Students: This is Mr. Leininger's seventh-grade U.S. history class from Narcoossee Middle School in St.Cloud,Florida, and Channel One News starts right now!
Emily: Awesome job, guys, and check out that clear, bright-blue sky. They don't call Florida the Sunshine State for nothing.Thanks to Narcoossee Middle School for kicking us off.First up today, a big meeting in Russia. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was sent to meet with the Russians as the U.S. is taking an increasing role in the war in Syria.
Russia says its relationship with the U.S. is now the worst it has been in decades.That is because of the U.S. strike on a Syrian airbase last week. The U.S. hit Syria after intelligence officials said the Syrian government used chemical weapons against its own people. The use of chemical weapons is against international law.
Now Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is holding meetings in Moscow hoping to convince the Russian government to go along with a U.S. plan to kick Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad out of power.
Secretary Rex Tillerson: I think it is clear to all of us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end.
Emily: But those talks are going to be tough.Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied Syria was behind the chemical weapons attack, which killed more than
80 civilians.And he said Russia has evidence the U.S. is planning more strikes in Syria and plans to blame the Syrian government.
A senior White House official accused Russia of a cover-up.
Press Secretary Sean Spicer: When it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened, the facts are on our side.
Emily: Another topic of discussion going on in Russia: North Korea's nuclear weapons.Russia is concerned that the U.S. will launch an attack on the secretive nation.This week,President Trump tweeted: “North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.”
The tweet comes after several missile launches fired off by North Korea this year, some landing near the country of Japan.
Spicer: Their behavior and their actions with respect to the missile launches is not tolerable. We need stability in that region, and I think he has put them clearly on notice.
Emily: North Korea has publicly called the U.S. reckless and warned of catastrophic consequences if the U.S. moves forward with further military action in the area.The U.S.Navy has sent an aircraft carrier off the coast of the Korean Peninsula, and this week, about 2,500American troops took part in military exercises with the South Korean military.
All right, three of the sweetest words I have ever heard: free college tuition. Yep, you heard me right. Where and how, though? We will tell you after the break.
Emily: So you know the saying, "Nothing in life is free."Looks like Tom Hanson is disproving that theory and checking out a free ride to a place you definitely have on your mind.
Tom: For many high school students across the country, college is on the brain. But along with higher education, there is something else.
Man: You go to college, and it’s like, boom — you gotta pay.
Woman: A lot of money to keep paying, and there's a lot of interest also! Oh, my. Oh.
Tom: But in New York, that is about to change for some.The state of New York has made a lot of headlines recently for announcing a plan in its 2017 budget that basically supplements college aid for in-state students who come from families that make $125,000 or less.
It is called the Excelsior Scholarship, and it will cover college tuition for many full-time students in the State University of New York system.
Governor Andrew Cuomo: We will send you to college. I don't care if Mom can't afford it or Dad can't afford it. I don't care where you come from. You're going to get a public education and a college education in the state of New York.
Tom: The public college system in New York is huge, including more than 60 campuses and over 1 million students, and the plan makes higher education — something beyond reach for many — a reality.
Woman: I feel like everyone should have the opportunity to go to college, rich or poor. So, like, that's really cool, and that would really help a lot of people.
Woman: I think it's great. I think a lot more people will have the opportunity to attend college.
Tom: The plan is expected to be rolled out over the next few years, and it is going to affect an estimated 940,000 families across the state.
Now, many states and communities have adopted similar policies with community colleges; however,New York is the first state to offer this sort of aid to students at all of its state four-year and two-year public schools, representing a big step forward in this countrywide trend to cut down on student loan debt.
But while the plan has gotten wide praise, there are some hang-ups in the fine print.First off, the scholarship doesn't cover expensive things like books, fees, food and housing, so students who don't have the money for those things will still need to borrow.
Next, Excelsior scholars must attend school full-time and finish on time.This sounds reasonable, but it is not easy. According to the National Center for Education statistics, only about 34 percent of freshmen at public universities in the U.S. graduate in four years.
Finally, if you get the scholarship, you have to work in the state for the same amount of time you were in school: two years for an associate’s degree and four years for a bachelor’s.
Regardless, many people think it is a major step toward everyone getting an education.
Man: It opens, like,a new door for people who couldn't afford to be and go to college now. It just gives more people opportunity.
Tom: Tom Hanson, Channel One News.
Emily: The budget also includes a grant program for students who attend private schools. Those students would get a maximum award of $3,000, and colleges that participate would have to match that funding.
Well,I could have used that one — oh, well.
And when we get back, why studying for that next math test may be more important than you think.
Emily: The Rubik’sCube — this might be one of the most frustrating puzzles. I feel like I am never going to solve this thing.But it turns out this kind of struggle actually makes you smarter, so experts say,“Keep at it.” Today,Arielle Hixson takes a look at learning during your teen years as she goes inside your brain.
Arielle: Through this series you have seen it all, from technologyto stressto sleep. You have got an inside look at your powerful mind. But we haven't yet talked about one of the most important times you use your brain when you are a teen, in the spot where you spend the majority of your day — school.
Did you know your brain is kind of like a muscle? You have to lift heavy weights to build your muscles, and the same goes for your brain.So the next time you get frustrated with a math problem, don't shut down. Keep pushing through — that struggle is actually making you smarter.
And just knowing this point can help you learn. It is called a growth mindset. Students who know they can become smarter do better than even naturally "smart" students who have what is called a fixed mindset. That is when you think of intelligence as set, and when something is hard, you believe you have hit the top end of your intelligence.
Professor Jonathan Posner: Your behavior can actually lead to changes in your brain. So if you take on a new activity and practice it over and over again, your brain will actually change and respond to that activity to allow you to become more efficient and better at that activity.
Arielle: So now you know how to think about learning, but how can you make the most of your brain? Of course, you have heard of this before: a good diet and exercise.But you might not know just what a big impact they can have on the brain.
Foods like salmon, avocados, nuts and blueberries can keep your brain sharp, improving your memory, blood flow and learning capacity. You know what? I think I will have another one.
Researchers have found that when you do workouts that boost your heart rate, you can also boost the size of your hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls memory and learning.
Adam Sherman: I've been working out for three years now constantly, and I have noticed a GPA increase.
Arielle: And, of course, give your brain some time to recharge by taking a break from technology and getting a good night’s sleep. That extra boost can make a difference on a test.
Now, how do you turn those brain tips into tricks? Let’s start with how you study.Try writing down your notes — yes, with a pen and paper. Studies show students who write down their notes remember the information better than those who take notes on a computer or phone.
Galena Cox: I find that I feel more connected to something I write by hand. I realized that when I handwrote one of my homework assignments; I had a different ownership over it then when I just type something, and I don’t know if that was just me.
Arielle: Here is another tip. Before a test, instead of just reviewing your notes, take a practice test.Research has shown students who study by taking mock-up tests rather than just going over their notes do better on the real exam.
And if you can, take a quick exercise break at least 20 minutes before the test — just that alone has been proven to boost scores.
So how do you feel? Was that a good warmup before your brain pumps some iron? Remember, just a few minutes of TLC can influence a lifetime of learning.
Back to you guys in the studio.
Emily: And with that, Arielle finishes off her brain series — some pretty fascinating stuff. Plus, she shares her top three tips for keeping her brain in shape on ChannelOne.com.
Well, that is it for us today. We will see you back here tomorrow.In the meantimeI am going to keep working on this thing.
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