About Allison Gardner

Age: 18

Stories by Allison

	The sophomore slump is an uphill battle By Allison Gardner, 15 “I've been all around the world /I've been a new sensation /But it doesn't really matter /In this g-generation /The sophomore slump is an uphill battle.” – Jason Mraz When an artist has a successful debut album, it is sometimes difficult to follow up with music that is not only as good as the first album, but new and improved – music that people will enjoy just as much as before.
	Protecting their health By Sarah Zabel, 14, Allison Gardner, 17 Teens have long been warned about the health risks of being sexually active, including the possibility of contracting the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Health officials now have added human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to the list.
	HPV vaccine: knowledge not widespread By Allison Gardner, 17 Each member of the Y-Press team for this story is a teenage girl, and each believes learning about the human papillomavirus, or HPV, is important for youth and families. Readers can learn more about HPV and the different viewpoints these teens share.
	Busy students juggle activities in, out of school By Camille Graves, 16, Chad Flowers, 14, Allison Gardner, 12 Katy O'Brian is a busy teen. "I'm doing cross country, basketball and softball. And then also, some Saturdays I go and help watch these underprivileged children. I also do Teen Court and some modeling," says the 13-year-old, who attends Craig Middle School. She is not alone, according to Connie Sivertson, a guidance counselor at Craig for seven years who sees about 500 students every year. "Over t
	Young people grateful for chance to help others By Grace Shockley, 15, Allison Gardner, 14
	Teen learns about politics By Allison Gardner, 14, Jordan Denari, 13 Political conventions are for kids, too. That's the take from Cy Hudson, the 17-year-old son of delegate Angela Hudson, of Jeffersonville, who tagged along for some political clarity. "I've been considering myself a Republican for many years. And now I have a lot of questions and things I hope will be answered," said Hudson, a senior at Choate Rosemary Hall School in Wallingford, Conn. "I thought
	Young activists stress service-politics link By Allison Gardner, 14 Princella Smith is young and black. She's also loyal to the Republican Party and President Bush, and encourages her peers to become involved in politics and their communities. Her support for President Bush goes back to a speech he made in her home state of Arkansas promoting the No Child Left Behind Act. "He encouraged the people around my age, or maybe a little younger, to continue in the volunt
	Teachers look to space for new classroom By Allison Gardner, 14, Katie Bolinger, 14 There are many kinds of teachers -- some are down-to-earth, some are out of this world, and some are just spacey. And sometimes there are teachers who you just know are meant to be in space. This isn't to say that these teachers are aliens, but rather they are fascinated by space and space exploration. For 20 years, NASA has been reaching out to these teachers. The Teacher in Space program was sta
	Anorexics work to hide disorder By Abby Rivin, 15, Allison Gardner, 15, Paige Thomas, 14, Cakey Worthington, 13 A norexic girls have to work hard to hide their secret, and now they have a new tool. Many Web sites give advice on how to maintain an anorexic lifestyle and deceive family members, friends and doctors. They also offer tips on hiding weight loss and easing hunger pangs. A quick search finds hundreds of Web sites that label themselves pro-anorexia, or pro-ana, and pro-bulimia, or pro-mia. Morgan Me
	Kids' paradise? By Milan Patel, 16, Allison Gardner, 15, Britany Lewis, 16, Jeff Hou, 12 I ndianapolis has won many accolades. In recent years, it has been praised for its greenways, Downtown development, community sports opportunities and relatively low home prices. And now, it is being recognized as one of the nation's best places for children. Last year, America's Promise, an alliance founded by retired Gen. Colin Powell to benefit the nation's youth, named Indianapolis one of the