• More than 60 percent of the budget cuts will affect education programs

• The North Carolina Governor’s School program and North Carolina Teaching Fellows scholarship programs are two of the programs that will be most deeply affected by the budget cuts.

This article was written by Amy Taylor and Katie Miller, of West Henderson High School’s Wingspan Online

Seniors planning to apply for N.C. Teaching Fellows scholarships and juniors who want to attend the N.C. Governor’s School next summer may be disappointed. In July the N.C. General Assembly approved a state budget that cuts both programs.

A shortfall in tax revenues led state legislators to pass a budget with more than $3.7 billion in cuts. More than 60 percent of those cuts came in the areas related to education.

Students have always received things such as agendas and driver’s education without having to worry about the cost. This year, the student body will be expected to pay a $5 fee for their agenda and a $45 fee if they plan on attending driver’s ed. In addition, there may be a fee for attendance make-up sessions.

Cuts included an $850,000 allocation for the N.C. Governor’s School program. Students selected to attend the 48-year-old program will now have to pay a $500 fee, and the number of students accepted to the program may be cut. Supporters of the Governor’s School have raised more than $135,000 in contributions to help fund the program next summer, the Charlotte Observer reported

“When we learned that the program was not getting any funding from the state, we were incredibly depressed and sad that it had to happen, but we weren’t going to give up,” senior Anna Decker said. Decker attended the 2011 Governor’s School East in theater arts.

“We instantly started fundraisers and advertising and tried to get people to donate,” Decker said. “One day we went out and did charity work in our Governor’s School shirts. That day we also called some Governor’s School alumni, and they donated a lot of money. Thankfully, there is going to be a Governor’s School 2012.”

In past years, about 600 students attend either Governor’s School East located at the Meredith College in Raleigh or Governor’s School West located at Salem College in Winston-Salem. The program is a six-week residential program for academically and artistically gifted students.

The N.C. Teaching Fellows program was also eliminated from the state budget.

For the past 25 years, the program has awarded renewable $6,500 scholarships to 500 college freshmen committed to teaching careers in the state.

N.C. Speaker of the House Thom Tillis has publically said he is rethinking the decision, saying that educators and advocates of the program have convinced him that Teaching Fellows should continue, but he has taken no steps to fund the program for this year’s high school seniors.

“I have heard from enough teachers and enough superintendents and enough advocates that I am convinced that we have got to find a way to bridge it back,” Tillis said at a Wilmington town hall meeting. “I am convinced it’s a good program.”

Eighty-four percent of those who graduate from the program remain in teaching after the required four years.

According to Principal Dean Jones, doing away with the program will be disadvantageous to areas of the state that are considered high-risk. “Those who have a calling to teach are still going to go into the profession. However, what will hurt us is that Teaching Fellows graduates many times are able to align themselves with at-risk school districts, places where it’s hard to recruit and retain teachers,” Jones said. “Often they go into those areas and commit four years to the teaching profession. There are many districts that are low wealth, and I think those areas are going to be affected.”

The N.C. House and Senate must come to agreement about the cut by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2012.

“I hate that we will not be able to continue the program if indeed the legislators decide that we will not have the funds to help prospective teachers further their interest in education,” Jones said. “I think there will be some teachers that decide not to take that path because of this, but teaching is a calling. How many teachers do you see bailing out even though we haven’t had a raise in two or three years? Most are still in the profession because it’s a calling. But, certainly, we have to live too.”

Editor: Anna Hall, Intercollegiate Online News Network

• Teachers and students enjoy using electronic devices during breaks
• Students learn responsibility and willpower

Junior Eliza Deaver chats on her phone between classes. (Kenneth George/The Viking Press)

This year, one particular policy change has Kinston High School students jumping for joy.

The new cell phone policy states that students are able to use their electronics in between the changing of classes and during the lunch periods.

Many teachers are adapting to the policy change also. Teachers like Clay Stilley are enjoying the new rule just as much as the students are.

“I like the new rule. It causes fewer disruptions during classes because they have the chance between classes to handle their business,” Stilley said.

The new policy eliminates the need to sneak to text.

“I rarely warn students about cell phone usage during class,” English teacher Michael Moon said.

However, since the new policy gives students time to text during the school day, the consequences of getting caught texting during instructional time have become more severe.

If students use their electronics during class, the items will be confiscated, and repeat offenders face discipline consequences, including ISS and suspension.

Overall, the new policy gives students a chance to handle the responsibility of texting during the school day, just not in class.

“I don’t think the old policy ever really prevented them from using cell phones in the first place, but the new policy lets all the teachers now say, ‘Oh, you have time to do that before class. Take care of it outside of class.’” senior Caitlin West said.

This article was edited and re-packaged by Margaret Grigsby, a member of the ISONN News Stream at the University of Tennessee. Please direct any comments or questions to mgrigsby@utk.edu.

• On Wednesday, August 17 Emily Burley was involved in an automobile accident that totaled the car and broke 18 of her bones
• As of early October, she still cannot apply pressure to her left leg
• Still recovering, she plans to return to school next semester

Three teenagers from Searcy High School were involved  in a high-impact car crash in August but Emily Burley survived  along with everyone else.

“We started spinning and swerving all over the road  and there was a  car that was coming and they [the other car] didn’t  have time to stop so they hit the car [our car],”  Burley said.

Unfortunately, the crash didn’t only do damage to the car.

“I actually  blacked out. We all blacked out as soon as the car  started spinning,” Burley said. “I woke up as soon as the car hit us. When I  woke up, I didn’t know where the other car was because it had been moved. The other two where still passed out and so I had to wake them all up.”

Emergency personnel immediately arrived on the scene of the  accident.

“It took them an hour and a half to get me out of the car,” Burley said. “So towards the end I was really scared because I kept hearing them say things like ‘there is no where else to cut. We don’t know how to get her out.’ So I got really scared because I honestly thought they were going to have to cut my left leg off.”

After over an hour of firefighters and paramedics working with the jaws of life, Burley was removed from the vehicle and airlifted to Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

“The Helicopter landed in the church parking lot and they put me in it and they wouldn’t allow any of my family members be in it,” Burley said. “So I remember my mom and she said don’t worry I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

When Burley arrived at Children’s Hospital she underwent many x-rays and blood transfusions.

“Right now we are learning how to just use my leg again because even though it’s just been a month, I lost the muscle memory: how to walk, how to kick, how to do the simple things,” she said.  ”So right now I’m being taught how to move my foot, move my toes,  bend my knee— stuff that would seem extremely easy but it’s actually really hard for me.”

Even though Burley is going through something no teenager should go through, she still has an optimistic attitude and sees the bright side.

“I consider myself very lucky because if you look at the car, it would seem impossible for me to be alive,” Burley said. “I had multiple doctors and all the people who were at the scene said they didn’t think there was anyway I was going to live, so I consider myself extremely lucky and blessed that I’m still alive.”

Burley added that all of the visits from her friends and notes from people have motivated her to try and walk, and live a normal life again as soon as possible. She plans to return back at school next semester. The other two students were not as seriously injured as Burley and have already returned to school.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This article was edited and re-packaged by Michelle La Vone, a member of the ICONN News Editor staff at the University of Tennessee. Please direct any comments or questions to mlavone@utk.edu

It’s that time, seniors in high school and freshmen in college. Time to step up to the plate and move into the fabulous life of a dorm room resident. My aim is to help you discover some tricks of the trade. It’ll help you with the cool-factor, saving the good ole buckaroos and, of course, practicality.

Here’s what I have to offer:

First rule of thumb, don’t spend too much money, even if you think it’ll be an investment. This is seriously the most change-filled time in your life, so what you like today you probably won’t like three months from now. Consequently, seek the common discount stores for basics.

Second, don’t panic if you don’t get it all right when you move in. With time it’ll all fall into place. Getting everything before you get to the school leads to an overfilled car and extra stuff you don’t need.

Third, remember the follow:

• Microwave and Mini-Fridge, if not provided by the residence hall
• Shower caddy with soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower flip-flops, you get the idea. It also may be a good idea to get a bathmat for the floor.
• Plastic drawers that fit both in your closet and under your bed, utilizing all the space possible is crucial.
• Hangers. They make thrifty hangers that can hang multiple articles of clothing on one hanger, so if you are a fashionista look into that.
• Desk organizing stuff, smaller the space the more organization needed.
• School supplies: binders, paper, pens, pencils, scissors and planner are your minimum. Try and stay as close to the minimum as possible, and you can get what you need after school starts.
• Toiletries. When I went to college I forgot cotton balls. Also, if you are a toilet paper snob bring/buy your own. One ply is about all you’ll get.
• Fan, temperature regulation is always funky.
• Extra-long sheets (do not forget a mattress pad. Yikes.)
• Good smelling things (not including candles, they are usually banned)
• Extension Cords and power strips. Sometimes extra plugs aren’t allowed, but they are desperately needed, so bring them just in case.
• Cleaning supplies. Anti-bacterial wipes will save the day.
• Laundry supplies: detergent, dryer sheets, quarters and basket.
• If you are feeling over-zealous, bring a first aid kit, tool box, television, futon and the list could go on.

Fourth, an idea of where to get it:

Target: Always always always has the best looking and most affordable dorm décor (I know, guys, you really want the cute stuff). Without a doubt, my best purchases freshman year where made here. I also would recommend keeping the “cutesy” or extra items to a minimum (I know, once again guys, it’ll be a struggle). Clutter is the bane of dorm room existence.

Bed, Bath and Beyond: Literally, BB&B is the heaven for all college life. Anything you could ever want for your shoebox can be found under this roof. The best part of all is that they have a list of things you need to get.
Parental Hand-me-downs: Best financial decision you could ever made is to see what you have in A.) the hidden nooks of your house or B.) the attic or C.) other family member’s possession. Some of my favorite pieces of furniture are unwanted by the parental unit. Perfect.

Goodwill: For those of you feeling thrifty.

Finally, go into this change with an open mind, aware that living with someone can sometimes be treacherous. To avoid any unnecessary conflict, keep your side of the room clean, turn your alarm off when it goes off, ask before eating their food and be upfront and honest as much as possible. Dorm life, while cramped, is one of the cherished parts of my college years. It’s an opportunity to learn and grow in ways that you may have never experienced, and I wish the best for you.

There are over 7,000 miles between San Francisco and Kabul. At times, it seems like the distance between civilians and soldiers is just as vast. No number of news reports, political speeches or second-hand stories can ever really capture the intensity of life on the ground.

The military knows a completely different conflict from those of us at home. U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Owen Morris has taken action to fill that void. He has made a film that allows ordinary people experience the terror, joy, awe and sorrow of a grunt’s-eye view of war.

In 2009, Morris, then 26 years old, was deployed on a seven-month tour to Southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. A cinema major at SF State, Morris decided to find space in his bag for a few cameras to film his tour from a first-person perspective. The result is the most intimate possible portrayal of war.

The film, which is still deep in the editing process, is called “Removed From Reality.” It follows Morris and his fellow members of LAR 1st Platoon Alpha Company on the long road from his civilian home in Daly City across a war zone, and back.

Morris saw his deployment as an opportunity to show the world what the conflict is really like for those involved, without journalists as middlemen.

“Mostly you see the conflict from the point of view of the media,” Morris said. “Nowadays you’re capable, with digital production, to be on the ground, to be one of the guys and share that story without that filter.”

Morris, now a year removed from service, believes the filter of the media has created a chasm between public understanding of the war in Afghanistan and its reality. His goal, however, is not to redefine the world’s perception of the conflict, but rather to show the raw, human side of the men and women fighting it.

“I’m not advocating pro-war or anti-war or anything–I’m not even commenting on the war. I’m commenting on the experience,” Morris said. “It’s hard to let other people understand what goes on when a kid gets scared and shoots up a car full of a family. I think the best thing that we can do is show people and talk about it and bring it up.”

Corporal Brett Gelesko, a member of Morris’s company in Afghanistan, is featured in the film. He believes there is wide misunderstanding of a Marine’s role in the war.

“When people hear Marines they have a certain perception about, you know, maybe how bad ass they are or what they do as a service. People have those ideas of what we do out there,” Gelesko said. “In any infantry service there’s very raw ups and downs of being in that kind of situation.”

Morris used small pocket cameras strapped to vehicles, helmets, backpacks, guns–anything he could think of. The resulting footage is visceral. It’s everything reality TV wants to be. There’s a sincerity present that can’t be mimicked. It’s there in a soldier’s heavy breathing as his team storms a contested village. It’s there in the off-the-cuff humor of the boys in downtime. Through Morris, the viewer is not a witness, but a participant.

“I know some of the Marines were pretty annoyed … he was pretty persistent with questions and pictures,” Gelesko said.

For Morris, the film is more like a home movie than a documentary.

For a journalist focusing entirely on the project, to capture the footage in the film would be a logistical accomplishment. For Morris to do so, while also tasked with the life and death duties of being a soldier in a war zone, it is a remarkable achievement.

“We have giant eight-wheeled, almost like tank, vehicles. My job was to do a lot of the maintenance of those. I strapped camera to the inside and outside of stuff but I was splitting my energy between getting those cameras set up and functioning the way that they were supposed to and maintaining the vehicle,” Morris said. “It was a nightmare.”

The work has impressed SF State cinema department production coordinator Scott Boswell, who has helped Morris with some of his editing.

“[Logistically] it’s huge. It’s huge. Very few students are able to accomplish making a film, much less a full feature-length documentary,” Boswell said. “Very few people have the focus and the drive. That’s where Owen is different.”

Morris also had to concern himself with the rigid rules of the military. Typically, a soldier would never be allowed to capture footage such as this, let alone distribute it commercially. Morris built good faith by making a 20-minute film for his unit during a 2006 deployment to the tiny North African country of the Republic of Djibouti.

“They were OK with everything,” Morris said. ”I didn’t get stopped from doing anything I was doing. Everybody let me do pretty much whatever I wanted. Just so long as I was fulfilling my job.”

Morris may face hurdles when he does get to the point of releasing the film.  According to Lt. Geseki of the Marine Corps Motion Picture and Liaison Office, Morris’ film must follow strict criteria in order to clear Marine protocols and be made available to the public. The strictest being “representing the Marine Corps message in a positive light.”

Though he believes the military will have their misgivings, Morris is confident that the message of his film will shine through to even the staunchest of authorities.

“I think they’re probably gonna be shit-scared when they see the trailer,” Morris said. “They’re probably gonna be scared when they sit through the first couple minutes of it, and then I’m hoping that by the time they get to the conclusion they’ll see what I’m trying to say. This is the experience of a lot Marines on the ground, in the front. That’s what our experience is like… it’s honest and I think the military will see that.”

Morris has lost weight. His face is visibly slimmer than the man in the early stages of the film: able, willing but not quite ready to go to war. He still curses like a Marine.

Morris isn’t hoping to change the world or the war, just a few minds.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As you begin to look at colleges and decide what school is the best choice for you there are several things you should research first. One of the most important things to consider when examining your options is finances. Many college students need financial aid, and this series will help you start thinking about the financial decisions that you will soon encounter.

Your first step in applying for any type of financial aid will be to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is available online and the information you provide will be given to whichever schools you list on the FAFSA form, and financial need will then be assessed based on this information.

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One option you may be eligible for financial aid is to take out a Direct Loan. A Direct Loan is a low interest loan for students and parents. The lender of a Direct Loan is the United States Department of Education.

You may be awarded more than one type of loan, and it is important to understand what each loan entails before you decide to accept any or all loans.

Types of Direct Loans…..

There are several types of Direct Loans: Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans and Consolidation Loans.

*NOTE* a “grace period” is a six month period after you complete school in which you are not required to make any payments on your loan

• Direct Subsidized Loans are based on financial need. Eligibility for a Direct Subsidized Loan is based on federal regulations. If you accept a Direct Subsidized Loan, you will not be charged interest during the time you are enrolled in school if you are at least a half time student. No interest will be charged to you during grace periods or deferment periods.

•  Unsubsidized Loans are NOT based on financial need. If you accept a Direct Unsubsidized Loan, you will be charged interest during your time as a student as well as during grace and deferment periods.

•  Direct PLUS Loans are a type of Unsubsidized Loans for parents of financially dependent students and for graduate or professional students. Interest is charged during grace and deferment periods and also during the student’s enrollment in the school.

• Consolidation Loans is an option where student loans may be combined.

Things you should consider…

•  If you accept a Direct Loan you will not have to make any payments on your loan until you drop below half time status.

•  Each school will tell you how much you may borrow and what types of loans you are eligible for.

•  After you fill out the FAFSA form and it is reviewed, your school will notify you of the financial awards being offered to you. You may choose to decline an award or request a loan for a lower amount. Your award letter should tell you how to do this.

•  If you choose to accept any or all of your award offers, you will have to pay back the entire loan amount plus interest. There are several Payment plan options to help you do this.

To get an idea of how much you should borrow, take a look at the Federal Department of Education’s Repayment Calculator and Budget Calculators.

• There is a maximum amount per loan you will be awarded based on grade level and financial status (are you independent or dependent).

• The actual amount that you may accept is determined by your school and this amount may be lower than the maximum amount determined by the government.

If you decide to accept a loan.….

Before you accept a Direct Loan you must sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN), a legal document stating that you promise to pay back the loan amount and any accrued interest/fees to the department.

You may sign your MPN online at www.StudentLoans.gov

If you choose to sign your MPN online, you will need your PIN number that is issued by the Department of Education (you should have this in your FAFSA information). If you do not have one, you may request one on the official PIN website.

Parents borrowing on behalf of their children must request a PIN number when accepting a PLUS Loan.

In most cases you may accept additional loans under the same MPN for up to 10 years unless your school does not allow it.

Direct PLUS Loans require a separate MPN.

If you accept an award offer that exceeds the amount of your tuition, your school with give you a check with the remaining amount of money. This money should be used for school-related expenses only (housing, groceries, books, etc.)

Payment Plans….

There are several repayment plan options when the time comes to repay your loan: Standard Repayment Plan, Extended Repayment Plan, Graduated Repayment Plan, Income Contingent Repayment Plan and Income-Based Repayment Plan

• If you choose the Standard repayment plan you will pay a fixed amount each month of at least $50. Under this payment plan you will have 10 years to repay your loan in full.

• You may also opt for an Extended repayment plan if you have more than $30,000 in loan debt. You will only be eligible for this payment plan if you have no outstanding Direct Loans as of Oct. 7, 1998. Under this plan you will have 25 years to pay back the loan in full. You may do this in one of two ways: fixed payment option or graduated payment option.

1. Fixed payment option: If you choose this option you will have a fixed payment amount due each month,
2. Graduated payment option: Under this payment option your monthly payments will start low as you begin your repaying period and increase every two years

• Another option when choosing a payment plans for your loan is the Graduated Repayment Plan. This plan gives you up to 10 years to pay back the loan. Each payment will never be less than the amount of interest accrued during payments.

• An Income Contingent Repayment Plan is one in which each payment you make is based on your annual income, family size and total amount of your Direct Loan.

• If you choose an Income-Based Repayment Plan you will make payments based on the income you received during periods of partial financial hardship. Under this payment plan your monthly payments may be adjusted annually. This plan allows you to take more than 10 years to pay back the loan and has the possibility of cancellation of any leftover fees.

More information on Direct Loans can be found at www.StudentLoans.gov

• McDonald’s will remodel and upgrade all United States stores by 2015.

• Remodeled stores will add additional drive-through windows, eliminate fluorescent lighting and feature leather chairs and flat screen televisions.

• Company officials hope the upgrades will boost annual per restaurant $3.1 million from $2.3 million.

By Declan Tidd

The international fast food chain McDonald’s announced last month it will be “McRemodeling”, as the company puts it, all of their stores in the United States. The company’s hopes are to have the restaurants upgraded by 2015. This will be the biggest nationwide store upgrade in McDonald’s 56-year history.

The Senior Vice President of Domestic Restaurant Development, Jim Carras, says that “it is important to change with the times,” according to USA today. He goes on to say that if a store is upgraded, then there will be more customers due to a more welcoming atmosphere. The fast food chain is reportedly hoping to pull away from the current competition, like Burger King or Wendy’s. The McDonald’s upgrade follows Starbucks’ move to remodel stores in an effort to “edge out” the competition.

The 14,000 American stores will undergo changes like doubling the amount of drive through windows and eliminating fluorescent lighting. The typical red and yellow colors will be replaced with more “earthy” colors. Leather chairs will replace the plastic chairs that are attached to the table, which will be changed from fiberglass to wood. Roofs will be changed from bright red pointed roofs to an even shape. Flat screen televisions will also be added to most stores.

Junior Rodney Jackson says, “People love to eat at McDonald’s because it’s fast and the food actually tastes good. Hopefully the store upgrades will help out.”

Last year, McDonald’s changed 280 stores in different ways, looking for one that profited the most. Due to the success (double digit sales increase) and high customer approval rate, the Tampa Bay model was chosen as the store to base all remodels off of. The European versions of the stores also resemble the new stores.

“This is a big risk for McDonald’s. If customers don’t particularly like the upgrades, or find them unimportant, then it’s just a big waste of money for the company,” says sophomore Andrew Chafin.

Eight-hundred stores are expected to be changed by the end of the year. The corporation is spending over $1 billion dollars on the project. Some stores could cost $100,000 for the full upgrade.

McDonald’s is no longer focused on getting customers fed and then getting them out. These store upgrades, along with the Wi-Fi each store provides, are more welcoming for customers to dine in.

Company officials are hoping that the upgrades will boost annual sales per restaurant to $3.1 million from $2.3 million, or by $11.2 billion across all McDonald’s stores within five years.

In addition to cosmetic changes, the corporations famous “Ronald McDonald” is under fire. Many children’s health groups are demanding the retirement because he “markets junk food” to minors.  In an open letter to the CEO, Jim Skinner, over 550 health professionals are asking for the mascot’s retirement. McDonald’s stands by Ronald McDonald, by saying that their Happy Meals offer a wide variety of choices, including fruits and vegetables.

• Half of University of California-Davis’ college students claim sleep-deprivation
• Body has two modes of sleep, REM & NREM
• Sleep deprivation can lead to decreased physical and mental health

By Amy Stewart

Two people with sleep disorders sharing a bedroom can make for interesting nights, to say the least.

I have chronic insomnia; there can be multiple nights in a row where I’m unable to fall asleep until four or five o’clock in the morning. Taking my prescribed sleeping pills once in a while helps but leads to sleep talking, such as the time I climbed into my loft bed and treated my roommate to a lengthy speech about the possible evolutionary origins of the fear of falling.

I have no memory of talking about this, but I did so coherently enough that she thought I was awake.

My sleeping problems are not too unusual. According to the National Center for Sleep Disorders Research at the National Institutes of Health, about 30 to 40 percent of adults say they have some symptoms of insomnia within a given year, and about 10 to 15 percent of adults say they have chronic insomnia.

Insomnia can be caused either by stress or by some kind of underlying medical condition. A traumatic event, such as divorce or death of a loved one, can make people toss and turn. Medical conditions such as pain, menstruation and side effects of medications can also make it difficult to fall asleep.

Insomnia can lead to sleep deprivation, a condition with which college students in particular are familiar. According to the most recent National College Health Assessment, more than half of surveyed UC Davis students don’t get enough sleep to feel rested, and nearly a fifth have a big or very big problem with sleepiness.

“Sleep deprivation causes stress, moodiness, accidents and immune system impairment,” said Dorje Jennette, a doctor of psychology at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at UC Davis.

My insomnia is exacerbated (if not caused) by my off-kilter circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is the body’s pattern of being asleep and being alert. Exposure to light sets off a process starting at the retina in the eye and going to a certain area of the brain called the supra-chiasmatic nucleus, which then controls the release of hormones and other functions that control how sleepy or awake we feel.

However, the circadian rhythm is not only controlled by whether there is light outside. When we stay up all night trying to finish a paper, the end result could be suffering through an early morning class with heavy eyes and a slow mind.

“With irregular sleep schedules, we’re effectively giving ourselves jet lag,” Jennette said.

We all love jet lag, don’t we?

Though my sleeping problems are intensely aggravating and necessitate a great deal of coffee in order to get to my classes, my roommate’s problems can be more frightening.

“Insomnia, nightmares, sleepwalking and I’ve had a few night terrors,” said Nicole Hooper, a junior chemistry major.

There are two main types of sleep, REM (rapid-eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid-eye movement). Adults spend 20 to 25 percent of their sleeping time in the REM stage through four or five cycles of the two types. During REM sleep, brain activity, heart rate and breathing are surprisingly similar to being awake. Nightmares occur during REM sleep, much like normal dreams, but they are typically much more vivid.

REM sleep is also characterized by temporary muscle paralysis. This is why people don’t typically act out their dreams or move in their sleep. When this process doesn’t work properly, the result is REM Behavior Disorder, where individuals begin acting out their dreams.

NREM sleep, on the other hand, is the deep sleep portion of the night. What few dreams that do occur are vague and disconnected. It’s also the stage at which sleepwalking and night terrors take place, but these are more common in children than adults.

The tips online of trying to get a good night’s sleep are things everyone has heard before: try to keep a regular sleep schedule even on weekends, avoid caffeine several hours before bed and try relaxation exercises or meditation. If the problems continue, talk to a doctor and they can prescribe medication or refer you to a sleep study.

Now, where did I put my bed-time tea…

Related Links:

National Sleep Foundation: http://www.sleepfoundation.org/
WebMD, sleep disorders health center: http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/important-sleep-habits
Tree Community, sleep disorders: http://www.tree.com/health/sleep-disorders.aspx
Sleep disorders, Centers for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov/sleep/
National Center on Sleep Disorders, National Institute for Health: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/ncsdr/

• Currently, only U.S. citizens and legal residents can obtain financial aid for college
• The California bill AB 131 would grant qualified undocumented students financial aid
• The bill is in addition to AB 540 which gives qualified undocumented students in-state tuition

If passed in the Senate, a recent California bill would grant qualified undocumented students financial aid.

On May 27, the State Assembly passed AB 131 by a vote of 46-25; the legislation is now waiting a vote in the Senate. It comes as an addition to AB 540, which allows these students to pay in-state tuition. On June 6, the Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to AB 540.

Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) authored AB 131, which allows “students provided in-state tuition under AB 540 to also participate in financial aid programs,” said Scott Lay, president and CEO of the Community College League of California, in an e-mail interview.

The bill would exempt a student who has graduated or attended a California high school for three or more years from paying nonresident tuition at public colleges in California.

“California law provides in-state tuition to a limited groups of students who graduate from California high school but aren’t citizens,” Lay said.

Antonio R. Flores, president and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HAUC), said the importance of AB 131 is that it would provide undocumented students with financial aid.

“We recognize that AB 540 allowed many of these students some access to higher education,” Flores said in an e-mail interview. “But unless financial aid is a possibility, most of these students are unable to afford completing a degree, particularly at four-year colleges.”

The federal Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, (DREAM Act) was created in 2011 to enact changes in our nation’s citizenship law. Although the federal DREAM Act did not pass this year, people are still advocating for the changes.

HAUC is more of an advocate of the federal DREAM Act.

“[It] would not only clear up the right of states to provide in-state tuition and financial aid, but would also create a pathway to citizenship, and allow these students to become full participants in the economy,” Flores said.

The National Immigration Law Center (NILC)’s DREAM Act Summary states two major changes:  the first is to allow some undocumented students “who have grown up in the U.S. to apply for temporary legal status and to eventually obtain permanent legal status and become eligible for U.S. citizenship if they go to college or serve in the U.S. military.”

The second goal is to “eliminate a federal provision that penalizes states that provide in-state tuition without regard to immigration status.”

Furthermore, most undocumented students that come to America are “brought here as children, who have grown up here, who have gone to our schools” said Joshua Bernstein, the immigration director of the Service Employees International Union, in C-Span’s “Washington Journal” on May 21.

Bernstein said it is not the undocumented students’ fault for being brought to America. However, the majority of callers to the program believe that undocumented students should not obtain citizenship–rather they should be deported or given some kind of punishment.

Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin also offer financial aid for undocumented students.

KIMBERLY LAW can be reached city@theaggie.org.

Related Links:

Southern California Public Radio: http://multiamerican.scpr.org/tag/ab-131/
African Community Newspaper: http://www.mshale.com/printFriendlyPDF/articlePDF/18664.pdf
Phoenix New Times: http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2011/07/california_governor_jerry_brow.php
DREAM Act info: http://dreamact.info/