Plan for s2 feature & update

This weekend/ monday: Get interviews from a few (at least 2) students and hopefully mrs.Timberlake
Next week: Rough draft of piece
Thus far I have emailed a few students to ask if they would be willing to be interviewed.

Questions to ask:
-Basic background questions about how long they have been going to TA, where they went to middle school, what grade they're in, etc.
-How old were you when you realized your identity?
-When you came out, how did you identify yourself (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, etc.)?
-How old were you when you first told someone?
-What was that persons reaction?
-If you have been "outed" unwillingly, what happened?
-When would you say were you really "out" to everyone or most people?
-Was there something in particular that drove you to come out at that time?
-What have peoples reactions been in general?
-How did your friends take it?
-How did your family take it/ have you told your family?
-At TA, how accepted do you feel/ is there a lot of support?
-Have you ever experienced homophobia here at TA or elsewhere?
            ~Elaborate?
-What advice would you give to someone wanting/trying to come out?
-If you could do it all again, what (if anything) would you do differently?
-Are there any other experiences that stand out to you in regards to coming out?

Vocab lesson 6

Sedulous scientists with great affluence have been conducting research in Chile to determine if stress has an impact on the sex of a newborn baby. The scientists carefully perused the records of a a stressful 2005 earthquake. The bedlam the earthquake caused was definitely a sudden wake up call from their normally banal lives. One can imagine that the imminent danger would cause pregnant mothers to panic, being momentarily scurrilous, but what does this have to do with the sex of a baby? Based on the study, extreme stress during the third month of pregnancy reduced the ration of male to female births, which is normally 51:49. During times of stress this is reduced to 45:55. This is related to previous research, which shows that male fetuses need more recourses from their mother, and be less robust than females, and less capable of adapting to a stressful environment. It would be extremely amoral for a women to induce stress to try and influence the sex of her unborn child, and she would likely feel much antipathy from others. It is recommended that pregnant women try to eschew from any onerous situations, such as stress.
While fetuses in non stressful situations can often be obdurate during birth, the study shows that stressed fetuses are often born premature. The study of the 2005 earthquake was used to elucidate that idea as well. The denouement of the article concludes that in some way, stress and sex of a child is related. This is not a parody.


http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/hsn/stressearlyinpregnancylinkedtofewerbabyboys

Story Idea for s2

I'm not sure exactly yet what I want to do, but I was thinking of profiling a few students about what it is like to come ut in high school. I could also talk to ms. Timberlake, as she is the faculty advisor for GSTA. Do you think this is a good idea?

Quick Story- Pink Ribbon Club

Thornton Academy has always been a powerful force in the Saco community when it comes to breast cancer awareness. One thing in particular that student have participated in is Marys Walk in the spring. In the fall, students rallied together on pink week to support teachers and friends in the school by wearing pink. As winter approaches, students of TA are coming together again, by starting the Pink Ribbon Club. The Club was started by Chloe Eisenhaur, Sam Schildroth, and teacher, Mrs. Arenstam. The club wishes to raise awareness about breast cancer. It is the second high school chapter in Maine of the Pink Ribbon Club. The first meeting will be on December 15. Chloe and Sam approached Mrs. Arenstam about being the faculty advisor for the group, and since then they have had their first meeting, and even a few fundraising ideas. January 24, there will be a basketball against Biddeford, in which a portion of the ticket sales will go toward the group and their efforts. They will aslo be selling pink ribbon lolly pops. The group will likely be meeting once a week to start, and then a few times each month. Although they have only had one meeting, “There has been a huge interest from students,” says Mrs. Arenstam. The group is bound to be a success among TA students.