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Underclassman says goodbye to Porter-Gaud's Class of '08

I've been to several Porter-Gaud graduation ceremonies since entering the school in the sixth grade. Each one followed the same procedure, the same sequence of speeches and awards and, of course, the alphabetical distribution of diplomas. The graduation of the Class of 2008 on May 24 was much the same as always, but never has a graduation meant so much to me. Read More

Summer jobs

Think beyond typical ideas to make spending money

For years, parents have instilled their teenagers with the conventional adage, "Money doesn't grow on trees," and in terms of summertime spending, Mom couldn't agree more. Now, with vicious AP exams and state playoffs out of the picture, the need for "summer necessities" has become increasingly apparent. Lifeguards, hostesses and baby sitters alike have created the stereotypical image of the "best" summer job. But with so many options, there's no reason to take the easy way out. Read More

Savvy cents, girl

For those of us who are a little challenged in the area of financial knowledge, the Women's Foundation of California has released "It's a Money Thing! A Girl's Guide to Managing Money." Read More

Paper trail

StudentsPlantTheSeed.com is a new Web site to address the fact that an estimated three-quarters of a billion paper documents are processed annually for college admissions nationwide. Read More

Petite perfume

Everything's getting the mini-treatment these days: cars, iPods, dogs. So why are you still using that giant perfume bottle? Read More

Freedoms lost with threats

When the first bomb threat struck Academic Magnet High School in April, I was hardly concerned. The administrators had discovered the threat on the bathroom walls the week before. Although this was no pleasant surprise, I couldn't imagine anyone at the Magnet who would carry out such a threat. Read More

MySpace celebrities

You might consider yourself a MySpace celebrity with hundreds of friends, thousands of wall posts and a decked-out profile page, but now real celebrities want to socially network with you. Read More

Clean up, help out

The next time you take a shower or bath, remind yourself how lucky you are to have clean water. Read More

Teen's dream

15-year-old picked by Rachael Ray for big cooking event

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — Chloe Langis is just 15, but she's loved to cook for as long as she can remember. As a little girl, she followed her grandma, Francine Langis, around the restaurant she owned, helping her prepare meals for customers. Read More

Blind teen charts her own course

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christina Parra brushed her red-tipped cane across the carpet at the entrance to Walgreens. She tapped her way past the shopping carts, past fake nails and lipsticks in pinks and mauves she could only imagine. Read More

Graduate with love

At the end of every school year, yearbook-signing is a must, but if you're graduating this year, get your friends to sign something you can put on display. Read More

SmashWall

Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions has launched "SmashWall by Kaplan," a new Facebook application that gives teens a new and interactive way to smash, splatter and taunt their ways to test stress relief. Read More

My(Green)Space

"The science is clear: It's getting hot in here — but keep your clothes on, and pay attention." That line opens the book, "MySpace/OurPlanet: Change is Possible". Read More

Think small for gifts

Bigger isn't always better when it comes to gift giving, especially as graduation season approaches. Read More

School's out

Mark your calendar with summer's new movies, concerts

Summer school. Early swim lessons in a cold pool. Household chores. Ugh, adults sure know how to ruin a perfectly nice summer. At least there are plenty of fun activities to mark on your calendar. Here is a quick preview of the upcoming summer entertainment. Read More