Y2 CookieCott 2014

One of the many favorite times of the year is Girl Scout Cookie time. It’s when you see your favorite cousin or niece, or even daughter, go around selling everyone’s favorite cookies around the community. Unfortunately, there is a Girl Scout Cookie boycott going on right now. Who would ever want to deny one of the few simple pleasures of the world? Well, anti-abortion groups are extremely angry over the apparent support for abortion-rights advocates, such as Democratic Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis. FOX News says, “The groups have taken issue with tweets and Facebook postings that link to articles recognizing Davis, who shot to political stardom last year with a filibuster of abortion limits, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, another Democrat who supports abortion rights.” John Pisciotta, director of Pro-Life Waco and organizer of the so-called CookieCott 2014, says that although the Girl Scouts claim to have no position on the standing issue of abortion, they have never given any pro-life leaders and praise. FOX News said, “The Girl Scouts do not endorse politicians or take stands on political issues, spokeswoman Kelly Parisi said Tuesday. The posts were meant to encourage people to get involved in discussions about the top newsmakers of 2013, which many people were referring to as the year of women, Parisi said.” One of the tweets that were deemed offensive was a question for nominees for Woman of the Year. The tweet was “linked to a Huffington Post discussion on the subject in which Davis was mentioned prominently. A post on the organization's Facebook page linked to a Washington Post list of influential women that included Sebelius.” The Scouts official position is neutral when it comes to abortion. Should pro-life advocates look so deeply into the small acts of the Girl Scouts? Or are they mad that they aren’t receiving any praise from a well-known organization? Buying Girl Scout cookies helps those who are Girl Scouts, and helps spread their goodness throughout the community. The people in charge of the Girl Scouts make executive decisions that are most likely not influenced by the girls’ opinions. Should we punish them?

Y1 Teacher comes back from spring break a new person, literally.

How would you feel if you went away for spring break, and one of your teachers came back into the classroom as a different gender? Well, that’s what one teacher at a California High school will be doing. The teacher, Gary Sconce, told the district that he will be returning to the school as his true self. He will be going by the name of Karen Adell Scot. Parents of students at a California high school are reacting to news that a long-time male high school science teacher is going to return after spring break as a woman. "When you aren't who you really are, it's like being smothered. It's like being rolled in a wave, if you've ever been rolled in a wave in the ocean where you can't find your way up, you don't know which direction you've been turned," Scot told the station. He is 56 years old—a husband, a father, and an award-winning teacher who has been educating for 24 years. FOX News said, “School district Superintendent James Sargent announced that Sconce was "in the midst of gender transition" in a March 19 letter to the parents of all 650 students at Yosemite High, the Fresno Bee reported.” One community resident was extremely opposed to the gender transition. She wrote on the Bee that, "I see this as an assault on the minds and morals of our children. It blurs the lines of what is right and wrong.” Scot is trying to handle this situation as gently as possible. FOX News states, “The paper quoted Scot as saying that kind of intolerance is what causes many transgendered people to commit suicide, or become victims of violence or murder. Scot said he won't be ‘pushing any social agenda" with students and will continue to "run a conservative and disciplined class.’” No one is reporting how the current students are responding to the situation. Some of the parents are pulling their kids out of the class, though. Former students are appalled and are not quite sure how to react. The staff is feeling a little bit uncomfortable, but most of them are very understanding of the situation. This opens up a case for tolerance and causes traditional values to compete with the ever changing society.

S2 Is your first choice an option anymore?

If you're a senior in high school, chances are you're not going to attend your first choice college. That's just the reality of it. That's quite shocking for those students that aren't in the top 10% of their class. The other 90% of the class gets the short end of the stick. The number of students that actually went to their first choice college has been the lowest in 4 decades. Why is this number suddenly dropping so much? The cost of tuition is rising considerably and the availability of financial aid is slimming down to barely anything. FOX News writes, "The annual survey released Wednesday, conducted by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute, found that while more than three-quarters of those who started college last fall were admitted to the school they most wanted to attend, only 57 percent ended up going to their top school. That was the lowest rate in the 39 years that the institute has asked first-time freshmen if they enrolled at their dream college...Although many colleges are turning to online courses as a way to reduce costs and the time it takes to earn a degree, the survey showed that the idea was not very popular with students. Fewer than 7 percent indicated there was a very good chance they would take an online course offered by their college. The percentage was twice as high, however, among students at historically black colleges and universities." In my opinion though, if I'm paying for an education, I want to get the whole experience. College teaches life lessons that can't be gained any other way.

(S1) Would you take a year off before college if you were paid?

First off, you should consider why so many students end up taking a year off. One website, www.campusexplorer.com, gives 10 reasons why students should take a “gap year.” First of all, you have spent the last 13 years of your life in school. The majority of the last year has been spent not only completing the required courses, but taking time to apply, get accepted, and visit colleges. Campus Explorer says you need time to recharge your academic battery. The second reason is to continue your college search. Sometimes settling for the only college you applied to is not the best choice. The third reason is to decide on a major. Many students don’t know what they want to study. In most cases, students switch their major at least once. This may be easier to earn a degree that way. The fourth reason is to travel. Traveling during your gap year can help you broaden your horizons, as well as figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. The fifth reason is to mature a little more. A gap year can cause you to really grow up, without the sudden shock of college life. Adding to your resume is the sixth reason. You can really help yourself for college by adding volunteer work and other various jobs to your resume. For the seventh reason, Campus Explorer says, "For some students, entering the working world after college is a shock, after years spent in an academic environment. Learning about what’s out there, paying bills and forging your way outside of school will give you a leg up on other college graduates." Giving back is the eighth reason. Volunteering can not only add to your resume, but give you a sense of worth and accomplishment. Taking a risk is the ninth reason. Giving yourself time to grow and experience new things is a great thing to do before throwing yourself in the college world. Last not but least, the tenth reason would be to start an internship. Starting an internship in the field or major you're interested in can help steer you in the right direction. Some colleges even offer to pay for a gap year. FOX news says, “This ‘gap year’ program launching this fall will pay for housing, airfare and even visa fees, which can often add up to $30,000 or more. Although gap years are more popular in Europe, they have started to gain traction in the United States. About 40,000 Americans participated in gap year programs in 2013, an increase of nearly 20 percent since 2006, according to data gathered by a nonprofit called the American Gap Year Association.” Sometimes its hard to come back after a year. But doing a gap year means you need to come in having a plan. Blowing off a year before college without a direct plan may result in not attending college after all. Obviously you need to be committed to the school for four years after the gap year so the college can pay the fees.