy things or those rumors from relationships gone awry. I mean, you'd rather graduate than become one of those failing statistics. However, since dating during the high school years is too inevitable in the typical Western society, here are some great tips on high school dating.

Be yourself. Don't go pretending like you're somebody else. Let the real you surface. Do not try to be a smooth and cool dude if you can't be savvy with girls. You might not want to get into that cheerleading team if you're all queasy being tossed around the air. Most boys and girls hate inauthenticity and shallowness.

Tough luck being a top-A academic wizard when you're really an average student and just seem to have headaches memorizing all those formulas and scientific names. This doesn't mean it's wrong to excel and aim high. Yet, it's important that you know yourself first before attempting to masquerade as someone else. To girls, guys having masks is a big turn off. Girls pretending to be the cream of the crop will likely to have their reputation ruined behind earshot.

Keep in touch with your friends. By all means, don't snub them or burn bridges with them just because you snagged the most popular cheerleader at school, or you had it going with the school hunk. You are still testing the waters; you are not forming a totally exclusive relationship. As much as possible, include your friends as buddies and not strangers. It's a bad move to give them the cold shoulder.

Keep out of the gossip mill. Unless you're histrionic, you do not want to be the talk of the town. How would you like a cup of hot, steaming -- but untrue -- stories about you? Would you want a piping hot scandal to go with that? Keep confidences. One of the best tips on high school dating is to entrust secrets to trustworthy people.

Keep your future in mind. As always, keep to your studies first. Make it a priority to finish high school and obtain a degree. At this point of time, it is unwise to let a relationship take more precedence over your studies. Think about not only for yourself but also for your partner, who also needs to complete his/her studies.

Of course, people will assume that you can handle responsibilities quite well if you're able to have a relationship running while maintaining decent grades during high school. In order to juggle these two obligations effectively and as peacefully as possible, one needs to sit down with his/her partner and list their priorities in order. Having the same agreed priorities prevents both of you from heading into that relational and academic pandemonium. Keep in mind that there is always a time for everything.

Another effective tip on high school dating is not to become obsessed with your partner or the relationship. You are at such a fresh and delicate period of your life, wasting your time trying to get totally engrossed with your date is an unwise investment of your emotions. Do not act like he/she is THE One, because by all likelihood, that person won't be. Good for you if you're able to stick out for your partner until marriage, but it's reasonable being realistic for this time.

How to Become More Involved in Your High School

High school is not merely a place for learning math, physics, history, etc. You can learn as well as enjoy yourself in your high school. There are various activities, clubs, cultural and sport events that are part of your high school life. Life at high school is all about enjoying studies as well as extracurricular activities. These activities make you relaxed and energized for your routine studies. They are also a means of exploring various areas of personal interest, which help you stand out in a crowd. Many high school graduates become great versatile all-rounders. There are various activities to get involved in. It is in your high school that many of you come to know about your hidden talents and capabilities. And your teachers are always there to inspire you to realize your potential to the fullest.

Student Government

In your high school you are exposed to various democratic processes. By demonstrating your leadership skills you can even get an opportunity to participate in student government. Thus you will take part in planning various social and cultural activities like school dances, school trips, and various competitions. Capable students are offered positions like president, vice- president, treasurer, secretary, etc. While some schools have them at grade levels others have the system of only one student government who undertakes all such activities. These are positions of honor and responsibility and they make a good mention on your college application later on. Moreover, they offer you excellent opportunities to improve your leadership, communication and organizational skills, which can go a long way in boosting your confidence and preparing you for your future life.

Clubs

High school also has various student clubs. Such clubs may be related to science, humanities, etc. Students can also start their own unique clubs based on their hobbies, interests and skills. There are some nationwide clubs like Key Club, which allow students to participate in community services. Another option is to be a part of the Best Buddies club, which places students in mentoring roles for the students who are disabled. Such clubs offer you a great opportunity to interact with students from outside your school. This helps build camaraderie among students as well as allows them to enhance their extracurricular skills.

Sports

There are a variety of sport activities in high school. Most schools have numerous sports like football, basketball, baseball, and softball and have their own teams etc. Students are allowed to participate in sports of their choice. The healthy blend of curricular and extracurricular activities help you pass out as truly well rounded high school graduates.

Music and Dramatics

Most schools conduct dramatics and music classes. If you like acting or playing an instrument suits your fancy, join one of these classes. You can get to be part of a music group, band or an orchestra. Some schools even have marching bands, jazz bands, choirs etc. On certain occasions schools organize performances as part of a social event.

Work

You can also avail of part-time jobs arranged by your high school. You can join any of the community groups that undertake part-time or volunteer jobs usually involving tutoring and training. Such activities help students learn to empathize with others and become a mature individual and a responsible citizen. Undertaking such jobs always boost your resume giving you an advantage over others.

Such activities are also important for those who wish to pursue higher education in college and university. Colleges prefer to admit students who have background of participating in academic as well as extracurricular activities. Your involvement in various high school activities can help shape your future.

Study Tips for Better High School Diploma Grades

High school diploma along with better grades will surely get you better job prospects. Companies normally prefer candidates with good grades and that to in the first attempt of the exam. Many of you study at the last moment and manage to pass; however you may not be able to recollect what you studied hurriedly in the long run. High school is the place where you can grow intellectually. So make the most of the high school and try getting better scores to be ahead in the competition. Better grades will also help you to get admission in better universities in the world for further studies. Just a little effort at the right time will help you do better during the exams.

Always do your homework. Whatever work or studies you are asked to complete at home; do it. If you pay attention in the class, half your studies are completed there, only if you have been concentrating. Plan out your studies via a planner and decide which subject you would like to study when. For doing homework you can choose two three students from your class, whom you can get in touch with for homework related queries. These friends will help you when you miss out on class, when you are unwell.

When you do your homework do not get distracted, as you are not only completing the assignment but also learning the content. Doing homework regularly will help you at the time of your exam, when you won't have to spend more time learning the lessons. As you have gone through it before, studying it at the time of exam will be a revision for you. Doing homework will surely help you in getting better grades.

Do not keep any last minute study. Go through your lessons well in advance before exams. This will allow you to get answers to your queries from teachers and classmates. If you study at the last moment, you may not be able to get help for your queries and you may lose out on something important. If possible get a friend along and study, but make sure you don't spend time chatting. Some can study well in the group and some need privacy. Realize which environment suits you best.

Once you are done with your studies, you can take a test. Test how much have matter you have stored in your brain. Many students have a problem when it comes to writing the exam. They either fall short of time or the anxiety of exams doesn't allow them to do well. To increase your speed, you can set an alarm and complete a paper in the given time. Be honest to yourself and this will help you do well in the exam and you will earn more marks, which you would have lost if you where unable to complete the paper.

When you are preparing for exam, you can write down the main points on a separate sheet of paper and read them before you leave for the exam. With the fear of exam, do not overburden your self with studies. Your brain desires a break and it is a must for not letting yourself over stress.
When you sit down for exam, keep your cool. Read and understand the questions. Attempt the easy ones first and then move on to the ones you feel are tough. After you finish writing, read your answers and check if you have written all the points. At the end of it, only your hard work is going to be paid. If you have done your lessons regularly with dedication you are sure to score well.

Time Management Tips for High School Students

Getting into high school heaps more responsibilities for an individual. There are a lot more homework, practice schedules, additional subjects, and many others. Being in high school does not only keep you into the borders of studying but rather you also get exposed into other socializing activities.

But then, normal high school kids are not only confined into preparing your assignments since there are still the household chores that you must attend to as you reach home. These things when combined altogether will certainly bring you into a world filled with stress and pressures. The question is will you be able to manage it? How will you budget your time between all these activities?

Time management is as essential as having a concrete plan about what you want for your own life. It is significant that young ones like you already know about the essence of time management. After all, you are already a young adult and it is only proper that you begin setting things straight in your life. Get a glimpse of the following time management tips and help yourself achieve peace of mind.

Be organized at all times. At one point in time you would like to be able to spend extra time with your loved ones, friends, or even for yourself. But how will you successfully do such thing if your schedule is crowded up? You may just end up wailing out of depression. Being organized with your things, your responsibilities and appointments will save you half of the worry. If only you know when to attend to things, you will not be lacking time, running late, and ending up in misery.

Set an everyday goal. As you turn in every night, it will be best to visualize the things that you will have to accomplish for the next day. Setting up a must-be-done list will specifically do you good as it will help you meet your deadlines in attending to all of your tasks.

Learn to prioritize things. As you make your to-do lists, note which of them is of the greatest importance. You must attend to the things which rank as the most necessary. Just be sure that what you have in your list are all achievable.

Learn to do worthwhile things in your spare time. You may not know it at all but high school kids like you really have a lot of leisure times. Instead of hanging around the campus during break times, why not attend to your homework? By this, you lessen the loads of work that you will have to attend to in the nighttime.

Always find time. Don't reason out that you have no time for this and that. If you only know how to organize your schedule, you will realize that there is always time for all your stuffs.

Jot down notes. Important discussions must be noted. Since your mind may not be able to accommodate so many reminders, it is important that you write down ideas. With this scheme, you are able to effectively memorize things as you study.

Get enough sleep. Of course there are a definite number of hours that growing kids like you need to devote for sleep. And basically, you cannot attend to your business for the next day if you feel groggy and all. Your concentration will be devoid of enough focus if you lack adequate time to sleep.

Maintain realistic goals. If your aims are nothing but out of this world, you will always end up frustrated and depressed, so to speak.

Remember that you can always get the best results in all your endeavors provided that you know of the important time management tips that can help you live a better life.

Tips on High School Dating – The Golden Rules For Dating the Teenage Girl

All your firsts happen in high school. Your first infatuation, first love, first date, first kiss, first everything! Its like the world is at your feet and you feel you're all geared up to conquer everything, including the most stirring of all - love.

High school dating is perhaps one of the most exciting, fun and thrilling part of every teenager's life. It's a one-of-a-kind experience that even young adults would dare come back if given a chance. 

 So, if you're a guy searching for ways to ask a girl of your dreams to go on a date, here are few tips of high school dating that you shouldn't miss. This reality checklist will open your eyes and help you see the world - and yourself, in a new light. 

Rule # 1: Thou Shall be Yourself 

Any guy who's happy being himself is attractive. Going on a first date with someone you've wanted to go out with all this time may be an incredible feeling yet nerve-wracking all at the same time. When you're caught in this kind of situation and you don't want your date to notice your edginess, the secret formula is just be yourself man! Girls love guys who are confident in showing the real them, their real personality, someone who's not afraid to show what he's got, but more importantly what he's not. 

Rule # 2: Thou shall foot the bill  

Guys listen! If you ask a girl on a date, don't ever let her pay the bill! This is a complete no-no especially if you're on your first date. It would really be an awkward picture if you let the girl take on your movie tickets, restaurant chows and the like. If you want to have a follow up date after the first, you leave her with pretty good impressions on you. (Always bring extra cash just to be safe). 

Rule # 3 Thou shall have eyes on your date alone  

A lot of guys have the habit of gazing and checking out other girls (intentionally or unintentionally) while on a date. Little did these guys know that their dates are just checking on how they counter slight temptations while in the mall, at a theater, in restaurants and other public places. So guys, be careful! You should perhaps take the seat facing the wall. Because the moment she catches you checking out others girls while on a first meet-up, bye-bye second date! 

Rule # 4 Thou shall respect space  

This is one of those tips on high school dating that should be well regarded by boys out there. If you're exclusively dating a girl for months now and would want to get close to her or hold hands, then you should wait until she's ready. Some guys are too assertive especially on months of dating the same girl. But this doesn't give you the license to make a move without asking for it. Hence, know when she's ready and respect when she's still not. 

Rule# 5: Thou shall be decisive  

If you're going to kiss a girl on the cheek when you call it a day and say goodbye, a polite yet sweet way of gesturing your appreciation for a time well spent is by kissing in the cheeks. However, if you're going to do it, just do it and get it over with. Hanging with your lips half-pursed and your face half-tilted makes you look, well, dumb. So, be decisive of your every move.

Tips For Preparing For Your High School Graduation

Preparing for your high school graduation is one of the most exciting, rewarding and also, emotional times in your entire life. Faced with many important and life-changing decisions such as work, college, and living arrangements, getting through graduation itself can be hectic and frustrating. However, there are several simple things that will better prepare you for this transitional period in life.

It's a wise idea to begin preparing for your high school graduation as soon as your senior year begins, if not sooner. A meeting with the school's guidance counselor at the beginning of the year will answer questions about graduation eligibility requirements. It's not uncommon for students to be surprised at the end of their school year when they learn that they haven't fulfilled all of the requirements needed to graduate. The requirements that are set forth by the schools may vary by location but generally state that a certain number of classes or credits must be completed before a student is given their diploma or even allowed to attend the graduation ceremony in some schools.

Viewing your transcripts before you have to think about sending them off to colleges and universities will give you a better picture of your academic performance thus far. In addition, this will allow you to see if there are areas that need improvement during your senior year. Also, keep close tabs on your GPA or Grade Point Average, as this will be one of the most important deciding factors for being accepted to a college or university.

After taking care of the academic portion of your graduation experience, you'll want to focus on the lighter side such as the celebrations, and the parties. Many graduating seniors choose to send out pictures and announcements letting everyone know they are about to graduate even if they aren't having a party. If a graduate is sending out notices just to spread the good news and isn't looking for gifts, then be sure to include 'No gifts please' at the bottom of the announcements to avoid confusion and also to follow proper etiquette.

The choices for graduation parties are pretty much endless and you are only limited to your own imagination. Decide whether you'd like to have an open house type of party with a lot of friends and family milling about or if you're interested in a more intimate gathering. Perhaps a formal dinner or brunch is more your speed, or alternately, a graduation picnic or cookout can be a great way to celebrate the end of your high school career. If you're headed to college, consider decorating for your party with the school's colors and serve foods that are specific to the local area.

Preparing for your high school graduation is actually a lot more than just choosing the invitations and the color of the balloons for the party. It's realizing that this is the final step into adulthood and into the stressful but rewarding world of responsibilities, duties, and obligations. Learning personal survival skills are as essential in preparing for your high school graduation as are getting good grades and SAT scores. Although, getting good grades and taking as many electives as possible without compromising those grades is a great way to prepare yourself for graduation, and ultimately, for college and life in the 'real world' as an adult.

Personal survival skills are those vital, necessary tasks that self-sufficient people must do for themselves in order to survive. Some of these include getting a part-time job before graduation if possible, getting a driver's license, volunteering in the community, and learning the basic financial skills needed to function in life such as balancing a checkbook.

A 'part-time job' can include household chores and various tasks such as babysitting, mowing lawns, shoveling snow and doing odd jobs for friends and neighbors. Many high schools offer work-study programs that are beneficial to students in that they allow them to earn money while working toward their graduation and college goals.

Once a graduate-to-be is sure that they are capable of taking care of themselves without help from their parents or family, they should be confident in their abilities to succeed in college as well. By learning the basic skills that are necessary to function as a responsible adult before graduating from high school you'll be prepared for college, work, and life in general. You'll also be able to attend your graduation with the confident knowledge that you're ready to successfully take on all of life's exciting challenges.

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