 Article by Grace Kelly, Images of Jillian CardinalThis article helps with several tips and tricks to better your beach day! First, if you have sand stuck to your feet, baby powder will help clean them. If your baby powder contains cornstarch, sprinkling it on your sandy feet will get it all off. If your hair becomes damaged at the beach, apply leave - in - conditioner to treat it. Already damaged saltwater hair can be restored with coconut oil and restrictions on the amount of heat you expose your hair two. The sun can damage hair, so using a hair dryer on low is the best option. Salt water also irritates shaved legs. Baby oil will keep your legs sting-free. If you get sunburn, you can make your own green tea skin cooler. Steep a green tea bag in a cup of cold water for a few hours, then apply to your irritated areas of skin. The antioxidants in the tea will soothe and relieve inflamed skin.  Other household materials, such as yogurt, honey, and baby wipes, can reduce stinging. Chilling your sunscreen before applying can cool down your body as well. Placing you phone in a Ziploc bag keeps it waterproof and sand proof. This allows you to be able to see and use the phone without the risk of exposing it to the water or sand.
Cheap, plain sunglasses and beach bags are easily transformed into a fashion statement with ribbon, rhinestones, glitter, or nail polish. Adding simple tassels to your beach bag is a simple, yet cute easy to add a pop of color. Take a group of string, fold it in half, tie a small piece of string around it, and cut to the length you want for a simple tassel. Seashell necklaces are also super cute and fun! Many shells can be found with small holes already in them. Hopefully some of these tips and tricks can increase your fun in the sun!
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 By Ava SoloffSupplies You Will Need
ü Polish Colors: White, Neon Pink, Neon Orange and Black ü Triangular Makeup Sponge ü Toothpick or Wooden Cuticle Pusher ü Clear Silver Glitter Polish ü Glossy Top Coat ü Nail Polish Remover Step One: Base Paint Paint all of your nails with a thin layer of white polish. Allow it to dry. Step Two: Prepare Sponge Paint one thin strip of neon pink and one strip of neon orange onto the triangular makeup sponge. Make sure they slightly overlap in the middle. Step Three: Create an Ombre Effect Dab the sponge on all nails. This will create an ombre effect. You may have to do more than one layer. Also, you will have to keep applying the strips of polish on the sponge as you paint. Let it dry. *Note: Before you allow the paint to dry, you may want to use some polish remover to remove any paint that may have gotten on your fingers. Be careful not to allow it to get on the nail. You can dip a wooden cuticle tool into the remover and use that below the cuticle to remove any polish that may have ended up there. Step Four: Glitter Apply a thin layer of silver glitter polish. Let dry. Step Five: Add a Palm Tree This is an optional step. Dip a toothpick in black polish. Then, draw a line stemming up from the cuticle. Next, draw 4-6 lines coming out of the top of the line. This will create a simple palm tree. Allow it to dry. Step Six: Finish With a Top Coat Even if you skipped step five, it is always important to seal the deal with a clear, glossy top coat. Let it dry and you are done! This is a fun and simple nail tutorial to get you in the mood for summer. Feel free to get creative and mix it up. Use different tropical colors for your ombre step or a clear glitter with green sparkles. Paint your palm tree with dark green polish. The possibilities are endless!  By Delila MataraAs life goes on,
And we go our separate ways, Never forget, The excitement of today Remember the good, Remember the bad, Remember everything, That you once had Remain close with the ones that have brought you here, For you know they will always be there for you, Far or Near Never forget being a kid, Always remember what your parents did Appreciate everything that comes in your life, Take on your goals, Hopeful and full of strife Stop worrying about a grade Go out more, Spend more time with the people you adore Popularity means nothing, So forget the tears, Don’t waste five minutes, On something that won't matter in five years Live will your young Love will always exist, Be there for your family, Never put yourself at risk You can’t prepare for the future, What is done, is done So while your living, Have a little fun!  By Julia IschingerThe drugstore is a great place to find affordable makeup. In addition, the drugstore has a very large variety of makeup. I am going to narrow it down for you by showing you my favorite, go-to, makeup picks that you can find at the drugstore. These items are all very good quality for the drugstore and also aren’t pricey compared to makeup you would find at Sephora.
Moisturizer Whenever I do my makeup, I like to make sure i moisturize my face. My favorite moisturizer from the drugstore is the Clean & Clear dual action moisturizer ($4-$8). I like this moisturizer because it makes my skin nice and smooth. A smooth face allows you to apply your makeup easier and gives your face a fresh base. Face Primer Before I apply my foundation, I like to make sure I apply a face primer. My favorite drugstore primer is the Maybelline New York Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser primer ($5-$8). This primer closes all your pores and makes your makeup last longer, as well as also supplying a smooth base. Foundation If looking for a makeup look with coverage, I recommend using a foundation. My favorite foundation from the drugstore is the Maybelline New York Fit Me! Matte + Poreless foundation ($5-$7). I go for a matte foundation, but if you like a more dewy foundation you can get the same foundation with a dewy formula. This foundation last me all day long. What I like about this foundation is that it isn’t too heavy coverage. Concealer When it comes to concealer, the Maybelline New York Fit Me! Concealer ( $5-$8) is my go-to for a cheap, high quality concealer. This concealer is really good for covering up any blemishes, and also works great for an under eye concealer. Powder After you apply foundation and concealer, a powder is really helpful to make your makeup stay matte throughout the day. My favorite powder from the drugstore is the Rimmel London Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder($3-$7). This powder will have your makeup looking matte all throughout the day. Blush If you’re looking for a good blush from the drugstore, e.l.f has a really good blush palette for only $6-$9! These blushes are really pretty and pigmented. These blushes give your cheeks a nice rosy tint and I always make sure to put this on whenever I do my makeup. Bronzer If you want your face to have a bronzy look, I recommend using a bronzer. My favorite bronzer from the drugstore is the Physicians Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer ($13-$15). This bronzer is more on the pricey side for drugstore makeup, but works really good and just as well as some high-end bronzers. Highlighter When doing your makeup, it is nice to have a little glow. My favorite highlighter from the drugstore is the Wet N Wild MegoGlo Highlighter Powder ($4-$5). This highlighter is really pigmented and beautiful and will leave your face glowing. It also is really cheap and comes with a lot of product. Eyeshadow If you’re doing an eyeshadow look, Wet N Wild has a lot of good eyeshadow palettes for only $4-$7! These eyeshadow palettes come in all different shades. They are really cheap and come with beautiful eyeshadow colors. Mascara There are many mascaras at the drugstore. However, my favorite mascara from the drugstore is the Maybelline New York Lash Sensational mascara ($6-$7). This mascara adds a lot of volume and length to your lashes. These make your eyelashes look more full and longer and is overall my favorite drugstore mascara. Lip NYX Professional Makeup has many good drugstore lip products. My favorite lip products are the NYX Professional Makeup Soft Matte Lip Cream( $4-$7)These lip creams come in all sorts of gorgeous colors and are really cheap. Buying makeup can be very expensive, but these drugstore finds are cheap and seem to work just as well as the more pricey items. You don’t have to break your budget, and can have beautiful, glowing skin at the same time.  Interview with Malavika Vivek by Talya Slezak How this High Schooler is Bridging the Gender Gap in Tech 1. What was the inspiration for starting your organization? As an eight grader, I made the decision to go to a STEM focused high school after discovering my passion for technology. One of the things that really pushed me to go to this school was the prospect of finding a community of girls who were passionate about the same things I loved that I could go with to tech competitions and conferences. However, I soon found that a lot of my female peers viewed tech as an unwelcoming field and were disinterested in attending events that they thought would be male-dominated. This led to me asking the question: where is the community? Girls Make Apps was created after my cofounder (also a high school woman in tech) and I discussed how creating free accessible programs would work to create a positive first experience in tech for girls while building a more inclusive culture in the industry.  2. How has the program been beneficial to you or other girls involved? The program has been really beneficial and just a huge learning experience for me. When we started in 2016, I had no idea of what response to expect from our middle school participants. In our first camp, an eight-week program that combine android app development and social impact, I was blown away by the creativity and brilliance of these middle school girls. They have really taught me that anyone can make change happen if they are passionate about it. Girls Make Apps has really benefited these girls too by giving them an opportunity to discover their passion for tech. We really hope that girls from our camps leave inspired and knowing that they are capable of anything.  3. Why would you encourage young girls to become interested in science, math or technology? Science, math and technology are more than just the future; they are fields with so many opportunities for success. At Girls Make Apps, we strive to show girls the many facets of technology and how it can be applied to virtually any field, from fashion to cinema. There is a really a world of possibilities in STEM and it is the perfect route for young girls to further their natural curiosity and create an impact on the world around them.  4. How can girls become involved?
Girls can become involved through any of the great, free resources available on the internet today. Using websites like Code.org and Made With Code, anyone can start learning how to code in just a few hours. Participating in the computer science classes offered at your school or joining an after school tech club are all great ways to start learning as well. Lastly, find out more about Girls Make Apps events in your area or donate to our cause at girlsmakeapps.org.  Interview by Laine Giovanniello At the age of twelve, Anya Rosenbloom is dedicated to acting and theater. Her first play, The Wizard of Oz, was in the summer three years ago. Since then she has been in The Sound of Music, played Lucy Pevensie in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and performed as Timon in The Lion King. She plans on continuing to do more musicals as she loves singing, acting, and bonding with her castmates.
What got you interested in acting? My friend had been doing YSTC (a theater program), for a while and she always talked about how fun it was. I also saw pictures on social media and it seemed like a lot of fun. Acting was always something that interested me, and I guess after hearing about that I finally took initiative and really became involved. How have you prepared for the musicals? With my lines I would read them over and over again. I would practice with my friends until it “stuck”. In some of the musicals I had rehearsal every night, and after working with the choreographer and the cast so many times I was ready to perform. How have you grown from the shows? After I got Lucy it gave me a lot of confidence. I wasn’t that good in my first musicals and I was really scared. After being on stage for a while I felt more ready and capable of the big roles I was given. My auditions after that were much easier, because I didn’t doubt myself and I knew what the directors wanted to see. What is one thing you have learned from acting that you plan to use later in life? I learned that the people and relationships you make affect you in many ways. My castmates have taught me so many important things. When you’re in a show it’s like one big family, and the cast is like your brothers and sisters. Having them there gave me the confidence I needed to get up on stage and perform in front of hundreds of people. I know they will always be there for me and I will always be there for them. Where do you see your self in acting in the future? I want to audition for musicals that aren’t just for summer camp- while those are great-, real playhouses. There are many parts I want to play, like Maria in The Sound of Music. I know I won’t always get a lead but I still want to pursue it and see what happens. What advice do you have for aspiring young actresses and actors? When you first start acting you might think that you’re really bad, but just remember that you get better. This might sound weird but act like nobody’s there and just do it. Pretend that you’re all alone practicing in your room or something. Performing is so amazing and an experience you will never forget.  By Sheah PaytonHi! My name is Sheah Payton I’m 10 years old. For most of my life I was shy. I didn’t know how to start a conversation or to jump into one like I was already apart of it. I was also kind awkward when people talked to me. I would just nod, shake my head, or talk in a silent voice. Fortunately, I figured out that everyone who was outgoing never got made fun of for what they said or joked about. So, I started getting really interested in knock knock jokes or just jokes I thought were funny. Later I was trying them out on kids at school and my family to make them laugh.  Then every day when I came home I would pull out a blank piece of paper and write down what I thought was funny. As I kept using this strategy I knew what to say when people would talk to me and I wouldn’t sit in a corner not saying a word. I felt more confidents in myself but I still wanted more. So I asked my parents if I could do an after school activities such as soccer, girl scouts, gymnastics, and hip hop. And those things really helped me boost my confidents more than ever on meeting new people and saying what I’m good at and not so good at. Also , this helped me to find my personality so I could share it with everyone I’ve met and am going to meet. This is to show that everyone who went through the same problem I went through so you can see where you really shine!   By Madison Cavallo-Anyone born between 1996 and 2010 is generally considered a part of Generation Z
-There are between 60 and 65 million “Gen Zers” in the U.S. making up about 25% of the population -This group harnesses about $44 billion in spending power -By 2020 they will account for 40% of all consumers -Only 19% say they are excited about self-driving cars which is a 9% drop from Millennials -Only 45% regularly watch cable television -69% think ads to be disruptive -When feeling sick they are less likely to seek professional or medical help, but will instead turn to friends, family, or the internet to see what is the matter -77% are expecting to work harder than the previous generations -The good, fashionable design of products matters to 67% of this group, the most of any generation -71% have a Netflix subscription -Most would say that they prefer beach vacations -When traveling, 86% would rather stay in a hotel opposed to something like an Airbnb -65% would consider salary an important aspect of a job - “If you want it done right, then do it yourself” is a phrase believed in by 71% of Generation Z -69% would prefer to have their own separate workspace rather than a collaborative setting as preferred by Millennials -Being born into the age of technology, 40% of them would consider strong Wi-Fi more important than a functioning bathroom -70% of Generation Z would rather share personal information with their pet over their boss -Despite what most older generations would think, face-to-face communication is important to 74% of people in this age group -88% would say they are optimistic about their personal futures -Due to hefty student loans, among other reasons, 75% of this generation would say there are other ways to a good education and career than college -62% think it will be a challenge to work with Baby Boomers and Generation X, but only 5% think it will be difficult to work with Millennials -58% of adults ages 35 and up would say that Generation Z has more in common with their peers compared to surrounding adults Sources: https://www.inc.com/ryan-jenkins/generation-z-vs-millennials-the-8-differences-you-.html https://www.visioncritical.com/generation-z-statistics/ https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/fashion/move-over-millennials-here-comes-generation-z.html  By Jonna NielsenWhen I thought ahead to my future as a child, I dreamed of a fantastical life, complete with a glorious home and a job that I loved. I was certain I’d be spending my years in America. It was all I knew, where I was born and where I grew; why would I ever leave? Despite my reasoning, I won’t be here in the USA for much longer. My family has made the monumental decision to move me and my younger sister, Eva, to Denmark, my father’s home country, in search of a brighter future.  This summer, I’ll make the 8 hour plane journey to Denmark, and this time, it’s not a round trip. I’m off to a land of rolling hills, vibrant homes, and welcoming, friendly people. In fact, some of the happiest people in the world! Waiting for me is my dad’s entire family and a whole new way of life. As I work on learning the Danish language, my parents continue to prepare for the big day. Although I can’t help but be looking forward to my move, the one part I won’t enjoy is leaving my friends and my mother’s family. One of my closest friends has planned a going-away party for me in June, where I will be able to say my last goodbyes to those who have been with me since my childhood. I am also making time to visit my American relatives one more time; my family refers to this as our “Nielsen Family Farewell Tour!” I believe that leaving behind my loved ones will be the most difficult part of this expedition for me.  Along with a new home comes the dreaded idea of making new friends. And when you’re not a fluent Danish speaker, meeting new neighbors and classmates can be especially difficult! For the first year or so, as I become familiar with both the language and the environment, I’m going to be homeschooled. Then, I’ll be back in public school with the rest of the Danish teens.  I’m going to have plenty of social and cultural differences to experience. I will most likely live in a smaller house and have one car shared between my parents. Danish food comes from its fertile land and the sea that surrounds it, rather than being imported from somewhere else. Denmark relies hugely on wind, solar, and other renewable sources of power. It’s impossible to drive through the countryside and not spot a windmill! Danish people value the well being of the citizens, and it shows in their government and society. Most people in Denmark generally work less than those in America, and students are not given standardized tests, so I’m looking forward to seeing both of my parents more often! Danes prioritize time with family and friends and focus on a balance of work and home life, which makes for happier citizens that have a love of their lives.  My vacations to Denmark have given me a small insight to the major variances in culture, landscape, and life, but being there permanently will give me a true opportunity to gain knowledge of the diverse world around me. I’m counting down the days to that fateful summer day and can’t wait to take control of my future.  By Sierra ZaccagninoIn our world today, everyone always depends on someone or something. No one is ever truly independent from all other activities in their community because everyone plays a part, no matter how big or how small. This is true not only for humans, but also for all organisms and individuals on Earth.
There is a link between all of us because we live in an interdependent ecosystem. The extinction of one species affects another, which affects another, which affects another, and so on. No one seems to mind this, until the day when it could affect us. Biodiversity is something that needs to be conserved not just because its interesting to live in a world of such variety, but more importantly because it boosts ecosystem productivity, where each species has a role. Being close to extinction are the African Forest Elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis), which are a very genetically diverse species. These elephants come from mainly Central Africa and are vital to their tropical ecosystem. They maintain it through seed dispersal and germination, nutrient cycling, and herbivory. Nutrients are chemicals necessary in any ecosystems for organisms to effectively grow, survive and decompose. Even though most adult elephants do not have any natural predators that need them for food, they are essential for providing other tasks for the environment, such as those just briefly mentioned. Without the African Forest Elephants, many species would not be able to survive. Although this does not impact humans directly, it goes to show that extinctions can have a chain of effect. The loss of biodiversity in most ecosystems can be attributed to one thing – human activities. Major causes include habitat loss and degradation, pollution, introduction of invasive species, deforestation, and global warming. Most, but not all, of these come clearly from human intervention. Although we may be the cause of the problem, we can also be the solution. To help stop deforestation, humans can make smart decisions that shift consumption and land use patterns in less wasteful directions. Yes, this includes recycling! Everyone always says to recycle, and everyone always overlooks it, but it really is important. Recycling products means that people can reuse the same amount of paper and materials without the need to cut down more trees to manufacture a greater amount. To help with pollution, make sure to dispose trash appropriately, use environmentally safe products, wash your car on the lawn, pick up after your pets, don’t litter, and recycle (yes, that applies here too!). To help habitat loss, learn about your property before you build on it. Not everything in life has to be about going to the extremes to pursue change because sometimes it’s as simple as education! Of course, this applies to almost every cause of biodiversity loss here. Most of this may seem impossible for any one individual to solve, but staying educated and sharing with others is the way that change starts.  By Sierra ZaccagninoNow that summertime is finally here, everyone wants that fresh, perfect bedroom! Every space can be improved upon and appear larger with some illusions and tricks that can be applied to any room, not just bedrooms. Both space and color are two major factors that impact atmosphere and interior design, which is why it’s important to focus on these concepts first. If you have a small, cramped room and want to make your room seem larger, you don’t need to break down walls to do so. There are some simple adjustments that can make a world of difference. For starters, ditching window treatments to let more natural light in will create the effect of a more open space. However, if you’re a more private person, then try sheer white drapes instead. This will allow more light, and it will still provide a clean, breezy look that gives the room more depth. Another easy trick is to add more mirrors and reflective surfaces in a space. Doing this creates an illusion of depth by bouncing light deep into the room. Also, more vertical mirrors draw the eyes up and down, making the room appear bigger. Sometimes too much furniture in a room is what makes it feel clustered, which is why multifunctional pieces are always a desirable choice. These items can combine two or more essential home pieces into one, which saves space in an interior. Some examples of this are sofa beds, chairs that house shelving units, transformable tables, etc. Doing this also creates a low-mass concept, making the room more simplified. It is always better to have fewer larger pieces of furniture in a room than having lots of small decorative pieces. Whether you change your window treatments, add more mirrors, incorporate multifunctional furniture into your room, or do something entirely different, the amount of ways there are to improve the interior design of a space is limitless. Not only is space a big part of interior design, but color also has a high significance in the atmosphere and structure. Simply color coding items in a room, such as books or clothes, produces a more organized appearance. But if you feel that you’ve done this, and you still feel your room is unorganized, you should try a monochromatic color scheme. A monochromatic color scheme uses different tints and shades of the same color to create unity. Some people believe that choosing colors for a room is a fun and enjoyable task, but for other it proves to be stressful. By using monochromatic colors, the stress of finding colors that harmonize well with each other is eliminated. Although picking colors should not be a miserable task, sometimes a color can either make or break a room. If you’re interested in repainting your room, try using light colors on the walls to make the space appear larger. In contrast, dark wall colors make a room appear smaller. Most people tend to prefer a larger room, but if you enjoy the coziness of a smaller room, then try adding an accent wall in your room because they break up a space. The atmosphere of a space affects your mood and behavior throughout the day, which means that your bedroom should reflect your own personality. So, hopefully you can find time this summer to redecorate, repaint, or redo anything about your room to create a more enjoyable and pleasant atmosphere!  By Cyrena SpaffordOne thing my senior class has been talking about since the first day of freshman year was our senior class trip to Disney. With much anticipation it was finally our year! So instead of boring you with every little detail of my trip from every ride I want on to everywhere I ate and what I ate, to every drama that went on during the trip as well as all of the jokes that were told, I am going to share the top 10 highlights of my senior class trip!  Here are my top 10 moments of Disney
2. Seeing the breathtaking Happily Ever After Fireworks with all my friends. The animations on the castle were amazing. 3. Going to Disney Springs and going to the CocaCola store and trying different sodas from around the world . My favorite soda I tried was the Beverly form Italy. Then watching the sunset from the rooftop. 4. Meeting all of the different characters throughout our adventures made me feel like a little kid again. Especially meeting my twin Doc Mcstuffins  5. Going to Animal Kingdom and going on the Safari ride felt as if I was really in Africa. It was awe-inspiring to see the animals come up really close to our Land Cruiser. 6. Skipping our class dinner (boring and bad food) at the Yacht club to go and get a really good salmon dinner at a Magic Kingdom restaurant (shhh…. Don’t tell anyone) 7. Spending the day relaxing by the pool with all of my friends. Getting free things from the really cute pool guys, and just goofing off with my friends. 8. Universal studios: Going on my personal favorite, the Jimmy Fallon ride with my grade level principal. 9. Going to Harry Potter World at Universal and getting to try Butterbeer! ButterBeer tastes like a caramel hard candy that melts in your mouth. 10. Making memories with all of my friends that will surely last a lifetime!  Overall this is definitely one trip I will always remember, being surrounded by all of my friends making memories and sharing lots of laughs. Despite all of the drama that went down I will totally do it again! Because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and something I sure won’t forget!
 By Emma EngleGoing to the beach this weekend? Don't forget to pack the essentials!
1. Sun Glasses 2. Beach Towel 3. Sunscreen 4. Hat 5. Bag (to carry everything in) 6. Drinks and Snacks 7. Speaker 8. Book/Magazines (Definitely Inspiring Teens & iTi STYLE!) 9. Flip Flops 10. Bathing suit  By Simme SalgueroPhotography is everywhere around us. You’re probably thinking “no it isn’t”, but it is! If you think about it, our eyes are like a camera lens. Everything we look at can actually be a picture. For example, look around. That simple bush your standing by could be the subject of a great photograph. When you move real close to it, it’s like a close-up picture and you can see all the tiny growing buds. If you step further away, you can take in the entire bush and some things around it as if you are looking through a wide angel lens. You see, photography really IS everywhere!  Here are three photos I took (on my iPhone) of the same image. I used three different lenses creating three different perspectives. The first picture you see was taken using the basic lens that comes with my phone. For the next image I added a special wide-angle lens to my phone. The last I switched to a micro lens (also attached to my iPhone) which gave me a great closeup of some petals in the flower arrangement. I think each photo looks really good but each one has a unique perspective even though they are all of the same thing.  Being part of ITM has given me more opportunities to explore photography. I really want to pursue my interest further by starting my own YouTube Channel about photography! I’m excited to take more classes at ITM on photography in order to learn more about being behind and in front of the camera. I’m only starting my journey and I can’t wait to see where it leads me!
 By Zoe D'Angelo“What classes are you taking next year?” is a question you’ll hear if you’re in junior high or high school. These are big decisions every student makes toward the end of their academic year, because you’re picking the classes they need to take for the following year. If this is your first time picking classes, class selection can be very overwhelming. Don’t worry; I’m here to help! First things first, we have to pick the core classes, the classes that have the most credits. These classes are: Math, History, Science, English and a foreign language. After you have those, you get to pick the fun ones, electives! Most high schools have so any options for electives and there’s something for everyone! When you’re picking which math course to take, the best resource to help you is you’re math teacher. For example, if you’re in Pre-Algebra, and you score a 90 or above in that class, you’re in exceling math courses now. That means you probably learn faster then the kids who scored an 89 or lower in Pre-Algebra. There’s nothing wrong with that, everyone learns at different speeds!  If you score a 90 or above, you’re required to take one year or Algebra 1 then move onto Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus and so forth. For those who did not reach a 90, you are required to take 2 years of Algebra 1 which are called Algebra 1A and Algebra 1B. After you’ve completed those courses, then you’re onto Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus and so forth. Every district is different with where they place their students, but when choosing which math course to take, pick one where you think you’ll be challenged, but will not fail. Once you find the perfect one, you’re off to a good start! Next is History. History is difficult because you’re learning about past events you may never of heard of. However, things get around quickly and kids probably know most of what they’re getting taught. Usually in the elementary years, they learn about B.C. and Ancient times, which is harder for kids to grab onto. However, when you go to the next grade level, the events you learn in history become more recent and most kids will have more knowledge on these events. At the end of the day, were creating history right now that generations far from now will probably learn when they’re in school. History courses have the option of it being a regular class that’s academic and suits everyone or if you feel like its not your type of learning style, you can go higher into the Honors or Advanced classes which many students like. It’s taught quicker then the academic course and will require more homework and study time. Grades are weighted heavier then academic and kids tend to make new friends in honors classes, because they may not have classes with other students before. Third is Science. Science is one of those subjects where if you’re a strong learner in math, most likely, you’re a strong learner is science. Math and Science have very similar curriculum and are interesting to learn about. Likewise, History and English offers a honors class if you feel like you’re not getting challenged in the academic course. For students that live in Pennsylvania, we are required to take a Keystone standardized test all on Biology. For us to prepare, we are required to take a biology class the first year of high school so we will preform our best on the Keystone. However, you are welcome to take chemistry as well as biology, if that’s what you prefer, but everyone is different!  Fourth is English. To pick the best English course for you, you really have to think, “Will I have the time for this? Or Do I really want the majority of my homework be reading and writing for English?” If you answered yes to both questions, go for that Honors class! It will look great on your transcript and it will show you’re working hard! However, if you had answered no to those questions, academic is for you! Don’t’ sweat it if you end up taking academic and you wanted to take honors. Sometimes, if you excel significantly in the academic class and your teacher notices, they have the ability to move you up into the honors class! All you need to do is keep your grades up, but past the “passing” mark. You need to keep your grades very close to or an A for as long as you can. The more you succeed, your teacher will notice. However if they don’t, take this situation into your own hands. Go up to your teacher and explain to them that your grades have been awesome since the beginning of the school year and you really feel like you would do excellent in the honors class. Lastly, is the foreign language. Some districts offer different languages then others, but the most common are Spanish and French. They usually start them off in the middle school, and offer more at the high schools. Most parents and teachers encourage their students to take Latin in their scholastic career. There are some questions on the Keystone that have the Latin Language incorporated into the test. Most districts require you to have 3 years of a foreign language to graduate, so once you’ve completed level 3 of a language, you are not required to take it anymore, but highly encouraged. Also, when you’ve completed 2 years of the foreign language and ready to pick what class you want for level 3, you can now select an honors class if you feel really good with the curriculum and really love the language. I know this may seem overwhelming if this is your first time, but once you understand how course selection works, and you’ve talked with everyone you can about what classes they suggest for you, it should be an easy breezy process! What people can you ask for help you may be wondering? Those include: older siblings/friends who have took classes you’re interested in, teachers, guidance counselors, parents or any other trusted adult. I hope everyone’s course selection goes smoothly and is prepared for the next school year! |
