Some student athletes give their all for their sport and are rewarded with recognition and media attention. Others just give their all. Athletes at the high-school level not only sacrifice afternoons and summers but also grades and social lives. IHSAA rule changes allowing expanded summer practice have made busy athletes busier. Y-Press interviewed athletes at North Central High School in Indianap

For most students, the sound of the final bell on the last day of school signifies the beginning of nearly three months of relaxation. But not for student-athletes. Thanks to a 2001 rule change by the Indiana High School Athletic Association, sports participants spend much of their summer in physical training. Other than the week of July 4 and the week before the official start of practice, athlet

'M y legs go numb if I'm bluffing on a huge hand. When a guy's about to call, my whole body will go numb," said Seth, 17. Poring over poker hands with this intensity is a regular activity for Seth, Lance and Diego. (Because of the legal issues involved with gambling, the names of these local high-school juniors have been changed.) "I actually like playing poker because it is kind of a social thing

F or some students, the decision of which college to attend is based on more than just academics and extracurricular activities; it's centered on faith. Y-Press interviewed students from Indiana Bible College, Brigham Young University and Taylor University. All had attended a public high school; they discussed their experiences at a religious college and the differences between it and a secular sc

What do a group of Indianapolis boys and Wade Robson have in common? The answer is dancing. (Wade Robson is the guy you see on Gap commercials, and he has worked with such stars as Britney Spears.) Y-Press recently spoke to members of Dance Dogzz, an all-male dance group that practices at Dancedreams School for Performing Arts on the Southside. Scott Powell, 17; Matt Miller, 17; Andrew O' Farrell,

Ancient Olympians competed in footraces, and the prize, a wreath, was symbolic. But the victors' home cities awarded the winners money. Today, some races benefit nonprofit organizations instead of individuals. Turning a race into a charity run may seem like a simple idea, but it takes a lot of work -- and many volunteers. Relay for Life is an event sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Eight-

Julie has eight different pairs of shoes in a box. If she covers her eyes, sticks her left hand in the box and pulls out one shoe, what is the probability that the shoe she randomly selects with her right hand will match? If you can answer this question, then maybe MATHCOUNTS is right for you. MATHCOUNTS is a national math program for middle school students whose goal is to make math achievement a

More and more kids are working and earning money. However, not many kids can take a job of mowing lawns and turn it into a lawn-care business or turn the love for the game of paintball into a paintball supply store. Two young entrepreneurs did just that. Y-Press spoke with Chris Thomas, 18, who owns a lawn-care business, and Patrick Miner, 15, who owns a paintball store, to find out about the chal

"Alumni, upperclassmen and freshmen all agree that freshman year is the worst year in high school. It isn't academically the hardest year, but the transition between middle school and high school can make it hard," said Kara Findley, 15, a North Central High School freshman. Most people can remember the summer between their eighth-grade graduation and freshman year in high school as a time of nerv

Two summers ago, Niki Bastian argued with her grandmother about going swimming. Her grandmother felt that she should do something besides hanging around the pool with her friends. Niki, 18, who lives in Los Angeles, had heard supermodel and actress Tyra Banks on the radio, talking about TZone, her summer camp. With applications due that day, Niki persuaded her grandmother to let her apply. Founded

What situations are worth fighting over? What choices are right when it comes to defending yourself or your friends? The Domestic Violence Network of Greater Indianapolis, along with the Peace Learning Center, created the portable "Peace Street" maze to help youth build healthy relationships. After participants enter the 1,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor maze, made of vinyl sheets and metal tubing,