All these shows and influences are targeted at teens and young adults. Kids today are starting to believe that it is acceptable to be disrespectful to authority, and not achieve in school because they see other young adults do it on television. Shows like 16 and Pregnant give kids an illusion that you’re going to be taken care of by your parents in a teen pregnancy, but in reality that is not the case.  Finding out your pregnant is not a lighthearted subject. Just being a teenager is challenging, we go through so many changes, and having a baby only complicates things. Most teenage mothers discontinue their education, preventing them from going on to college, getting a good job, and even getting married. In our parents eyes, we’re still their babies, and babies can’t have babies! However, this is only one of many shows that send out a negativ message. Made also suggests the idea that you’re not good enough unless you’re someone else. Whatever happened to being satisfied with who you are on the inside overriding how you look on the outside? It’s sad seeing our world come to this– that kids and teens are being exposed to such a negative influence.

Reality TV is junk television that makes people believe that their lives aren’t exciting enough because they aren’t on a dating show, or having a camera crew taping their celebrity life. This series of shows is not educational and does not, in any way, give a benefit to our generation. It’s almost disgusting that teens don’t know what year the Declaration of Independence was signed, but they know who punched Snooki on last nights’ episode. Is this not a probable example of how bad reality TV has become? If we can balance out the junk that we fill our minds with the education we need, then maybe we can benefit as a society and return to the moral values we once had before the boom of reality TV.

The math program allowed for students to receive math help from their peers as well as from the adviser.   And even though it may seem like it was just another simple after school program, it was really much more than that.  It gave kids a way to better understand lessons without being embarrassed to ask their teacher, and without the cost of an official tutor.  It gave one-on-one help, and saved the math grades of students at WBHS since it started.

The cancellation will severely deprive students of math assistance, and is bound to hinder the performance of students on that all too important math section of the FCAT.   By teaching others math, you learn the math.  So those who did the tutoring are missing out on the valuable practice and review that they would get from helping others in a lower math class.

The math program was a vital one to our school.  Next year the program should be restored, and the confidence level of students in math will once again go up.

Parents are human, and therefore like every single one of us, at some point make mistakes. There’s an opposite of many positives, and just like how there are good parents, there are also bad ones. Usually the children of the bad ones don’t complain. This is due to the fact that the kids raised in such harsh conditions learn to appreciate the good things far more, and therefore mature faster. The kids, however, who tend to obtain what they long for many times, get used to this, and when things go wrong, they sulk and complain. It all depends on the parenting when one is young, but when one is a teenager, it’s their choice. Parents do silly things, and sometimes make ridiculous rules and guidelines. Sometimes, they are even unfair, regardless, everything they do is out of love and care. A teenager who constantly complains and wastes time sulking about their parents decisions, no matter what the parent decided to do, is simply immature.

Parents aren’t the only thing teens complain about of course: school, work, chores, responsibilities, waking up early, eating a certain food, not getting what they wanted, missing a T.V show. You name it, they’ll complain about it. They choose to let these things affect their mood, and sometimes even ruin their day. Teens choose to feel miserable about these things, and all they gain from this is attention is a topic of discussion, and perhaps a few annoyed looks. Why waste time on such foolishness? Why not just appreciate life, and therefore live every second of their youth? Every once in a while, they should take notice of the things they do, no matter how insignificant said thing is. Do them slowly, and enjoy them. Open a door, take a few steps, along with some deep breaths. They should remind themselves of how amazing their body is, and how amazing living is. By doing so, they’ll realize how, like breathing, living like this can subconsciously become a routine. That is exactly what these endless complaints are: a scratched disk repeating itself over and over– an endless routine.

Who can forget those silicon bracelets that would cover the arms of almost every adolescent? Well, now they’re new and improved Silly Bandz, silicon bracelets that come in all shapes including animals and the alphabet. It’s the Pokemon replacement– that’s right, you can even trade them!

It’s the most ridiculous invention ever put on shelves, and yet it’s still as popular as ever. The business makes a million dollars out of something that costs a penny to make. Where’s the creativity? To manufactures, it’s all about maximizing profit.

Of course, what this company perceives as harmless, is now a danger to kids. As long as they have a good lawyer, big industries won’t care about the hazards of their product. Most schools have already banned them because they’re distracting the students while in class. Kids are trading them, and snapping them at each other. They’re being used more like toys than pieces of jewelry, if you can even call them that.

It’s not just about the bracelets, it’s about the big picture: Americans are fickle. Yes, these Silly Bandz maybe the big thing for a while, but what makes them so great? Is it really the different shapes it comes in, or is it more about our need to occupy our lives with something that can connect us to everyone else? That’s why people buy the things they do, because everyone else is too. These bracelets might be something today, but by tomorrow, however, they’re “old news.” It’s a never ending cycle that will keep us running, because there will always be another “big thing.”

Because the state’s legislature feels that the education in Florida is not good enough, they’re considering passing a bill, the SB 6, which could jeopardize the education of all students. The teacher’s job and salary would be based on the FCAT scores of their students. They would be put on an annual contract, and would be at risk of losing their job every year.  Teachers would be in fear of being without work, so they would only teach for the FCAT, preparing us students for nothing else. Currently, this bill is in the hands, or rather on the desk, of Governor Charlie Crist, and on Friday, April 16, he will make the final decision on the future of this bill. Hopefully, he will happily reserve a spot for it in the trash can, which is where it rightfully belongs.

Teachers’ raises won’t depend on their experience anymore, but rather on the performance of their students. What if the teachers have the all too pleasant type of student who simply does not care if they pass the FCAT? Will the teachers be left to pay for their students’ actions? This is a system that’s designed to fail.  It will cause everyone to become livid, not just the students. We already hate the FCAT. The information has been shoved down our throats since the third grade, and soon enough our stomachs will be far too full to deal with it any longer.

The school districts who choose not to comply with the new bill will also be penalized. They will not only lose 5% of their funding from the state, but they will have to make up that lost money through their property taxes. The state should be able to trust the teachers they employ, especially if they went through all of the examinations and schooling to become certified.

If Florida really wants their students to do well on the exam, then they should entice them with a reward, not threaten the job of their well qualified teachers. Whether it’s the state or district’s decision to do so, kids will start to improve their scores if they are given motivation.

There’s no need to torment teachers with such a bill. Their effectiveness as a teacher can’t possibly be measured on the basis of one assessment. There are many other outside factors besides the teacher that determines how well a student performs on any test.

Many people have already voiced there opposition on this issue, some even staid in bed. Many teachers across the counties (Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade) have been staging “sickouts.”  But who can blame them? The state government just slapped them across the face by telling them they’re doing a poor job at teaching. It’s like getting engaged to someone, and telling them, the day before the wedding, you don’t want to get married. It’s mind boggling.

There’s no reason to have this education reform, because our teachers are doing their jobs. Florida’s Legislature shouldn’t be penalizing the whole state just because a few students aren’t performing well on the FCAT; it’s not always the teacher’s fault.  We are all individuals.  It would be far more effective to pinpoint specific problems, instead of punishing everyone for someone else’s mistake.

Most everyone believes that high school is the opportunity to find who you really are and to experiment with different extracurricular activities to find what you enjoy. There are some parents who refuse to support the theatre, if their child is involved. However, if they’re involved with a sports team such as soccer or basketball it’s alright to devote time and talent to it.

Funding is being threatened in schools; and more specifically in the performing arts department. This is a growing issue in nearly every school with budget cuts. We need to keep Drama in schools. Everyone needs a creative outlet, whether it is through sports or art. If the budgets are cut, what would happen to the kids who found their release though drama? Statistics show that kids are more likely to succeed if they have an extracurricular activity.  If the schools took that away, what would happen to graduation rates and college acceptance?

Truth is, theatre can be an underappreciated release for many people.  The world needs to start appreciating the talents that others have and not dismiss them because they would rather perform Pippin than play basketball. All of us have different gifts and abilities, and we need to appreciate that.

Teenagers thrive on conflict.  When some sort of controversy arises, however small, they pounce.  Then they have the audacity to announce that they are “drama free” and “only want to live their life.”  It’s completely hypocritical and irrational.  It’s the nature of an adolescent, and it needs to change.

It’s all too easy to blame the stratification of high schools and entertainment.  The plastics don’t exist, and teenagers are well aware of this.  But, what they don’t realize is that involving oneself whole-heartedly in issues, and more so in issues that aren’t even their own, is clearly futile.  It’s shameful that we can spend the bulk of our time obsessing over rumors, obsessing over what someone states, over what someone did and how completely ‘out of line’ it was, and then by no means even attempt to fix the problem, but rather chose to tell the entire school about it.  It’s a matter of being an adult.

It requires one to take responsibility for their actions, whether the rumor is true or, in most cases, if it’s slander.  One needs to realize that the importance of the information pales in comparison to what you do with it.  

No one is telling you to hurry and grow up, but to mature. We’re in high school, just one step before college, and one miniscule step in life, take your time to learn from your experiences, but be careful in the decisions you make.

Parents think of different methods to make sure their children have fun playing a videogame without having them obsess over one. One of said methods can sometimes be limiting their kids game time. There are other parents whose methods consists of letting the kids play only certain games, which in their opinion, aren’t so bad. Games like Wii Sport, and Wii Fit are a better option of game. Parents allow their child to play these games as much as they want, because they benefit the young player in, not only the game, but in reality itself. However, games similar to Animal Crossing don’t really benefit the player in reality, but parents are more lenient because it’s a cute game without violence or bad influence. Unfortunately, they need to understand that it is best for a kid not to be introduced to videogames at all.

Childhood is sacred. Childhood and youth, both in teenagers and children, isn’t something that is meant to be killed and wasted on a game. Our young generation needs to live life to its fullest. They shouldn’t limit themselves. They shouldn’t get excited or feel complete happiness from playing a game. That’s not living. We can’t allow them to live this life, and have them realize later in the future how much they’ve missed. Some parents think they can relate. They say, “Well, when I was young, I played Atari and Pac-Man nonstop, and here I am with no regrets.” Parents need to understand that the games back then were much simpler. The games today involve so much. They are pretty much an entire new way of life. World of Warcraft, for example, cannot be compared to Galaga or Tetris. The World of Warcraft obsession, and the game, itself, is endless. It not only drains the young of their lives, but the parents of their money. Who is to blame? The teenager for wasting his own time, or the parent for giving him or her the means to?

No matter how one tries to defend the gaming world, they can’t. Videogames are entertainment, but beyond making you feel momentarily good, they have no lasting value. One can say they have control over it. They can say they play only a few hours from time to time. The accumulated time is dreadful to think about, and so they never do. An adult, and only an adult, has the excuse to play a game when he has absolutely nothing else to do. A teenager has always something to do. They haven’t stopped growing or developing. They haven’t lived. A young player will grow into someone who will be sickened by how they not only spent so much time playing, but also willingly pushed aside so many memories and important moments in their life to make time for their games. For the sake of entertainment they give up sleep, health, and heartwarming moments in their lives. They fool themselves into thinking that virtual friends and worthless success or, “achievements”, are adequate substitutes for the real-life ones and, in doing so they give up their lives for simulated ones. Eventually, the result from this will indubitably lead to depression and loneliness. No one should trade friendships, love, and memories for experiences gained in games that don’t exist. No one should allow something as stupid as videogames to consume what could be the very best years of their lives.

Videogames lead the world of entertainment. They have surpassed movies, and television. World of Warcraft, is one of the most addicting and life consuming games of all time. This game, in no way, is good for youth to be playing. Many teens obsess over reaching the highest level in this game, and guess what? The average player makes two to three level 80 characters. Did you know that one could drive from New York to Los Angeles three times in the amount of time it takes a player to achieve level 80? It’s amazing, the things one can do during that time. In life, there are no U turns, it is a one way road, and the ride goes fast. The purpose of this article isn’t to create anger, make fun of, or give hate to videogames and their makes; it’s simply just a statement of how games have an overwhelming negative effect on their players. The reason for said negative effects, of course, is no level of control. There are some games that are just simply bad, but there are some that entertain enough without requiring any level of complete addiction or money loss. One can eat a burger from time to time, if they are healthy, they won’t be negatively affected by it. Just like there are healthy people who are careful with what they eat and how often they eat it, there are healthy gamers who are careful with what they play and how often they play it. Time, however, has much more worth than calories will ever have.

It’s been six years since teachers employed in Palm Beach County received a raise in their salary. The economy has changed drastically, and the cost of living in not only Florida, but across the nation, has gone up. That, however, didn’t stop our school from installing almost a dozen new palm trees in the courtyard. They’re beautiful plants, and they do enhance the look of the school, but that could have been money given to the teachers. They may have been a gift from the school board, because back in 2006, all of the school’s trees were destroyed due to Hurricane Wilma, but the school doesn’t necessarily need palm trees as much as teachers need to live. Another expense that the school board paid for was the March SAT accompanied by The Official SAT Study Guide for all of the juniors taking it. For most juniors this is an unexpected gift from the school board, and they’re happily taking advantage of this opportunity, but most would have paid for the test anyway. The school board could have chosen to pay for only those students who are in a financial predicament, because most people who live in Boca can afford to pay for their own SAT. What’s got most people unhinged is the school board saying there is not enough in the budget to accommodate teacher’s salary raises, but then have plenty of money for planting trees and the SAT.

According to Marc Freeman of the Sun Sentinel, “Records show the average [Palm Beach] county teacher salary is $50,023, below the U.S. average of $54,319. About 7,745 of the district’s 12,291 teachers are paid below the county average, including about 4,570 teachers with salaries under $40,000.” Most teachers are stuck with an outdated salary, as prices go up, their salaries don’t. Because the cost of living in Boca Raton is also a lot higher than its neighboring cities, most teachers are forced to live 15 to 30 minutes away. A first time teacher can’t even afford to live independently in an apartment in Boca. Although, instead of a raise, the school board did offer a $500 bonus to teachers, but most of them instantly declined it. They saw it as an incentive, the school board just want them to “quiet down” for the time being.

The School Board of Palm Beach County needs to redistribute their budget, so that teachers are at the top of their priority list. They’re the fundamental building blocks to education, without them, you have no future.

Life is far more tangible than time and living in the moment is worth more than an eternity of meaningless seconds.  A designed series of events is a poor excuse for a life.  Time should not influence our living.  It should not instruct us on how to live, it should not determine what is accomplished, and it should never keep us from pursing something.  We’re all afraid of not experiencing all that exists, of missing out, and of running out of time.  There is no such thing as too late, the only thing that exists is a circular frame with some numbers painted on, that isn’t the least bit scary.