Story Idea for Athens Teen Magazine Project

Story ideas for class publication

1) Highlight the programs the city of Athens provides for local teenagers to participate in. Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services offer several camps, parks and sport complexes and show how do these benefit the community (are they afterschool programs, etc).

http://www.accleisureservices.com/

2) A 4,500-foot skate park exists in Athens. How did it come about? Do teens use/enjoy it? Worth the city of Athens’ funding? Why did the Tony Hawk Foundation give $10,000 to support the construction of this specific park? http://www.accleisureservices.com/skatepark.shtml

3) Low performance of Athens-Clarke County public high schools. Why is the graduation rate so low? Governor Office of Student Achievement’s annual report card gave poor scores. What do parents, students, and teaching faculty thinks about this? How can it be improved and what is the city currently doing to improve it?

4) Teen pregnancy is a big issue in Athens. 4.5 percent of girls in Athens become pregnant before 17. What is Athens Pregnancy Center? Why does the city believe reducing pregnancy in Athens has direct correlation in reducing poverty level in Athens? http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/013008/news_20080130043.shtm

5) Is gang-related activity an issue for Athens-Clarke County Schools? How does the impact of gangs affect students? Is it a growing issue? How do the police handle it? Who are the 18^th Street Gang in Athens and what is their presence? file://localhost/(http/::www.onlineathens.com:stories:080310:new_689844931.shtml)

(http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/072109/new_466627462.shtml)

6) How healthy are Athens-Clarke County teenagers? Eating disorders and obesity are important issues in this country, so how does local teens and their lifestyles. What are the schools doing to help promote a healthy lifestyle for their students and inform them about disorders? Do students, parents and faculty feel that teenagers are being properly educated? http://www.gradyjournal.com/?p=3171

7) One in four kids lives in poverty in Athens, which has an above average 28.3 overall poverty rate. How does growing up in a poor community affect teenagers lifestyle? Does a socio-economic class divide occur between high school kids? Private versus public school system? http://www.prosperousathens.org/poverty-data

8) Feature article profiling multiple Athens high school seniors that live contrasting lifestyles. Such as student who attends Athens Academy and will be attending college soon compared to a public school student who does not have the grades or means to further his/her education. A teenager who is completely dropped out of school is another possibility.

9) Another feature piece, but this does not necessarily have to concentrate on socio-economic class differences, but rather the diversity of Athens students. Profile star student-athletes, who have collegiate scholarship offers. The pressures of being a star teenage athlete in a small town.

10) Music plays a large role in the culture of Athens, Georgia. How are teenagers influenced by the local music scene? How can they take part? Does the community provide teenagers with ample opportunities to be involved with music and its presence in the Athens community? http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/071609/mar_464218689.shtml

11) How does growing up in a college town affect high school students? How do teenagers deal with all the temptations of a college town? How are they affected by the University’s looming presence over Athens? Do most local teenagers desire to one day attend UGA or do they look to rebel and get out of their home town?

12) Profiling Athens non-traditional school for kids in danger of dropping out, Classic City High School. What do teachers and students have to say about attending this unique school and how this non-orthodox form of education works best for them?

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/081210/new_693799962.shtml