Because of her mom and Food Network, Tomme became interested in cooking. She prefers baking instead of cooking as rainbow cupcakes are her favorite food.

“I love cooking because I love to eat,” Tomme said. “There are lots and lots of food I really want to learn how to cook.”

Savvy Bistro, run by Culinary Arts helps students learn how to work in food industry. Students gain cooking and baking skills, learn to run a restaurant and become certified Serv Safe food handlers.

“I like the Savvy Bistro,” Tomme said. “It’s actually very fancy for a restaurant run by kids.”

A couple of months before school ended in 2006, culinary arts students were asked to do a project to come up with ideas for the new restaurant, Savvy Bistro. In May 2006 Konye Rene Rice died in a car crash. In dedication to Rice, they decided to go with Rice’s project ideas. Savvy originates from the name Savannah, the name Rice chose after her niece. Savvy Bistro opened later that year in October.

“I find it very sad and kind of cool,” Tomme said. “To have a restaurant named after you, that’s exciting. ”

Savvy Bistro serves American style food with featured foods every two weeks. Savvy Bistro opens on Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for teachers.

“Our students work really hard at making the guest feel like they aren’t in a school environment,” Chef Instructor Adair Smith said. “Our students serve great food with great service. That’s their goal.”

“When I listen to this music, it helps me focus on whatever I’m doing and helps me think,” Goh said.

Studying while having music in the background can increase productivity because of the rhythm and beat. Rhythm organizes physical movements in the body such as heartbeat, walking, and breathing. Music can change a person’s mood when listening to the beat. From studies, listening to slow music has been shown to slow a person’s heartbeat and breathing, while faster tempo music did the opposite. The heart responds to music by adjusting to the rhythm, which will cause the body to become more relaxed with the tempo. As the body calms down it relieves stress and it becomes easier to focus on tasks.

“I pay more attention to detail, and all the little things,” junior Jessilee Shipman said.

Music can also affect the brain’s ability to retain information. Both the left and right sides of the brain work more efficiently. The left processes information and the right engages with the music. Research shows the average amount of students involved in instrumental music score higher on mathematical tests than students who aren’t involved. It can also help people keep an open mind as they are exposed to different forms of music.

“I think growing up, experiencing different music and deciding what I like and what I don’t like is why everyone is so different. Even my best friends don’t have the exact musical preference I do,” Shipman said.

Each person might experience a different reaction to music, an experienced musician or listener might hear a piece of music differently from someone who doesn’t play any instruments. As a percussionist, playing the drums helped Shipman develop an ear for tone. As she learned to play the drums, it also developed her musical taste. She keeps an open mind to all types of music and doesn’t limit herself to one genre.

“When I listen to Indie rock music I relax, if it’s soothing. It’s hard to be upset when the perfect song is on, it can make me happy if it is upbeat and stuff,” Shipman said.

Music Psychology shows it can have positive effects on the brain and on how people think. Music can help build self-esteem for students who have trouble connecting with other people. It can also reduce headaches and the severity of migraines. For Shipman, it helps her enter a better mood and think more positively. Whenever she has the chance, she plugs in headphones and relaxes.

“Music is a strong influence, listening to one song might not do anything but added up they can change someones’ personality,” Goh said.

Starting the meetings with games and socializing, the group moves onto singing and skits. The Younglife leaders give teenagers an environment to freely express their beliefs, as they end the last ten to twenty minutes with a Bible study.

“If you come to Younglife with an open heart and attitude, you can have a good chance to meet new friends and relate to God,” Franklin said. “I wouldn’t change anything about it. I love going.”

Along with Younglife as an opportunity to practice the religion of Christianity, there are more religious programs held at Legacy. BASIC and FCA are two different clubs that students can join into to relate to fellow Christian students. In Mrs. Schimming’s room, anyone can join the after school meetings for testimonies, worship, singing and visiting.

“I go to all three groups and Fellowship of Christian Athletes reminds me of Younglife a lot because it is very enthusiastic and peppy,” Franklin said. “Brothers and Sisters In Christ is more of a serious time to worship God.”

Senior Morgan Ingle attends BASIC every Friday from 2:45-3:15 year round. BASIC is a ‘Group of Believers,’ Ingle said, who discuss and practice the religion of Christianity, just like Younglife.

“Everyone who goes to BASIC goes for one thing and one thing only, which is to worship God in a serious matter,” Ingle said. “We sometimes joke around, but it gets pretty serious too.”

Even though BASIC meets before and after school, it is also involved outside of school, too. The group periodically travels around Mansfield to help influence locals to follow the word of God by preaching to strangers.

“BASIC is just a group of Christian fellows, where we can grow together and teach each other,” Ingle said. “That’s what BASIC’s [purpose] is for, is to build each other up and help other people.”

Ingle says that this specific spiritual group is different from FCA and Younglife because it is student led, giving students an opportunity to share their own message or testimony.

“FCA is directed more particularly toward student athletes,” senior James Thomas said. “If people see us playing out on the field with our team, we want to show our Christian pride and set a good example of what a Christian athlete is.

FCA [Fellowship of Christian Athletes] is a group of Christian athletes who meet every Thursday at 6:00p.m. in the main gym. Starting with games and bonding, the teens who attend FCA either go into individual small groups, or praise and worship together with a lecture.

“I like the FCA program because it’s a great opportunity to let kids express themselves,”  Thomas said. “That’s what FCA is for is to introduce Christ to others.”

Thomas chose to join FCA earlier the year before. After going to FCA a few times last year, he decided to go more often at the beginning of this year, being more involved and part of the Christian club for athletes.

“FCA basically allows students and friends to come together, worship the Lord and have fun all at the same time,” Thomas said.

“I know I’ll have to pay for a lot of things, but when I’m old enough I’ll be ready,” Tansey said. “I know what I want from what I need. I think I’ll be just fine.”

According to the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, high school seniors’ financial literacy, or their understanding of money and finances, dropped from 2006 to 2010. Survey participants answered 48 percent of finance-related questions correctly. But if high school students wish to be successful, they’ll need a more apparent grasp of money. Freshman Meredith Cherry, who hasn’t begun preparing financially and has only just started high school, worries she needs to know more about money.

“I don’t know a lot about money,” Cherry said. “I want to know enough to make sure I have enough to provide for myself and my family some day. It would be great to know more.”

Having money can get students things they want, but most students rely almost completely on their parents, leaving many students unprepared for the financial independence they will face as an adult, or even as a college student. To help their children manage money, parents can begin allowing their children to have more financial freedom in several ways: By opening a checking account and giving their child a debit card moderated by the parent; opening a savings account and depositing money regularly to help with future expenses like buying a car or paying for college; and helping their child begin investing in stocks, bonds, and funds. Gradually, parents can help their children learn enough of the basics of money to prepare them for independence.

“Parents need to teach [their kids] money doesn’t grow on trees and to stop paying for everything for them and let them take responsibility themselves,” Tansey said. “I think that will fix the problem.”

Before anything else, students seeking to manage their money and prepare themselves for the future have to budget their money and expenses. Professionals say students should write down any amount of money received or given, no matter how small. In doing so, they can know exactly how much they make each month, how much they spend each month and what they spend it on. From there they can trim their expenses by no longer fulfilling unnecessary desires. Perhaps more importantly students can determine how much money they can afford to save or invest with.

“[Budgeting your money is] very important because you need to have a balance of money for things you want and things you can’t survive without,” Tansey said.

In 2008 the Jump$tart Coalition found more than one third of high school seniors reported having credit cards, and more half had debit cards. Credit cards can help mature students build credit necessary for financing future expenses, such as a house, car or loan. However, they can also lead to mass debt.

Nellie Mae, a student loan lender, found college freshmen had an average of $1,585 in credit card debt, which can take years to pay off. When searching for a credit card, students and parents should look for one with a maximum balance to suit the student’s needs and as low an APR rate as they can find. However, students may want to consider using debit cards, which make for a more secure option, as they allow individuals to only withdraw what they have in their account. Either way students should keep track of what they have in their account and not spend money they don’t have.

AP Calculus teacher Stephan Shardy cosigned on credit cards for his daughters to help them learn the basics of credit.

“The point was they were going to be responsible for their money, so they learned how to manage their money and manage their credit, and that built into a magnificent thing,” Dr. Shardy said. “They made some mistakes, but I got them started and that was important.”

According to the National High School Center, having a steady source of income and spending money wisely leads to good habits, which can pay off later in life.

“If they learn proper money management now, it will bless them in the future,” Shardy said. “They’ll feel better about themselves. They’ll be able to have their needs met, and they’ll be content. But I’ve never known a happy person living in debt. No one sleeps well knowing they can’t pay their bills.”

During her sophomore year, Melton began taking sleeping pills prescribed by her doctor full time to help with her lack of sleep and headaches. Since then she has stopped taking her pills.

“It’s upsetting because no matter what I did I couldn’t fall asleep. Then when I get to school I fall asleep in class,” Melton said. “Its frustrating because I don’t pay attention.”

One of the reasons Melton dislikes taking pills because she had a bad experience taking pills.

“I did not like taking pills because because I am a bad pill taker,” Melton said. “I took them because my doctor told me to.”

Every night Melton took two types of pills: Topamax and Meletoin. Reluctant at first, Melton eventually decided to take the medication to help ease her mind from racing when she would try to sleep. After doctors upped the dosage of her original prescription, the sleeping pills eventually worked. However, sleeping pills are merely short term prescriptions and should be taken cautiously and only when prescribed by a doctor.

“I didn’t understand why I had to keep taking medicine that wasn’t working,” Melton said. “ I was getting worried that my problem wasn’t going to get fixed.”

After running out of her sleeping pills she forgot to refill them for two weeks, that’s when she stopped taking them.

“I wasn’t having headaches so I stopped taking them,” Melton said.

The purpose of sleeping pills are to act as a sedative hypnotic, or something to induce or maintain sleep. The problem lies within their sole purpose is to make someone stay asleep. One of the main side effects of people on this medication include Parasomnias, or behaviors and actions that the sleeping person has no knowledge of happening. Some examples of Parasomnias include: nightmares, night terrors, sleep walking, sleep paralysis, along with many others.

“The over the counter sleeping pills usually are Benadryl and are pretty safe,” Nurse Tracye Franks said. “There are others that are stronger, different medications that are a little bit more risky. Then prescription medications can be dangerous.”

Taking sleeping pills can also cause another common side effect, dependence. The pills are meant to be taking for short term sleep deprivation, and could eventually stop working once the person becomes tolerant to them. However, if someone on the medication continually uses them they could potentially create a psychological dependence. This means a person attached to the medicine may become anxious, or unable to fall asleep because they mentally believe they need the pills when physically they do not.

“It can become an addiction it can be bad enough that they need to seek treatment,” Franks said.

At a party over the summer, Miller decided to take MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), which is also known as ecstasy. MDMA has stimulant and psychedelic properties and is often taken for the feelings of well-being, stimulation and the distortions in time and sensory perception.

“I thought it was a normal thing to do, and I didn’t think it was a big deal,” Miller said. “It wasn’t my best experience, but I’ve learned to accept my mistakes since then.”

MDMA can cause a dangerous increase in body temperature that can lead to kidney failure, it can also cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. In humans, the research is not conclusive at this time, however, a number of studies show that long term, heavy MDMA users suffer cognitive deficits, including problems with memory. MDMA can affect the brain by altering the activity of chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters, which enable nerve cells in the brain to communicate with one another.

MDMA can produce confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug craving and severe anxiety.These problems can occur soon after taking the drug or sometimes even days or weeks. Miller experienced many of the short term side effects including insomnia, raised blood pressure, high body temperature and discomfort. However, since she had only one experience with the drug, she doesn’t think she has been effected by the long term side effects.

“I didn’t think of the side-effects when I took it,” Miller said. “It didn’t matter to me at the time, but looking back, I wish I would have done things differently.”

Researchers have determined many ecstasy tablets contain not only MDMA but also a number of other drugs or drug combinations that can be harmful as well. Adulterants found in MDMA tablets purchased on the street include methamphetamine, caffeine, over-the-counter cough suppressants, the diet drug ephedrine and cocaine.

Pediatrician Toribio Garcia believes adults should enter into dialogue with teens about drug abuse and should be prepared to discuss consequences both medical; and legal resulting from illicit drug use. If an adult is fearful of or unable to frankly discuss the issues, health care providers, school counselors, clergy and coaches may be asked to counsel teens.

“Parents should never dismiss early signs of drug abuse,” Dr. Garcia said. “In today’s society too many families are raising “latch-key” children who come home each afternoon to an empty house. Remember an idle brain is the devil’s workshop.”

MDMA exerts its primary effects in the brain on neurons that use the chemical (or neurotransmitter) serotinin to communicate with other neurons. The serotonin system plays an important role in regulating mood, pain aggression to sexual activity.

“Growing up in the 2000′s is indeed difficult for todays young population,” Dr. Garcia said. “To achieve an ‘identity’, false sense of superiority and increased self-esteem to gain popularity or acceptance in certain social circles, children turn to “fun-seeking” activity and other risk taking behaviors.”

According to the 2004 National Survey on drug use and health, more than 11 million people have tried MDMA at least once. MDMA is taken orally, usually in a tablet or capsule, and its effects last approximately three to six hours. The average reported dose is one to two tablets, with each tablet typically containing between 60 and 120 milligrams of MDMA.

“Since that night I have not done it again. I made a huge mistake that is one one my biggest regrets,” Miller said. I’ve changed since then and never want to be in that place again.”

*Name has been changed

Joye’s father leaves the country for years at a time due to his job as a diplomat. His father has been training officers in Saudi Arabia since the summer, and has also worked in places such as Iraq in the past.

“[Him being gone] helps us because it made a stronger relationship between my mom and I,” Joye said. “Of course the relationship with my dad could be stronger but his job makes him happy.”

According to jrf.org.uk the requirements parents’ jobs entail play a great role on the development of the child, especially in the early ages of their life. A study by John Ermisch and Marco Francesconi of the Institute for Social and Economic Research measured the impact on a child’s life due to time restrictions of the parents’ employment. The research led to results such as a more difficult time making A’s in school and a risk of the child experiencing psychological stress as an adult for a child who’s parents work full time and have time consuming jobs.

“I don’t think [a time consuming job] is necessarily a bad thing,” Joye said “[Parents] need to take care of their kids so they do what they have to do to support them.”

A study in 2004 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed parents with occupations such as a doctor or surgeon spend 60 hours or more per at work, yet in turn bring in a larger salary compared to the less time consuming jobs. Such jobs force the parent to choose between time with their family or a large income to support their family. Senior Kristen Tegze believes that how much time a parent spends with their child directly influences their life.

“Instead of parents influencing them its the people at school and their surroundings,” Tegze said. “Those aren’t always the best influences.”

Tegze’s father works as a Registered Nurse at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. His job requires him to work 12 hour days four times a week teaching the new employees skills they will need for the job. Tegze realizes her father’s job may be stressful at times, but herself and her whole family supports him completely.

“In our case I don’t think how time consuming his job is effects us,” Tegze said. “We spend a lot family time together but I can see how in other families it would be a big deal.”

Other students such as senior Billy Smith have at least one parent who stays at home, in Smith’s case his mother stays home while his father works.

“I believe parents who stay at home tend to have a stronger relationship with their children because they tend to communicate and see them more often,” Smith said.

The second day of school, seventh block, ten minutes before the bell rings to dismiss for lunch Conn asked Mrs.Mac-Holmes if he could share a journal with his Theater 3/4 class.That day Conn stood up in front of a class full of students without his hat. Conn told the class why he had no hair and for once since the class began the students were quiet.

“I wasn’t scared or worried, I knew they would understand, they are theater kids,” Conn said.

Khiry Cleveland, a friend and fellow Theater 3/4 student, was in the classroom with Conn when he shared his news.

“It was brave, getting up in front of everyone and he showed that that he was willing to come to terms with [his disease] and tell everyone,” Cleveland said. “He was like ‘I’m Matt Conn and I have a disease that is hard to pronounce.’”

Conn suffers from an auto-immune disease, Alopecia Universalis, the complete and total loss of body hair. About one in every 125,000 men and one in every 250,00 women have either Alopecia Universalis or Alopecia Totalis, loss of hair on entire head, according to hairlosstalk.com.

“Matt has always had the love and support of his family and church to carry him through tough times. And when we have failed, and we have, Matt has the support of the One who died for him,” his mom, Debbie Cotter said.

Conn first noticed his hair falling out when he and his 13-year-old cousin were playing chicken in their apartment complex’s pool when Conn accidentally busted his cousin’s lip with his head when coming up out of the water. When he checked to see if he had injured himself he got hair instead of blood.

“My first reaction was, oh [no], why is my hair falling out?” Conn said.

After telling his mom, she looked up online possibilities were of what was causing Conn’s hair to fall out. She then scheduled an appointment with a doctor, and later she scheduled an appointment with a dermatologist.

“My first reaction to Matt losing his hair was fear; fear of the unknown mainly,” Mrs.Cotter said.

Soon Conn found his blonde hair covering his pillow, layering the floor of his bathroom and coating his clothing. As Conn rubs his hands over his eyes and tugs on his eye lashes, eyebrow hairs and eyelashes fall out, a newly developed habit. On Conn’s left eye his eyelashes are few, and his eyebrow has a large patch without hair.

“Matt has been through a lot in his life. Maybe not as much as some and more than others. He has suffered many set-backs, trials and tribulations, but has triumphed over each one. With each trial, tribulation and set-back Matt grows stronger; these are the things that will make or break a person,” Mrs.Cotter said.

Conn’s problems with hair loss are traced back to the first week of July. The trail of hair loss began at his head, then after he lost all of his hair on his head, Conn lost his mustache and facial hair. Next, his arm hair, underarm hair and leg hair fell out. The trail worked it’s way up again to Conn’s face. It took two weeks to completely eradicate the hair on Conn’s head.

“I believe that I have been more upset than Matt has been. Matt’s attitude has set the stage for our family,” Mrs.Cotter said. “He is comfortable with it, so are we. It is helpful to know that Alopecia is not life-threatening; however, the psychological side can be quite daunting.”

Doctors have not found a cure, however Alopecia Universalis can be treated. Treatment varies depending on the individual. Conn has monthly cortisone shots given by his dermatologist, Dr. David. R. Hensley, and started treatments with Rogaine. Mrs.Cotter, believes that the amount of support received by a person during a tough time will determine their success or failure. Conn’s hair may or may not grow back.

“I’m very determined that this will work, it has to, because it’s not my problem. It’s not my decision, to make myself bald, no it’s not. It’s His. You know, that guy up there, he decides everything that is going to happen,” Conn said.

Conn believes strongly in his religion. He thinks God wanted his hair to fall out to him to make him more prepared and stronger the future.

“Matt has had a huge amount of support from his church family and friends. They know him and know that, while he had beautiful, blonde hair, his hair did not define who he was. His relationship with his Savior and family are what define Matt,” Mrs.Cotter said.

Conn plans to eventually travel, telling others about his life experiences and spreading his belief in his Savior.

“I know everything I’ve gone through is an experience so that I can use it later in life to help other people, by sharing what I’ve been through so other people will know how it feels,” Conn said. “So other people will know how it feels like, to go through life every day.”

Castro took part in BCT, basic combat training. In BCT, individuals learn the fundamentals of becoming a soldier. The recruits go through severe mental and physical training to prepare for combat. The training includes obstacle courses, daily schedule, marching, drill ceremonies, and standing in formation.

“When I first arrived at Fort Jackson, I wasn’t nervous. I already had my mind set and I knew what I had to do, and how to do it,” Castro said. “Every time I would think I failed myself, I would think ‘don’t get discouraged because all you can do is get up and try again.’”

When Castro first arrived at reception, she had no choice but to stay awake for the next 48 hour while she received the uniforms and had paper worked fixed to receive payment. It took her a week to complete this process.

“It felt like I was at reception for years,” Castro said. “The whole time there, I tried to think of my family as little as possible because I would get knot in my throat and my eyes would start to get watery.”

Once reception ended, the recruits loaded a bus and were hauled off to be assigned to a platoon. On the bus ride, recruits were told to keep their heads down and not to look out the window. When Castro arrived the destination, she was put into the Alpha-Company 3rd Battalion 60th Infantry Regiment.

“Even though it took a while for our platoon to get along, I did feel a bond later on,” Castro said. “We always had to have a battle, and that is how we got close. We worked as a team.”

The three phases of basic training include the red, white and blue sections. During the red phase, recruits arrive for general orientation, receive haircuts, and get issued Army uniforms. Then the recruits learn about Army heritage and Seven Army Core Values. Afterwards the physical training starts. The recruits go through basic tactical training, nuclear biological and chemical defense, landmine defense and a two mile foot march to Victory Tower. Most of the team building happened during this phase.

“We would get punished if one soldier messed up. This helped us to start working as a team,” Castro said. “We would either get punished as a team, or we could start working as one.”

During the white phase, recruits gain confidence in themselves. The recruits go through basic rifle marksmanship, BRM, a five and seven mile tactical foot march, field and situational training exercises. Recruits practice qualifying for their M16’s during BRM.

“This phase required a lot of shooting,” Castro said, “but it was a little more relaxing. We also get more free time.”

The blue phase requires lots of weapons training. US weapons consists of the first part of this phase. In US weapons, recruits become familiar with automatic weapons and hand grenades. Once they complete the US weapons section, the recruits practice for real life situations in the Night Infiltration Course. The next challenge they have to complete is a 10km and 15km tactical foot march. After passing all of the test and challenges, the recruits proceed onto graduation. The last training course Castro went through ,Victory Forge, consisted of a four day camp where recruits went through a recap of the training they did over the past nine weeks.

“I liked every part of it,or at least I never complained,” Castro said. “My favorite course was when I was low crawling while the drill sergeants shot at us. It felt like I was in the real thing, which was an amazing feeling.”

During the graduation, the recruits wore their black berets, a symbol of completion. Two females from Castro’s company sang the Star Spangled Banner while the ceremony was taking place .

“It was a very emotional moment,” Castro said. “I was extremely proud of myself for completing the training.”

Castro now part of the United States Army and will serve for a total of six years. One weekend out of each month will consist of Castro working as a 92G, a cook. Once she graduates high school, Castro will attend advanced individual training where she will learn to cook.

“Being at Fort Jackson for a whole three months really changed me,” Castro said, “but I finally found something I always wanted to do and a good way to get money for college.”