Reflection

I have written a pro piece on the initiation of school uniforms. I had a little trouble with the piece because the final votes are not in yet so my piece is subject to change. I did not include quotes from my sources because I was told not too in my previous opinion pieces. The communication with my staff writers has been good and I have not had any trouble with them with the exception of two of them copying and pasting their first draft. I hope to write a really interesting and good piece for my final article. I admit to being not as dedicated as I should be but i hope to change that for my final piece. I am not sure of what the topic of my final article is yet but I will have one by this week. I hope to write a superb one that will make it in the paper.

Pro piece on uniforms

Pro piece on school uniforms

By: Alicia Sanchez

The new uniform dilemma for the upcoming 2008-2009 school year is here. Many of Beach High’s students have walked past the main office and taken a look at the expected school uniforms for the up and coming years. Many frown at the thought of wearing a tie-dye shirt with the school’s logo on it but, not many see the bright side of having a school uniform that not only represents Beach High but can save students and parents hundreds of dollars when it comes to back-to-school shopping.

Soon ballots will be sent out April 21st through April 25 to students so their parents can vote on whether or not they would like for Beach High to have a school uniform. Most students don’t hesitate to say no when they are asked about the school uniforms, but it can benefit them in many ways. It will not only make the school environment safer but will improve the school’s appearance as well. Having newly constructed buildings and updated features, school uniforms will provide a new look that will contribute to the new beginnings. Shopping for back-to-school is very expensive and can be troubling for students that can not afford the latest fashions. Uniforms can also save students time in the morning, when choosing what to wear for the day.It will also keep the school in a much safer environment because it will be easier to detect who does not belong on the school’s premises.

Many students are not yet informed that the uniform display are only samples and can be changed if the votes state the initiation of a school uniform. The school uniform committee is made of students, parents, and school personnel. The actual uniform will be decided by this committee after the parents votes take place. These ballots have been sent home in the previous years but the results have always been to not have a mandatory school uniform. It seems like next year things will differ from previous school years due to the fact that there has been a lot of advertisement for the uniform this year. School uniforms are frowned upon but students fail to realize that it is in their benefit to have them. It will improve the school’s appearance and create a more discipline setting for the students. It is very important to have structure in the school environment because it will help students concentrate in their studies and add an appealing look to the community. School uniforms should be mandatory because it will help to create a better tomorrow for the future students of Beach High and the staff. 

New story Ideas for the opinion section.

Daniela, Stephanie A., Oscar : an pro or con opinion piece on a leading presidential election candidate.

 Stephanie O.: an pinion piece on the wrestling team practicing in the cafeteria and the sanitary issues concerning that.

Birth Control Piece

end of grading period packet

Edit Please!!!

Birth Control Piece

Presentation: Opinion Piece

    Along with the many experiences that come in a young womens life, there comes a time in her high school years that she decides wether or not to become sexually active. As generations to come, it seems that more young girls are deciding to be on birth control. It fathoms me to consider how young these girls are. I believe that girls should take a hard look into the risks that they are involving themselves in and the chances they take when they become sexually active at such a young age.I am a firm believer in safer sex methods but I can’t help but ask myself how young should a girl be in order to decide wether or not she should be on birth control? After doing some research I found myself utterly confused  on just how young these girls were when they started using birth control.    According to a New York Times article, middle schools in Maine have offered safer sex methods, including birth control pills and condoms, in their school’s clinic. There have been a reported 17 pregnancies in Portland from three middle schools in the last four years. The interesting fact about this is that middle school girls are in the ages of 11  to 13 years old. I cannot remember a time when it was alright for an 11 year old to start using birth control. Having access to safer sex methods in school’s clinic encourages young girls to become sexually active. It has been reported that 3.6 million unplanned pregnancies occur every year. A chunk of this percentage deals with teenage pregnancies. I firmly encourage birth control but I don’t encourage middle school girls to become sexually active at such a young age.      My experience in high school has exposed me to note the transformation of girls to women. Middle school girls should be encouraged to wait until they are mature to understand the major life changing risk they are exposing themselves when they become sexually active. Although I find that these middle schools in Maine are only trying to reduce early teenage pregnancies, I still don’t understand how school officials are allowing girls, as young as 11 years old, to start using birth control. There are hundreds of birth control pills in the market and they all involve having side effects. I am reluctant to believe that an 11 year old girl knows exactly how birth control works and the risk she is putting herself in. I think that schools should teach these  young girls about birth control first, and then offer them at high school. Most people fail to realize that middle school  girls need time to grow up and experience things that have nothing to do with becoming sexually active. As generations grow faster and faster now days, its shocking to wonder how young girls are going to be in years to come when they  start using birth control.  ** I had a little trouble writing my article because the topic is so broad and there’s many different angles I can take. Please give me some suggestions and feedback. Remember that this is an opinion piece and I tried to write it as a column, therefore I wrote conversationally. I don’t know if I should make it more formal or if it’s lacking in statistics or what not. Please leave me comments on what you guys think and Ill try to put it to good use………….Thank You Everyone   

Master List

Amalia: She is going to start a piece on the drafting of 18 year olds.

Blanca: She is going to do a piece on community service hours and how a lot of students get away with it without actually doing any hours.

Joselyn:

Stephanie O:

Opinion Pieces Ranked

Jocelyn M.- New building

Stephanie O.- psychic piece

Blanca- FCAT practices

Amalia- Construction of new building

Revised Opinion Pieces

Amalia

Revised Opinion Pieces

Jocelyn m