When these activities aren't available, adolescents may begin to experiment with premature sex, violence, alcohol, and drugs. Adolescents want to make a difference in the world, but they don't always understand how to connect and contribute to their mmunities. In a nationwide poll by Louis Harris for the National Teens, Crime, and the Community program, nearly 90 percent of students said they would get involved in programs to stop violence if they knew what to do. That same survey showed that more than seven in 10 youths already are involved in prevention efforts. Respect Their Developing Intellect Young adolescents enjoy learning demanding research skills, such as footnoting, bibliography, and scientific notation.
Parents also play a significant role in the academic success of young adolescents.
Show Them Why Nutrition Matters Good eating habits are critically important to brain development and functioning. Proper nutrition also helps minimize the effects of chronic stress, which causes the body to deplete available nutrients. Stress inhibits the growth of message receptors on brain cells, resulting in slow thinking and depressed learning. It's smart to let students snack during the school day. When nutritious foods are available to children while they study, they actually earn statistically higher test scores, demonstrate more positive attitudes, and increase their reading speed and accuracy.