Have you ever stood at attention when a teacher entered the room or had an upperclassman order you to do sit-ups? And aside from the occasional drug sweep, you've probably never had anyone inspect your personal belongings. These actions are common at Howe (Ind.) Military School, a co-ed boarding school for Grades 5 through 12, where regular civilian clothing is not worn and the band members aren't

As a child, Rebecca Durnell gathered her textbooks and headed for school. However, she didn't leave her house, but rather took her place at a desk in her basement along with her six brothers and sisters. Durnell was home schooled. According to the National Center for Home Education, 1.23 million American students were home schooled in 1999. Many might believe that being home schooled puts students

Imagine you are walking in the halls of an ordinary high school. What kind of things would you hear students talking about? Larry Hensley-Marschand, principal of Southport High School, does this every day. His experiences before 1998 were often unpleasant. "A couple of teachers actually stood around the corner of one particular hallway and counted the number of times they heard the f-word in a six

Lauren Knox was 15 years old when a car accident changed her life. She was riding with a friend down a large hill near her Northeastside home when the car ran off the road on an s-curve and rammed a fence. The car continued moving, and 35 feet of fence post came crashing into the passenger side, where Lauren was sitting. It crushed the side of her skull, jaw and one cheek, and she was near death w

Students in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps look like most Army cadets: strict, disciplined and highly trained. Their uniforms are wrinkle-free, and they stand up straight. Y-Press recently interviewed four cadets in the Army JROTC program at Tech High School. They turned out to be normal teens, very nice and funny. Seniors Stephanie McDowell and Ian Gore and Juniors Kelly Morgan and Dav

Like a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse, Dorothy Saatkamp teaches children of all ages and abilities. But she doesn't teach in a school -- she teaches at Methodist Hospital, where she specializes in pediatric rehabilitation. For school-age children recovering from an injury or illness that affects their neurological systems, Saatkamp becomes their teacher. "Most of our patients have been in an au

Should students wear uniforms to school or should they be able to dress as they please? Many good reasons on both sides of the debate. Starter jackets, Air Jordans and designer clothes are some of the most popular things to steal from school lockers. What would happen if these items were kept out of schools because kids wore uniforms? Children's Express wanted to find out if uniforms are a good

When late August rolls around, so do those big yellow school buses to mark the beginning of school. For Shirl Gilbert, superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools, those buses have an additional meaning. Gilbert says he would eliminate busing. "I think the IPS kids ought to go to IPS. And I think the Warren kids ought to go to Warren. . . . " I don't really have a whole lot of opinions abou

Teachers shape the minds of our nation's children _ thus shaping their future. Children's Express staffers sat down with teachers for a wide-ranging discussion on their jobs, their rewards, their visions for education. JOANIE: I would take the classroom out into the community. Get it out of that little boxy room and take them outside the building. MIKE: I think you can use a sense of humor as

Many parents teach religion and enjoy the extended family time together. For seven years, Steve Moitozo woke up whenever he wanted to. He didn't ride a school bus and he didn't have a locker. He spent his days at home with his family. But last year Steve wanted to play football, and the life he had known for seven years ended. Steve Moitozo was home-schooled. Instead of going to a regular sch

Excitement - relief - a big sigh. A few tears. My high school career is over. I've always wanted to attend a boarding school, so when the opportunity came to attend the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities, I was more than ready to go. The academy is a residential high school for gifted and talented juniors and seniors, funded by the state of Indiana. The class of 1993 start

Where can you order a shrimp burger at a two-story McDonald's? In Japan. That was something 20 students from Burris Laboratory School in Muncie discovered last year when they traveled to Japan. In the only exchange program in the United States involving elementary students, the participants prepared for several months for their weeklong stay in Okazaki , near Tokyo, where they lived with host fami

"My name is Darrell Ford. I'm 16 years old. Up until last April, I was a student at Lawrence Central High School. I was expelled late April, and after an arduous battle to get my credits so I could in fact become a junior, I went to the Indiana Academy, where I am now." In the aftermath of the shootings at Columbine High School, school administrators worked to prevent a similar incident. In the pr

"Everything that can be invented has been invented." This statement has been attributed (probably falsely) to Charles H. Duell, commissioner of the U.S. Patent Office in 1899. Duell believed in innovation, as do thousands of U.S. students who participate in science fairs, hoping to discover something new. Although science fairs rarely seem to venture into unknown territory, they still can inspire

Most students have stories to share about teachers. Parents have heard their children's stories and have compared them to their own school years. Both parents and students form opinions about what makes a successful educator. According to the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, two equally performing Tennessee second-graders can be separated by as many as 50 percentile points

You find yourself in an auditorium surrounded by 2,000 rambunctious teenagers screaming at the top of their lungs, clapping, dancing and cheering with seemingly endless energy. Are you annoyed? Intimidated? There's no reason to be. After all, you're at the National Association of Student Councils convention. The national convention, held once a year in various locations, is a chance for high schoo

Many teenagers are interested in fashion, at least as a hobby. But where would you go to learn if you wanted to make fashion a career? The High School of Fashion Industries, in New York City, is the only high school in the eastern United States to provide occupational classes in fashion as well as a complete academic program for its students. The public school is open to all city residents. Studen

Imagine going to high school with 3,210 other kids. Do you think you'd be able to find your way around in seven minutes with that many people in the hallways? Could you make friends? North Central High School freshmen share many such concerns. Panther Quest, an optional summer program, is designed to help students become familiar with the school and each other before the school year begins. To fin

No one doubts that high school football players work hard: They practice most of the summer despite the heat, preparing for a season culminating (they hope) in regional and state contests. Not everyone realizes, however, that marching bands work just as hard and are just as competitive as football teams. Casey Turner, 17, St. Peters, Mo., described a typical marching band contest: "It's just teena

"Alumni, upperclassmen and freshmen all agree that freshman year is the worst year in high school. It isn't academically the hardest year, but the transition between middle school and high school can make it hard," said Kara Findley, 15, a North Central High School freshman. Most people can remember the summer between their eighth-grade graduation and freshman year in high school as a time of nerv

More than 40 years ago, a famous battle was fought in this country. It was not waged over land or money but for equal rights -- the right to drink out of any water fountain, the right to vote. This was the civil rights movement. Last spring, a group of eighth-graders at Brownsburg Junior High School had an opportunity to rethink their opinions about society's acceptance of diversity today. They ch

Twenty years ago, high school students with special needs would have been placed in separate classrooms, with limited interaction with other kids. Today, Kelly Kaser, a 19-year-old Carmel student with Down syndrome, has a totally different experience. Her school day consists of helping out at a preschool and attending inclusion classes, where she works beside students without disabilities. She pla

For one day, fifth-graders from Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School ran a community. They applied for jobs, managed budgets, governed the city and worked with others. They went to Exchange City, a Junior Achievement program in Downtown Indianapolis. "I would describe it as a really fun place where you get to learn jobs," said Madeline Leahy, 11. Y-Press recently talked to Madeline and four ot

With the warmer weather, many kids will toss away their winter clothes in favor of shorts and tank tops. But not students at Raymond Park Middle School. They have a dress code. Not only are shorts prohibited for both boys and girls, so are sweatpants, cargo pants and capris, plus anything made out of denim, leather or velour. Pants must be worn at the natural waist. Sleeveless shirts are out, as a

Middle school is a time of learning, a time for fun -- and a time for getting bullied. People get teased over the stupidest stuff --the way they walk, the way they talk, the way they laugh. Everyone gets teased -- even the popular people. Two years ago, a group of sixth-graders at Craig Middle School in Lawrence Township decided they were sick of the bullying and teasing and took a petition to the

If you polled kids, most would say they learn best when it's quiet. What happens, then, if it isn't? To find out, Y-Press talked with a former school superintendent, a fourth-grade teacher and four students in his class. Washington Township teacher Kevin Gardner had 30 students in his fourth-grade class by the end of the 2000-01 school year. "I consider (my class) to be very large. When things go

The Pledge of Allegiance holds a different meaning for every person who recites the words. But to some, the pledge has no meaning. "Just standing and saying the pledge is dumb and holds no significance to me," said Armando Ramos, 13, who was a student at St. Gabriel Catholic School and now lives in St. Petersburg, Fla. Armando explained that he doesn't say the pledge in protest over the bombing m

Walk into a classroom 30 years ago and you would probably see a teacher at the front of the room explaining the lesson in a firm but calm voice. Students would be sitting in rows, speaking only when called upon to answer a question. Things are different today. Teachers generally don't inspire the awe and fear they did back then. Many see today's students as disrespectful, but if adults listened to

One of the first lessons students are often taught in a public high school is: "Keep an open mind." They are instructed to pay equal credence to every viewpoint, to avoid being judgmental or prejudiced. Students also might be assigned group projects to learn to cooperate and appreciate other perspectives. But how conducive, really, is an "open mind" to learning? In 1983, a panel of leading educato

Some people say high school is the best time of your life. But is it really? High school is a time for parties and dating, but also studying and homework. Seniors have the best and worst of these worlds as they make preparations for their futures. During the summer, Y-Press talked with four recent high school graduates -- Matt Willmore, Brittainy Quillin-Rangel and Nate Littlefield, from Pike High

Is it possible for a school to be "Jesuit, Catholic and Interfaith?" That is how Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, a private high school on the Northwestside, defines itself. Founded by the Jesuits, an order of Catholic men, it accepts students from many religious backgrounds. Of 195 freshmen who will be entering Brebeuf this August, only 57 percent identify themselves as Catholic. Last spring, Y

"For each roll of film, the photo shop charges 18 cents per print plus a developing fee. The total cost to have a 24-print roll of film developed and printed is $5.92. Let 'd' represent the developing fee for a roll of film. On the line below, write an equation that could be solved to find 'd.' You do NOT have to solve the problem." If your answer to this question was $5.92 {equals} 24($0.18) + d,

Katy O'Brian is a busy teen. "I'm doing cross country, basketball and softball. And then also, some Saturdays I go and help watch these underprivileged children. I also do Teen Court and some modeling," says the 13-year-old, who attends Craig Middle School. She is not alone, according to Connie Sivertson, a guidance counselor at Craig for seven years who sees about 500 students every year. "Over t

"Yes, because if the school is bad or if it's got a bad reputation, or if I had friends at a different school I would want to go to (a different) one." Thomas Smith, 13 Monroe Central School Farmland, Ind. "I think in some schools, some teachers are prejudiced, and (if) that teacher has it out for a student, then (the student) should be able to change schools if he wants to." James Fe

I n a 2002 essay in Education Digest, Minnesota teacher Rick Theisen decries the trend he sees in student councils across the country, in which students focus their efforts on planning social activities instead of addressing the broader civic responsibilities of their role. Student governments at two local high schools are part of that trend. Representatives from Franklin Central High School in so

According to recent news reports, the tsunami in South Asia has killed an estimated 212,000 people, with thousands more still missing. People all over the world have reacted by donating money to many relief organizations. Locally, many children are also contributing to the relief effort. Parochial schools Cardinal Ritter: For two weeks, students at this Westside school used competition to solicit

W hy would someone pay for public school? Classes are large, teachers are overworked, rules are inflexible, and nobody knows your name. Those are the stereotypes. But many public schools attract out-of-district students because of their wide range of academic and extracurricular opportunities. Katie Meneely, 17, and Allen Taylor, 16, pay to attend North Central High School in Marion County's Washi

Y-Press M ost high schools have homecoming celebrations in October, although football season has started long before. At homecoming, student leaders make their biggest push to rouse students' sense of pride and loyalty. What started as a way to celebrate the football team (and a lucky student king and queen) has evolved into a weeklong party of costumes, hallway decorations and class rivalries. Of

J ohn Lennon's pop hit "Give Peace a Chance" became one of the anthems of the 1970s, but these days it often seems like peace is the last thing on anyone's mind. Violence prevails in music, movies, video games and television programs, which often romanticize crime, gang violence and inner-city life. Under the force of such a barrage, how can kids today learn to resolve conflicts peacefully? That's

E ach year, many eighth-graders have to make a decision that will affect the next four years of their lives: Where will they go to high school? Several factors must be considered, such as the size of the school, distance from home, friends' plans, extracurricular interests, parents' wishes and academic challenges. Y-Press talked to four eighth-graders from St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic School o

Public school administrators rarely feel they have all of the money they need to operate. That is particularly true this school year, with the shortfall in the state budget. School officials have said average increases in state funding of 2.6 percent in 2006 and 2.4 percent in 2007 are inadequate and will force them to raise property taxes to pay for all of the programs they feel they need to prov

For some middle-schoolers, ripped Hollister jeans, American Eagle graphic tees and big earrings are part of a look that defines personalities and are worn to impress their peers. Some might be able to wear such clothes to school, but not these private-school kids. And they don't really mind. Two Northside private schools enforce student dress codes, but with different criteria. At St. Richard's Sc

Contract disputes are not unusual in workplaces. Affected employees may grumble more than usual, and they might perform their jobs half-heartedly, but this dissension rarely is seen outside of the company. But when the workplace is a school, employees' unhappiness can be seen -- and sometimes felt -- by many beyond the feuding parties. Teachers in Lawrence Township and Carmel Clay Schools have rec

Spencer Fields once kicked a star tennis player off the North Central High School team, even though the coach realized then that it meant the school would likely lose a state tennis title. Why? Because the kid was poisoning the mood of the team by putting too much pressure on everyone.

Anneliese Toumey wanted to make a milk carton look like artwork by Edward Hopper for a class project at Sycamore School. After her research, she decided to draw pictures on the carton in the famous artist’s style. But the eighth grader got frustrated when she couldn’t draw the pictures well – even though Hopper is considered one of the best realist artists of the 20th century.

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard said that the city, United Way of Central Indiana and a local foundation will launch a major educational reform program early in 2009. The program, which will be piloted in two schools at first, will track students in grades 1-8 to discover what extra help each one personally needs. “There’s literally dozens upon dozens of programs in the schools right now,” said Ballard, pointing to nonprofit agencies like the Boys and Girls Clubs.