Our Top Five spring break reads!

by Ridhima Gurnani

We've come up with 5 of our favorite books! With homework and exams, it's often hard to do leisure reading during the school year. That's why Spring Break is the perfect time to sit on the beach and grab a cool read!

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What's Going on in American Education?

by Chelsea L.

A Republican Proposal within the House of Representatives has called for the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), a bill that supports standards-based education reform in the United States.

What does it mean to “Reauthorize” a bill?

• A number of laws have “sunset provisions,” meaning that they will expire after a period of time. Reauthorizing a bill will extend the term of the bill for a longer period of time.
• In the context of education reform, reauthorization is the process by which Congress can add changes, additions, and deletions to NCLB. This enables legislation to be adjusted to current programs and needs within education.

What is NCLB?

•           NCLB is an act that was proposed by President George W. Bush in 2001, and was signed into law in 2002.
•       NCLB has the following statues:

o   In order to receive federal funding, all public schools must administer an annual, state-wide standardized test to all students

§  These were the STAR exams you may have taken in elementary and middle school!

o   To receive funding through Title I (a federal program that aims to improve the academic achievement of disadvantaged students by funding local school districts), schools must meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). As an example, to meet AYP, 5^th graders this year must perform better on the exam than did the previous year’s 5^th graders. 

o   Rather than having a uniform, national achievement standard, each state has the ability to develop its own assessments and tests 

    

          What is the new plan, and what are some concerns?

• The new Republican proposal, The Student Success Act, is a plan that will cut back on federal regulation of education:
• This will give state and local governments more authority over assessing teacher and student performance. Additionally, they will be able to allocate Title I money according to the state's unique needs

• If instituted, this bill will change certain provisions of NCLB:
•  It will eliminate requirements of “adequate yearly progress” that schools must meet in order to receive federal funding
• Though the new act will not change testing requirements (which has been a highly controversial aspect of NCLB), it will give states flexibility to decide which standardized testing to use
• President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are concerned that this plan would hurt school districts with large percentages of low-income students:
• Low-income students currently receive extra money under NCLB
• The new law allows for portability, which is when students can take their funding to the public school of their choice
• School districts with high concentrations of low-income students will lose more than $3 billion in federal funding over the next 6 years
• In fact, according to Mr. Duncan: “If you look at the numbers, it’s a pretty devastating portrait of what could happen. Detroit could lose $256 million, L.A. three-quarters of a billion. If you go district by district, you get some idea of the severity.”

• Though NCLB passed with bipartisan support in 2001, there are several provisions of the law that have incited backlash. Congress has attempted (but failed) to reauthorize NCLB since 2007, and this represents renewed congressional efforts to improve our existing education system.

It will be interesting to see what they finally decide in Congress. Stay tuned- we'll keep you updated on what the government decides is best for the future of our education system!

What's the He for She Campaign?

by Chelsea L.

Soo.. a couple weeks ago, I wrote a post about Emma Watson and her service as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. You may have noticed that a lot of her pictures incorporated logos from the "He for She" campaign. (At least I did!) I decided to get the inside-scoop on what this powerful organization is all about, and I wanted to share more about it with you!

What is He For She?

• "HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all."
• This campaign intends to mobilize one billion men and boys as "advocates and agents of change in ending the persisting inequalities faced by women and girls globally." 
• He For She casts inequality as a human rights issue that affects all of us. Any efforts to overcome gender inequality will "benefit everyone socially, politically, and economically." 

What is their mission?

• He For She tackles gender inequality, which is one of the most persistent human rights violation. 
• The campaign seeks to spread awareness and spark action amongst men and women to eliminate violence and discrimination against women and girls. 
• They seek to inspire people to take action against gender-based discrimination, and incorporate governments, mens organizations, civil society organizations, and universities in the movement.
• By creating a platform of role models who advocate against gender-based discrimination, men and boys will learn to take a firm stand against injustice. 
• He For She aims to develop a global recognition that women’s empowerment is "essential for inclusive economic growth, social cohesion and social justice, environmental balance, and for progress in all spheres of life."

Who are their supporters?

• 224,931 supporters all over the world:
• 62,440 of these men are from the United States!
• http://www.heforshe.org/ (for a breakdown of #'s by country, click this link!)
• Many celebrities have endorsed this movement, and are helping to spread the word too!

How can we get involved? What can we do about this?

• He For She provides an "action toolkit" for people to start a campaign within schools, universities, and organizations:
• http://www.heforshe.org/action-kit
• The action tool-kit provides a timeline, with step by step information on how to go about implementing the campaign.
• Encourage the men and boys in your life to sign up too! 

Did you see Patricia Arquette's Oscar Acceptance Speech?!

by Kate M.



Patricia Arquette won "Best Supporting Actress" for her role in Boyhood (one of my personal favorite movies of the year).

And she did something pretty cool with her acceptance speech: she demanded wage equality for women in the US.

Gendered Wage Inequality is a big problem in our country:

• In 2013, among full-time, year-round workers, women were paid 78 percent of what men were paid
• The pay gap has barely budged in a decade

• The pay gap is worse for women of color

• Women face a pay gap in nearly every occupation

What does this mean for you?
It might be hard to believe, but you will be in the work force sooner than you think. (As someone who is entering the work force in just 4 short months, I can tell you- it all happens before you know it). Therefore, you have a clear interest in knowing about the pay gap, and should stay informed so that you know what it means for you when its your time to get a job. 

Find out more here: http://www.aauw.org/research/the-simple-truth-about-the-gender-pay-gap/

Breakups and Breakouts — how to deal with both!

by Jasmine S.

When I look back on high school, I think about how little guidance any of us got on how to deal with the whirlwind of unprecedented problems we suddenly had on our plates. I guess there was Seventeen magazine, but I mainly went there for bad fashion advice.

Starting with the easier one:

Think of it this way, you're young and fresh, and oily skin is a sign of that youth. Understanding that most teens, boys and girls, are battling zits might help you feel better about the giant red planet on your chin and maybe build some solidarity with your peers.

• Wash your face every day: It's important to wash makeup off your face every night. 
• Cover up with makeup. This can actually clog pores, but it is a good short fix. Stick to mineral makeup for this purpose and stay away from oily products. 
• See a doctor who can recommend and prescribe some topical creams. These will work wonders for more severe acne problems!  
• Don't sweat it! Stress zits and acne may seem like the end of the world, but the truth is, everyone is dealing with the same thing, and people probably aren't blinking twice. Make a joke about it and move on! You've got more important things to worry about 

Acne care by jasmine-k-sachar featuring Neutrogena

Rodial face cleanser
$59 - selfridges.com

Kiehl s kiehls face wash
$34 - liberty.co.uk

Neutrogena face cleanser
amazon.com

Powder foundation
$28 - nelly.com

There are libraries written on how to deal with a breakup, and to some extent, there is only so much advice can do. It is very much a process every person has to go thorough and get through on their own. Here are some helpful hints to get you started.

• Feel! Cry. Talk to your mom, your dad, your aunt, best friend, teacher, stranger on the street. Remember pretty much everyone above the age of 20 has gone through a gut wrenching break up before and understands your pain. 
• Write it down. Keeping a journal that you write in whenever you're sad or frustrated can help you sort out your feelings and studies show this helps you feel better. 
• Remember what makes you you!  You have your own interests, hobbies and goals. Fill your schedule with these things, and find some new cool things to be interested in. All these will distract you and remind you that you're an awesome, capable person who is going places.

Remember the golden rule: Time + Distractions = getting over a breakup 

How would Ruth Bader Ginsburg look as a Princess?

by Ridhima Gurnani

If Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a United States Supreme Court Justice, was a Princess, she would look like this!

11 TV Stars for your #WCW

by Ridhima Gurnani

Let's face it- we all love TV. My favorite hobby is sitting on the couch and watching hours of Netflix. Here are some of most powerful and definitely most inspiring women in some of my favorite shows: perfect for that #WCW tweet you're about to post!

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10 Women who (literally) run the world

by Ridhima Gurnani

I thought it was a huge accomplishment to become the President of my high school's Student Government, but these women hold incredibly high positions in their countries. I can almost hear Beyonce's "Who runs the world? Girls." playing through my head!

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Listen to this

by Jasmine S.

Sundays can be stressful. The whole school week is ahead of you, and if you're like me, maybe you've probably put off some of your homework. Here are some chill, upbeat tunes to keep you motivated and happy during your chill or busy Sunday. Here's to next week!




 

What Prom dress fits your style?

by Ridhima Gurnani

With prom season just months away, find the perfect prom dress for you! With so many styles and colors to choose from, use this slideshow as a guide for what's in today.

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10 Must have Back-to-School Outfits

by Ridhima Gurnani

We all know it's true: the best time to bring out your newest wardrobe finds are the first few weeks of school. Show off these cute outfits, and let us know which ones are your favorites!

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What You Need to Know to Deal with Overprotective Parents

by Kate M.

As someone who was in high school not too long ago, I know that parents can be difficult, especially overprotective ones. Below are 5 methods that I used to navigate the difficulties of having overprotective parents.

1. Have a friend whose parents are a little less overprotective? Have them call your parents and make them feel better about that party that they won't let you go to!

2. Remind your parents how responsible you are. Maybe they are worried because they have heard stories about other kids getting in trouble- remind them that this is not you.

3. Keep in touch with them. The constant calling and texting may drive you to ignore them, but this only make things worse. This way when you tell them that you want to go to that party on Friday night and that you will keep in touch, they will not hesitate to let you go.

4. Definitely do not lie. It may seem like a good idea, but it is not. If they find out that you lied, you will never be allowed anywhere again. Or worse, they will keep track of where you are based on the gps on your phone. Oh yes, overprotective parents get creative.

5. It is important to remember that your parents are overprotective because they love you and do not want anything to happen to you. Remember that there are times when their instinct to not allow you to do something may be correct!

You all need to meet Amal Clooney

by Jasmine S.

Ever since I watched the Golden Globes this year, I've been obsessed with Amal Clooney. I can't believe I didn't know she existed until a few weeks ago. She is everything I want to be by age 36.

• Studied at Oxford
• Got her law degree at NYU. While studying there she clerked for Sonia Sotomayor, who is now a Supreme Court Justice, at the U.S. Court of the Appeals. Just an all around big deal. 
• She's now an international human rights lawyer who's worked on some of the world's most important issues, recently looking into violations in the Israel-Palestine conflict and the recognition of the Armenian genocide
• She is fluent in French, Arabic and English
• Her fashion sense is impeccable. 

Oh, and she recently got married to this guy, George Clooney? Maybe you've heard of him? 

The world has been fascinated with Amal because she seems to inhabit two very different worlds effortlessly. She can be being photographed in Stella McCartney on the red carpet by paparazzi one evening and meeting with global dignitaries and world leaders the next morning.

Do You Know Who Kirsten Gillibrand is?

by Kate M.

Position: New York State Senator

Previously: Member of US House of Representatives from New York’s 20^th district (January 2007-January 2009)

Political Party: Democrat

From: Albany, New York

Fun Fact: Kirsten lived with Connie Britton- an actress, singer, and producer best known for her role in Friday Night Lights, while studying in Beijing.

Early Career- how did Gillibrand get into politics?

After graduating from Dartmouth College, Gillibrand attended UCLA Law School and worked at a law firm in Manhattan. From there she got involved in a program of the Democratic National Committee called the Women’s Leadership Forum, where she was inspired to get involved in congress after hearing a powerful speech from Hillary Clinton.

Website: http://www.gillibrand.senate.gov

16 Badass Women

by Ridhima Gurnani

TV stars, politicians, CEOs, you name it...These women have appeared on the front cover of some of the biggest magazines!

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TBT! High School Photos of Politicians and 'Friends' Cast- because why not

by Kate M

                                                            Hillary Clinton

Condoleezza Rice

Sarah Palin

Jennifer Aniston

                                                         Courteney Cox

                                                       Lisa Kudrow

Celebrity Highlight: Emma Watson, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador

By Chelsea L.

I am obsessed with Emma Watson. She is wonderful in so many ways. 

She has brains, she speaks confidently for causes she believes in, and SHE REPRESENTS STRONG WOMEN. You probably know her as bringing magic to the screen as Hermoine Granger in the Harry Potter series... but now, she's bringing magic to the world! 

Emma is the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and has made a huge splash with her empowering speech about feminism and women’s rights.

Her speech was brilliant and convicting. Here are some highlights:

“I realized that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop.”

Though "feminism" has been given a bad rep, Emma is fighting to redefine feminism as something that all women should identify with- it's a movement to empower and inspire women, bring gender-equality to all facets of life, and most importantly, to make women proud to be, well... women. 

“I think women are scared of feeling POWERFUL and strong and brave sometimes. There’s nothing wrong with being AFRAID. It’s not the absence of fear it’s OVERCOMING it and sometimes, you just have to blast through and have FAITH.”

Mmmm.. preach Emma, preach.

“If we stop defining each other by what we are not, and start defining ourselves by who we are, we can all be freer.”

Often times, we let society determine who we're supposed to be, what we're supposed to do, and how we're supposed to act. Emma's right. It's time for us to transcend  gender norms, labels, and stereotypes. If we just get ridda' all of that poision in the world, and just EMBRACE who we are, wouldn't that be amazing? 

Sometimes it's frustrating when people assume that women's rights are only womens' issues..
as if the onus were only on us to initiate that change... but I love Emma's "formal invitation" for men to hop on board because gender equality is their issue too.

And oh my goodness. If I were a guy being offered an invitation from Emma, I would sure take it. 

(For Emma Watson’s UN Speech, click the following link: Emma Watson's Speech)
(For more information regarding UN Women and their Goodwill Ambassadors, click the following link: UN Women)