About Robin Wetherill

While most people know that teen drug abuse isn't limited to high-crime neighborhoods, they may not realize that honor students are turning to drugs, too -- not to get high at parties but to get A's on tests. Y-Press spoke with three teens who have seen the inside of this unconventional substance abuse epidemic: Penelope, a recent graduate of Cathedral High School; Maynard, a student at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School; and Connie, who finished her sophomore year at a public school last year and attends a private school now.

Some kids express themselves through music, drawing or acting. And some combine all these into one hobby: filmmaking. Brian Hahn, 16, and Brandon Nicholas, 19, who live near Los Angeles, have been making movies together since 1998 and aspire to careers in Hollywood. "(Brandon and I) met in the sandbox, then we went back to his house that first day, and we started on animation. It just went up from

What's your spelling bee experience? Standing in front of the class, sweating profusely, trying to picture how to spell a word you've never heard of? Or asking your teacher to let you skip the competition because you know you'll be out in the first round? Well, there are kids who don't feel anything of the sort. Trevor Leslie, 12, and Jamie Burdeski, 15, spoke with Y-Press about their experiences

J ohn Lennon's pop hit "Give Peace a Chance" became one of the anthems of the 1970s, but these days it often seems like peace is the last thing on anyone's mind. Violence prevails in music, movies, video games and television programs, which often romanticize crime, gang violence and inner-city life. Under the force of such a barrage, how can kids today learn to resolve conflicts peacefully? That's

Defense strategist and author Thomas P.M. Barnett has a plan that he says will abolish global terrorism and lead the way to Middle East peace. It starts with becoming allies with Iran and making China and India happy. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Barnett has spent much of his career as a strategic planner dealing with national security issues. He has served as a strategic researcher and p

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.