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Americans are known to fill up their day and are usually occupied with a hobby or something else. Many students in high school are usually involved in at least one club or sport. According to US News. In 2012 over 7.6 million kids in high school played a sport. Thats just a sport and there can be more people who participate in clubs as well as orchestra or band. This shows that Americans need to occupy themselves with an activity and it is a core belief that they do something besides work, or learn.

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For the 22nd consecutive year, more high school students are playing sports, according to the annual High School Athletics Participation Survey released last week by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

More than 7.6 million students played sports during the 2010-2011 school year, an increase of nearly 40,000 students compared to 2009-2010. The organization estimates that 55.5 percent of all high school students play a sport.

Though sports programs continue to grow, the rate has slowed. Over the past decade, sports participation has increased by roughly 100,000 students per year; the 40,000 increase over the past year is the smallest since the late 1980s.

NFHS director Bob Gardner attributes the slower growth to budget demands at many schools. "While the overall increase was not as much as we've seen in the past few years, we are definitely encouraged with these totals given the financial challenges facing our nation's high schools," he said in a statement.

The most common sport, according to the survey, is basketball: 18,150 schools have a boys basketball team and 17,767 schools have a girls basketball team. Football has the most participants among all high school sports, with more than 1.1 million students playing at 14,000 schools.

The fastest growing sport is girls lacrosse, where participation increased by 6,155 students between 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, a 9 percent jump. Girls made up 41 percent of all student athletes, a 5 percent increase from 1991.

"It's amazing that participation has increased for 22 consecutive years. Nowadays, there are so many diversions and distractions for students," says John Gillis, associate director of publications and communications at NFHS. "I think sports are so popular because they give students the opportunity to be a part of something. There's camaraderie on these teams."

Although playing sports takes a large time commitment, studies have shown that student athletes perform better in school than students who don't participate in sports. A 2007 survey of high schools in Minnesota found that student athletes had a mean grade point average of 2.84, while nonstudent athletes had a mean GPA of 2.68.

Earlier studies found a wider discrepancy. In the mid-'90s, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association studied the effects of athletics on academics over a three-year period. Athletes had a GPA nearly a full point higher than nonathletes, were absent fewer days per school year, and had a dropout rate of 0.7 percent compared to 8.98 percent for nonathletes.

Additionally, a 2007 study by Brigham Young University found that females who played a sport in high school were 41 percent more likely to graduate from college than those who did not play sports in high school.

NFHS's Gillis says students feel a loyalty to their school when they play sports. "You're wearing the jersey and representing the school," he says. "You learn life lessons like teamwork and leadership. Those lessons benefit you as you become an adult."

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High School Sports Participation Increases for 22nd Straight Year

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More than 7.6 million students played high school sports during the 2010-2011 school year.

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A new value in america is privacy. Ever since Edward Snowden, people have viewed privacy as a very important thing. Recently facebook was caught not protecting peoples privacy and people were outraged. Mark Zuckerberg had to make a public apology. This shows that people in america value privacy as one of their core values.

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'I'm Sorry': Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Delivers Opening Statement At Senate Hearing | NBC News

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Americans believe in equality for all people. While throughout history, this has been a contradicting value, most people agree about equality today. Right now we are celebrating black history month which shows people are trying to work past some of the racism and group superiority we've faced in the past and that people believe in an equal society.

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Book Talk - Online

February 2

Online Panel Discussion

February 6

Men of Change: Taking it to the Streets Opening Panel
Join us for a virtual panel discussion to kick off the Anacostia Community Museum's outdoor installation of the Men of Change: Taking it to the Streets exhibition. The social unrest of 2020 has illuminated the active presence of institutionalized racism in America and its impact on the Black community. CNN Correspondent Omar Jimenez will moderate this discussion between panelists Jonathan Jackson, founding partner of the design firm We Should Do it All; Dr. Rob Gore, founder of the youth intervention program, Kings Against Violence Initiative; and artist Tariku Shiferaw.

(Smithsonian Institution)

Historical Reenactor

February 11

Young Learners Program - Meet Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman is portrayed by Daisy Century, a talented teacher and inspirational actor with American Historical Theatre. Harriet Tubman's indomitable spirit, valor, and fearless actions as an abolitionist, Union nurse and spy, suffragist, and humanitarian continue to inspire children and adults today. A question-and-answer session with Harriet Tubman will follow the presentation.
View on YouTube

(National Archives)

Book Talk - Online

February 18

Giants of Racial Justice
In an event celebrating African American History Month, Peniel E. Joseph ("The Sword and the Shield") and Tamara Payne ("The Dead Are Arising") will discuss their books on Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. with NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans. This event will be premiered on Facebook and YouTube and on the Library of Congress website.

(Library of Congress)

Lecture - Online

February 25

On the Road with Jason Reynolds
National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Jason Reynolds will discuss his ambassadorship, including his recent "GRAB THE MIC: Tell Your Story" virtual tour, with Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. Through his platform, "GRAB THE MIC: Tell Your Story," Reynolds has directed his focus as ambassador by empowering students to embrace and share their own personal stories. This event will be premiered on Facebook and YouTube and on the Library of Congress website.

(Library of Congress)

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February 2 February 6 Men of Change: Taking it to the Streets Opening Panel Join us for a virtual panel discussion to kick off the Anacostia Community Museum's outdoor installation of the Men of Change: Taking it to the Streets exhibition.

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Americans believe in equal rights and equal people but sadly that has not been shown over the years as many people have faced social injustices, famous athletes and celebrities are standing up for what's right. Colin Kaepernick is one of the largest upstanders as he was the first one to sit for the national anthem causing national attention. The response was very mixed as some believed it was an absolute illegal thing to do while others applauded him for doing what was right. Because of what happened he also does not play in the NFL now and has filed a grievance case against the NFl. He believes that because of what he did, owners are conspiring together so that they won't sign him. This is another showing of racism in his opinion.

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There's no doubt about it: Colin Kaepernick is the face of the new civil rights movement. By first sitting and then kneeling last season to draw attention to the oppression of black people and people of color in the U.S., the now-unemployed quarterback risked his career. At a rally scheduled for Wednesday at NFL headquarters in New York City, others will stand up for him.

Organizers of the "United We Stand Rally for Colin Kaepernick," a joint effort of many civil rights organizations and activists, hope to apply pressure to top decision-makers in the league that has shut out the accomplished passer after his peaceful and impactful political protest. They aim to both help Kaepernick get back in the game and become game-changers.

In recent weeks, the groundswell of support for Kaepernick has manifested in groups calling for a boycott of professional sports' most successful and powerful league. The NAACP has implored people to withhold their support unless the NFL finds a landing spot for the activist-athlete. On Aug. 19 in Brooklyn, New York, members of the New York Police Department came together to back Kaepernick. Through online petitions, videos and social media, fans are pushing the NFL to let Kaepernick return to work.

Activists are among the growing list of people nationwide who share a belief about Kaepernick first espoused by some African-American players: that teams have effectively blackballed him because of his activism. But for the rally's planners, the day will be as much about continuing the struggle in an attempt to fix the problems that prompted Kaepernick to take a knee as it is pushing for a team to sign him. Kaepernick has come to represent much more than just himself.

The Colin Kaepernick Saga

"He's a modern-day Rosa Parks and Muhammad Ali all in one," said Stephen A. Green, one of the event's lead organizers. "When you think about what he has put on the line for himself personally, with what he could lose and what he has already gone through, that's not [hyperbole]. He has risked a lot to elevate the issues that affect black and brown bodies in America. For our community, we can't afford to let him be silenced."

Green is president of The People's Consortium, a civil rights group committed to nonviolent change. He spearheaded the effort to bring together activists in a show of support for the former San Francisco 49ers starter, who, despite being only 29 and having the fifth-best touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio of all time - better than many former NFL stars, including Steve Young, Peyton Manning and Tony Romo - is not on a roster with Week 1 of the regular season kicking off in less than three weeks. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, political strategist and CNN commentator Symone D. Sanders and SiriusXM radio host Mark Thompson are among the 20 organizing partners listed for the rally, which is scheduled for 5 p.m. at 345 Park Ave. - the address of the NFL's league offices.

Although the coat of arms of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., a Greek-letter fraternity of which Kaepernick is a member, appears on the official flyer for the event, the organization is not a partner. Green and several other organizers, though, are members of the fraternity, and its leader, Grand Polemarch Thomas L. Battles Jr., recently wrote a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell urging him to send a "clear and unmistakable signal from the league office" to owners that would result in an "equitable resolution to Mr. Kaepernick's plight."

The program is scheduled to include several speakers who are on the front lines of the ongoing battle for racial justice. Kaepernick does not plan to attend the rally, but he appreciates the support more than his supporters could possibly understand, one of his representatives wrote to The Undefeated in a text message last week. Ever since Kaepernick was first pictured sitting during the anthem before a preseason game last Aug. 26 (beginning Aug. 14, he also sat for two previous preseason games), activists have closely monitored his situation. Buoyed by Kaepernick's eagerness to use his platform to promote the Black Lives Matter movement, many activists for some time have discussed how they could best partner to help him.

As Kaepernick remained sidelined over the past few months, "we were all pretty fed up," said Thompson, host of Make it Plain on SiriusXM Progress 127. "Obviously, he's not being given an opportunity because he took a knee on behalf of many sisters and brothers who lost their lives to police. We felt that he took a knee for us, so we need to stand up for him."

Throughout his time on the national stage, Kaepernick has maintained a dialogue with activists. They've kept him informed about their objectives and strategies, encouraging him to continue fighting alongside them.

"We're here because he has come to really symbolize everything about this Black Lives Matter movement," Thompson said. "And what we [activists] are most appreciative of is that he showed courage in doing that. One of the challenges we've faced is getting more black athletes to do what Colin is doing.

"When you realize how much attention professional athletes get, how much our young people look up to them, you understand how important it is to have them involved. Whenever we have black athletes stand up in a way that other great athletes of the past have - Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Curt Flood, John Carlos and Tommie Smith - it's going to help. We need to show that to young people. That's what Colin has done."

Activists admire Kaepernick for never cowering to public pressure. And his resolve has drawn activists to him.

"Kaep has been unapologetic about his views and his activism throughout the last year, which is visible to anyone monitoring his Twitter account or where he is going and what he is doing," said Sarah J. Jackson, an assistant professor of communications studies at Northeastern University and author of the book Black Celebrity, Racial Politics, and the Press: Framing Dissent.

"Kaep was very deliberate about staying in the public eye. It's also relevant, of course, that Kaepernick's activism came in the middle of the mainstream visibility of the Black Lives Matter movement and several high-profile police killings, as well as alongside the rise of a newly emboldened far-right that focuses a lot of energy on publicly attacking those that critique police or make outspoken stances against anti-black racism."

Kaepernick's anthem protest and efforts on behalf of the underprivileged triggered a wave of social activism in sports unlike anything seen since the 1960s. Players didn't consult with Kaepernick, several said, on whether to protest and what actions to take to uplift the African-American community, and there's no official coordinated effort among players throughout the league, although some talk informally about their plans.

Kaepernick's actions, however, prompted players to ask, "What can I do to help make a difference?" Miami Dolphins safety Michael Thomas said. "When you see what he did, for a lot of guys, it made you want to educate yourself."

Thomas, who also knelt last season during the anthem, has been involved in projects in South Florida, and he helped provide clean water to a village in Haiti. Like many of the NFL's politically active players, Thomas expressed frustration that the anthem protest, in his view, became distorted. "It was about a lot more than that," Thomas said. "Guys were getting out there and doing work to help people. A lot of that got lost."

Louis Moore agrees. Moore, an associate professor at Grand Valley State University, is the author of two soon-to-be-released books: We Will Win the Day: The Civil Rights Movement, the Black Athlete, and the Quest for Equality and I Fight for a Living: Boxing and the Battle for Black Manhood, 1880-1915.

"I don't think society has given police brutality its right due as a civil rights issue," Moore said. "In some ways, the focus on whether [Kaepernick is] going to sit or not does overshadow his earlier message of police brutality. We're now just concerned about the protest."

Few players have been as politically active as Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who has met with government officials about building trust between communities and police. Jenkins, whose anthem protest continues this season, called owners "cowards" for their aversion to signing Kaepernick, whose standing in the movement will only increase the longer he remains on the outside looking in, the Pro Bowl defensive back said.

"Last year, the people who were against Kaepernick were probably making the most noise, and now you have the reverse," Jenkins said. "So keeping him out of the league, you think that things are going to smooth over. But in actuality, you're having a bigger uproar from people who want to see him have a job. Especially if him not having a job is solely on his political stance."

Last week, outspoken Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett revealed publicly what many African-American players have said privately since early in the 2016 season: that the conversation of the anthem protest would change if white players became part of the movement.

"It would take a white player to really get things changed," Bennett said on ESPN's SC6, "because when somebody from the other side understands and they step up and they speak up about it ... it would change the whole conversation. Because when you bring somebody who doesn't have to be a part of [the] conversation, making himself vulnerable in front of it, I think when that happens, things will really take a jump."

Eagles defensive end Chris Long answered the call. As Jenkins kept his fist raised on Aug. 17 during the national anthem before a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, Long kept his hand on Jenkins' back.

"I've heard a lot of people say you need white athletes to get involved in the anthem protests," Long said. "I've said before I'll never kneel for an anthem, because the flag means something different for everybody in this country, but I support my peers. And if you don't see why you need allies for people that are fighting for equality right now, I don't think you'll ever see it. So my thing is, Malcolm is a leader, and I'm here to show support as a white athlete."

After Long made the first step, Seahawks center Justin Britt followed. During the Seahawks' preseason victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Friday night, Britt stood next to Bennett during the anthem.

Long is a native of Charlottesville, Virginia. The recent violence there, along with President Donald Trump's shocking response to it, has elevated the nation's discussion about race to a new level.

Kaepernick and others have worked hard to shine a light on the wrongheaded thinking that resulted in the unrest. After Charlottesville, perhaps more people now understand why athletes have taken a stand, but what happened there "didn't really validate it for me," Jenkins said. "I felt comfortable in my decision. And maybe some other people, who somehow convinced themselves that there are no issues of race in this country, [now know] that it's pretty evident that there still is."

Liner Notes

Jason Reid is the senior NFL writer at Andscape. He enjoys watching sports, especially any games involving his son and daughter.

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How Colin Kaepernick became a cause for activists, civil rights groups and others

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There's no doubt about it: Colin Kaepernick is the face of the new civil rights movement. By first sitting and then kneeling last season to draw attention to the oppression of black people and people of color in the U.S., the now-unemployed quarterback risked his career.

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Americans have always been very smart people. In 2012 we had a 59% graduation rate in all colleges for a 4 year degree. That means more than half the people in the U.S were able to get a high degree of education and graduate which can help provide them with a good job.

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When we're researching, visiting, or comparing colleges, we often want to know what percentage of students get in, but few of us ask these two very important questions:

Graduation rates and retention rates are often critical to deciding if a college is a good fit. After all, every student should enroll with the intent of staying at that institution and eventually graduating with a degree.

While we often know how hard it is to get in the front door, we should know how many graduate successfully before committing our time and money to an institution.

In addition to graduation rate, the other important statistic is freshmen retention rates. The retention rate is the percentage of full-time freshmen who continue on as sophomores.

While admit rate tells us what percentage of students get in, a college's retention rate tells us what percentage stay in school and the graduation rate tells us what percentage finish their degree. When making a substantial investment of both time and money, this is important information to know.

Understanding college graduation rate and retention rate when comparing colleges

In order to fully appreciate this information, you must first have a framework for understanding it.

Knowing the national averages will give you a good barometer for comparison. The national average for retention rate is about 61.1 percent. That is, 61% of freshman nationally return to their school to enroll the following fall (2016 data).

Graduation rates are actually reported 2 ways, as the percentage of full-time students who graduate in 4 years and as the percentage who graduate in 6 years. The percentage of students who graduate in 6 years is a federal government reporting requirement. Any school that awards federal student aid dollars (which is just about all of them), is required by the Student Right to Know Act, to supply the federal government with certain information, including the percentage of students who graduate within 150% of the typical time to a degree (or 6 years at a 4 year college). In 2012, the national average for full-time students at 4-year degree-granting institutions was 59 percent. So, 59% of students graduated in 6 years, nationally.

On websites like College Raptor, you can find both the 6 year AND the 4 year graduation rate. There is some noticeable correlation between the selectivity of the college and higher retention and graduation rates, but that doesn't mean that a school that falls below these numbers is a bad place. Be careful to compare like colleges, or apples to apples.

For example:

These numbers all tell stories.

Do not eliminate a college just because these numbers are lower than you think they should be. Remember that no school will be perfect.

When evaluating the retention and graduation rates of a specific college, remember that students leave for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with the college itself. A student may change his major to something that is not offered at the original school. Perhaps a student was homesick or a family situation necessitated a transfer to a school closer to home.

If you really love a school but are concerned about their retention and graduation rates, ask the people in the admissions office about it. You may find that they, too, are concerned about those numbers and have made it a school priority to address it and raise those percentages. This may mean they have created new programs or initiatives on campus to help students transition into college, or to help them deal with academic or financial troubles. These programs may be helpful for you as a student.

Compare college graduation and retention rates using College Raptor

College Raptor provides data about college graduation and retention rates. You can access it either from your search results page by selecting the "Academic" view (shown below).

Or, this information is also found under the "Academic" details page fore every college and university (shown below).

All in all, these two statistics can tell you a lot about a college or university. Just be sure to compare them fairly and understand the story behind the numbers.

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Find Out The 2 Key Statistics On Comparing Colleges - College Raptor

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When we're researching, visiting, or comparing colleges, we often want to know what percentage of students get in, but few of us ask these two very important questions: Graduation rates and retention rates are often critical to deciding if a college is a good fit.

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Many people expect technological advances everyday. We are always striving to better ourselves in every aspect so that our life can be better. Tesla is one of the many companies created based on this belief. They are the very popular electric car company. They represent our shift from fossil fuels to a more green and affordable lifestyle.

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tesla's model 3 is now a little bit cheaper  - cnn

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The price of Tesla's cheapest car, the Model 3, just got a little lower. But it's still not at $35,000 as Elon Musk promised when it was first unveiled.

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Many army veterans experience PTSD after coming back from service. A very generous man called Chris Stout created shelters called tiny homes to help these people get back on their feet. This is an example of the generosity and our willingness to aid people in their time of need. The US has always been a generous country and we try to help people.

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building tiny homes for vets makes a lot of sense  - cnn

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Tiny houses for homeless vets make sense

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Young veterans, led by CNN Hero Chris Stout, build tiny homes for homeless vets and help vets with job placement and other services.

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A recent product made by a famous american company called Microsoft is showing how technology is changing in our world. Microsoft recently created a VR system that is changing how the military trains today. They created the hololens which is like a pair of sunglasses except you are able to see virtual items. The military is using these Hololens to train soldiers as it is safer for them to learn their weapons and tactics. The Hololens is showing the new era of technology as we transition from real life into virtual reality.

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Microsoft HoloLens   Official Announcement Trailer HD   YouTube