Especially for Boys
Have a question and don’t know where to find the answer? Send an email or letter to Dear Jack or Dear Jill for their expert advice in all problems, big and small! They’re here to help and are waiting to hear from you!
How do I make my friends pick up their trash? They litter the park where we hang out, which is across the street from where I live, and it makes me not want to hang out there, or with them. I don’t want to seem difficult but they are being irritating. Mike, 11 years old
Washington Heights, New York
Mike, My Man,
I hear you loud and clear. Nobody wants to feel like they live in a trashcan. Maybe you need to remind them, not by telling them, but by showing them. Try picking up something they dropped –if not right when they do it, then before you leave the park, and dropping it obviously in the can. If you make a little eye contact with the litterbug, he might just pick up your clue, without feeling like you are embarrassing him in front of your friends. A little show-not-tell can go a long way, and of course, you’re making your park cleaner, too.
Jack
I’m about to turn 16, and my parents promised me a new car, which is awesome. They’re kind of old-fashioned, and don’t understand why I’d like a hybrid, or green car. How do I convince them I don’t want a gas-guzzler without seeming ungrateful? Scott Jones, Sacramento, California
Scott,
Those are some amazing parents, ready to set you up with brand new wheels. And they obviously did a good job raising a teen like you who is trying to pick a responsible-drive. I’m not sure how you’re approaching them with the whole green lifestyle thing, but I suggest showing them the stats. Sometimes facts and figures can help a consumer make the choice that’s right for him or her. If you have a computer or can use one at the library, get them to join you online and check out Consumer Reports, The United States Enviromental Protection Agency , and/or Good Housekeeping’s The Daily Green. Once they see that you’re willing to do the research and have an informed conversation with them, they may green-light your green-wheels faster than the Indy 500. Drive Safe, and Buckle Up!
Jack
I live in Mexico City, Mexico and sometimes my family visits the Gulf. Whenever we go swimming, I find fish washed up on the beach. This many fish on the beach can’t be right, right? I want to work on cleaning up the ocean, but that’s such a big job, I don’t know where to begin. I’m in 7th grade and I found out I can’t even study marine biology until I’m in college. Why not? Marcos, Mexico City, Mexico
Marcos,
So, feeling like a small fish in a big pond, are we? Why not swim up to one of these opportunities, and jump right in the deep end? Action Quest is an expedition-based summer program for teenagers that include sailing, scuba diving, cultural immersion, marine biology and global exploration - all in a 'live-aboard' environment on voyages to the British Virgin Islands, the Caribbean's Leeward Islands, the Mediterranean, Galapagos, Australia, Tahiti and French Polynesia. There’s also the Seacamp Association, which is a non-profit, marine science education facility located on Big Pine Key in the tropical Florida Keys. Seacamp offers marine science education and summer camp experiences including SCUBA, sailing, board sailing, and arts & crafts to students from 12-17 years of age. If you can’t attend one of these programs, you can start your own at-home-study, by searching marine biology online, asking your science teachers for help, and watching the films of The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau. Who knows what you’ll discover submerging yourself in the deep blue seas?
Let us know how it goes – and share what you learn with us!
Swim against the stream,
Jack
I don’t usually write, or type, letters, because I’m not a very good writer or reader. I feel dumb. How can I get better? I’m so embarrassed because I read so slow.
Signed, Phil G. I’m 15 years old.
Dear Phil,
Phil, I really appreciate that you trust me to help you out here. It’s difficult for all of us to ask for help when we feel ashamed or embarrassed.
Here are a few steps that can help you pick up the pace with your reading skills. If you need help, ask a trusted adult like a teacher, librarian, coach, counselor, or principal. If your school doesn’t have a tutorial program or you are too shy to be a part of it, try going to your local library and see if they have any literacy volunteers. Another option you have is to go online and check out The Literacy Directory. This website can help you find the perfect program. Lastly, if you can practice reading just five minutes a day before you fall asleep, you will be amazed at your progress. Reading and writing opens doors, and I know there’s a door with your name on it!
Hang in there,
Jack
What do you do when you have no friends? I mean, NO FRIENDS. My best friend moved away and all of the other guys at my school aren’t like me. I don’t care about sports at all. I live in a small town, and all anyone cares about is football. Brett Lansing, 14 Omaha, Nebraska
Brett, Brett, Brett.
Okay, here’s what you know: it’s not great feeling alone and isolated. It’s not awesome to feel different. I’ve been there, and sometimes still feel that way. But here’s what you need to know: believe it or not, middle school and high school are…get ready for it…TEMPORARY. And soon you will be on to college or wherever your life leads you. Until then, I suggest you join one of Change My World Now’s groups, and find others like yourself, who are interested in making a change in their own world, and the global community. There are a lot of us out there, and you don’t have to feel alone. You can work, and play, with kids who are interested in all kinds of subjects. If you’re creative, we have the Creative Connectors. If you’re into the environment, join The Elements. Would you like to work with animals? Then Wild at Heart is the perfect place for you to hang out. Don’t feel like you have to be stuck in your school – get global, and gain a whole new world.
Your new friend,
Jack
Cassandra’s Angel is about the negative stories that Cassandra – and all of us – are told our entire lives. It’s about who people think we are. Luckily, Cassandra discovers that she is not alone. Come follow Cassandra on a journey that just might change your life.
