21st Century Symposium - Recently Updated Pages

Planning

The Project

Learning With Colors

Interview in Fashion

Life After High School- Katelyn

Health Care in America

Sustainability: Class Theme

21st Century Symposium Home

Socratic Questioning

E.Coli in our waters----Sabrina

Ardath's Project

Political Cartoon

Emily's project (internation tuitions)

Synesthesia

Serial Killers

Good Books Open Minds

Research and Project Resources

Be my international networker. :)

Looking for AWESOME colleges? -Sabrina

Do you know what a cult is?

21st Century Symposium - Recently Updated Pages

Planning

October 2008

November 2008

December 2008

January 2009

February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

haha frikin helarious!

This one is funny because recently they just shut the legendary Yankee Stadium, plus Wall Street is crashing

www.cagle.com

haha....funny

I bet not many of you knew Dr.Suess did political cartoons....this one's pretty old....but it still had an impact on me

this is a great site for political cartoons!! combination of cagle cartoons plus other sites

:) :) :)

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bldailyfeed2.htm#topic1

^ ties in with Maddie's political cartoon with McCain

-Monty Python reference.

I found this at http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/. I think this has a great point. How can they expect people to take her views about these things seriously if she has a pregnant daughter herself.

October 2008

November 2008

December 2008

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27Planning discussion

28Computer lab

29Julia's essay discussion

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4Election Day: no school

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Planning day

katestotler — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:14:17 CDT

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
						1
2	3 Party!	4 Election Day: no school	5 Emily Katelyn	6 ChinaMariah	7 Sabrina Jessica	8
9	10 Alissa Mary	11 Veteran's Day	12 Ardath Symbria	13 ChenayaSandy	14 Computer Lab	15
16	17 Carrie Maddy	18 Holly Movie	19 Movie	20 Movie	21 Computer Lab	22
23	24 Computer Lab	25 Computer Lab	26	27 Thanksgiving Day	28	29
30

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
	1	2 Computer Lab	3 Planning day	4 Computer Lab	5	6
7	8 Vocational Lab	9	10	11 Vocational Lab	12	13
14	15 Outline Draft and conferences Vocational Lab Jessica, Alissa, Chenaya, Mariah, Mary, Symbria, Carrie	16 Sustainabiliy sharing: Please bring something to share.	17 Ardath, Sabrina, Maddy, Sandy, Katelyn, Holly	18 Vocational Lab	19	20
21	22	23	24	25 Christmas Day	26	27
28	29	30	31

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
				1	2	3
4	5	6 Computer Lab	7	8 Mariah's Birthday :) <3 Computer Lab	9	10
11	12 Revised outline and conference: Check research resources page for scoring guides.	13 Computer Lab Mary Jessica Katelyn Mariah	14 Carrie Alissa Sabrina Symbria Holly	15 Computer Lab Ardath Chenaya Sandy Maddy	16 End of grading period	17
18	19	20 3rd 9 Weeks begins Computer Lab	21	22 Computer Lab	23	24
25	26	27 Computer Lab	28	29 Computer Lab	30	31

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
1	2 Computer Lab	3 Mariah Symbria	4 Computer Lab	5 Jessica Emily	6	7
8	9 Computer Lab	10 ClassDiscussion:questions for video interviews, recruitment plan for next year's class	11 Mountaintop Removal Presentation	12 Computer Lab/video interviews	13 Sustainability Presentations: Ms. Jenkins Symbria	14
15	16 No school - Teacher Work Day	17	18 Computer Lab	19 Sustainability Presentation:Holly	20	21
22	23 Computer Lab	24	25 Computer Lab	26	27	28

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9 Journals Collected: if you didn't turn one in, please do so ASAP!	10 Computer Lab	11 Computer Lab	12	13 Invitations should be distributed (each student gives out at least 3)!	14 Jessica's Birthday! (:
15 Chenaya's Birthday = )	16	17 Mr. Ward's Visit	18 Computer Lab	19 Independent work day	20 Computer Lab	21
22	23 Soup Kitchen 3-6 pm Vocational Lab 3rd 9 weeks ends	24 Draft Workshopping	25 Draft Workshopping	26	27 Vocational Lab	28
29	30 Vocational Lab	31 Student Feedback for Ms. Stotler's 4/13 faculty presentation

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
			1 Vocational Lab	2	3 Revised drafts due on or before this day!	4
5	6 Spring Break	7 Spring Break	8 Spring Break	9 Spring Break	10 Spring Break	11
12	13 Teacher Work Day: No School	14 Computer Lab	15 Publication Presentation Discussion	16 Computer Lab	17	18
19	20	21 Computer Lab	22 Ms. Jenkins chestnut discussion	23 Computer Lab	24	25
26	27 Field trip Recycle Center	28 Chestnut planting (tentative) or Computer Lab Carrie's Birthday	29	30 Computer Lab

Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat
					1	2
3	4 Alissa	5 Computer Lab	6 Computer Lab	7 Sandy	8 Maddy	9
10	11 Emily	12 Computer Lab	13 chestnut planting	14 Computer Lab	15 Mary	16
17	18 Sabrina	19 Katelyn	20 Ardath	21 Chenaya	22 Mariah	23
24	25 Memorial Day: No School	26 Jessica	27 Symbria Carrie	28 Step-up Day	29 Court House Field Trip	30
31

jmeyers15 — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:17:00 CDT

Colors & Their Effects

Red:

-Stimulates a faster heartbeat, breathing, and brain activity. Gives energy and self-confidence.

-Color of love; causes irritability, rage, hostility, invigoration, intensity.

- Signifies energy, power, sexuality and passion, excitement, desire, heat, love, aggression, danger, & violence.

- In clothing, red makes a person appear heavier.

- Not advised for negotiating or confrontations, although a dark suit with splashes of red is supposedly a sign of serious business.

Orange:

- Evokes excitement, enthusiasm, energy, balance, warmth, flamboyance; stimulates appetite (as most warm colors do).

- In ancient times, orange rooms were believed to heal lungs and increase energy.

Yellow:

- Considered optimistic, and in contrast, cowardly,

- Communicates happiness, caution, mellowness, joy, imagination, hope, jealousy, deceit, and illness.

- Enhances concentration and memory, speeds metabolism, energizes, relieves depression, stimulates appetite.

Green:

-Easiest color on a person’s eyes and therefore may improve vision.

- Calming, refreshing, relaxing, relieves stress, aids growth, soothes, helps rid depression.

- Symbolizes fertility, wealth, rebirth, healing, good luck (four-leaf clovers), youth, vigor, generosity, inexperience (“greenhorn”), harmony, nature.

Blue:

-Calming, relaxing, serene, (which in turn may cause depression because of lack of stimulation), soothing, stable.

- Symbolizes loyalty, harmony, unity, trust, confidence, cleanliness, order

- Increases productivity; slows blood pressure, respiration, & heart rate; appetite depressant

- Has the opposite influence of those associated with red’s influence

Purple:

- Color of royalty; rich, dramatic, elegant

- Symbolizes wealth, luxury, sophistication, creativity, nobility, mystery, wisdom, arrogance, enlightenment.

- Suppresses appetite, relieves tension, helps migraines.

- Advances inner strength, wisdom, kindness, artistic talent, and creativity.

Pink:

- Sports teams occasionally paint the locker rooms for their opposing teams pink so their opponents lose energy.

•- Associated with youth, femininity, and youth.

Black:

- Color of authority and power, sophistication, elegance, unhappiness,

- Associated with the evil, the submissive, death, enchantment and the unknown

- In clothing, black makes a person appear thinner and is usually reserved for evening wear.

White:

- Associated with purity, goodness, simplicity, cleanliness, & innocence.

- Doctors and nurses wear white to appear clean in a sterile atmosphere.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I created and handed out a survey asking students what color room they felt they learned best in, least in,

and what their favorite color class rooms were. I surveyed 50 students from each of the grades 9, 10, 11,

and 12. Here are the results:

9th Grade

44% of students said that a white classroom was their favorite, followed by blue and gold, with 38%.
50% of students said the classroom that they felt they learned best in was white. 26% said they learned best in a green room.
77% of students surveyed said they felt they learned the least in a white room. Green was second with 13% and blue last with 10%.

10th Grade

54% of students said they liked a white class best. Following white was our blue & gold rooms at 32%.
60% of sophomores believe that they learn best in a white classroom, followed equally in 2nd place by blue and green, both with 7%.
87% of sophomores said they learned least in a white classroom. Green was tallied as the second least favorite learning environment at 11%.

11th Grade

44 % of Juniors who responded to the question of their favorite classroom chose Green. Next was Blue and Gold, our school colors, with 30 %. Only 17% of students chose a white classroom.
51% of students said that they learned best in a green classroom. 34% chose a white classroom, however, many said their choice was a direct result of the teacher, not the room.
86% of students said they felt they learned the least in a white room. Blue and green tied for 2nd with 5% each.

12th Grade

• 43% of senior students said that their favorite classroom was a green classroom. Following next was white with 24% and in third, blue with 19%.

• Green classrooms were chosen as the best classrooms for learning at 39%, followed by white with 30%.

• White classrooms took the prize with the seniors for the classroom color they felt least helped them learn with 79. Next was green with 16%. Blue came last with the remaining 5%.

ANALYSIS of SURVEYS

Although white classrooms tied with green rooms for the best learning environment color overall, a great deal of this result has to do with two facts: 1) 83% of the classrooms in Berkeley Springs High School are white, and 2) Many students whose results did not appear in these statistics because of their answers responded to this question with the reply that it doesn’t always matter what color the room is, the teacher is what matters and how well they teach the criteria.

I think a change of scenery for schools that are almost completely white, like ours, would be stimulating and encouraging to the students studying. This response is supported by my research about colors meanings, the effects they produce, and the ways color helps shape and develop a room.

TEACHER'S GUIDE

English	Math	History	Science	Government/ Economics	Fitness/Workout	Art	Music/Theater
Yellow	Yellow Blue	Blue Green	Green	Red	Red Blue	Purple	Orange Green Purple

jmeyers15 — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:21:01 CDT

Color Psychology: How Do Colors Change/Affect The Way You Feel

By Jessica Meyers

Purpose: To offer advice to teachers about the color of their rooms and help them generate the appropriate energy to help students focus and learn better in the classroom.

How Color Affects People

To sell products

In fast food restaurants the décor is often designed around appetite promoting colors such as reds and oranges. Green, brown, and red are the most popular food colors. Red is an appetite stimulant. Food that is black, blue, or purple appears to be spoiled, which ruins appetite.

To Heal

People waiting to appear on TV sit in green rooms to relax. Hospitals often use green because it is a relaxing color for patients.

To Influence

In an experiment where prisoners were randomly assigned to either red, yellow, blue, or green wings, those in the blue and green wings were less inclined to violence than those in the red and yellow wings.

To Motivate

People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.
Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.

Colors and Their Meanings

a. Red: stimulates brain activity, pulse rate, respiration and blood pressure; gives energy and self-confidence; stimulates appetite; excitement, energy, passion, desire, speed, strength, power, aggression, love.

b. Yellow: energizes; relieves depression; improves memory; increases awareness, perception, and understanding; stimulates appetite; Joy, happiness, optimism, imagination, hope, cowardice, jealousy.

c. Blue: calming; lowers blood pressure and decreases respiration; enhances communication and decision-making; peace, tranquility, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, confidence, depression, cold, loyalty, order.

d. Green: soothing; relaxing mentally and physically; helps depression, nervousness, and anxiety; gives feeling of renewal, self-control, and harmony; nature, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, envy.

e. Orange: energizes; stimulates appetite and digestion; removes inhibitions; increases sociability; energy, balance, warmth, enthusiasm, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant, demanding of attention.

f. Purple: suppresses appetite; good for migraines; promotes inner strength, wisdom, kindness, and creativity; royalty, spirituality, nobility, mysterious, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, mourning.

g. Pink: youth, femininity, represents “blushing” and “flower petals”, meant to set a romantic mood, tranquilizing, decreases energy.

Data, My Experiment, and Reaching Out

Create Surveys for Students and Teachers
b. Make “Did You Know” cards to handout after surveys
c. Publish a page with results on the wiki; talk to someone about getting a link on the WV Teen-Zine website; help teachers who are planning on redecorating choose a color(s) for their classrooms.

CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE:
http://learningwithcolors.webs.com/

AlissaDuVall — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:10:11 CDT

So you need a job, and you have an appointment for an interview. Congratulations, you now have a shot at the job! But have you considered the importance of how you dress?

I am sure you have heard many times the phrase “first impressions last a lifetime”. Have you taken into account that you are going to be a making a very important first impression when you show up for your interview?

First impressions are important; for this reason, the way you dress for an interview is an important issue that should be addressed. Whether we like it or not, people make judgments about other people based on their appearances. When you show up to an interview, you want to give off the impression that you are serious about the job and you have some idea about what is appropriate for your potential work setting.

My site is designed to be a tool in helping you choose the appropriate outfit for your job interview. In these tough times, it is important for you to do everything possible to make yourself stand out as the best possible choice for the job!

Please Visit My Website!
interviewinfashion.webs.com

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

I surveyed some teachers at Berkeley Springs High School concerning what should be worn to different types of job interviews. Below is the survey I used. If you would like to answer the questions in a thread to this page that would be great! Thanks!

Are you male or female?
You are getting ready for an interview for a job. You want to look nice and present yourself in a way that you give off an impression that you are serious about getting the job. Imagine yourself in each of the following positions. Answer the following question according to your gender. What would you wear for each interview?

McDonald’s (You are a student who wants to work weekends and after school):
Food Lion (You are interviewing for a manager position):
CNB Bank (You are interviewing for a teller position, but you want to have a career at CNB Bank and be promoted to higher positions in the future):
The Journal (You just graduated college with a degree in journalism. You are interviewing for a writing position):
Warm Springs Middle School (You just moved to Berkeley Springs and you are applying for a teaching position):

katelyn_labree — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:18:57 CDT

publications= pamphlet for the 9th graders (www.questbridge.org and www.studentaid.ed.gov)
presentation for 11th grade teachers (on my hard drive)
a project added to the 11th grade curriculum (lesson plans)

Juniors: 170
Seniors: 151

take my poll

Thinking about college?
Moving out is challenging but it can be even harder when having to worry about college. Luckily, most colleges offer information for the freshman students to help them transition from high school to college. There are many changes that you will face.
1. Leaving home, the place where you feel comfy and you know your surroundings
2. living by yourself or with people you don't know
3. managing money for food and supplies you will need
4. managing time between all your classes and a job
5. taking out loans and having to repay them once you get out of college
6. learning your way around the campus
7. knowing all the insider information of whats going on
This is just a few things that I thought of, and it may be easier if you take a few simple steps before hand to help you be a little more prepared. Visit the college/university and talk to a counselor about what you plan on doing. Take a tour around campus. Learn the area, where good restaurants are to eat at and/or to get a job. Sometimes its even better if you can talk to a freshman or any college student already there and ask them questions about the college. Like if you know someone who goes to that college then go stay with them for a weekend and let them show you all the 'secret' spots and cool places to hang out.
Don't get too overfrustrated with the big change. Just take it step by step and explore before you settle in.
How does this relate to my 'real world' project?
Knowing how to manage money, save money, get a job, manage time, what is involved with financial aid, and knowing just how to prepare yourself is a big way to help prepare.

By Katelyn LaBree
One thing I personally disagree about school systems is that they teach you all the stuff that you end up forgetting as soon as you leave school, instead of teaching high-schoolers about making it in the real world. Your parents aren't going to be there holding your hand for the rest of your life so it is important that you learn now how to live in the future.

Here is my presentation from class that I didn't finish -> http://www.slideshare.net/guest055038/the-real-real-world-reformatted-presentation-presentation/

http://flippingburgersandbeyond.blogspot.com/2008/06/parental-responsibility-for-teens-over.html
Learning to live in the real world

Do you know how to manage your money? (this doesn't include getting your paycheck and blowing it at the mall and saving just enough money for gas that week)
Do you know what is involved with renting or owning a place you can call your own?
Do you understand what a mortgage is?
Do you have an emergency fund set aside in case your car decides to get a flat tire?
Can you manage time between work and your life?
And don't forget, you may have to do this while taking college classes.... stressed yet? You shouldn't be! This should all come naturally right? No! That is why we need to learn this now while we are still ahead!

This is my main goal in my project is to educate students to be ready for the real world.

There is a book written by Chad Foster called Teenagers Preparing for the Real World.
Some of the things mentioned are:

pursuit of dreams
communication skills
people skills
early career preparation

networking skills
integrity (moral and ethical principles)
making good choices
community services

"Today, every time you turn around, someone is telling you what not to do: don't do drugs, don't smoke, don't drink, don't sleep `till noon, etc. I have a feeling that you've heard enough about what you can't do. Maybe the time has come to tell you what you can do if you want to succeed.
Now is the time to begin to understand the value of people skills, networking skills, early career preparation, integrity, communication skills, dreams and community service. All of these are critical for anyone who wants to succeed and I believe most teenagers want to succeed.
This book is about the skills of success. It was written for those who want to succeed. What you do now will make a difference. All teenagers are on a journey. It's the same journey that I used to be on. In order for you to succeed on your journey you will need two things - a good education and good preparation." (Chad Foster, author of Teenagers Preparing for the Real World)

"A wise man knows everything.
A smart man knows everyone.
A successful man knows both." - Old Chinese Proverb

"Before we address that question, let's consider another one: "When will you earn it?" This one's a little easier to answer. Most of you will earn it 40 hours a week, for 50 weeks each year, between the ages of 22 and 65. We're talking about 86,000 hours of your life!
Since most of us don't like to spend one hour doing something we don't enjoy, I'm sure you can see the importance of choosing the right job. Trust me: 86,000 hours is a long time to be miserable. Your choice of careers is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make - and no one else can make it for you." (Chad Foster, author of Teenagers Preparing for the Real World)

Find your passion and pursue it
Buy an address book and fill it
Meet all kinds of people
Ask a million questions
Stay in touch with as many people as you can
Read everything you can
Uncover your natural talents
Try a few jobs before college
Dream and pursue your dreams
Always do the right thing
Volunteer for community service
Remember, success is a journey not a destination

Moving out for the first time is one of the biggest steps you’ll take in life. It not only represents your freedom, independence and a sense of growing up, it also tests your ability to make it on your own.
Since most of us will be renting our first place, we will begin there. There are usually two ways to go. You can rent month-to-month, which means you are able to move out whenever you want, but it also means the landlord can kick you out or raise your rent almost at will. The other way to go is a lease. The lease locks you into a predetermined number of months. For most apartments and condos, a one-year lease is standard. Landlords will usually charge you less if you sign a lease with them. Keep in mind that if you sign a one-year-lease and decide to move out after two months, you’re still on the hook for the additional ten months. Make sure you really like living under that roof and plan to stay there for the lease period or you may want to stick with a month-to-month.
Whenever you rent an apartment or a house, there will always be a deposit required. This deposit will vary based on:
1. The amount of the rent.
2. Your credit score.
3. Are you signing a lease or renting month-to-month?
4. Is the landlord buying a new car that month?
You can usually expect to pay first month plus a security deposit equal to first month’s rent. If you are renting an apartment or condo, many times there is a reduction or special deal offered by the complex. For example, you may be able to pay first month’s rent plus a small deposit of say, a few hundred dollars. If you have pets, and the landlord allows them, you will be required to pay a deposit for the pet. In some cases, the landlord may require you to pay first month’s rent plus last month’s rent and a security deposit. The important thing to remember is to find out exactly what will be required before you sign anything.
OK, moving day. You’ve taken ten minutes and packed up all your worldly possessions. Mom is standing by the door weeping because her baby is now ready to fly the coop. Even though you needed them to give you 20 bucks to go out last week, you are ready to be an independent adult. Dad is also standing by the door, but he’s got a slight grin on his face. Why you ask? He is planning how to turn your room into his office or new entertainment center! But forget about that for now. You’ve found the apartment, signed the rental agreement, paid your fees and are moving in. Now what?
1. Have the phone turned on.
2. Have all the utilities turned on.
3. Have cable activated if you’re using cable or even have a television.
4. Move all your stuff in (which is usually a bag or two).
5. Get some furniture in that place (beanbags are popular in first apartments).
6. Get some food in the fridge.
7. Make sure you have at least a towel or two and don’t forget the toilet paper.
8. A vacuum cleaner would be nice.
9. Get hooked up for Internet access (might be part of your cable or phone service).
10. Get some plates and silverware and maybe a glass or two (you may get tired of paper plates and plastic silverware).

This is a fun and exciting time in your life. Sitting in your new apartment for the first time is great feeling of accomplishment for both you and your parents! (www.selfgrowth.com, Joe Kahler)

Important parts of moving out on your own- My opinion
What you think is going to happen:
You will move out, rent an apartment, split the cost with a roommate, buy food, pay some bills, work, and sleep. All honkey dorey right?
Reality Check:
Rent or buy? Which one is better for your credit?
Splitting the costs with a roommate... what costs? Utilities, water, sewer, trash pick-up, electric, cable, phone bill, etc.
Food? The most common food is milk, bread, and eggs and other foods as well but this is what you will find yourself buying the most. Don't forget about taxes!
Work? When will you work? When will you do the grocery shopping, how will you manage your money from paycheck to paycheck, what if you run out of money and you can't get food!!!
Are you going to be able to sleep at night!~!!

Personal Finance is mandatory to graduate, but is that enough?
sent by Mrs. Stotler
These are the guidelines that have to be met in this class Students will -research applicable information (i.e. interest rates, costs, credit scores) and formulate plans to demonstrate informed decision-making as it is reflected in responsible financial decisions (as in major purchases, college funding, retirement planning, etc.).(Spending, Saving and Investing) -interpret the language and ideas of financial literacy (Vocabulary) -analyze the reasons people borrow money, compare the costs of credit versus cash, and summarize the effects of credit on personal finance and the global economy. Credit) -explain financial risks and evaluate available consumer protection against financial loss. (Risk Management) -analyze how the role of economic choices in scarcity, supply and demand, resource allocation, decision-making, voluntary exchange, competition and trade-offs impact production and consumption worldwide. (Choices, Scarcity) -research, critique and evaluate the roles of private and public institutions in the economy (Financial Institutions) -examine and evaluate various economic systems and the interdependence of global economies. (Global Economic Systems) -Distinguished Above Mastery Mastery Partial Mastery Novice -Twelfth grade students performing at the distinguished level in personal finance research and evaluate economic variables that will impact their post-graduate career. They apply and evaluate basic economic concepts with applications to personal financial literacy. They Twelfth grade students performing at the above mastery level in personal finance research and critique economic variables that will impact their postgraduate career. They judge basic economic concepts with applications to personal financial literacy. They examine and Twelfth grade students performing at the mastery level in personal finance research economic variables that will impact their post-secondary career. They apply and evaluate basic economic concepts as applied to personal financial literacy. They examine the rights and Twelfth grade students performing at the partial mastery level in personal finance discuss economic variables that will affect their post-graduate career. They describe various economic concepts as they operate in personal financial literacy. They explain the rights and Twelfth grade students performing at the novice level in personal finance list economic variables that will affect their post-graduate career. They examine various economic concepts as applied in personal financial literacy. They list the rights and responsibilities of an research and evaluate consumer rights and duties as applied in different consumer functions. They evaluate and critique various banking, credit, spending and investment practices with specific applications to the individuals, businesses, the United States and other nations. assess consumer rights and duties as applied in different consumer activities. They research and judge various banking, credit, spending and investment practices as they apply to individuals, businesses, the United States and other nations. responsibilities of an informed consumer citizen.They judge various banking, credit, spending and investment practices as they apply to the individual, businesses, the United States and other nations. responsibilities of an informed consumer. They discuss various banking, credit, spending and investment practices. informed consumer. They describe various banking, credit, spending and investment practices.
There is more but it is alot and this kind of sums it all up of what the class is like.

Don't let your teen leave the house before they know how to do these things. Struggling is a part of being on your own for the first time, but let's not handicap our children unnecessarily.
Teach your teen to

Do laundry. Show them the basics like how and why to separate colors, how to use detergent and fabric softener.
Clean and repair around the house. I'd suggest buying them a book that hits all the basics, if you can find one. Even though they probably won't own a home for awhile, it is good to know how to change a light bulb, paint a wall, clean carpet stains, etc. Have them help out at home as much as possible before they move out.
Cook. Give them a basic cookbook like Betty Crocker. She tells them how to boil eggs and prepare the basics. Even if they watched you cook for 18 years, they won't remember all the details. Go through a few recipes that they can do quickly for little money. Those cooking lessons will be appreciated the most.
Budget. Talk about a basic budget so they know what to expect. Encourage them to save some money and give some to charities. Discuss what will happen when they fail to pay their rent or car payment. What will your role be? Are you there for a one-time loan, a place to stay when they are out of rent money?
Balance a checkbook and debit account. If they don't keep track of their account, they will have countless overdrafts. Show them the basics and double check their math after a couple of shopping trips. See that they know how to do it, even if they choose to ignore you later.
Think and question. Remind them that all adults do not act like parents. They are not looking out for their best interest, in many cases. Hopefully they know not to trust everybody, but now is the time to remind them. Make sure they know they can call you if they aren't sure (like the first time they buy a car.)
Get a job. Even if you pay for college, they need to learn how to get and keep a job. Be sure they need to make money and thus need a job.
Volunteer. Remind them not to always think about themselves. Even when money is tight, they can give their time and talents to others. Reaching out helps grow character and compassion.

Although there are other things teens need to learn, these basics will go a long way. People who exhibit these skills learn all the others on their own. They grow and contribute to society. Pass these skills on to your children before they leave home. ( http://ezinearticles.com/?Checklist:-What-Teens-Need-to-Know-Before-They-Leave-the-Nest&id=625180 )

em~ — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 08:35:53 CDT

Sustainability of singular-base healthcare in America, 45 thousand (a number growing rapidly) American citizens are uninsured.
"What Americans are upset about is the unbelievable hassle of having to select health insurance, maybe not getting it ... losing insurance when they lose their job, the American citizen is massively insecure." - Uwe Reinhardt, professor of economic and public affairs at Princeton University (A native German, and one of the nation’s leading authorities on health care economics)

http://www.healthaffairs.org/press/mayjune0301.htm
http://www.hudson.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=publication_details&id=5365

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/358/4/325

The American Healthcare system leaves up to 47 million uninsured… that's around 16 percent of the US population. Articles on needs for revisions and change:

Europeans are born with the right to a healthy life.

Chapter IV, Article 35 of the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights
Article 35 — Health care
Everyone has the right of access to preventive health care and the right to benefit from medical treatment under the conditions established by national laws and practices. A high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Union policies and activities.

EU universal Healthcare - All EU citizens have guaranteed healthcare from birth. Private healthcare is also available but used relatively little. - The National Health Service (NHS), established in the United Kingdom in 1948, is considered the world's first universal health care system provided by government. - Provides coverage for any citizen at any time on a need for treatment basis.
"In 2000 the World Health Organisation, WHO, published it's rankings of 190 of the world's healthcare systems. European Union member states occupied 23 out of the top 27 positions, with France leading in first position. …”

America is ranked number 37.
http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html

http://cthealth.server101.com/the_case_for_universal_health_care_in_the_united_states.htm
1. Why doesn’t the United States have universal health care as a right of citizenship? The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not guarantee access to health care as a right of citizenship. 28 industrialized nations have single payer universal health care systems, while 1 (France) has a multipayer (public and private investment) universal health care system like former President Clinton proposed for the United States.

Myth One: The United States has the best health care system in the world.

Fact One: The United States ranks 23rd in infant mortality, down from 12th in 1960 and 21st in 1990
Fact Two: The United States ranks 20th in life expectancy for women down from 1st in 1945 and 13th in 1960
Fact Three: The United States ranks 21st in life expectancy for men down from 1st in 1945 and 17th in 1960.
Fact Four: The United States ranks between 50th and 100th in immunizations depending on the immunization. Overall US is 67th, right behind Botswana
Fact Five: Outcome studies on a variety of diseases, such as coronary artery disease, and renal failure show the United States to rank below Canada and a wide variety of industrialized nations.

Myth Two: Universal Health Care Would Be Too Expensive

Fact One: The United States spends at least 40% more per capita on health care than any other industrialized country with universal health care
Fact Two: Federal studies by the Congressional Budget Office and the General Accounting office show that single payer universal health care would save 100 to 200 Billion dollars per year despite covering all the uninsured and increasing health care benefits.
Fact Three: State studies by Massachusetts and Connecticut have shown that single payer universal health care would save 1 to 2 Billion dollars per year from the total medical expenses in those states despite covering all the uninsured and increasing health care benefits
Fact Four: The costs of health care in Canada as a % of GNP, which were identical to the United States when Canada changed to a single payer, universal health care system in 1971, have increased at a rate much lower than the United States, despite the US economy being much stronger than Canada’s. Ensuring the health of all citizens benefits a nation economically.

Myth Three: Universal Health Care Is Socialized Medicine And Would Be Unacceptable To The Public

Fact One: Single payer universal health care is not socialized medicine. It is health care payment system, not a health care delivery system. Health care providers would be in fee for service practice, and would not be employees of the government, which would be socialized medicine. Single payer health care is not socialized medicine, any more than the public funding of education is socialized education, or the public funding of the defense industry is socialized defense.
Fact Two: Repeated national and state polls have shown that between 60 and 75% of Americans would like a universal health care system (see The Harris Poll #78, October 20, 2005)

Overall Answer to the questions Why doesn’t the US have single payer universal health care when single payer universal health care is the most efficient, most democratic and most equitable means to deliver health care? Why does the United States remain wedded to an inefficient, autocratic and immoral system that makes health care accessible to the wealthy and not the poor when a vast majority of citizens want it to be a right of citizenship?

Conclusion: Corporations are able to buy politicians through our campaign finance system and control the media to convince people that corporate health care is democratic, represents freedom, and is the most efficient system for delivering health care.

According to http://www.pnhp.org -- the Physicians for a National Health Program's Web site - the government already funds about 60 percent of health care in the U.S. Therefore, the universal health care system would only replace the 40 percent of private and employer spending with taxes, and their total spending would go down. Countries who have universal health care spend less tax money per person than in the U.S. France's government, which has universal health care, spends $569 less per person of tax money on health care than in the U.S., according to http://www.americanthinker.com,

Individuals who oppose a universal health care system want more choices, but they do not consider adults and children who have no choice at all. The difference in the amount of money the government would have to pay seems minuscule compared to giving millions of underprivileged children quality healthcare. Also they seem to forget that countries in the European Union with public universal health care, private health care is also available, and one may choose to use it if desired. Most of the advantages of private health care continue to be present.

COMMON ARGUMENTS AGAINST ESTABLISHING UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE

Health care is not a right. As such, it is not the responsibility of
government to provide health care. - Not true, Governments exist to improve the life of their citizens, so like every other modern nation, it should be a right for Americans.

Universal healthcare is unfair to healthy tax payers because it gives people who smoke, drink, do drugs, and eat unhealthily unfair
benefits. - No... In 90% of all Universal systems this is in the minority, it works in reverse too. Countries in the European Union with public universal health care, private health care is also available, and one may choose to use it if desired. Most of the advantages of private health care continue to be present.

http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_insurance.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_health_care#Europe

katelyn_labree — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:35:43 CDT

Here we can add links, info, photos, questions, and more about our chosen theme of sustainability. There are so many different aspects of this theme that can be explored: environmental, political, economic, social and more.

Ideas to pursue from Ms. Stotler:

Population sustainability: laws, ethics, church teachings vs. birth control in Latin America, effects of 1 child per couple law in China...

Economic sustainability: microfinancing in developing nations, sustainability of U.S. auto industry if they receive bailout $, personal finance sustainability: balancing debt with reality

Foreign aid: What should the U.S. be giving aid for? Notion of give them fish or teach them to fish? Why should we be giving foreign aid when we have our own problems to solve?

Sustaining levels of higher education in the U.S.: Are we falling behind due to sky-high tuition and costs? Is college debt hurting our economy when young people can't afford to buy houses, cars, etc., because they're paying back student loans?

Sustainability of U.S. as world's superpower? Is our current role in the world as economic, military and political leader sustainable? She we be the world's policeman? Or should we take our place as "an equal among nations"? (William Ayers interview on NPR)

Income gap - Can we sustain healthy societies and a healthy global community when gaps between rich and poor continue to grow? History says no...

Ideas from Ms. Morris:
My "article" is from NPR's Morning Edition, and it's an interview with Michael Pollan. It's here. I hope we can listen to it together.

Ideas from Ms. Jenkins:
Environmental Sustainability: population size, agriculture, food production, energy, transportation, resource acquisition, etc. Check out this site where you can find out what local foods are in season.....local foods

From Chenaya: This is my article on vertical farming. Could Vertical Farming be the Future?

From Katelyn: Obama's sustainable development Obama

From Katelyn: Earth Hour 4,000 cities and towns throughout 88 countries participated in the Earth Hour, sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund, and dimmed nonessential lights for one hour between 8:30pm to 9:30pm on March 28th.

Ms.Morris — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:13:42 CDT

Here's a link to the Alice Waters interview from 60 Minutes. We wanted to watch it in class, but since that didn't work, go check it out here.

Does the U.S. need more women in politics?
If you think the answer is yes, then check out the Rutgers University Eagleton Institute on Women in Politics: http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/ . Find out how many elected officials in the U.S. are women and how women can better their chances of being elected to office. You may be the first female president of the United States!

Questions Related to a "Showcase"
Think about these:
Is this important enough to share?
What symbols can we attach to our experience?
Whom should we invite?
Who can "make things happen" for us and for this kind of teaching and learning?
Where can we host this?
What defines us?
How does this model benefit kids?
How can other people use what we've done?
How would a showcase benefit our school?

Princeton Review's annual "Best Value Colleges" for 2009:
Here's a link: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-01-07-best-value-colleges_N.htm
Ms. Stotler is DELIGHTED that her alma mater, The College of William & Mary, in Williamsburg, VA, is 3rd on the list of public schools!!! :-D

21st Century Symposium is a new class at Berkeley Springs High School in Morgan County West Virginia. During the 2008-2009 year, teachers and students will partner to learn more about our world and to affect change in it.

Here's a link to a version of the Meyers-Briggs personality test we discussed.

The Great Gray Matter Challenge for Morgan County
Sunday afternoon, January 11, 2009 (1:30 to 4 pm)
Berkeley Springs High School cafeteria
Please send FAST examples of good questions. Also, let us know if you and your
friends and family members want to participate so that we can arrange for enough tables,
chairs and popcorn to be available on Sunday afternoon, January 11.
Contact FAST at wemlands@att.net or at PO Box 674, BS, WV 25411.
No admission fee No age limits
You can come without being on any team - - and join wherever you find a place.
This is a learning event in which people form small teams (4-6 people) to share ideas
about facts. It's sort of like a communal version of “Trivial Pursuit”, “Jeopardy” or the
Saturday morning TV show, "It's Academic".
The “Gray Matter Challenge” will have four sets of 25 questions on: arts, sciences,
technologies, social studies (each a mixture of true/false, multiple choice and recall items).

Here's a link to the Purdue University Owl website on developing an outline:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/

History vs. Hollywood: How accurate is the movie Iron Jawed Angels? Find out at http://www.time.com/time/classroom/voting/history.html

Do you like the All American Rejects? Would you like to have them perform at our school? Check out this link..... http://www.fcclainc.org/assets/files/pdf/promotion_tips.pdf

** Everyone should check out the WV Teen Zine! Here's the link: http://www.wvzine.net/morgan/. **

Another Contest (for you artists and writers):
THE SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS OF 2009

The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers invites students in grades 7 - 12 to participate in The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of 2009, the nation's longest-running, largest, most prestigious recognition program for creative teenagers in the visual and literary arts.
More than 75,000 teens will accept the challenge to go beyond the classroom assignment to create daring, innovative works.

Why do students participate in The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards?

• College Preparation		To develop the skills and vision needed for college and careers in the arts.
• Scholarships		To earn scholarships from a pool of $3.25 million in tuition support, the largest source of funding for teens in the arts.
• Professional Experience		To build credentials for résumés and applications to college and employers.
• Prestige		To participate in the nation’s most prestigious recognition program for artists and writers, which identified the early promise of Richard Avedon, Joyce Maynard, Tom Otterness, Philip Pearlstein, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Joyce Carol Oates, Andy Warhol, and Zac Posen.

Here's something interesting: a logo contest for WESTEST. Read about it here: "Creativity and Innovation Can Pay Students"

Here's another contest you guys might be interested in: The National Public Policy Forum
Announcing a $10,000 prize to the winning school of the National Public

Policy Forum, a high school written debate competition that is free to

enter and open to everyone.

The National Public Policy Forum (NPPF) is the only contest that gives

high school students the opportunity to participate in written and oral

debates on issues of public policy. Founded in 2001 by the Bickel &

Brewer law firm, the NPPF is designed to supplement the research and

oral advocacy skills developed in social studies courses with another -

that of written advocacy.

Jointly administered by the Bickel & Brewer Foundation and New York

University, the NPPF has grown exponentially since its inception.

Hundreds of high school students participate each year, competing for

more than $30,000 in awards and scholarships, an all-expense-paid trip

to the Finals in New York City and the Bickel & Brewer Cup.

Social Studies teachers should encourage their students to form a team.

Then, by October 29, 2008, students should prepare and submit a

Qualifying Round essay on the 2008-09 NPPF topic, Resolved: The

United States federal government should substantially increase

alternative energy incentives in the United States.

The best essays advance to a written debate tournament. Individual

matches begin over the internet immediately, with one school affirming

the resolution and the other negating it. Winning teams advance to the

next round. The process continues for two more rounds until the final

four teams are determined.

For more information, please visit www.NPPF.net

Hurry! Registration deadline is October 15, 2008!

katestotler — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:07:07 CST

“Education is not the filling of a pail. It’s the lighting of a fire.”
- William Butler Yeats

Socratic questioning is a method of teaching and learning that employs systematic, disciplined questions to help students explore issues thoroughly and draw their own well-reasoned conclusions. Here are some thinking standards to help you conduct Socratic questioning with yourself or with others:

Clarity Could you elaborate further?
Could you give me an example?
Could you illustrate what you mean?

Accuracy How could we check on that?
How could we find out if that’s true?
How could we verify or test that?

Precision Could you be more specific?
Could you give me more details?
Could you be more exact?

Relevance How does that relate to the problem?
How does that bear on the question?
How does that help us with the issue?

Depth What factors make this a difficult problem?
What are some of the complexities of this question?
What are some of the difficulties we need to deal with?

Breadth Do we need to look at this from another perspective?
Do we need to consider another point of view?
Do we need to look at this in other ways?

Logic Does all this make sense together?
Does your first paragraph fit in with your last?
Does what you say follow from the evidence?

Significance Is this the most important problem to consider?
Is this the central idea on which to focus?
Which of these facts is most important?

Fairness Do I have any vested interest in this issue?
Am I sympathetically representing the viewpoints of others?

(From "A Guide to Critical Thinking", by Linda Elder and Richard Paul, Foundation for Critical Thinking, http://www.criticalthinking.org)

snbarnes — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:14:25 CST

I want to test the amount of e-coli in Warm Springs Run. I mainly want to test in six different spots along the run. I want to test at the head waters, before U.S. Silica, after U.S. Silica, in our town park, in front of our school cafeteria, and at the very end of the run. I will test each of the spots once a week for three months at a cost of style="BORDER-RIGHT: 2px inset; PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; BORDER-TOP: 2px inset; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3px; MARGIN: -3px; BORDER-LEFT: 2px inset; WIDTH: 100%; PADDING-TOP: 3px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 2px inset; POSITION: relative; HEIGHT: 100%; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5f7fc"0 for each sample. Peter Vila at Shepherd University has already volunteered to test our water samples in a lab. I just recently got funding from the Sleepy Creek Watershed Association and the West Virginia Conservation Agency. I also just learned that the max amount of e-coli you can have for an area is 100 mL of cfu for a one-time sample and for a six month sample is 400 mL of cfu. So far I have met with Dr.Vila once and we gave him my samples....I still need to go back to him on those results.

http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/qa_ecoli_sickness.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks.html
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/ecoli.html#three
http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/ecoli.html
https://engineering.purdue.edu/SafeWater/watershed/ecoli.html
http://www.coastal-watershed.org/CWC_Library/Water_Quality/index.htm

ArdathO1191 — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:42:47 CST

Ardath's Project
There are countless volunteer organizations that are offered today in our world. Many of these organizations are offered in Morgan County. I have become aware of the problem that my peers aren’t informed enough about these organizations; they may be aware of them but not know who to contact or where to go if they want to help out. I want to fix this problem: I want to get more teen volunteers in Morgan County.
The goal for my project is to spread the awareness of organizations within our community among my peers and to show them that there are many ways they can make a difference in the world and people’s lives. I plan on conducting interviews with those that are involved and connected with volunteer organizations. I also plan on becoming involved with them as well and recording my own first hand experiences from them. My overall finished product is to create a pamphlet of the organizations in the community (as many as I can include) that can inform my peers about the organizations in our community that they can become involved with. The pamphlet will tell them what each organization is about and who they can contact for more information and/or can tell that they want to help out.
*Another possible additional end product: A written essay about the benefits of volunteerism with my first hand experiences included. (Ask teachers what they think)
So Far, these are the organizations I have come up with to include in my project. Some may be taken out and/or there could be additional organizations added to the list:
· Toys for Tots
· McEat
· Red Cross
· Presbyterian Disaster Association
· Soup Kitchen
· Adopt an Angel

Toys for Tots- Occurred on December 12 at Widmyer Elementary. The woman in charge of it, Kim Mason, agreed to let me help out. She has been involved in it for several years and sees the children's reactions when they receive the toys. I helped out with Toys for Tots this year and helped pass out books to the children during the official event. I wrote down my observations and experiences. Kim said that I can interview her anytime.

I have to interview Kim Mason.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance- Lydia Walker, the organist in my church, has gone on mission trips with this organization. She has been at disaster scenes and helped people first hand. She would be an excellent person to interview. As far as my involvement with this organization, I can contact Pamela Burdine (the head of it) or write them a letter. I can also donate money and get gift kits together to send to people in need.

McEat- Stands for Morgan Country Emercency Assistance Team. I know my church is one of the original sponsors for McEat/MCIEC and we have a number of volunteers who have been involved with the program. Rhoads Speck is an active member and my father attends most board meetings, as a member of the clergy association. I can also talk to Bill and John Locke who are involved with the program.

Ask Rhoads, Bill and John questions about McEat. (ie, how it works, what they do, who it benefits)
Take pictures of the storage unit for the food to give people an idea of how much food is collected.
I can set up boxes in the school, and/or within the community.

Soup Kitchen- Is sponsored by many individuals and organizations , like churches. My church has volunteers for the last Friday of every month. People I know who have helped out in the soup kitchen are my parents, Joan and Paul Holmes, and Maud and Raynette Lawyer. The soup kitchen is at Audrey Morris’s office, so she has a lot of experience with the people that are involved and come to eat. I have helped out with it before and found the experience very rewarding. I also was shocked to see the amount of people in Berkeley Springs who come to the soup kitchen. I can interview the servers (those who help out) and talk to those who are receiving the food, along with making my own observations.

Set up a day to get the symposium class to help out in the soup kitchen.
Interview those who are involved
Record observations (and maybe conversations) with those who come and eat.
Take pictures of soup kitchen
In November of this year, I participated in a fundraiser for the soup kitchen. I believe it was called Bowls for the Hungry. I can record my experience helping out with that and talk to Audrey Morris, since she was in charge of it. A lot of people from the community came to lend a helping hand.

Adopt an Angel- My 4H group participates in this every year. We buy clothes and gifts for families during Christmas who can’t afford them. The families remain anonymous so I do not know how I will see the reactions of those receiving the gifts. I can still record down my experience with it though.
Record my experience with it.
Take pictures of what my 4-H group collected.

Red Cross- My father used to be president of the Morgan County Red Cross, he told me he could answer many of my questions. Betty Allgeyer, a member of my church , volunteers at the Red Cross office here. Paul and Joan Holmes, also members of my church, help with some blood drives. My father introduced me to Vernon Franklin, a man who is a very active disaster volunteer.
I gave blood this year.
I spoke with the Red Cross people that were at my school and got a better idea of how the process of giving blood works. I still need to research statistics of how many people receive donated blood for their transfusions.
( idea) Set up an appointment at the Red Cross office to interview and just look around to get a better idea about how things
Interview Vernon Franklin about being a disaster volunteer he experiences he comes across.

Student Council - This Christmas season, our student council is sponsoring seven families who cannot afford to buy Christmas gifts for their children. There are seven children total and member s of student council will be shopping for them on Saturday the 13.

Priorities

Contact Audrey Morris.

See about setting up a date for our class to come to the soup kitchen.

Interview her about her experiences with volunteering: With the Soup Kitchen, Adopt an Angel, etc. Ask her how volunteering has affected her life.
Ask her about other volunteer organization within the community I could add to my list and include in my pamphlet.
Ask her what teens can do to volunteer.

Interview Lydia Walker

Ask her about her experiences in Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.

See how volunteering has affected her life.
Ask her what I could do to become involved in this volunteer organization.

Set up a visit with the local Red Cross office.

Ask them about the experiences they have had.

Ask them about how volunteering has affected them.
Ask them how teens can become involved.

Set up an interview with Kim Mason

Ask her about her experiences with Toys for Tots throughout the years.

Ask her how volunteering for this even has affected her.
See if she has anything to say or recommend about teens volunteering.

Interview the Soup Kitchen volunteers in my church

Ask them how they have been affected by volunteering.

Contact McEat

Ask members how volunteering has affected them

Ask them how teens can help volunteer.

snbarnes — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:16:51 CST

I found this cartoon at http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/. I think that it is against how McCain picked Palin out of nowhere like he won her in a prize or something. I'm surprised they used Community Chest, though, because if they used Chance then it would correlate more with what is intended with this cartoon. A lot of people are making the opinion that just because she isn't old and ugly she shouldn't be in the election. Cartoons like this one are making a big deal because they think that she is all looks and no smarts and she won her way into the election. If there are any other comments you can post a thread.

This is the cartoon I wanted to post in the thread I created (but I couldn't figure out how!):
Let's get some discussion going! Please think about these, post more, and generate some thinking!

em~ — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:13:56 CST

ok, so I've found a list of the top 200 universities worldwide;

what I'm doing is comparing tuition rates- whats the cheapest.

What I'm hoping to finally do with my project is find out WHY whatever is the cheapest is...

http://notuition4me.wetpaint.com/

I've been thinking about changing the format of my project to show price if you were an American student, and price if you were a citizen of that country (its been difficult defining rates thus far)...

this is how the top universities were put where they were...

Indicator Explanation Weighting

Academic Peer Review	Composite score drawn from peer review survey (which is divided into five subject areas). 6,354 responses in 2008.	40%
Employer Review	Score based on responses to employer survey. 2,339 responses in 2008.	10%
Faculty Student Ratio	Score based on student faculty ratio	20%
Citations per Faculty	Score based on research performance factored against the size of the research body	20%
International Faculty	Score based on proportion of international faculty	5%
International Students	Score based on proportion of international students	5%

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What I think I might do now is get a hold of all of the possible financial aid options; I'm already in contact with Oxford University and Oslo University, but I have yet to get a hold of other major universities such as Princeton, Harvard, and Cambridge.

I'm hoping to start setting up an e-mail chain and gather all my infortmation (directly from the university's office of admissions)

Hopefully this will go well...

Wish me luck!!

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:10:27 CST

Hey guys, I've decided to change my project to one about Synesthesia. Synesthesia is the linking of two or more different senses. For example, if you see a certain color in a certain shape when hearing certain sounds, you are a synesthete. If you taste or smell certain things when hearing certain sounds, you are a synesthete. There are many different things that are associated with synesthesia, and no two synesthetes are alike in what they experience. I really want to learn more about what causes it. I read a fictional book based on scientific facts about synesthesia a few years ago and I think it's really fascinating, but I'm not exactly sure how to go out doing a project on this that can reach out to our community/country..any ideas? Let me know what you think?
Thanks much
--Mary

For a little more info about synesthesia, here's a link

http://wendymass.com/mass-mango.htm

December 8, 2008-
I have two ideas for what I can publish about synesthesia. The first one is a binder/informational booklet about synesthesia, just a simple explanation of synesthesia and its causes and effects, as well as other facts and information about synesthesia. I would want to give a copy to maybe pediatricians or teachers who are not aware of synesthesia. This could better help them pinpoint a child's learning disabilities or talents. The booklet could also help me in my presentation to the class, like notecards.
My other idea is a video/documentary about synesthesia. I could also present this video to teachers and pediatricians. Also, I could maybe show it to psychology students at the school, if they are interested.

Do you guys have any other good ideas, or thoughts to add on to what I already have? Please let me know.

holly_w — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:39:49 CST

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/tick/victims_1.html
http://people.howstuffworks.com/serial-killer.htm
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/index.html

Characteristics of a Serial Killer

Wetting the bed beyond the age of 12
Cruelty to animals
Sadists activity
Being obsessed with setting fires and burning things
Over 90% are males
High IQ’s, but do poorly in school.
Hard time holding jobs
Often come from unstable families
Abandoned by fathers and raised by domineering mothers
History of criminals, alcoholics, and psychiatric problems in families
Hate their parents
Abused as kids- sexually, physically, and emotionally. (often by family members)
High rates of suicide attempts
Often start out as peepers
Tend to be loners and very anti-social as kids
Spend time in institutions and have early psychiatric problems
Very interested in voyeurism, fetishism, and sado-masochistic pornography at an early age

Some Random Facts

85% of the world's serial killers are in America
all serial killers suffer from Antisocial Personality Disorder
At any given time 20 - 50 unidentified active serial killers are at work continually changing their targets and methods
usually they appear normal or charming, sometimes referred to as the "mask of sanity."
The term "serial killer" was coined in the mid-1970s by Robert Ressler, the former director of the FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program
The FBI defines a serial killer as one who murders three or more victims, with "cooling-off" periods between each murder
According to a recent FBI study, there have been approximately 400 serial killers in the U.S. in the past century, with anywhere from 2,526 to 3,860 victims
Eighty percent of the 400 serial killers of the past century have emerged since 1950
Criminologists James A. Fox and Jack Levin did a study in 2001 and found that:
73% white; 22% African American; 5% different ethnic groups
1999 database of 107 serial killers revealed an overall age of 30; 95% males; 5% females; 16% African-American
only 4% graduated with a Bachelor's degree
definitions:
A hunter, dictator, butterfly collector or anyone else whose hobby is the extermination of life
someone who murders more than three victims one at a time in a relatively short interval
A serial killer is a person who murders three or more people with a 'cooling off' period between each murder and whose motivation for killing is largely based on psychological gratification.One hypothesis is that all serial killers suffer from some form of Antisocial Personality Disorder
a person who commits multiple (more than two) murders, especially similar ones with no obvious motive

jenkinsleigh — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:31:01 CST

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

Ms.Morris — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:04:24 CST

We can discuss research here.
We can also add resources for research.

Ebsco: Ebsco Research Database (UserID: bshs, Password: indians)

Here's a link to the Purdue University Owl website on developing an outline:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/

em~ — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:04:35 CST

A couple of people are worried about how to go about talking to people from a foreign country; how to start networking... but this is a skill we'll have to learn to move up in the business chain.

Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that we have to world at our fingertips- and that sometimes we forget it. So many foreign teenagers are just as curious about us as we are them. I plan on incorporating a lot of my international networking points (my foreign friends) into my project, and am willing to help anyone who wants to go about trying this.

snbarnes — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:54:32 CST

Are you tired of looking for that perfect college? Well at www.cappex.com , colleges look for you! I know this isn't important to ALL of you, but I know it will help alot my senior year! Don't get discouraged after the first week...it'll take them a while to respond to your profile. It's REALLY easy! What can you lose?

Another Neato thing you can go to is www.fastweb.com. They match colleges, scholorships, and internships to you personally. It's really useful. All you have to do is make an account and put some info about youself.

There is another website I just recently found called www.mycollegeoptions.org! It's amazing!

Chy_Fox — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:42:41 CDT

This is a source from religioustolerance.org:

One of the most confusing and dangerous religious term is "Cult". The word is derived from the French word "culte" which came from Latin noun "cultus." The latter is related to the Latin verb "colere" which means "to worship or give reverence to a deity." Thus, in its original meaning, the term "cult" can be applied to any group of religious believers: Southern Baptists, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholics, Hindus or Muslims. However, the term has since been assigned at least eight new and very different meanings. The original meaning of "cult" remains positive; more recent definitions are neutral, negative, or extremely negative:

Positive Meaning:

Theological usage: Oxford English Dictionary defined "cult" as:

	"worship; reverential homage rendered to a divine being or beings"
	"a particular form or system of religious worship; especially in reference to its external rites and ceremonies"
	devotion or homage to a particular person or thing."

This is the historical meaning of the word, but is rarely today heard outside of religious circles. A reference to the "Cult of Mary" appeared in a newspaper report on the Pope's 1999 visit to the Americas. It simply means that the Pope devotes special attention to the Virgin Mary.

Cultural usage: The word is often associated with cult films, cult bands, or cult TV programs. Here, the term "cult" refers to a small but devoted following of a movie, entertainment group or television program. Avid supporters of Star Trek may be referred to as devoted cultists.

Neutral Meanings:

	Sociological usage: A small religious group that exists in a state of tension with the predominant religion. Hinduism might be considered a cult in North America; Christianity might be considered a cult in India.
	Additional sociological usage: An innovative, fervent religious group, as contrasted with more established and conventional sects and denominations.
	The Observer: An English newspaper seemed to use the term to refer to any small religious group, no matter what its age or teachings. 1
	General religious usage: A small, recently created, religious organization which is often headed by a single charismatic leader and is viewed as an spiritually innovative group. A cult in this sense may simply be a new religious movement on its way to becoming a denomination. The Christian religion, as it existed in 30 CE might be considered a cult involving one leader and 12 or 70 devoted disciples as followers. The Mormon denomination was started in the 19th century by Joseph Smith and a few followers; it met this definition of "cult" but has since grown to become an established denomination of about 15 million members.

Negative Meanings:

	Evangelical Christians and Counter-Cult Movement (CCM) usage: They define a cult as any religious group which accepts most but not all of the key historical Christian doctrines (e.g. the divinity of Jesus, virgin birth, the Trinity, salvation by faith, not works, etc.). The implication is that the cult's theology is invalid; they teach heresy. Under this definition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), Unification Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, and many others would be cults. But the CCM would not classify Wicca as such, because it is not associated with Christianity. The earliest use of this meaning of the word "Cult" is believed to be a 1938 book "The Chaos of the Cults" by J.K. VanBaalen. On the other hand, new religious groups such as the Mormons, Unification Church and Jehovah's Witnesses generally regard themselves to be the true Christian church. They view all other denominations as being in error. Thus, one group's true church is another group's cult. One group's heresy is the other group's orthodoxy.
	Fundamentalist Christian usage: Some Fundamentalists would accept the Evangelical definition of cult defined above. Others brand any religious group which deviates from historical Protestant Christian beliefs as a cult. This definition would include the LDS Church, Wicca, mainline and liberal Christian denominations, Islam, Hinduism, and all of the other religions of the world. The vast majority of humanity would belong to cults, by this definition.
	Anti-cult movement usage: The anti-cult movement (ACM) attempts to raise public consciousness about what they see as dangerous and authoritarian mind control cults and doomsday cults. Most do not care about the faith group's theology. They target only what they see as deceptive practices, and dangerous psychological pressure techniques, such as brainwashing. The ACM appears to hold opinions about the effectiveness of brainwashing that are not shared by the mental-health community generally. They see mind control/doomsday cults as a widespread social problem.

Very negative meaning:

Popular, media usage: A cult is considered a small, evil religious group, often with a single charismatic leader, that engages in brainwashing and other mind control techniques, believes that the end of the world is imminent, and collects large amounts of weaponry in preparation for a massive war. The earliest use of this meaning of the word is believed to have been in a 1965 book by Walter Martin "The Kingdom of the Cults"

We have seen "cult" used to refer to Evangelical denominations, the Roman Catholic Church, Unification Church, Church of Scientology, United Church of Christ, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Wiccans, other Neopagans and many other faith groups. The term is essentially meaningless.

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Columbus Day

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Planning discussion

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Computer lab
Please turn in your source sheets!

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Julia's essay discussion

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Computer lab
Halloween