Boarding Schools for Girls

A Dec. 11 article on the website of Ghanian radio station Peace FM reported that girls in the Ghana's Nanumba District have organized in an effort to gain greater access to educational opportunities:

A girls club called the Nanumba Stop Violence Against Girls, has called for some interventions by government and stakeholders to overcome some of the challenges confronting girls in school.

This includes more female teachers in the Nunumba District to serve as role models and mentors to inspire them for more laurels in life. &

The girls said inadequate female teachers in schools affected their academic performances because they lacked role models and mentors to empower them.

They appealed to Teacher Training Colleges to consciously use favourable admission quota for prospective female students to increase the intake of female students.

The girls added that district assemblies should sponsor more girls into teacher training colleges.

The government and the Ghana Education Service (GES) should also provide enough resources and incentives in schools at all deprive areas to attract female teachers to accept postings to those areas.

Labels: education, international, ghana, girls

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At-risk teen and adolescent girls in the Poughkeepsie, N.Y., area have two opportunities to develop their artistic abilities while also learning a number of other lessons that can help them pursue more promising futures.

A Dec. 1 article in the Poughkeepsie Journal provided the following information on the Program for Adolescent Student Women Of Real Direction (PASWORD) and the Adolescent Women Are Realizing Empowerment program (Project AWARE):

PASWORD and Project AWARE use the arts to address gender-specific issues for middle and high school girls at risk in the Poughkeepsie and Beacon areas.

Professional artist-educators help girls realize their personal strengths, talents and passions as they develop self-expression, self-esteem, discipline and friendships in a safe environment.

Participants attend tuition-free thanks to sponsors including the Community Foundation of Dutchess County, the Dyson Foundation and United Way of Dutchess County.

Labels: at-risk youth, girls, art

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A study led by Dr. Kassandra L. Munger of the Harvard School of Public Health has revealed that girls who are obese during adolescence may be at increased risk for developing multiple sclerosis (a disorder of the central nervous system) as adults.

A Nov. 20 Reuters Health article included the following information about the findings:

Munger and her colleagues studied women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study and Nurses' Health Study II over a 40 year period. Participants answered questions throughout the study about weight, height, body size, smoking and exercise habits, and disease status.

Among the more than 200,000 participants in the two groups, there were 593 cases of MS.

The study found no association between MS risk and having a large body size at ages 5 and 10 or as an adult. However, obesity at age 18 was associated with a greater than twofold increased risk of MS and a large body size at age 20 was associated with a 96% increased risk of MS, the study team found.

Labels: health, obesity, girls, adolescents

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Having endured four years of torment by bullies at her former school, Brookhaven (Miss.) High School senior Kelsey Jackson knows all about the ways in which rumor-mongering, mockery and ostracism can impact a persons life.

It got to the point where I would be physically sick, Jackson said in a Nov. 3 article on the website of ABCs WPAT Channel 16. Sometimes you just don't know how to handle it. You get angry and you get sad and all your emotions are mixed up in one.

Instead of merely being thankful that the antagonism ended when she changed schools, Jackson has embarked upon an educational campaign that is designed to help other girls avoid what she experienced.

Jackson describes her efforts on her website, www.meangirlsnotcool.com:

I hope you have never been a victim of bullying, but, unfortunately, many of you probably have. I have, and I know how devastating it can be, but I also know (from experience) things that can be done to help. I have developed a program called Mean Girls Arent Cool, I am presenting in schools, clubs, organizations and to any girl groups. &

The program focuses on increasing awareness of bullying among girls and educating about how, when and why it occurs; understanding the difference between teasing and bullying; identifying bullying techniques and tactics; empowering the victims; and getting school officials and parents involved to help prevent the problem.

I feel the program is very effective because I am a teenager and relate to what girls are experiencing, because I have been a victim myself.

Labels: school, girls, bullying

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In the aftermath of a debate over whether or not to open a boys-only school in Toronto, Canada, the citys education director has revealed plans to develop a mentoring program for female students.

An Oct. 25 article by Jenny Yuen of Sun Media provided the following details on the potential for a girls program in Toronto:

After much heated debate over the possibility of boys-only schools earlier this week, Toronto public schools might be getting a girls-only mentoring program, according to a Twitter post from Chris Spence, Toronto District School Board's education director.

In the Tweet, Spence writes: "Soon we'll be launching the Girls Only initiative. Stay tuned for more information!"

"It makes sense to do this for the girls, to provide them with some strong role models," Spence told the Sunday Sun yesterday. "We haven't brought it forward just yet and part of our plan is to launch it in November."

The program -- called Project G.O. (Girls Only) -- will be brought to the board next month and its purpose is to provide positive role models for girls.

Labels: mentoring, girls, canada

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Greg Mortenson, an unofficial advisor to the U.S. military and the co-author of Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace. . . One School at a Time, has been included in U.S. News & World Reports list of Americas Best Leaders 2009.

In an Oct. 22 article, writer Anna Mulrine describes Mortensens efforts to achieve peace in Afghanistan by increasing opportunities for girls to access quality education:

Pennies for Peace will be in some 20,000 schools next year, giving rise to what Mortenson hopes will become a new generation of leaders in the United States who will take up the cause of global education.

"Women who have an education are not likely to condone their son getting into violence," he says. "I've seen that very vividly."

In Afghanistan in 2000, there were 800,000 children in school, nearly all boys. Today, there are 8.4 million children in school, including 2.5 million girls.

"That's the greatest increase in school enrollment of any country in modern history, but very few people in America seem to be aware of it." Mortenson hopes to remedy that through his work in the years to come.

Labels: afghanistan, girls, peace

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A private girls school in Virginia has received what the school claims is the largest single donation in the history of private girls schools. An Oct. 14 press release provided the following details about the donation:

Chatham Hall, an internationally renowned girls' boarding school, has received a $31 million gift from the estate of alumna Elizabeth Beckwith Nilsen, Class of 1931. This is the largest single gift to any girls' independent school.

According to Dr. Gary Fountain, Rector and Head of Chatham Hall, "Mrs. Nilsen's gift is transformational for the School. What remarkable generosity,and what a powerful statement about women supporting girls' education. Mrs. Nilsen's generosity is a head of school's dream."

Mrs. Nilsen directed that her gift be placed into an unrestricted endowment fund. Her gift came to Chatham Hall following the death of Mrs. Nilsen's husband, Robert A. Nilsen, in March 2009. Mrs. Nilsen, who predeceased her husband, died in October 2006.

Labels: single-sex education, girls, private school

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The students of one of New York's most successful girls' schools hosted a special guest Sept. 21, when the queen of Jordan paid a visit. Darragh Worland reported on the queen's visit to East Harlem's Young Women's Leadership School in a Sept. 27 article on the website Tonic.com:

Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan ... who has been UNICEFs Eminent Advocate for Children since 2007, joined UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman to discuss the role education plays in improving childrens lives.

For the past nine years straight, every single graduate of the Young Womens Leadership School, the nation's first girls-only public school, has been admitted to institutes of higher education. In her address to the students, Queen Rania emphasized the need for the young leaders to pay it forward.

I want you, girls with voices, to speak up and shout out for girls whose cries fall silent, said HM Queen Rania. I want you to fight for them, as others are fighting for you. I want you to pull up another girl, and help her stand tall and strong. I want you to be great, and inspire greatness in others.

Labels: international, girls, private school

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Current and former students, administrators and their guests gathered in Baltimore's St. Paul's School for Girls recently to celebrate the school's 50th anniversary. A Sept. 17 article by Jacques Kelly of the Baltimore Sun provided the following details:

St. Paul's School for Girls opened on Sept. 16, 1959, with 89 girls who studied in a building that resembled a "little L-shaped ranch house. ...Today, the school in Brooklandville has 440 girls and 100 teachers and staff. Its facilities include state-of-the-art science labs, a cafe and an artificial turf field.

But one thing hasn't changed.

"The school has the same warm feeling it did on the opening day in 1959," said Karen Yeagle, a Lutherville resident who was one of several alumnae who spoke Wednesday at an assembly celebrating the school's 50th anniversary. ...

"I truly did not believe that I would graduate from high school before I came to St. Paul's," said 1964 graduate Hope Smith Pollard. "I had been to so many other schools. Finally, my father said, 'Here is a new one.' I had a wonderful first year, full of wisdom. My self-esteem was restored."

According to the school's website, St. Paul's School for Girls is an independent day school that was established to "educate the minds and hearts of girls in a supportive and intellectually challenging community that encourages respect, integrity, creativity, and spiritual growth."

Labels: girls, day school, celebration

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When the Sisters of Charity of Kentucky announced in January that they would close Our Lady of Nazareth Academy, it looked like the students of the private Catholic school for girls were going to have to either enroll in public school or make the 20-mile commute to attend the Presentation of Mary Academy.

But according to a Sept. 1 article by Theresa DeFranzo on the website wickedlocal.com, the community of students and their parents came up with a third option: find the funding (and a location) to keep the school going:

Not only have students been helping out, but their parents and alumni have been working around the clock to make sure this educational opportunity  both the physical building and the educational curriculum  was available for girls in the area.

We were greatly disappointed after the announcement that they would close, said Joseph Luna, chairman of the board of directors. We had no intention of building a new school. But you cant save a school that doesnt want to be saved.

So he, and many others, got down to work.

No longer staffed by nuns, the school opened for the 2009-2010 academic year under a new name (out with "Our Lady of Nazareth Academy," in with "Nazareth Academy") -- but with a continued commitment to the philosophical underpinnings of its predecessor, DeFranzo reported:

We know the benefit of this type of education, Luna said of Nazareth Academy, which he said offers young women a Christian and classical education in the Catholic tradition that prepares them academically, spiritually and socially for a life marked by leadership and service in todays global community.

Labels: girls, religious, catholic, private school

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According to article on the Jewish news website chabad.info, Crown Heights, Brooklyn is now home to the nation's first Orthodox Jewish vocational school for girls:

Originally opened for teenage girls who were not thriving in the standard girls yeshiva system, [Ohr Chana Vocational Academy] began to modify its mission during the 5769 school year to become the first Orthodox girls vocational high school in the country.

This year Ohr Chana will offer a full, dual-track curriculum: One track caters to the focused and self-motivated student who wants her high school experience to help her grow spiritually through advanced and meaningful Torah learning.

The second track caters to the student who can best succeed in a small, non-pressured classroom environment and who has a drive to actualize her potential, develop her talents and excel  perhaps for the first time in her school career.

Every girl deserves to spend four years experiencing enjoyment, success and spiritual growth, the school's founder, Rebbetzin Sara Labkowski, said in the article.

Labels: girls, religious, jewish, vocational

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A survey conducted by Britain's National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and the University of Bristol has revealed a disturbing prevalence of relationship violence and sexual abuse among British teens.
A Sept. 1 Daily Mail article provided the following details about the study

• The researchers discovered that one in three teen girls had experienced sexual abuse at the hands of their boyfriends.
• Many of the surveyed teens said they had been pressured or forced to kiss or sexually touch their boyfriend, while one in 16 of the 13- to 17-year-olds said they had been raped.
• A quarter of girls interviewed by the charity said they had experienced violence in a relationship.
  
• Having an older boyfriend put girls at a higher risk, with three-quarters of them saying they had been victims of physical or sexual abuse.
• Girls from a family where an adult had been violent towards them were also at greater risk.

The survey results were based upon information gathered from 1,300 teen girls from throughout the nation.

Labels: relationships, violence, abuse, girls

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An Aug. 26 editorial in The Business Times argues that educating girls and women should be part of a global strategy to increase quality of life and decrease problems such as terrorism, human trafficking, and poverty:

The oppression of women is not just a women's issue; it's a stability issue, a security issue and an equity issue, says U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

It is also a human rights and economic issue, we might add. It has been observed by counter-terrorism experts that countries that nurture terrorist groups tend to be the same societies that marginalise women. So, helping to educate and raise the status of women in those societies would be of global security interest.

Meanwhile, women also represent the best hope for fighting global poverty. ... Larry Summers, when he was World Bank chief economist, wrote that "investment in girls' education may well be the highest-return investment available in the developing world."

A member of the Singapore Press Holdings group, The Business Times describes itself as "as South-east Asia's leading business daily, [which] brings to its readers each day a comprehensive and concise package of corporate, financial, economic and political news, analysis and commentary."

Labels: education, international, girls

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A sophomore at Wesleyan University has partnered with a fledgling support group to create a school for girls and young women in poverty-stricken Kenya.

In an article that appeared in the Aug. 16 edition of the Hartford Courant, Bethe Dufresne and Marcel Dufresne described the joint efforts of Kenya native Kennedy Odede and the group he discovered during an Internet search, American Friends of Kenya:A

Amid the most desperate poverty in Kenya's largest slum [Kibera], where prostitution for girls often comes with or even precedes puberty, Odede had created a youth-based community center and was offering services for women and children with HIV/AIDS. He had made a difference, a few foes and a lot of friends.

But time was running out for the women and children, and Odede was running out of ideas. So he entered a computer search for "Kenya," adding words like "aid" or "service" or "charity," and eventually clicked on a Connecticut-based group called American Friends of Kenya.

Although the group was then only a year old, founding director Emely Silver of Norwich was used to receiving, and often rejecting, plaintive pleas for help from Kenyans. ... Odede, she recalls, "was the first one who didn't ask for money." He wanted advice about how to manage his projects in the slums.

"Teach me," he wrote to Silver, who was immediately smitten.

The school, which is scheduled to open Aug. 20, is free for all students -- though the Courant article notes that "parents are required to pay with their own involvement."

Labels: school, girls, kenya

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For the past four years, young female musicians and would-be musicians in Minnesota have had the opportunity to spend part of their summer vacation at the state's first (and, thus far, only) rock and roll camp for girls.

Nick Ferraro reported on Girls Rock 'n' Roll Retreat in the Aug. 3 edition of The Pioneer Press:

"If you look at the rock music industry, it's very male-dominated," said Edie Baumgart, executive director of Girls Rock 'n' Roll Retreat, a five-day camp held at the Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley. "We want to create another generation of women musicians."

The day camp is aimed at teaching girls ages 9 to 16 how to write songs, play instruments and sing  no matter their talent level. It's capped off with a concert for family and friends at the arts center.

"Some [of the campers] have never played an instrument, and there's something really important about writing and working as a team and playing in a concert," Baumgart told The Pioneer Press. "It lets them understand they can accomplish things. And you know what? Music is fun, and they want to be there."

Labels: girls, summer, music

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Today, it isnt enough for a teenage girl to be smart or athletic or beautiful. Shes expected to be all three at once. And the increased pressure is leading to rises in depression, eating disorders and even suicide.

In his book [Triple Bind], [Stephen] Hinshaw shares stories of teen girls who suffer from the triple bind. He also identifies the early signs that show the pressures are too great, so parents can recognize what their daughters might be silently struggling with and step in to help. (Source: Voice of America)

Parents play a crucial role in countering the pressures faced by teens. Shared meals can be great forums for serious discussions, giving teenagers opportunities to share their fears, concerns and frustrations. Parents can also use the time to help their kids get a healthier perspective on achievement.

Labels: mental health, girls, pressure

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Emily Ford has never been much of an athlete (she describes having "alternately cried and prayed" her way through one season of youth softball). But Ford's 10-year-old daughter, Nellie, is embracing sports -- and mom couldn't be happier.

In a  column on the Salisbury Post website, Ford noted that her daughter's participation in soccer, swimming, and other sports may yield benefits that extend far beyond the field (or pool):

Girls who participate in sports are less likely to get pregnant or drop out of school. They're less likely to smoke or abuse drugs and more likely to delay their first sexual experience. ...

For centuries, boys and men have honed their skills on fields and courts. Teamwork, goal setting, the pursuit of excellence -- all lessons learned in the world of sport and critical to the world of work.

Thanks to Title IX, which mandates equal athletic opportunities for boys and girls in public schools, girls have been learning these lessons too. Eighty percent of female executives at Fortune 500 companies say they played sports.

Playing sports may also help girls reduce their risk of developing breast cancer and osteoporosis later in life, Ford reported.

Labels: girls, sports, young women

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A 2002 attempt to introduce incarcerated girls in Atlanta, Georgia, to the benefits of writing and acting has blossomed into a multi-faceted therapeutic endeavor that organizers hope will help participants transcend their troubles and pursue healthier and more productive futures.

Autumn Bond-Ross described the program in a June 14 article on the SundayPaper website:

Five minutes ago, they were giggling and roughhousing, just like any other fresh-faced young girls. Now, the tone at the South Bend Center for Art and Culture has turned serious, even haunting. The girls stomp their feet in unison to a staccato beat, and begin chanting a cappella:

"Violence -- it's everywhere/ Though it seems no one gives a care/ A bullet in the head, a fallen friend/ Will this ever end?/ An innocent life just gone -- taken/ In this nightmare that dont awaken."

More powerful lyrics follow, each more poignant and shocking than the last. The room is quiet. Some audience members tear up; others have goose bumps.

This is a normal occurrence at Playmaking for Girls, an empowering theater program for incarcerated and at-risk girls. Kids in this age group are usually known for being boy-crazy and obsessing over Beyonce's latest single, but tonight these girls are using the power of their own voices to confront disturbing social issues.

"PFGs original focus on working with Georgia [Regional Youth Detention Centers] remains," Bond-Ross reported. "But since [2002], it has expanded to include after-school programs for at-risk teens, a summer follow-up for girls who were previously incarcerated, and a satellite program targeting junior-high and high school teachers. Plans for a mentoring program are also underway."

Labels: mentoring, girls, theater

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Injuries to knee ligaments -- primarily involving tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) -- are becoming increasingly common among female athletes, and are affecting girls as young as middle-school age.
In a June 7 article on the website of the Evansville Courier and Press, staff writer Randy Beard described both the prevalence and the potential causes of this unfortunate epidemic:

Dr. Andrew Saltzman, an Evansville orthopedic surgeon ... said noncontact ACL tears are three times more common among women than men  and perhaps four times more frequent in basketball. Other studies have estimated that women athletes could be as much as eight times more likely to tear an ACL.

There are numerous physiological reasons why female athletes are believed to be more at risk for ACL tears. It starts with having a wider pelvis and being more knock-kneed than typically more bowlegged men. Muscle structure is another factor. Women tend to have weaker hamstrings, making their quadriceps the more dominant muscle in stabilizing the knee.

Then there are the changes that take place during puberty. Increased estrogen in girls tends to result in more flexible ligaments, but they are protected by less muscle than testosterone-fueled boys.

Team sports and other organized athletic pursuits have been credited with boosting self-esteem, increasing self-confidence, and decreasing overweight and obesity risks of girls and young women, but Beard's article reinforces the necessity of taking necessary precautions to ensure that the young athletes have a safe sporting experience.

Labels: girls, athletes, injuries

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After analyzing the academic progress and personalities of 52 teens, researchers with Israel's Haifa University have determined that "agreeable" girls are most likely to do well during lessons and on exams.

A June 7 article by Graeme Parton of the British news website Telegraph.co.uk provided the following information from the Haifa study:

Academics said there was little difference between their learning habits, but found girls were much more likely to cooperate in lessons.

"Agreeableness relates to interpersonal relations," said the study. "Students scoring higher on agreeableness would thrive better and achieve higher than others in cooperative settings, which may explain girls' gain over boys."

Trefor Lloyd, director of the education charity Working With Men, told the Telegraph that the results of the Haifa study may be attributable to the willingness of female students to ask questions and otherwise take a more active role in their education

"Girls are much better at negotiating with teachers," Lloyd said. "They will ask more questions. They start from a position of now knowing enough. Boys don't like to be seen as not knowing something, and only ask questions reluctantly."

The Haifa study is the second recent research effort to evaluate the academic progress of female students. Earlier this year, Britain's Equality and Human Rights Commission explored the ways in which fear of failure leads to academic problems for female students.

Labels: school, girls, academic performance, grades

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Summer is a time for cookouts, grilling, and -- unfortunately -- teen pregnancies. Pregnancies among teenagers typically rise during the summer months, mostly because teens have more free time and are less supervised.

[Psychotherapist Mary Jo] Rapini says a simple way to keep your child from becoming a parent before they are ready is to get and stay involved in their lives. She says parents who share their lives with their children and who show interest in their kids' lives are less likely to have a teen who becomes a parent. (Source: MyFox Houston)

Teenage girls who feel alone or isolated are more likely to engage in various types of risky teen behavior, including sex. Staying connected and aware of what your teenager is doing, and who shes with, can help prevent this type of behavior.

Worried that your teen daughter's unhealthy attitudes and inappropriate behaviors are leading her down a dangerous path? Take a moment to learn how a wilderness program can help teen girls get back on track toward a happy and healthy future.

Labels: pregnancy, teenagers, girls, summer

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The nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court has been a significant source of pride within the Hispanic community. But other recent news hasn't been nearly as hopeful for Hispanic parents and children.

A June 6 article by Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje of the (San Antonio) Express News reported that Latina girls are at considerable risk for suicide:

Latinas age 12 to 17 make up the largest and fastest-growing minority group of girls in the nation. And they are more at risk of trying to take their own lives than any other racial or ethnic group their age.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 percent of Latina teenagers have contemplated suicide and around 15 percent have attempted it, compared with 10 percent of Anglo and African-American teen girls who have attempted. Some studies put the percentage of Latina [suicide] attempters even higher. ...

Leticia Flores Canchola, director of nursing at Southwest Mental Health Center, a psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents, said 60 percent of girls who are admitted for suicide attempts are Latina, which is proportional to their local population numbers. "The majority of those who come in are sad, hopeless, helpless," she said. "They say, 'Nobody wants me.' It's a way out for them."

As is often the case with suicide, the cause of rising suicide rates among young Latina girls escapes easy identification. Luis Zayas, a researcher Latino psychology expert, told the Express News that "cultural expectations, gender issues, ethnic identity and adolescent-parental conflict converge in a toxic brew to push young Latinas to the edge."

Labels: teenagers, girls, latina, suicide

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A group of young female athletes from Provo, Utah, will be spending part of the upcoming summer vacation in Africa, where the girls will teach soccer and a few other lessons to orphaned girls. A May 29 article by Amanda Butterfield of KSL TV5 provided the following details about the efforts of the Timpview High School girls' soccer team:

"Girls over there see boys play soccer all the time, and they have no idea that they can play soccer. So, it will be awesome that they can see us play, and they'll say, I can play soccer. I can do this," said Timpview senior Kathy Cannon. ...

The team is traveling to Africa for two weeks in June, where they will hold soccer clinics for girls. "We're spending one week in Kampala and one week in Gulu, which is a war-torn area," explained assistant coach Jackie Skinner. ...

The teens will travel to different schools and share an inspirational message. "We just want to give them hope, basically," Timpview freshman Emily Curtis said.

The girls are also bringing paper, pencils and all sorts of school supplies for the kids.

Though the Timpview girls are undertaking their Africa trip in order to improve the lives of others, it's quite likely that they will benefit from the experience as well. Sports, volunteerism, and community-service projects provide a wide range of benefits to adolescent and teen girls, including improved self-esteem and self-worth among teens.

For this reason, many private boarding schools for girls (such as New Leaf Academy in Bend, Oregon) encourage students to participate in sports and take part in service projects.

Labels: girls, athletes, service project

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A May 22 editorial in the Dallas Morning News indicates that the paper's leaders are impressed with the results that have been achieved by students of the state's first all-girls public school:

Five years after the Dallas [Independent School District] embarked on a controversial experiment in single-sex education, the all-girl Irma Lerma Rangel Leadership School is about to graduate its first senior class. Judge for yourself whether the experiment has paid off:

• Last year's Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills score averages for this class ranged from a low of 94.1 percent, in science, to 100 percent, in writing.
• One hundred percent of the senior class, 21 girls, will receive diplomas.
• All 21 graduates are college-bound.
• The total value of scholarships they've received will exceed $1 million.

Such results have failed to halt a national debate over the merits of educating boys and girls in separate schools, but they nonetheless suggest this South Dallas magnet school has a success formula worth emulating.

As single-gender education makes small inroads within the nation's public schools, a number of private boarding schools for girls -- such as the Bromley Brook Boarding School for Girls in Manchester Center, Vermont -- continue to set the standard for offering a wide range of academic support, intensive therapeutic services, and an unmatched level of comprehensive care for adolescent and teen girls.

Labels: single-sex education, public-schools, girls

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A study that appears in the June issue of the journal Pediatrics has discovered that girls who have been abused or who use a "provocative online identity" may be at increased risk for being victimized by individuals they meet over the Internet.

According to a May 26 article on the CNN website, a research team under the direction of Jennie G. Noll of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio reached this conclusion after studying the online activities of 173 girls between the ages of 14 and 17:

The study looked at 104 abused and 69 non-abused. .... Abused adolescents -- who had suffered neglect, physical abuse or sexual abuse -- were recruited from child protective agencies, the authors said.

Of the girls studied, 54 percent were white and 46 percent were minorities, of which 82 percent were black and 18 percent were mixed-race, the authors say.The authors held a laboratory session in which they asked the girls to create avatars on a program designed to mimic a popular social networking site, which the authors did not name in the study.

Girls could choose bust and hip size, clothing type, visible navel piercings and skin, eye and hair colors. Girls were given a range of choices that allowed for a more provocative or conservative avatar.

The authors say 40 percent of the girls reported experiencing sexual advances online, and 26 percent reported meeting someone offline after getting to know the person on the Internet. Abused girls were much more likely to have experienced both, the authors found.

Noll and her research colleagues urged parents to remain vigilant regarding their children's online activities. "Caregiver presence was associated with significantly fewer reports by adolescents of online solicitations," they wrote. "As such, the importance of parental monitoring of adolescent Internet use cannot be understated."

Several other experts have noted that, while the online world offers may social and educational benefits to adolescents and teens, it also poses a range of risks, including potential exploitation, cyberbullying, and Internet addiction.

Labels: girls, online, internet

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A study that was conducted by a University of Buffalo sociologist indicates that risk-taking behavior during the teen years can have a strong impact on the likelihood of marriage later in life. According to a May 20 article by Patricia Donovan of the UB Reporter, sociologist Sampson Lee Blair reached this conclusion after analyzing more than a decade's worth of data:

A national study of data collected over 12 years finds that delinquent teens marry earlier than their peers, while substance-abusing teens -- especially girls who abuse marijuana -- marry later than peers, if at all. ...

Delinquency was defined as anti-social behavior, including frequency of running away, arrests, physical fights, and behavioral problems in school.

The study analyzed data from a U.S. Department of Education survey collected from a nationally representative sample of 9,813 young adults from 1988 to 2000. The results were presented at the March conference of the Eastern Sociological Society in Baltimore.

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Labels: teenagers, girls, behaviors

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Modern American teen girls and young women may have more opportunities than ever before, but a May 9 article by Jackie Burrell of the Contra Costa Times notes that these options are often accompanied by an unhealthy pressure that can have a debilitating effect those who feel forced to achieve "supergirl" status:

In what may be the ultimate irony, there's never been a better time to be an American girl -- or one that's as risky. Teen suicide, depression, cutting and eating disorder rates are soaring.

In 2004-05 suicide rates jumped 76 percent for tweens and 32 percent for teenage girls ages 15-18, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And some experts say the troubling mental health statistics have much to do with the crushing burden society puts on teenage girls.

It's no longer enough to do well in school and be a caring, devoted friend. Today's young women are expected to combine high-caliber academic, athletic and extra-curricular performance, with the style and looks of "Gossip Girl's" Serena van der Woodsen.

In their efforts to meet "supergirl" expectations, many girls "confess they're practically mainlining caffeine and Red Bull," Burrell reports. "They're using Aderall, the ADHD medication that's misused on college campuses to sharpen focus and pump up test-taking ability."

Depression, anxiety, and the abuse of energy drinks and prescription pills can have devastating effects on teen girls and young women, many of whom may require residential substance abuse treatment in order to overcome their self-defeating behaviors and pursue a healthier and more satisfying future.

Labels: depression, girls, suicide, drug_use

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MEI Futures Academy, a residential charter school for teenage mothers in Washington, D.C., has been ordered to close because of chronic truancy, curriculum problems, and questions about the quality of services that were provided for special education students.

The school, which had been in operation for the past two years, provided both boarding and day school services to young mothers (ages 14 to 21), as well as kindergarten and pre-K programs for students' children who were between the ages of three and five.

According to an April 21 article by Bill Turque on the Washington Post's "DC Wire" blog, the D.C. Public Charter School Board claimed that MEI Futures Academy was in "material violation" of its operating agreement:

MEI had struggled to establish an acceptable curriculum, officials said, adding that none of its high school students were on track for a diploma. Last year, not one of the 15 tenth graders who took the DC-CAS standardized test achieved proficiency levels in either reading or math. Enrollment has dwindled to just 31 students from 66 in fall 2007.

Chronic truancy was an especially serious issue. An unannounced audit earlier this year showed that 17 of the 31 students were not there.

Charter schools such as MEI are not the only option for teen mothers who are struggling to complete their education. For example, at Youth Care, Inc., a private therapeutic boarding school in Draper, Utah, students can enroll in a unique teen pregnancy program that features counseling, behavior therapy, academics, and parenting education.

Labels: education, pregnancy, parenting, teenagers, girls

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Teen girls who have struggled to find fashionable clothing in larger sizes may be in for a more enjoyable shopping experience, as two large retailers have announced upcoming lines that will be geared toward plus-sized girls.

Forever 21's line, Faith 21, will have sizes ranging from XL-2X, while Target's Pure Energy line will go up to a size 30.

Faith 21 will feature of-the-moment pieces like sheer peasant blouses, denim leggings and curve-hugging mini dresses. Pure Energy will have skinny jeans, maxi dresses and sleeveless party tops.

"In the past we've had XL sizes and we would sell out of them so quickly," said Heidi Canalizo, a regional manager at Forever 21. "Our customers have been asking for this for so long and in the past few years we've really decided it's time to get into it. Not everyone is a size 2." (Source: CNN, April 29, 2009)

Clothing market analyst Marshal Cohen told CNN that the move toward larger sizes makes good financial sense. "You're looking at an under $2 billion business that could easily grow to a $4 billion, $5 billion business within ... a year or two," Cohen said.

The U.S. and many other nations have experienced significant increases in teen overweight and obesity rates in recent decades.

Labels: teenagers, girls, overweight

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Weight discrimination is one of the many challenges facing overweight young women as they attempt to earn a place in the working world.

A study by Dr. Mark Roehling of Michigan State University has revealed that being overweight may hold women back in their careers, but may actually help men.

Dr. Roehling and his colleagues went through records from 1,000 large companies.

• Among female bosses, 22 percent were overweight, compared to a national average of 29 percent of American women.


• Among male bosses, 61 percent were overweight, compared to 41 percent of men.


• Only five percent of the bosses were obese, compared to between 36 and 38 percent of all Americans.

For adolescent and teen girls who are also struggling with behavior problems, substance abuse disorders, or other conditions that negatively impact their healthy development, being overweight adds yet another obstacle to overcome en route to a more satisfying future.

Labels: girls, career, overweight, discrimination

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An 11-member panel of Canadian health care experts has determined that young women who smoke tobacco or who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for developing breast cancer later in life. According to an article by Canwest News Service writer Sharon Kirkey, inhaling tobacco smoke early in life can result in cancer decades later:

"Even moderate exposure to passive smoking, such as living or working with a smoker early in life, increases a woman's risk of breast cancer when she is in her 30s, 40s and 50s," panelist and University of Toronto public health expert Dr. Anthony Miller says. ...

After reviewing ... more than 100 studies ... the panel concluded that all women who smoke, particularly young women, are at increased risk of breast cancer, and that even young women who don't smoke are at increased risk if they're exposed to second-hand smoke.

"An estimated 80 to 90 percent of women have been exposed to tobacco smoke in adolescence and adulthood," says panel chairman Neil Collishaw, of Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. "Those women face an increased risk of breast cancer because of that exposure."

In addition to the heightened likelihood of developing breast cancer, teens who smoke are at increased risk for suffering from a wide range of health problems and engaging in a variety of dangerous behaviors.

Labels: health, teenagers, girls, cancer, smoking

Posted By: E.B.W. 1 Comment

According to an April 13 article by Houston Chronicle writer Cindy George, many Texas parents are turning to medical professionals to provide their daughters with the health information that students aren't getting in school. As George put it, increasing numbers of parents are asking the family gynecologist to have "the talk" with their adolescent daughters:

These are the conversations that establish an early doctor-patient relationship, building trust with young women so they're comfortable calling or visiting the gynecologist as they get older.

"I want to meet these young women before they really, really, really need me," said Dr. Tammy Vu, an obstetrician/gynecologist at West Houston Medical Center. ...

Providing medically accurate information can enlighten girls [who are] receiving limited information at school, hearing possibly outdated advice from their parents, and trading whispers with friends often riddled with misinformation.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that teens visit a gynecologist for the first time at age 13, 14, or 15 for preventive health appointments that don't usually involve an internal pelvic exam.

Even pre-teens are now making visits to gynecologists' offices, George reports, as experts recommend that girls receive Gardasil, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, between the ages of 11 and 12.

Labels: health, sex-education, girls, adolescents, HPV

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Two high school girls in Minnesota were featured in the April 20 edition of the Duluth News Tribune for the effort and determination that led them to achieve success in an interscholastic sport that is usually dominated by male participants:

Girls who choose to pursue wrestling face solitude long before they step on the mat. Competing in a sport supercharged with high doses of testosterone and cultural bias, they are relegated to their own locker rooms and scales to dress and weigh in apart from their teammates. Then, often their male peers will refuse to compete against them, forfeiting a match rather than wrestling a girl and risk losing.

But Kristina Erickson and Jolynne Denman accept the challenges of competing in a male-dominated sport and focus on its rewards, such as gaining discipline and self-confidence, making lifelong friends, staying fit and learning how to accept both victory and defeat.

Erickson, 14, and Denman, 15, followed up a season of wrestling mostly boys for the junior varsity team at Cloquet High School with a strong showing against girls. Erickson, an eighth-grader, and Denman, a ninth-grader, finished first and second, respectively, at the USA Wrestling state womens tournament, and Erickson brought home a national title from the USA Wrestling national womens tourney in her 135-pound weight class in Oklahoma City last month.

"The fact that they make it through the boys program really speaks highly of their discipline and inner strength," Cloquet HS wrestling coach Al Denman (who is also Jolynnes father) told Duluth News Tribune writer Rick Lubbers. "A lot of guys quit because they cant handle it, and these girls have not quit. Against all the odds, they keep at it. I wish I had a hundred of them."

Labels: school, teenagers, girls, sports, wrestling

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Bobby Persinger has been talking to young people for years about the dangers of drug use. Lately, he’s noticed a disturbing trend – girls are less likely to take a stand against drug use. They used to be the first ones in class to say “drugs are bad,” but they’re not saying it now.

So, Persinger wasn’t surprised when he read a recent study by the Partnership for a Drug Free America that suggested that American girls’ attitudes about drugs and alcohol have changed. The study found that in 2009, teenage girls saw drug use as more positive and acceptable, making young women more vulnerable to becoming drug users. [Source: Newark (NJ) Advocate]

More than 3,200 high school students were surveyed for Partnership’s most recent study. This was the first year that attitudes about drugs were compared between boys and girls. Most of the girls who participated in this year’s survey said they believed there were benefits to using drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately, this could indicate that drug use among girls is about to increase.

 

Labels: girls, drug_use

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

Teenage girls are harder to raise than teenage boys, according to a new British survey of 3,000 parents.

• Three-fourths of the parents in this study say they have more arguments with their daughters, with one-third blaming mood swings, and 27% saying girls were rude, and 12% reporting that girls were aggressive.
• Three-fourths of the parents also believe that girls are more likely to argue with their friends than boys.
• Parents reported that girls are more concerned about their physical appearances, especially their weight and their skin.
• However, 80% of parents believe that both boys and girls are under more pressure to look good today than they were when they were teenagers themselves.

Thirty percent of parents said their teenagers' behaviors "wore them out," and 60% had quarreled with their partners and spouses over their adolescents' problems.

"Females in their teenage years are more prone to mood swings that males, mainly due to the hormonal changes their bodies are experiencing," said Dr. Chris Bundy, a lecturer in health and medical psychology at the University of Manchester. "Both boys' and girls' behavior swings between being more childlike one day and adult the next, and they get confused."

The study was done by the Simple Spotless Skin foundation.
 

Labels: parenting, boys, girls

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