August 16, 2010 - 23:29 ET

On August 13, the Amherst Bulletin reported on new population numbers in the Amherst Schools which project a greater drop than expected in Kindergarten and 7th Grade:

As of this week, there are 172 fewer students enrolled than last year. Crocker Farm School, projected last October to have 330 students in the 2010-2011 year, is now expecting 294, while Fort River, projected to have 437 students, expects 405. Seventh grade was projected at 241 students in October but the current estimate is 227, compared to current enrollments of 242 in eighth grade, 271 in ninth grade and 288 to 293 in grades 10 through 12.

Some of the decline can be attributed to demographic factors, and enrollment could increase as new gradof Massachusetts, says Kathryn Mazur, the administrator who follows enrollment trends. But enrollment in the Hadley public schools is going in the opposite direction, increasing from 618 last year to 660 this year.

Quoted throughout the report were Joel and Traci Wolfe, who are removing their children from the Amherst schools this year to send them to private schools.  They criticized the Amherst schools and administration:

Traci Wolfe says it breaks her heart to send her two children to private schools this fall, while her husband, Joel Wolfe, says their decision to leave the public schools has been "painful financially and socially."...

But when school starts in two weeks, their son will be in seventh grade at the Williston-Northampton School in Easthampton and their daughter will be in fourth grade at the Smith College Campus School in Northampton.

"I'm really angry that the schools aren't what they should be," Joel Wolfe said of the Amherst system. "In a university town in New England, our schools should be fabulous."

The couple say they are removing their children because the schools are resisting change that could result in improvements, aren't offering a curriculum that's challenging to all students, and give only lip service to social justice issues.

The two children are being moved to the Williston Northampton School and the Smith College Campus School.  After doing some digging of our own here at Student News, it should be noted that Traci Wolfe is actually the Director of Annual Giving at the Williston Northampton School, where their son is going to be entering Seventh Grade.  The Director of Annual Giving is typically an Outreach/PR position which works to raise funds for the organization.

It's critical to have context for the news you read, and we're here to make sure you get all the facts.  We'll be getting you lots more coverage of the population drops as more information is released.  Stay tuned.

August 14, 2010 - 17:12 ET

Well, I don't know about any of our teen readers, but apparently we're all out of work.  CNBC reports on new numbers from the International Labor Organization, saying, "The report from the ILO says 81 million out of 630 million 15-24 year olds where unemployed at the end of 2009, some 7.8 million more than at the end of 2007."  With record-high numbers, this scenario is more than a little problematic - CNBC continues:

The ILO warned these trends will have "significant consequences for young people as upcoming cohorts of new entrants join the ranks of the already unemployed."

The world risks a crisis legacy of a "lost generation" of young people who dropped out of the job market, the organization added in its report.

...

It indicates that in developed and some emerging economies, the crisis impact on youth is felt mainly in terms of rising unemployment and the social hazards associated with discouragement and prolonged inactivity.

CNBC also points out that this week kicks off the first UN International Youth Year.  We'll be bringing you stories from the Youth Year soon.  Until then, let's all just stay above water, OK?

July 25, 2010 - 10:52 ET

For our Feel Good Story of the Week, back in May, Josh talked about 13-year-old Chelsea Baker, who throws a mean knuckleball, and who some think could be the first woman to play major league baseball.  Well, ABC News picked up on Chelsea, after ESPN E:60 ran an in-depth story on her.  We had fun watching them.  Here's the Feel Good Story we ran back in May:

JOSH: Now, it's been the dream of many kids to grow up and pitch in a Major League Baseball game.Some of those kids play baseball in high school and college, and stop.  Some of them go into another sport, and some of them become television news anchors.  The point is, however, that there's a very special twelve-year old on the verge of making that dream come true . . . and if this student makes it, well, she’ll be the first woman to play in Major League baseball ever.  Chelsea Baker, now twelve years old, was coached in Little League by former major-league pitcher Joe Niekro - he died when Chelsea was only eight.  However, he left her with a passion for the game, and with a secret knuckleball.  The knuckleball is a special kind of pitch in baseball designed to move around a lot as it moves through the air… and my, does Chelsea's knuckleball dance.  Talking of the knuckleball, Chelsea said, "I usually wait until I have two strikes.  They can't hit it.  He told me that's how it would be."And that's not ego talking there, that's statistics. In the past year Chelsea has thrown two perfect games, one of which was an all-star game, and she is unbeaten in all nine starts this season.  And while most pitchers can hit decently, Chelsea has a .569 batting average.  Keith Maxwell, who played 12 years of pro ball and is now a hitting instructor, said of Chelsea, "After two weeks with her, I was like 'wow.'  She has an incredible pop in her bat.  She isn't just a pitcher.  I thought, 'This is probably going to be the first girl to play in Major League Baseball.' And I don't say that lightly."

July 24, 2010 - 15:22 ET

We just came across this short story from the Salt Lake Tribune:

Gillette, Wyo. • Utah stood in third place in the overall team standings Friday at the National High School Finals Rodeo.

Since choice-out has been rising in Amherst over the past few years, we think adding a High School Rodeo team could be a big draw... what do you think?  Maybe we at Student News should just form a rodeo team of our own.  It might even raise our number of viewers.  Just add it once a month in between the One Minute Sound Off and Feel Good Story. Hmm... we have to get polling numbers on this. Thoughts?