“Developing both of those languages well is very important for immigrants and for any kids of color," said Cynthia Garcia Coll, Brown University professor and developmental psychologist.
"When I first came, I was scared. There were many people from different countries, talking in their native languages, and like I didn’t really understand what’s going on."
Young journalists typically begin work on a radio project with enthusiasm and a basic idea for a
story.
But where can they go for help to rein in an idea, find the right interviewees, develop questions
or refocus a story idea that didn’t go in the direction planned?
Blood centers target young donors for several reasons: Early donation often leads to lifelong participation, and school blood drives are very productive, studies show.
Most education experts agree that summer learning programs benefit students in many ways – they often prevent losses in academic skills over the summer, and they provide extracurricular enrichment. For low-income children, they also...
It’s not unusual for teens to spend their summers at camp. But Jacob Baldwin and Carah Austin have done something different — they’ve been running their own camps to address very different needs in their communities.
Aaron, Nadiya, Amal and Hadeiyah would all stand out in a crowd. All are local teenagers who wear religious symbols and clothing to represent their beliefs.
In the past 10 years, youth activism on behalf of the poor and unfortunate has increased exponentially, “which is a very important thing because back in 2001, a lot of youth were attacking [homeless] people on the streets,” said...
It seems like every teenager in the United States is constantly connected to the Internet, either through a phone or computer. In fact, 93 percent of teens ages 12 to 17 go online daily, according to recent surveys by the nonprofit Pew...
In this series, four Y-Press journalists explore how the current economy has affected youth. While many stories have been done about adults and the economy, few mentioned teens.
New Direction Christian Church opened in 2001 “to empower all people to know God through life-changing experiences from the inside out,” according to its Web site.
In ninth grade, Sophie chose to attend a performing arts high school in San Diego. She was amazed by the diversity of the student population and the stories and trials of her fellow classmates. “Being involved in such of an artistic...
Students using PlayStation Portables in the classroom usually are punished, either by getting their devices taken away or being sent to the dean’s office.
With the increasing diversity of the United States, anyone with religious convictions is bound to be asked at some point: “Why do you believe in that?”
In 1748, the first coal for fuel use was mined in the United States. Since then, mining and converting coal into power has revolutionized the United States. First used for domestic heating and to power trains and steamboats, it has...
Munching on popcorn, Karen is watching a premiere of a film with her friends in the dim light of the theater. From a cursory glance, she is like any other teen living in Indiana, one who enjoys hanging out with friends and going to the...
Imagine more than 60,000 locals being uprooted from their homes every 30 days; Indianapolis would be a ghost town in about 14 months.Since 2003, that many Iraqis have fled their homes each month to escape the turmoil that has divided their...
Misconceptions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church, have abounded ever since the Book of Mormon was published in 1830. Since then, Mormons have suffered not only teasing but also ridicule and persecution as...
Chris Lytle, 34, is an Indianapolis firefighter and father of four. Aerial Womock, 7, is a second grader at Hattie B. Stokes Elementary in Lebanon and is interested in art. Both participate in mixed martial arts, a sport that is growing in...
Olivia Gardner was a northern California sixth-grader when the bullying began. Diagnosed with epilepsy, she had a seizure one day in class. Many of her classmates started calling her "retard."
She switched schools, but the bullying...
Scientific studies have found volunteering actually makes people happier and healthier. Last year 61 million Americans volunteered 8.1 billion hours of community service. That‘s nearly $158 billion in donated labor and happiness.
Ayanna Porter has watched kids in her class casually put a stick of gum in their mouths, then use the wrapper to scribble down test or homework answers.
When Tamika Catchings was a kid, she did not show any signs of becoming an international basketball superstar.
She was a girl with a speech impediment, hearing aids and braces. Children teased her, and she'd often come home crying,...
Several Indianapolis teens – be they Indian, black, Latino or white – said they would consider marrying outside of their race, now that they have been part of the interracial dating scene.
Raymond Jami, who is black, and...
Indianapolis is home to hundreds of Burmese families, and many of them have children in public schools on the north and south sides of the city. Y-Press interviewed young Burmese about the oppression they faced in their native country...
Tasha Borta and Katelynn Todd think it's only fair that they be allowed on the North Montgomery High School wrestling team -- even though their teammates and a lot of their competitors are male.
Chris Woods used to be a below-average student; now he makes the honor roll.
He says he used to have a "ghetto mentality," but now he's sympathetic and compassionate. The 18-year-old once fought in the streets for neighborhood pride;...
As the political gambits of the 2008 campaigns kick into high gear, involvement by youth is higher than in any election. According to the Pew Research Center, overall youth turnout - voters ages 17 to 200 for the primaries has increased...
Emerson Barnett believes that he is successful today, in part, because of mainstreaming. Being included in typical classrooms allowed him and his classmates to face his cerebral palsy head-on.
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...
Two faith-based programs use different philosophies to educate young people about relationships and sex. Our Whole Lives: Sexuality and Our Faith uses a comprehensive approach that starts in kindergarten. A Promise to Keep emphasizes...
Each member of the Y-Press team for this story is a teenage girl, and each believes learning about the human papillomavirus, or HPV, is important for youth and families.
Readers can learn more about HPV and the different viewpoints these...
Teens have long been warned about the health risks of being sexually active, including the possibility of contracting the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Health officials now have added human...
With the end of Ramadan and its daylight fasting this week, the timing may be perfect for a look inside the Arab world thriving less than a day from Indianapolis.
A cultural center nestled in the southeastern part of Michigan, Dearborn...
Zachary Bowman, Sam Jacobi, Drake Jellison, Brooke Sawyer and Tyler Sharpe are among a trend- setting group these days.
Each of these Indianapolis youths is an only child, and families such as theirs are the fastest-growing family...
A prison shuttle ministry, has allowed Hoosier youth to stay in contact with family members, who are serving prison sentences. “Use What You’ve Got Prison Ministry: Keeping Families Connected," a nonprofit allows families to visit...
A graduation party at the Zionsville home of former Colt quarterback Jack Trudeau ignited a debate over the role parents should play in their childrens' celebrations.
Two young people offer their views. Be adamant, and be honest,...
It used to be that teens nagged their parents to take them to a mall to hang out with friends, but now teens are often begging their parents for more time on the computer.
They meet on social networking sites where kids gripe, gossip,...
Twelve-year-old Christopher Okello, his brother and father were working in the family’s small field, tending crops of green vegetables, maize and cassava, outside a displacement camp in Northern Uganda.
They had no idea the rebels...
Only half of all Beninese kids attend school, according to the Beninese government. The government is working to change that by making elementary education free for all citizens, beginning this year.
The change will involve an...
As the first African country to transition from a dictatorship to a democracy, Benin has been hailed as a "beacon of democracy" by the British Broadcasting Corp. and has attracted admirers worldwide.
The Beninese have former President...
Most people are aware that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation annually gives away millions -- soon to become billions -- of dollars to assist needy people worldwide, but they might not know about the efforts of young Hoosier...
Hurricane Katrina destroyed the homes of thousands of victims, but it didn't destroy people's spirits. Instead, the devastating hurricane forced people to reflect on what life and God really are all about.
"I have rethought everything...