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2 BucksLocalNews.com EDUCATION GUIDE March 3, 2011
In light of the country’s economicdownturn, few topics are as prevalent as stress. In
the course of the last year, many families have suf-
fered the loss of their income, and many more have
even lost their homes.
The reality of a recession always illustrates the prob-
lem of stress. But for the nation’s students, stress is
a reality that, unlike economic woes, is more perma-
nent than it is temporary. Handling stress is a large
part of being successful in the classroom, particular-
ly as students advance through high school and into
higher education. But handling stress is different
for everyone, and there are myriad healthy ways in
which students can cope with stress.
• Combine regular exercise with a healthy diet. Studies
abound as to the mental benefits of exercise.
Exercise not only improves a person’s physical
health, but also has a positive impact on mood,
oftentimes making it easier to cope with stress.
Part of that is because exercise relieves
muscle tension, which can build up greatly in
individuals suffering from significant stress. In addi-
tion, the negative effects of stress can be weight
gain and other damaging physical effects, makingexercise especially important for those
under constant stress.
While a healthy diet can be difficult for the
nation’s college students, that doesn’t mean it isn’t
important. Recognizing that, many of the nation’s
universities have increased their efforts to provide
students with healthier fare at dining halls or other
campus eateries. Students should take advantage of
this whenever and wherever possible. Eating well
can also help reduce stress, as a balanced diet will
provide both the energy and nutrients necessary to
handle a full load.• Learn to take a breather. Adults often take breaks
when going through the daily grind, and students
should make note and follow suit. Studying for too
long without taking a break can be counterpro-
ductive, as concentration will begin to wane after
too long, making it increasingly difficult to soak
in studies. Schedule breaks into each study ses-
sion, whether it’s to go for a walk, jog or simply
fit in a healthy meal. But don’t allow break time to
become too big a distraction.
• Determine the root cause of the stress. Work is typically the root cause of adult stress, and school is often
the cause for students. Many students s tretch them-
selves too thin, hoping to gain as much as they
can from their high school or college experience
and therefore filling their schedules. But students
who feel as though they’re being pulled in too
many directions should drop an activity or two.
For instance, playing a varsity sport while holding
down a part-time job and having a full courseload
is simply doing too much. If a class is getting to
be too much to handle, students should consult a
teacher and explain the situation.
• Don’t be afraid to speak about stress. Many students
find it healthy and rejuvenating to simply speak
about their levels of stress. This helps to get things
off their chest, and it also inadvertently gives them
time away from studies. Be it sharing experiences
with stress among fellow students or simply talk-
ing to Mom and Dad, students should speak about
stress in an effort to combat its ill effects.
Handling The Stress Of Being A Student
Regardless of where a personmight be, distractions abound in this highly techno-logical age. Adults at the office can get distractedby the Internet, instant messaging, text messageson their cell phones, and a host of other thingsthat weren’t around as recently as 10 years ago.
While adults might be capable of juggling these
distractions and still meeting the demands of their
commitments and responsibilities, children are
likely less capable. In fact, distractions such as
social networking Web sites, instant messaging andcell phones can make study time exceedingly dif-
ficult. However, there are steps parents can take to
ensure their children can focus without distraction
on their schoolwork.
• Have a household study hour. Parents of two or more
children might find a daily household study hour
an effective means to minimizing distraction. Let
children sit together as they study or do their
homework, even if they’re in different grades.
During this household study hour, parents should
refrain from watching television or doing any-
thing else that could distract kids from their stud-ies. Use the time kids are studying to prepare din-
ner, read a book or magazine, clean up around
the house, or walk the dog. But avoid doing
anything that kids might find more fun than their
homework.
• Make it a daily commitment. Kids don’t necessarily
have homework or a test to study for every day.
However, on days when kids don’t take any
work or studies home from school, spend at least
a little time going over current lessons. Making
a daily commitment will help reinforce lessons
already learned and will also help establish aknown routine wherein kids expect to do some
schoolwork every day. Substantial time does not
need to be set aside on “off days,” but enough
time to make it more than a passing exercise.
• Schedule study time after snack time. Children won’t
be able to concentrate fully if their stomach is
growling. So before kids sit down to crack the
books after getting home from school, sit with
them and have a snack. This can be a time for
them to unwind and a healthy snack will give
them the energy they need to study hard and
get their work done.
• Make the study area comfortable. Kids will be dis-
tracted by an uncomfortable seat or a room
that’s too hot or too cold. While it’s common
for kids to study at the desk in their bedroom,
such an arrangement might prove too distract-
ing, as many of today’s kids have bedrooms that
resemble an electronics store showroom. A study
area that’s not within earshot of a television
should have comfortable chairs (no studying on
the couch), a pleasant temperature (room tem-
perature should suffice) and plenty of fresh air so kids don’t grow tired or congested as they do
their work.
Creating Study HabitsFor Kids At Home
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March 3, 2011 BucksLocalNews.ComEDUCATION GUIDE 3
“Americanconsumers are paying high
prices for low-quality food, and so are our public
schools,” says Jane Hersey, director of the non-profit
Feingold Association of the US.
Hersey is one of many thousands of parents who use
the low-additive Feingold diet to resolve their child’s
ADHD symptoms (www.ADHDdiet.org).
“We learned how to shop smarter and find the foods
our families love,” she maintains. “You don’t have to
give up the convenience of processed foods, just buy
the brand that is free of additives like food dyes.”
The Feingold Association researches food and com-piles books listing thousands of acceptable brands,
including mixes, frozen foods, snacks, and even des-
serts and candies.
Many schools in the United States serve an astonish-
ing stew of synthetic chemicals (most of them made
from petroleum) that have been shown to trigger
behavior, learning and health problems. Not only are
these factory foods overpriced, but they are respon-
sible for many of the troubling symptoms that are so
expensive for schools to address. Back in 1979-1983,
when the New York City school system removed
additives like food dyes and artificial flavors, they
found that test scores of all the students rose from
the 39th to the 55th percentile on the California
Achievement Test.
What’s more, the number of children who were 2 or
more years behind grade level plummeted from over
12 percent to less than 5 percent. This translates to a
huge saving in the cost of remedial services.
Schools can continue to use processed foods if they
want, but simply switch to those versions that don’t
have the Red 40, Yellow 5 and other petrochemicals.
They don’t need to buy meat dishes that are loaded
with high fructose corn syrup and MSG. In fact, the
low-cost government commodity foods are a bet-
ter alternative for any
school, and a few items
made from scratch can
save even more money.
The Feingold Associationapplauds all of the initia-
tives that are being
taken to bring healthy foods to schools, and offers
options that can be adopted by any school. But
while many find the issue to be complicated, Hersey
maintains that it really is quite simple.
“If you turn the clock back to the 1950s schoolchildren were not plagued with ADHD, bi-polar
disorders, diabetes, chronic asthma, depression, vio-
lent behaviors, chronic ear infections, and all of the
developmental problems we are seeing today. While
there may be many contributing factors, one that
stands out is the drastic change in the food children
eat today. And one of the simplest and most effective
solutions is to feed children food ... real food. If our
school cafeterias today looked more like the school
cafeterias of a generation or two ago, then our class-
rooms today would be far different as well.
Princeton Latin Academy Presents An
Original Theatrical Opera
Better School Food, Better Students
Each year Princeton Latin
Academy, a small independent private
school rooted in a classical liberal arts
education tucked beyond the trees on
Route 518 in Hopewell, performs an
original theatrical work-- an opera.
The School’s rich curriculum
of literature, art, music, history,
philosophy and language culminatesin the production of an opera. Students
work with the headmaster and music
teacher transforming a canonical piece
of literature into an opera. Through this
experience, children learn to be part of
something greater than themselves.
This year’s opera, the 23rd for
Princeton Latin Academy, is a
presentation of W.E.B. Du Bois’ The
Quest of the Silver Fleece. Francesco
Perrulli, headmaster and founder of the
academy, explained his literary choice
saying, “February was Black History
Month. What better way to understand
than through a novel? Facts do not tell
the story and Du Bois firmly believed
in education, being himself well
educated.” Through this experience,
students of Princeton Latin Academy
are studying African American history
through the eyes of one of the most
esteemed African American scholars of
the nineteenth century.Christiana Wittenborn, a 7th year
parent of the school, said of watching
her two children transform through
the operas, “unlike a copyrighted
production, written by people they
have no association with, the children
feel much more connected to the story
because they know it was written by
their peers.”
One of the most impressive and
important aspects of the opera is the
writing workshop in which the twosenior classes compose the lyrics for
the performance. Helen Wittenborn, a
6th grader at Princeton Latin Academy,
said of her experience writing the
music, “It’s not just about coming up
with the right word, but the right word
with the right number of syllables,
with the right emphasis, where the
[linguistic] emphasis fits with emphasis
of the music.”
While the opera, presented by the
children of Princeton Latin Academy,
is undeniably unique, there is nothing
like experiencing the piece firsthand.
If you are interested in attending this
year’s opera, The Quest of the Silver
Fleece, you may either receive tickets
online at:
http://www.princetonlatinacademy.
com/operareservations.htm, or by
calling the school directly at (609)-
924-2206. The performances will take
place March 16th
, 17th, and 18th
at 1:00 pm.
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High school students, particularly high school
seniors, anxiously anticipate their next step after high school. Withthe freedom and excitement of college just around the corner, it’s
no wonder high school seniors often catch a case of “senioritis” as
the school year carries on.
With university acceptance letters already in hand, many seniors
might be able to relax somewhat and enjoy their waning days of
high school with friends. High school juniors, however, can use
their third year of high school to set themselves apart from their
classmates as well as the competition at other schools. Taking the
following tips to heart will not only help kids gain entry into the
school of their choice, but possibly help them gain some financial
assistance as well.• Consult a guidance counselor.
While smaller high schools might feel more like a tight-knit
community in which everyone knows one another, larger high
schools can make it difficult for students to connect to the fac-
ulty at their disposal. This is especially challenging for a student/
guidance counselor relationship. High school students might
not have needed their guidance counselor much during their
first two years of high school, but a guidance counselor should
be sought out once junior year begins. Guidance counselors can
help students choose the right courses as well as give advice on
which standardized tests certain colleges require for admission.Guidance counselors might also be able to steer kids toward
colleges the students might be interested in, helping to get the
ballrolling on that process.
• Study for standardized tests.Too many high school juniors feel the SAT or ACT exams are
something to be worried about after junior year. While it can bea good approach to take these exams very early in the senior
year of high school, students should begin studying for standard-
ized tests no later than junior year of high school. The local
bookstore sells exam preparation books and a student’s own
school might even provide preparatory classes. The more famil-
iar a student gets with the format of the SAT or ACT exams the
more comfortable that student is likely to be when it comes time
to take the actual test.
High school juniors hoping to gain early admission to their uni-
versity of choice should consult their guidance counselor as to
when the best time is to take the standardized tests that schoolrequires. Early admissions decisions typically come in late fall, so
students who have not taken standardized tests in time might
not qualify for admission if those test scores are not accessible
by the early application deadline.
• Visit schools. High school students often have no idea what
to expect from the college experience. With that in mind, it can
be very difficult to choose potential schools. High school juniors
can remove some of the mystery by visiting schools throughout
their third year of high school. On-campus visits and open-house
events provide a glimpse of what college life is like at different
schools and can begin to give high school students ideas as to
what they may or may not like about certain schools. For high
school students who cannot make a campus visit, visit the schools’
Web sites and fill out requests for information. When doing so, list
College Prep Tips for High School Juniors
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March 3, 2011 BucksLocalNews.ComEDUCATION GUIDE 5
Accredited by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools
www.NewtownFriends.org
Newtown Friends SchoolA PreKindergarten through eighth grade coed day school
Financial Aid Available
January 23rd 2-4pm
WINTEROPEN HOUSE
potential areas of study that might be of interest and request addi-
tional information about those courses.
• Research different loans, grants and scholarship oppor-
tunities.
High school juniors might be surprised to learn the number of scholarship, loan and grant opportunities available to them.
Oftentimes, locally based scholarships and grants have very specific
requirements. High school juniors should research such require-
ments to ensure they have a chance at earning scholarships and
grants that could help reduce the increasingly costly burden of
attending a college or university.
Traditional Textbooks
May Be Replacedby E-Readers
E-readers are palm-sized electronic devices that can
offer newspapers, magazines and books as digital content. While
they can be convenient for the recreational reader, e-books may
be a boon to students as well.
The e-reader market exploded when Amazon introduced its
Kindle and Kindle 2. Sony, Barnes & Noble and other companies
have also introduced their own e-reader devices. While the main-
stay of e-reader revenue is generated from downloaded fiction
and nonfiction books, e-book reader companies are realizing
the benefits of offering digital versions of textbooks as well. Amazon
has already contracted with three textbook companies to offer digital
editions. This could mark the move from cumbersome textbooks to
compact information.
Many professors already instruct their students to go online for information, to read blogs or download digital content from Web
sites capable of staying current in today’s increasingly fast news cycle.
Soon they may be instructing them to purchase the latest editions of
textbooks delivered right to an e-reader device.
There are several advantages to having textbook material available
for e-readers. The first, and most obvious, is the weight issue. The
average college student takes 5 classes per semester. That can equal
5 or more textbooks to purchase, each weighing several pounds. A
student has the potential to be carrying 50 pounds on his or her back
at any given time, and that can lead to injury. In comparison, most
e-readers weigh just a few ounces and can hold a thousand books or
more, depending on file size. A student can carry all of the required
textbooks right in a back pocket.
The next advantage is cost. While e-readers require an up-front cost
of roughly $300, some textbooks can cost as much. Although the cost
of textbook material delivered to an e-reader is still unknown, and
likely based on the individual publisher, it may be more affordable
than on-campus book store prices. Also, should a traditional textbook
be lost, a student has to repurchase it.
Many e-readers feature back-up ability, where a previously
purchased book can be retrieved free from a database or
storage device.
Convenience is another factor for e-books. Students simply browse
wirelessly for their desired reading and download it in mere minutes.
This is certainly more time-efficient than waiting on long lines at the
campus bookstore or waiting for books to be delivered through the
mail from online sources.
E-readers have the potential to be successful for school use, but
they need to have the support of professors behind them. For a
device like e-readers to garner broad acceptance, institutions may
need to make the devices part of the school’s requirements. This
is similar to many schools requiring all students own a laptop.
Students who are unable to afford an e-reader may be subsidized for
the device or be able to use student loans to pay for them.
E-readers can be advantageous in the classroom and students can
also use them for their own personal purposes.
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6 BucksLocalNews.com EDUCATION GUIDE March 3, 2011
Teaching kids to use the Internetproperly at an early age will help them per-form better at school and later in life whenthey enter the workforce.
It’s all about training them to use such tools assearch engines, social networking sites, e-mailand blogs more effectively, while staying safein the process.
“There are many new technologies that canhelp kids learn to make better use of their time online while protecting them from dan-gerous content,” says John Rodkin, GeneralManager of Search at InfoSpace, a developer of Internet metasearch products. “InfoSpace.com, for example, combines results from other top search engines and offers custom filteringto block inappropriate online content fromsearch results.”
There are several things to teach kids togive them a solid foundation when using theInternet:
Teaching Kids To UseThe Internet And Social
Networks Safely
• Basic Safety: Always monitor children’s computer usage. Be aware of sites they visit and theamount of time spent there. Consider usingsoftware programs that restrict access to vio-
lent, pornographic and other inappropriateWeb sites.
• Safe Surfing, E-mailing and Chatting: Just as youwouldn’t let your children hang out in inap-propriate places until late at night, so shouldyou teach kids only to visit safe Web sites of which you approve. The same goes for e-mailand chat rooms. When teaching kids not totalk to strangers, extend this idea to e-mail andonline chatting. Make sure they understand
people aren’t always who they claim to beonline and never to meet anybody in personwho they first met online.
• Posting and Tweeting Carefully: Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites can be greatways for kids to socialize with friends online,but they first need to be taught basic rules.Instruct them not to share personal informa-tion since what they post or tweet aboutbecomes public information.
• Searching Smarter: Kids should learn to use asearch engine, as it will help in everythingfrom researching schoolwork to finding a job.Train them to make smarter use of their timeto find what they need faster. Take them to
search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo! andAsk to see how they work. Then show themthey don’t need to choose one over the other and they can find results from all of them
at once by using a metasearch site such asInfoSpace.com which delivers results fromall the leading search engines. It also deliversreal-time search results from Twitter, so they can learn what people are saying about topicsthey’re researching. Users can choose to filter search results or block Twitter results fromappearing in searches on InfoSpace.com if they have concerns about content.
• Getting Trusted Results: Just because you’ve taught
your child to properly use the Web, doesn’tmean all that information is trustworthy. Whenkids begin doing research for school assign-ments, teach them to evaluate the credibility of sites. Coach them to check each site’s sourceand question it: Did a trusted organization or company publish it? Is the author or blogger really a reputable expert?“Mastering the Internet and using social net-working sites safely are skills that will help kidsthroughout their school years and careers,”
emphasizes Rodkin. “It doesn’t have to be achallenging and dangerous place if you teach them to follow the rules.”
Plagiarism Won’t Make The Grade
Students, be they in high school or college,
often face tough deadlines. Increasingly busy schedules
has led many students to use questionable resourceswhen hurrying to fi nish assignments. The Internet offers
a wealth of content, much of which is diffi cult to cite or
verify. Unfortunately, this information often proves too
tempting for students to ignore. While plagiarism has
long been an issue in the nation’s schools, the Internet
has made it even more prevalent.
The word “plagiarism” is a derivative of a Latin word for
kidnapping. More than 60 percent of students have ad-
mitted to plagiarism, according to a study from Rutgers
University.
Plagiarism in the age of technology isn’t always black and white. Students might fi nd it diffi cult to determine
what is right and wrong regarding using material found
online. However, plagiarism is illegal, and in some
schools it can result in a failing grade or even suspen-
sion or expulsion. A student with a history of plagiarism
might also fi nd they have credibility issues down the
road.
Most published works are protected under The Copy-
right Act. Exceptions to the rule include compilations
of readily available information, works published by
the government, facts that are commonly known andnot the result of original research, and material in the
public domain. Although not all material is copyrighted,
students should always cite any materials of which they
are uncertain.
The easiest way to avoid plagiarism is to use unique
ideas when constructing reports and assignments. When
using facts or phrases from research material, properly
citing sources is the best way to credit the original au-
thor. Paraphrasing important points is acceptable so long
as the original points are cited as resources.
When working on assignments, students must remem-
ber that borrowing too many words or ideas from other
individuals -- even if properly cited -- is typically not
the way to a good grade. Professors want students to
understand the material and present that knowledge in a
succinct, intelligent way.
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March 3, 2011 BucksLocalNews.ComEDUCATION GUIDE 7
Answering Questions About Continuing Education
The Grey Nun AcademyAdvantage
Adults go back to school for a variety of rea-
sons. They may have personal accomplishment goals or
their motivation could be purely fi nancial. Unemploy-
ment has recently led many individuals back to the
classroom.
Many colleges and universities report that re-entry or
adult students are the new majority on campus. Adults
ages 25 to 69 are increasingly enrolling in courses
around the country.
Going back to school is a serious undertaking. Not only
is it an investment of time, but it is also an investment of
money. For those thinking about going back to school,
consider these questions.
1. Is now the right time? Those going back to school
because they think it might provide better job pros-
pects or yield higher salaries could be mistaken. Many
employers are cutting continuing-education grants
and scaling back on hires with advanced degrees.
That’s because companies are feeling the heat of the
recession as well. Advanced degrees generally meanhaving to pay an employee a higher salary, something
many companies are not in a position to do right
now. Therefore, an advanced degree might prove a
hindrance in today’s job market and not become the
fi nancial windfall some students expect. If this is the
case, delaying an advanced degree for a few years
may be a more fi nancially sound idea.
2. What are your goals? Individuals need to examine
their long- and short-term goals regarding education.
Goals should include whether time is available to
complete the degree. Some degrees can take monthsor years to fi nish, depending on how many credits a
person already has. Is the goal to receive a completely
different degree and begin a new career? If so, adults
should put it down on paper so they have a defi nite
goal in sight.
3. Are the finances available? Attending school is no
small undertaking. Whether a public, private or online
school, tuition can cost several thousand dollars per
year. Tests taken to be accepted to school can cost
money, and books will be needed for coursework. If
money is tight right now, continuing school may notbe the best option, especially if high-interest loans
are the only viable means to continuing education.
However, if the fi nances are there and school won’t
detract from other bills, then school might be the right
choice.
4. What is the right school? Those who have a full-
time job can look into a school that offers evening
or weekend classes. Many schools now offer online
courses that allow individuals to take classes re-
motely. There is a growing interest in schools that
specifi cally specialize in online degrees. Such schoolsenable students to take classes on their own time and
complete assignments in a manner that’s less time-
specifi c. Continuing students who may not have a
spouse or children can move around to the school of
choice. Once again, fi nances fi gure to play a major
role when deciding on a school.
5. Is a college degree really necessary? For many,
continuing education doesn’t mean heading to a col-
lege campus. It can involve taking certifi cate
programs and vocational training.
GreyNun Academy, a 2009 nationally
recognized Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, is a
private, Catholic co-educational elementary school
serving students of all denominations from Pre-
kindergarten through Grade 8.
Located in Yardley, Pennsylvania, Grey Nun
Academy is a community committed to the intel-
lectual, emotional, social and spiritual growth of our
students.
While honoring the individual needs of every child,we deliver strong academics in a nurturing environ-
ment, resulting in unsurpassed preparation for high
school and beyond.
We encourage you to catch the welcoming spirit and
sense of community which are hallmarks of Grey
Nun Academy by visiting our Open House sched-
uled for Tuesday, April 12th from 9-11 a.m.
Experience our children; meet our inspirational
teachers; talk with committed parents. Addition-
ally, we invite you to explore our website at www.
gnaedu.org, gaining a glimpse of who we are and thevalue of a GNA education.
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