M any youth eagerly participate in community service projects, whether spearheaded by church groups or with a nonprofit organization whose mission matches their interests. But sometimes "community service" gets a bad name when mandated by schools, especially when used as a penalty for some infraction or as another layer of requirements for graduation. The Indiana Department of Education would like

I n June 1964, three civil-rights volunteers disappeared in Philadelphia, Miss. In early August, 44 days later, police found their bodies buried in an earthen dam. The activists -- Michael Schwerner, 24, James Chaney, 21, and Andrew Goodman, 20 -- did not share a final resting place. In the '60s, no cemetery would take both blacks and whites. The three were part of the 1964 Freedom Summer, an effo

It seems to be a law of nature: No kid has a perfect family, particularly after bratty siblings, parents and eccentric relatives are factored in. But while every family has its problems, teens like Tiffany arguably have more than most. Tiffany, 17, has been in the foster care system for more than two years, ever since her mother's boyfriend was charged with molesting her in April 2002. Her surname

Many educators, parents and students were alarmed at the results of a recent survey on the First Amendment. The study commissioned by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation High School Initiative wanted to see how thousands of high school students and faculty viewed the First Amendment in a post-9/11 world. The findings from the "Future of the First Amendment" survey, released Feb. 1, showed t

Most high-school seniors seem so self-assured -- after all, they've mastered the school routines, know many teachers and are on a first-name basis with the guidance counselors. On top of that, many schools lavish them with privileges, such as prime parking spots, separate dining rooms and early dismissal from classes. But many seniors do not feel that they are mistresses and masters of the univers

One of the many animals on the federal list of endangered species is the manatee. This harmless mammal faces many everyday challenges to keep its kind alive. But with the help of many humans, manatees are making a comeback. In 1981, singer Jimmy Buffett and former Florida Gov. Bob Graham started the Save the Manatee Club, a nonprofit group that funds awareness and educational programs, research an

In Favela Calabar, 10 people live in a two-room house -- one room heaped with blankets and sheets, the other mired under pots and pans. A tattered curtain separates the two. In an upscale neighborhood, three people live in a two-story mansion surrounded by a gate. The grounds contain a swimming pool, a nearly full-sized soccer field and a tennis court. Brazil is a land of disparities. Where you li

Imagine a school where you learn only of the magic world, and so-called "essential" classes, such as math and reading, are not taught. Instead, you're instructed on divination, potions and Muggle history. Welcome to the world of Harry Potter, where anything from flying on broomsticks to turning frogs into pigs is possible. This is the world that British author J.K. Rowling created in her popular H