When President Obama came into office, one of the first problems he addressed was the economic recession. Obama’s administration passed a $787 billion stimulus package; almost $100 billion of that stimulus package went straight for education.

In October 2009, officials said this stimulus saved 250,000 teacher, administrator, and other education-related jobs.

But now, less than six months later, many public schools are facing the financial danger of not having enough money to pay teachers, facilitate extracurricular activities for students, and offer elective classes.

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Taking the SAT, ACT, or PSAT is a nerve racking experience. I froze up my first time taking the ACT and didn’t finish the math section. I knew how to do it; it was just new and scary. It would have been awesome if I had been able to take a practice test beforehand. That way I would have known what to expect, how to pace myself, and known where to spend most of my time, based on my strengths and weaknesses.

Evidently the people at the Princeton Review have heard several people share my same concern. They have declared March 20, 2010 as National Testing Day they are offering a free full-length, SAT, ACT, or PSAT practice test to anyone who signs up.

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Constance McMillen, Via Huffington Post

A high school in a Mississippi school district canceled its spring prom because a student, Constance McMillen, asked to bring her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo to the yearly gala.

Rather than owning up to the real reasons why the prom was cancelled, school officials are instead citing that it is ”due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events.” ”Recent events” being a request by openly gay McMillen to invite her girlfriend to the prom.

McMillen told CBS News, “I just want to go to the prom and bring my date, just like everyone else gets to.”

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Just because students attended low-scoring elementary schools in Chicago doesn’t mean they can’t succeed in high school. Thanks to the No Child Left Behind Law, four selective-enrollment high schools in Chicago are accepting 100 top students from these low-scoring schools. These high schools are some of “the highest-scoring and most sought-after high schools in Chicago,” according to the Chicago Sun Times.

For students who now get to attend these schools, it is the opportunity of a lifetime. These college prep schools will offer the students more chances to succeed and improve their chances of attending college.

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Spring Break can be so much fun! You don’t have to go to school, and hopefully there’s no homework looming over your head. You’re spending some good, quality time with your friends, hitting up local hot-spots or traveling to new places.

But for some reasons, your parents keep telling you to be careful. What can go wrong? It’s all good fun on Spring Break.

Well, at least it is if you take some moderate precautions. Do have fun on Spring Break, but heed your parents’ advice to be careful so you don’t became one of those college students who goes on Spring Break and never comes home.

Tips for Staying Safe on Spring Break:

1. Never leave a bar, party, club or social event alone. Everyone knows there is safety in numbers. Chances are that you are less likely to be observant of your surroundings if you have been drinking and you will be an easier target for a criminal. Besides, it’s always more fun to be with your friends on Spring Break than to be alone, right?

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If you live in Maryland, the College Board’s Advanced Placement tests should not be nearly as intimidating as if you lived anywhere else in the country.

Why?

More high school students in Maryland have taken at least one AP test, and 24.8 percent of students passed the test with a score of at least a three. This is great news for high school students who want to go to college; a three earns college credit at many colleges in the country.

“We have an accelerating number of students taking Advanced Placement,” said Maryland Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick. “The courses are being taught with fidelity. The students are meeting the expectations of the coursework, and it’s revealed in their performance.”

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Guest blogger and co-founder of Girl, Get Strong! Women’s online fitness magazine, Melanie Berezan is a fitness fun-addict, adventure seeker, boundary-pusher, writer, traveler and mum of four amazing little people. Contributor to Galtime.com, Momcentral.com and DietsinReview.com. Melanie is currently training for the BMO Vancouver (half) Marathon, raising funds to support Girls on the Run.

Hitting the beach for spring break?

After a long winter of studying and dorm room snacking some of us are wishing we’d spent more time working out at the gym and less time working on textbooks. 

But if that’s you, don’t panic. There’s still time to make some quick, easy and (almost) painless changes that will get you on track for your spring break bikini – without cutting into studying time.

Sound good? Read on.

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Spring Break is usually synonymous with beach vacations. Playing in the waves, building sand castles, and staying in a swanky hotel with your friends is all part of the package. But when you add up hotels, plane tickets, gasoline, food, and souvenir costs, Spring Break can get pretty expensive, pretty fast.

If you can’t afford to shell out close to $1,000 for a beachy Spring Break or a trip to the mountains to go skiing, don’t stress out too much; you can still have fun on your week off from school. It takes a little more creativity, but you can plan a fun, budget-friendly Spring Break with your friends. Here are some options to get your brain thinking.

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When I filled out my college application form, the worst part was the essay. I struggled with it for days: “Tell us about yourself. What’s your typical day like? What are your interests? Who are you, really?”

Eek! 

How can I fully describe myself in 500 words? How can my dynamic personality pop off a page that only has black ink on it? That’s quite a challenge, if you ask me.

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It’s almost Spring Break! A week free from school, worries, and responsibilities, where all you have to do is what you want to do.

You could go home and see family and friends that you haven’t seen since winter break. You could put in some extra hours at your job and earn some extra money. You could just kick back and relax. Or, if you are like many other high school and college students, you could go on a vacation with your friends.

Where should you go? This list is the most popular Spring Break destinations in the country.

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