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

For 15-year-old Lauren Slemenda, her mom's encouragement was the reason she picked up an instrument in the sixth grade. She was not sure she would like it, but soon began to love it. Last year, when her musical confidence waned, she began questioning her ability. After three or four auditions in a row at which she didn't get any of the parts, she felt defeated and wanted to quit. But she didn't. "

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

Singer/songwriter Peter Yarrow is best known for his role in the popular folk music group Peter, Paul and Mary. However, music is not his only passion. He has participated in the civil rights movement, performing at such events as the Selma-Montgomery peace march and the rally in which Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. More recently, he founded a program directed at school-a

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

Everyone has quirks. You might pop your knuckles, bite your lip or twirl your hair. These habits might be hard to break, but it's not impossible. Unless you have Tourette syndrome. Although the condition is hard to diagnose, about one in 2,000 children have Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by repeated involuntary movements and uncontrollable vocalizations known as tics. Tou