In a recent study done by Best Buy and Search Institute it was found that "only 19 percent of teens report that they have meaningful relationships with adults."  When close to 2000 fifteen-year-olds were surveyed it was found that only one in five reported they "have the kind of meaningful relationships with adults beyond their family that help them succeed in life."

The survey seems to indicate two things:  First, Teenagers feel an inadequate amount of support and second, they are looking for this support to come from their families and people in their community.  How can an adult make a positive impact?

o   Churches, more specifically the people in the church, need to take a close look at their attitudes about teenagers. Here are some questions to ask yourself :

§  Do teenagers feel welcome in your worship service?

§  Do they feel valued and that they are an important part of the church family?

§  Are there opportunities for teenagers to serve and lead?

o   Too many times we rely on the staff, the professionals in our churches, to do the job of mentoring and ministering to the teenagers. I would suggest challenging many adults to get involved. When that happens more will be served.

o   It doesn't have to be a difficult or time-consuming task. Start by acknowledging a teenager, learning his name, taking the time to comment on his out of school activities. Things like that can make a big difference.

Energy drinks and teenagers are not necessarily a winning combination.  In fact, many researchers are giving these popular drinks a "thumbs down," especially when it comes to teenagers and young adults. The problems are numerous and consumption is on the rise.

What is responsible for the negative attitude of these researchers when it comes to Energy drinks?

• Probably the most obvious concern is the high content of caffeine. "Caffeine content varies. Some of these drinks have over 200 milligrams (Coke or Pepsi, 34 - 38 milligrams) and Spike Shooter contains 428 grams of caffeine." (Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times)
• Caffeine has side effects you might expect like feeling jittery and nervous. But it has also been linked to serious cardiac events in kids. "Studies have linked excessive caffeine in children to elevated heart rates, hypertension, anxiety, headaches, and interrupted sleep patterns." (Kids + Energy Drinks = dangerous mix, by Howard Cohen, The Seattle Times)

Besides caffeine, are there any other ingredients that can be harmful?

In a recent article in The New York Times entitled, "Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in the Digital Age," the author suggests that "many students do not grasp that [plagiarism] is a serious misdeed." What are the facts?

1.   I believe our first step is to define plagiarism.

• Dictionary.com defines it as the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language or thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work.
• According to the website www.articlemyriad.com, plagiarism is very much like theft in that something is taken or borrowed from an author or creator without credit being given.

2.     Why has the problem of plagiarism been magnified?

Parents have found a new way to invade their childrens' "private space."  They are "friending" them on facebook and the response has not been positive.  This isn't a new issue but it is growing.

1. What exactly are parents doing that has created this negative response?

• Quoting an article from the latimes.com, "...teens are mortified by nagging chats and clueless comments left by their mothers on their online profiles."
• Moms are sharing about issues that don't interest their kids and are downright embarrassing to them.
• In addition, they are posting annoying pictures and messages.
• Unfortunately, I have to report that it is moms much more than dads who are the offenders.

2. You say this isn't a "new issue," but is a "growing" one. What has prompted the growth?