The Fall 2012 issue of Life with Teens explores important topics such as social media, cyberbullying and a variety of others. It provides valuable insights, expert advice, and guidance.
1. FALL
2012
THE MAGAZINE FOR PARENTS WITH TEENS
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Parents & Teens
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3. Welcome to
The Magazine for Parents with Teens!
t’s back-to-school time! Like most parents, I was always Plus, if you turn to page 37, you can nominate a teen
happy when my kids headed back to school and my to be one of our TeenLife TeenLeaders. Two finalists will
family could get back into a routine again. Although be selected for their leadership and outstanding community
my two sons are not in high school anymore, they too service work. The prize includes a $1,000 scholarship!
are getting back into the swing of things. My husband We hope you enjoy our fall issue! If you are not a
and I just took one of my boys, Ben, back to college and I member of TeenLife, sign up at TeenLife.com/mag so that
helped my other son, Eric, move into his new apartment in you continue to receive your free digital subscription.
New York City where he started working. Trust me when I I welcome your feedback and comments, so please reach
say, the teenage years fly by. out to me. And pass our magazine along to other parents you
Not too long ago, I was in your shoes working hard to know with teens!
raise confident, capable young adults. That’s why our new
magazine, Life with Teens, is so important to me.
As you turn the pages of our second issue, you’ll see Marie Schwartz, President & Founder,
that it is chock-full of relevant articles, personal stories, TeenLife Media, LLC, mschwartz@teenlife.com
and expert advice on:
• Teaching your teen to drive P.S. Spread the word! Connect with TeenLife on Facebook
• Learning how to save on college tuition (facebook.com/teenlife) and Twitter (@teenlifemedia). Invite
• Monitoring your teen’s social media use family, friends, and coworkers to sub cribe to Life with Teens
s
at TeenLife.com/mag.
International.
Individual.
Inspirational.
British School of Boston
Academically rigorous and internationally focused, Open Houses:
featuring the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Wednesday, October 17, 9:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Serving toddlers through High School students. Saturday, November 3, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
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FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 1
5. A Leading Progressive
Conservatoire
BA (Hons) Music
Leeds College of Music - the only
English conservatoire with All-Steinway
School status - offers an exciting
and distinctive degree in Music with
specialisms in Classical, Jazz, Popular
Music, and Production.
Visit the Leeds College of Music stand
at the New York City Performing and
Visual Arts College Fair, Tuesday 16
October, 6.30pm - 9.30pm, Jacob K.
Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34th
Street, New York, NY 10001.
Discover more about Leeds at
www.leedsliveitloveit.com
Course Enquiries
+44 (0)113 222 3416
enquiries.assistant@lcm.ac.uk
www.lcm.ac.uk
Twitter: @LeedsMusic
7. FALL
2012
TeenLife.com
8
CAREER TRACK:
Why Study STEM?
By Randi Mazzella
17
1
3
MONEY SENSE:
Making College More Affordable
By Mary Michael Nibley
17
CAMPUS CONNECT:
Putting Teens to the Test—
A Well-Rounded Approach to SAT & ACT Prep
By Kimberly Wolf, M.Ed.
20 Parents and Teens and the Social Media Gap
FEATURE:
29
By Sarah Buttenwieser
27 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT:
Does Your Teen “Do Something”?
By Lesli Amos
29 HEALTH & WELLNESS:and Parent:
Demonstrate, Instruct,
How to Be Your Teen’s Best Driving Coach
By Kimberly Wolf, M.Ed.
32 VIEWPOINTS:
Cyberbullying—
A Real Fear for Parents
and Teens Today
By Sarah Buttenwieser
In Every Issue
6 NewYOU KNOW? stats
DID
groundbreaking
7 FAVORITE FINDS:and greatest
Review the latest
See page 7.
43
2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION
COUNSELING (NACAC) NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIRS
STAY CONNECTED!
44
2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION
COUNSELING (NACAC) PERFORMING & VISUAL ARTS COLLEGE FAIRS
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 5
8. DID YOU
KNOW?
Daily Deals Work!
68% of daily deal buyers returned to the
establishment even without another discount offer.
ConsumerSearch.com and The About Group Research, June 2011
ERE
BY 2016, TH
WILL BE
N
MORE THA
NE 4.4 million
SMARTPHO
USERS. teens volunteered
Statista 2102
377 million
hours of service in
one year.
Volunteering in America 2010
6 LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012
9. FAVORITE
FINDS
Here are some of our
favorite new sites.
burst.it
Want a simple, safe, and smart way
to share your photos and videos only
with your closest family and friends—
not the entire Internet? Sign up for
Burst. It’s an easy way to share life’s
SURE moments without the need for pri-
MAKE ECK vacy settings. A free Burst account
TO CHHILD’S includes the mobile app, secure
C
YOUR INGS! storage and backup, and a personal
SETT Tom K! / Shutterstock.com media dashboard! www.burst.it.
Available for iPhone and Android
devices.
ALMOST 13 MILLION FACEBOOK
USERS SAY THEY HAVE NEVER SET, OR
DID NOT KNOW ABOUT, FACEBOOK’S
PRIVACY TOOLS, SUCH AS BLOCKING
APPLICATIONS AND CONTROLLING
WHO SEES THEIR PROFILE.
Consumer Reports, 2012
lyst.com
Lyst combines the best of social
and shopping. Follow your favorite
designers and bloggers and add the
products you like to your personal
“lyst.” Pinterest junkie? Link your
account and the items you’ve pinned
will also land on your lyst. When any
of your items go on sale, you’ll get an
QR
alert! Go to www.lyst.com and sign
up for future shopping bliss.
barcode dailyworth.com
scans have increased From impulse buying to saving for
retirement to testimonials of entrepre-
157% in the past year. neurial success, Daily Worth provides
ongoing tips to help women manage
Scanlife 2012 money effectively. Their daily financial
advice is definitely worth it! Learn
more at www.dailyworth.com.
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 7
10. CAREER
TRACK
WHY STUDY
STEM? B Y R A N DI M A Z Z E L L A
ebekah Fraser, founder of the website
Real World STEM (www.realworldstem.
com), recalls an intense discussion she
overheard between her middle school
daughter and several friends about para-
sitic mites that live on human eyelashes.
Fraser was amazed that the girls were so
knowledgeable about these creatures. She remarked, “I
had no idea you girls were so interested in science!” Her
daughter laughed and said, “Ugh! No, I hate science,”
and her friend added, “Yeah, it’s so boring!” Fraser says,
“The girls had a complete disconnect to the fact that
while they may not like their science classes at school,
they were fascinated and excited by scientific concepts.”
Fraser’s daughter and her friends are not alone in
their thinking that subjects like math and science can be
dull, difficult, and have no relevant application in their
everyday lives. Students may even question if there is a
need to learn these concepts at all.
But a solid foundation in STEM (the acronym com-
monly used for Science, Technology, Engineering, and at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering &
Mathematics) education will provide today’s teens with Applied Science, which provides a number of teen summer
the foundation for a wide range of exciting and lucrative programs says, “The study of engineering teaches students
careers in the future. valuable skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and criti-
cal thinking. These skills are transferable to a wide array
Who should study STEM? of careers including but not limited to actually being an
A solid foundation in STEM education is important engineer.”
for all students. Judith Hallinen, an educator at Carn- Some students may feel they just aren’t math or science
egie Mellon University says, “There is a misconception students and want to opt out these subjects. Joyce Plotkin,
amongst some educators that STEM-related studies are founder and chair of the DIGITS Project, a STEM educa-
meant for elite students.” David Cedrone, Executive tion program, says, “Yes, math and science can be difficult
Director, Governor’s STEM Advisory Council of Massa- but that doesn’t mean kids should give up; it means they
chusetts adds, “STEM education is necessary at all levels should be encouraged to ask for help.” Parents can help too
from high school to vocational school to PhD programs.” by urging their child not to give up on subjects they find
Teens and their parents may think there is no need challenging.
to study engineering or technology beyond their typi- To increase teen interest in STEM subjects, Fraser says,
cal science and math classes, unless they want a career “Educators need to illustrate how these subjects are relevant
in these fields. However, Megan Doherty, Associate to their students ’ lives and find creative, interesting ways to
Director, International and Service Learning Programs teach these concepts so that kids want to learn more.”
8 LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012
11. What is a STEM career? cation can open many doors for stu- has shrunk to about 15 percent.”
Christianne Corbett, a senior dents. (See page 10 for more details.) President Obama has been very
researcher at the American As- Corbett highlights careers in vocal on the need for STEM-based
sociation of University Women, biomedical research, environmental education and the importance that
adds, “There is a misconception engineering, software engineers, and STEM-based careers will have on the
that having STEM a career means network systems and data communica- future of the United States. The U.S.
working alone in a white lab coat tion as “hot” STEM careers for the Department of Commerce’s Econom-
or that the only jobs in technology next decade. ics and Statistics Administration
are writing code.” The reality is (ESA) released a report in 2011 that
that there are many different and Why pursue a STEM profiled U.S. employment in STEM
exciting STEM careers. career? fields. The report showed that over
Broadening public awareness According to Rodney C. Adkins, the past 10 years, growth in STEM
of the many STEM opportunities senior vice president of IBM’s Systems jobs was three times greater than that
available in the workplace is the & Technology Group, “It is clear that of non-STEM jobs, and STEM jobs
goal of the Massachusetts based to benefit our economy and society, our are expected to continue to grow at
WOW campaign. The campaign national priority should be on encour- a faster rate than other jobs in the
highlights the careers of fifteen aging more students to study STEM. coming decade. In addition, STEM
very different individuals including Unfortunately, the U.S. is trending in workers command a higher earning
a video game designer, a meteo- the opposite direction. When I gradu- potential. They will earn 26 percent
rologist, and a baseball statistician. ated from college, about 40 percent more than their non-STEM counter-
The objective of the campaign of the world’s scientists and engineers parts and are also less likely to experi-
truly illustrates how a STEM edu- resided in the U.S. Today that number ence unemployment.
How parents can foster an interest in STEM
Encourage students to take as many math and Eliminate negative learning myths.
science classes as they possibly can in high school. Well-intended parental statements such as “I was never
The key is for students to have a good foundation in good at math and I turned out fine” send students the
these subjects so that they can continue to build wrong message. Instead parents should encourage their
knowledge at a higher level of learning. Even if they child to take classes that may be difficult—and emphasize
don’t think they want a career in engineering or math- learning as a goal instead of always getting “the A.” Try
ematics now, their career goals may change in the positive reinforcement with statements like, “I believe in
future. Without basic knowledge of STEM subjects, your abilities. I am proud of you for working so hard at
their potential for growth may be limited. something so challenging.”
Encourage students to pursue STEM subjects Instill in your child a “growth mindset” instead of a
outside of the classroom. “fixed mindset.”
Look into summer programs that offer fieldwork in Corbett explains that students with a fixed mindset
STEM subjects and afterschool clubs such as FIRST believe their intelligence and talents are just fixed traits.
robotics www.usfirst.org. FIRST robotics is a not-for- With a growth mindset students understand that their
profit organization devoted to helping young people talents and abilities can be developed through effort,
develop a passion for STEM subjects through hands- good teaching, and persistence. A growth mindset allows
on robotics competitions. students to achieve much more because they believe
they can.
Sean Amos, rising freshman at Worcester Polytechnic
Institute, says that FIRST strengthened his resolve to Be your own child’s role model.
pursue a career in the STEM field of robotics. “It gave Rodney C. Adkins sums this up nicely, “My father
me hands-on experience with designing, programming, encouraged me to deconstruct, analyze, and experiment
and building—I loved it,” Amos remarks. with our home appliances. The insight I gained into
how things work together opened my eyes to new
Treat girls and boys as equals in the world of learning. possibilities and instilled in me a desire to create
Eliminate the idea that a career is just for boys or just new technologies.”
for girls. Instead encourage all children to follow their
passion.
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 9
12. Meet the WOWsters
Fifteen people with diverse occupations are spotlighted in the WOW Campaign, an initiative of the Massachusetts
Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. Joyce Plotkin, Council Executive Committee Member and Co-Chair of the
Public Awareness Committee that created the WOW Campaign, says, “This initiative is about identifying and
shining a spotlight on professionals who exemplify the WOW of STEM. They are wonderful role models for our
young people and they show the exciting work that STEM professionals do. My hope is that every state in the
country will do a similar local campaign.”
Here are some of the “WOWsters” featured in the 2012 campaign:
Bill James is a statistician for Jim Toepel enjoys working
the Boston Red Sox. James pro- on the cutting edge of technol-
vides senior management with ogy as a video game designer.
research analysis on special He is currently on the software
projects and player contracts. development team at Harmo-
He has been writing about nix Music Systems where he is
baseball since 1975 and is the creating brand new experiences
author of more than 30 books. for gamers.
Mish Michaels is a meteorologist. Mikell Taylor is a Robotics
Michaels has a Masters in Educa- Engineer who participated on
tion with a concentration in Tech- the FIRST robotics team at her
nology and a B.S. in Meteorology/ all-girls high school. Mikell cur-
Atmospheric Science. Michaels rently works for Bluefin Robotics
has worked on several weather Corporation, a company that
programs including WBZ-TV builds and designs underwater
in Boston and The Weather robots.
Channel’s Atmospheres.
Anna Mracek Dietrich is the
Daniel Pratt is a real life CSI. Co-founder of Terrafugia, Inc., a
With a B.S. in biology, he collects, company which is developing the
preserves, and analyzes physi- Transition® Roadable Light Sport
cal evidence and supervises the Aircraft—the first real-life “flying
Crime Scene Response Unit for car”. Anna was named one of the
the Massachusetts State Police. Boston area’s top 15 Innovators by
the Boston Globe in 2010.
Catherine Reyes was born and Andrew J. Jackson is currently
raised in Columbia, and came to a chemist at Cubist Pharmaceu-
the United States in 2000 as a tenth ticals. Jackson’s story reminds
grade student. Reyes participated students that although math and
in the school science fair and science may be challenging, to
received an honorable mention, stick with it. To get to where he
which sparked her enthusiasm is today, Jackson enrolled in a
for science. Reyes attended the community college first where he
University of Massachusetts and found a mentor in his chemistry
has received a full scholarship to professor. Jackson then received
Harvard Medical School where she a degree in general chemistry
is currently a third year student at the University of California,
pursuing family medicine. San Diego.
For more information on the WOW campaign, or to order a poster or see the video, go to www.mass.edu.
10 LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012
13. Large corporations such as IBM
are jumping on board as well, with
strong initiatives in new grade 9-to-14
schools that focus on STEM educa-
tion. These schools pair students with
corporate mentors, who provide real-
world insight into industry trends.
Students graduate with an Associate’s
Degree and the skills needed to
transition directly into jobs in the
information technology industry.
Other STEM initiatives include
organizations like CityScience
(www.cityscience.org) in New York.
CityScience coordinates service-learn-
ing projects that employ and engage
students with STEM professionals.
Together students and profession-
als tackle real world challenges in a
students’ community. In CityScience
programs, for example, high school
students have studied the biodiversity
of urban forests and used Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) to model
topography.
Teens in Tech Labs
(www.teensintech.com) provides
tools and resources that bring youth
and technology together—and inspire
young people to become early product
entrepreneurs. building toys and video games than to promote girls and STEM. Their
Rebecca Blank, Acting U.S. Com- their female peers, it is debatable DigiGirlz Program teaches high
merce Secretary adds, “Students who whether this is a result of a natural school girls about careers in technol-
pursue jobs in science, technology, inclination or a reinforced behav- ogy and provides hands-on computer
engineering, and math are the next ior based on societal stereotypes. and technology workshops.
generation of creative entrepreneurs Corbett says, “Girls tend to under- There is also a disparity in terms
who will make sure we have the best, estimate their abilities in STEM of fostering STEM education among
most skilled workers in the world so subjects. But in fact, girls are just as minorities. According to Adkins, of
that the jobs and industries of tomor- successful.” school-age children today, 43 percent
row take root right here in America.” When it comes to career choices, are of African American, Latino, or
Corbett points out that women tend Native American descent. Yet of all
Encouraging Girls and to be more concerned with making a the engineering bachelor’s degrees
Minorities to Study STEM social contribution to the world versus in the U.S., less than 15 percent
It is imperative that educa- men whose career choices are more are awarded to underrepresented
tors encourage girls and minority likely to be motivated by social recog- minorities. We need to reconcile
students to study and pursue STEM nition and/or compensation. Corbett these opposing trends so that the
careers early on. says, “The social contribution of a composition of our STEM education
There are several reasons why STEM-related career may not be as pipeline reflects America’s shifting
girls may shy away from STEM obvious. But STEM careers can have demographics.
studies and STEM careers. Corbett a very positive effect on the world, STEM education is paramount
explains, “Some STEM disciplines such as creating more drinkable water for all students. A background rich
have long been viewed as ‘male do- or finding a cure for a disease.” in STEM makes for flexible, logical
mains.’” But while little boys Large corporations like Micro- minds, and increases the capacity for
typically gravitate more toward soft are jumping on the bandwagon all youth to continue learning. LWT
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 11
15. SENSE
MAKING
COLLEGE
More
Affordable
B Y M ARY M ICHAEL NIB LEY
he cost of college can cause a serious case What Constitutes a Financial Aid Package
of sticker shock. Luckily, there are ways Customized aid packages assembled by colleges and
to make earning a four-year degree more universities can take many forms. They can consist of
affordable. Some strategies take long-term government-sponsored grants and/or loans contingent
advance preparation while others come into upon a family’s income and assets, work-study jobs, and
play once the application process begins. Every parent, merit-based scholarships bestowed for accomplishments
even ones with very young children, should keep this in (such as high GPAs, class rank, talent, athletic prowess,
mind: it’s never too soon to start thinking about how to leadership, community service, and so on). Families can
foot the college bill. get feedback on whether they qualify for need-based
A married mother of two teens was pleasantly sur- financial aid by plugging some basic personal financial
prised by the generous aid package offered by the college numbers into free online tools before tackling the gov-
her eldest daughter will attend this fall. After her daugh- ernment’s required Free Application for Federal Student
ter was accepted by Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Aid (FAFSA). Government websites have a wealth of
PA, and also several other universities, she worked closely reliable information (See www.studentaid.ed.gov).
with financial aid officers to decipher what was the best Sites sponsored by the College Board (www.college-
financial scenario at each school. She was surprised to board.org) as well as individual colleges and universities
discover how schools compete over financial assistance. are also extremely helpful. “Anybody on the fence about
“Muhlenberg’s offer beat the others and their finan- seeking financial aid should pursue it,” advises Cristin
cial aid staff was terrific to deal with,” the mother said. Viebranz, college counselor, at University School of
Muhlenberg College’s “list” price—i.e., full cost without Nashville.
any aid—is about $54,000, which includes tuition, room That’s especially important in light of the soaring
and board, and some miscellaneous expenses. But through cost of college. Department of Education statistics report
a combination of need-based grants, merit scholarships that between 2000 and 2010, the cost of tuition, room and
to recognize her daughter’s musical theater talents, board—not to mention textbooks, supplies, and ancillary
subsidized loans, and a work-study job, the tab to attend fees—rose 37 percent at public institutions and 25 percent
Muhlenberg will be significantly less than the cost of at private schools, after adjustment for inflation.
sending her daughter to a larger state institution—another Private calculations are even higher, with many
school at which she was accepted, at a price of roughly economists estimating college costs running at about 2.5
$24,000 a year for New Jersey residents. times the inflation rate. The cost of earning a degree at a
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 13
16. private, four-year college is estimated options and providers,” explains Jeff FINANCIAL AID
to be $200,000. Weiner, Senior Vice President for COMES FROM
CCO Investment Services. MANY SOURCES
Build Relationships with According to White, these ap-
Prospective Colleges proaches are preferable to borrowing
74%
Viebranz also recommends through government-sponsored financial
utilizing the expertise of financial aid programs that have relatively high
aid offices at prospective colleges. By interest rates. Rates on home equity
establishing a relationship with the loans currently hover in the 3% range
financial aid staff, families can have while taking out an unsubsidized loan Federal government
in-depth discussions about their in- through the government’s Stafford Loan grants, loans and
dividual needs. And the relationship program, for example, has a far steeper other aid
should not end once a student selects rate of 6.8%. Rates on PLUS loans,
a school and submits paperwork seek- another government education financing
17%
ing financial aid. Sometimes financial tool, are even higher—7.9%.
aid packages can be adjusted if a
family’s circumstances have changed Money Saving Strategies for
since the original aid application was Receiving Financial Aid
submitted. “Every year I see unique Stephanie Welder, a private coun- College grants/
situations,” Viebranz notes. selor and founder of Access College and scholarships
Scott White, director of guidance Career Consultants, reminds parents
at Montclair High School, Montclair, that there are things high school stu-
NJ, believes the most affordable way dents can do before the college applica-
to finance college is to save over time
by using 529 accounts or by borrow-
ing against a secure asset, such as a
tion process begins that will increase the
odds of getting some form of financial
assistance. Students should be active
5%
home equity loan or a pension loan. in the community and seek volunteer
State government
Named for a section of the Internal opportunities. They should maintain
grants/scholarships
Revenue Service Code, 529 accounts the highest possible grades and take the
are education savings plans. most rigorous course loads possible.
“A 529 plan qualifies for federally These factors can be a plus when
tax exempt investment growth and,
in some cases, additional state tax
breaks. Other benefits include profes-
applying for non-need based scholarships
and grants. They can also help students
stand out among their peers and attract
4%
sionally managed investment portfo- the attention of community organiza-
lios, parental control, and flexibility to tions that provide scholarship funds to Private and
choose from a variety of investment deserving individuals. employer grants/
scholarships
Be sure to take advantage of federal
and college-provided funds, which add
up to about 90% of all aid.
• Nearly half of four-year college students attend a college
with a sticker price of less than $9,936 a year—and thanks to
financial aid, most of them pay even less than that.*
• More than 6 out of 10 college students receive some sort
of financial aid. The average student received a little over
$12,400 last year to help pay for college.
• The federal government last year awarded more than $132
billion in grants, work-study funds, and low-interest loans.
Note: All statistics refer to undergraduate students. *Accounts for nonprofit colleges only.
Sources: The College Board’s Trends in Student Aid 2011 and Trends in College Pricing 2011 reports.
14 LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012
17. In some cases it’s possible for EarthConnect:
A Costa Rican Adventure
high school juniors and seniors to
earn credits by taking courses at
community colleges, which might
Summer Program
shorten the time needed to re-
main in a four-year institution and
thereby lower the price. Performing
well on Advance Placement (AP)
and International Baccalaureate
(IB) tests can also earn students
for Teens
‘‘
college credit.
Another money-saving ap- Story after story came…
proach is a bit more radical—and
may not appeal to students who are Spy hopping with the
eager for the full college experi- dolphins, kayaking in
ence. It involves having students
enroll in comparatively inexpensive, mangroves, meeting
local, two-year community colleges locals and traveling by
after high school and then transfer
to a four-year school to complete a bus. What became clear
bachelor’s degree program. to me was how much
Given that for many profes-
sions, employers want job applicants Sam enjoyed being with
to have post-graduate degrees, the authentic people from a
importance of where and how the
undergraduate degree was accom- foreign culture. When I
plished is less important. When asked him “Was it what
considering this approach, check
whether the four-year institutions you thought it would
will accept the community-college be?” His response was
credits where students hope to
eventually go. “Better, by far!” He
According to the New Jersey was proud of the work
mom, one of the best pieces of
advice she has heard about coping he accomplished and all
with college admissions came from a that he learned. He got
high school guidance counselor. The
counselor always advises students more out of the program
than I could have
’’
and families to include a “financial
safety school” in the list of places
to apply. It should be a school that possibly expected.
the student would actually want to —EarthConnect 2011 Parent
attend but is more affordable than
other first-choice schools.
For every family, finding a way
to finance college that fits indi- Chill Expeditions
vidual goals and needs will involve
research and detailed discussions.
Costa Rican Adventures
Experiential Learning Adventures Since 1995
Welder offered this advice: “The
most important thing to remember 800.551.7887 Toll Free
when applying for aid of any kind
requests@costaricanadventures.com
is that there are deadlines and every
source of funds has a different cut- www.costaricanadventures.com
off point.” LWT
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 15
18. INTERVIEW WITH A COLLEGE
FINANCIAL AID OFFICER
TeenLife Intern Caroline Metcalf-Vera interviews her mother
Melissa Metcalf, Associate Director of Financial Aid at Boston College.
Q: How do parents and students apply for financial aid? Q: What are the financial aid deadlines?
A: Families must complete a Free Application for Federal A: Deadlines can vary at each school, depending on
Student Aid (FAFSA), a College Scholarship Services whether you are applying through admissions as
(CSS) Profile, and often submit a recently-signed copy “early action”, “early decision”, or “regular decision”.
of an IRS federal tax return (complete with schedules Most deadlines begin in November. These deadlines
and W2s) for both parents and students. Many institu- are critical to the overall amount of aid you receive.
tions require their own forms as well.
Q: If parents are separated or divorced, do they both
Q: Is financial aid based on merit or need? need to submit financial aid documents?
A: Financial aid can be based on merit, need, or a A: For institutions awarding federal student aid only,
combination of both, depending on the school to the custodial parent needs to submit the FAFSA and
which you apply. Merit-based aid takes a student’s tax information for the custodial family.
academic or athletic achievements, special talents,
or demographic characteristics into account. Need- For institutions awarding their own money, most
based aid is the difference between the cost of atten- colleges and universities require information from
dance (COA) of that school and the estimated family both parents. Need-based aid is based on the princi-
contribution (EFC) determined for that year. The EFC ple that both parents are responsible for paying for
is determined through using standard federal and the cost of education. The custodial family should fill
institutional formulas. Every school differs in the way out the FAFSA and CSS Profile and the non-custodi-
they award a student’s financial aid package so asking al parent should fill out the Non-Custodial Parent
questions and understanding the process for each CSS Profile Statement.
institution is important.
Most schools will consider waiving the non-custodial
Q: Will a student’s chances of acceptance be requirement with documentation of special circum-
diminished if they apply for aid? stances. Unwillingness is not usually a reason for
waiving the requirement.
A: Not always, some schools have a “need blind” admis-
sions policy, which means that the admissions office
evaluates each student’s academic credentials without
knowledge of a family’s financial circumstances.
Again, it can vary from school to school.
Q: Do families need to apply every year? Will the
financial aid be the same over the four years
attend the college?
A: Yes, students who wish to be considered for financial
aid must apply each year. Need-based financial aid
awards are based on demonstrated financial need;
therefore your need may change from year to year.
Significant changes such as increases or decreases in
parent or student income, assets, tax liability, family
size, or number of students attending college may
impact your overall eligibility for financial aid. Your
financial aid award will change accordingly.
16 LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012
19. CONNECT
Putting Teens to the Test
A Well-Rounded Approach to SAT & ACT Prep
BY K IM BERLY WO LF, M.E D.
n a time when the admissions process continues to 1. Put the test in perspective. While the SAT
get more competitive and the economy acts as a con- or ACT can play a significant role in a student’s college
stant reminder that being successful in the workforce application, standardized tests make up just one part of
requires better preparation than ever, all aspects of the greater picture. As AcceptU’s Dr. Stephen Friedfeld,
college admissions can create a great deal of pressure a former college admissions officer, notes, “Admissions is
for parents and their college-bound teens. Because they a holistic process and all parts of the application will have
are much-hyped, arduous, and in many cases, required, the some importance.” While more selective universities will
SATs and ACTs are significant drivers of this anxiety. typically place more importance on scores in order to dif-
The good news is that parents and students can employ ferentiate among many highly qualified applicants, Fried-
a variety of tools and strategies to ease the process and feld continues, “Grades and rigor of curriculum are always
make it more manageable and rewarding. Putting the test in the most important part of any application.”
perspective, starting preparation early, identifying the best Colleges also take into account a teen’s essays,
resources, scheduling the time to focus on practice, and extracurricular activities, and “leadership potential.”
supporting healthy habits can help inspire the confidence, Remember test scores only tell colleges one part of an
skill, and clarity needed to succeed. applicant’s story.
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 17
20. 2. Start early. Sallie Oto, Director Start with the College Board (www. For instance, Huntington Learning
of Tutoring Services for ArborBridge, collegeboard.org) and the ACT Centers (www.huntingtonlearn-
notes that the students who perform (www.actstudent.org) websites to ing.com) use full-length practice
well on exams are those who have gain a baseline understanding of the SAT exams to measure a student’s
been studying for four to six months tests. Here, you can find descrip- progress.
and “feel like the structure and con- tions of test length, question type,
tent of the exam is ‘second nature.’” and format, as well as free full-length How experienced are your tutors?
Beginning preparation at the end of practice tests, and tips for prepara- “Experienced tutors will know every
sophomore year will give your teen tion. For the self-motivated student single question in the book of 10
enough lead time to gain a sufficient and families looking for the most Real SATs, as well as the ten offered
level of comfort with test material. affordable quality course options, online,” Oto says. Whether your
For an added bonus, “starting to plan these sites both offer online courses teen is taking the SAT, ACT, or
and study early (and during the sum- for under $100. other standardized tests, make sure
mer lull),” Oto says, “results in higher For added support, opt for a tra- prospective teachers have a deep
scores and stress-free test-taking for ditional class, in-person tutoring, or and thorough understanding of the
all upcoming exams that fall in junior virtual programs. Test prep compa- material.
and senior year.” nies like The Princeton Review offer
all three (www.princetonreview.com). How do you personalize your services?
3. Identify your resources. Of course, the options are many, Many SAT and ACT prep services
When it comes to studying for but asking a few key questions will will take your teen’s aptitude, learn-
standardized tests, look to free online help you identify the highest quality ing style, schedule, and even per-
resources and paid services to help services that best fit your teen. sonality into account when matching
produce desired scores. A huge indus- them to a course or tutor. Ask how
try exists around SAT and ACT prep, Which teaching materials do you use? they assess new clients, what options
which means that there are tools avail- Oto emphasizes that the best teach- they offer for scheduling, and if they
able at a wide range of price points ers and tutors will work “primarily are tied to a location or able to con-
that can be tailored to students with a with materials published by the test duct sessions virtually with the help
variety of needs and learning styles. makers.” of Skype or similar programs.
18 LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012
21. 4. Schedule the time. bfa
dual degree with tufts university
According to Steve Elefson of studio art diploma
Summit Education Group, “prep pre-college summer studio
should continue right up to the
target test date. We don’t want
teens to make lots of progress over
the summer and then do nothing
until test day; instead, they should
keep up the work during the school
year.” Even if teens are starting
prep months in advance, Elefson
suggests planning for consistent
weekly test practice right up to the school of
exam. This can be easier said than the museum
done for today’s over-scheduled of fine arts,
teens, but studying late at night boston
or over the weekends can help
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productive by 9:00 p.m. at night,”
Elefson says, “but others find that a school for artists, by artists, since 1876
time works just fine.” If teens’
schedules don’t allow for weekly smfa.edu
practice, it’s time to start
making trade-offs.
5. Support healthy habits.
In the days and even moments
before an important test, proper
nutrition and a good night’s sleep
can give students’ performance an Give your
teen the
extra boost. Dr. Alan Greene of
Stanford Children’s Hospital and
www.DrGreene.com discourages
consumption of sugars, caffeine,
energy drinks, and processed white confidence
they need.
flours before tests. These can
Alleyoop
contribute to anxiety and inter-
fere with sleep. Instead, he says,
teens should “stock up on proteins,
fruits, some grains” and “lots of fi-
ber [which can] even out hormonal
Academic Life Coaching Ten one-on-one sessions tailored to
the individual student. Increase academic confidence and reduce
swings.” To help teens get a good anxiety. Build personal confidence and self-awareness. Improve
night’s sleep before the test, en- communications, relationships and leadership skills; for school, for life,
courage exercise to help tire them for your child.
out, and “keep living spaces cool
and dark. This can affect serotonin Gina Halsted
levels, which reduces anxiety, help-
Academic Life Coach
ing students sleep better.”
gina@ALCteen.com
Keeping all of these test-taking 781•258•9085
suggestions top-of-mind will lead www.ALCteen.com
your teen to SAT and ACT suc-
cess. LWT
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 19
22. PARENTS & TEENS
AND
THE Social Media
Gap
The most important thing I realized as I researched
this story about teens and social media is that the
story is primarily about the parenting of adolescents.
And yes, it’s also about social media. I was surprised
to find myself thinking about social media-related
questions differently than I’d imagined.
by Sarah Buttenwieser
20 LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012
24. Except, I’m not a teenager; I’m a writer and a blog-
ger. Engagement in social media has become a fun—but
occasionally timewasting—part of my work.
We all use social media to learn things and to connect
with friends—and to do some goofing off, too. However
active adults are online, though, it’s unclear to many of us
whether our kids use these networks as we do. My daily
computer habits differ greatly from my teens’. My more
typical teenage user listens to Spotify (a digital music
service) while he chats with three or four separate friends
at the same time he is reading an article.
My less typical teenage user, my second son, makes
a beeline for the computer Wednesday afternoons when
he gets home from school in order to read the New York
Times food section online. He keeps up with food blogs
more faithfully than he does friends. I flip back and forth
between work and social media, generally not while listen-
ing to music. While my son’s banter most often occurs
on Facebook chat or through texting, mine is as likely to
happen on Facebook or Twitter or (kind of old-fashioned)
e-mail.
THE AGE OF DIGITAL NATIVES
Let’s face it: children like ours, the ones who grew up
with chubby hands on a mouse, are part of the Internet
Generation. These “digital natives” have almost constant
access to the web.
According to researchers on the Digital Natives project
at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard
University, digital natives are defined “by their experience
growing up immersed in digital technology, and the impact
of this upon how they interact with information technolo-
gies, information itself, one another, and other people and
institutions.”
As parents, the concept of raising digital natives is
certainly not to be taken lightly. We must open a strong
“digital dialogue” with our kids about both the positives
and negatives of social media.
have two teens. As a parent, I’m focused on rais- Texting is another issue that should be on parents’
ing healthy, independent young adults (and I hope minds. We are concerned that our children are texting too
that we still like each other throughout the process)! much and not always appropriately. The research sup-
Social media is a flashpoint that reveals my parent- ports this—teens are nearly sending 3,000 texts a month
ing insecurities; my kids’ technological abilities are compared to about 200 minutes used to talk on the phone,
fundamentally different than mine. Our journey requires according to the Nielsen Company survey in 2009. Send-
some dialogue, some struggle, some trust, some wonder, ing sexually explicit messages or “sexting” often goes hand-
and a good deal of my letting go. in-hand with texting. Only 12 percent of parents imagine
Nearly half of all teenagers in the United States check these explicit and often illegal messages as a part of their
their social media several times per day. Facebook trumps teen’s life, but 43 percent of teens report that they have
Twitter for teens, with 68 percent reporting Facebook participated in sexting in a given week.
as their main social networking site compared to just 6 From discretion about the photos teens send to Face-
percent saying the same of Twitter. And Instagram and book banter that could be visible to college admissions offi-
Pinterest creeping up. Now, by this calculation, I am cers in the future, this plugged-in generation must consider
totally a teenager. their social activity across not only their teen years, but
22 LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012
25. also their entire adult lives. Issues like Steyer believes adults need to
identity, privacy and safety, creativ- understand the huge impact that A Note from a Teen
ity, piracy and intellectual property, the Internet has on our lives: “The
and information overload will take up Internet is fundamental to the way “Growing up in the Digital
greater prominence in our lives, and we all communicate and interact now. Age, teens are a part of a genera-
tion of instant gratification—and
be fodder for academic research, legal Teens are part of a generation that has keeping in contact 24/7 through
resolution, and public policy. never known life without 24/7-access text and social media is a part of
to any information in the world. It’s that. From my point of view, I find
TEENAGERS’ SOCIAL changed the way teens communicate that Facebook, the leader in social
MEDIA USE: THE SAME OR and there’s no going back.” media, is fading out and Twitter is
beginning to take the front seat. It
DIFFERENT FROM OURS? is easier for teens to interact with
Parents of teens note that their DO PARENTS REALLY KNOW each other there. A new social
teenagers’ social inclinations are HOW MUCH THEIR TEENS media haven is Instagram, which is
mirrored by their social media use. ARE ONLINE? a blog of your pictures. Together
One friend of mine, a parent to three It’s surprising to discover how Twitter and Instagram seem to be
taking the place of Facebook.
teens and a tween, says, “The more parents’ perceptions of their teens’
social my kids are, the more they use Internet use diverges from teens’ Personally, I don’t know where
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. My actual use. Parents think teens are way I would be without social media.
eldest, who just turned 19, goes to the less engaged online than they actu- Going into high school I moved
most parties and he spends hours after ally are—by about two hours per day. three towns away from my best
friend. Along with texting, social
he finishes his homework chatting While parents think their kids spend media is how I stay connected
with friends, Skyping, and messaging. about three hours a day online, kids with her and updated on her life.
My husband and I think of that sort of report spending more like five.
thing like our hour-long phone calls in A snapshot comes courtesy of one When discussing with my
high school.” She puts those calls and recent study by the security company mom a way to set boundaries on
my Internet access, we came to
her son’s multifaceted communications McAfee. The study polled about 1,000 the conclusion that the best way
in the same frame: “Even though we teenagers (13 to 17-year-olds) and to monitor my time on the Internet
had seen someone all day, we still had 1,000 parents. It notes that there has and usage of social media was
so much more to say.” been a sharp increase in the percent- for my mom to be my Facebook
Another friend, whose son is 14, age of teens who lie to their parents friend, and follower on Twitter
and Instagram. So even though
notes, “All of his social media use about Internet use. Nearly 70 per- she isn’t monitoring my computer
ebbs and flows depending on who he cent of teens admitted that they hid usage all the time, she can stay on
is this week and who his friends are.” their full Internet use from parents, a top of my activity.”
Through his social media use, she’s sharp rise from 45 percent since the
very aware of the fact that the ground company completed the same survey
beneath teens often seems to shift two years earlier. Pair teens’ lies or
without warning. omissions with parents’ gullibility—
Jim Steyer, CEO of Common nearly half of the parents surveyed
Sense Media, reflects: “Social media reported that they are certain they
is the place where kids are becom- know “everything” their kids are doing
ing adults. Gender differences, hate online—and the gap between percep-
speech, homophobia, and racism are all tion and reality is readily apparent.
a part of teens’ lives.” We encounter Truthfully, parents don’t know
these things as adults, and it is part of everything their kids do online,
growing up to learn how to deal with because how could they? 53 percent
these issues. Steyer continues, “The of teens report that they clear the
difference in the digital world, how- browser history, and nearly half sim-
ever, is the anonymity factor and the ply close or minimize windows when
impulsive nature of mobile and online their parents walk into the room.
communications. Social media has the About one-third hide or delete instant
potential to exacerbate age-old anxiet- messages or videos.
ies and rites of passage in ways that Cover-ups are not necessarily
yesterday’s communications did not.” required: while about one-quarter of
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 23
26. teens report lying, the same percent-
age claim that they use computers
their parents never check. That’s
because most parents don’t seem ter-
ribly worried about their kids’ online
practices. 78 percent believe their kids
are hanging out with friends online;
about half of the parents surveyed
think kids go to Facebook or its
equivalent “daily.” About 25 percent
of parents say they don’t have time to
monitor their children’s Internet use.
So, if we aren’t exactly in tune
with the amount of time our kids
spend online with social media, or
they cover up their online activities,
what should our strategy be? What
is the best approach to getting closer
to reality?
TIPS TO MONITORING
YOUR CHILD AND
THINK ABOUT A SOFT Braun believes parents should
SOCIAL MEDIA
APPROACH TO PARENTING be reminded that “there are tools here
1. Set “no technology” zones. SOCIAL MEDIA that can change lives, because you can
Designate the dinner table or Dr. Lynn Clark, a media studies ask questions and find answers. Being
family events as places where expert, did interview-based research able to access information that can help
cell phones and technology
are off limits.
with teens and parents focused on the you to grow is a pretty amazing thing.”
topics of digital and mobile media use Applying strict rules for social media
2. Embrace technology.
Become your child’s friend for her forthcoming book, The Par- use is not always the answer.
on Facebook and follow them ent App: Understanding Families in a One parent, totally on top of
on Twitter and Instagram. It’s Digital Age. She makes some valuable social media for her own work, says
easier to observe their activity points: her relatively newfound expertise
and stay connected personally.
Parents must be well informed about required a sharp learning curve, and
3. Know your child’s passwords. social media. she wonders how people who are
It’s perfectly reasonable to
check your teen’s social media
Dr. Clark recommends parents not versed in social media can make
use, even text messages be well informed about social media appropriate guidelines for teens. It
occasionally. Just make sure in general in order to be both credible goes beyond monitoring their use
you’re monitoring, not and capable of asking good questions. or imposing rules; it requires time
snooping. Librarian Linda Braun, who navigating and using social content
4. Configure privacy settings. describes herself as formerly “anti- themselves on a regular basis.
Teach your child how to
computer” hopped on the bandwagon “Experts who came to my kids’
establish privacy settings.
Social media posts should once she noticed teens using the high school suggested rather strict
only be shared with close library’s old computers. She realized rules that were totally unrealistic,” she
family and friends. that she needed to become social adds. “From what I can see, parents
5. Discuss the rules of the media savvy. Braun says she believes and even experts often don’t interact
Internet. Remind your teen parents are afraid in many ways, via the Internet to their own profes-
that whatever they share including many who are harboring a sional or personal networks beyond
online can be used against
them down the line. Colleges
fear that their teens know more about email and links to static websites.
and future employers may technology than they do. The only That renders them social media
eventually look them up. solution, she believes, is to do some illiterate. It is no surprise that the
learning. rules that parents lay down are so
24 LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012
27. easily circumvented.” received were all about not talking everyday lives. Social media is not only
She continues, “I opted for a to strangers. Most bullying, most just changing our relationships, but it
different tactic; attempting to foster inappropriate behavior for that matter is also changing the way teens access
good habits and awareness of what an doesn’t occur online from strangers, information in very positive ways.
online community means. It seemed however. Bullying isn’t better if the Teens Build Relationships through
a much smarter preparation for adult people bullying are friends or people Social Media
life than simply imposing rules my you’re acquainted with, but all these The original purpose of social me-
kids could wiggle around.” worries about some far-off threat, dia can get lost with all the different
Develop a strategy around dialogue it’s just not the concerning issue,” features it has to offer. However, the
and trust. she says. “I think it’s easy to blame most important feature—connecting
Rather than a demand to be technology for what are really societal and maintaining relationships—is still
friends on Facebook, Dr. Clark issues, like bullying. What’s on the evident for teens. A Common Sense
believes that “Many parents seem to Internet is really no different from Media report based on surveys over a
have better success when they ask anything offline.” one-month period (February to March
their teen for a Facebook tour every 2011) to 1,030 teens aged 13-17 years,
once in a while, or ask a game player says that the single largest effect teens
to teach them how to play a favorite report (29 percent) is that social media
game.” She continues, “Ask your Rather than a demand makes them feel less shy.
teen to show you a favorite YouTube to be friends on Facebook, Half of teens report that social
video. The reason is that each of these Dr. Clark believes that networking helps their relationships,
actions allows parents to demonstrate “Many parents seem to have especially friendships with people
concern and interest and to learn better success when they ask they can’t see on a regular basis. Teens
about their teen’s world.” This easily believe social media helps them get to
opens up dialogue and trust. their teen for a Facebook know schoolmates better and to con-
Don’t blame the Internet for lack of tour every once in a while, nect with new people joined together
privacy—educate yourself. or ask a game player to around a shared interest.
In a New York Times article, an- teach them how to play While most social media use is
thropologist and professor Dr. Danah a favorite game. positive, it is also worth noting that
Boyd frames adults’ fears about the teens also report strife: one-third of
Internet as just another example of the those questioned say they’ve argued
current era’s anxiety-fueled helicopter So Braun’s advice to parents is with friends online; one-fifth say
parenting. She asserts that the world pretty simple: it’s to be “willing to they’ve lost friendships; under 10
isn’t nearly so dangerous as people talk—and to listen—about every- percent have feared for their safety
fear, and says normal teenage “hang- thing.” She suggests parents have a or gotten into physical fights over
ing out” has just moved online. real conversation with their teen, and something that happened online. One-
In the article, she explains, “We realize that the work isn’t to teach quarter of teens reported that they got
need to give kids the freedom to them so much as to learn from them. into trouble in school due to online
explore and experience things online Then, she says, offer information and incidents. For all of this online en-
that might actually help them. What suggestions on very specific issues. gagement though, about half of teens
scares me is that we don’t want to look “Rather than try to teach them about questioned say social media comes in
at the things that make us uncomfort- privacy, what parents can and should second to face-to-face conversation.
able. So rather than see what teenagers be on top of are things like Facebook’s Impact in the classroom.
are showing us online about bullying privacy settings, which require updat- Social media is enhancing
and suicide and the problems they’re ing practically every week. Make sure communication between educators
dealing with and using that infor- your kids know how to update the set- and parents. From classroom and
mation to help them, we’re making tings. They are generally really open homework blogs to parent portals,
ourselves blind to it.” to changing them.” educators have begun to use tech-
Braun thinks that parental fear nologies so parents can be actively
of strangers (bullies and pedophiles) NEW MEDIA AS A involved in their children’s education.
reaching their children online is really USEFUL TOOL Dr. Clark confirms, “Social and
just the same as their fears offline. “It’s As parents, we also need to be mobile media are transforming
really just like fears other genera- reminded that social media can be a learning spaces today. There are
tions had when the warnings children good and practical tool in our teens’ exciting ways that some educators
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 25
28. are incorporating game design, social
media, and data analysis into their cur-
riculum.” She observes that parental
buy-in is easier when the learning
value is clear.
For educators, Twitter may serve
as a useful tool to assist with role-play-
ing activities and to support develop-
ment of concise storytelling skills.
Interviews with lecturers via Twitter
or students’ tweeting during lectures
to encourage commentary in real-time
about the lecture are becoming some
of the newer classroom modalities.
Some educators create a Facebook
page—or have their students do
so—about a curriculum topic such as
theorems or literary characters.
As Calvin Stowell, Social Media
Strategist for DoSomething.org notes,
“Teens are super passionate, whether
it be about a brand they care about or say they have talked with a partner their families, and their friends.
a cause. Social media was born as a about safer sex and a quarter who Around 40 percent of teens agree—
means to communicate those passions, report having visited a doctor or other somewhat strongly—that they’d
and because of that it’s not only easy, health provider or gotten tested for like to unplug briefly. Although it’s
but also rewarding to engage with HIV or other STDs did so because of common for parents to wish that their
teens positively. It’s all about meeting the campaign. 28 percent of respon- teens would detach from their devices,
a teen where they are and listening to dents under 18 reported that due to 21 percent of teens wish their parents
what they have to say, not just telling the campaign, they had a conversation spoke less on cell phones or were
them what we think.” Taking this per- with a parent or other adult regarding less frequently attached to electronic
spective on teens into the classroom, a sexual health issue. devices, too.
many educators successfully boost Social media allows teens to It’s probably no surprise that
student engagement, and fun. foster change. many teens are uncertain about the
Teens use the Internet and social Social media has the capacity to impact of social media upon their lives,
media to gather information. give teenagers a powerful platform, positive or negative; they have little
Take sex: teens go to the Internet one that might be harder to find with- or no comparison to previous genera-
for information about sexuality. 36 out it. This past spring, 14 year-old tions. However, it is clear that teens
percent report that they have looked Julia Bluhm took to the Internet with are surrounded by social media and
up information on STDs and preg- a petition drive aimed at glossy maga- technology that allows them to stay in
nancy. A collaborative initiative of the zines’ unrealistic depictions of teen contact with friends 24/7, and this is
Kaiser Family Foundation and MTV girls’ bodies. She lobbied for Seventeen unlikely to change any time soon.
attempts to reach young people with Magazine to publish at least one image While parents should set bound-
information on pregnancy prevention each issue that isn’t airbrushed. Three aries that are appropriate for their
and STDs. The partnership grew from months and about 84,000 signatures teens, it’s more important that they
a realization that the Internet could later, the magazine has agreed to be communicate with their children
serve as a safe, judgment-free, go-to more transparent about its images and about the positives and negatives of
place for factual information young has launched what it calls the Body social media use. Of course, Face-
people want and need. Peace Project. book and Twitter have changed the
The initiative’s recent survey of way people communicate with one
500 teens reveals that nearly half of TAKE TIME TO UNPLUG another, but the basics of parenting
the respondents reported behavior It’s also worth noting that teens remain the same—stay informed and
changes that they credited to the recognize an increasing reliance upon involved in your teen’s life, but give
partnerships’ efforts. Nearly half who electronic gadgets for themselves, them room to grow up too. LWT
26 LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012
29. VOLUNTEER
SPOTLIGHT
Does Your Teen “Do Something”?
BY LESLI AM OS
ith its Celebrity sponsorhips, social media,
and a mission statement that declares,
“We love teens,” DoSomething.org’s
edgy vibe and teen-targeted initiatives
empower teens to take action.
Founded in 1993 by Melrose Place actor Andrew Shue,
DoSomething.org’s innovative campaigns allow teens and
young adults up to the age of 25 to do service work in areas
they are passionate about. In 2003, Nancy Lublin became
CEO (affectionately referred to as “Chief Old Person”) and
moved the organization online after recognizing that teens
are extremely Internet and tech savvy: surfing the web and
texting is where teens connect. Today, DoSomething.org
champions their causes by texting more than 500,000 teen
members on a regular basis.
Ben Flajnik
Dave DeLuca, the Head of Campaigns for the orga- from ABC’s
nization, comments, “Teens are wired, and so are we. We The Bachelor in
work hard to create engaging content on social media. In a Times Square
Aeropostale store
fact, we’re finishing up our first successful Facebook ‘cause this year.
campaign,’ The Bully Project, where over 120,000 teens
took a survey encompassing the state of the problem in their
schools and lobbied to host the documentary Speak Up in the site, search the “action finder” for opportunities, and
their school.” The survey results have yet to be published. specify a particular time commitment—literally ranging
And while taking the survey may seem like a somewhat from one minute to one year. Teens can also find their
small contribution, DoSomething.org reminds students that passion in any one of eleven categories, including bully-
every bit of activism counts. “People always believe that you ing, the environment, human rights, and so forth, based
have to become a hardcore activist to make change,” DeLuca on their specific service interest.
notes. “And while those people are amazing and make a huge Of course, parental guidance is an important
impact, small things can make a difference as well.” component of raising goal-oriented teens, but when
Lending to its success, DoSomething.org makes teen it comes to actually participating at the ground level,
participation extraordinarily easy. Teens can simply go to DoSomething.org motivates teens to take over the reins.
Parents need “to believe in their kid, trust them—and get
out of their way,” says Deluca. That is not to say parents
Help teens get involved and influential adults shouldn’t point them in the right
with DoSomething.org direction—look at how their teen can become a member
Encourage teens and their friends to: of DoSomething.org, or peruse the many grants or
scholarships available.
• Become a member
Another part of DoSomething.org’s appeal is the
• Sign up for a current campaign
celebrity factor. Many young actors and musicians
• Start a club
support DoSomething.org’s viral creativity. A recent
• Apply for scholarships
campaign against texting and driving, Thumb Wars, was
FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS 27