2017 – Page 3 – Teen Observer Archive

July 20, 2017

Safety First When Students Travel Abroad

Students from all over visit Westminster.
Photo from College Fulton MO

WASHINGTON D.C. – Beth O’Quinn says that studying abroad and discovering new cultures and ways of life is one of the most influential and enlightening experiences a student can have.

But O’Quinn, who is the director of experiential learning at Foxcroft School, a girls boarding school in Middleburg, Virginia, says that safety is the most important consideration of sending students from her school overseas.

“Safety always comes first,” O’Quinn said.

“We have a ratio system for every trip that we take,” she continued. “For every six girls, there are two teachers or chaperones who attend as well. So if there is a total of 12 girls on the trip, then there will be four chaperones in total as well.”

When most parents consider allowing their child to explore a different country, the first thing that comes to mind is the health and safety precautions that are put into action.

Kimberly Turner of Washington D.C. says in an interview that when she went to Edinburgh, Scotland her senior year of high school, “The teachers went above and beyond to ensure that we were all healthy and safe by regularly checking in with us and having groups of us being assigned to different chaperones. I did not once feel unsafe on that trip because the chaperones were organized and always on top of everything.”

David Larsen, who is the director of the Beaver College Center for Education Abroad, states that he requires the students he sends to Belfast, Ireland to be driven through the most dangerous parts of that city so that they are clearly informed of what places to avoid.

O’Quinn also stated in a recent interview that students have to fulfill certain health requirements deeming that there will be no health issues that will be exacerbated by going overseas or that will hinder their overall experience.

It is also essential that students be given the proper vaccinations depending on what country they will be visiting.

Sometimes, school leaders must also account for a country’s political issues when deciding if students should go.

O’Quinn said that one trip to South Africa in 2016 coincided with elections there. It was cancelled because of upheaval and violence at the time.

Even though the city, Johannesburg, that the students would have been staying in was deemed safe, she said it was better to err on the side of caution.

July 20, 2017July 20, 2017

Trust in the media plummets

Jessica Himelfarb is wary of the state of the news media.

She said in a recent interview at American University that amidst the publicity of fake news, she doesn’t trust the media to give her accurate information and inform her fully about what’s going on.

“It’s brought to the awareness of everyone the pervasiveness of fake news and inaccurate information and how politicians and journalists and news companies are making a profit in the United States, so they’re trying to sell a story instead of trying to get it right,” Himelfarb said.

Jessica Himelfarb at American University in July. By Courtney Cohn.

Himelfarb is not alone, as many people are skeptical of what they hear and see in the news especially after the 2016 election.

With claims of fake news being presented daily–even by President Donald Trump–the media is under more scrutiny than ever before and many people now believe that they can’t rely on the news sources they’ve always followed to get their news.

This affects how much people trust their news sources to give them the accurate, unbiased information they’re seeking.

According to a 2016 Gallup Poll, “Americans’ trust and confidence in the mass media “to report the news fully, accurately and fairly” has dropped to its lowest level in Gallup polling history, with 32% saying they have a great deal or fair amount of trust in the media. This is down eight percentage points from last year.”

As trust in the media plummets, the belief that the media should be investigating government officials remains a common idea for many Americans.

However, many people’s skepticism of the media urges them to believe that bias doesn’t allow for thorough investigations.

James Valentine, 71, wants the media to look into investigations to hold government officials accountable, but if they project bias into the news, then the investigations will not be very beneficial.

“If they just investigate them and let the facts dictate where they went, that’s what they should be doing, but if you investigate from the standpoint that you have a pre-perceived notion, it doesn’t do much good,” Valentine said.

Even though many people’s faith in the media has decreased in the last year, there are some exceptions to this trend.

Also according to a Gallup poll, Americans over the age of 50 are more likely to trust the media than people under 50 years old.

Alicia Rockmore, 52, trusts the media more with all of the news on the Trump administration’s involvement with Russia.

“I feel more of a need to defend the media because they are actually the ones that are telling the truth,” Rockmore said. “To me they’re the heroes, they’re the ones that are digging out information that we need to know.”

July 20, 2017July 20, 2017

Americans weigh in on Trump…so far

If Gary Bochner could go back in time, he’d do November differently.

Bochner, 58, who voted for Donald Trump says that he would vote for another candidate. Bochner says that seeing that President Trump has not done any of the things he promised and has even made enemies with many world leaders, he is rethinking his vote.

“At the time, I was unemployed and the idea that he was going to ‘Make America Great Again’ and give jobs back to Americans really appealed to me,” Bochner said.

Sarah Yu said she is feeling frustrated and angry about the Trump Administration. By Vicky Tan

As President Trump nears the six month mark of his time in office, his approval ratings continue to drop, even those like Bochner who voted for him in the 2016 election are unhappy with how he has used his power so far.

According to the Gallup Daily, only 39 percent of Americans support the Trump Administration.

Among other District of Columbia residents, many believe that the Trump Administration is actually hurting the country.

Interviews done this week at American University and in Dupont Circle showed that many people had a range of issues they said were important. Those included: the environment, tax reform, relations with other nations, immigration policy reform and improving healthcare.

Eric Pullman, 17, said that Trump has disappointed the country in how he’s handled all of those substantial issues. And, Pullman said, he thinks racism also has gotten worse.

“His drastic actions hurt us all as Americans,” Pullman said. “This is not what we stand for. If Trump is to win a second term in office, I am not sure the county will be able to bounce back from it. The United States has become a laughing stock.”

As a Jewish-American living in the Bible Belt of the United States, Pullman has grown accustomed to weird looks.

“I am proud of my religion,” said Pullman, who is from Alabama, and was visiting Washington, D.C. to visit colleges. “Their stares cannot hurt me. I will not be ashamed of who I am.”

However, for Pullman’s Muslim neighbors, it is not just stares. He says that since Trump has taken office, discrimination has gotten worse.

“Their eldest daughter and I will sometimes walk to school together. One morning, somebody rode by on a bike and pulled off her hijab while yelling about how Trump would make America great again. As a Jewish-American, I feel the need to stand against actions like this,” Pullman said.

July 14, 2017July 27, 2017

Tuition Hikes Face Backlash from Skeptical Students

California State Universities and University of California schools approved tuition increases in January for the 2017-2018 school year.

This hike is the first increase in six years; California Governor Jerry Brown specified in his 2011 budget plan that there would be no tuition hikes, but in his most recent plan, he puts no restrictions on tuition.

The CSU Office of the Chancellor released the tuition proposal, stating that there would be a $270 increase in tuition from $5,472 per student to $5,742. This proposal argues that an increase is necessary because “State investment in support of the CSU has moved from approximately 80 percent in the mid-1990s to closer to 50 percent by 2016-17, with the remaining revenue provided by tuition and fees.” The UC proposal states that there will be a total increase of $336, bringing the total tuition cost to $12,360, not including housing, books, or campus fees.

UC Santa Barbara student walkout to protest 2017 tuition hikes – Courtesy of Noozhawk

UC President Janet Napolitano says that the increase should not have a large effect on students; Mother of two, Olga Ortega, disagrees. Her eldest son is entering his sophomore year in college and is paying for tuition through a full-time job. Ortega says her son is “very stressed” and any increase, no matter the size, would greatly affect his daily life.

Chancellor Timothy P. White claims that this increase will bring $77.5 million in revenue and most students with scholarships and financial aid would not be affected.

Elliot Chang, a student receiving financial aid at UC Irvine, said that even though he would be paying more, he would not be greatly affected. “I see all the new facilities,” Chang said in an interview with The Orange County Register, “I really appreciate the effort they’re putting into it.”

Many students, however, have protested and opposed the hike, arguing that they are often left out of decisions that will affect them the most.“If a perfect job were done listening to students’ concerns, we would not need to protest so often, complain so much” said Ralph Washington Jr., UC student representative, in an EdSource interview.

Washington is the sole representative of 252,000 students at all ten UC campuses. He and David Lopez, CSU student representative, had protested the hike before its approval, arguing that the seemingly small increase could “pay someone’s food for a month, or half month’s rent depending on what city you are living in, or it could be all your books for a quarter or your flight home for the holidays.”

State officials hope that the hikes will ultimately express to Governor Brown that small tuition increases help long-term financial sustainability for UCs and CSUs.

July 14, 2017

Free College is not in the near future for Montana

Officials in Montana choose not to prioritize free college in the upcoming years because they would rather keep tuition prices low, according to the Director of Financial Aid at the University of Montana, Kent McGowan.

“The Montana State Legislature shows no interest in Financial Aid Programs, and would like to keep college affordable by keeping tuition prices low,” said McGowan. There are other ways to make college affordable, including scholarships, tuition waivers, and Financial Aid programs. The average tuition price is $14,796 to attend a 4 year college in Montana, according to College Navigator.

Records show that the U of M budgeted $12 Million for financial aid, scholarships, and tuition waivers in 2017, and went over the budget by thousands of dollars. McGowan said this is due to an inaccurate prediction of funds available. The other leading university in Montana budgeted $23 million, but only used $21 million in 2016.

Claire, an American University student, was enrolled in an AU Scholars Program that cut a third of the tuition fee through a political leadership program. She believes financial aid and academic waivers are beneficial, and can help more students attend college, in order to have a career.

MSU and U of M provide many scholarship opportunities for students to attend college. Some of these are offered upon acceptance, while others must be requested during enrollment,according to College Scholarships.Org. The tuition waivers have specific criteria that can make a student eligible to apply. Scholarships can be offered through the college, or by departments such as art, music, sports, etc. These universities also offer work-study to lower the cost of tuition for students.

Montana has no interest in free college currently, but the Director of Financial Aid at MSU, Brandi L. Payne said she hopes to achieve it someday. According to CNBC, Montana has the third cheapest tuition rates in the country.

July 14, 2017

Diverse social groups extend learning about cultures

People interviewed in Northwest Washington, D.C. agreed on Wednesday that diversity is necessary in social groups in order for people to have a better understanding of different cultures.

Though some did not have diversity within their circle of friends, all believed that it presents an opportunity to learn and appreciate differences within other individuals.

Students from various backgrounds sit in Starbucks together between classes. By Courtney Williams.

“You can only improve yourself and your understanding by stepping out of your comfort zone,” said Andrew Griffin, 37.

Those in diverse groups say that their friends have given them a view of the world from a different perspective. People say they enjoy learning about different customs and traditions.

They are able to talk about experiences of their friends that they know they may never have. At times people agree that it can be harder to understand each other’s different viewpoints but encourages them to have an open mind to different perspectives.

Kaylee Hillard, 21, was shocked when she left her hometown of Dallas, Pennsylvania.

With a graduating class of approximately 100 students, Hillard described her small town as mostly white and conservative with a very “one way of thinking.”

She says coming to American University in Washington D.C. with students from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds made her think her town was “close-minded.” Hillard now has a diverse friend group and believes diversity has taught her about the way others think.

Those in more homogeneous groups say that having friends with similar cultural backgrounds makes it easier to relate to each other. They also share similar past experiences. Many said it was also based on comfort and finding a support system that fits their needs.

Dani Derosario, 18, a Filipino student at American University, was born in the Philippines and later immigrated to the United States.

“Coming to the United States and finding a community that I really fit in and felt like home was important to me,” Derosario said.

July 14, 2017

Campus arboretum staff brings bees back

flower on campus — A bee lands on a flower outside McKinley Building. By Nick Nimkoff.

WASHINGTON, DC–American University officials are focused on the preservation of bees because of their integral role in the pollination of various plants on campus, which is an arboretum.

The bee population worldwide is dying quickly and the number of dead is only growing with each passing year, according to Bee Informed Partnership, a research consortium. This is due to the use of pesticides on plants which end up killing the bees.

“We are very much aware of the threat to pollinators and as an arboretum always consider this when selecting our plantings,” said Stephanie Destefano, grounds operations coordinator at American University’s arboretum.

For the first time in history humans are faced with a dire challenge concerning insect population, keeping the ever- shrinking bee population alive. The use of pesticide within the farming community has grown more and more concerning over the years for what its side effects entail. The most major side effect of course being the killing of bees.

According to the Bee Informed Partnership, the total loss of bees in 2015-2016 is 44 percent of their population. Which is up from its loss the previous year which they estimated at 3 percent lower, which makes the situation all the more dire for us.

Residents of campus as well as in the Tenleytown area of Washington, D.C. were mixed about their knowledge of bees and colony loss.

“No one realizes how important the bee population is for the future of our planet and our ecosystems,” said Rachel Ussery, 21, a leader of the community garden at American University, about the importance of bees.

Destefano said the campus is careful in its use of pesticides.

So while the bee population is dying out quickly, some people said they are more and more aware of the risks to bees.

Kylie Cameron, an advocate for the bee population, said, “I will scream if someone tries to kill a bee.”

July 14, 2017July 20, 2017

Architecture on college campuses influences atmosphere for students

WASHINGTON, D.C –Students and alumni say that both the architecture and atmosphere of their college campuses have enriched their educational experiences.

Most interviewed this week in Northwest Washington, D.C. said that traditional campus architecture–those schools with brick and stone buildings–has character and helps tell the story of the university’s history.

“You get a true sense of the institution,” said Philip Brown who had attended Howard university. “It had an inviting atmosphere with the interior design and structure of the buildings there, which provided a place for a more positive learning experience.”

They also believe that historic architecture can signal the university’s renowned academic status.

Campus atmosphere–including well-tended gardens and green space some called “homey”–was another significant factor to contribute to people’s desire to attend certain colleges.

A 2011 University of Rhode Island report of its Admissions Advisory Committee noted campus curb appeal matters to admissions decisions.

Rick Hesel, the Principal of the Arts and Sciences group at the University of Rhode Island, advises other institutions that it is very important to make a good first impression with the overall image and appearance of the campus.

Campus tour — Families on a campus tour of American University, Friday, July 14. By Elle Rosse.

“When I attended Towson University, there will new residential buildings that had been built. They were gorgeous and they really lead to a more organized, clean feel,” said Kim Kinner of Washington D.C.”

A beautiful and well – manicured campus can also attract more students despite possibly having a bad location.

Elizabeth Herzfeldt of Kalamath Oregon who attended Pacific Lutheran University, said “The campus was located in a bad part of town, so the well – groomed campus was very eye – catching.”

July 14, 2017

U.S. student debt tops $1.4 trillion

WASHINGTON, D.C.–American University students and Northwest District of Columbia residents said Wednesday that student loan debt which is above $1.4 trillion in the United States today is a serious issue facing those seeking higher education in America.

Nelson Jacobson discusses his experience with student loans. By Vicky Tan

“Interest rates are rising and I’m scared that I’ll still be paying of loans when I’m 35,” said Leila Ackerman, 18, who will start at American University this Fall.

Ackerman worries about expenses beyond just tuition and housing. She said the hidden costs are also going to add up. Not only is tuition becoming more and more expensive, but new students must be able to afford food, textbooks and other necessities to living away from home.

“I’m one of the lucky ones, I can’t even imagine what having loans breathing down your back would feel like,” said Janice Barlow, 20, an American University student. “You really can’t do anything. Every thing you do, anywhere you go, you have to be thinking about money.”

According to the Student Loan Debt Report, national student loan debt collectively currently totals $1.41 trillion.

According to the report, around 70 percent of college students in the United States now owe some soft of debt for education. However, even with almost a whole generation drowning in student loan debt, there is no guarantee of employment after they graduate.

There was a general consensus among both residents and students that government is not doing enough to help financially struggling students. With interest rates slowly rising, the nation has not made education as high a priority as others, they said.

“Government should try to make education more affordable, everyone should have the opportunity to go to get a better education if they want to. Money should not be a limiting factor,” Ackerman said.

July 14, 2017July 20, 2017

Switching college majors part of the process

WASHINGTON, D.C.–Many current and former college students interviewed this week in Northwest Washington, D.C. have changed their majors in college as they discovered their passions and interests on campus, while others fall in love with their major and stick with it in order to pursue a career in that field.

Sarah Menke-Fish, a professor of Film and Media Arts at American University, thought she would major in music and home economics when she enrolled in the University of Northern Iowa, but ended up changing her mind after two months when she discovered her passion for speech.

Idegbuwa Karba talks about why she chose to major in psychology at Howard University. By Courtney Cohn

“I thoroughly loved it and did really well in it,” Menke-Fish said.

Menke-Fish is not alone.

According to an April 2017 report from the University of Memphis, “About 40% of college students switch majors at least once, suggesting that major choice is a process rather than a single decision.”

Menke-Fish ended up majoring in speech theater teaching and radio television broadcasting, which led to many careers involving both teaching and acting. She also notices that many of her students switch majors in college like she did.

She acknowledges that people think they know what they’ll enjoy and want to study as they enter college, but may discover that they excel in a different area and want to find a career in that field instead.

Zerline Hughes discussed choosing to major in journalism at Howard University. By Courtney Cohn

However, Zerline Hughes, 40, a freelance writer, always knew she wanted to study journalism and kept that major at Howard University.

“I didn’t ever want to change,” said Hughes, who described herself as a freelance writer. “Howard University had a good journalism program and I thought it was the best fit for me and my goals.”

Like Hughes, Idegbuwa Karba, 19, has known what she wanted to major in since high school, and does not want to switch.

Karba majors in psychology at Howard University and said she doesn’t plan on changing.

Kim Kinner, now a second grade teacher, majored in mass communications and marketing in order to find a high-paying job in that field. She ended up switching to an education major in graduate school when she realized her passion for the field even though it might not come with the same paycheck.

“Money isn’t worth it,” Kinner said. “I wanted a career my heart was in.”