Happy Holidays!

Have a safe and happy holiday season. Enjoy your time away from school. I will see you when school resumes on January 3, 2008.

Eating Habits and the Holidays

As I look at the plate of cookies and two doughnuts on my desk, and think about the three packages of truffles at home (all of which are gracious holiday gifts, and I am very appreciative), I can't help but consider how much weight I will add to my frame over the holidays. We all hear about weight gain during this time of year as we celebrate and indulge with our family and friends. Keep in mind that having your weight continually yo-yo is not healthy. During your teen years, develop some healthy habits that you can carry with you into adulthood.

Here are some resources:
Kids Health - Healthy Eating
Ask the Dietitian
Make Healthy Eating a Habit
Caring for Kids - Promoting Healthy Eating Habits
WebMD - Children's Health
Readers Digest - Healthy Eating Habits for Kids
Healthy Holiday Eating Habits

Teen Driving Safety

Teenage drivers have some of the highest accident rates. As we begin to see the white stuff hitting - and sticking to - the ground, please practice safe driving.

Do NOT use your cell phone while driving.

Do NOT text message while driving.

Keep the radio volume to a low level so that you can hear things happening outside of the vehicle.

Scrape off ALL of your windows and defrost them COMPLETELY before pulling out of your parking space or driveway.

Just because it doesn't look icy doesn't mean it isn't. Learn more about black ice.

Here are some resources to help our students become better drivers, especially in Ohio winters.

National Safety Council - Family Guide to Teen Driver Safety
Child Development Information - Driving Safety for Teenagers
Teen Driving
CDC - Teen Drivers Fact Sheet
Edmunds - Teen Driver Safety Series
American Academy of Pediatrics - Parenting Corner - Teen Driver
I Promise Program
Allstate - Help Your Teen Become a Safe Driver
Ohio Teen Driver Coalition
Weather.com - Driving in Snow and Ice
Ohio Winter Driving Safety Tips
ODOT Winter Driving Tips

FAFSA .pdf available

If filing online for financial aid is not for you, the .pdf version that can be printed and mailed in is now available. Check it out!

http://www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov/fafsa/fafsa_options.html

Scholarships

Are you looking for alternate ways to fund your college education? Make sure you check the list of scholarships available through the Guidance Office. A printed copy is available; you can also check online.

Do not limit your search to the scholarships we receive. Check out Fastweb or Broke Scholar or one of the many other scholarship search programs on the Internet.

Do NOT pay for a scholarship. If you think it's too good to be true, it probably is. If you are concerned that the scholarship may be a scam, come see me and I will help you investigate. For more information on how to spot a scam, go here.

College Deposits

It's beginning to look a lot like... college decision letter time. When you receive an acceptance letter, many times the schools will request that you mail in a deposit to confirm your attendance. This can be a confusing situation, especially as you receive numerous letters, and I will attempt to clarify some of the points.

1. Do NOT deposit at multiple schools. Perry HS is a member of the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC). We agree to follow their ethics codes (Statement of Principles of Good Practice), which states a student will not deposit at multiple schools. From a different perspective, this can get very expensive.

2. You do NOT have to deposit before May 1. If a college requests your deposit by a different deadline, TELL ME. They are in violation of the ethics codes if they do not grant an extension until May 1. You may have to request an extension in writing, which I suggest you do so that you have a copy for your records.

3. You must deposit by May 1. If you do not, the school may give your spot to someone else.

4. If you deposit before May 1 and change your mind, you may request in writing prior to May 1 for a refund of your deposit.

Still confused. I bet. It can be a very confusing process. Come see me or call me, and I will help you with your individual questions.

PSAT scores are in

If you (sophomore or junior) took the PSAT, your scores are in the Guidance Office. We've had the news on the announcements and made an announcement during lunches, but still have many in the office. See your counselor to receive your test booklet, score report, and a lesson on how to read and use the information.

Having Boys as Friends Can Boost Young Girls' Drinking Risk (HealthDay News)

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/addiction/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100184658&gt1=10710

Study in twins finds a strong link
-- Robert Preidt

MONDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- For girls, especially, having friends of the opposite sex during adolescence can raise the likelihood for alcohol use.

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University analyzed data on 4,700 twins in Finland.

They focused on the association between friendship characteristics and alcohol use and the extent to which genetic and/or environmental factors influenced similarity in drinking behaviors among adolescents and their friends.

"Our findings suggest that girls may be more susceptible to their friends' drinking and that having opposite-sex friends who drink is also associated with increased drinking," corresponding author Danielle Dick, now of Virginia Commonwealth University, said in a prepared statement. Dick was an assistant professor at Washington University in St. Louis at the time of the study.

"Furthermore, genetically based analyses suggest that the correlation between adolescent/friend drinking was largely attributable to shared environmental effects across genders," Dick said.

Parents need to be aware of their children's friends and how they spend their time together. "This awareness is particularly important for girls, and when the friendship group consists of members of the opposite sex," Dick said.

The study is published in the December issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
"Those who design and implement [drinking] prevention approaches should take gender into account as a potentially critical moderator of prevention outcomes," Kenneth J. Sher, Curators' Professor in the department of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri, said in a prepared statement.

"We need to better understand the 'why' of sex differences in risk in order to shed important light on the nature of risk processes," Sher said. "For example, are girls potentially more 'vulnerable' to peer-related effects at this stage of life because they are likely to be more intimately involved with their closest friends that are boys? That is, does gender simply serve as a 'proxy' of a variable such as intimacy or closeness during this time of their lives?"

The Nemours Foundation has more about kids and alcohol.

FREE Scholarship Search Book

The Student Loan Funding Network has put a FREE ebook on their website - Scholarship Search Secrets. You can print the book using the Adobe Acrobat reader. Go here to check it out:

http://www.studentscholarshipsearch.com/ebook/

January 2008 - Events and Dates to Remember

Jan. 1 - Winter Break - No School
Jan. 2 - Winter Break - No School
Jan. 3 - First Day Back to School
Fall OGT scores posted
Jan. 4 - ACT Registration Deadline (for Feb. 9 test)
Jan. 10 - Freshman (class of 2012) registration evening
First day of semester exams (3-6 blocks)
Jan. 11 - First semester ends
Second day of semester exams (1-2 blocks)
Students dismissed at 11:00AM
Jan. 14 - Staff Development Day - No students
Jan. 17 - Sophomore (class of 2011) registration evening
Jan. 18 - Report cards distributed
Jan. 21 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School
Jan. 23 - Open House
Jan. 26 - OMEA Solo/Ensemble Contest
Midwest Talent Search - SAT
SAT Test
Jan. 29 - SAT Registration Deadline (for Mar. 1 test)

Divorce and the holidays

Planning holiday gatherings can be difficult in the best of situations. When a divorce has occured, it can complicate things even more. Students do not frequently speak up about the stress of the holidays, particularly those students who travel between different parent's houses for the holidays.

Here are some resources on divorce that I have used when working with students.

Children and Divorce
Counseling Corner: Children and Divorce
DivorceInfo.com
Helping Children Through Divorce
Kids in the Middle
The Ultimate Divorce Guide

See my past blog on working with kids and holiday stress.

Study: All-nighters Hurt Grades

"Students who rely on working at night to improve their grades might want to sleep on that strategy: a new survey in the U.S. says those who never study all night have slightly higher grades."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22259233/

Financial Aid Night

Thank you to everyone who attended my Financial Aid Information Night last night.

If you were unable to attend, do not fret! We recorded the presentation, and it will air on Channel 22 beginning next Thursday. Check the listing information for times. We are also turning it into a podcast and will put a link on the Guidance Home page. I will let you know when that is complete.

I refer to several handouts in the presentation. Copies are available in the Guidance Office.

Leadership Development Opportunity

The Lima Family YMCA is pleased to offer teens finishing 9th grade to 12th grade a two-week service learning experience June 12-26, 2008 on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. The program is designed to promote leadership development through service, youth-to-youth interaction, and cultural experiences with the Lakota people. An informational meeting will be held Thursday, January 29 at 7:15. Please see you Guidance Counselor for more information.

Facebook and MySpace

I read an article yesterday on the CNN web page about a group on Facebook that worries me. This group encourages women to post pictures and videos of themselves when they are inebriated and, many times, in not-safe situations. When I viewed the group closer (yes, I have a Facebook account - I'm not that old), I came across pictures of high school students. For fear of seeing a picture of one of my students, I stopped viewing the page. But I can't stop thinking about what I saw.

Please consider the following:

1. The web is PUBLIC. IF you post to a public page (and most Facebook and MySpace groups are public), ANYONE can view the information. Before you post, please think: what would my parents think? my grandparents? my employer? my children? There are sites that archive everything on the Internet. Don't think that just because you erased something it can no longer be viewed.

2. Employers and Colleges are on Facebook and MySpace. They read your postings. Indeed, they can - and do - Google your name. I have read about students who are not getting into college because of their postings. It is not an urban legend. Refer to #1 - it is PUBLIC.

3. There are predators on Facebook and MySpace. We say this over and over again. Protect yourself. Do not give detailed personal information. Set your pages to private. Do not add friends just because they sent you a request.

4. Our student handbook (pages 39-43, 48, 81-83) outlines that cyber-bullying is punishable. We know that there are and have been groups that target other students. Again, refer to #1 - it is PUBLIC and ARCHIVED. If we see it, we are obligated to pursue it.

So you have/want a Facebook/MySpace page and want to make sure you are safe with the information you post.

1. Do NOT put identifying information in a public place. This includes your last name, address, phone number, IM, and/or email address.

2. Before you join a group or post anything, consider what someone who does not know you would think if they saw the information, particularly a college admissions counselor or an employer.

3. Read what people post on your wall/comment spaces/bulletins frequently. Remove offensive and/or questionable items. Ask the sender to stop posting them. If they don't, remove them from your list of friends. A lot is gleaned from looking at your associates.

4. Consider the pictures that you let people take of you. Would you want everyone on the planet to see it? If not, don't be in the picture.

5. Think before you hit "send" for a text message, IM, or email message. This information is easily posted by other people.

If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. I understand the draw to social networking sites, and enjoy them. There are safe ways to participate, and I can't help you make these decisions.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

We have a great variety of scholarship applications available in the Guidance Office. A list is available in print and online. Scholarships are not the only form of financial assistance available. To find out more about financial aid, please attend our Financial Aid Information Night this Thursday, December 13, 2007 at 7:00 PM in Goodwin Theatre.

College Application Reminder

Seniors - if you have an application that needs to be mailed prior to January 4, you must turn it in NO LATER than Wednesday, December 12.

College Mail

Are you still waiting for information regarding your college applications? I have had many students come down to say that they have not heard anything from their colleges.

You are not alone! The volume of mail received by colleges during November and December is astounding.

For example, this is from Holy Cross:

This is a picture of the mornings mail being opened and sorted. Look at the pile! And look at the recycling bin.

Or from Dartmouth - and this is just Early Decision!

This is the box that an admission counselor at Johns Hopkins plans to take home to read:

Please do not worry if you have not heard anything. If you would like to contact the office of admission at your college, first see your counselor to find out the exact mail date of your application.

Anger Management Strategies

We see lots of students who have a difficult time managing their reaction to their emotions, particularly anger. It is natural and healthy to experience and express anger. However, many students have not learned how to express their anger acceptably.

Here are some strategies for expressing anger:

1. Relax before reacting. Think about the situation. Breathe deeply, from your gut. Count to 10.
2. Don't jump to conclusions. Improve your communication skills so that you know you understand the other person before you react.
3. Move. Go for a walk. Leave the room (with permission if you are at school). Do something creative, like paint or play your musical instrument.
4. Talk to someone who is not in the situation, like a counselor or a friend to sort out your feelings.
5. Script a response. Having this written out can keep you from saying something you do not mean or that you would regret.

Resources:
American Psychological Association - Controlling Anger Before it Controls You
Mayo Clinic - Anger Management

Holiday Coping Tips

As we enter the winter holiday season, the excitment builds - time with family and friend, gift giving and receiving, good food, and, of course, time away from school. While many students look forward to the holidays, there are some who dread the season because of the accompanying stress. Just as adults feel stress when "change" enters their life, children can experience difficulty adjusting to the many changes that accompany the holidays. Children need to be taught how to adjust to the different daily schedule and the rush of new people in their environment.

There are many resources to learn ways to help students cope with the holiday rush.

The Mayo Clinic - Stress, depression and the holidays: 12 tips for coping
Psych Central - Nine Ways to Beat the Bah-Humbugs
Psych Central - Holiday Coping Tips
American Psychological Association - Coping with Holiday Stress
Coping with the Holidays After a Death of a Loved One

If you or someone you care about needs help working through the stress associated with the holidays, please seek out a counselor. We are available to help, and can refer to outside agencies if additional help is needed.

College Applications

The last day to turn in college applications to guarantee they will be mailed prior to winter break is December 12. We will NOT be processing applications over break. If your application due date is between December 21 and January 4, you MUST turn your application in by December 12. If you have any questions, please see your counselor ASAP.

Cleveland Clinic Summer Internship

• Are you interested in a career in science or healthcare?
• Are you a current 10th or 11th grade student who will be 16 years old on or before June 1, 2008?
• Do you have a strong interest in science and math or the arts?
• Is your GPA 3.5 or better?

If so, see your counselor regarding the Cleveland Clinic Summer Internship. The 9 week PAID internship will give you insight into a career in healthcare as you work alongside a Cleveland Clinic health care professional on meaningful research projects. We have had several students participate in the past, and they have had great things to say about the experience.

Applications are due February 8, 2008. You must apply online at:

http://www.clevelandclinic.org/CivicEducation .

Tips for Taking the ACT

Tips for Taking the ACT
(from actstudent.org)

• Carefully read the instructions on the cover of the test booklet.
• Read the directions for each test carefully.
• Read each question carefully.
• Pace yourself—don't spend too much time on a single passage or question.
• Pay attention to the announcement of five minutes remaining on each test.
• Use a soft lead No. 2 pencil with a good eraser; do not use a mechanical pencil, ink pen or correction fluid.
• Answer the easy questions first, then go back and answer the more difficult ones.
• On difficult questions, eliminate as many incorrect answers as you can, then make an educated guess among those remaining.
• Answer every question. Your scores on the multiple-choice tests are based on the number of questions you answer correctly. There is no penalty for guessing.
• Review your work. If you finish a test before time is called, go back and check your work.
• Mark your answers neatly. Erase any mark completely and cleanly without smudging.
• Do not mark or alter any ovals on a test or continue writing the essay after time has been called or you will be dismissed and your answer document will not be scored.
  

Internship Opportunity

Attention 10th and 11th grade students who will be 16 on or before June 16th:

If you are considering a career in healthcare and/or are good in science and math with a 3.5 g.p.a. or higher, please see your counselor for information about the Cleveland Clinic Summer Internship. This is a 9 week PAID summer learning experience!!!! Students work 40 hours a week and can earn PSEO college credits through Kent State University. Application deadline is Feb. 8, 2008.

So-called "Senioritis"

December is here - we are almost in 2008! While we all (staff included) share in the excitement of the New Year, PHS staff do not recognize "Senioritis" as a valid excuse - for anything!

I have received numerous requests to change second semester schedules - not something that we recommend! If you have been admitted to a college and change your schedule, we MUST inform the college of the change. They may change their mind about wanting you in their entering class.

I have also heard, "well, it doesn't matter - it's not like anyone is going to see my grades for my senior year." WRONG! We send out mid-year and final transcripts. Also, included in your transcript is a copy of your report card. So even if you get a B on your transcript, they may see your failing final exam grade.

How can we work through senioritis? Be educated on the "causes" and symptoms. Also, be vigilant in not accepting it! For example, if you (as a parent) went to work and said, "Oh, I didn't do that because it's not like it matters, no one outside of here is going to see the information," would you still have a job? I wouldn't! School - especially senior year - is to prepare our students for future employment. We need to make sure we maintain our expectations.

What is "senioritis"?

According to wikipedia, "Senioritis is a colloquial term used in the United States and Canada to describe the decreased motivation toward studies displayed by students who are nearing the end of their high school careers. By definition, Senioritis is not due to the direct physiological effects of a general medical condition such as hypothyroidism or insomnia but is typically said to include: slowness, procrastination, apathy regarding school work, a feeling of entitlement or privilege and a tendency toward truancy, malingering or feigning illness in order to avoid presence in a school setting, cognitive impairments, and changes in sleep patterns. Many high school students find themselves in a type of lame duck situation: their plans are made and a new chapter in their life is about to begin, so finishing the current chapter (the current term separating them from graduation) becomes just a formality or "holding pattern." Even though high school seniors tend to be the bulk of the victims, high school juniors and sophomores are also known to have it.

Senioritis usually results in a withdrawal from school-related extracurricular activities and school spirit events and a reduced concern for social acceptance, instead focusing on graduation (and the end of compulsory school) in June and/or acceptance to college in September. It can also manifest as increased social and extra-curricular activity, which comes at the expense of academic duties, with the student preferring to "have fun" rather than work academically."

What to watch for:

• declining grades
• declining motivation
• constant commenting, "Well I'm a senior now..." or "I'm 18 - you can't do anything about it."
• declining participation in activities
• increased sleeping, watching tv, video game use
• increased socializing OUTSIDE of school and school activities
• increased contacts from teachers
• request to drop a class or change a schedule for second semester

Why it is important to monitor:

1. College Applications: When students are admitted to college, it is based on their FINAL grades. Admission can -- and has -- been rescinded based on final transcripts.
2. Employment: Even if a student isn't attending college, they will still have to work. Their decreased performance in high school will be seen by employers and will impact job interviews.
3. Scholarships: Do you need help paying for college? Again, it is the FINAL GPA that counts. We have had several students who have lost scholarships based on their final GPA.

For more information, see:

College Board - What to do about senioritis
Time Magazine - How to Combat Senioritis

Financial Aid Information Evening

The PHS Financial Aid Information Night is Thursday, December 13 at 7:00PM in Goodwin Theatre. We highly recommend that all juniors and seniors -- AND their parents -- attend this informational meeting to learn more about obtaining financial aid for college. IF you have any questions, please contact the PHS Guidance Office.