News for Youth

Met a 13-Year-Old College Graduate Lately?

Gregory Robert Smith graduated from high school at 9 and graduated from Randolf-Macon College with a B.A. in mathematics on May 31, 2003, at age 13. He also founded an international youth advocacy organization when he was 9 and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, twice. His International Youth Advocates Web site, gregoryrsmith.com, carries the tag line, "Youth Helping Youth." (Photo by Alexa Welch Edlund, Richmond-Times Dispatch)

Now that he has his B.A., Greg plans to attend graduate school and earn Ph.D.s in math, aerospace engineering, political science and biomedical engineering. Greg "has boundless curiosity, a tremendous sense of values... and great motivation," said his mentor, psychology professor Michael Wessells.

Greg's unique skills make him the center of much attention, and sometimes threats. He received his first threatening note when he was 8, and at college an adult is always by his side—often a campus security officer. Still, his mother, Janet Smith, says Greg is doing what makes him happy—advanced learning, and playing sports with children his age (Associated Press, April 20, 2003).

Is Your Science Book Accurate?

Physics professor John Hubisz examined dozens of middle school science texts, and found some astonishing errors. Hopefully your high school and college texts are more accurate, but here are some of the errors professor Hubisz found, as reported by CNN:

A map showing the equator running through Texas and Florida. (It's actually about 1,500 miles south.)

A text that says humans can't hear sounds below 400 hertz. (But 47 notes on a piano are below 400 hertz!)

A description of the "bronze outer structure" of the Statue of Liberty. (The statue is copper.)

A picture showing the Statue of Liberty with the torch in her left hand. (It's in her right hand.)

A compass with "East" and "West" reversed.

Chemistry formulas and physics laws that are completely wrong.

When we study a book to learn the truth it contains, then find out it is just plain wrong, it can be discouraging. Humans make mistakes and humans write science texts. But if God were to write a book, and He did, now there's a book we can have confidence in! The Bible is reliable and accurate. "Your word is truth," said Jesus (John 17:17) and we can depend on the Word of God.

Language Police: "God" Banned From American Textbooks

God is just one of 500 words that have been banned from American textbooks, according to The Language Police, a new book by New York University professor of education Dianne Ravitch.

The textbook publishers claim they don't censor their history and English textbook writers, but merely apply "rules of sensitivity." God is banned "because he or she is too religious" a term and may cause someone to be offended.

What other words are also considered offensive? A Reuters news report published on CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/05/28/life.language.reut/index.html) says, "you can't find anyone riding on a yacht or playing polo in the pages of an American textbook either. The texts also can't say someone has a boyish figure, or is a busboy, or is blind, or suffers a birth defect, or is a biddy, or the best man for the job, a babe, a bookworm or even a barbarian.

"All these words are banned from U.S. textbooks on the grounds that they are either elitist (polo, yacht) sexist (babe, boyish figure), offensive (blind, bookworm), [or] ageist (biddy)."

We should show kindness and sensitivity toward others, and not cause needless offense. The apostle Paul once said that he would not eat meat if it would cause another to be offended (1 Corinthians 8:13). But can we take this principle too far? When we become so concerned about not offending that we blur the standards of right and wrong, good and evil, what pleases God and what doesn't, and even God's loving direction in our lives, we've obviously gone too far. This is what happens when we can't mention God, or talk about His standards of right and wrong, because "it might offend someone." Jesus Christ said, "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me" (Matthew 11:6).

Money Matters

Teens and "tweens" ages 12 to 19 pumped $170 billion into the U.S. economy in 2002, says Teenage Research Unlimited and MRI Teenmark. Of that, $109 billion came out of their own pockets; Mom and Dad doled out the rest.

How are young people spending their cash? Girls spent more for clothing ($4.9 billion) and jewelry ($1.8 billion) than boys ($3.9 billion on clothes and $990 million on jewelry). Guys spent $590 million on athletic shoes and $826 million on computer software while girls spent $522 million and $710 million respectively (Teen People, May 2003).

Young people all over the world have an ever-growing amount of money at their disposal today and a lot of discretion over how to use it. God, of course, gives us some valuable instruction from His Word on how to handle our finances. Read or request our free booklet, Managing Your Finances.