Story Ideas for Athens Teen Magazine

1. Preventing childhood obesity – What are ways Athens teens can stay healthy? What are easy and healthy things they can cook if their parents aren’t home? What kind of things can they get involved with to stay active, and where can they go to exercise?

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/081710/liv_696011943.shtml

http://www.sportingyouth.org/directory.html

2. UGA – How do Athens teens feel about growing up so close to the University? Does it inspire them to want to go to college, or to go to UGA in particular? Do they feel connected to the University, like it is a large part of their community?

3. Alcohol – Does growing up in a college town make high school kids feel like it’s more acceptable and normal to drink or use drugs more? Do high school kids ever go downtown? Are there a lot of alcohol related arrests for high school students in Athens?

4. Teens have a lot of distractions – Video games, internet, cell phones, etc. What are ways teens can stay focused? Where are places teens can go to study, and places for tutoring?

5. ESL – How are teens who learn English as a second language faring in middle and high school? What resources are there for them in Athens?

6. Tips on how to get part-time jobs for high school students – What jobs are available for high school students in Athens, where they are often competing for part-time jobs with college students?

http://www.groovejob.com/browse/jobs/in/GA/Georgia/

7. College preparation – How can Athens high school students prepare for college? What are their options for getting involved with their community and volunteering? What options do they have for SAT prep and tutoring?

http://www.clarke.public.lib.ga.us/pathfinders/volunteer.html

8. Understanding politics – How can high school students get involved in and keep up to date with politics that affect them?

9. Military – How many of Athens’ high school students go into the military straight out of high school? Has this number been increasing or decreasing lately? Why do students choose to go into the military from high school?

http://www.teenagerstoday.com/articles/general/proud-to-serve-938/

10. Graduation Rate – Has the graduation rate in Athens been increasing or decreasing? How do students feel about this? Does a higher graduation rate inspire students to work harder? What are things the school and community could do to increase the graduation rate in Athens high schools?

http://www.clarke.k12.ga.us/news.cfm

11. Cell phones – What is the appropriate age for teens to get cell phones, according to teens, teachers, and parents? How do teachers deal with cell phones in school? Do middle schools have rules about them?

12. Depression in Teens – What are ways to recognize and prevent depression in teens and their friends? What are some reasons teens get depressed, and what are ways they can work past their problems?

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/01/catching_depression_in_teens_m.html