Choosing Your College Location

Deciding where you will go to college is one of the greatest times of your life. You are planning where you will spend then next four years and get some of the most valuable experiences in your life. College location is very important and it makes the decision even more exciting. It is an opportunity for you to move to a new place. Here are some popular destinations!

Pepperdine University is an elite and reputable school where you can get high quality education. Another great thing with this school is its spitting distance from Malibu Beach! Pepperdine offers the dual advantage of being a gread school in a nice place.

Boston is the biggest and one of the coolest university towns in the country. Every one who attends Boston College end up falling in love with the town by the time they graduate.

Vanderbilt is one of the top rated schools in the country, and is located in the south, where you can experience southern hospitality and culture at its best.

If you are into sports as well as academics, the University of Tennessee might be of special interest for you, because it has both. It is one of the most highly regarded state universities in the United States.

If you really want to aim high, how about Duke University? One of the highest rated schools, Duke provides a quality education, a valuable degree and good memories to all its graduates.

For a good women college in a nice, fun town, you might look into Stephens College. Stephens is located in the town of Columbia, Missouri, a nice, small university town located in a pretty area.

Virginia Tech is a great university on the east coast. Its an old, historic town with many scenic places. The school has excellent academics and a great football team.

If you'd like to live on the west coast, USC is a good, well-respected school where you can get a quality education.

If you are an artist and would like to find a job right out of school, you might look into attending a Fashion Institute. There are many all over the country. You may also want to study graphic design to make you job ready when you graduate.

The University Miami has great academics, and everybody wants to live in Miami! The school is also recognized for its outstanding sports programs and extracurricular activities.

Harvards reputation often overshadows its excellent academics. Life at Harvard is stressful, but if you are up for the challenge, it is a great school to attend. Its still as good as its always been.

Yale, too, has maintained its reputation as a great school. These two Ivy League colleges, Harvard and Yale, are old rivals, so picking which one youd like to attend is a hard choice.

If you are interested in studying business and getting an MBA, Columbia University is still the right choice. Business leaders are looking for young recruits with Columbia University MBAs!

There are almost too many choices out there for prospective students. The list above covers only a few. Our preferences are different, you can choose to live in any part of the country. If you prefer being close to the beach, or the mountains, you can let that help you decide on your school. You can pick Ivy League schools, or schools custom tailored to your genuine interests. Before you decide on a school, you should think carefully about what kind of thing you would like to study and where you would like to live. The possibilities are almost endless!

Nic Haffner is a publisher of College Education Info Resources. You can go to http://www.the-best-colleges.com for more.Stormy Blog63188
Shirleen Blog96247

Online Distance Education Program - How To Improve Your Life While Living It

Getting an education is hard work. Some of that work comes in the form of just making a decision to get one. Graduating from high school can be a daunting experience when you are in your late teens. You are just becoming an adult and have hardly begun to learn how to make important life decisions of your own. Asking you parents or mentors what you should do just confuses you more. Thinking that getting an education is always a good idea, you might decide to go ahead and get one. Then you are faced with a quandary of career choices and wonder which one you should choose. It is important that you choose one and pursue it with all of your heart. Remember what they say about first impressions? They are usually right. If you follow your heart's motivation, you will find that the education that you are pursuing is the right choice for you. Here are some insights on making some of those decisions and the benefits of getting an education from an online distance education program.

The major motivating factors behind getting an education are money and reputation, what one is thought to be by others. Taking the opportunity to increase the potential of increased income is always a worthy venture. Statistically, getting an education does that for you. The average wage earned in 2005 by a college graduate was $51,206. The average wage earned by a high school graduate was $27,915. The average wage earned by those with no high-school diploma earned was $18,734. Even in an unhealthy economy, $51,206 is a lot more than $27,915 or $18,734. Which one would you rather have?

Reputation comes with being an expert in your field. For the most part, I think, the expertise that we come out of high school will be a reputation of another sort. I remember priorities in high school being relationships, foot ball, dances, and other assorted illegal substances. But there are those who realize the importance of taking a career aim while in high school that will give them a great head start in life. They hold off on the fun stuff like going to work right away and getting married. They put a priority on their education and delay the gratification that some of us pursued so vigorously in high school.

You didn't see much of this group. They stayed in the shadows of mathematics and science. They always had their noses in their books. They actually held intelligent conversations with their teachers. I don't know how many times I heard from another student that a teacher was boring. When these students spoke with each other, they were always talking about their studies. I found them very boring and, well boring just like their teachers!

Something happens to an adolescent while in high school. I here it happens earlier with female students than with males. Sometimes we grow up. Realizing that the life we have in the homes of our parents will not last forever, we make the decisions that will last a lifetime. Who do we want to be? What do we want to do? We decide to continue our education, not because high school was so much fun, but we know that we are not yet ready to strike out on our own. If we did now, we would never reach the goals of affluence desired.

Affluance, as a result of education, can be attained at any stage of life. We are taught that earlier is better. The perfect student does perfectly well in high school, does not let the events of life at that age get in the way of a higher cause, chooses a very ambitious college or university program, never misses a class and graduates with honors every time. They also have a lot of interviews lined up with very prestigious companies on the day they graduate from college. They wait at least a year in their first position before even considering taking on a relationship, and when they do, it is with someone like them. They make enough money to be able to afford day-care. And their kids? They grow up to be just like mom and dad.

OK, this does not sound realistic, does it? Some of us mess it up real good and wish for a second chance. While working, and raising a family, we want to upgrade our education so we can get that $51,206 or more. If you are not lucky enough to be close to an educational institution, the internet provides some of the best opportunities to upgrade your educational level through something called an online distance education or an online education program.

An online distance education program is usually self paced so it is easy to fit into a tight schedule. Distance learning is pretty much self explanatory. It means learning from a distance. You can get your education from a university in Arizona even if you do not live in the state of Arizona on the internet today. This kind of education comes with all of the benefits of traditional on-campus education except the requirement to live on campus, socialize on campus, and eat at the campus dining rooms. It even comes with financial aid if you need it. Most of us that desire to upgrade our education level, especially later in life, really do not want the kind of activity level offered by on-campus life anyhow. An online distance education program is a real money saver where you can focus on your studies and get that elusive bump to your annual income that you have always deserved, even while raising a family.

Leonard Bartholomew, B.S. Computer Science.Shaylyn Blog61217
Stacy Blog43232

Ohio Schools Achievement Committee To Review Guidelines For Teaching Controversial Topics

The Ohio schools board has drafted a framework that will set teacher guidelines to be used when teaching controversial topics in the classroom. The proposal is not a lesson plan, but rather an optional template that guides teachers to enable students to form judgments by critically analyzing all sides of a controversial subject.

The Ohio schools board has requested their Achievement Committee review the draft and make recommendations on its final structure. Some Ohio schools districts already use templates that are similar to the draft guidelines, so it is not something new for all Ohio schools.

A statement within the draft states: The goals of discussions of controversial issues are for students to have a better understanding of the issue and form a reasoned judgment that is based upon a critical analysis of the facts and arguments and is open to revision as conditions change.

The draft sent to the committee by the Ohio schools board was released in early September 2006. It provides sample rules for teachers to give to students before a classroom debate begins on a controversial topic. It also identifies the student skills required in the Ohio schools standards that need to be addressed during such discussions. The template will help teachers target these specific student reasoning skills, which can be applied to all controversial subjects when discussed within the classroom setting. The intent is to provide students with content that is rich and challenging, as well as allowing such classroom discussions without legal opposition.

Since the release of the proposed guidelines, however, opposition already is growing. Patricia Princehouse, a teacher at the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, believes such guidelines will allow religion-based challenges to the subject of evolution with teachers using the guidelines as a cover to teach creationism.

She noted, as an example, that the term critical analysis already was used in an Ohio schools lesson plan that encouraged students to seek evidence for and against evolution. The Ohio schools board eliminated that lesson plan and the state science standard to which it corresponded in February 2006. The Ohio schools board, however, has asked its Achievement Committee to determine whether the deleted curriculum should be replaced.

Princehouse further noted that committee members might add more specific anti-evolution wording to the proposed template, but Committee Co-Chairman Jim Craig stated that no such proposal has been made. The guidelines are for all controversial subjects, not just evolution. Such topics include but are not limited to global warming, immigration, evolution and the national debt. The template will support teaching all controversial subjects.

Craig also stated that he wants a draft upon which both sides can agree. He said he does not wish the committee to recommend final guidelines to the board, if a compromised final draft cannot be reached.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information Ohio on schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Ohio/index.html.Sue Elle Blog10346
Shayna Blog18825

A Review of Spelling Games for Kids

Spelling games for kids, like all education, prepares our children for the real world. Though the formal education ends with a high school or college degree, the informal education continues until the end of ones days. While it comes to starting the learning process, there are certain basic qualities to develop in the children. They quickly identify the relationship between different things they find in nature and they begin to approach problems in a logic way. In the age of knowledge explosion, no one can keep themselves away from educating their children. Knowledge is power and problems solving skills alone is the thing in demand today. You find learning spelling is the first step towards exploring the wonderful world of knowledge.

Online and offline toy stores and puzzle games help you introduce your kid to the world of letters and numbers. You can find a variety of spelling games for kids will help your children get a head start in the formal education process. My wife suggested me teaching our little one the art of reading. In fact we spent most time reading for her. We are proud that we introduced her to the world of reading early on. As usual we wanted to give her the simplest books with big letters and bigger pictures so that she would see a book as something to enjoy. Leap Frog books came handy help so that we could easily introduce her to this amazing world. There are many other spelling games for kids. Just make a Google search and you will be amazed with the kind of spelling games for kids.

You make the initial learning process pure fun for your kids. Even for adults things learned through fun stays longer in their minds. You never teach your child, instead you entertain them with the games learning happens in the due time. The only problem seems to be choosing one or ten spelling games for kids from thousands of available ones. I feel content for introducing her to the world of reading. Thanks to Leap Frog books, she gets the highest grades in every class. I am glad I listened to my wife suggesting that we introduce our kid to the world of learning as fast as we could and spelling games for kids played a part in it.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning education. Get informations you are seeking now by visiting http://www.theeducationannex.com/education/education--learning/a-review-of-spelling-games-for-kids.html.Sheilakathryn Blog82188
Sheeree Blog71204

Hanging Out Earning An Online College Degree

Could you ever imagine hanging out at home by choice, and earning an online college degree in the process? Many people think that obtaining an online college degree is something that requires frequent trips to the computer lab and ongoing technical issues. It is anything but this way when you enroll in your choice of online college degree programs. The simple fact is that with a steady internet connection you can access the most powerful and effective programs. This sounds easy, but it does take effort. For the self-motivated, online programs are great ways to get an education.

The fact is that most online college degrees are based upon the self paced method that allows students to work at the time most convenient for them. Given that most self paced online programs are still in someway regimented by a timeframe, within this timeframe one can obtain an online college degree in a manner that suits the needs of the person and can still be somewhat flexible. This means that you will literally be able to login, and deal with every aspect of your online education, and your online college degree program specifically at a time suitable for you. This will allow you to meet your personal or professional needs while obtaining your degree.

Earning an online degree can be individually structured to meet your specific timetable. You will never have to take an online degree class at a time that is not going to work for you. Essentially, you will be earning your degree while allowing lifes priorities to come first, and your education will fall into the place that is best suitable for you. This means that for most classes you will be able to work at night on your coursework if you have to work during the day, and vice versa if you have a night job. With the recent advancements in technology and broadband connections, one attending online degree programs can watch video and do coursework anytime in as much clarity as if it were being played on their television.

So what is the downside of being able to hang out and earn your online college degree at the time you prefer? The answer is that you still must do the work, which means that you must be self disciplined enough to deal with the intensity of being enrolled in college, and especially in a self paced online college degree program. This is not a great fit for everyone, as self paced does not mean no pace, and in order to earn your degree you must be prepared to work, and be prepared to make sacrifices, just as you would in any traditional college degree program

While earning an online degree is much different in scope and breadth than earning a traditional four-year degree, it is similar in the fact that both ventures require a considerable amount of work. This means that one must be prepared to give the online college degree as much effort on studies and the coursework as they would if enrolled in a traditional program. Taking advantage of the online college degree program's flexibility is the key.

Andy West is a freelance writer for Virginia College. Virginia College Online offers many online college degree programs. Please visit Virginia College Online at http://www.vconline.edu/index.cfm to select the online program that is right for you.Sharna Blog60805
Sorcha Blog44057

A Dealer May Be Best For Serious Problems

It is well known that service departments at auto dealers almost always charge more than small garages for most repairs. That's because in order to run a service department at a dealership, the dealer must pay a fee to the auto maker. Naturally, they pass that cost along to consumers. For basic maintenance and small repairs, going to a local garage will probably save you money. However, for more complex repairs, a dealer's service department may be your best option. Here's why.

The mechanics who work in dealership service departments are highly trained in working with specific makes of cars and some may even specialize by specific model. They are typically extensively trained by the manufacturer and frequently attend refresher training courses. If your car is experiencing a problem that's common to your make of car but not common in others, a service department mechanic trained in working with your specific make and model will have an easier time catching it than a local garage, whose limited training resources must be spent on keeping up to date with many different makes and models.

Also, almost without exception, service departments offer some form of warranty on their work. Obviously, if the car is still covered by the master warranty any repeat repairs will be covered. But most auto dealer service departments warrant their work on cars that are out of warranty. The warranties are usually specific to the repair and may cover parts, labor and rental car expenses. Small garages may also offer warranties, but the advantage of a service department warranty is that it is usually good at any dealer of that make of car.

If the problem you're experiencing is the subject of a manufacturer's recall, a service department mechanic will be more likely to know about it. Service departments at car dealers typically run a check each time you bring your vehicle in for service to determine whether a recall has been issued for that make and model. Also, many car manufacturers require that recall repairs be done by a service department.

Finally, if your car needs to be in the shop for an extended period of time a service department that's located on the same site as an auto dealer can offer you more convenient access to a rental car. Many service departments have their own fleet of rentals. Or, if your car only needs to be in the shop for a day or less, many service departments have a courtesy shuttle.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles for http://iautomotiveworld.com/. In addition, Kadence also writes articles for http://outdoorstalk.net/ and http://recreationandmore.com/.Shelby Blog83558
Shell Blog97601

What is Continuing Education?

Continuing education in general is quite similar to adult education since it is also intended for adult learners, especially those adults who are beyond traditional undergraduate college or university age. However, it is wrong to club continuing education with other educational programs such as vocational training. As its name suggests, it is a continuation of education. The student of continuing education already has an education prior to taking up continuing education.

Continuing education in the simplest term is a form of post-secondary learning activities and programs. Some of the programs under continuing education may include non-degree career training, degree credit courses by non-traditional students, formal personal enrichment courses, workforce training, experiential learning, and self-directed learning which is done through online interest clubs and groups or personal research activities.

Many universities and colleges in the US cater to continuing education programs. Often there is either a division or a school of continuing education, which is also at times given names such as university extension or extension school. Continuing education involves both credit-granting courses as well as non-credit-granting courses. Such non-credit-granting courses are often taken for personal, non-vocational enrichment. There are many community colleges in the US that cater to such programs.

It is not only students who need continuing education, but also professionals who need it to update their knowledge and skill set. In fact, it is a compulsory for people practicing certain professions. Licensing authorities in a number of fields make continuing education compulsory on members who hold licenses to practice within a particular profession. The licenses to practice their profession are issued for a fixed term and are to be renewed after the expiry of this term. If they fail to update themselves through continuing education, their licenses are not renewed. This is done to encourage professionals to expand their knowledge base and keep pace with new developments. This may be achieved through college or university coursework, extension courses or conferences and seminars attendance.

The method and format of delivering continuing education includes conventional classroom lectures as well as distance learning. Students who enroll for continuing education in a college or university often opt for classroom and laboratory classes. However, much weight is given to distance learning as maximum of those who opt for continuing education are working people who have little or no time to attend classroom lectures.

In such distance learning, education is imparted through CD-ROM material, videotapes, and broadcast programming. Education online is also one area that has seen fast development in recent years. Material for study is delivered over the Internet. In fact online degrees are pursued by many students and professional who finds them very convenient. Students can earn some extra pocket money working part time and professional can pursue an online degree that will help them in career growth.

Other than CD-ROM material, videotapes, and broadcast programming, continuing education is also delivered through independent study and use of conference-type group study. Again the Internet plays a big role here. These groups with similar interests meet together online and discuss and exchanges ideas and knowledge. These online communities are very effective in sharing knowledge and new findings.

Another way of facilitating continuing education is through seminars and workshops. A combination of traditional or conventional, distance, and conference-type study, or two of these three types, may be used for a particular continuing education course or program.

Find the school of your choice online now at http://www.keydegree.com

Manu Goel is senior editor at http://www.keydegree.comSilvana Blog63554
Sheena Blog35889

Simple Time Management Tips to Make High School Life Easier

High school student not just study and take classes. They also have to join school activities, socialize and do their homework. Apparently, they always have a lot of work in school and at home.

It is essential for high school students to be organized. If you are a high school student, it may seem like you are always running out of time and all you do is study and never get enough time with your friends and family.

Listed here seven tips for you to follow to make life of high school students easier and add extra time for you to be with your friends and family:

1- Set the target everyday Before you go to bed, list down all the matters you want to accomplish on the next day. A to do list will help you to know what you are going to do and avoid doing unimportant tasks, of which will get everything done more efficiently and faster.

2- Prioritize your list of target Once the to do list completed, try to prioritize the goals you want to achieve. Set your most important goal in life on top of your priority and your least important goals to down below on the list.

Be realistic on your list. It is better to list on what you need to achieve and not on what you want to achieve. If you have a long-term priority, it is probably best that you put it on the bottom of your list; you can always work on that tomorrow.

3- Utilize your spare time As a high school student, sometimes you may not notice you have lots of spare time. Try to add up the minutes of the school bus ride to school and the school bus ride back home.

Use these times to create strategy of how to finish your homework effectively. By doing this, you will get an idea on what you need to do on your homework when you get home. This allows you to finish your homework faster and have extra time for other things.

4- Finding the right time Sometime, students have specific time to study more efficiently. For instance, you can solve your math problems well on the afternoons; then do not wait until nighttime to do it. Mood is important here since mood can shifts immediately.

5- Taking notes An effective way to study is to write down important notes. It is proven much better than just plain reading. Writing down notes has an effect on your mind. You can understand the topic more effectively and memorize it more effectively than by just reading.

Review your notes as your teacher might give a pop quiz on the next day. Reviewing your notes will help you be more prepared for the pop quizzes that your teacher may suddenly give.

6- Get adequate sleep It is unhealthy trying to stress yourself out studying when you are supposed to be sleeping. It can bring ineffective results and unwelcome health problems.

If you need to sleep you have to sleep, do not force yourself to study if you cannot effectively study. If you try to study in this situation, you will most likely waste your time.

7- Keep your goals realistic Trying to accomplish unrealistic goals can often result in failure and frustration. Setting realistic goals that is difficult and achieving it can give you self-worth and be proud on your achievements.

Just remember, everything you need to accomplish in one day is possible if you are organized and plan everything you do in a day.

Fakhrul Anuar Malek is a Webmaster and publisher of Time-Management.CosmoMatrix.com. He provides info and guides of time management for college and high school students at http://Time-Management.CosmoMatrix.com.Shay Blog43034
Shane Blog83007

Olsons Fourth Bid To Represent The Tampa Schools

The Tampa schools are part of the Hillsborough County School Board, and Candy Olson has represented the south Tampa schools for 12 years. The nonpartisan District 2 covers the south Tampa schools and curves into part of southwest Hillsborough County. Olson has twice been chairman of the school board.

The 58-year-old mother of two has faced challengers only once during her three previous bids for her school board seat. This year she faces two challengers, who want to represent the south Tampa schools Logan Cobb, a 17-year-old high school senior, and Bart Birdsall, a middle school media specialist. According to the Tampa Tribune, neither challenger for the south Tampa schools has raised much capital or waged much of a campaign against Olson.

During the 12 years Olson has represented the south Tampa schools, she has seen the district grow by more than 50,000 students. It is now the nations ninth largest school district. She has helped decide hundreds of policies and personnel decisions, many of which affect the Tampa schools, and has seen the district managed by three different superintendents.

With a masters degree in business administration, Olsons pet peeve is to reduce the myriad of forms used by the district and the bureaucratic paperwork a goal that continues to elude her.

During her tenure, Olson pushed the district to develop a school choice plan to give parents more options, which was implemented in 2004. She fostered partnerships between local libraries and schools, including those in south Tampa schools area and the Natures Classroom, an outdoor classroom for science study. She has been supportive of teachers issues, speaking out or bucking popular thought, when necessary. Though she comes on strong at times, she admittedly has learned to hold her tongue from the dais, especially when someone makes (what she considers) a dumb comment to her.

Two issues are pending before the board for this school year. One is whether to add more religious holidays to the school calendar. The second, a more controversial issue, is whether to make a policy that restricts soda and unhealthy foods in schools. The district currently needs to renegotiate their PepsiCo contract; however, they would like more discussion on this issue before proceeding.

Olson believes the most important priorities for the board this year continues to be student achievement, growth and developing a plan to reach children of uninvolved parents.

Olson is a former director of finance and planning for the Drug Abuse Comprehensive Coordinating Office in Tampa and information officer for the Boston Mayors office. According to the Tribune, she has raised nearly $20,000 in reported campaign contributions and loans, mostly from lawyers, educators and current district administrators. She is endorsed by the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information on Tampa schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Florida/Tampa/index.htmlSheena Blog58014
Siana Blog66271

NextStudent Offers PLUS Loans for Graduate and Professional Students

According to Phoenix-based NextStudent, a premier education funding company, the proliferation of graduate and professional programs has led to new sources of education funding designed to benefit these goal-orientated students who are, in essence, beginning their career by continuing on in their education. As the job market in the United States continues to generate a need for applicants who are highly competitive in specified fields from technology to the ever-growing medical field, undergraduate students across the country are beginning to feel the squeeze as graduate and professional degrees become must-haves for even intermediate and entry-level positions.

The decision to continue education onto the graduate and professional level is one that oftentimes comes with considerable financial stress because of the continued financial obligation. However, NextStudents Graduate PLUS Loan (http://www.nextstudent.com/) Program may allow borrowers to fund up to the full cost of their education (less any financial aid received), including living expenses, books, supplies and even computers.

NextStudent now offers a PLUS Loan Program for graduate and professional students with rates starting as low as 8.5 percent. The Graduate PLUS Loan Program features the same benefits directly to graduate and professional students that parents of undergraduate students receive from traditional PLUS loans (http://www.nextstudent.com/plus_loans/plus_loans.asp). Because NextStudent Graduate PLUS loans are federally sponsored, they offer many of the perks of traditional PLUS loans, including eligibility for federal student loan consolidation (http://www.nextstudent.com/consolidation_loans/consolidation_loans.asp), tax-deductible interest and a variety of repayment options.

Eligibility and Credit Resolution

NextStudent offers a simple online application process through E-Signature, and many prospects who apply online qualify within minutes. Also offered is a second look for borrowers who receive an initial denial because of unresolved credit issues. NextStudent has a PLUS Credit Resolution Team that has an 87 percent success rate at resolving borrowers credit issues, resulting in funded PLUS loans.

Graduate PLUS loans (http://www.nextstudent.com/plus_loans/plus_loans.asp) easily are accessible to many students. To qualify a student must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen. Although a credit check is required, many students with limited or no credit history still qualify for Graduate PLUS loans.

Flexible Repayment Options and Aggressive Incentives

With all the great incentives offered by NextStudent and its Graduate PLUS Loan Program, now is the right time for students to take the next step and go for their graduate degree.

NextStudent Graduate PLUS loans offer several repayment options including deferred repayment while a student is enrolled in school at least half time, and there are no prepayment penalties, ever. There also is a 3 percent cash rebate at repayment on the remaining principal balance after the first 12 months of consecutive on-time payments when student borrowers pay through Auto-Debit. In addition, a 2 percent interest rate reduction is available after the first 48 months of consecutive on-time payments when student borrowers pay through Auto-Debit. Student borrowers receive a .25 percent reduction when they choose repayment through Auto-Debit.

NextStudent, federal lender code 834051, is dedicated to helping students and their families find affordable ways to pay for college. NextStudent offers one-on-one education finance counseling and has a portfolio of highly competitive education finance products and services including a free online scholarship search engine, federally guaranteed parent and student loans, private student loans, both federal and private student loan consolidation (http://www.nextstudent.com/consolidation_loans/consolidation_loans.asp) programs, and college savings plans.

The NextStudent Scholarship Search Engine, one of the nations oldest and largest scholarship search engines, is updated daily, available free of charge, completely private and represents 2.4 million scholarships worth $3.4 billion.

For more information about NextStudent and its student loan programs, please visit the companys Web site at http://www.nextstudent.com/.

Jeff Mictabor is an enthusiast on the topic of student loan issues in the news. He has been writing for the past 10 years for a variety of education publications. He now offers his writing services on a freelance basis.Shirlene Blog25559
Sibyl Blog96812

Nashville Schools Examines Its 2005-2006 Performance

Nashville Schools Board of Education Reviews Adequate Yearly Progress Results

Every year, every school district in Tennessee must examine its performance from the pervious school year. This summer Nashville Schools had to do this as well. The Nashville Schools Board of Education, which included both the outgoing members from 2005-2006 and the incoming members from 2006-2007, reviewed the results from the Tennessee Adequate Yearly Progress. The results will help to pinpoint for Nashville Schools those areas that have improved and where continued progress is needed. Nashville Schools had both remarkable achievements in some areas and areas that continue to be a challenge. This is the third year that the majority of schools in the Nashville Schools have received a rating of Good Standing, the highest rating that can be given. The remaining schools had moved either up or down from the previous year. The number of schools in Good Standing was 81 which is the same number as last year.

Possibly the biggest gain this year for Nashville Schools is that some of the schools categorized as high poverty schools received Good Standing ratings. Two schools Kirkpatrick and Napier Elementary Schools achieved a Good Standing rating for the first time since the Tennessee Adequate Yearly Progress was established. These two schools are two of the highest poverty schools in Nashville School District. There ratings reflect the effort that the students, teachers, parents and principals put in last school year.

But many schools did not receive a rating of Good Standing or even the same rating as last year. Many of these schools received a lower rating than previously. This indicates that there are still lots of areas that still need improvement. Nashville Schools has made the commitment to strive for every school to receive a Good Standing rating. Each summer the Nashville Schools Board of Education meets to determine what steps can be taken to improve the coming school years scores. The difficulty is that there are a variety of factors that can influence the rating. A small adjustment in one area could affect the overall standing. With this in mind the Board tries to find a way to make every school a school that rates Good Standing.

One of the biggest concerns for the Nashville Schools Board of Education is the size of the District. Nashville Schools currently has around 74,000 students and must provide educational opportunities that meet the needs of this student population. Nashville School District includes both Nashville and Davidson Counties, so there are logistic concerns also. Nashville Schools are very confident about how this school year will proceed. The Nashville Schools Board of Education is a nine member body that is elected at the end of every school year composed of educators, community leaders and administrators. The members are elected in a public vote by the citizens of the Nashville School District. The Board believes that there is a real potential for all the schools to gain ratings of Good Standing by summer of 2007.

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Stacy has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues. For more information on Nashville schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Tennessee/Nashville/index.htmlSteffie Blog57487
Sidonnie Blog30042

Parenting Teenagers Teens And Depression

One minute your teenager will be laughing and joking along with you and the next he is in a fit of rage, yelling or crying with no warning or apparent cause. Mood swings are normal with all teenagers, but how do you know when mood swings turn into depression?

Teenagers have so much to deal with in today's society that depression can come easily. If left untreated, it can become a much more serious issue. With pressure at school, family situations, and the necessity of making serious life choices at a young age, depression may make such a sudden impact even the teenager may not know that he or she is suffering with this disorder.

Depression in teenagers is often overlooked, and is rarely treated or even diagnosed. Many parents tend to view their teenager's bad mood as just another teenage trait.

Teenage Mood Swings vs. Depression

Most teenagers suffering with depression will almost constantly be upset, not just with their parents, but also with siblings and even friends. Their grades may drop and their social life may cease suddenly and unexpectedly. Your teenager may make excuses to stay in his room and not participate in social activities, and even when forced to participate, may do so with little or no enthusiasm.

Sometimes, this disorder may actually be a chemical imbalance and uncontrollable with just words and care from the parent. Medications and therapy may be required for your teenager to regain their mental health back. Depression is such a serious disorder that can lead up to even more serious situations like school or home violence, self injury, even suicide.

What parents can do

If your teenager seems unhappy or upset for a long period of time, try to have a talk with him. Begin the conversation casually by mentioning that you can see that something is troubling him. Don't be discouraged by your teen's likely response that you cannot help or there's noting you can do. Point out that sometimes just talking about a situation will help to find a solution or to see it from a different perspective.

If your teenager will not talk to you about her problems speak with her school guidance counselor. He or she might be able to give you helpful information about what is troubling your teen. The guidance counselor might also be able to help you assess if it would be beneficial to your teenager to see a professional therapist or to attend a group counseling session.

Should you decide that therapy is necessary, do not force your teen to attend any of these sessions. Instead, ask him to attend if only to see that his particular problem might not be as unique as he thinks. Your teenager might experience great relief in realizing that he is simply going through natural developmental stages and that it is normal to feel overwhelmed by the pressures of school, family and peers.

Instead of breaking under the stress and thinking he is not capable of handling his daily life, your teenager will approach obstacles more open minded and ready to discuss with you or his therapist.

Christina Botto has been involved with helping parents and teenagers resolve complicated issues for more than 14 years, observing and developing parenting strategies. Her dedication to helping parents inspired her to write her book, 'Help Me With My Teenager! A Step-by-step Guide for Parents that Works.' Christina continues to help parents and their teens through her website http://www.helpwithteenagers.com.Storm Blog17822
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What The Middlesex County Vocational School Is All About

Gail was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey. Since this person didnt think of working after finishing from high school and become a homemaker instead, college was never a priority for this person.

The one talent this woman was cooking. The skill of cooking some exotic dishes was passed on from one generation to the next and since Gail wanted to know more about it, this person checked around to see if thee was a school that specialized in the culinary arts. The institution found was called Middlesex County Vocational School.

The Middlesex Country Vocational and Technical School is a network of public institutions scattered all around New Jersey. It is made of four campuses that are there to cater secondary school students, adults and people who have special needs.

Founded in the year 2000, it serves more than 140 students of different cultures. Parents and people who find it too far to see the campus in East Brunswick can try the others at Perth Amboy, Piscataway or Woodbridge.

The admissions officer explained the culinary arts would take more than a year to finish. Since the husband was very supportive, there was no problem in getting some money to pay for the tuition.

Since the couple lived nearby the cost of living was not that high compared to those who decided to live with a family or rent a place until the program was finished.

There were an equal number of men and women who were studying in the vocational school. This is because the courses offered were beneficial for both genders such as about business management, architecture, basic repairs, sales and distribution.

People who want to know more then should check out the schools website or visit the campus personally to see if this is conducive for learning.

A year later, Gail graduated and put up a small caf in Trenton. This entrepreneur made some of the dishes personally while the staff took care of the rest. As a way to give back to the community, this individual took interns from the vocational school to work in the establishment.

Gails determination to succeed just shows that everyone can be successful with a little knowledge from a vocational school. The person may not have the same passion for the culinary arts but may be interested in another field. It is advisable to find an ideal program first then enroll in it regardless if this is in Middlesex County or another institution that is closer to home.

This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on Vocational Schools & other useful information, please visit http://vocational-schools.articlekeep.com.Stephani Blog56763
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International Baccalurette Programs Heat Up Charlotte

Davidson IB Middle Wins Schools of Distinction Award

The science program at Davidson IB Middle, one of the schools in the Charlotte Mecklenburg area, has been recognized as a School of Distinction by Intel and Scholastic. Intel, the world renowned computer chip maker, and Scholastic, a leader in textbooks and educational materials, chose Davidson for honors in the field of science achievement, bringing both pride and bragging rights to Charlotte schools. As the principal of Davidson states, This award is a testament to the dedication of my students, teachers, parents and the community. My entire staff works together to make sure our students get an excellent education.

How Davidson was Chosen

Intel and Scholastic seem to agree. They awarded Davidson the Schools of Distinction Award after evaluating the school on a number of criteria. Among other things, Davidson showed its strengths in strategies for incorporating critical thinking skills; hands on investigative experiences, and project based learning. Davidson, like other Charlotte schools, is challenging the next generation of scientists and engineers with its comprehensive science program. The Intel and Scholastic award will help the school to further its science education goals and set a positive example for other Charlotte schools in the areas of science education.

The winning schools were chosen in each of the following eight categories: academic achievement, literacy achievement, mathematics achievement, science achievement, technology excellence, leadership excellence, professional development, and collaboration and teamwork. Davidson, as an exceptional Charlotte school, looks forward to using this award to help continue to build a competitive science program and lead the nation in science education innovation.

What Does Winning Mean for Davidson and Charlotte Schools?

As recipients of this prestigious award, Davidson IB Middle will receive a $10,000 grant from the Intel Foundation and several other prizes ranging from curriculum materials and professional development resources to computer hardware and software. All of these things will help Davidson stay on the cutting edge of science education and fulfill the goal of constant improvement and innovation in educating future scientists. In addition to these monetary prizes, the school also puts Charlotte schools in the map as a place of science and math strength among national secondary schools.

Whats Special About Davidson

Davidson is one of many Charlotte schools that is taking the forefront in science education and it shows. While Davidson has won national recognition for its programs, the real work is the daily learning that takes places at Davidson and other Charlotte schools. As part of the International Baccalareute Program, Davidson focuses on providing real world connections between textbook learning and applications. Some of the projects done at Davidson serve as a model for other Charlotte schools. These projects included using a special backyard stream to learn about biology as well as real world chemistry applications, such as water quality tests.

Davidson is lucky to have many local community partners to help in its quest for high level science education. As a Charlotte school, Davidson works alongside Davidson College on environmental studies projects with university professors and resources. Because of its unique position, Davidson has won both state and national competitions, leading to its rank of 15 overall in the United States.

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information on schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/North-Carolina/Charlotte/index.htmlSibbie Blog49444
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Student Loan Debt Consolidation - How To Reduce The Burden Of Student Loan Debt

Its not enough as a student earning good grades, graduating, and landing a job with a good salary. What makes it more difficult is the rising costs of education, in tuition fees, books and the cost of living during the years being in school. There is no question that the trends of college and university prices have rose steadily over that last decade. During the 2004-2005 academic year about $129 billion in financial aid was distributed to undergraduate and graduate students. In addition, these students borrowed almost $14 Billion dollars from non-federal sources to help finance their education according to the report Trends in Student Aid (2005) from the College Board association. With an adjustment to inflation the total financial aid given to undergraduate and graduate students has increased by almost 100% from 1994 to 2005.

Why have students been borrowing much more today?

There has been a widening gap between the cost of university and college tuition and aid in the form of grants causing students to borrow more. Many students look at taking students loans as a good investment because it allows them to complete their education with better odds of a getting a better job and life. Because Students are borrowing more and often taking out multiple student loans today, however, it could lead to financial burdens. This would delay things like buying a new home, car, getting married, and raising a family.

How can student loan consolidation help?

Also known as a federal consolidation loan, repays some or all of the outstanding eligible federal student loans and replaces the multiple payments that are made with one single payment. The payment terms can even be extended to make the payments more affordable. The interest rates are fixed rate for the entire term and is calculated as the weighted average interest rates of your consolidated loans rounded up to 1/8% not exceeding 8.25%.

Which student loans can be consolidated?

1. Federal and Federal Direct Stafford (subsidized and unsubsidized)
2. Federal and Federal Direct PLUS SLS (Supplementary Loans for Students)
3. Federal Perkins
4. Federal Nursing Student Loans (NSL)
5. Federal Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL)
6. Federal Health Professional Student Loans (HPSL)
7. Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL) Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS)
8. Federal Insured Students Loans (FISL)

If a person has bad credit, can they still consolidate their student loans?

Under the federal student loan consolidation program, no credit checks are necessary, however, if any loans are in default, three consecutive payments must be made prior to consolidating the loans.

What lenders consolidate student loans?

The Internet is an excellent resource to compare student loan consolidation lenders rates and offers. It is just a matter to take some time and compare different incentives between lenders.

Lenders may offer added incentives to consolidate student loans. For example, depending on the balance of the current student loans, some lenders may offer a credit or an interest rate reduction if payments were made consecutively on time. Or, if a married couple has individual student loans and want to combine and consolidate their loans.

It should not be a strike against anyone requiring student loans to get through university or college nor having a delayed hardship when a person graduates and gets back into the work force.

Brad Jacobsen writes about student loan debt consolidation and you can read more articles, tips and helpful information including Free no obligation quotes at: http://www.ez-mortgage-quotes.com/consolidation+information+loan+student.htm Stoddard Blog32586
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285 Philadelphia Schools Students Awarded $800,000 in Scholarships

The Philadelphia Education Fund has been in operation for 20 years. A nonprofit organization, the Fund partners with school districts (including the Philadelphia schools), other nonprofit organizations, businesses and individuals to provide scholarships for students in the Philadelphia schools system. Its purpose is to initiate and implement innovative educational programs, of which they have several. They work to improve the quality of teachers in the Philadelphia schools, conduct educational research, and engage the community in school reform. The Fund is one of the largest of 86 education funds that are affiliated with the national Public Education Network.

One of the programs that are sponsored by the Fund is the Philadelphia Scholars Program that awards Last Dollar Scholarships to Philadelphia schools students. In June 2006, they awarded $800,000 in scholarships to 285 schools students.

Over the last 16 years, the Fund has awarded more than $5 million to students, who attend 15 high schools of the Philadelphia schools system many of these youth were the first in their families to attend college. Scholarships range from $200 to $4,000, helping to fill the gap between a students financial aid package and actual college costs. Scholarships cover tuition, fees, books and transportation. They are renewable for a maximum of six years for students attending accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities across the nation.

Scholarship funding is from Philadelphia donors (many of which are the citys most prominent philanthropists in the financial industry), but includes hundreds of individuals, businesses, and organizations. The most active donor is John C. Bogle, chairman of the National Constitution Center and former chairman and founder of the Vanguard Group. Besides wanting to make college a reality for Philadelphia schools students, Bogle hopes that these same children will one day invest in Philadelphias next generation.

Once such group, which raises funds for the Last Dollar Scholarship program, is the Scholars Advisory Committee. To date, they have raised $16 million. A. Morris Williams, Jr. chairs the committee, is the president of Williams and Company, and was formerly an executive of Morgan Stanley. He and John Neff, a committee member and former managing partner of Wellington Management Company, are the two driving forces behind the Philadelphia Scholars Program. Together, they provided the seed money for the programs launch.

Williams wants to help the Philadelphia schools students reach their goals, hoping to inspire others to support higher education in Philadelphia. Neff wants to give something back to the community that has been so good to him, and sees supporting education as a way to give students an opportunity for a better life.

Most investors in the scholarship program for Philadelphia schools students recognize the something must be done to help the citys youth succeed. Without the opportunity of a higher education for todays students, Philadelphia will be left wanting for an educated workforce in the future. The donors generosity helps the Philadelphia schools students have a better future, as well as helping the city succeed tomorrow.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, Which provides free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Patricia has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues.Shirlene Blog25559
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Are You Struggling To Make Money Online? Heres Help

Do you wish there was an easier way to make money online? Of course we all do. But while there are dozens of ways to make money online, still 95% of those starting up internet businesses fail.

One of the easiest ways to make money online is selling digital products. Digital products could be an ebook, an MP3, video or software. Selling these products is fast, easy and commands big profit margins. No inventories to watch, delivery trucks are non-existent and most of all it works 24 hrs a day 7 days a week. Really an entrepreneurs dream come true.

What are the exact steps involved to make money online with selling digital products? The following steps have been proven to be effective:

1. Choose the right product.

The first thing that you need to do is get a product that you can sell. Be certain that you choose the right product to sell. In choosing a product, you can either create your own or sell other peoples product. However, you must ensure that the product you will sell is in demand and that it is something that many people want or need.

You may check clickbank.com to see and get a feel of what products are in high demand. If youve been in the internet for three to four months and have been subscribing for those newsletters from sites you visited, then you may now have an idea of what topics attract large crowds. Subjects on golf, search engine traffic, weight loss, marketing, adsense, dog training, personal improvement and make money online have proven well overtime. There are some niche subjects which also have been drawing huge following.

Remember, the number of people looking for that particular topic, product or subject is extremely important. You cant make money online if only a handful is interested with that product you are trying to sell. The number of competitors also plays an important role. As much as possible, choose an area with lesser competition. If youre just starting out, it is hard to compete with guys who are the McDonalds of the industry. If youre a bit sophisticated, there are tools available to figure this out. You can try the keyword tools and look for topics that have been searched by volumes and volumes. These tools also provide you with the number of competing websites. There is wordtracker.com, inventory.overture.com that you can start with.

If you dont want to create your own product, you can easily find hundreds of products with master resale rights. What are master resale rights (MRR)? If you own a product with MRR, you have the right to sell it to others and keep all the profit for yourself! With master resale rights, the person who buys from you can also get the resale rights to the product.

There are also products with private label rights. Private label rights give you freedom to alter the product or change the content and put your name on it as the author or originator. You may try warriorforum.com and look at the warriors special offer (WSO) for great deals on resale rights.

2. Build your website.

Now dont scratch you head yet. You will not be building a full blown website but a very simple three page site. The pages are: Sales letter Page, Thank You Page and the Download Page. Trial and completely free web building softwares are available for download. Theres the 123WYSIWYG and NVU which are both easy to use. If youre not that tech driven then you can hire some college kids in your neighborhood who might be good at building websites. Or you can try elance.com and rentacoder.com to find somebody to do this. Just focus on your goal to make money online.

To accept payment, just use Paypal. Its easy to get. Using the standard Paypal button is okay. Paypal will ask you for the redirect page, in this case, use your Thank You Page. Don't put the download link there. Put an opt-in in box instead. Say that you will send the download link in the email. The opt-in box is extremely important if you want to build a business. You will have the chance to capture customer information here. You can make money online over and over again once you have a large list of customers.

In the email that goes out after a person subscribes to your opt-in, you will tell them where to download the product. Your download page should contain a link to your product with a few directions on how to download and how to use it. If you are selling an ebook in PDF format, tell them that Adobe Reader is required and point them where they can download it.

3. Generate traffic.

Once you have chosen your product and created your website, you must attract visitors. You cannot make money online if your site doesnt have visitors. You can get traffic to your website in many different ways. However, you want to be certain that you bring in the right kind of traffic. What is the right kind of traffic? Targeted! You want visitors to come to your site because they want to, not because they are forced to. You want visitors that are interested in your product.

One of the ways to attract traffic is search engine marketing (SEM). SEM is a set of marketing methods to increase the visibility of a website in search engine results pages. Yahoo and Google are the top two sites where most of the web searches come from. Experts estimate that Google account for 45% of the searches while Yahoo gets 30%. In order to make money online, your website must be listed in the top 30 results of the search engines. Do you think anyone would bother to look on page 97 of the results? or page 110?

Your sites ranking on the search engines will depend on how optimized it is with the keywords you choose and the number of competition it has. The lesser the competition for the specific keyword, the higher the chance of your site to get to the top of the search engines and the chance to make money online is significantly increased.

Another way to get visitors to your site, and this is the quickest one, is by pay per click advertising (PPC). You can try the Google adwords program, Miva and Goclick. Be very careful, however, as PPC advertising may burn your pockets and your plan to make money online would be affected. Make sure to set your daily budget when doing PPC.

These three simple steps to make money online when followed would get you the results you want. There are dozens of ways to make money online. What separates the successful online entrepreneur from a failure is focus and consistency of efforts. Most of the people starting to make money online get sidetracked with every new program that comes to them. If you want to make money online, choose one specific way, and then follow that way until you succeed. Dont jump from program to program. Author is giving ebooks at http://www.homebusinesstoday.name

Alan Ocab specializes in teaching real people how to start profitable Internet businesses. To get instant access to some of his most profitable marketing campaigns, strategies, tools, and resources, visit his work at home website at http://www.grandstart.com.Sibbie Blog49444
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Public Speaking Won't Kill You Planning Is Better Than Being Afraid

The process of making outstanding public speeches to a crowd in a structured and deliberate manner is called public speaking. The goal as a public speaker is usually to entertain, influence or inform the people. The foundation of your success is dependent upon how well you have analyzed who is saying whom about what via what medium and coupled with what effects. Among all the known fears, the fear of public speaking, known as glossophobia ranks at the top. Therefore, consider well to prepare your speech.

Public speaking: connecting with people

Did you ever notice how the audience love public speakers that seem to be born with the public speaking ability. We come across politicians and recall our old college professors who knew how to keep us stupefied with their words. Nonetheless, most people are terrified when they are asked to address a group even if their good at making speeches.

Beleive me, anyone can be a excellent public speaker with proper rehearsal. In this day of technology and information, even the burden of composing the speech can be relieved since a variety of experts provide free online content.

Public speaking: things to consider

When preparing to speak publicly, you must concentrate on the people and consider ways to hold their interest in listening to you to the end. Listen to yourself during rehearsal. To improve your ability, record the length of your speech, set spots in advance, where you can change your tone, your speed and rhythm and plan your speech.

How you walk in and the first three minutes of your public speech can make a lasting impression on your crowd. The degree of confidence and calmness you portray will directly affect the impact you create. Begin on a strong note and hold the peoples attention. Have an opening statement to grip your crowd. Don't look tense, even if you are late, but portray a calm posture and attitude.

A broad range of situations occur where folks on the move, like travelogue documenters or photographers have to speak to a group and tell about their trip. For these, portable lecterns can be quite useful. Portable lecterns are also available to hold laptops.

Many folks join groups like Toastmasters etc, to help them to learn by speaking to groups regularily. A well known public speaking situation that arises are graduation announcements. You are generally asked to give a public speech where you thank everybody for being there, many make it more attractive by recalling an important occurance that occurred during your school days.

Graduation announcements

Nearly all people prepare a grad speech around a theme like an art-related theme for people in literature or art, a scientific theme for a science major and a business theme for a business graduate and so on.

To wrap up this short article on speaking in public I'd like to make 2 more quick points.

1. Prepare well in advance. Make sure you have all the information you'll need and practice your public speech ahead of time. Try speaking into a full length mirror; you'll begin to notice things about posture and hand movements you may not have picked up on previously.

2. Here's something else that has helped me also; tape or video record your speech. Once done watch or listen to yourself and take notes. If you try this once per day leading up to the big day you'll appear as a polished speaker, even though you might be shaking in your boots.

The above article with information relating too best man wedding speech and father groom speech wedding has been submitted by Chad McDonald from: http://www.bestmanweddingspeech.info.Shani Blog48868
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New Learning Standards For Chicago Schools Kindergartners

Chicago schools educators were surprised during their teacher training session in mid-September with new state learning standards for kindergarten students. Previously, Illinois was one of 11 states that did not have learning standards for kindergarten. The state adopted standards for grades one through 12 in 1997 and even have specific early learning standards for preschoolers.

Setting academic goals for kindergarten students was not a priority, since attending kindergarten is not required in Illinois. Yet, all school districts across the state, including the Chicago schools, offer at least a half-day kindergarten program. In the school year 2004-2005, 146,000 children attended either a full or half-day kindergarten program, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

The state began developing the standards a few years ago in response to many requests from kindergarten teachers, including many in the Chicago schools. They take a lot of pressure off the Chicago schools kindergarten teachers, who previously had to develop their own learning standards. The new standards eliminate the academic inconsistency that existed across the state, even between Chicago schools kindergarten classrooms.

The only downside is for Chicago schools teachers with half-day kindergarten programs. Many wonder if they can teach everything within the short time. Shelby King, a consultant who helped to develop the standards, believe they can. They just will not be able to teach at the same leisurely pace as the full-day programs.

The new standards are only guidelines for schools to use and are a mixture of educational and practical life skills, learned in a fun and carefree environment. They go beyond the usual basic reading and math skills, adding such skills as:

Phonics (being able to sound out three-letter words with two consonants and a vowel, such as the word cat), reading one-syllable and high-use words, knowing all capital and lowercase letters of the alphabet under the language arts standards;

Counting from one to 100; understand the concepts of more, less and equal; and solving basic math problems under the math standards;

Being able to describe the effects of forces of nature, such as wind, gravity and magnetism under the science standards;

Finger painting, Play-Doh sculptures, dance and familiarity with musical instruments are under the fine arts standards; and

The Physcial development and health standards include such things as:

o Ways to prevent spreading illness, such as covering your mouth when you cough and washing hands;

o Social and emotional development by learning to explore, share and work with others; and

o Ethical, safety and societal factors in making decisions, such as understanding that hurting others is wrong.

The Chicago schools teachers welcome the new state standards. Chicago schools officials hope they will assist Chicago schools students to perform better on state-mandated tests later during elementary school.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information on Chicago schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/illinois/chicago/index.html.Stephanie Blog45438
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The Clever Florida Manitee Plays Dumb While Being As Smart Or Smarter Than Dolphins

The Florida manatee has fooled us all for ages. We thought it was as slow to cogitate as its sweet potato body is to move. Never did the clever "sea cow" let on that its actually as brainy as, or perhaps even brainier than, a somersaulting dolphin. But now its lethargic disguise has been penetrated, thanks to the researches of a neuroscientist at the University of Florida.

Roger L. Reep, who, along with a small group of other researchers, has discovered that trichechus manatus latirostris is not the slow learner it has forever pretended to be. In fact, while manatees are definitely slower moving than dolphins, theyre just as quick at learning tasks. Only theyre harder to motivate, because they wont leap for fish.

Theyre herbivores and, apparently, they dont even speed up when a researcher waves a seaweed temptingly in their direction.

The researchers concluded, however, that under that hulking exterior coasts a subtle mammal that is perfectly adapted to its environment.

The clever paddlers have the lowest brain-to-body size ratio of any mammal and the surface of their brains is smooth. But Reep believes, instead of a brain thats too small for its body, the tricky sea creature may have a body thats big for its brain. Why? To help it stay warm and have enough of a digestive system to nourish itself on the low-protein and low-cal sea greenery it grazes on for its survival.

Reep also thinks that the thickness of manatees cerebrum, which contains multi-layers, may account for how the tricky mammal can disguise its brain power under a smooth exterior.

And Dr. Reep and his colleagues have discovered that manatees may be able to hear low-frequency sounds, with vibrations as low as 23 to 1,000 hertz. That ability would be unique among mammals and it may explain how the lumbering giants can navigate back to their favorite patches of seaweed every year, along with how they manage to keep track fellow manatees even in cloudy water.

Reflecting on their intelligence in comparison to dolphins, one of the researchers even dared to say, Theyre too smart to jump through hoops the way those dumb dolphins do.

Tom Attea, humorist and creator of http://NewsLaugh.com, has had six shows produced Off-Broadway. Critics have called his writing "delightfully funny," "witty," with "great humor and ebullience" and "good, genuine laughs." Storm Blog17822
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New Committee Appointed by State to Work with St. Louis Schools

In July, St. Louis schools Superintendent Creg Williams abruptly resigned. Since then, many members of the community, government officials, and parents have called for various types of intervention for the St. Louis schools. The law allows for such consideration at different levels of the public school system. Thus, the state has appointed a new committee to oversee, work with, gather information for, and make recommendations to the St. Louis schools and state education officials.

The committee will be co-chaired by Civil Rights Attorney Frankie Freeman and Washington University Chancellor emeritus Dr. William H. Danforth. Other committee members are St. Louis American Publisher Donald M. Suggs, University of Missouri-Columbia Deputy Chancellor Michael Middleton, and Ned Lemkemeier, a well-known St. Louis attorney, who has been civically involved for many years.

It is hoped that this appointment will give the new St. Louis schools administration and the school board some breathing room. They currently must concentrate on stabilizing the St. Louis schools and preparing for the first day of school on August 28th. Diana Bourisaw is filling in as interim superintendent, until the St. Louis schools can hire a permanent administrator.

Three of the new committee members also are part of the St. Louis Community Monitoring and Support Task Force. Freeman and Danforth co-chair and Lemkemeier is a member at large. The task force was created by the federal court after a 1999 settlement agreement in the St. Louis desegregation case. It oversees the implementation of this settlement and has received much cooperation from the St. Louis schools, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Voluntary Inter-District Choice Corporation. Danforth is hopeful that the new committee will see as much cooperation from these same groups, especially the St. Louis schools.

The new committee has been charged with finding solutions to the current St. Louis schools problems. These include:

The overall academic performance of the St. Louis schools

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, Which provides free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Patricia has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues.Shaylyn Blog8913
Shandee Blog84309

Domain Name Disputes on the Internet

Have you ever had a third party register a domain name that is either exactly the same or very similar to your trademark? If so, it may be a Cybersquatting issue. Cybersquatting is registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with a bad-faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else. To address this issue, Congress enacted what is known as the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act ("ACPA"). The ACPA amended the Lanham Act by providing trademark owners with a civl remedy against cybersquatting.

If you're not sure how this may affect your business, let's run through some examples. The typical scenario is that the name of your product, or your company name is a registered trademark (or a strong common law trademark). However, you failed to register the domain name for whatever reason. Joe Schmo cybersquatter decides to beat you to the punch and registers the domain name of your trademark. He may have even registered plural versions or misspellings of your trademark as well (this is known as typosquatting). Joe Schmo cybersquatter is simply holding the domain name for ransom hoping to sell it back to you for a nice profit, or he may decide to keep domain name knowing that he will get a lot of traffic to his websites. The cybersquatter may sell products similar to yours or is simply engaged in affiliate marketing and makes money off of the clicks on his website. These situations can obviously cause consumer confusion and can easily cause lost profits to your company and dilution of your trademark(s) as well.

One avenue of recourse is filing an ACPA claim in federal court. The Plaintiff in an Anti-Cybersquatting suit must establish:

1. The Defendant has a bad faith intent to profit from the mark, including a defendant name which is protected as a mark;

2. registers, traffics in, or uses a domain name that--

(I) in the case of a mark that is distinctive at the time of registration of the domain name, is identical or confusingly similar to that mark;

(II) in the case of a famous mark that is famous at the time of registration of the domain name, is identical or confusingly similar to or dilutive of that mark; or

(III) is a trademark, word, or name protected by reason of 18 U.S.C. section 706.

However, you must distinguish cases where the cybersquatter is obviously acting in bad faith, from situations in which the individual has merely registered the domain with the good faith intent of doing something else with it (that is unrelated to trademark owner's goods and/or services).

The ACPA excludes a finding of bad faith where the domain name holder reasonably believed that the use was "fair use" or otherwise lawful. Accordingly, bad faith is the biggest component in an ACPA claim. So what is bad faith? There are several elements the federal courts will consider such as:

The trademark ownership rights held by the mark owner; The closeness of the domain name and the cybersquatter's name; The cybersquatter's commercial use of the domain name for access to a web site; The cybersquatter's intent to divert web traffic from the mark owner; The cybersquatter's offer to sell the domain name to the mark owner; Whether the defendant gave misleading information when registering the domain; and Similar or repeated cybersquatting on other marks. For example, in Hasbro Inc. v. Clue Computing Inc.[66 F. Supp.2d 177 (D. Mass 2000)], the district court held that Clue Computing's use of its registered domain name clue.com, was in fair use, despite Hasbro's existing registration of the trademark "Clue" for its famous board game. The two company's fields in which the names were used were not related; Clue Computing had registered the disputed domain name first, used it in legitimate commerce, and not attempted to sell the domain name to Hasbro.

UDRP or ACPA?

So if you've concluded that someone has cybersquatted one of your trademarks, should you file a ACPA lawsuit? You should consult your intellectual property lawyer about other possibilities such as the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy ("UDRP")"UDRP"). UDPR is an ICANN-approved arbitration that resolves domain name disputes submitted to ICANN for resolution. Very often (nearly 75% of UDRP cases) results in the cancellation of the cybersquatter's domain name registration. The standards to establish cybersquatting in UDRP cases for wrongful registration is very similar to ACPA's standards. Furthermore, UDRP proceedings are typically much less expensive and quicker (about 2-3 months total compared to ACPA which is federal litigation and may take years if not settled before trial). Another advantage with the UDRP is that it's well suited for international domain name disputes because the hearings are ex parte (based only on filed documents; no parties or witnesses are present). UDRP can be used in addition to an ACPA litigation or possibly done before or after an ACPA ruling because UDRP rulings are not binding upon the courts. Also, UDRP findings may be appealed. This is a departure from most arbitration practice (www.icann.org/udrp).

However, the remedies in UDRP proceedings are limited to only transfers of the domain name. Compared to an ACPA litigation, the Plaintiff may obtain monetary damages, attorney's fees and costs (in exceptional cases), and/or an injunction, in addition to the cancellation or transfer of the improper web domain name to the original owner. Furthermore, under ACPA the Plaintiff has the option of suing for statutory damages for $1,000 to $100,000, as the court deems just under the circumstances.

© 2007 Michael N. Cohen

This article is not intended as a substitute for legal advice. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. You should consult with an attorney familiar with the issues and the laws.

Copyright (c) 2007 Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen can be reached at 310-288-4500, http://www.patentlawip.com or http://www.trademarkattorneyip.com . Mr. Cohen specializes patent and trademark law and is located in Los Angeles, California. No portion of this article may be copied, retransmitted, reposted, duplicated or otherwise used without the express written approval of the author.Stacy Blog94243
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New Orleans Schools Reach Out To Parents

The unsuccessful state of public schools in the nation is epitomized by the devastation of the city of New Orleans and the New Orleans Schools. Inner city and racial achievement gaps that had been ignored before Hurricane Katrina were impossible to ignore once the districts had to be rebuilt. The biggest challenge in rebuilding the New Orleans Schools seems to reflect the overall problem with public education in the United States. While everyone seems to have an opinion, no one really knows the best way to educate our children.

Helping Parents Adapt to the New Orleans Schools

Many former students of the New Orleans Schools are still scattered in other cities around the nation. But for those who returned to the emerging new system, the past school year has been confusing and often frenzied. Low-income parents and parents with little education are rarely comfortable in academic settings. But these are the people who the New Orleans Schools need to reach out to most.

A coalition of community groups has come together to create a parents guide to the new New Orleans Schools. The New Orleans Parents' Guide to Public Schools contains a ton of information on the school options available, how to obtain lost documents, childcare, and picking the best school for your child.

The guide lists all 69 of the new New Orleans Schools, maps, photos, how to register, and transportation for each. The goal of the guide is two-fold. First, it aims to make parents more comfortable with the New Orleans Schools. Second, it tries to make accessing the information they need as convenient as possible. A list of locations where parents of children in the New Orleans Schools can pick up the book is available at http://www.nolaparentsguide.org .

The book's editor, Aesha Raheed, said, Empowering all of our families is a critical step for us to redesign public education in New Orleans. We're focused on student achievement and academic outcomes. We have an opportunity to push us in that direction. We're redefining what the expectations of public education are... and making sure our students get the best education they can.

Challenges of Low Income Populations

Educators in New Orleans Schools are intimately familiar with the challenges of educationing at-risk populations. Children who come from poverty, who have poorly educated parents, or absent parents, or live in dangerous environments, are more likely to suffer from attention issues, undiagnosed learning disabilites, and to struggle in school. As a result of Hurricane Katrina, many of these children in the New Orleans Schools are now dealing with post-traumatic shock issues as well.

The one unexpected benefit of the devastating hurricane is that the New Orleans Schools are being rebuilt from the ground up. Administrators, educators, and parents of the New Orleans Schools district are creating new public schools, charter schools and other initiatives designed to provide all children with adequate public education.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Louisiana/New-Orleans/index.htmlStevena Blog87908
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Pittsburg Schools Magnet Schools Programs

Pittsburg Schools Holds a Magnet School Information Fair

The Pittsburg Schools is holding an Information Fair aimed at providing parents with the information they need to provide their children with the best opportunities. The Pittsburg Schools Magnet Information Fair will be held on October 7th at the Frick International Studies Academy. Pittsburg Schools Magnet schools and educational programs aim to provide students with the best opportunities in areas of special interest, talents, or future career pursuits. Enrollment in the magnet program is expected to lasts one year and students enrolled in the program must maintain proper academic progress, citizenship and attendance. If the student cannot meet these requirements the student will be transferred back into their assigned school.

The Pittsburg Schools Magnet Information Fair is important because there are only a limited number of spaces available. Fifty percent of these places are reserved for students of African American background with the remaining positions for students of other races in order to preserve a racial balance. Faculty and students from the Pittsburg Schools magnet schools will be at the Magnet Information Fair in order to help answer questions parents may have. Magnet options are available in elementary, middle and high school students.

A preferred registration period will be offered from October 9-20. Preferred registration in the Pittsburg Schools magnet schools programs is offered to students who: are currently enrolled in the Pittsburg Schools magnet program and wish to reenroll in the same magnet program; younger siblings of any student who is currently enrolled in the same magnet program in the same school where the younger sibling is applying; and finally a geographic preference is offered to certain students based on space and racial balance, students with difficulties in mobility will also be given geographic preference to the magnet program to which they apply.

General Information About the Pittsburg Schools Magnet Schools

Pittsburg Schools Magnet Schools program provides students the opportunity to pursue certain special interest and talents. Several of the Pittsburg Schools magnet programs offer the opportunity to begin in kindergarten and continue on into middle and high school. General registration to the Pittsburg Schools magnet program will be from November 1-15. When the student is finally accepted to the Pittsburg Schools magnet program is based on the promotion to the grade that is being applied. Twins who are accepted to the same magnet school program will not be separated. Notification of acceptance to the program will be in January of 2007.

If there are too many acceptable applicants then a lottery may be used. This lottery will include all the applicants from both the general and preferred registration periods. Applicants who submitted their applicants after November 15 will not be in the lottery. A computerized system will be used to decide how the students will be arranged. Parents and students will be informed by mail. Only the grades of kindergarten, sixth, or ninth are entry grades and students must meet certain requirements for other grades.

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information on Pittsburgh schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/index.html.Sibyl Blog96812
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College Basketball Milestones

Basketball is a favorite pastime of kids and adults alike. American kids grow up with dreams of earning scholarships and reaching fame in the college league.

Basketball owes its origin to Dr. James Naismith, who invented the sport in 1892. Before long, the popularity of the game caught on and it was being played in American colleges. The first official game involving a college team was played between Geneva College and the New Brighton YMCA in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania on April 8, 1893. On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate game was played between the Minnesota State School of Agriculture and Hamline College. Minnesota won that game, 9 to 3.

The introduction of the five-player format was the next major college basketball milestone. This happened during an intercollegiate game in Iowa City on January 18, 1896. By the early 1900s, the basketball was being played in ninety colleges, mostly in the East and Midwest. This number continued to swell, and by 1914 as many as 360 colleges were playing college basketball.

In 1915, the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States, the NCAA and the YMCA banded together to streamline the game. A committee was organized to frame rules and during this time, a number of regional conferences were formed.

The first NCAA Men's College Basketball Championship tournament was organized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and held in Evanston in 1939. A crowd of 5,500 cheering basketball fans watched the University of Oregon with the game. After this, the NCAA took over the national basketball championship tournament, and another college basketball milestone was realized.

In 1940, college basketball made it to the small screen. The first televised college game was played between Pittsburgh and Fordham at Madison Square Garden. This was the beginning of a national obsession with basketball and since then, the game has drawn huge crowds. The most-watched event in the United States is March Madness, when nearly 350 American colleges come together to compete for the NCAA basketball crown.

The NCAA tournament had relatively humble beginnings, with just eight teams competing against each other representing each of the eight NCAA districts. In 1951 the number of teams doubled to sixteen. In this format, ten conference champions qualified automatically, while the remaining six teams were chosen on the basis of their performance. In 1954, the number of teams went up to 24, and a 32-team bracket was adopted in 1975. Further increases saw the number of teams jump to 48 in 1980, and to 64 in 1985.

Over the years, college basketball has gone through remarkable changes. Many players have showcased their talents on campus courts and risen to become basketball superstars, and most NBA stars trace their origins to college basketball.

More than 120 years after it was first invented, the game of basketball is more popular than ever. Who knows what college basketball milestones lay ahead?

Daniel Thomas contributes to several online magazines, such as http://bivec.com and http://kesaw.com.Shauna Blog96390
Sher Blog14450

Great Jobs Resulting From An Online It Degree

There are many great places to work in America, however many people feel constantly dragged down by the lack of job opportunities they feel exist. Actually, there are many jobs available for those with the right qualifications. Many times it is just a matter of deciding what you want to do, researching what it takes to obtain that position, and setting a plan into place to achieve that goal. This is a lot simpler task than most people make it out to be. There is no job in the world that can't be yours with the right training. In fact, most people can land a job by simply obtaining the proper qualifications, and having an optimistic attitude. The position probably won't just drop into your lap, and it will take hard work and diligent effort. While the attitude part is something you must come to on your own, training for a career will take some effort. Online degrees are becoming very popular and are something to consider. In fact, considering an online IT degree may be just the right fit for someone looking for advancement.

Having an online IT degree is something people once overlooked as a position for the computer whiz at a not so common computer based company. With computers now playing such an important role in day to day operations, the IT positions are extremely valuable within most organizations. As the technology gap is bridged between software applications, and the internet, more and more students are earning their online IT degree, and profiting from the experience. Counting all the major online programs can be a dubious task, but no matter what the other programs online have to offer, the online IT degree is still one of the most valuable degrees one can earn, and will help you become a more profitable individual in the process.

The reason that an online IT degree is a direct path to great jobs is that the certification allows you to do so much that many people simply aren't qualified to do. With this degree you will be able to work with computers and the internet in ways that most people can't. If a company wants a quality IT professional to help them with their needs, the market rate is somewhere in the fifty to sixty thousand dollar a year range. With your online IT degree you will be eligible for that salary. Many of those working at companies today find themselves among the top paid professionals in the company with their IT certifications fully utilized.

Making a lot of money, and having a great job certainly helps a person's life change for the better. Doing something you love is the single best way one can be happy. Most people surveyed in America simply do not enjoy what they do for a living, while those that have earned an online IT degree for the most part are very pleased with their job. This is because most people in these positions spend their days working with computers, and helping others adapt to new technology through troubleshooting. The bottom line is that having an online IT degree is one way to get a job that you might have once thought was impossible. You may find yourself to be one the highest paid employees in the company, and wake up most days ready for the challenges and looking forward to the workday ahead.

Andy West is a freelance writer for Virginia College. Virginia College Online offers many Online IT Degree programs. Please visit Virginia College Online at http://www.vconline.edu/site/department.cfm?Department_ID=3 to select the online program that is right for you.Shandy Blog19166
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