The last days of high school for the graduating class of 2011 is near, the time is now.   Seniors bidding their last goodbyes and creating what could be their last moment together -- besides graduation that is.  Disneyland GRAD NITE!   Grad night is a full night event offered to all high school seniors, for one night Disneyland closes its doors to the public and invites seniors county wide to celebrate their last days as high school students.

There are perks to ensure the safety of students. Disneyland have set out some ground rules for seniors participating in Grad Nite, which prohibits:

• Clothing of any kind that is affiliated with schools, sports teams, gangs, etc.
• Clothing not in good shape or repair.
• Revealing clothing.
• No backpacks or large purses (except for small bags and waist bags).
• No hats, bandannas or head coverings other than for religious purposes.
• Alcohol, tobacco products and drugs are not allowed.
• Weapons, knifes, laser pointers or chemical irritants are not allowed.

Visit Disney World - Grad Night 2011 for more information.

Teen pregnancy has become a common occurrence and often overlooked.  A baby is surely a blessing, a life that bonds to their parents for safety, nurture and love.   However, it isn't always rainbows and sunshine, raising a baby requires time, commitment, and dedication that not all teens have.  Reality kicks in very soon, such as purchasing diapers, baby formula, doctor expenses, how to apply for aids, housing, school, work, etc.  what teen mothers and fathers need is support.  Although single parent families are common among teen pregnancies, it doesn't mean you have to be that person.

A baby is a human being that needs attention from both mom and dad.  Raising a child is difficult enough, but raising a child alone is a job all in itself. 

I found it quite disheartening when I realized that the United States is the leading country with the highest rate of teenage pregnancies.  What does this say about our methods in prevention?  Is there a lack of communication, lack of information or is the American family structure supporting pre-martial sex. 

Find out more information on teen pregnancy preventions.

As we all know, graduation is almost here and deadlines are quickly approaching.  One of which is the deadline for community service hours -- required for graduation.   Many of my friends struggle with this task, the main reason being, they could not find a location for their community service hours.   My theory? Procrastination.  But no worries, waiting to the last minute while not promoted is the least of your worries. 

Places that would be best for volunteering and obtaining community service hours are non-profit organizations or libraries -- there are long term volunteer opportunities or one-time volunteer event. You can look for community service in areas such as:  assisting the elderly, helping sick children, community clean-ups and more.  You can also look for community service at your church and other recreational places in your neighborhood.

Here are a couple links to help you with your search:

The Future Leaders Institute
Kid Activities
Volunteer Guide

One of the things we simply can't put up with is harassment of any kind, sexual, physical or mental.   Every person has the right to feel safe and secure, on the street, at school, at a job, at home, anywhere. 

Harassment can cause many psychological and emotional harm, whether its a "harmless" tease or accidental.  Be aware aware of your actions and behaviors, consideration is key.  There are different types of harassment that can occur between co-workers, classmates, strangers and

family:

• Racial
• Bullying
• Stalking
• Sexual
• Job
• Internet

The old saying, "killing two birds with one stone".   People often describe an action using this saying, for example, when you take a trip to the store and buy food for dinner and buy supplies for a DIY (Do It Yourself) project - one trip and get two things done.  Wouldn't everything be so easy if everything could be done like that, "in a quickness?" 

If you put your mind into achieving a goal, there are no obstacles you can't surpass.  Through achievement of goals, it can lead to opportunities.

Join a sport or a club while you're at school, it builds social capital (people you meet) and it is an opportunity to develop skills.  Studies show that teenagers who are involved in school clubs or school sports are less likely to be in gangs, violent, abuse drug or alcohol and teenage pregnancies.

Low self-esteem can lead to depression, drug or alcohol abuse, violent behavior, abusive relationships, pregnancy and giving into peer pressure. 

Teenagers often want to fit in with their peers and in most cases low self-esteem can make them feel less important, little ability to stand up for themselves and succeed.  Low self-esteem can lead to development of body image and appearance issues or eating disorders.

A good way to start building up a person's self-esteem is by accepting who they are, just by acting like yourself no matter what other people say, think or do.  Love yourself for the way you look, talk, act, think and feel.  In addition, join a club or activity that you enjoy and create friendships that will be your network for support.