IN THIS ISSUE

Homeschooling Teen Profile: Willow Tufano

College-Bound: Grace College

New Column! "His Story, His World," by Aubrey

New Column! "The Razor's Edge," by Madeleine

Libbi's Nonfiction Book Review: "Made to Crave for Young Women"

Bookshelf of a (Maybe) Teen Author: "Howl's Moving Castle"

Catherine's Column: by Catherine

The Sports Report: by Caela

Your Fashion Signature: by MaryssaJoy

Anime Review: by Xbolt

Game Review: by Josh

Joke of the Month: by Jon

Cartoon: "Know Brainz," by Savanna and Devin

Homeschooling High School: "Homeschool to Grad School"  

Career-of-the-Month: Lawyer

E-Mail Etiquette: Tip-of-the-Month

And much more!!!

College Bound 

Now is the time for high school juniors - especially if they dream of attending a highly selective college - to start thinking about taking the SAT and/or ACT. Besides good transcripts and letters of recommendation, entrance exams are an important part of the admission process. While some colleges have waived these tests as a requirement, many colleges and universities still rely heavily on SAT and ACT scores to help in admissions decisions. A typical applicant to a competitive college might boast section scores in the upper 20s for the ACT and above 600 for the SAT.  

  Read more by clicking

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SAT WORD OF THE MONTH

savvy [sav-ee]

Noun - shrewdness and practical knowledge, esp. in politics or business ("The financiers lacked the necessary political savvy.")

Verb - to know or understand ("The man growled, 'Don't ever date my daughter again - you savvy?")

Adjective - shrewd and knowledgeable in the realities of life; experienced and well-informed ("She was quite a savvy woman.")

Origin:1775-85; Spanish sabe, present 3rd singular of saber "to know"

See if you can find the word "savvy" used elsewhere in this issue!

Tell us about your favorite homeschool-friendly college, and we will feature it in an upcoming issue! [email protected]    

E-mail Etiquette Tip of the Month

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." ~Albert Einstein

Learn more about  famous homeschoolers at www.FamousHomeschoolers.net

We want to hear from you! If you are involved with an amazing project, volunteer in your community, have a special interest that you're passionate about, possess a unique skill, talent or ability, or have accomplished something positive and extraordinary for a person your age or in your situation - be sure to tell us about it and we will feature you in our magazine!  

Contact: [email protected]   

Send your book reviews to: [email protected] 

MOVIE QUOTE - Can you guess what movie this quote came from?

Once-ler: "Unless someone like you cares an awful lot, things aren't going to get better. They're not."
Ted: "You do know that you are talking in rhyme, don't you?" 

(Answer: The Lorax)

So, for this month's devotion, I didn't quite know what to write about so I thought I'll go free hand with this one so to speak. One thing that I've been thinking about is music and how it affects our lives, moods and over all view of life. This may sound similar to my sister's blog but I've been chewing on this for a while. I can't remember if I've written on this subject before, but from what I'm feeling as I type this, I think I am on the right track. Last night I was trying to sleep and couldn't. I tried everything, even listening to worship music. The worship music was the only thing that calmed me down. I still come couldn't sleep till about 1 but it got me thinking about how what we watch and listen to effect us.

The saying "The eyes are the window to the soul," is so true. We may not feel effects now but we might eventually. I'm not saying secular music is bad. It all depends on the question if you let it effect you. I know some people who listen to only worship music and that's what works for them. Me, I listen to a mix. I limit my secular music to a certain amount but I still listen to it. Though, modern day secular artists, in my opinion can't hold a candle to Bands such as Hillsong, Unhindered, Flyleaf and Skillet. Which my 3 year old niece likes. How cool is that? Anyway, back to subject. What I am trying to say is, music literally can make you a different person. Like say Evanescence. I've heard a few of their songs and I like them (the band) but I almost never listen to them. Basically I have my boundaries set and I don't want to change them. Evanescence can make you depressed. The singer's voice and the lyrics combined, from my perspective, can either make you thoughtful or depressed. At times both. I'm not telling what to listen to and what not to. That's between you, God, and probably your parents.

How we manage our media intake can effect our families as well as us. Even though you are the one listening to the music, they need to figure out how to handle your mood. If you have one. On some people, Evanescence and similar bands don't even have an effect. It's a heart/soul issue. When I was addicted to reality crime shows and my heart was literally being hardened and I was thinking about how to get away with a crime, I talked to my parents and they both said I was worrying them. That hurt me but I said that I wasn't serious. Finally when I was telling my mom I thought I was having trouble sleeping because of my crime shows. She agreed and told me to ask myself something, "Is this what Jesus and his friends would watch on a Friday night?" I was thinking about it and realized I was thinking about and watching exactly what He despised. Murder, robbery, pain and greed. I turned on some worship music to calm my nerves and almost instantaneous, started crying. And I mean, crying. I hadn't realized how hardened I had become to that stuff. (I had been watching crime shows for about 2 or 3 years.) But that's a different subject. Or is it? It's still media.

Media has a bigger effect on our lives than ever. Though I'm pretty sure we have all noticed it. They've even went beyond some boundaries on the radio. What I don't get is that they allow some profanity that according to them isn't bad as long as there is nothing else. Aren't they all the same thing though regardless? Cussing? Each word is just as bad as the other. Most lyrics don't only have profanity. I've had to turn off the radio countless times due to content besides language. Like I said, I don't listen to secular music all the time but when I do I usually listen closely and try to pick out the lyrics and I've found it's easier to pick out stuff the closer I get with God.

It breaks my heart seeing what reality is becoming. It's almost made me want to go back to the early days. I Love Lucy or Happy Days anyone? Try to imagine this, if the media is bad now then what is it going to be like for our future kids? And I'm not just talking about crime shows. Almost any show now is dirty or bad in someway. My nieces can't even watch Nickelodeon anymore due to that stuff. I guess as I finish this paragraph I want you guys to ask yourselves two questions: 1.) "How is this affecting me now compared to before?" and 2.) "Would Jesus join me in watching this?" I guess that concludes this month's devotional sermon.

Until next time,

Michaela

Apr. 1 - Rom. 4:17, Rom.8:12, Isa.6

Apr. 2 - Phil.4:8, Rev.17, Hosea 6

Apr. 3 - Luke 18:1-14, Ps.199: 25, 32

Apr. 4 - Ps.36

Apr. 5 - Isa. 25, John 4:27- 38

Apr. 6 - Acts 8:26-40, Rev. 18

Apr. 7 - John 11:35, 1 Thess. 2:12, Mark 4:38, 5:38

Apr. 8 - Isa. 7, Titus 2:11-15, Eph. 4:11-16

Apr. 9 - Gen.24 Hosea 7,

Apr. 10 - John 13:1-17, John 16:5-16

Apr. 11 - Acts 4:23-37, 1 Cor. 2:6-16

Apr. 12 - 1 Cor. 9:19-23, 1 Cor. 14, Rev.19

Apr. 13 - 1 Cor. 15-16

Apr. 14 - 2 Cor. 2:5-11, Heb.9:11-28

Apr. 15 - 2 Cor. 2:12-17, Rev. 20

Apr. 16 - 2 Kings 5

Apr. 17 - 2 Cor. 2:5-6 Isa. 6

Apr. 18 - Hosea 8, John 15:1-17

Apr. 19 - Isa.7

Apr. 20 - Rev.21, Isa. 8

Apr. 21 - Ps. 150, 56

Apr. 22 - John 15:18-27

Apr. 23 - Hosea 9

Apr. 24 - Philemon 1, Isa.9

Apr. 25 - 1 John 4:1-6

Apr. 26 - Gen 26, Rev.22

Apr. 27 - Amos 4, John 3:16-17

Apr. 28 - Micah 4:1-5, 6

Apr. 29 - Ps.37

Apr. 30 - Isa. 9

Laughter, Tears, and Our Teen Years

By McKennaugh Kelly

April makes us all think of spring, doesn't it? And spring usually makes us think of gardens-and gardens make me think of my mother, who makes me think of anything eco. Okay, now you know where this article's going.

In Pennsylvania, you can't really plant until after May, or else your garden will be a big heap of poor little wilted, frosted plants. Even so, Mom gets all excited about growing things in March. Or February. My mom loves to plant things. Only problem is we don't really have a working garden. And when you don't have a garden, it's sorta hard to plant anything. I mean, Mom will go out and buy 35 packets of seeds (organic ones, of course--she's eco!) and not have anywhere to plant them. No kidding! She gets spring fever and somehow thinks a good garden will appear for her to put her seeds in. So, we have this giant box of expired seed in our cupboard. Whenever she does get around to planting, she plants around our oak tree. Do you know oak trees put out poison that kills plants? They do. So we pick the one tomato that the oak tree didn't kill and thank God for the tiny bite we grew. Each year Mom says it will be better and something will grow (I mean 35 seed packets should grow something!) It's like she's insisting that the oak tree will show kindness to our seedlings after 11 years. This spring, we're sick of our poor plants dying. We're not in the city-far from it (we live on ten acres!!) so why don't we clear a garden plot?

We live on a cliff. Well, almost.

Like the biggest hill you can imagine. A nightmare hill. That's problem one. And to make matters worse, anything slightly flat is all wooded. And Mom's a treehugger. My brothers are even bigger treehuggers than my Mom. And me? You can guess. Coming from a family that loves trees so much, I'm doomed to be the same. But my dad is different. He can hack a tree over without an ounce of feeling. At least when you put mom and dad together, they balance each other out, you know?

Anyway, finally we all broke down and decided this year we needed a garden. A real garden. We took to chopping some trees down, mostly shrubby ones. We cut them and burned them in a big heap. (Yeah, burning isn't eco, but we refused to drag them a hundred yards to our brush pile and finally "Eco Mom" gave in, because she didn't want to pull them all by herself.) We got the place all cleared, besides the big ones that we all silently knew had to come down, as well. Unless, of course you know of a new kind of tomato that came out and requires full shade.

So we sadly looked up at the over-a-hundred-feet-tall ash trees (four of them-oops, five, I forgot to count Mr. Ancient Oak Tree. We don't feel too bad for him, after all he is a killer). Could we cut them down? Nevin, age eight, was heartbroken. Not to mention the rest of us. (Besides Dad who had a chainsaw in hand and a wonderful look of glee on his face.)

If we wanted a garden there, the trees would have to go, though. And we all agreed our awesome (sniffle) ash trees and not so awesome Mr. Ancient Oak Tree needed to be chopped.

But there was also the problem of the three thorn trees we were partial to. (I know, you're thinking THORN TREES? WHAT NEXT?)

I said, "Let's cut them, we need a garden."

Nevin looks devastated.

You know how Dad looks.

And Mom says, "Okay, it's time for a change, but I'm going to say goodbye to them and thank them for being such good trees."

Now I'm feeling sad. I mean, come on, go tell a tree that you're thankful that they were so good, then cut them down and throw them in a bonfire??? Not my idea of thankfulness. I told Mom that she could say goodbye, but I, for one, was staying inside. I didn't need to go talk to a tree and apologize for killing it. It's the same thing as going to your neighbor's and saying, "You know what, you were a really good person, but I want the piece of ground you live on. I'm sorry--however, I'm gonna burn you up."

So Mom and Nevin go out to tell the trees all their little sentimental tree things and later when I go out of the porch, the thorn trees are gone and burned. (Dad must have been jumping for joy!)

And so, maybe (just maybe) we'll have a garden this year.

We plan to cut the huge ash trees this weekend.

We plan to, I remind you. But with my treehugging family, plans change.

Have a great April and may you not have to shed too many tears over thorn trees.

--McKennaugh 

McKennaugh Kelley is fifteen years old. She lives in Troy, Pennsylvania with a handful of crazy, creative, but mostly wonderful little brothers.

Exciting News!

We have a new Homeschooling Teen FAN PAGE on Facebook!

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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Homeschooling-Teen/119237994780935

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5 Green Activities for Teens

Ideally, it's up to the younger generation to make sure that the earth's future is a promising one. That said, it's important to teach children about sustainability as soon as possible. If your child is now in his or her teen years, it's still not too late. There are tons of fun, age appropriate green activities to help your child become a more eco-conscious person. For my personal top five, continue reading below.

1. Cook an Organic Feast

One of the easiest ways for your teen to learn about organic foods and sustainable dining is to simply cook or prepare a meal using organic and environmentally-friendly products, such as free-range beef and chicken and organic vegetables and dairy products. While eco-products can be found in the local grocery store, to make it more of an overall "experience" your teen can go and pick out fresh produce from the local farmer's market. The meal can then be consumed at home or packaged for a "green picnic"-make sure your teen refrains from using disposable dishware and is adamant about cleaning all of his or her trash. If there is surrounding trash left by others, your teen can move one step further and pick up/recycle their trash as well. Your teen will simultaneously learn about conservation as well as healthy, green eating.

2. Plant a Garden

Planting a garden-no matter if it's an herb or vegetable garden- is one of the more enjoyable hands-on green activities for most teens. If you don't have access to a backyard, an indoor garden can suffice. Help your teen pick out some seasonal seeds (if planting a garden go for perennials like kale and arugula since they'll "re-seed" themselves) and plant a garden using homemade compost.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shows consumers how to make homemade compost using two different methods. If a garden seems like it might be too much work, planting trees at a local park (or even in your front or back yard) can be an alternative. Either way, your teen's efforts will help bring more oxygen into the air and help remove toxins and other pollutants.

3. Participate in Restoration Project

If there is a particular body of water that seems to collect trash, such as a beach, lake, creek, or even bayou, encourage your teen to take the initiative and help beautify it once again. These projects are typically on the larger scale and work better with a medium-sized group of people, so try to see if your child's friends or other people in the community are interested in participating. Not only will your teen help save the planet, but it's also something he or she can put on a college application or resume. To make it more of a "formal" project, your teen can become a certified apprentice ecologist through the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative- an organization that awards scholarships to teens who make the most powerful impact. 

4. Host a Yard Sale-or a Clothing Swap

Eating hormone -free meats and growing pesticide-free vegetables aren't the only ways to help protect the earth, your teen's wardrobe can play a big part too. Most factories use harsh chemicals to produce clothes. While purchasing clothes made of only organic cottons, "peace" silk, or non-mulesed wool for example is a great way to reduce the environmental footprint clothes can have on Mother Earth, these types of clothes can get expensive. Instead, your teen can start on a smaller scale by hosting a yard sale so that others can use your teen's recycled clothes-the money earned can then be donated to an organization that specializes in conservation and sustainability (or applied to a college fund).  If your teen is looking for some new threads, he or she can also participate in a "clothes swap" with other teens in the neighborhood-everyone gets some new items, don't have to use money, and are reducing their carbon footprint.

5. Go on Various Field Trips

Knowledge is power. That said, it's important that your teen understands how things work so he or she can really give-back and help sustain the environment. Otherwise, your teen will just be going through the motions.  A good way to see how thing operate and affect the planet is to encourage your teen to take an afternoon to explore a landfill, take a tour at an organic or dairy farm, or even observe a green hotel or nursery.  Wherever your teen decides to visit, make sure they use an eco-transportation method, such as the bus or carpool with some friends.

These are just a few activities that can help your teen do his or her part to save the planet. Do you have any more?

By-line: Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

/know brainz/

By Devin and Savannah Hicks

Anime Reviews by Xbolt

Serial Experiments Lain

When I started watching Serial Experiments Lain, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I only barely glimpsed at the overview before starting. (I actually picked this one up because the name just sounds cool, and so is the cover art.)

From the cover art, I thought this might be a horror anime. "Boo haha," that kind of thing. I was very, very wrong.

While not horrifying in the sense I was thinking of, Lain definitely is very, very disturbing. Lain is both psychological and philosophical, much like the infamous final two episodes of NGE. But Lain is much better than those. It's still a nightmare for your brain to process all the information that is presented, but I think with a second viewing, I would be able to understand it a lot more. But I'm going to wait at least a couple months to let my brain cool down before I do that. Or maybe I shouldn't have watched it all in one day. Watch one, then think about what happened for a day, then watch the next one... Yeah, that would have been a better approach. Oh well.

Anyway, yeah. Lain is disturbing. The atmosphere presented in the show is... Hmm... I'm having trouble coming up with suitable adjectives to describe it, besides just disturbing... The word "suffocating" comes to mind. The colors seem washed out, as if somebody turned up the contrast very high. The sound and music is very minimal, often simply the electricity humming in the Wires, or the empty clacking of a keyboard. And those shadows... Brrr...

If you want an anime where you don't have to think too hard, Lain is not for you. If you want an uplifting, happy story that's fun, Lain is not for you. If you want a bleak, confusing anime dealing with issues around technology and human consciousness, Lain is for you. Even so, I really did like Lain.

Visit Xbolt's blog: http://blog.xboltz.net 

You can be a Homeschooling Teen reporter or columnist! Please send information about what you like to write about, the reason you want to take on the challenge of a monthly column, and an example of your work to: [email protected]

Game Review

Dino D-Day, a Review by Josh

Dino D-Day is a multiplayer shooter game in which dinosaurs walk the earth once again, made into ferocious weapons by Adolf Hitler. You can play as either side. The Allies have six playable characters, each with unique weapons and abilities. As an Axis player you will have your choice of three human classes and six dinosaur classes.

Dinosaurs include: Velociraptor, Desmatosuchus, Dilophosaurus, Dtygimoloch, Compsognathus, Microraptor, Protoceratops, Styracosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus Rex. "Trigger" (protoceratops) is a dinosaur that the Americans found and have working on their side. Non-playable dinosaurs include: Pterosaurs, Brachiosaurus, and Triceratops.

Dino D-Day has several different game modes: Deathmatch, Control Point, King of the Hill, and Objective.

Deathmatch is the classic online multiplayer mode. Teams compete against one another for the most kills. A round ends when the team's frag limit is reached (set by the server). The map then resets for the next round.

An alternate team Deathmatch mode appears on certain T-Rex maps. In this mode, each team competes for the frag limit but Axis side will have a T-Rex. T-Rex kills are worth 3 points. T-Rex is selected randomly from the Axis players. When that T-Rex dies, a new player is selected and so on until the round ends.

Control Point has the teams battling over strategic points in the map. The first team to control all points wins the round.

King of the Hill teams compete to control an area at the center of the map. Players must occupy the hill to capture it (time specified by the server). When a team captures the hill their timer begins to go down. They must defend the hill and prevent the opposing team from recapturing the hill. The round ends when the winning team's timer reaches zero. The map will then reset for the next round.

Objective is a game mode where the Allies are trying to blow stuff up, and must successfully plant five bomb satchels on a target to destroy it. The satchels can be defused by Axis players. 

In another Objective mode, the Allies start by trying to capture two MG42 nests that flank an old fortress. If the Allies succeed, the Axis team has one last chance to win the round: one player on the Axis team is selected to play as a Styracosaur - a huge dinosaur with a turret on its back. To win the round, the Styracosaur must reach the goal on the far side of the map. The Allies must try to stop him.

The Dino D-Day developers have a clever sense of humor as indicated by how they do the WWII-style propaganda posters, newspaper headlines, radio broadcasts, and lines said by the characters. The game uses real WWII music, too, like German marching songs. All of these things combined make for an authentic but light-hearted atmosphere.

When the game was first released, it wasn't very good. But they've since put a lot more time into it and they released an enormous update at the end of last year. Now it's much better, and lots more fun to play. I just wish they had a single player campaign, although I hear they may be working on one.

The game is rated T (Teen), and it's available on Steam for only $10. Visit the Dino D-Day website at www.dinodday.com or watch the trailer here: http://youtu.be/ih9brgp2gso    

You can be a Homeschooling Teen reporter or columnist! Please send information about what you like to write about, the reason you want to take on the challenge of a monthly column, and an example of your work to: [email protected]

The Sports Report, by Caela

Tim Tebow a New York Jet

Tim Tebow is no longer a Denver Bronco. Tim was traded to the New York Jets because the Broncos signed Peyton Manning from the Indiana Colts. Tim will be the backup quarterback to Mark Sanchez. During Tim's press conference he said that he was very excited to be playing in New York. He also said that he is very blessed to have an opportunity to play in such a great city like New York. Well good luck to Tim on however many games he gets to play and good luck on next season. Tim don't stop doing what you're doing, because you are such an inspiration to me and a lot of other people. Keep giving all the glory to God, and having such a great and uplifting attitude. God Bless!

March Madness

March Madness is the playoffs for college basketball. There are four divisions with 16 teams in each division. The divisions are the South, East, West, and Midwest. There is seven different stages of March Madness, stage one is the First round. In the first round two teams that are tied in each division play each other to see who gets to move on to the second round. In the second round the top 16 teams from each division play each other till there are only eight teams per division. Round three works the same way as round two but there is only eight teams and the play till there is only four teams left per division. Round 4 (Sweet 16 or Regional Semifinals) is the last 16 teams of the whole National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) four per division. Round 5 (Elite 8 or Regional Finals) is the same as sweet 16 where there is 8 teams over all, two per division. The next stage is the Final Four which is when the best team from each division plays each other. The finals of March Madness is the National Championship game and this game decides who win the NCAA National Championship title.

South Teams: 1 University of Kentucky (UK), 2 Duke, 3 Baylor, 4 Indiana (IND), 5 Wichita State (WICH ST), 6 University of Nevada at Los Vegas (UNLV), 7 Notre Dame (N DAME), 8 Iowa State (IOWA ST), 9 University of Connecticut (UCONN), 10 Xavier, 11 Colorado (COLO), 12 Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), 13 New Mexico State (NM ST), 14 South Dakota State (SDAK ST), 15 Lehigh, and 16 West Kentucky (W KY).

West Teams: 1 Michigan State (MICH ST), 2 Missouri University (MIZZOU), 3 Marquette (MARQ), 4 Louisville (LOUIS), 5 New Mexico (N MEX), 6 Murray State (MURRAY), 7 Florida (FLA), 8 Memphis (MEM), 9 St. Louis University (SLU), 10 University of Virginia (UVA), 11 Colorado State (CO ST), 12 Long Beach State University (LBSU), 13 Davidson (DAVID), 14 Brigham Young University (BYU), 15 Norfolk State University (NORFLK), and 16 Long Island University (LIU).

East Teams: 1 Syracuse (SYR), 2 Ohio State (OHIO ST), 3 Florida State University (FSU), 4 Wisconsin (WISC), 5 Vanderbilt (VANDY), 6 Cincinnati (CINCY), 7 Gonzaga (GONZ), 8 Kansas State (KAN ST), 9 Southern Mississippi (S MISS), 10 West Virginia University (WVU), 11 Texas, 12 Harvard (HARV), 13 Montana (MONT), 14 St. Bonaventure (ST. BONA), 15 Loyola University Maryland (LOY MD) and 16 University of North Carolina Asheville (UNC A).

Midwest Teams: 1 University of North Carolina (UNC), 2 Kansas, 3 Georgetown (GTOWN), 4 Michigan (MICH), 5 Temple, 6 San Diego State University ( SDSU), 7 Saint Mary's (STMARY), 8 Creighton (CREIGH), 9 Alabama (ALA), 10 Purdue, 11 North Carolina State ( NC ST), 12 University South Florida (USF), 13 Ohio, 14 Belmont (BELMNT), 15 Detroit (DET), and 16 Vermont (VERMNT).

First Round

South: West Kentucky and Mississippi Valley University were tied for 16th place so they had to play each other to see who would be in March Madness. West Kentucky beat Mississippi Valley 59-58.

West: BYU and Iona College were tied for 14th place so they played each other and BYU beat Iona College 78-72. So BYU went on to March Madness.

Midwest: Vermont and Lamar were tied for 16th place. Vermont beat Lamar 71-59 so Vermont went on to March Madness.  USF and California University were for tied 12th place USF beat California move on to March Madness.

Second Round

South: 1 UK beat 16 W KY 81-68, 15 LEHIGH beat 2 DUKE 75-70, 3 BAYLOR beat 14 SDAK ST 68-60, 4 IND beat 13 NM ST 79-66, 12 VCU beat 5 WICH ST 62-59, 11 COLO beat 6 UNLV 68-64, 10 XAVIER beat 7 N DAME 67-63, and 8 IOWA ST beat 9 UCONN 77-64.

West: 1 MICH ST beat 16 LIU 89-67, 15 NORFLK beat 2 MIZZOU 86-64, 3 MARQ beat 14 BYU 88-68, 4 LOUIS beat DAVID 69-62, 5 N MEX beat 12 LBSU 75-68, 6 MURRAY beat 11 CO ST 58-41, 7 FLA beat 10 UVA 71-45, and 9 SLU beat 8 MEM 89-67.

East: 1 SYR beat 16 UNC A 72-65, 2 OHIO ST beat 15 LOY MD 78-59, 3 FSU beat 14 STBONA 66-63, 4 WISC beat 13 MONT 73-49, 5 VANDY beat 12 HARV 79-70, 6 CINCY beat 11 TEXAS 65-59, 7 GONZ beat 10 WVU 77-54, and 8 KAN ST beat S MISS 70-64.

Midwest: 1 UNC beat 16 VERMNT 77-58, 2 KANSAS beat 15 DET 65-50, 3 GTOWN beat 14 BELMNT 74-59, 13 OHIO beat 4 MICH 65-60, 12 USF beat 5 TEMPLE 58-44, 11 NC ST beat 6 SDSU 79-65, 10 PURDUE beat 7 STMARY'S 72-69, and 8 CREIGH beat 9 ALA 58-57.

In the second round the biggest upsets were S: 15 LEHIGH over 2 DUKE; W: 15 NORFLK over 2 MIZZOU, and MD: 13 OHIO over 4 MICH.

Third Round

South: 1 UK beat 8 IOWA ST 87-71, 4 IND beat 12 VCU 63-61, 3 BAYLOR beat 11 COLO 80-63, and 10 XAVIER beat 15 LEHIGH 70-58.

West: 1 MICH ST beat 9 SLU 65-61, 4 LOUIS beat 5 N MEX 59-56, 3 MARQ beat 6 MURRAY 62-53, and 7 FLA beat 15 NORFLK 84-50.

East: 1 SYR beat 8 KAN ST 75-58, 4 WISC beat 5 VANDY 60-57, 6 CINCY beat 3 FSU 62-56, and 2 OHIO ST beat 7 GONZ 73-66.

Midwest: 1 UNC beat 8 CREIGH 87-73, 13 OHIO beat 12 USF 62-56; 11 NC ST beat 3 GTOWN 66-63, and 2 KANSAS beat 10 PURDUE 63-60.

In the third round the biggest upsets were E: 6 CINCY over 3 FSU and MD: 11 NC ST over 3 GTOWN.

Sweet 16

South Regional Semifinals: 1 UK beat 4 IND 102-90, and 3 BAYLOR beat 10 XAVIER 75-70.

West Regional Semifinals: 4 LOUIS beat 1 MICH ST 57-44, and 7 FLA beat 3 MARQ 68-58.

East Regional Semifinals: 1 SYR beat 4 WISC 64-63, and 2 OHIO ST beat 6 CINCY 81-66.

Midwest Regional Semifinals: 1 UNC beat 13 OHIO, and 2 KANSAS beat 11 NC ST 60-57.

In the fourth round (Sweet 16 or Regional Semifinals) the biggest upsets were W: 4 LOUIS over 1 MICH ST, and 7 FLA over 3 MARQ.

Elite 8

South Regional Finals: 1 UK beat 3 BAYLOR 82-70.

West Regional Finals: 4 LOUIS beat 7 FLA 72-68.

East Regional Finals: 2 OHIO ST beat 1 SYR 77-70

Midwest Regional Finals: 2 KANSAS beat 1 UNC 80-67.

In the fifth round (Elite 8 or Regional Finals) biggest upset E: 2 OHIO ST over 1 SYR.

Final Four

The first game of the final four was 1 UK VS 4 LOUIS. UK outplayed LOUIS the whole game. In the first half UK scored 35 over LOUIS 28. The second half UK scored 34 points over LOUIS 33 points. The final score was 69-61. So UK advanced to the National Championship Game. The second game of the final four was 2 OHIO ST VS 2 KANSAS. OHIO ST dominated in the first half 34 point to the 25 points KANSAS scored. The second half was a different story until the final minutes. KANSAS came back to win the game by two points. If you ask me I would call KANSAS the Secretariat of College Basketball. So KANSAS will play UK for the National Championship.    

National Championship Game

The final game of the season was between UK and KANSAS. The first half UK scored 41 points over KANSAS 27 points, but the second half KANSAS scored 32 over the 26 points scored by UK. In the end KANSAS could not pull off a win so UK won the National Championship 67-59. Anthony Davis from UK was named Player of the Year. He was also named the winner of the 2010 Naismith Trophy. Well good luck to all the teams next year and congratulations to the University of Kentucky.

Your Fashion Signature...by MaryssaJoy

Dressing for....(your name here)

 What's your body shape? For Women Only

"Put on your Sunday clothes when you feel down and out!"

"You don't have to make a fashion statement every day, but you do want to appear put together and look your absolute best." -philly2philly.com

The easiest and most functional way to shop is to pick out your clothing according to body type.

In my "Wardrobe Basics" article I talked about how quickly I was able to find a pair of flattering pair of jeans because I had a checklist of what that pair of jeans had to have before I even tried it on! No more spending hours at the store and still not finding something you're excited about! Let's just get to it so you can find out how you can efficiently look good every day!

Many people have a different idea of the few names and shapes that characterize women's body types. I've looked at many but these are the most common and easy to relate to. Try and find out which one most describes you (with the visual it should be easy to remember which you are). You don't need to read every one; it might be a good idea just to focus on yours. ;D

The Rectangle

"Currently this shape is the "ideal" shape for today's top models."-shapeyourstyle.com

~Full neck

~Broad back

~Average bust                                          

~Undefined waist

~A balanced figure                   

~Great legs and arms

You might be a Rectangle if:

There is little difference between measurements of your waist chest and hips, you have a bust that is between small and medium size, your hips are square, your backside is flat, you are blessed with long arms and lengthy legs, when you gain weight it goes to your tummy and thighs.

Balance is always our goal and since you already have that, all we need to do is create the appearance of a curvier waist and backside to enhance your femininity, and draw our focus to your great legs and thighs.

To Give the Illusion of Curves:

~Surplice/Wrap tops

~Scooped or V- neckline

~Underwire or padded bra

~ Jackets with a waist, or bias cut jackets that flare out from your waist to create instant hips.  

~Tops that are fitted and go in at the waist will help give the appearance of a curvier figure.

~A contoured waistband helps create curves

~Skirts that have a dropped waist

~Pencil Skirt

~A-Lined Skirt

~Flared skirt that gathers at the waist

~You have the best body type to pull off stilettos

Stay Away!

X vertical patterns and lines

X clinging and tightly fitted blouses

X short cropped jackets that end at your waist

X loose garments that do not show off your curves

X skirts, jeans, and pants that are high waisted.

X jeans with a straight cut (this will only emphasize your straight figure)

The Apple

~Fuller face and neck

~Broader shoulders

~Fuller chest                                                   

~Full and undefined waist 

~Narrow hips

~Flat backside

~Shapely legs

You might be an Apple if:

You have a softer fuller middle, full shapely chest, you have broader shoulders and upper arms with an undefined waist, you have thinner

hips and thighs, a flatter rear end, a tendency to gain weight in the midsection.

To Elongate Your Torso     

~Wrap Tops

~Fitted Tops (but nothing too tight)

~ V-Necks

~ A good bra

~ Empire, or raised waist

~ cami, or tank top, with a matching jacket

~ belted jackets

~ tops that are darker around the midsection, and with the pattern at the top to bring the eye up toward your chest and face, while diverting attention away from your middle

~shirts with a cinched waist

~A-line skirts                                

~Tulip skirts

~you can go crazy with bolder colors and patterns but keep them on your lower half                                                    

Stay Away!   

Xtops that are too baggy

Xtops that have puffy or full sleeves

Xbold patterns, light colors or large checks above the waist

X Stay away from tapered pants (including skinny jeans)

X Avoid high waists

The Pear

~ A Long or slender neck               

~Sloping or narrow shoulders

~ Narrow back

~Small to medium bust

~Defined waist

~Curvy hips and backside

~Full thighs and calves

You might be a Pear if:

You have a slender face and neck, small to medium bust, well defined waist, the lower area (buttocks, hips, thighs and calves) are comparatively larger holding most of the weight.

The Pear is the most common shape among women. With the Pear shape we have to think about balance. We want to give the appearance of wider shoulders and bigger bust to help take the attention off the widest part of the body by bringing the eyes up. So in other words what you need to do is to over play your upper body and give your lower body a slimmer sleeker look. 

Do this by:

~using color on top                                

~wide neck lines

~accentuate your waist

~wear dark colors on the bottom.

~tops can be tight or loose!

~Go crazy with pattern prints and light, bright colors. Detailing or texture on top are great to balance out your bottom half.

~Puffy sleeves and tops that hug the shoulders ~wide-set straps will help to visually widen the chest and shoulders.

~Look for necklines that are scooped, draped, v'd, rounded or squared (any neckline that has a lower and wider neckline will look great)

~look for an under-wire or molded bras to help with balance

~A-line and flared skirts

~When choosing a dress, choose a dress with an empire waste or a wrap dress which will flow over your hips.

~Keep the prints on top and darker solid colors on the bottom

Stay Away!  

X Body-hugging skirts

X Full Skirts

X A dress with anything tight or bold on the bottom half

XTapered pants (skinny jeans)

X High waisted pants

XJackets that fall at the widest part of your hips

X Flashy belts

The Hourglass

~Symmetrical shoulders and hips

~Full, shapely bust                                           

~Distinctly defined waist

~Medium to broad hips that are in proportion with shoulders

~Shapely legs        

You Want to Emphasize:

~Shoulders

~Bust

~Waist

~Hip

Emphasize by wearing:

~ Surplice and wrap tops to accentuate your bust and waist

~Wear a bra with good support great fit

~Wear v neck tops to lengthen your upper body

~Wear jeans that have a slightly flared or wide leg

 ~Wear � length or longer skirts with a slit to make you look taller    

("3/4 length skirts were all over the Fall runways." -AintNoMomJeans.com)

Stay Away!

X anything that hides your beautiful curves and turn you into a shapeless line

X pants and tops that are too baggy; these will only give you a frumpy look

X straight lines in skirts, jackets, and jeans

X tops that have large prints, checks and stripes

X blouses with ruffles and lots of details around the bust area, this will only hide your great curves and make you look larger and out of proportion.

X skirts that are to short, these will only tend to make you look round and shorten your total look

Thank you for reading! More on body shapes next month. Jeans, accessories and swimsuits!

-MaryssaJoy

If you have any questions or comments please send them and your first name to [email protected] with the words "style blog" contained in the title so I'll know to read it. I may use these in the blog sometime so write me!

Dear Parents,   

Thank you for taking the time to view Homeschooling Teen Magazine. We hope that you and your homeschooler enjoyed reading with us. That is our goal, after all! It is also our goal to provide homeschooled teens a place of their own, to highlight their accomplishments, talents and thoughts. Here at Homeschooling Teen Magazine, our articles and information are written exclusively by homeschoolers, for homeschoolers. We strive to make this a safe place for your teens to join in and express themselves in accordance with Philippians 4:8. We will never share or sell your information with any third party. Content is a top priority for us and articles will always be age appropriate. Our magazine will only allow sponsorship logos and links that are family friendly. However, the opinions expressed in our magazine are not necessarily those of Homeschooling Teen Magazine and we cannot be held responsible for any information listed or actions from our sponsors. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

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Copyright 2012 - Homeschooling Teen Magazine

April 2012

Welcome... Homeschooling Teen is a free e-zine for homeschooled high schoolers and young adult alumni. Published once a month, much of the content is written by our subscribers, and there are many opportunities for readers to participate - whether it's writing book or movie reviews, sending in original short stories and poems, or submitting other articles of interest. Additionally, in each issue we feature a profile of a Homeschooling Teen and a Homeschool Friendly College. Write to us at [email protected] 

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Please share your story! If you are involved with an amazing project, volunteer in your community, have a special interest that you're passionate about, possess a unique skill, talent or ability, or have accomplished something positive and extraordinary for a person your age or in your situation - be sure to tell us about it and we will feature you in our magazine! Contact: [email protected] 

Homeschooling Teen Profile: Willow Tufano

"I am Willow Tufano. I am 14, and I own a MacBook Air, a paddleboard, a long board, a PlayStation 3, four ferrets, and I own a house."

Willow Tufano, a homeschooled 8th-grader who lives with her parents and two sisters in Port Charlotte, Florida, has already accomplished something that many adults dream of. While most teenagers are saving up for a used car or blowing their cash on clothing, movies, and electronics, this young lady made a more mature investment. She's a proud homeowner thanks to some hard work and a little help from mom. 

NPR first did a radio story about Willow on March 9, 2012. Since then, Willow has been interviewed on ABC News, CBS, CNN, Good Morning America, and she even appeared on the Ellen Show which aired on March 19, 2012. Willow told Ellen DeGeneres that she started out gathering items dumped on curbs in the area and reselling them for a profit.

"People throw things at the curb for garbage day," the teen said. "It's amazing the things they throw away. And I would buy things from garage sales and go to auctions. A lot of things were for free and I sort of look for good deals. I'm best at like selling electronics, video games, appliances, baby things." ("Baby things sell really well," she noted.)

Willow does her schoolwork online, and she also sells her found items on the internet, where she lists them on Craigslist and eBay. "And I don't just resell them," Willow stated. "If I have things for a while, I do curb alerts on Craigslist and give things away for free." It's a lot of work, but it's great that she is taking stuff that would end up in the landfill, cleaning it up, and finding a use for it.

The 14-year-old entrepreneur says that she would not be able to thrive in the resale business without the support of her parents and grandparents, who drive her around town and help her haul larger items. Willow's flexible schedule is an advantage in that it allows her to pounce on good deals right away. Moreover, it enabled her to cash into the housing market at an opportune time.

Willow's mother, Shannon Moore, is a real estate broker who owns several rental properties with her husband. Willow's grandmother, Roxanne Moore, is also in the real estate business together with her daughter. Though once a booming real estate market, Florida was severely affected by the housing collapse, and vacancies swept through the area. With a glut of repossessed property keeping house prices down, the two Moores began working with investors who wanted to bid on cheap, foreclosed homes.

When scouting out properties, Shannon often "brings along two of her three daughters, who are home-schooled." Shannon says that Willow, the middle of her three girls, is always thinking of some creative plan or how to do things differently. One day when Willow was tagging along with her mom, she went to a house that an investor wanted to flip. "It was filled with all kinds of stuff!" Willow exclaimed. "I was like, I can sell this stuff if he'd want to let me have it." That was fine with the investor, so Willow sold the appliances, furniture, and other possessions on Craigslist.

Realizing this was a good entrepreneurial opportunity, the business-savvy teen did the same thing with several other houses. She told the buyers that she would remove the household furnishings that were left behind if they'd let her keep the proceeds. Most buyers agreed to her plan. Willow was soon making about $500 a month. In a year and a half, she worked her way up to $6,000 in savings. At first Willow didn't know what she was saving for, but she wanted to put her money into something that would help it grow. Before long, an investment opportunity came up that seemed too good to resist.

Willow's mom, Shannon, had seen a two-bedroom concrete-block home on auction for $12,000. Zillow estimates that it would have been worth $100,000 at the peak of the housing market. Shannon was telling her husband about the house, when Willow piped up. "I was like, 'What if I bought a house?'" she told NPR News. "I'd be able to make money every month. I'd get rent. I wouldn't have to worry... That'd be really cool."

Florida requires a minimum age of 18 to own property, so Willow asked her mom if she'd be willing to team up with her to purchase the house. "I was taken aback," Shannon admitted about her daughter's sudden interest in buying a home. "It's a little bit crazy, she's only 14," Moore said, "but we didn't really see it as outrageous as everyone else does." Willow's dad wasn't too keen on the idea at first, but Willow explained why she wanted to do it and that she had a plan. "She convinced us it was a good idea," her mom said. "It's neat to see Willow come up with different strategies and ideas."

So mother and daughter bought the house together (technically it's 50% Willow's), with the teen planning on buying her mother out and putting her name on the title as soon as she turns 18. Built in 1959, the 669-square-foot concrete block structure may have been a good deal, but it was definitely a fixer-upper. The place looked "like there was a riot or something," Willow told NPR. "There was a roof on it, which was surprising. But there wasn't really any floor, there was glass everywhere, there was a dirty couch that had been flipped over, a dirty mattress, and a crib."

Willow and her family set to work cleaning the home, and ended up spending $15,000 on renovations. They fixed up the interior, including updating the kitchen. They painted the house inside and out, and replaced broken windows. A neighborhood family with a window business offered half off new windows for the house, and Willow repaid the favor by giving their daughter a longboard she had acquired in one of her transactions.

The house is now being rented by a young couple for $700 a month, and Willow helped them out by giving them a free mattress and bed for their new living space. Willow will split the rental income with her mom, and she will use that along with the proceeds from her resale business to buy out her mom's share and to pay her parents back for the renovations. Then Willow will keep the house as a source of income.

"It was definitely a lot of inspiration from my mom and my grandma," Willow said about her home-buying decision. Since they are realtors and property investors, Willow had an existing knowledge of the Florida housing market. And because her mother is a mortgage broker, Willow had an inside track to be able to navigate all the ins and outs of home ownership. Finally, she was able to see the big picture - the real estate market as a whole, and how her risk and hard work could turn into something very valuable.

Willow says her favorite subject is American history, but dislikes algebra because she is "really, really bad at math." However, her real estate venture "was a lesson in economics... and improving her math skills," her mother asserted. Willow is now considering saving for a second house - but she also has her sights set on going to college, getting a degree in business and marketing, and starting a career in investing. "I'm not so sure about real estate," Willow told ABC News. "But investing is really cool. You get to see a property that was a mess before and afterward see that it's beautiful."

Willow has received a lot of positive attention, but she and her mom also have to deal with angry comments about a young girl profiting from families losing their homes. While Willow's opportunities have come about as a result of tough economic times, and the thought of purchasing an evictee's home may be unpleasant, it wasn't her fault that the homeowners couldn't afford their mortgages or that they left their stuff behind. Likewise, Willow didn't turn from high school student to landlord without putting in a lot of hard work. As Willow told ABC News, "If you really work for it and put your mind to it you can do what you want to do."

Willow is not afraid to get her hands dirty - plus she is showing independence, ingenuity, and an entrepreneurial spirit. "In the area that I'm in," Willow observes, "people my age pretty much do drugs, smoke, and drink. I don't really support that." Her responsible ways of thinking and practical business sense provide hope that younger generations still have a chance to create a better future. But Willow argues that age is ultimately irrelevant: "...it's just a number. If you can work towards a goal, whether buying house or a car, age doesn't matter. And if I inspire someone else my age or even older, it would be so cool."

Tony Tufano Thanks Granddaughter for Saving His Life

PORT CHARLOTTE, FL -- Willow Tufano, 14, the homeschooler who recently made national headlines for purchasing her own house, encouraged her grandfather to wear a helmet while riding his motorcycle because she was worried about his safety. "If you ride a motorcycle, you need a full face helmet no matter what. There are so many drunk drivers," she said.

Willow and her mother, Shannon Moore, are still in a state of shock after 72-year-old Anthony Tufano was run down by a drunk driver on March 22, 2012. Tufano was babysitting his youngest granddaughter, Iris, 7, that afternoon so Willow and her mom could go do an interview for a local FOX television affiliate. Tufano was returning home when he was hit by Matt Bush, a minor league pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Bush hit the back of Tufano's motorcycle, causing Tufano to be thrown from the bike. Witnesses say the SUV then ran over Tufano before taking off. "Literally, the tire on the SUV ran over the driver's head. Without the helmet, the gentleman would have died instantly," said witness Scott Sugden. Willow's mom said when she spoke to Tufano, "The first thing he said to me is, 'Give Willow a hug and a kiss and tell her Grandpa thanks her.'" That was before he was placed in a medically induced coma.

The impact left Tufano in critical condition with numerous injuries including a fractured wrist, broken ribs, broken back, brain hemorrhaging, and a collapsed lung. Moore said, "He's definitely not out of the woods yet." The family wants everyone to know that Tufano is a very loving and caring man. Last year he lost his wife, but they say that hasn't stopped him from being a pivotal part of their lives every day. Tufano is an athlete, having run the Boston Marathon twice. "He's a real strong guy... so I'm hoping he'll pull through this," said Moore. Tufano's son Bernard added, "but it will be a long hard road to recovery."

Matt Bush was arrested on seven charges including driving under the influence and fleeing the scene of an accident. The FHP report said that Bush's blood alcohol level was .180, more than twice the legal limit. Bush, who has had multiple DUI-related charges and was driving with a suspended license, is being held on a $1.015 million bond because he is a "danger to the community" and a "flight risk." Bush told police he didn't remember seeing - or hitting - a motorcycle.

The family says they're still trying to make sense of it all. Tufano's son said he's angry with the Tampa Bay Rays "for inviting Matt Bush into my community" when they were aware of his problematic history. Willow Tufano, who wants her grandfather home soon, shakes her head in disbelief. "He ran, literally ran my grandpa over and ran his head over." She has a message for people like Bush: "If you make that much money, millions of dollars as a baseball player, just pay for a driver. Pay for a taxi if you're drunk." Let's pray that Willow's grandfather will be okay.

New Column!

"His Story, His World," by Aubrey

Hi! My name is Aubrey Tuggle, and I am a seventeen year old freshman. I am the oldest of three siblings under seven, so the house is never quiet! However, I still find time to pursue my hobbies of reading and writing. I would love to become a freelance writer, and am pursuing a writing career. 

Norman Rockwell: The American Idealist

When people think of America, they think of many things. Some think of soda shops, hamburgers, and fries. Others think of hard work, family, and patriotic pride. Just about everyone thinks about Norman Rockwell. How can we help it? His paintings embody both ideas of America; the nostalgia and tradition, and the wholesome values and morality.

Rockwell's paintings, however, depict less of the reality of what America was, and more of an ideal Rockwell dreamed for America.

During World War I, for example, Rockwell painted many pictures of soldiers. These were not the uniformed men, however, that were suffering through a living hell for American lives. If Rockwell didn't tell us, we would think they were civilians out on a pleasure trip. The pictures depict soldiers, strolling through lush foreign vistas, enjoying pretty girls and gorgeous scenery. These were not the realities of war, just Rockwell's ideal of what war should be like. Sadly, it was very far from the truth.

Rockwell's Four Freedoms pieces are also rather idealistic and smug, considering that many Americans, in fact, were not experiencing these freedoms at all. One painting that especially stands out is Freedom from Fear.  It depicts a mother and father peacefully standing over their sleeping children.  Although it was supposed to communicate that parents could put their children to bed with security, knowing that they would not be bombed in the night, many Americans were worried that America would be attacked at some point.

However, we needn't be too hard on Norman Rockwell. Even though his paintings seem to show an insensitivity to personal hardship, Rockwell knew what he was doing.  As a child growing up in a bad neighborhood, he had many unpleasant experiences, like seeing a man cruelly beat a woman and knock her down, seeing a friend's drunken uncle drop dead on the doorstep, or seeing gangs meet on the streets to fight.  This led him to write later, "Maybe as I grew up and found the world wasn't the perfectly place I had thought it to be, I unconsciously decided that, even if it wasn't an ideal world, it should be, and so painted the ideal aspects of it."

He wasn't trying to ignore the bad in life; he was simply trying to show his audience how to find the good in life, the things that go unnoticed when trials come.  And he did not fail his mission; his patriotic optimism will always be a part of the American viewpoint.  When we smile in the midst of a disaster, knowing that it will bring us together, when we smile in the midst of our tears, when we feel enobled at the death of a hero, knowing he died for our lives; we embody what it means to be an American, and for that, we can thank Norman Rockwell.