New York Times Summer Reading Contest

Gregory Shaver/Journal Times, via Associated Press

Update | May 6: A powerhouse panel of judges has been announced! They are…

The phrase “summer reading” tends to conjure two opposing mental images: there’s the stack of relaxingly trashy beach books … but there’s also that list of classics your teacher gave you in June that you ignored until the last week of August.

Our contest, we hope, offers something in the middle.

Here’s how it works: Each week from June 14 to Aug. 16, teenagers 13 to 19 years old are invited to choose any piece in The New York Times they like and write to tell us why it interested them. We will then choose a weekly favorite to feature, just as we have done every summer since 2010.

Sure, it’s an easy way to add more nonfiction (or “informational text”) to a school’s summer reading list, but because contestants can choose any article they want, on any topic from North Korea to Justin Bieber, we hope it also offers a bit of fun.

Below, you will find everything you need to know to participate. Please spread the word.

How does your summer reading contest work?

Any week from June 14 to Aug. 16 you can write to tell us what you are reading in The Times and explain why it interested you.

We don’t care what you choose or whether you loved or hated it; what we care about is what you have to say about why you picked it.

If you don’t believe us, have a look at our past winners. They have written on serious topics like world hunger and gun control, but they have also opined on superheroes, grass, housewives and Miley Cyrus.

So whether you were moved by an article, enlightened by an essay, bowled over by a photo, irked by an editorial, intrigued by a feature or inspired by a how-to, tell us what got your attention and why. We are open to pretty much any response that follows our commenting rules and is 350 words or fewer.

What are the rules?

First, here is a PDF of all the rules and details. Feel free to hand it out schoolwide.

— We will post the same Student Opinion question for every Friday, starting June 14. Each will ask, “What Interested You Most in The Times This Week?” That is where you should post your picks (and reasons) any time until the next Friday. Then we will close that post and open a new one with the same question.

As soon as the contest starts, we will also keep an up-to-date link to at the top of this page leading to that week’s question. If you bookmark this page, you can always find the link to the place to post an answer.

— You can choose from anything published in the print paper or on NYTimes.com in 2013. And videos, graphics, slide shows and podcasts count. (In fact, one of our winners last summer wrote about a photo.)

— Feel free to participate each week, but we allow only one submission per person per week.

— The contest is open to teenagers only — anyone from 13 to 19 years old.

— Each response should be 350 words or fewer. (To check, you can paste yours into an online word-count tool like this one before you submit it.)

— Give us your first name only, in accordance with our privacy rules. No last names, but please also post your age and hometown.

— Make sure to provide us with a full headline (For example, “Popcast: Lil Wayne, Sobriety and the Damage Done”) or the URL(s), or Web address(es), of the Times material you choose so others can find them easily. To find a URL, just copy and paste what comes up at the top of the page in your browser. This post’s URL, for example, is http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/the-fourth-annual-new-york-times-summer-reading-contest/.

— Teachers: If you want all the students in a particular class to write in, just give them a code of some kind to affix to their first names. Last year, for instance, we received many with DHAP2013 appended to first names.

Ruth Fremson/The New York Times Courtney Czepiga, 25, spent one of her last days of summer vacation 2007 reading a Harry Potter book in Central Park’s Sheep Meadow. Go to related article »

When should I check to see whether my submission won?

Every Monday, we will publish a previous week’s winner or winners in a separate post. We will also mention the winners on Twitter and Facebook.

How do I participate in this contest if I don’t have a digital subscription?

NYTimes.com has a digital subscription system in which readers have free access to 10 articles each month. If you exceed that limit, you will be asked to become a digital subscriber.

One thing you should know, however, is that The Learning Network and all its posts, as well as all Times articles linked from them, are accessible without a digital subscription. That means that if you use any of the articles we have linked to on this blog for summer reading, they will not count as part of the 10-article limit. And you can use anything published in 2013.

We also create a collection each month that may be a particularly good source for you: in our Teenagers in The Times collection, we round up all the articles, essays and multimedia about young people published that month on NYTimes.com.

How can teachers, librarians and parents use this challenge?

Christelle Enault Go to related Opinion piece about summer reading assignments »

At the end of last summer’s contest, one participant, LainieMHS2012, complimented us on reaching “both the less educated and exposed reader as well as the reader who is seeking an engaging and enlightening read” via the contest. She then wrote:

Reading material over the summer would otherwise consist of that one required book in the middle of an ocean of Facebook news feeds and, if we’re lucky, reads about summer romance and carelessness. But a beach read, while not detrimental, is, figuratively, a grain of sand as compared to the literary value of a piece of good journalism.

As many readers know, in the United States the new Common Core Standards demand that students read much more nonfiction, or “informational text,” across subject areas. Because pretty much everything in The Times fits that definition, our reading contest is one way to practice. But because our contest also offers students choice about what to read and how to respond to it, we hope it is also a way for them to engage with the world and discover, on their own, what ideas, trends and issues they care about.

Lainie’s kind words are echoed by the Op-Ed writer and middle school reading enrichment teacher Claire Needell Hollander, who recommended last summer that, along with reading for pleasure, students should also focus on “accessible nonfiction guaranteed to increase world and verbal knowledge.” She gives a list of books that fit the bill, then writes:

Summer assignments should be about why we need to learn and why we need to talk about what we think. We have to move students away from disgust at the unknown, at the horrors visited on other human beings, and toward sympathy. Students who have immersed themselves in real-world problems become excited by current events and history as well as literature. They can make connections between academic areas that are ordinarily divided. They will understand Dickens better for having read “Iqbal,” which tells the story of a boy who is sold into slavery at a carpet factory.

Reading serious nonfiction in the summer is an immersion in the world of necessary ideas.

So consider immersing your students in “the world of necessary ideas” by inviting them to read The Times weekly for our contest.

We can’t wait to hear what they have to say.

Per our conversation, here are the flyers to solicit volunteers for the Summer Reading Program. You will find one in color and one in black and white. If you are able to

publicize this volunteer opportunity in a school-wide distribution we would so appreciate it. Interested students can contact me to sign up for one of our trainings.

Take care,

Kym Paszkeicz

Resarch Assistant II

Youth Services Central Library

805 564-5674

My name is Kevo, and I’m an event coordinator with Invisible Children currently planning our 2013 Fourth Estate Leadership Summit.  I’m reaching out to you because when you met the IC roadies who came to your school, they came back completely blown away by the impact you had on them and on your students.  So I want to say thank you for being great, and I want to personally invite you to attend the summit this summer.  We’re looking for amazing educators who are working to grow a generation of global citizens, and we think you’re the perfect fit.

This August 8-11 at UCLA, we’ll be gathering dozens of incredible speakers, organizations, and performers with hundreds of teachers and students to discuss the future of international justice.  We will also be unveiling IC’s newest plans, which will put educators at the center of our movement to end the atrocities of the Lord’s Resistance Army and other human rights abuses across the globe (find out more here!).

To join us for this life changing experience, all you need to do is apply (don’t sweat this, we just want to get to know you better).  As you’re applying, just enter the priority code inspiredbyeducation, which will waive your $15 application fee and give you a $100 discount for the summit (this code will be active until 11:59pm PDT on May 15th).  We will also have options to fundraise or apply for a scholarship if finances could prevent you from attending.

Please let me know if you have any questions, and I’m crossing my fingers to see you this August.  We hope you’re doing well!

In gratitude,

Kevo Rivera,  Event Coordinator – Fourth Estate Summit

Invisible Children, Inc.  (619) 562-2799 ext 280

1600 National Ave, San Diego, CA 92113

Teachers reflect on the Fourth Estate Summit 2011

From our blog: Educator Spotlight- Impact on a global scale

 For questions contact info@sbSNAP.org; or call 805/681-9165 english

SB Foresters Baseball Mini Camp:  June 12 – 14 , Girsh Park 10 am – 12 noon; Beginners and Intermediates with special needs – Tball and Baseball instruction with our local champions, the SB Foresters and FUN summer activities and sports variety with Challenger Volunteers.  Contact rettaslay@gmail.com or 805/681-9165.

AmTryke Bike Road Show: Assist director & parents to find the right bike specifically designed for their child’s unique special need from  3- 7 pm on June 7^;  help register, supervise, helmet fitting, etc.

“Wheel-In the Summer”Celebration June 7^th Bring your wheels and learn safety practices and join small group community rides! Details coming soon – check on sbSNAP.org for more details in May.  FREE event –bring the family and friends.

4th Annual DSASBC Buddy Walk:  June 15^th, 11 am – 4 pm; Celebrate our children, increase community awareness, raise funds for year round activities serving our community and supporting families of children with special needs. Contact Melissa@dsala.org or 805/886-4411

Next Chapter Book Club:  Facilitate weekly book club for teens and young adults with intellectual disabilities to motivate them to improve reading and comprehension skills & socialize; Feb-May

Swim Team Training:  Tuesdays, 4-5 pm @ Local Private pool – work with an individual swimmer.

Dance Instruction: Saturdays, 9:30 – 10:30 am, Hip Hop & Break Dance, Goleta,  OR Thursdays 4:30– 5:30 pm variety class in downtown SB; Give buddy support children of ALL abilities.

Yoga Fitness: Inclusive of ALL abilities, siblings, friends, parents – everyone welcomed!  Mondays, 4:15 – 5 pm @ Goleta Valley Community Center. Bring towel, mat and water bottle. 5. Per class

Peer Buddy “Social Skills” program pairs volunteer one on one with a similar aged child with special needs for one hour fun activities.  Training/Supervision provided:  www.PeerBuddies.com

321 Playhouse for children birth – 4 with Down syndrome, siblings of similar age & parents – contact Jamie for monthly meetings Mondays, 9:30 – 11am;  jamieweitzman@yahoo.com; 805/566-4753.

Best Day Foundation: 9/28-29;Surf, body board, kayak &  more for kids with special needs.  www.bestdayfoundation.org

SURF & SAND Day: inclusive of ALL abilities, hosted by ASASB, at Campus Pointe. info@asasb.org or 805/560-3762.

Friendship Inclusion Camp for Kids with Special Needs – Elings Park  4 sessions: 7/8-7/12, 7/15-7/19, 7/22-7/26, 7/29-8/2; 1 – 4 pm; Contact Elika@peerbuddies.com or 805/620-7337.

Hearts Horse Adventure Camp: 3 sessions: 7/15-7/19, 7/22-7/26, 7/29-8/2, 9 am – 12 noon; Learn horseback riding and horsemanship skills; Contact Kirby@heartsriding.org or 805/964-1519.

Junior Wheelchair Camp:  Date to be determined @ UCSB; for those who need a wheelchair to enjoy sports activities: basketball, soccer, etc.; Contact Rene Van Hoorn at rvanhoor@sbch.org or 805/569-8999 x82102.

Aloha Spirit Bash. July 27^th @ Elings Park, SB; Hawaiian Festival music, food, fun all welcomed! Tickets @ www.alohaspiritbash.org

Hawaiian Dance and Cultural Classes: Dates and Times TBD; Performance at Aloha Spirit Bash of dances learned.

Flag Football/Cheer for ALL abilities – Saturdays, Sept – Nov  mornings.  Location to be determined

MORE events, a

Swim Instruction and Supervision a t local private pool to condition a small group of children teens to be better/stronger swimmers. Four Tuesdays, 5/14 – 6/4;  3:45 – 5 pm.  contact Claudia @ 805/452-8490.

SB Forester Baseball Camp:  June 12 – 14, 10 am til Noon at Girsh Park.  Buddy and/or lead games and activities for boys and girls aged 5 – 22 years old with physical, developmental and/or intellectual disabilities . Support a child to be successful practicing baseball skills lead by the SB Foresters and Challenger Coach and Field Staff.  Lead FUN summer games, relays and Activities.

Just two hours of FUN – but very rewarding!

Contact retta slay at 805/452-9039 or info@GoChallengers.org

“Wheelin” in the Summer Celebration -BIkes, Trykes and Scooters:   Friday, June 7th from 3 – 7 pm:  Support children and teens with disabilities to learn and practice basic safety to prepare them for summer.  We will celebrate the start of summer with a open ride, BYOW – Bring Your Own Wheels rodeo along with DJ, Games, Activities, BBQ, Snow Cones and Ice Cream!

Instruct and Assist on Safe Riding Practices on our local bike paths. Small groups of volunteers and approved riders with disabilities will be launched on our local bike paths working towards safe recreational riding and independence.  Location to be determined.  Details out soon.

Buddy Walk and Festival – June 15th at Chase Palm Park, 11 – 4:  Help needed to staff craft and activity stations to festival participants. Contact April Craddick at 805/403-8855.

ALOHA Spirit Bash – Fundraiser for Challenger Little League, July 27th,  11 – 4pm at Eilngs Park Festival field.  Sell tickets prior to event, Distribute fliers, Get info out on Facebook, social netwprl sites, Staff Challenger Information table, Teach Hula Lessons before and at the event,  Etc

Next Chapter Book Clubs:

Volunteers needed to train to facilitate a book club for individuals with intellectual disabilities (children, teens and adult groups).  We train 2 volunteers for a group of 5-8 members that meet one hour weekly up to 12 weeks, or as many chapters are in a given book.  Clubs meet in public locations such as coffee shops, libraries, mall courtyards, parks, etc.  Book clubs are up and running so that you may visit one to see what to learn what to expect.

A Summer club could meet two  times a week,  or more, just to shorten the amount of time it will take to complete at book and work into your vacation schedule.  We are flexible and work around volunteer schedules.  Weekdays, weekends, day or evening are all perfect times to lead a group.
Contact Jennifer Feeney , jenfeen@gmail.com for details and upcoming trainings.
FALL Program Dates (partial list)

Flag FootBall or Cheer:  Sept through November, Saturday mornings
T-Ball and Baseball :  Sunday afternoons from 3 – 4:30 Fields behind Page Youth Center

MONSTER Ball – October date to be determined, probably 10/19 or 10/26

Dance OR Yoga – Mondays and Thursdays from 4-5 pm

Please check our listings on www.sbSNAP.org.  Jump in to help anytime you are available.

If you would like to offer a program or service to individuals with special needs, please let us know.

Thank you,
Retta Slay

805/452-9039

Thank you for helping make H4O's 2ND ANNUAL SANTA BARBARA WALK4WATER successful!

We had over 400 people walking and together we raised enough money to fund 4 MORE WATER SYSTEMS that will provide over 10,000 PEOPLE with sustainable access to safe, clean water. 

The lives of children around the world have been saved because we joined together and cared enough to act. Together, we ARE THE GENERATION that is solving the world's water crisis.

This summer we are traveling to three countries to help install and dedication water systems and next fall we are launching H4O WATER4ONE clubs.  Stay tuned for more details and feel free to email us with any questions or suggestions at drew@hands4others.org.

Thanks again!!!!

drew@hands4others.org

Student abuse of Adderall and Ritalin isn’t a new problem. What have been deemed the “good-grade pills” have long been providing college campuses with the fuel to get through all-nighters. But, according to The New York Times, secret addiction to prescription stimulants has trickled down to high-school students.

Ritalin, Focalin, Concerta, Vynanse, Adderall—they all, while calming people with A.D.H.D., provide those without the disorder with a jolt of energy and tunnel-like focus. Since 2007, the number of prescriptions for A.D.H.D. medications dispensed to people ages 10-19 has increased by 26 percent, to almost 21 million yearly (the Times).

Doctors and teenagers from more than 15 schools across the nation, with noted high academic standards, estimated that the portion of students who take stimulants as a study aid ranges from 15 to 40 percent.

While Adderall has been dubbed the “good-grade pill” (the Times) its marketing potential doesn’t stop at study aid. The drug can be, and is, mixed with alcohol to increase its effects.

The story isn’t alien to me, and I think you would be hard pressed to find a high school senior who doesn’t know someone who is addicted to prescription stimulants, someone who took them to take the SAT, to suppress appetite, or who has abused Adderall or Ritalin him or herself.

Adderall can lead to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, memory lapse, aggression, severe depression, mood swings, and, when mixed with alcohol or other drugs, its effects can be dangerous and uncontrollable. Ritalin and Adderall have also been alleged as gateway drugs to cocaine and heroine.

Those are all very real consequences, but a list of risks and side effects hasn’t, historically, hindered recreational drug use, and it won’t be enough to stop academic abuse of prescription stimulants either.

The disorder, which is characterized by severe inattention and impulsivity, is claimed to be an increasingly common psychiatric diagnosis among American youth.

About 9.5 percent of Americans ages 4 to 17 were ruled to have the disorder in 2007. That is 5.4 million children, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The reported prevalence of the disorder has been unwavering in its rise for more than a decade, and while some doctors are glad that the disease is gaining recognition, others fear that the diagnosis, and the drugs used to treat it, are being given out too loosely.
The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies these medications as Schedule II Controlled Substances because they are addictive. While the long-term effects of extended use are not fully understood, it is thought that young people can become dependent on the medication long after they present any A.D.H.D. symptoms.

The increase in diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder is alarming, and it begs the question of whether the disease is actually rising at such a steep pace or if the standards by which doctors diagnose have changed.

I would argue that pressure from parents for their child to earn an A.D.H.D. diagnosis is a very real contributor to the rise in prescriptions being issued.

Recreational drug use isn’t a new crossroad, but the rate of occurrence that prescription stimulants are being used to face academic pressure arguably is. Academic fairness in the face of prescription drug use is an issue being called into question for schools across the country and for the College Board—that is a new crossroads being forged by my generation, and it is a new ethical and health challenge that we now have to address.

The first amendment guarantees citizens freedom of religion.

Its purpose is to ensure that all people can worship as they chose and that the government not impose a “state” led religion.

But today our nation is divided, and America can no longer claim to be “one nation under God” as it has been torn apart by those advocating for and against religious freedom.

Athletes like Tim Tebow,  who have boldly and publicly proclaimed their faith, have been discriminated against for doing so.

Since Tebow has developed an impressive resume, including winning two National Championships and one Heisman Trophy, one would think that people would respect his ability and embrace him as a winner.

However, while it is true that many love Tebow and applaud his hard work and dedication, it is also true that many mock him for his decision to exercise his first amendment right.

Those who have coached him or played with him attest to the fact that Tebow is a hard worker who believes in the value of perseverance and endurance.

In fact, Tebow embraces Tim Notke’s philosophy “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

But the sad truth is that the majority of Tebow’s fame has stemmed from his outspoken religious views rather than his work ethic.

Critics disregard his success and use his display of his Christian beliefs to disparage his athletic performance.

As comedian Denis Leary said, “Jesus must be thinking even Judas had a better release than this guy.”

By most measures of morality, Tebow’s belief system has made him a better person.

So why has he become such a polarizing figure in our society?

For one, Tebow is traveling on uncharted waters. Although he is not the first professional athlete to openly display his faith, he is the first to advocate for Christianity with such fervor.

Consider Kurt Warner, quarterback for the Cardinals, who is the subtler Tebow equivalent.

As a Christian athlete, Warner can relate to Tebow’s convictions.

“You can’t help but cheer for a guy like that. I’d tell him, ‘Put down the boldness in regards to the words, and keep living the way you’re living. Let your teammates do the talking for you. Let them cheer on your testimony.’”

As much as Warner’s advice might have made Tebow more popular with his critics, it is clear that the laws of our country grant every American the right to pursue religious beliefs so long as they do not jeopardize the safety of those around them.

Yet, “Tebowing,” (the newly coined phrase defined as: to get down on one knee and pray in the middle of an event, such as a football game) and other similar religious expressions are met with much opposition.

Some suggest that religion has no place in a football game or any public arena and wish he would just shut up.

Regardless of our religious beliefs or lack of beliefs, how is kneeling down in prayer hurtful?

How is quoting scripture in a press interview offensive?

Why would painting a Bible verse stir up so much negative commotion?

Is it really so bad that Tebow would rather have dinner with a child with cancer than hit the bar scene and use his fame to pick up girls?

Should we really make fun of Tebow, and instead, look up to the famous people who live by the motto “sex, drugs and rock and roll” who end up destroying their lives and the lives of those around them?

We should all admire Tim Tebow his accomplishments and respect his right to express his beliefs, rather than seek to destroy him or others with whom we disagree.

It’s too bad we have discovered the last of the “new worlds.”

If only we could find an undiscovered world and establish a new nation — a nation that would go beyond religious understanding and instead seek to ensure religious freedom.

We would write a document to “form a more perfect union, establish justice, and ensure domestic tranquility.”

This nation would be a haven for those escaping religious persecution in other parts of the world.

Oh, wait… we already did that.

As it turns out our nation was founded on these principles and over time they were lost in translation. How dare we claim stake to the “land of the free” if we have forgotten the true meaning of freedom?

What makes us any different than the countries that we fought so hard to rebel against 250 years ago?

All of us, regardless of our religion or belief system, must be willing to stand up for the freedom and liberties that make the Untied States of America unique and the most remarkable country the world has ever known.

For, at the end of the day, it is these values that will sustain us.