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by Mandy Curtis, copy editor/writer
Celebrities share their stories to reach out to gay teens
It gets better: That’s the message Seattle advice columnist Dan Savage hopes to send to gay teens through the YouTube channel he started in reaction to a number of recent adolescent suicides. Bullying related to sexual orientation is thought to have contributed to the teens’ depression. (Please note: Savage’s column is for an adult audience.)
At press time, the “It Gets Better Project” channel, www.youtube.com/user/itgetsbetterproject,
had more than 700 videos posted to its favorites; these videos have been uploaded by everyday people, celebrities and groups to show support for gay teens. Both gay and straight celebrities have posted videos, including Chris Colfer, who plays Kurt on Glee, and Tim Gunn, the host of Project Runway. President Barack Obama has also contributed a video.
The channel is part of The Trevor Project, a national nonprofit organization focused on suicide prevention for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. The Trevor Project offers three ways these youth can contact someone for help: The Trevor Lifeline, (866) 4-U-Trevor, a 24-hour, toll-free helpline; Dear Trevor, www.thetrevorproject.org/dear-trevor/youth,
an online, non-time sensitive question-and-answer service; and Trevor Chat, www.thetrevorproject.org/chat,
an online messaging system.
The Trevor Project website, www.thetrevorproject.org, also features a variety of educational resources, including a downloadable “survival kit,” an educator resource guide, and webinars and workshops.
iTexas
Apple and Texas have joined forces to bring podcasts, videos and other content to Texas students and educators.
The Texas Education iTunes U channel was launched at the beginning of the 2010-11 school year and features the best in downloadable teacher training videos and student programs. (Staff members from the Texas Education Agency started work on the project in November 2009.) The interactive channel makes it possible for teachers to upload material, trade tips and lesson plans, and view each other’s videos. More than 140,000 teachers have already signed up to participate. Students and parents can download the material to home computers or hand-held devices such as iPods.
Other organizations and groups will soon be submitting material as well, including the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), the Smithsonian Institution and the National Archives.
For more information on the channel, visit www.tea.state.tx.us/itunesu.
Source: ABC News
The brains of the young “see double”
Two recent studies have shown that children under the age of 12 actually see differently than adults.
Teens and adults combine sensory input to make sense of their surroundings, but kids don’t. When children interpret a scene, their brains separate sound and vision; the studies found that they don’t develop the ability to blend this information until age 12. Similarly, while children under the age of 6 can keep perspective and depth perception separate, adults cannot.
These new findings provide a better understanding of the way our brains learn to process sensory information and show that brains must learn how each “part” works independently before fitting the parts together.
Source: HealthDay, www.consumer.healthday.com
ID chips in student badges lead to better attendance funding
Two school districts in Texas have started tracking their students while they’re on campus using radio frequency identification chips inserted into the students’ ID badges.
The Spring and Santa Fe school districts, both located on the outskirts of Houston, implemented the tracking programs in order to increase security and address attendance issues. Spring started the program in December 2008; currently, 13,500 of 36,000 students have the special ID badges. Chip readers are located around campuses and on school buses. Santa Fe started its program at secondary schools this fall.
Students in the program haven’t minded the additional scrutiny; many schools already have security cameras in the halls. Some students also believe it helps them be more mindful of their actions. And thanks to the program’s ability to track students who were missed on classroom attendance reports, Spring ISD has recouped more than $190,000 in state funding.
Critics of such programs often cite George Orwell’s 1984 as a worst-case scenario. A tracking program in California similar to those above was dismantled in 2005 due to parental concern that the ID badges could be hacked or that the chips would increase incidence of stalking. However, a program in a Chicago school district that uses similar technology to track students and school buses has been met with parental approval; parents say they get peace of mind from knowing exactly where their children are.
Sources: Houston Chronicle, www.chron.com, and Chicago Tribune, www.chicagotribune.com
A cuppa joe—or five
How often do you refill your mug? A nationwide survey of more than 3,600 U.S. adults conducted in August shows that teachers are among the most caffeinated professionals in the country. Although not at the top of the list—that distinction goes to nurses and doctors—teachers do find themselves in the top 10.
The professions most reliant upon coffee to get their work done are:
| 1. | Nurses | 7. | Engineers |
| 2. | Physicians | 8. | Teacher |
| 3. | Hotel workers | 9. | Marketing/public relations professionals |
| 4. | Designers/architects. | 10. | Scientists |
| 5. | Financial/insurance sales representatives | 11. | Machine operators |
| 6. | Food preparers | 12. | Government workers |
A third of the respondents noted that they rely on coffee to get them through the day. Forty-three percent believe they’re less productive without it. The study also showed that the younger they are, the more respondents needed coffee to help them concentrate and have energy. And just one cup is not enough—37 percent of the survey takers said they drink two or more cups during the day.
Source: WebMD Health News, www.webmd.com
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