It appears that in high school these days it is somewhat uncool to smart. This is quite problematic because it affects the future of America and it is for this reason that an online think tank recently addressed this issue as it discussed the need for more mentoring among teenagers. One online think tank member stated;

"One factor is the popular theme in middle and high schools that it's somehow uncool to be smart - when the reverse is actually true.”

This is a real problem. It has a lot to do with social conditioning and roll models. For instance look at Paris Hilton and her TV demeanor. Kids are watching this aren't they; it is a real problem. Yet if you really look closely, the marketing is brilliant and anything but stupid. It is too bad that we do not teach kids and show them that being smarter and achieving more in academics will increase the chances for success in later life. It is almost as if we need to show them a before and after picture of the screw off now and what they look like later in life.

You see if we do not help our children see the value in hitting the books early on, it will be much more difficult to get them to understand why they need to go to college and what they must do to achieve more. If they take it as all fun and games and do not get me wrong that is a nice age to be without a lot of responsibility, however they need to take their future more seriously. Mentoring maybe the key here. Perhaps you will think on it for me and consider this in 2006.