Every week youth around the country hear the same refrain: "You must get a good education." But why would a kid want a good education? Y-Press interviewed 10 Indianapolis-area students and three parents during the 2006-07 school year to find out. The pupils represent private schools, home schools, public schools and charter schools.

Many kids, struggling with their physical or mental health, have found that horses can be part of their therapeutic path. After undergoing equine education, children who couldn't walk have taken their first step, children who couldn't talk have said their first word, and children scarred by sexual or physical abuse who couldn't trust have opened up to others for the first time. Learn more about these Indiana equine-facilated riding centers.

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 estimated 1 million children (based on population estimates) and will be a step toward increasing the country's literacy rate, which now hovers near 41 percent, among the world's worst, according to the Benin Education Fund.

Kelli Grady believes in herself and her ability to succeed. However, Grady says she gets her support from family and friends and not from Broad Ripple High School, where the 17-year-old will soon be a senior. Her mother was president of the Parent Teachers Association, and her parents stress the importance of education. Too often, teachers only seem to care about students in advanced classes, Kell

Depending on whom you believe, Outcome-Based Education is either a communist plot to dismantle America's education system or an incredible tool that lets students learn at their own pace. In Decatur Township schools, the only place in Indiana where it's used, "OBE is just good teaching that has been around forever using new terminology," says Paul Kaiser, who has been the principal at Decatur

To better understand Outcome-Based Education, Children's Express interviewed three students from Decatur Central High School. The 10th-graders - Sarah McHone, Michelle Mills and Amber Bollman - had experienced OBE in their school system for several years. Before our interviews, many of us figured that the only thing unique about OBE was getting to take tests over again. These students better

Many people believe that teen-agers who drop out of high school or fail to advance to the next grade or have babies while still in school are doomed to unproductive, unrewarding lives. Most will never make much money, maybe not even enough to feed themselves. Some will turn to drugs, theft or other crimes to make the money they need to live. Many programs are trying to break this trend. Easts

To figure out the 14th letter of the alphabet, most of us would have to recite it from the beginning while counting on our fingers. Instead of reciting, some of us would sing the alphabet in the tune we learned as children. But what makes the tune stick in our minds years later? Penny Dimmick is an associate professor of music at Butler University. Debbie Friedman is a musician/songwriter who teac

"I just want to try and do something good for the world. That's why I take part in projects, 'cause it makes me feel like I have a purpose in life," said Philip Mpagi, 18, of Kampala, Uganda. For four years, Philip has been a part of iEARN, the International Education and Resource Network. The program connects students and teachers around the world. Philip found out about iEARN through his older b

In the late 1980s, Peter Copen saw a world in need of improvement. "Environmentally, the world was a mess. In terms of hunger and conflict and racism, all the issues that were facing humanity were getting worse and worse," said Ed Gragert, director of iEARN, the International Education and Resource Network. Copen believed modern technology could help students communicate with their peers around th

"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,

M any students at North Central High School are initially attracted to the Learning Unlimited program for its relaxed environment and flexible schedule. But their commitment to the program runs much deeper than that. "It builds the person that you are because you're out in the community so much. And not only does it strengthen your college resume, but it strength ens you as a person," says Anna Ki

Last spring, Y-Press surveyed 550 young people in the Indianapolis area about what political issues matter most. The majority cited education. They are not alone. Lawmakers value education as well. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., credits education for much of his success. "My mother was an immigrant, and she and my father only went to the eighth grade," he said. "But they really believed in education

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 pre-marital abstinence and relies on peer mentors and role models.