Teen Pulse:
Northeast High School
Get involved through playing sports
By HEATHER DUBOIS, Northeast High School
From screaming teenagers and school-spirited kids, there was not a dull moment at any of this year's sporting events.
As a freshman, this was my first year to experience the fun and excitement of high school sports and games. Seniors have had four years here at Northeast to enjoy the opportunities to play or to go to the sports games and show support, but did any of them go further or wish they had?
Many seniors participated in a sports team like lacrosse or football. Those who didn't may regret not having the memories of being on a sports team. Autumn Herrin, a Northeast junior, said, "The best part about sports is the away games and the worst is dressing up." One teenager's parent said "I am trying to get my kids to join a sport before they graduate; it's a good thing to put on a college application." Senior Heather Rogers said playing sports allowed her "to meet really cool people."
Sports at Northeast, as at most high schools, are taken very seriously. We have become very competitive, which may be a good thing for a lot of teenagers to experience.
Sports are also an incentive to keep grades up and to do well in school. No matter what the reason you participate in a sport, you can never go wrong with doing it. For one, it is a fun way to bond with new people and it is a great way to stay active. Also, many colleges give sports scholarships. To colleges, a student's participating in sports shows dedication and perseverance and cooperation with other people.
High school sports have something to offer to everyone with our wide variety of choices to fit anyone's interests. So whether you're a freshman or an upperclassman, get involved and represent your school.
Dress codes unpopular with most students
By ERICA ASHBURN, Northeast High School
Spring is here, summer is approaching and teenage girls can't wait to take out their halters and tube tops and show them off at school.
Unfortunately, we are not allowed to wear exactly what we want because of the dress code. Many students, guys and girls, can't stand the dress restrictions that stay in the student guide every year.
It is obvious why certain clothing, like "belly shirts," and shirts that express inappropriate messages are banned. They are not respectful, but the Board of Education has taken the power to ban clothing to the extreme. Nowadays, wearing hats, spaghetti strap shirts or pajama bottoms are also forbidden, because they are "disrespectful" or "distracting."
"I think it is stupid," said one Northeast sophomore girl. "It makes no sense that we can't wear whatever, as long as we're learning, right?" Even though this girl may only have been thinking of her own situation, she brings up a great point: why does it matter?
Some students believe it is pointless that we shouldn't be able to wear whatever clothing our parents allow. Never has anyone claimed the reason they failed a class was because the boy in front of them had a picture of a cigarette on his shirt or the girl in the back had pajama pants on. Yet the board still makes rules about the way we should dress.
Some public middle schools, like George Fox, have even considered uniforms. The school sent out surveys asking whether students should have uniforms.
"I don't even know how private school students can do it," said another sophomore. "They have to wear the same things as everyone else, and they even have rules about jewelry and hair, and for what? It's just a waste of time."
Some public schools in other counties have uniforms. Could Anne Arundel County be next?
Some teachers don't enforce the rules, while other teachers take the code seriously. One teacher at Northeast who takes the dress code very seriously is Carol Newman, a child development teacher. "It's not OK to let the little children see revealing things like tattoos and piercing."
She always makes it very clear that she will make a student leave if the student is wearing anything inappropriate in her class. Being an example and a role model are important in the child development program.
No one is saying it's all right to let students wear things that relate to inappropriate topics or that girls should run around with tube tops and short shorts. High school students are supposed to be learning to exercise responsibility and good judgment - and picking out our own clothes is a good place to start.
A morning ritual examined - the pledge to the flag
By HAILEY OLDS, Northeast High School
I pledge allegiance to the flag/ of the United States of America/ and to the republic for which it stands/ one nation, under God, indivisible/ with liberty and justice for all.
Do those words sound familiar? They should, as most students say them every weekday morning. But what's the story behind the Pledge of Allegiance? Who came up with it? How did our country come to welcome it so eagerly? And why are the words "under God" such a problem to many Americans?
It began in the year 1892. America had recovered from most of the effects of the Civil War, which had ended about 30 years earlier. Modern Americans were looking forward to moving their country forward as a united nation. Many immigrants flocked to the United States in search of something better than their dreary and sometimes painful lives. They called it "The Land of Opportunity," a name which is still in use today.
In 1891, almost half a million immigrants had set foot on the shores of America, and on New Year's Day of 1892, the Federal Bureau of Receiving's station opened on Ellis Island.
It wasn't until September of that year that the pledge would even be published. October 12th marked the 400th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of America and was a hugely anticipated event, planned for years.
There were two men who were greatly interested in the idea of planning the activities for that day: Francis Bellamy and James Upham. One of the two men, it isn't known which for sure, penned the Pledge and submitted it into The Youth's Companion, a youth-based Boston magazine. Mr. Upham was an employee of the firm that produced the youth magazine in which the pledge first appeared. Mr. Bellamy was an educator and chairman of a national committee of educators and civic leaders who were planning the Columbus Day activities.
Since the men were both associated with planning the activities, it is obvious why they would be considered as potential authors of the pledge. Though the author of record is unknown, what is known is that the pledge was published in The Youth Companion on Sept. 8, 1892. About a month later, 12 million children recited it for the first time in schools nationwide.
Of course, like anything new, it took a few changes to the pledge in order to perfect it. The first pledge read:
I pledge allegiance to my flag/ and to the republic for which it stands/ one nation indivisible/ with liberty and justice for all.
Oct. 11, 1892
After this first pledge was used in 1892, it became a popular daily routine for children in the U.S. but was given little attention anywhere else for almost 25 years. But then on June 14, 1923, adults who gathered in Washington, D.C., for the first National Flag Conference raised the concern that the number of immigrants now living in the United States could become confused by the words "My Flag." To correct this, the pledge was altered to read:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States/ and to the republic for which it stands/ one nation indivisible/ with liberty and justice for all.
June 14, 1923
The following year, however, the words were again changed to read:
I pledge allegiance to the Flag/ of the United States of America/ and to the republic for which it stands/ one nation indivisible/ with liberty and justice for all.
June 14, 1924
The pledge continued to be recited daily in schools across the United States and gained even more popularity throughout the patriotic fervor of the World War II era. The pledge wasn't official until June 22, 1942, when Congress included it in United States Flag Code (Title 36). However, the United States Supreme Court ruled that school children could not be forced to recite the pledge as part of a daily routine. In 1945, the Pledge to the Flag (as it was most commonly known) was given its official title, "The Pledge of Allegiance."
The very last, and most controversial, addition to the pledge was approved by Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 14, 1954. The words "under God" were added to the pledge because, as Mr. Eisenhower put it, "In this way, we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."
As nicely as Mr. Eisenhower put it, there are still those who disagree with the addition of those words. When a U.S. federal court ruled the pledge unconstitutional, the reason cited was this: "The pledge, as currently codified, is an impermissible government endorsement of religion because it sends a message to unbelievers that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community, and an accompanying message to adherents that they are insiders, favored members of the political community.'"
Those in favor of the words, such as Circuit Judge Ferdinand Fernandez, stated in the pledge's defense that "under God" and "In God We Trust" have "no tendency to establish religion in this country," except in the eyes of those who "most fervently would like to drive all tincture of religion out of the public life of our polity."
A little different, a little modernized, the pledge remains one of our most patriotic - and controversial - documents to date. As Flag Day approaches in a couple of weeks, remember that no matter what the words say, whether they acknowledge a deity or not, the Pledge of Allegiance is a national symbol of dedication and devotion.
What's your name, again?
By HEATHER BURTON, Northeast High School
A name is something special. It says who you are and what you are. Do you ever get frustrated when you hear of somebody else with your name?
You might feel as though you're the only person who should have it. For a lot of people, hearing their name being called repeatedly is an everyday occurrence. They have what is considered a popular or common name.
When you live in a town like ours, you'll find that you know a lot of people who have the same names.
If you lived in Hollywood where the names often sound like a different language, then that would be different.
It's weird how names come and go like trends in clothing. Why are certain names popular one year and not the next?
It's probably something we'll never understand.
I guess we can see why we know so many Mikes, Chrises and Matts. For four years they were the top three boys' names just like all the Ashley's, Brittany's and Jessica's.
Anyone who has one of those names can always say they made it into the popular group!
Bindi Irwin: Making a name for herself
By MIKE FOGLE, Northeast High School
Eight-year-old Bindi Irwin, daughter of the recently deceased Steve Irwin, world renowned "Crocodile Hunter," has decided to follow in her dad's footsteps, helping humans understand their animal neighbors in her new show debut "The Jungle Girl," coming to the Discovery Channel this summer.
Bindi travels across the globe with her mother Terri Irwin, showing how the animal kingdom can go from being cute and fuzzy, to dangerous and ferocious, while demonstrating how animals should be respected and admired.
Little Bindi started filming her show in early 2006 with the help of her father.
After a poisonous sting ray's barb pierced the chest of the Croc Hunter while he was filming off Great Barrier Reef, Terri and Bindi decided to continue the show in memory of Steve.
Bindi will also be starring in "My Daddy the Croc Hunter," a one-hour special providing pictures and scenes of the beloved Australian before his death.
The special is scheduled to air Friday, followed by the premiere of "Jungle Girl" on Saturday.
Animal testing an unnecessary cruelty
By HEATHER DUBOIS, Northeast High School
When you're putting on that mascara or eyeliner, think about the animals who went through torture just to make that product.
Is it worth it, worth all the pain and suffering of innocent life? How would you feel if you were taken from a place you called home and stuck in a cage to be experimented on and didn't have a say in what happened to your body?
No one in their right mind would wish that for themselves, so why do some scientists put animals through that? These scientists put animals in shame and pain for tests that might not even have successful results.
Animal testing, or animal research, refers to the use of animals in experiments. It is estimated that 50 to 100 million animals worldwide are involved. Animals are used and either killed during the experiments or euthanized afterwards.
Alternatives to the use of animals in consumer product testing are readily available. Most of the large producers of personal care and household products could adopt alternative methods, which are more cost effective, better predictors of human injury, produce far quicker results and do not involve animal cruelty.
Successful alternatives include test-tube studies on human tissue cultures, statistics and computer models. So why don't all companies become cruelty-free?
As humans we have many rights. We have freedom of speech and freedom of expression and even freedom to own weapons. Animals aren't that lucky. Animals have as much right to life as human beings, but by experimenting on them, scientists are putting animals' lives at risk. Deaths through research are unnecessary.
Many scientists and animal testers say that the animals tested feel no pain throughout the strenuous tests, but how do the scientists know? It is hard to believe that being locked up, poked, prodded and observed for weeks or months at a time could be painless.
Product testing is commonly performed on animals to measure the levels of skin irritancy, eye tissue damage and toxicity caused by substances used in products. Animal experiments can also be misleading. An animal's response to a product can be different from a human's. The stress that animals endure in labs can affect experiments, making the results meaningless.
One of the tests that animals are put through is called the Draize Test. In this test, substances are placed in the eyes of conscious rabbits to evaluate damage to sensitive eye tissues. This can be extremely painful for the rabbits, who often scream when the substances are applied and sometimes break their necks or backs trying to escape the restraints that are put on them.
There are numerous organizations to speak for those who are against animal testing. If you are confused about what to do to show you are against animal testing, here are some steps to take: Make sure the next purchase you make is a cruelty-free and does not take part in animal testing. You can find a list of companies that aren't involved in animal testing at http://www.leapingbunny.org/shopping_guide.htm.
Another step you could take is making your home and workplace cruelty free. Make sure that the cleaners and sanitary items around your home and workplace are from companies that don't support animal testing. Also you can create a petition and send it to companies that are using animal testing to try to convince them to use a different testing method.
Another avenue might be a demonstration. Grab some of your friends and make some picket signs and peacefully show your opinion outside a factory or company workplace that is for animal testing.
All of this and much more can be done, but whatever you choose to do is a step toward stopping animal testing.
Weighing in on the obesity epidemic
By MICHELLE LARKIN, Northeast High School
Recent studies by Healthier Generation, which is an organization created by the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association to help spread the word about childhood obesity and the diseases associated with it, have shown that about 12 million (or 17.1 percent) of children ages 2 to 19 are overweight, and another 12 million are at risk to be overweight. Many people are concerned about the health of our kids, and they are taking measures to insure their wellness.
On July 12, 2006, a new policy was issued by the Anne Arundel County Board of Education concerning the food given to children at schools. The purpose of the "Student Nutrition Services Policy" was to address student's eating habits and "…nutrition standards for all foods made available on school property…"
The new policy provides for healthier food choices for cafeterias across Anne Arundel County. Grain products, vegetables, fruits, low-fat milk products, beans, lean meat, poultry and fish are among the many foods that are being served for lunch.
Sugary cakes can no longer be brought into classrooms for parties, and the schools have to consider student allergies and wellness for such activities. (Interestingly, Tastee Cakes were still sold during exams, even though they don't seem to fit the policy.)
According to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development in Maryland, our new guidelines have banned any food from the lunch lines that has more than nine total grams of fat, two grams of saturated fat, and 15 grams of sugar. But Maryland is not the only state to be taking action against childhood obesity. Virginia and Texas also have created new guidelines against unhealthy foods. They are banning "foods of minimal nutritional value." This takes away most of the foods in the a la carte line for those states. Northeast freshman Claudia Theis believes that the new policy is "totally ridiculous because children are going to eat unhealthy foods regardless of where they are. So let them eat tasty treats!"
But not every student in our county is obese. Should the healthier kids have to suffer with the new policy, too? Heather DuBois, another Northeast freshman, believes that "the healthier kids should be able to eat whatever they want." The fit kids should be able to eat what they want, but maybe so should the overweight ones. Restricting what students can eat at school is just going to encourage students to bring unhealthy foods from home. Freshman Jazmine Hogan feels "it is none of the school system's business to choose what I eat. So stop trying to prohibit my choices." Not selling these foods doesn't stop people from eating them. Anyone who wants them will still find a way to get them.
Schools are supposed to be "encouraging" wellness and healthy eating, but not all schools are following the policy completely. If a class has a party to reward students, the food has to fit to the policy. "The new policy takes away all the good foods," says freshman Amanda Jones.
The policy is not well-liked among students. Northeast gave out donuts to the kids who made honor roll or principal's honor roll the second semester; donuts do not follow the nutrition policy. No one seemed to mind.
The drink and snack machines are turned off during the day, too. Even the water machines are off, although we are also supposed to stay well-hydrated. Because snack foods are considered unhealthy, students cannot buy them during the school day. It seems that the rules can be bent for certain foods at certain times.
The Student Nutrition Services Policy should be more like guidelines for schools to follow in order to promote healthier lifestyles. Because most schools are following the rules, and hopefully creating healthier adults in the future, maybe the students will get used to the changes and develop a taste for healthier foods.
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