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This was my first time taking a College Now course, and I have to say that it was great. I imagined college classes to be much more serious, but it turned out differently.

This journalism course taught me how to communicate with people, and the role media plays in our society. Even though I read the news online, I never thought about the significance of the press. Now, I can appreciate the work people do to provide information to the public.

Also, I got to meet new people from different high schools. Because my life is narrow, I want to know more people and make friends. This program helped me do that.

In the future, I want to do something math or computer related. Now, I might want to be a journalist because talking to people and getting their opinions are fun.

William Robert, an 18-year-student who attended Transit Tech High School, earned credit for courses that he initially failed within just days of graduation in June. Using a computer software program, he took a multiple choice test covering U.S history and English composition, he said. Robert was allowed to do this in the comfort of his own home, and on his own time.

“Credit recovery was an efficient way to get me back on track and catch up with my school work as well as my peers,” Robert said, “If it wasn’t for the convenience of it, I would probably have had to take the whole entire class over and have graduated late.”

Credit Recovery is variety of processes that the Department of Education approves in which a student can earn credit for a class he or she failed initially. There are many ways to re-earn a credit, like summer school, extra assignments or a simple online test.

But there has been much controversy surrounding credit recovery—specifically the online programs that allow students to make up a failed class, which they can begin during any week of the school year. Once enrolled, they are on their own to complete the tests online, according to students, whenever and wherever they want.

The quality, rigor and fairness of online learning are suspected, especially for students who choose the easy way out. Many students who have never failed a class say they are displeased by how easy it is to earn credit for a course online.

“The fact that I had to sit through eight months of my English class, take notes, do projects, while half my peers just sat there doing nothing and took a test at the end of the year on a computer and got the same credit is just pathetic,” said Sara Wong, a 16-year-old senior.

Randy Zabala, 18, a recent graduate of Murry Bergtraum High School, took six credit recovery courses this past June before he could receive his diploma. He said he was “slacking off” in his classes and didn’t think of the future consequences until graduation came around.

An assistant principle or guidance counselor has to register a student for credit recovery, providing a log-in name and password. The student is then free to start the tests, Zabala said.

The credit recovery website Zabala used is a basic testing site. While logged in, the student is not restricted from opening any other programs or files such as the Internet or Microsoft Word. There also is no time limit for the tests.

“I didn’t have to take the class over again, I wanted to graduate on time so I just took the tests to get them over with,” Randy said. “But I honestly believe I would have learned more if I focused in class the first time around, I was only focused on finishing the tests,” said Zabala.

A current teacher Murry Bergtraum High School, who asked to remain anonymous, says credit recovery should only be given to students who deserve a second chance and have worked hard throughout the year, but could not meet the standards.

Many students also agree with teachers who oppose the ease of credit recovery eligibility.

“I believe that under certain conditions it is okay for a student to be permitted to make up their work,” said Gabriel Mojica, 17, a senior at Brooklyn Latin High School. “But with these systems in place, there will be people that abuse it, and with that I believe that it’s unfair for certain people to graduate without putting in the same effort as me.”

In February an audit done by city officials in high schools revealed a lot of cheating and improper usage of credit recovery. Since then, Department of Education officials created new policies restricting credit recovery eligibility—to be used only when there is a dire need or when students are working hard but need extra time to demonstrate understanding.

A spokesman from the DOE, Matthew Mattenthal, said the department would root out schools that abuse credit recovery once the new policy takes effect.

“The letter and spirit of our new policy are clear, and we will be aggressively monitoring schools to make sure it is appropriately followed,” he said.

New Yorkers have their eyes glued to the screen this week, waiting for their favorite Olympians to get gold for the United States at the 2012 Olympics, which began in London on July 27.

New York City was in the running for the 2012 Olympics but lost out to London. Now, the city could be back in the race for the 2024 Summer Olympics, according to news reports. Many New Yorkers say they’d love to experience the games in the Big Apple.

“I think it would be a historic moment if the Olympics were in New York City,” said Mayerc White, 19, a student from Chicago studying at New York University.

“Something to do in the city after you’ve done it all,” White continued.

White has only lived in the city for one year. He said that he would love to go watch the Olympics with his friends in New York and maybe invite his family from Chicago.

“ New York is the better city because you could get around so easily and go see sites while in town for the games,” he said.

Hundreds of cities are hoping to host 2024 Olympics, but only five will compete in the bid.

The International Olympic Committee organizes the summer Olympics. Cities wishing to stage the Olympics will become “Applicant Cities.” Then the IOC will select a number of applicants to be considered “Candidate Cities.” From there, a round of votes from the chooses the remaining cities, until one remains.

This selection for 2024 Olympics will take place during 2017.

The United States Olympic Committee, an organization that conducts the bid for the United States, said New York City is considered a top contender for the 2024 Olympics, according Gamesbid, an online newspaper covering the Olympic Games.

Dennis Gonzinoliz, 56, works at Madison Square Garden. He said he was disappointed when he found out New York lost the bid for 2012.

“I would feel honored if I could watch the Olympics live at work,” he said.

Gonzinoliz said the stadium could host events like boxing and basketball. Madison Square Garden is about to finish renovations, he said, and it would be perfect timing to host the Olympics because it would bring in more cash.

But others are no so keen on the idea of hosting the Games on their home turf.

“I’m just afraid that the market for the Olympic Sports would not be as good as Europe’s and that’s why they might consider a nation in Europe over us,” said Louis Delou Santos, who works at a sporting goods store in midtown Manhattan.

Based on what he sees his customers purchase, Santos said Americans tend to like boxing, football, and basketball—sports that play only a small role in the Olympics. But he says his European customers tend to like Olympic sports more, like soccer, swimming, track and tennis.

“Building the stadium would be a waste of space,” he said. “But then after the Olympics, they can give the stadium to the Jets. I’m tired of going to Giants stadium to watch a Jets game.”

Others also fear the Olympic games could negatively impact the city.

Frank Zippu, 75, runs a small souvenir shop on 33rd Street and Fifth Avenue.

He worries the Olympics could bring more competition in the form of better and new gift shops that would pop up to sell Olympic merchandise.

“Business is no good right now, my friend,” Zippu said. “I might not make it this year, I don’t need some sports game making my life a million times harder.”

During 2010 there were around 50.9 million visitors in the city, and they spent up to $31.5 billion according to NYC and Company.

Mark Bandiolov, 49, a sanitation worker, said that he would get a good four years of work if the 2024 Olympics were in New York.

“It would bring in more work because we would have to clean up the whole city and I can get better pay checks before retiring,” Bandiolov said. “I just would mind that the city will be flocking with more tourists from the opposing teams.”

Roger Aerano, 58, a former MTA worker, wouldn’t mind the increase in tourism.

“New York is a city for tourists, like the U.S. is a country for immigrants,” he said. “Not everyone in New York can go and travel to London, but they all want to go see the Olympics.”

Kevin Vidal, 17, a senior at Manhattan Business Academy, was relaxing in his cousin’s car late one night in Jamaica, Queens, on the way to his grandfather’s house. They were speaking their native language, Spanish, when an NYPD officer decided to inspect the car.

The officer told Kevin and his cousin to exit the car. When Kevin asked why, the police officer said he smelled drugs, and told his partner to check the trunk of the car. The police officer did not find any drugs or illegal objects. In the end, Vidal and his cousin were let go, but the experience left a lasting impression on him.

“He was just suspecting us because we were speaking Spanish,” Vidal said . “I felt like they were being racist.”

This year, New York City police officers carried out more stop-and-frisks than ever before. Many young people believe these tactics are straining the relationship between the youth and police.

Andrew Joseph, 17, a senior at Bishop Ford high school, is one of the young New Yorkers who believe stop-and-frisk tactics are not right.

“I think that it’s wrong that they discriminate against certain people,” said Joseph. “[They] stop certain ethnicities more than others.”

Joseph thinks that young people are also upset at police because they are the authority.

“To put it simply, we don’t want the man holding us down,” he said.

Robert Gangi, Founder of the Police Reform Organizing Project at the Urban Justice Center, works to change the methods of the NYPD through meetings, petitions, and media such as YouTube videos.

“[The Stop-and-Frisk tactics] are harmful to the individuals who are subjected to it,” he says. “[They] are mainly focused on young black and brown men…in an attempt to send a message and make the streets hard for them.”

Gangi believes that stop-and-frisk not only affects the youth, but also the communities they grow up in.

“[They] undermine the social norms that are building blocks to maintain a stable community,” he said.

He believes the numbers of stop-and-frisk incidents are growing because of demands from the police officer’s superiors.

“[These tactics] are driven by an excessively engrossed quota system,” says Gangi.

The statistics on stop-and-frisk cases this year are proof of that growth. In the first three months of this year the NYPD stopped New Yorkers 203,500 times. Of those people, 89 percent were not convicted of any crime, 87 percent were of color and only 9 percent were white, according to New York Civil Liberties Union.

Mayor Bloomberg denies that the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk tactics racially profile.

On Jun. 10 at Parishioners Of The First Baptist Church Of Brownsville, the Mayor claimed that the stop-and-frisks were to prevent crime and had nothing to do with age or race.

“The majority of those with the rank of police officer are minorities. And that’s as it should be. The most diverse city in the world deserves the most diverse police department, and we’ve built it,” the mayor said at a press conference in June. “Now, there are also some who say we are stopping too many black and Hispanic young men. Let me say clearly: Racial profiling is wrong and we will not tolerate it.”

The Mayor is not the only one in favor of stop-and-frisk.

“If it takes guns off the streets and helps to avoid injury, I see it as a pro rather than a con,” said Mike Jones, 51, a stockbroker from Brooklyn.

But Jones also believes that these actions have consequences with young people.

“[Stop-and-Frisk would] make them very suspicious and angry,” he said. “Not trusting of authority.”

Its been a long six weeks at the College Now Journalistic Writing Class but I can say I am satisfied with the work i’ve done and taking this class was a great experience.

Jeremy, an 18-year-old resident of Chelsea, has smoked marijuana throughout his teen years.

“Going back to freshman year of high school, I’ve noticed pretty much 90 percent of the people I have known have either done marijuana once or continue to do marijuana to this day,” he said.

Over 50,000 marijuana-related arrests were made in 2011 and 2010 in New York City alone. In an effort to lower that number, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced in June that the criminal penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana would be lessened to a fine rather than an arrest. A similar state law has been proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, but has yet to pass.

Many New York City residents, particularly the youth, think the law should be enacted. They argue that marijuana is harmless when compared to many other substances yet the penalties are harsher.

“Alcohol can be legalized, [but] does more damage to your liver than weed would ever do to your lungs in your entire lifespan,” he said.

He’s not the only one who has this opinion.

“I think the law should be the same as alcohol, but I think that cigarettes should be illegal,” says Julie Zuckerman, a 53-year-old school principal. “Black and brown males are getting thrown into jail for something that’s not–I don’t think should be considered criminal behavior and is certainly not violent.”

“I’ve never seen someone on marijuana harm somebody else,” said Stefanie Gonzalez, a 28-year-old medical assistant from Ozone Park, Queens. “It actually calms you down. It helps a lot of people sleep, it helps a lot of people who are anorexic–hungry–gain an appetite.”

During 2011 and 2010 African-American and Latinos were often victims of stop-and-frisk searches, making it seem as if police were targeting certain people based on their race and color. A stop-and-frisk occurs when police confront a suspicious person in an attempt to prevent a crime from happening. The police pat down and search the person’s outer clothes for weapons or other items. 

“The reason why I was a victim of a stop-and-frisk was because I was Latin-American,” said Kendrick Sena, 23 from Harlem. “The first time I ever got stop and frisked I was doing nothing but going to the store.”

However, not every New Yorker is in favor of this new decriminalization policy. Suzanne Kogan, a 50-year old Riverdale resident who has been a drug counselor who works in the Brooklyn courts, is completely against it.

“Working in the court system I could not agree with it, period,” she said. “It is far more dangerous to your lungs, despite what people may think and say, and affects your memory and parts of your brain. Marijuana is a gateway drug that leads to people using heavier drugs. I would say the policy is a bad idea unless it was used for people who are dying, or [a] medical reason.” 

But Gov. Cuomo and others defend the proposal.

“This is an issue that disproportionately affects young people — they wind up with a permanent stain on their record for something that would otherwise be a violation. The charge makes it more difficult for them to find a job,” Cuomo said in a statement.

Gabriel Sayegh, New York State Director for the Drug Policy Alliance, agrees.

“Overly punitive charges have a harmful effect….they can ruin lives, waste taxpayer money on unneeded trials, and breed distrust between communities and law enforcement,” he said in a statement.

The statewide policy has yet to pass, due to opposition from Republicans in the State Senate. But local residents say it’s working well here in New York City.

“It definitely makes me less nervous to walk around the city,” said Chelsea resident Sasha, 17. “Not to say that I have marijuana on me at all times…[but] it’s nice to know you have a little bit more of a security blanket.”

Maggie Lin, a 17-year-old high school student from Baruch College Campus High School, has worked every summer since she was 14. In addition to the money that she makes in her summer jobs, her mom also gives her a weekly allowance whenever she runs out. In an attempt to save, she keeps her money in a box at home. However, the money she saves won’t last for long—she plans to spend it on Black Friday shopping.

Many teens do not understand the importance of money management or the importance of saving their money, several admitted during interviews. Many also said they think there are differences in spending habits between young people who work and those who receive allowances from parents.

“I am definitely tempted to spend the money with me. Whatever I have, I spend it. I spend on clothes and shoes,” Lin says.

“My mom gives me a few guides as to what to spend, what not to spend and to buy things that I need and not things that I want,” Lin says. “She always tells me that I have too much clothes but I never listen to her. She doesn’t have control over the money I worked for.”

Teens who only receive allowance say they rely on their parents to help them when they run out of money. They do not need to consider the possibility of going entirely broke because their parents would always give them more money, or buy them the things that they want.

“My mom buys all my clothes and makeup and everything. And when I go shopping, she just gives me extra money,” says Hui Yi Liang, a high school student at Baruch College Campus High School.

“My parents usually get me what I want because I do well in school and I’m not a ‘bad’ kid,” says Kristin Liang, also a student from Baruch College Campus High School. “I usually buy it regardless of the price, but I would be more likely to buy if it was on sale.”

However, not all teens who receive allowance spend mindlessly.

“I look at the prices [and] discounts to show that I am smart enough to manage my money,” says Xiao Ming Chen, a 17-year-old who only receives allowance from her parents.

“The only person who works is my dad, so both my mom and I try to save money for our own use and not to spend all of it,” says Kathy Chiam, a 17- year- old student at Baruch College Campus High school. “I always ask myself, do I really need to buy it? I always try to save some money when I go shopping. But if it’s something I really want, I would only buy that and nothing else and go window shopping.”

According to a survey conducted by Charles Schwab, an investment bank, 86 percent of teens say they would rather learn about money management in a class before making mistakes in the real world, and 75 percent say that learning about money management, including budgeting, saving, and investing is one of their top priorities.

According to Mandy Lau, a Personal Finance teacher in Baruch College Campus High School, having emergency funds would be extremely helpful when going through a job loss or health issues in life.

“I think teaching personal finance to high school students is so important because it teaches individuals at a young age how to be responsible with their money in order to avoid dire financial situations in the future,” she said.

Most teens have the intent to save for the future, but some, like 16-year-old Vivian Chow, just can’t resist spending when they see something that they like.

“If it’s something I really, really want, I’ll just suck it up and buy it,” she said.

Bouquet of roses. Candle-lit dinner. Mood-setting music. A freshly-cleaned outfit. The perfect date.

Seen in many movies, books and how-to articles, the media seems to have a strong grasp on societies’ expectations for romance and love. But New York City youth say the depiction of romance and relationships in media and pop-culture is over-exaggerated and gives fake impressions of relationships in real life. They also say that the opinions of young adults are easily swayed by what is said in the media.

“Media has that power, whatever they say, people just listen and they end up being controlled by what they say,” said Anna Lang, 13, a student at Lab School for Collaborative Studies, located on the west side of Manhattan.

Some also say relationships in movies and celebrity relationships in the news are overly dramatic and inconsistent with reality.

“The media makes it seem that relationships will always fail and it makes it seem that in someway, someone will [come to] ruin the relationship,” says Brittany Waldren, 16, a student at Baruch College Campus High School. “I feel like all they talk about is failing relationships and how hard it is to have one. Failing shouldn’t be the focus, being open and honest should be. It wouldn’t be hard then.”

Some youth also feel that media has become a manipulative tool and teenagers are too easily influenced by it.

“I do believe that the media has an effect on the people around us. I’ve seen students at my school freak out over some ‘impending zombie apocalypse,’ after some guy bit a hobo’s face off,” Melissa He, 16, a student at Baruch College Campus High School said.

But Paul Levison, a professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University, says young adults are not that easily influenced by media and can comprehend things at the same level adults can.

“When you’re 12 years old, you have adult level mentality and you have less experience. Obviously someone who is 32 years old has more experience than someone who’s 12 years old, but in terms of the ability to think it’s pretty much the same,” he said.

He also says that relationships seen in movies and television are all relatable and it is part of a person’s natural instinct to feel the need to be loved, but there are some forms of exaggeration in the media.

“Although there might be a superficial influence that any trend among pop-culture might have, in the end people still need human contact and they still need relationships and therefore romance is still part of their lives,” he said.

Samantha Young Chan, 16, a student at BCCHS, said she thinks the media should focus on issues that affect the world rather than the celebrity affairs and relationships that are done for publicity. In recent news, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ divorce had generated an overwhelming amount of attention from both the media and the public.

“I think it’s over-exaggerated. It makes people delusional as to what they should be experiencing, which isn’t right. I think the media should focus on actual important news, not stuff like celebrity marriages,” Chan said.

Popular dating shows like “The Bachelorette,” give people a fantasy, one that makes them think relationships are dramatic and beautiful. But in reality, relationships are not as picture perfect as they seem, according to Waldren.

“It seems wonderful and like something that everyone should be experiencing,” she said. ”It looks perfect, but in reality, nothing is perfect because not all relationships last forever.”

A 2010 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, an organization that analyzes health-related data, found that there has been an increase in the amount of time teenagers spend utilizing media since 2004, from six hours and 21 minutes to seven hours and 38 minutes. With many outlets to choose from, young adults are exposed to a lot of information.

Ann Niles, 17, a student at Lab School for Collaborative Studies said, “Everyone is online all the time, it’s hard to avoid things like this when it’s right in your face.”
Anna Lang, 13, feels that the romance in novels and movies are too simplified and doesn’t reveal the complexities in real life.

“Relationships are complicated already, I don’t want other people to show me what is right or wrong,” she said. “I just want to do my own thing.”

This summer I was torn on what to do. My mother said this summer she was not going to let me just stay home like I did in summer 2010 and 2011. So my choices were either getting a job or taking a college course. My first choice was getting a job for two reasons: one I never had a job and two I didn’t want to do collegenow because I was so burnt out from the year that I did not want to have more work over the summer since I would already have summer assignments.