The week of July 14, 2008, I had the honor of attending the Civitan sponsored Youth Leadership and Diversity Conference at Hillsdale College in southern Michigan.

CNN devoted two nights of coverage July 23-24 to being Black in America. The news coverage was the subject of discussion and writing done by young participants in Youth Speak South Shore, a Chicago-based media
literacy and writing
program.

In my three years in high school, I have found that there are a lot of things that need to be changed, but the ones I want to discuss is diversity and student motivation.

     Many people would think my experience as a female African-American swimmer would be challenging or difficult, but it really isn't the struggle it's thought to be. I think that's because I've learned to focus on doing my best and not being concerned with other people's perceptions of me. Yes, I've had some challenges, but isn't life full of them?

Recently, I graduated from high school. As you know, walking at graduation is one of the most memorable experiences in your life.

Wars have been fought since the dawn of mankind. There's something within mankind that gives us an insatiable need to fight for what we think is ours.

Being biracial isn’t the hardest thing in the world but having to grow up with the prejudices that it brings is. I’m the proud product of a Black Caribbean American mother and a white Italian biological father.

Now more than ever you see things in media are concerned about the threat of global warming. The other day I watched “An Inconvenient Truth”. It's a documentary about global warming information complied by Al Gore, former vice-president.

“Talking out both sides of your mouth”. A teacher explained this phrase to me. It means to be a hypocrite, to say one thing and then say another. Politicians are often accused of such behavior. But this was wasn't a politician they were referring to; it was the Superintendent of the Lansing School District, T.C. Wallace.

Natural disasters are plaguing the Earth we live on. The way we are mistreating our planet has to stop. Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, monsoons and 60-degree winters are just the first signs of what could be the end of the world.

Who invented borders? The invisible lines that the governments of the Earth have drawn on her lands have long since drawn the hostility of man. Who determines these walls that don't exist, why should it matter?

     In the early months of 2008, the groundwork for changing history is being laid. The presidential race for 2009 will be one that could change America forever. Now two people are in the running for president, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama; a woman and a black man. Both of them being Democrats means that only one has the possibility to be president, but the mere fact that they could is mind-blowing. They’re winning states like crazy and people couldn’t love them more

The things in the news these days bother me. No longer are people watching for alerts about the century's first genocide, events that could lead to nuclear war, or assignations of political leaders.

Hi, my name is Taylor Noel Taylor and I am in the 5th grade at Cornell Elementary.    I am excited to be here today to tell you about my personal experience with Junior Achievement. 

Making A Difference in Another's Life - How you can help grant a child's wish

This school year has been one of new rules, strict policies and even new times. The new superintendent of the Lansing School District, T.C. Wallace, has had “the opportunity to lay the groundwork for a strong organizational structure”.

It seems as though Lansing no longer supports the arts and poetry is slowly becoming a fad for an older generation.

   They only have a 7000 person force to police all of Darfur, which is about the size of Texas or France. Interviewees said that gunmen attacks are frequent and they are trying hard to stop them. They report that 200,000 have been killed and 2.5 million displaced even though the capital says only 9,000 have been killed. But a Catholic school posted a billboard on April 1 on a busy street of Springfield, Illinois. Posted on it says “ Stop genocide in Darfur 400,000 dead --and counting.”

Meet Ashley LaMantia and her 2-year-old son Robert Anthony. In elementary school, she dreamed of being the first woman president. In middle school, it was a kindergarten teacher. By 16, Ashley LaMantia had dropped out of Canton High School, too busy partying to attend class. Today, at 24, she's unemployed, feeding her 2-year-old son with food stamps and searching for a job that doesn't call for a high school diploma.

The Conflict in Darfur Needs Attention
Part II of III   

   
   Darfur is not a country but a region in Sudan. It is located in the west of Sudan next to the Central African Republic and Chad.

Where to go from here: Helpful Tips for High School Juniors

Meet Ashley LaMantia and her 2-year-old son Robert Anthony. In elementary school, she dreamed of being the first woman president. In middle school, it was a kindergarten teacher. By 16, Ashley LaMantia had dropped out of Canton High School, too busy partying to attend class. Today, at 24, she's unemployed, feeding her 2-year-old son with food stamps and searching for a job that doesn't call for a high school diploma.

Summer is over and it's time to go back to school. Are you really ready to go back?