Life with Teens Spring 2013

SPRING

2013

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IT’S FR

THE MAGAZINE FOR PARENTS WITH TEENS

TEEN OLYMPIC MEDAL WINNER

TALKS GOLD!

PUBLISHED BY

TeenLife.com VOL. 1, ISSUE 3

What It Takes to Be a High Performance Athlete

10

SITES TO HELP YOUR TEEN GET INTO COLLEGE

TeenLife.com. The “go-to” source for families with teens.

FRES H D ESI GN • I MPRO VE D SE A R C H • U PDATE D CO NT ENT

Check out the new TeenLife.com.

Welcome to

The Magazine for Parents with Teens!

It’s finally spring!

Now that the winter is behind us, I am very motivated to hit the streets with my new running shoes, take in a round of golf with my husband, and attend that extra exercise class.

This issue is completely focused on teen sports, and it begins with our exciting cover story about Olympic medal-winning gymnast Aly Raisman. Turn to page 12 to read her awe-inspiring story of determination—winning two golds and a bronze in London—and about her more-than-supportive parents, Lynn and Rick, who were right by her side.

Not only does Suit Up for Sports on page 14 talk about the many benefits of teens participating in either individual or team sports, but it also educates teens and parents, myself included, about some of the new terminology surrounding youth athletics today. For those with a scholar athlete, it also touches on the ins and outs of college recruiting.

Of course, no parent wants his or her child to endure an injury, but concussions are a serious concern today. Our health writer, Debra Ruder Bradley, presents the head-injury symptoms we should all be aware of on page 20.

Some of the many other “must-reads” cover teens and credit card use, the best websites for college prep, and the controversial HPV vaccine. You will also want to read about our two exceptional TeenLife TeenLeader Contest winners, Jonathan Woods and Neha Gupta, who are both standouts among peers.

Now, let’s all get moving!

Marie Schwartz, President & Founder, TeenLife Media, LLC, mschwartz@teenlife.com

SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

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TeenLife.com PUBLISHER Marie Schwartz, President & Founder

Substance Abuse Treatment for Teens n Clinical expertise in substance abuse

and psychiatric illness

n Strong support for parents n Peaceful residential setting near Boston

MA R K E TI N G Cara Ferragamo Murray Vice President of Marketing & Communications Camille Heidebrecht Director of Marketing & Managing Editor Jon Blumenfeld Associate Manager, Social Media & Member Marketing Chris Connolly Marketing Associate A DV E RTI S I N G SA L E S Stefanie Magner Sales Manager, stefanie@teenlife.com Dina Creiger Account Director, dina@teenlife.com Brent Stevens Account Executive, brent@teenlife.com Ben Welbourn Account Associate, ben@teenlife.com O P E R ATI O N S Maria Kieslich, Senior Director of Operations Alice Vaught, Lesli Amos, Customer Service CO N TR I B U TI N G W R I TE R S Randi Mazzella, Debra Bradley Ruder, Liz Schick, Kimberley Wolf, M.ED. A RT & P R O DU C TI O N Kathryn Tilton, Designer PUBLISHED BY Life with Teens, Volume 1, Issue 3 SPRING 2013 is published three times a year by TeenLife Media, LLC, 1330 Beacon St., Suite 268, Brookline, MA 02446, (617) 277-5120, info@teenlife.com, www.teenlife.com LIMIT OF LIABILITY TeenLife Media, LLC, (TL) does not verify claims or information appearing in any advertisements contained in this magazine. While advertising copy is reviewed, no endorsement of any product or service offered by any advertisement is intended or implied by publication in Life with Teens.

No part of this magazine’s editorial content may be reproduced without written consent by TeenLife.

McLean Hospital is the largest psychiatric affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a member of Partners HealthCare.

www.mcleanlanding.org :: 877.412.3445 mcleanlanding@mclean.harvard.edu

TL is not responsible for the accuracy of any description, or for mistakes, errors, or omissions of any kind, or for any loss or damage caused by a user’s reliance on the information contained in this publication. Information is subject to change without notice, and readers are advised to confirm all information about an organization before making any commitments.

Trademarks: TeenLife Media, LLC and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of TeenLife and/ or its affiliates in the United States and may not be used without written permission.

Copyright © 2013 by TeenLife Media, LLC Published by TeenLife Media, LLC, Brookline, MA

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SPRING

2013

4

DID YOU KNOW? New groundbreaking stats

6

MONEY SENSE: Why Your Teen Should Have a Credit Card

TeenLife.com

By Liz Schick

8

CAMPUS CONNECT: Planning for College Made Easy Online

12

ALY RAISMAN TUMBLES TO GOLD: A candid conversation with the Olympian and her parents

By Camille Heidebrecht

14

FEATURE: Suit Up for Sports

By Randi Mazzella

See page 12.

HEALTH & WELLNESS: 20 Getting A-Head of Concussions

By Debra Bradley Ruder

21

VIEWPOINTS: The HPV Vaccine: Physicians Say Benefits Outweigh Risks

By Vicki Ritterband

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: 25

Bright and Early Ideas: The Making

of a Teen Social Entrepreneur

By Kimberly Wolf, M.Ed.

TEENLEADER CONTEST WINNERS 26

Teens Jonathan Woods and Neha Gupta

win a TeenLife Scholarship.

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COLLEGE LISTINGS & ADMISSIONS RESOURCES 27

A Preview of TeenLife’s 2013 Guide to College Admissions

STAY CONNECTED!

2013 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION 28 COUNSELING (NACAC) NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIRS Aly Raisman photos by Sadie Dayton.

SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

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DID YOU

KNOW?

Out of 20 million

students, over 5 million

are taking at least one online class.

Pew Research Millennial Facts.

72% OF ADMISSIONS OFFICERS PREFER STUDENTS BE CONSISTENTLY INVOLVED WITH ONE ISSUE OVER A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE CAUSES. DoSomething.org’s Community Service and College Admissions Survey.

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Facebook Fun Facts

FACEBOOK FUN FACTS YOUTH ATHLETES WHO SLEEP 8 OR MORE HOURS A NIGHT ARE 68% LESS LIKELY TO BE INJURED. American Academy of Pediatrics Abstract, 2012.

Median Age is 22.

201 The average teen has 201 FB friends.

30% of adolescents say they had tried alcohol by the time they reached the eighth grade.

Monitoring the Future Study, 2012

210,000 years of music played so far.

219 BILLION

photos uploaded.

Top 5 countries of users since FB hit the 1 billion mark: United States, Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Mexico.

SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

  5

SENSE

Why Your Teen SHOULD Have a Credit Card

BY LIZ SCHICK

n today’s electronic society where cash is certainly not the norm, it’s imperative that you teach your teen responsible money management. And believe it or not, a step in doing so is to give them a credit card.

Why? you ask. One of the biggest reasons to “issue them plastic” is so they can establish clean credit early on. In fact, according to the Jump$tart Coalition, an advocate for financial literacy, one in three high school seniors is already using one or more credit cards— ahead of the curve.

Keep in mind that technically, debt cannot be offered to someone under the age of 18. So teen cards are mostly “prepaid” and “secured” credit cards, or they have an extremely low spending limit of $200 to $300. Some credit card companies actually require parents to cosign as the primary borrower.

Or you can sign your teen up as an additional cardholder where you have the master account. If possible, your teen’s card should have a different number than yours, so that you can easily tell the specific charges they are responsible for.

Of course, you can’t throw caution to the wind. Banks and credit card companies are known to bombard students with the lure of owning a “grown-up” card of their own, which can mean potential debt.

checkbook every month. Your teen, and not you, should write the check that pays the monthly credit card balance, so he or she understands the connection between cash and credit and how one affects the other.

Establishing good credit. While credit cards offer convenience, their main purpose is to establish an independent credit history and solid credit score so, in the future, it’s easy to borrow from banks or lenders when qualifying for more “adult purchases” like a car loan or mortgage.

Realizing that credit cards are not “free money.” It’s a simple application of addition and subtraction that students must understand before they get to the invisibility of actual money and the “magic” of plastic purchases. There are the very real consequences of interest, repayment, and the fear of ruining good credit.

TEACH YOUR TEEN TO BE CREDIT WISE

Discussing what’s acceptable to buy. Again, giving teens a credit card in high school can be beneficial if you closely monitor their spending and what they actually buy. Discuss what purchasing choices are appropriate and the implications of the cost. For example, you may allow your teen to grab a slice of pizza on-the-go between practices, but may not approve a daily trip to Dunkin’ Donuts or purchase of that extra pair of Ugg boots. Again, set a personal limit that you are comfortable with.

Checking first. Before teens acquire a credit card, they should have their own checking account, write checks, keep their check register up to date, and balance their

Avoiding debt. Accumulating debt can happen quickly. In fact, according to the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, two-thirds of all undergraduates

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LIFE WITH TEENS SPRING 2013

have at least one credit card, and 27 percent have four or more, with an average credit card balance of $1,879.

Your teen should keep a record of the credit card purchases made during the month, with a running total.

When they’ve reached the amount they can afford to pay off at the end of the month, they should stop using the card until the next month rolls around.

One parent I know actually had her son pay every two weeks to avoid building up a significant balance.

Applying consequences. If your teenager misses a payment, or fails to pay month after month, it’s perfectly acceptable to revoke credit card privileges for a specified period of time.

Knowing your credit card options. There are plenty of credit cards with low introductory rates, 0% APR (annual percentage rate), no annual fee, cash back on purchases, and optional rewards programs. For example, there is one that offers rewards that can be redeemed in the campus bookstore, on iTunes, or to buy concert tickets. You can compare offers on student prepaid or secured credit card deals at www.bankrate. com, www.comparecards.com, or www.creditcards.com. All of the major players have student credit cards.

Visa® Buxx allows parents to limit spending by funding the credit card via transfers from their own checking account. Parents can track their teen’s spending on the card with monthly statements or online.

Another viable option is the prepaid debit SpendSmart™ card by MasterCard, which sends parents text alerts each time the card is used.

Parents can “track, load, or lock cash” online at www.billmyparents. com. SpendSmart™ also has detailed budget-tracking worksheets and an allowance calculator, among other tools.

Similarly, parents might opt for the PASS card by American

ExpressTM. Students can even customize their card with an image and specific color.

Funding his or her credit card. The best way to fund a prepaid card is with the teen’s own money from allowance, jobs, or gifts.

And, of course, you can add to it.

But when choosing a prepaid card, look carefully at potential high fees.

Some credit card companies charge even before you make a purchase.

Teen credit cards can be useful tools when teaching money management and ways to build good credit.

And while the ubiquitous plastic debit/credit card is still the payment of choice, it, too, is starting to give way to the swipe of a smartphone for instore and online purchases. At least, with our suggestions above, your teen will have the financial knowledge to help them scan wisely. LWT

YOUR TEEN NEEDS TO KNOW 1. Regular APR – the interest rate charged on any outstanding balance over a given calendar year once the intro APR has expired.

2. Intro APR – a temporary lower annual rate that’s offered to entice customers; it must last a minimum of 6 months.

3. Default APR – a very high interest rate (penalty) applied when an individual fails to pay the bill on time.

4. Periodic rate – the interest rate described in relation to a specific amount of time; the monthly periodic rate is the cost of credit per month, and the daily periodic rate is the cost of credit per day.

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SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

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CONNECT

Planning for College MADE EASY ONLINE Here are 10 “sites we like” to help you and your teen navigate through the often challenging college admissions process.

CollegeBoard.org For more than 100 years, the College Board has been and remains the granddaddy of organizations for parents and students to start college planning.

CollegeBoard.org covers everything from searching colleges and applying for schools to test prep and scholarships— you name it.

CollegeConfidential.com Self-proclaimed as the world’s largest college forum, this site serves as an interactive web community where college-bound students and parents can search more than 3,000 colleges and universities, ask questions, and share personal insights on campus life. It’s easy to join the conversation with comments, discussions, and photo and video sharing in its CampusVibe section.

CollegeEssayOrganizer.com What makes this site a standout? Its Essay Quickfinder—a search function that lists the exact essay questions currently used at each school. Plus, it’s free. Students can upload, edit, and track the status of their drafts, view winning essay samples, and get one-onone expert guidance if needed. Although offered for a nominal fee, using its Essay RoadMap in the writing process is a no-brainer.

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LIFE WITH TEENS SPRING 2013

CollegeProwler.com “By Students. For Students.” This site is filled with first-person reviews and opinions by college students who answer questions, share tips, and discuss campus life at more than 7,000 colleges and universities. And this is the best. Your teen can join this “student community” to find colleges based on “other relevant student criteria” like off-campus dining and nightlife, local vibe, Greek life, parking—even the attractiveness of the coeds.

CollegeWeekLIVE.com CollegeWeekLIVE is home to hundreds of virtual college fairs, where students can visit cyberbooths featuring electronic brochures, videos, webinars, podcasts, and real-time IM and video chat capabilities with school representatives, admissions counselors, and current students.

Kaarme.com Athletes can stand out among other recruits by creating a Kaarme profile containing physical attributes, statistics, highlight videos, and academic performance to market themselves to coaches. It also has the most advanced student database for college athletic scholarships.

Unigo.com Referred to as “a college resource built for the age of YouTube and Facebook” by the Wall Street Journal, Unigo.com is a free, gigantic, student-generated college guide for prospective applicants and their families. Now, teens trying to figure out where and how to go to college, benefit from Unigo’s central idea: that high school students would much rather learn about a college’s academics and student life from one another than from a book.

YOUniversityTV.com What’s better than taking a campus video tour before actually visiting the campus? That’s right, YOUniversityTV has the largest collection of college tour videos on the net to check out schools of interest. Other fun features. Students can meet and share their own campus photos and videos as well as view exclusive “day in the life” career videos hosted by students asking various professionals what they do and why they do it. YOU can literally play videos and see what it takes to be a doctor, lawyer, biologist, marketing professional, etc.—career options in 11 different categories.

WiseChoice.com At WiseChoice, you’ll find a comprehensive college-planning system that helps students and families stay organized and make wise, informed decisions when exploring colleges, considering careers, applying for colleges, and paying for school. But what’s truly unique?

Students complete an interactive fivepart personality assessment and then receive an in-depth report about who they are, what motivates them, and what they’ll need to succeed at college, as well as a list of “best-fit” schools based on its proprietary “WiseChoice matching algorithm.”

Zinch.com Zinch is a Facebook-like site where students build comprehensive profiles of accomplishments, extracurricular activities, personal videos, and images that showcase “who they are”— beyond their SAT scores— to prospective schools. It’s also deemed the “hook-up” site that personally matches students to more than $2 billion in scholarships.

VIEW EVEN MORE USEFUL WEBSITES TO HELP YOU WITH THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS IN TEENLIFE’S 2013 GUIDE TO COLLEGE ADMISSIONS.

Does your school use Naviance?

Used at more than 5,000 high schools and growing, this educational software helps students connect what they do in the classroom with their life goals, including finding colleges and careers based on their personal skills and areas of interest.

Additionally, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors use Naviance to track a student’s admissions status. The Enrichment Program section lists thousands of summer and gap year programs, as well as community service opportunities provided by TeenLife.

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SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

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Aly Raisman tumbles to gold

A candid conversation with the star Olympian and her parents B Y C A M I LLE HEIDEBRECHT

“Stick it.” That’s what every

young gymnast, including my weekly grip-wearing daughters and myself, was hoping to see as they watched the teen tumbling phenom, Aly Raisman, rotate the floor.

And stick it she did. With two aircatching vaults; a perfectly placed landing off the uneven bars; a heart-stopping performance on the beam (and bronze); and the delivery of what is now deemed the “greatest women’s Olympic floor routine in history,” earning her a 15.600 and gold!

Beginning the sport at age 18 months in Mommy and Me classes, then continuing with countless hours and years at Brestyan’s American Gymnastics Club in Burlington, MA, Aly admits that her true dedication to the sport and Olympic dream did not come until watching a video of the 1996 women’s gymnastics team—over and over and over again.

Who knew her Olympic dream would actually come true? She did. I learned right away when meeting Aly that she possesses fierce determination and extreme confidence; she knew that she had trained consistently over the years and was ready to dominate. “The idea of making the Olympic team was always so vivid in my mind, and that’s all I ever wanted to do,” states Aly. “Every night when I went to sleep and every morning when I woke up, it was always on my mind 24/7.”

She adds, “There were obviously many days when I didn’t feel good or had a bad workout, but the thought of not making the Olympic team literally would push me to keep going and keep working. I felt really prepared and had worked really hard.”

As for being a team player, Aly remarks, “I think that competing as a team is definitely not always easier, but it is a little better because you have that [team] support, and you are with each other every step of the way.” She continues, “We wanted to get the most medals possible for the U.S.A. There was a great team dynamic. It was truly exciting and a lot of fun.”

Although the competitiveness of elite gymnastics can certainly take its toll on a young body and an aspiring mind with huge dreams of winning medals, Aly credits the support of her parents and family (she has three siblings) as a big influence on her maintaining a balance between athletics and being a typical teen.

The world will probably never forget the eye squinting and swaying of her parents that spun over the social airways during the competition— images that actually just illustrated the Raismans’ loving support of their daughter.

Aly’s father, Rick, who typically picked her up and watched the end of practices, chimes in about preparing for London, “I didn’t exactly prep her, but I was always there for her, whether it was physically, mentally, or emotionally. If she needed more massages each week, we made sure to make that happen. We did everything we could to make her feel as good as possible when she wasn’t at the gym.

We really reinforced that hard work trumps everything else, and she truly believed that. I think that made a huge difference for her.”

Aly’s mother, Lynn, adds, “Of course there were times when she was frustrated and felt overwhelmed, but we just encouraged her. As long as

she tries her hardest, no matter what the outcome is, we are always proud of her.”

Lynn reminds all parents, whether or not their children are elite athletes, “Our role is a support role. I think the drive and the determination have to come from the kid. I don’t think it works out when it’s the parents who are pushing them to go [to practice]. I also think that it is easy to get caught up in expectations. It is important for parents to enjoy what’s happening. That’s the reason your child is involved in the sport in the first place—their love and excitement for the sport.”

“THE IDEA OF MAKING THE OLYMPIC TEAM WAS ALWAYS SO VIVID IN MY MIND, AND THAT’S ALL I EVER WANTED TO DO.”

Lynn further articulates, “Although it was definitely a big time commitment traveling to meets and practices and all of that, when she was home, life went on. We have three other kids; there wasn’t any special attention on her.”

Outside of the gym, Aly maintains a typical teen lifestyle. She shops. She texts and tweets religiously. She listens to the more than 1,500 tunes on her iPhone, hangs out with her friends, and juggles her sport and schoolwork. “I don’t procrastinate. I do a lot of my homework on the weekends to catch up or to take a lot off of my plate for the upcoming week,” emphasizes Aly. “Even if

you are really focused in your sport, I believe you should also put 100% into your schoolwork, because that’s just as important.”

Aly also takes being a teen role model very seriously. Aly has recently aligned herself with The Century Council, a leading organization in the fight against drunk driving and underage drinking among teens.

“Aly really believes teens should be passionate about community service,” reinforces Lynn. “I think it [The Century Council] was just a good fit.

Obviously, if you are going to be an elite athlete, staying healthy and away from drugs and alcohol makes sense.

They just don’t mix.”

Aly plans visits to middle schools across the country on behalf of The Century Council (www.centurycouncil.org). She reveals, “I have younger siblings. I have a sister in middle school right now. She comes home and tells me stories about kids in her grade already involved with alcohol and drugs.”

She remarks, “When I walk into a room and meet young kids, I can always tell in their eyes how excited they are to see me. It is really an honor.” She stresses the importance of not reaching for drugs and alcohol to be successful and happy. She comments, “I am hoping that I can do something to help.”

Aly is truly a remarkable teen.

And if there is one thing more apparent to me after holding one of Aly’s medals for a split second during our photo shoot, it is that the ominous weight (just under one pound) truly embodies the achievements of a solid winner, a winner who still wants to compete.

After Aly graces the not-so-familiar wooden floor on the current season of Dancing with the Stars, she will return to the gym. I am pretty sure that every gymnast viewer, my family and I included, will be applauding her on-the-mark “sticks” once again—but this time in Rio 2016. LWT SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

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SUIT UP FOR

Sports

BY RANDI MAZZELLA

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LIFE WITH TEENS SPRING 2013

NEAKERS, CLEATS, SHIN GUARDS, AND BASKETBALLS ARE STREWN ACROSS OUR FAMILY HOME AT ALL TIMES. BETWEEN MY THREE CHILDREN (TWO TEEN GIRLS AND ONE 9-YEAR-OLD BOY), THEY PLAY MORE THAN FIVE SPORTS ON EIGHT DIFFERENT TEAMS. OUR WEEKDAY AFTERNOONS AND FAMILY WEEKENDS ARE DEVOTED TO SPORTS, AND WE ARE NOT ALONE. ACCORDING TO A 2011 STUDY BY THE SPORTING GOODS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (SGMA), OVER 50 PERCENT OF KIDS AGES 11–17 PLAY AT LEAST ONE TEAM SPORT.

SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

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A tremendous number of life lessons can be acquired long after the final whistle blows.

Chris Stankovich, professional athletic counselor and founder of Advanced Human Performance Systems, remarks, “There are skills that athletes learn while competing that can be transferred to other aspects of their life. These ‘athletic transferrable skills’ include learning how to set goals and achieve them, how to win gracefully, how to lose and come back from failure, and how to work as a member of a team. Most teen athletes don’t even realize the invaluable lessons they are learning through playing sports.”

Tara Cousineau, clinical psychologist and founder of the website BodiMojo.com, also adds, “Sports help teens build confidence. It has been documented that girls who participate in sports have higher selfesteem. Competitive sports require focus and commitment, and with less free unaccounted time, teens are more productive in other areas of their life.” Mia Greenblatt echoes these sentiments, adding, “Playing soccer kept Marc extremely busy, but it has also made him more organized as a student.”

WHY PLAY SPORTS? When my kids were small, I got them involved in sports as a way for them to meet other kids in our neighborhood, have fun, and, of course, to burn off some energy.

As they got older, they continued in sports for many of the same reasons.

Sports are fun—and a wonderful way to get your child out of the house, off the computer, and moving to stay fit. And depending on the sport, teens get a cardiovascular workout, build muscle, and develop their hand-eye coordination. Many of the athletic skills teens learn while playing a sport will help them lead healthier, more active lives as adults.

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LIFE WITH TEENS SPRING 2013

Of course, there are plenty of other benefits, too. Team sports provide the opportunity for teens to socialize with their peers while working together toward a common goal. By playing with a team, teens meet other teens who share their passion. Marc Greenblatt, a high school senior, has played soccer since he was in preschool and just recently committed to playing soccer for Northeastern University in the fall.

Marc’s mother, Mia, says, “Marc has made some of his best friends on the soccer field.”

Although the physical and social aspects of participating in sports are quite obvious, what you and your teen might not have truly thought about is how sports apply to life beyond high school.

CHOOSING A SPORT Teens can participate in a wide variety of sports, from popular sports, such as soccer and basketball, to lesser known but equally challenging sports, such as fencing and archery. A plethora of activities, from which your teen may choose, exists.

Deciding which sport to play is a matter of matching preference, personality, and ability. For some teens, team sports, such as baseball and lacrosse, are a good match. Others may prefer more individualized sports, such as tennis or swimming, where they compete independently but still have the camaraderie within a team. Depending on the sport and

desired degree of competition, teens may choose to play for their local high school team or for elite clubs or private leagues.

For some kids, picking a sport is easy. Marc’s natural gift for soccer was evident from the moment he got on the field at age five. His skills continued to improve as he got older, and even though he played a few other sports, his love of soccer never waned.

For others, finding the right sport can be more of a challenge. My oldest daughter, Allie, played recreational soccer for many years and then joined the freshman team in high school. Her high school is quite large, so being a team member allowed Allie to play a role in the student body. Unfortunately, when she was a sophomore, she was cut from the team. While she did not have the talent or desire to play soccer at a college level, she was devastated to lose that sense of belonging and the opportunity to compete.

Several months later she joined the track team and found this sport to be a much better match for her.

Now a senior, she is a team captain and will be earning a varsity letter later this season. Allie says, “I love track, because I get to set individual goals for myself rather than being reliant on how others perform—but

I still get to feel part of a team and spend time with my friends, too.”

For teens who don’t feel competitive sports are for them at all, there are still other ways for them to reap some of the benefits of sports.

Cousineau says, “It’s important for teens to recognize that there are many outlets for physical activity beyond competing on a sports team.

Teens can work out at a local gym or YMCA, take dance or karate classes, ride their bike, or walk their dog for 30 minutes a day. These types of basic physical activity will rev up the heart, boost mood, and build confidence over time.”

RISK AND PRESSURE OF SPORTS Participating in sports for teens is certainly a win-win situation, but there are potential risks. The pressure of sports specialization, injury, and the use of performance-enhancing drugs are all very real today.

One concern is the prominence of early sports specialization, playing one sport all year. Young athletes specializing in one sport and playing on multiple travel teams and elite leagues are truthfully becoming the norm. Dave Galehouse, a former col-

lege athlete and creator of the website varsityedge.com explains, “Years ago, kids played soccer or football in the fall, basketball in the winter, baseball in the spring—and summer was for golf. Now kids feel they need to specialize in one sport in order to increase their recruiting chances.”

While specializing in a sport in high school might make sense, early specialization has led many young athletes to sports “burnout.”

It is estimated that by age 13, over 70% of kids drop out of youth sports, naming “adults, coaches, and parents” as their top reasons.

In addition, by playing and training in one sport year-round, young athletes (middle school and below) are at a higher risk for “overuse injuries” caused by the wear and tear of repetitive athletic motion (such as throwing a baseball).

Along with early specialization, extreme competitiveness is also changing the culture of youth sports in recent years. As much as we, myself included at times, might not like to admit it, parents and coaches are overemphasizing winning and “being the best” rather than having fun and staying safe. Teen athletes are training harder and longer, leading to more injuries, including an alarming

“Deciding which sport to play is a matter of matching preference, personality, and ability.”

SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

17

“Good coaches will not only foster team spirit and advance athletic abilities, but will also inspire your teen to play to potential and grow personally.” rise in the number of reported concussions according to our article on page 20. Athletes may be encouraged by their teammates, coaches, and even parents to “push through the pain.”

Cousineau says, “Teens need to take a break and let their body rest and recover, but the current environment makes this difficult.”

Stankovich reminds us, “Sometimes teens feel like they can’t be honest with their parents. The parents’ expectations of the child are too high and the child is afraid of upsetting or disappointing the parents. In turn, the teen can get hurt physically, because their head isn’t in the game, and/or emotionally.”

The pressure to stay competitive may also lead some teen athletes to take performance-enhancing drugs and supplements. These substances 18

LIFE WITH TEENS FALL 2012

are used for a variety of reasons, including to dull pain, build muscle mass, increase stamina, and reduce weight. While some performanceenhancing drugs, such as steroids, are banned and known to cause severe side effects, other substances, such as creatine, are available over the counter; you and your teen may assume the latter are harmless because they are “natural,” legal, and available without a prescription, but there has been little research done on the possible long-term side effects on teens.

PLAYING SPORTS IN COLLEGE Many teens dream of playing at the college level or perhaps even receiving an athletic scholarship to pay for school; however, it is estimated

that only 5–7 percent of high school athletes go on to play in college and that less than 2 percent receive athletic scholarships to compete.

As far as an athletic scholarship goes, families must be realistic.

Unfortunately, just because your child has enjoyed athletic success in high school doesn’t mean he or she has the skills necessary to play at the college level. Galehouse suggests families of teens that want to play college sports explore the options available at all levels of play, not just the top ten well-known schools. There are plenty of opportunities to join a team at a Division II or Division III school, and almost all colleges have recreational programs at all levels. Don’t forget that there is always the opportunity for your sports star to “walk on” and try out for the big-name team!

AMG Educational Mia Greenblatt affirms, “Marc was fortunate to receive a partial athletic scholarship, but our goal as parents was to help Marc achieve his dream of continuing to play soccer.

The fact that he is playing Division I and receiving scholarship money is a nice surprise, but we never thought of his soccer playing as the way to pay for his education.”

Galehouse also mentions that many families assume that high school coaches are responsible for a teen athlete’s recruiting process.

Although high school coaches can be helpful, it is ultimately the family’s responsibility to research and evaluate schools, contact college coaches, and make decisions along the way.

WHAT ROLE SHOULD PARENTS AND COACHES PLAY IN TEEN SPORTS? With a healthy attitude and proper guidance, parents and coaches can help teen athletes not only enjoy the benefits of sports but also minimize potential risks. Again, I know firsthand that it is sometimes easy to get carried away at a game, but don’t forget, our role as parents is merely to support our children on the field.

Cheer for your athlete in a positive and respectful manner. Be encouraging. Emphasize fun and effort, not results and winning—and no coaching from the sidelines!

Help your teen set attainable goals toward which to work. Stankovich remarks, “Your child can’t control how fast the other swimmers at a meet swim, but he can strive to improve his own time. That may not mean he will win the race and that is okay.”

Keep communication open. Check in with your teen to ensure they are still enjoying their sport. Ask openended questions rather than just inquiring about the score of the game.

Of course, discourage them from quitting midseason, but allow them to express concerns and feel comfortable

voicing their doubts about continuing to play a sport once the season is over.

My own daughter took a season off from track when she felt particularly overwhelmed with schoolwork and needed a break—perfectly acceptable!

Encourage your teen to explore interests in addition to sports. While being an athlete can help build selfesteem, it is important for teens to define themselves by a wider lens.

Stankovich adds, “Single definition athletic identity is a concern. A teen that derives all of his or her selfworth from a sport can be devastated if he has to give up that sport—either because he got cut from a team or injured.” A teen that defines himself in several ways, rather than exclusively as an athlete, will ultimately be a happier person.

Use recent news in professional sports not only to show how the hard work and dedication of some elite athletes, such as Aly Raisman, are truly inspiring and pay off. (See our article on page 12.) But also to show how the Lance Armstrong and Roger Clemens stories illustrate that using banned drugs is not the way to succeed.

Get to know your child’s coach; however, resist the urge to approach the bench on your teen’s behalf unless it is a safety matter. Good coaches will not only foster team spirit and advance athletic abilities, but will also inspire your teen to play to potential and grow personally without too much parental involvement. Teens should feel comfortable talking to their coach when problems occur.

It is just basic parenting to make sure your teen plays his or her best and avoids injury with plenty of sleep, balanced meals, and sportsfree days so his or her body can rest.

Also, promote balance between sports and non-sports activities and model healthy behaviors.

The best reason for your teen to play a sport is because it is fun. If he or she enjoys the game, you will, too. LWT

Consultants

Admissions • Motivation • Guidance Worried about your child’s college or private school admissions process? AMG Eductational Consultants will advise you and your student while easing the stress and anxiety associated with the process.

www.findingcolleges.com Contact Andrea Glovsky for a consultation.

 amg@findingcolleges.com  978.526.7809 $200 off signed contract if you mention this ad.

To find local events in your area, check out the TeenLife.com/ calendar.

FALL 2012 LIFE WITH TEENS

19

HEALTH &

WELLNESS

Getting A-Head of

CONCUSSIONS

BY DEBRA BRADLEY RUD E R

y any measure, Caroline Metcalf-Vera is a standout. The 16-year-old Dedham, Massachusetts high school junior takes AP and honors classes, edits her school newspaper, plays varsity soccer, and clears hurdles in track.

But her path has been bumpy—literally.

In 2011, Metcalf-Vera sustained two debilitating concussions: one during a soccer collision and another when a volleyball slammed into her head. The second hit sent her to the hospital, impaired her memory and grades, and triggered “a horrible depression,” Metcalf-Vera recalls. She missed part of her sophomore year and finally felt better 6 months later. “If I get another concussion,” she says, “there’s no contact sports for the rest of my life.”

Metcalf-Vera is in good company. As many as 3.8 million sports- and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And plenty more go unrecognized.

A concussion is a brain injury caused when a blow to the head or body makes the brain shift or spin inside the skull. Football, ice hockey, lacrosse, and soccer are among the riskiest youth sports, but concussions can happen in any activity that might involve colliding with another player, the ground, or a solid object like a goalpost.

Experts say most youths do well after a sports-related concussion—as long as they leave play immediately, seek medical care, and let their brains heal before returning to the field, rink, or court. Children who sustain repeat concussions are at risk for life-changing problems, including brain damage, even death.

Here are some steps parents and athletes can take to help prevent concussions while enjoying youth sports: Play smart. Athletes should follow the coach’s safety rules, practice good sportsmanship, and wear correct protective equipment (helmets, padding, etc.) that fits and is well-maintained.

Get strong. There is evidence that neck and shoulder strengthening can help athletes stabilize their heads after an impact, notes William Meehan, M.D., director of the Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention and the Sports 20

LIFE WITH TEENS SPRING 2013

Concussion Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital. He also recommends staying hyperaware (“keep your head on a swivel”) during play, since most concussions happen when athletes don’t see a hit coming.

Study up. Know the signs and symptoms (see box), which may not appear until hours or days after an injury.

Remember that concussions rarely involve losing consciousness; even a “ding” to the head can be serious. Also, familiarize yourself with your school or league concussion policies—including whether they conduct preseason neurocognitive tests like ImPACT to measure an athlete’s memory, concentration, and reaction times.

See a doctor. If you suspect a concussion, get medical help right away. A primary care physician with experience managing head injuries is a good place to start, but see a specialist if symptoms worsen or linger.

Be patient. Resting the body and brain after a concussion is critical. Students should not return to play or school until cleared by a medical professional. Recovery—meaning all symptoms are gone (both while resting and exercising) and balance and brain function are restored—typically takes 7 to 10 days. Some youths have negative long-term effects.

Communicate. Let coaches know if your teen has had previous head injuries in any sport. And if your child complains about concussion-type symptoms, take that seriously.

When it comes to the brain, “You can never be too careful,” Caroline Metcalf-Vera reflects. “Nothing is more valuable than your state of mind.” LWT Concussion signs and symptoms include: • Headache • Nausea or vomiting • Dizziness or balance trouble • Concentration or memory problems

• Confusion • Sensitivity to light and/ or noise • Feeling “not right” • Changes in behavior or personality

Debra Bradley Ruder is a Boston-based freelance writer specializing in healthcare and education.

VIEW POINTS

THE

HPV Vaccine Physicians Say Benefits Outweigh Risks Should you or shouldn’t you vaccinate?

It’s a question that many parents of teenaged girls and boys are asking about two fairly new vaccines—Gardasil and Cervarix—that protect against human papillomavirus, or HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection.

When it comes to HPV, cancer of the cervix is the biggest concern, as nearly all cervical cancers are caused by the virus. Less commonly, some types of HPV can also lead to cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and oropharynx, the middle part of the throat. HPV is a major cause of genital warts in both males and females as well.

BY VICK I RIT T ERBAN D

SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

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In 2007, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved Gardasil for females, and two years later, for males. Cervarix was cleared for use in girls in 2009, but it is less widely administered in the U.S. than Gardasil.

For both vaccines, three shots are given over a period of 6 months to children as young as age 9, although more typically, boys and girls are being vaccinated in their teens.

If your child hasn’t been vaccinated, they’re in good company. Nationally, only 35 percent of eligible girls have completed the three-shot series. For boys, that number plummets to 8 percent. Compare those numbers to those for the other two recommended adolescent vaccines—Tdap and meningitis—whose rates are 78 percent and 71 percent, respectively.

A NO-BRAINER “Here you have a vaccine that can save an entire generation of women from cervical cancer and only about one-third of girls are getting vaccinated,” said Rodney Willoughby, M.D., a Wisconsin pediatrician and one of the authors of the 2012 American Academy of Pediatrics statement on HPV vaccination. “If you can reduce the chances of getting a really common, awful type of cancer ten-fold, why wouldn’t you get it?”

Although cancer concerns are less of an impetus for vaccinating males, genital warts should be motivation enough, according to Daniel Slater, M.D., specialty director for pediatrics at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in Massachusetts. “While the risk of serious disease from HPV is quite low in boys, I have treated many adolescent boys with genital warts and it causes

“I don’t judge them.

I tell them [teens] this is nature, and although I want them to wait to be sexually active, I also want them to be protected.”

PETER RICHEL, M.D.

22

LIFE WITH TEENS SPRING 2013

extreme distress,” said Dr. Slater, who had his own two sons vaccinated. “Treatment requires frequent visits, the treatment is painful, and they worry about issues of intimacy,” he said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control are on the same page as Drs. Willoughby and Slater. Both recommend the immunization of boys and girls against human papillomavirus, ideally at age 11 or 12, before they are sexually active.

JUST SAY NO Most critics of HPV vaccination fall into two camps.

The first are those who question the safety of Gardasil in particular, saying it has been linked to devastating side effects including strokes, seizures, autoimmune problems, and even death.

“If I had known what I know today, I would never have let my daughter get the vaccine,” said Rosemary Mathis of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, whose 12-year-old daughter was bedridden for months after receiving three doses of Gardasil. Specialists from Duke University Medical Center and Wake Forest’s Brenner Children’s Hospital confirmed she had suffered a vaccine injury, according to Mathis. “Yet until I insisted, my pediatrician did not report my daughter’s injury to the vaccine registry that tracks these adverse effects,” said Mathis.

“Many doctors don’t understand the side effects associated with vaccine injury, or simply don’t take the time to listen if the patient’s symptoms are out of the ordinary and don’t respond to conventional treatment.”

Despite cases like Mathis’s, many experts say the vaccines are safe and adverse reactions are rare. A recent

THE PARENT PERSPECTIVE

Gardasil Protects My Daughters

Gardasil Harmed My Daughter

DeAnne Mullett lives with her two daughters in Melrose, Massachusetts. She is an emergency department nurse.

Rosemary Mathis is an accounting manager who lives with her family in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. She is the co-founder of an online community that seeks to educate people about the dangers of HPV vaccines and other vaccines, which can be found at sanevax.org.

I’m very pro-vaccine. There’s not a vaccine I wouldn’t want my kids to have if it has been shown to be valuable. Vaccines are all about preventing people from getting deadly diseases. My husband died of cancer 9 years ago, so I’m going to do anything I can to prevent one more cancer from happening, especially while I have control over my children’s healthcare. We also have a neighbor whose daughter died of cervical cancer.

My daughter Devin got the Gardasil vaccine 2 years ago when she was 12, and my younger daughter Brett got it at 11. I strongly believe that a preteen is too young to make the decision herself about whether or not to get the vaccine, and once she’s sexually active and old enough to make the decision, it’s probably too late. I honestly don’t believe my kids are doing anything sexually at this age, but you never know and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

If this is one area that I can prevent them from getting sick later on, why wouldn’t I do it?

Devin got through the shots fine. But Brett was receiving other vaccines at the same time she was getting her Gardasil shots, so she was very anxious and ended up passing out 5 minutes after the first shot. At the second shot she got dizzy, so I had her lie down and gave her a Coke to drink. At the last vaccination, she did breathing exercises for about 10 minutes prior to the shot and was fine.

If any other vaccine is developed to protect from another type of cancer, my daughters will get it, as long as I’m still in control.

I am not anti-vaccine. I always made sure my kids got all of their vaccines on schedule. My 12-year-old daughter Lauren became ill with flu-like symptoms after each of her three Gardasil shots in 2008. The third shot left her completely bedridden, with severe headaches, nausea, sensitivity to light, and shooting pains throughout her body. Her pediatrician said it had nothing to do with the vaccine. I finally took her to the ER. Four hospitals and multiple tests later, a test showed her gall bladder had stopped functioning. The doctors scheduled her for surgery to have it removed. The surgeon refused and told us, “I don’t think it is her gall bladder. Something is causing it to stop functioning, and the doctors need to find out what is wrong.” We called off the operation.

The doctors and tests continued. We had to homeschool her because she was unable to go anywhere. Tens of thousands of dollars later, she was finally started on the right treatment, a regimen of vitamins that put her on the road to recovery. Since this happened to her, I began researching on the Internet to see if other young people were having the same problems. I found people from all over the world whose children had had adverse reactions to the HPV vaccines, including people whose daughters and sons had died.

Four years later, Lauren is still not 100% better. Her immune system is still weak, and she gets sick a lot. She was a gifted honors student before this happened, but she had to drop out of her honors classes because she missed so much school. It also affected her memory. She never played piano the same after the injury.

SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

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HPV BY THE NUMBERS:

70% Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by human papillomavirus.

About 70 percent of those cancers are caused by HPV strains 16 and 18, which both Gardasil and Cervarix protect against.

There are

12,000 reported cases of cervical cancer in the U.S. each year, resulting in 4,000 deaths.

50% The chances of being infected with HPV sometime in your life is 50 percent, but in most cases the infection is cleared by the immune system within a couple of years.

About 6 percent of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with genital warts, and 90 percent of those cases are caused by HPV types 6 and 11, which Gardasil protects against.

study of the vaccine by the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center found no link between Gardasil and serious health problems. The study followed 190,000 females who had received at least one dose of the vaccine.

The study did find, however, that girls sometimes faint after the vaccine, a reaction that practices like Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in Massachusetts avert by having patients stay seated for 10–15 minutes after the shot. “We also don’t leave the patient unattended,” said Dr. Slater. “And we haven’t seen any more serious side effects than fainting.”

Diane Harper, M.D., an international expert on HPV and a principal investigator of the clinical trials that led to the approval of Gardasil and Cervarix, is not ready to give Gardasil a clean bill of health. “Severe rare adverse events that occur at a rate of 1/10,000 are considered too rare to attribute cause to,” said Dr. Harper, who is based in Missouri. “Yet it is the rare adverse event that can be so life threatening.”

Of the two vaccines, Dr. Harper prefers Cervarix, because she said it protects against five more high-risk strains of HPV than does Gardasil, and its effects last longer—9.4 years as opposed to 5. But many physician practices stock only Gardasil, because unlike Cervarix, it is approved for both genders.

Despite her preference for Cervarix, Dr. Harper still believes that the best way to combat cervical cancer has nothing to do with a vaccine. “The important concept is that Pap smears save lives,” said Dr. Harper. “Getting your daughter to sign up for a Pap smear at 21 and then continue her Pap screening every 3 years for her life is the best way to prevent cervical cancer.”

A PREMATURE CONVERSATION The second camp of HPV vaccine critics don’t object to the vaccine itself but are uncomfortable introducing the topic of sexual activity at such an early age. Some also fear that those conversations could encourage promiscuity.

“It’s best to do the vaccinations before the child is sexually active, but some parents are resistant to introducing the concept at 11 or 12,” said Peter Richel, M.D., chief of the pediatric department at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco, New York. “But some sexual experimentation does begin in the middle school years. We don’t want to be naïve.”

Nevertheless, Dr. Richel, like several other physicians interviewed, finds that parents are most receptive to the HPV conversation when their child is 14 or 15, so that’s when he most often vaccinates. “I broach the topic freely with my patients, but I preach abstinence in the same breath,” said Dr. Richel. “I don’t judge them. I tell them this is nature, and although I want them to wait to be sexually active, I also want them to be protected.”

Craig, a New York father who asked that his last name not be used to protect his son’s privacy, had his son vaccinated before his senior year of high school. “If you can prevent your son from getting genital warts and transmitting an infection that causes cervical cancer in women, why wouldn’t you vaccinate?” he asked. Like Dr. Richel, he also used the HPV vaccine conversation as a teaching moment. “I framed it around the issue of sexual responsibility.” LWT

Vicki Ritterband is a Boston-based journalist who writes frequently about healthcare.

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LIFE WITH TEENS SPRING 2013

VOLUNTEER

SPOTLIGHT

BRIGHT AND EARLY IDEAS: The Making of a Teen Social Entrepreneur

BY K IM BERLY WO LF, M .E D.

oira Bernstein wasn’t surprised when her daughter, Simone, started her own non-profit business at the age of 17.

Throughout Simone’s childhood in St. Louis, Moira and her husband, Brad, stressed the importance of service, both through example and by actively raising their children’s awareness of social issues in the community. Each contributed significant time to the school system, and Brad, a doctor, was also in the Navy Reserve. They continually challenged their children to think about societal problems and to ask themselves, “How can we make this better?”

Simone took notice. She was only 8 when, following the events of September 11, she started selling lemonade to raise money for the American Red Cross. “We were fortunate,” Moira remembers. “We lived just four houses from a school where Simone got a lot of foot traffic, so she took advantage of that.” With the help of her parents, Simone continued with little projects that became big projects.

When she was 12, Brad was deployed to Afghanistan, giving back to his country. This turn of events marked a new energized phase in Simone’s commitment to service.

She called the USO, but unfortunately she was too young.

“She was always researching to find places to volunteer,” Moira recalls. Simone started volunteering at the library, the local children’s museum, and numerous other organizations, sometimes up to an hour away, to which Moira would drive her.

In high school, Simone started her own organization, Volunteen Nation, which began as a simple website that cost her brother, Jake, and her just $48 dollars. “My generation is ‘Generation On,’” she says. “We’re ready to make a difference and start doing something. [Volunteen Nation] is really about allowing organizations to realize the power of youth and helping youth realize what they can do to help an organization.”

Today, Volunteen Nation encourages thousands of teens to volunteer in countless organizations nationally. The adults in Simone’s life applaud her incredible resourcefulness at such a young age. “With me sort of downplaying it as a parent, [Simone] really took the lead,” Moira remembers. “Doing it all on her own was truly innovative.” One

It only cost $48 to start Volunteen Nation and launch the initial website.

Today, Volunteen Nation draws national attention.

of Simone’s mentors, Maxine Clark, the founder of Build-A-Bear, points to Simone’s “passion, vision, determination, and resourcefulness” as the characteristics of this successful teen entrepreneur.

Simone’s natural leadership continues to help Volunteen Nation grow, but she also recognizes how the experience provided clarity for her future goals. Moira says that for Simone, volunteering has always offered her “something to be part of and contribute to. For her especially, it was really nice to have a place beyond her school peer group.”

Simone realizes that one of the best things to come out of her outreach work is her polished communication skills. As Simone says, “I’ve realized the power of speaking and telling people what [I] do. It’s probably the biggest thing that [I] will carry on for the rest of [my] life.”

Now in college, Simone has already been named to Forbes 30 Under 30. What’s she doing next? She wants to go to medical school, get a public health degree, and advance healthcare reform. She says that she would also like to use her non-profit competency to start a new organization or work with an existing one; she states, “I hope that my combined goals will allow me to inspire others to use their own goals to drive change.” LWT SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

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ANNOUNCING OUR TWO TEENLIFE

TeenLeader Contest Winners!

After reading a whopping 1,500 entries submitted by friends, family, and educators, we have selected Jonathan Woods and Neha Gupta as our TeenLife TeenLeaders. Each received a $1,000 TeenLife scholarship!

Both Jonathan and Neha exemplify the qualities of an outstanding teen role model— having ambition, enterprising goals, a can-do attitude, and excellent communication/interpersonal skills—that continue to inspire peers through community service work and leadership.

NEHA GUPTA, 16 Yardley, PA

JONATHAN WOODS, 18 Duxbury, MA In 2006, when Jonathan was just 12 years old, he established the Under the Tree Foundation (www.underthetreefoundation.org).

Realizing that teens are often overlooked during toy drives, Jonathan set up an organization with a mission to provide disadvantaged teenagers who belong to the Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester, MA with gifts during the holidays. He remarks, “I wanted to be connected to something that was very relatable—my own peers—and to help teens out who were dealt a different hand of cards than me.”

At the age of 9, Neha started a non-profit organization, Empower Orphans (www.empowerorphans.org).

Since then, her organization has collected more than $700,000 and has positively impacted the lives of more than 15,000 orphaned children globally. Under her guidance, Empower Orphans has opened five libraries with 15,500 books, four computer centers, a sewing center with 30 sewing machines, and a science lab.

Since its start, his foundation has collected more than $40,000 to distribute gifts and other donations to hundreds of teens. Under the Tree also organizes an annual back-to-school backpack drive and partners with the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, which hosts a holiday party at Fenway Park.

Additionally, Empower Orphans has conducted an eye and dental clinic for 360 children, installed a water well and purification system in several communities, and donated more than 70 vanloads of home furnishings, toys, books, clothes, shoes, and food to thousands of children.

Jonathan credits his parents as the most influential people in his life. “They’re there every step of the way no matter what I’m doing. They provide the perfect amount of guidance while still allowing me to figure out myself,” he concludes.

“Teens involving themselves in community service is so important,” says Neha. “Communities in general have so much energy. If we [teens] harness that energy to help other kids around the world, we can make an impact.”

As the Under the Tree Foundation continues to grow, Jonathan reminds all teens that it’s easy to participate in service work. He states, “It’s as simple as buying a gift or volunteering for a day.”

Neha is currently a senior in high school with dreams of becoming a pediatrician—the perfect complement to her charity work.

Congratulations Brittany Ayers, 17 Mountain Top, PA Dwight Bland, 18 Virginia Beach, VA to our other Kiana Brigham, 18 Rochester, NH ten exceptional Zack Eller, 18 Milton, GA TeenLife TeenLeader 26 LIFE WITH TEENS SPRING 2013 Jason Holmes, 17 Urbana, OH Finalists!

Kylie Kuhns, 18 Mifflinburg, PA Weston Mui, 17 Bellevue, WA Sri Muppidi, 17 Pleasanton, CA Sarah Nguyen, 16 San Jose, CA Trevor Williams, 17 Grand Prairie, TX

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Hobsons: CollegeConfidential CollegeConfidential.com is the web’s largest college discussion community: get expert advice for choosing the right college; surf CampusVibe™, a treasure trove of user-made videos; stay current with topical blogs, like “Ask the Dean” and “Admit This!” www.collegeconfidential.com

Humber College With 150 programs and 23,000 students, Humber is Canada’s largest college.

Small classes and faculty dedicated to your success make Humber your pathway of choice! Make your move to Humber! www.international.humber.ca

The SAT Program The SAT is a globally recognized college admission test that lets you show colleges what you know and how well you can apply that knowledge. www.sat.collegeboard.org

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TO DOWNLOAD THE 2013 GUIDE TO COLLEGE ADMISSIONS, GO TO WWW.TEENLIFE.COM/GUIDES. SPRING 2013 LIFE WITH TEENS

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2013 National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) National College Fairs Already looking at schools? Attend one of NACAC’s National College Fairs, where you and your teen can discuss admission and financial aid requirements, majors, and campus life with representatives from a wide range of colleges.

March GREATER RALEIGH NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Raleigh Convention Center Tuesday, March 19: 4:00pm - 8:00pm BUFFALO NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Buffalo Niagara Convention Center Tuesday, March 26: 9:00am - 12:00pm, 6:00pm - 8:30pm Wednesday, March 27: 9:00am - 12:00pm April SPRINGFIELD NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Eastern States Exposition (The Big E) Sunday, April 7: 1:00pm - 4:00pm Monday, April 8: 9:00am - 11:30am DALLAS / FT. WORTH NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas Monday, April 8: 4:00pm - 8:00pm AUSTIN NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Austin Convention Center Tuesday, April 9: 5:30pm - 8:30pm WEST MICHIGAN NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR DeVos Place Tuesday, April 9: 8:30am - 11:30am, 6:00pm - 8:00pm METRO DETROIT NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Cobo Center Thursday, April 11: 8:30am - 12:00pm, 6:00pm - 8:00pm HOUSTON NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Reliant Center Thursday, April 11: 12:30pm - 2:30pm, 6:00pm - 8:00pm HARTFORD NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Connecticut Convention Center Thursday, April 11: 9:00am - 11:30am, 6:30pm - 8:30pm Friday, April 12: 9:00am - 11:30am

MONTGOMERY COUNTY NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Montgomery County Agricultural Center Wednesday, April 17: 9:45am - 12:45pm, 6:30pm - 8:30pm Thursday, April 18: 9:45am - 12:30pm PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex Friday, April 19: 9:30am - 3:30pm SAN FRANCISCO NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Concourse Exhibition Center Saturday, April 20: 1:30pm - 4:30pm CLEVELAND NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Wolstein Center Sunday, April 21: 1:00pm - 4:00pm HONOLULU NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Hawaii Convention Center Monday, April 22: 8:30am - 11:30am, 5:00pm - 8:00pm VENTURA/TRI-COUNTY NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Ventura County Fairgrounds Tuesday, April 23: 5:30pm - 8:30pm GREATER MEMPHIS NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Agricenter International Tuesday, April 23: 6:00pm - 8:00pm Wednesday, April 24: 9:00am - 12:30pm NEW JERSEY NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Meadowlands Exposition Center (at Harmon Meadow) Wednesday, April 24: 9:00am - 12:00pm, 6:00pm - 9:00pm Thursday, April 25: 9:00am - 12:00pm

NASHVILLE NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Belmont University Thursday, April 25: 5:00pm - 8:00pm PROVIDENCE NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Rhode Island Convention Center Saturday, April 27: 12:00pm - 3:00pm NEW YORK NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York Sunday, April 28: 11:00am - 4:00pm ORANGE COUNTY NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Anaheim Convention Center Sunday, April 28: 1:30pm - 4:30pm SAN DIEGO NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR San Diego Convention Center Tuesday, April 30: 9:00am - 12:00pm, 6:00pm - 8:30pm BOSTON NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) Tuesday, April 30: 9:00am - 12:00pm, 6:00pm - 8:30pm Wednesday, May 1: 9:00am - 12:00pm May INLAND EMPIRE NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Ontario Convention Center Thursday, May 2: 9:00am - 12:00pm, 6:00pm - 8:00pm

REGISTER FOR A FAIR! WWW.GOTOMYNCF.COM

GREATER LOS ANGELES NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR Pasadena Convention Center Thursday, April 25: 9:00am - 12:00pm, 6:00pm - 9:00pm

To scan the QR code, you must download a QR scanner App. The QR code links to www.gotomyncf.com 28

LIFE WITH TEENS SPRING 2013

Everybody hates you.

You don’t see bullying like this every day.

Your kids do.

Teach your kids how to

be more than a bystander.

Learn how at

StopBullying.gov

Columbia is the largest non-profit arts college in the country – preparing creative students to develop authentic voices and the professional skills to launch sustainable careers.

learn more about us at colum.edu