Houston home journal. (Perry, Ga.) 1999-2006, July 07, 2006, Page 2A, Image 2

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2A ♦ FRIDAY, JULY 7, 2006 HC teacher makes the grade Special to the HHJ Jennifer Bowers, a teach er at Houston County High School, has completed grad uation requirements for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Teacher Academy. She was a member of the first cadre of teach ers to go through the two year Academy designed to enhance the skills of teach ers with fewer than four years experience who show great promise. Elementary, middle and high school teachers from across the state were nomi nated by their district lead ers for positions in the Academy. Funded by PAGE, the Academy provided the edu cators with a series of learn ing opportunities over the two-year period. Teachers attended six two-day working sessions throughout the two years, for a total of 12 sessions. Dr. Ann Stucke, PAGE Assistant Director for Research and Professional Learning, coordinated the academy. “This program gave exceptional new teach ers further opportunities to excel,” Stucke said. “We highlighted the areas of professional learning that research suggests novice teachers will most benefit from and anticipate that these teachers will build lasting professional net works across the state.” “The graduates have worked very hard to imple mented changes in their teaching practices and have been successful. They have helped their students to achieve and have shared what they learned with fellow educators in their schools. “PAGE looks forward to a continued working rela tionship with the gradu- Organization giving away 'dream home' Special to the HHJ Fewer than 1,500 tickets have been sold to win the St. Jude Dream Home built by Moon Family Properties. Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from noon -5 p.m. are the last two days the home will be open for free tours. Just for stopping by you can register free to win $6,000 worth of furniture from Southern Decors Quality Furniture. “If you have not come out to see this home, you must la—i— : * - • • HHJ.J.me. T idwell Work remains steady on the new Lowe’s location at the comer of Ga. Hwy. 96 and Lake Joy Road in Kathleen as the completion of the store draws near. JwliSnk -?* JBf -ft <&'* ' W .jJlfc ,4® ■»-«*k» submitted Bowers, right, receives a graduation certificate from PAGE Executive Director Dr. Allene Magill. ates through its Graduate Teacher Academy which will meet twice a year beginning in the Fali of 2006.” During the Academy, the teachers received instruction in a variety of areas such as use of technology, student diversity, data analysis, the new Georgia Performance Standards and building com munities of learning at their schools. Nationally recognized speakers who are also pub lished authors served as the faculty. The participating novice teachers also identi fied a mentor within their system. In the second year come out this weekend,” said Steve Smith, Moon Family Properties. “Once you come and see this four bedroom, four bath house it will be impossible for you not to buy a SIOO ticket.” The home will be given away live on 13 WMAZ July 16 from noon-2 p.m. The house features custom cabinetry and granite coun tertops. Eleven other prizes will be given away in addi tion to the home, including SI,OOO worth of gasoline, courtesy of Davis Oil Co., a Making progress of the Academy, PAGE pro vided mentor training and facilitated opportunities for mentors and novice teachers to work together. For more information about the PAGE Academy, contact Stucke at either 1-800-334-6861, ext 143 or astucke@ pagei nc.org. PAGE, the state’s largest organization for profession al educators, is a nonunion association of more than 65,000 teachers, administra tors and support personnel members with the purpose of promoting better edu cation for the children of Georgia. one year family membership at Perry Country Club, two roundtrip Air Tran tickts, and, according to a release, many other great prizes. Tickets will be available at the St. Jude Dream Home, all area BB&T branches, Hancock Fabrics and Moon Family Properties Welcome Center in Macon and Warner Robins. For directions to the St. Jude Dream Home or to reserve a ticket with a major credit card, call 1-800-736- 2415. LOCAL CDC supvey measures youth alcohol and drug use Special to the HHJ The good news is that there are fewer teenagers engaging in risky behaviors compared to 1991, accord ing to the Results of the latest National Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Substance abuse was one of the many categories of behaviors measured, which also included diet, exercise, violence and sex. In a release from the CDC last week, the center’s director of the adolescent and school health division Howell Wechsler, Ed.D, MPH commented, “The overall survey results are encouraging because they show us that persistent efforts to get young people to adopt healthier behav iors can achieve positive results.” The survey results showed that more than 43 percent of students across the coun try are considered current drinkers, and over 25 per cent had five or more alco holic drinks in a row within the last 30 days. Also noted was that about one quarter of the students first drank alcohol, other than a few sips, before the age of 13. Another behavior associated with alcohol consumption is drinking and driving. Roughly 10 percent of teenagers had driven a car within the last month under the influence of alcohol, which translates to millions of impaired underage driv ers in just a 30-day period. Nationwide, 38.4 percent of students had used mari juana one or more times during their life. While current marijuana use has declined over the last six years, it is still sig Ct J- 1 *)j Tool SUZUKI RENO Thousands Less Than MATRIX, MAZDA 3, FOCUS ZXS •Largest Interior In Class!! -STD:A/C. P/W. PIL,4WhI Disc Brakes -AMIFM CD, Cassette purchase emmoeo w; "' soo w O a"c. *IB9 MOUTH AMERICA'S #1 WARRANTY OIL CHANCE D2E7 ikiru tstc TuUwt.' ISt Sck r« Ijsfgc* I r I .g| nificantly higher at over 20 percent in 2005 than the under 15 percent total in 1991. Almost 9 percent of students had tried maryua na for the first time before age 13. Director ofDrug Education for Narconon Arrowhead J.T. Daily points out thst, “Unfortunately, there are pro-drug groups out there that promote the use of illegal drugs, which sends a message to young people that it might be safe or okay, which is not the case.” Daily has worked with well over 100,000 students across the country in recent years and says he has to combat a lot of misinfor mation about these drugs. Narconon Arrowhead is one of the nation’s largest and most successful drug edu cation and rehabilitation programs, which uses the effective drug-free approach developed by American author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. Another drug that is pro moted by organizations involved in drug legaliza tion and harm reduction is the club drug known as ecstasy (MDMA). Although ecstasy use has dramati cally declined since its peak around the year 2000, according to the YRBS there are still as many students MILITARY DISCOUNT 'aw PARTS £ SERVICE Ad&jcfloi SOO Off hir •i. - - A/ii yv fJ (J* New ut Used vmt'ffitsyit). ivwiv.prcscottsiJzuUi.com THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL Corner ' Jamming • CMonogminminj] • Oil lAuniingJ • fiifts Custom Uuuninff 918 Carroll Street • Perry, GA 478-987-4079 N B GRAND VITARA | More Hone Power & Torque than ESCAPE JitotikCr AIL FOR DETAILSI •STD :U,ABSI EBDIESPITC -AMIFM, CD, MP3 • STD: Six Airbags •And Much More!! -Tv *19985™ N suzuk* FORENZAI SPRING SERVICE SPECIAL S$S5 •STDM-6.A851 EBDI ESPITC ‘AMIFM, CD, MP3 • STD: Six Airbags • And Much More! *22sT£m, wl SISOO Down W.A.C.' Includes: Coolant Flush, AIC System Inspect Safety Inspection - MORE ROOM THAN COROLLA. CIVIC & FOCUS , HUNDREDS LESS THAN COROLLA <£ CMC who have tried ecstasy as methamphetamine, the lat ter of which has become a serious problem in the U.S. over the last several years. Daily says that there are two videos available that also help to provide insight to young people. “Marijuana: The Myth” and “Ecstasy: The Real Story” are produced and distrib uted by a supporting group called Friends of Narconon. “The more information you can provide to students through effective drug edu cation that communicates on their level, the more they will make the decision to stay away from these harmful substances,” he claims. Nearly 14,000 U.S. high school students partici pated in the 2005 National YRBS, which is one of three Department of Health and Human Services-sponsored surveys that provide data on drug use among youth. The full 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data are available at www.cdc.gov/ yrbs. For more information on the videos, to inquire about effective drug education or to find help for a loved one in need, contact Narconon Arrowhead by calling 1-800- 468-6933 or visit www.sto paddiction.com. S FT 1 \? |