Abstract
This paper investigates the identification of the underlying reasons for the continuing high levels of unemployment among African-American teenagers with a specific focus on African-American teenagers in the Syracuse MSA. The objective of the proposed research study is to develop reliable information that provides a basis for the development of initiatives that will lead to higher employment levels (and, conversely, lower levels of unemployment) among African American teenagers. The paper also suggests possible solutions to the problem of continuing high levels of unemployment.

From the Paper
"Sustained economic growth in the United States over the past five years has caused the national unemployment rate to fall below five-percent in 1999. The 3.8 percent unemployment rate in November 1999 (the latest month for which such data have been reported) is a full percentage point lower that the rate in January 1999 and 47.9 percent lower than the 7.3 percent unemployment rate in January 1994. This level of unemployment is the lowest that has been sustained for any period of time in the United States for decades. Because of the low overall rate of unemployment in the United States, many people (both politicians and the general public) appear to think that unemployment has become a non-issue in contemporary life. The fact is, however, that unemployment remains a critical issue in this country when the overall rate of unemployment is disaggregated to reveal the rates of unemployment among specific population groups such as minority males generally (but especially African males), and teenagers generally (but especially African American teenagers). For such population groups, the improvement in the overall unemployment situation has transformed their plight from one of utter disaster to one of debilitating frustration, as their rates of unemployment remain in excess of 12 percent. For African American teenagers, the unemployment rate reached 31.3 percent in March 1999 before dropping to 28.4 percent in November 1999."

Tags:economic, education, culture, population, retraining

Abstract
This paper explains that, although there has been a decline within overall narcotic use within the United States over the past decade, Asian-Americans/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), as an aggregate group, have maintained their consistent level of narcotic use within the past decade. The author points out that the growth of drug use among Asian- American teenagers, which is a startling development, is centered within the risk areas of Los Angeles County. The paper proposes a survey of the Asian-American teenage population from two school districts in Los Angeles County and San Francisco County, which have the highest rate of Asian-American students on a national level.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Literary Review
Methodology
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Empirical research has shown that ATOD use usually begins around the time of adolescence. This is especially true among Asian Americans teenagers as they confront the problems of identity development. Cultural, familial and economic conflicts which results from being Asian American can severely stress teenagers and lead them towards further alienation from adult peer groups. This general trend within the teenage population entails a deeper understanding of how ATOD impacts intergeneration conflict and Asian American teenage drug use."

Tags:identity, trafficking, population, delineation, generation

Abstract
This paper presents a critical overview of American consumerism and how images are "sold" to American teenagers.

From the Paper
"The media puts a tremendous amount of pressure on teens, telling them they are not cool enough without a certain look. The only way to get the look is to get the product. It's a world made of marketing and many factors show that marketers have gone too far in their attempts to reach the hearts- and wallets of America's youth."

Tags:mtv, teens

Abstract
This paper explains that, in "Generation Me", Jean M. Twenge portrays how teenagers and young adults in America are taught that they can be whatever they want to be and that all dreams are achievable. In contrast to this mythical attitude presented by Twenge, the author relates the very pessimistic opinions of French teenagers, who are taught early in their lives that having a dream is ok as long as it is reasonable. The author underscores that one of the worst aspects of the French educational system is that, at the age of 14, adolescents must make the important choice of their future career.

From the Paper
"Twenge also explains how newly developed websites such as YouTube have allowed these teens to get a taste of what it would be like to be famous, by allowing them to post their videos online. However, only a handful of these users will ever get a job opportunity in the media. In France, the situation is more or less the
same. The creation of Television shows such as "The Star Academy" and "A la recherche de la nouvelle star", meaning the search for the new idol, has developed new hopes for kids and teenagers to become famous."

Tags:guarantee, motivation, teachers, reality, money

Abstract
Thomas Hine and Patricia Hersch present us with two views of the contemporary American teenager, one based in an historical analysis of the creation of the teenager, and the other based in an ethnographic account of contemporary teenage life. The perspective that results from these two views is a more complex one that the usual, uncomplimentary stereotype of the adolescent as moody, disrespectful, and oversexed. This paper examines the ways in which both of these authors present views of American adolescence.

From the Paper
"Hine's view of modern teenager is grounded in an historical analysis, arguing in The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager that while the life of teenagers a hundred years ago was certainly quite different from the life led by adolescents today, there are important similarities. The generation of teenagers today uses the years between childhood and adulthood as a time in which to gain the skills needed to become a fully functional adult a status that tends to come later now than it did several generations ago. But while teenagers can in some ways be seen as adults in training, they should also " Hine argues " be taken seriously as cultural, economic and political agents."

Tags:teenager

Abstract
This paper provides analysis and research into the issue of HIV and sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) among African-American youth, and aims to show what can be done to slow the tide of this epidemic.
While acknowledging that HIV and STDs are not confined to any one gender, age group, sexual preference, or race, the paper states that urban, African-American communities do have a much larger number of HIV/STD cases than other populations. The paper cites research indicating that African-Americans make up around 50 percent of all new infections of HIV and other STDs being discovered in the U.S. Discrimination against homosexual people and against others with "alternative" lifestyles is another reason why many people choose not to seek treatment or prevention strategies for the HIV virus, the paper adds. Finally, the paper emphasizes that the information that black adolescents receive must be relevant to them and their culture, and it must drive home that point that these diseases can affect them and the people they care about. The paper concludes that when a culturally relevant message to that effect can be gotten across and enforced, the instances of HIV/STDs in black America will finally start to drop. This paper contains illustrative charts and figures.

Outline:
Introduction
Statistics
The Emotional and Mental Toll
Prevalence
The Effects of Shunning Those with HIV/AIDS/STDs
Cultural Competency
Risk Reduction
Programs To Help Reduce Risk
Conclusion
References

From the Paper
"It is largely difficult to lump many of the causes of HIV in African-Americans into one or two particular areas based on the fact that many people who might have unprotected sexual relations with a person of the same sex, such as in prison, do not consider themselves gay or bisexual (Brown, et al, 2003). However, these people contract the virus at a much higher rate and when they spread it to other people it is often without knowledge that they have even contracted the disease."

Tags:AIDS, black, immunodeficiency, teenagers

Abstract
Over the last few decades, in order to counter the stereotypes that often encourage racism, the African-American community has encouraged its members to obtain education for the purpose of success. The paper shows that while this endeavor has been largely successful and allowed for the combat of stereotypical attitudes, there are still disproportionate numbers of young African-American teens becoming pregnant. This paper proposes a study for the purpose of correlating the level of education among African-American pregnant teens and teen mothers, with their existence.

From the Paper
"The study details the fact that rite of passage from an African American standpoint means train for a new stage of life. In this case it is the training and education about teen pregnancy (Elliot, 1998). It follows the basic premise that the teen can be taught and trained to become productive and responsible members of society, which includes not becoming teen mothers on welfare or other social programs. The literature study zeroed in on the pilot program, which started in 1991(Elliot, 1998). It began as a program to target pregnant African American teens only but it was not long until it moved to social skills and decision. This study concluded that the program targeted at risk African American teens and one of the factors that made them at risk included a lack of involvement in the school activities. While this does not prove that education level has any bearing on whether or not African American teens get pregnant it definitively points to further investigation by providing evidence that lack of caring about education does increase the risk of African American teen pregnancy(Elliot, 1998)."

Tags:adolescent, poverty, socialization, abortion

Abstract
This paper examines how Robert Bellah first introduced the term "American civil religion" in 1967, with references to God, the nation's mission, and the transcendent standards that Americans viewed as worthwhile. It looks at how it was also during the 1960s that the Beatles hit the music scene, serving as both a catalyst and a focal point for the millions of dissatisfied and marginalized teenage fans who believed that the world should be a better place than what was being offered. It shows how, although two of the Beatles are dead, their impact on the American civil religion endures because of the profound influences that the group had on the country during this formative period.

From the Paper
"According to Farrell (1997), the American media had an insatiable thirst for all the Beatles' activities, musical or otherwise. Virtually anything the Beatles had to say about drugs, sexuality, politics, and religion were received like the words of philosophers or seers, no matter how casual their comments. The Sixties were also the period when John Lennon would infamously remark that "the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ, causing an immediate storm in the press and the media and resulting in an anti-Beatles campaign in the United States" (Farrell 1997:171)."

Tags:drugs, music, macartney, starr, harrison, lenon

Abstract
There is a need to investigate the correlation between the level of income that is held by the individual and the degree of health care offered to them in order to assess whether the care offered is insufficient. This paper provides a study of thirteen questions (fictitious) that was given to one hundred and fifty pregnant, unwed, teenaged African- Americans in order to determine these factors. The results allowed researchers to investigate the degree of health care needed in communities with a high concentration of this category of women, and the fees that such services should require.

Tags:level, of, income

Abstract
This paper presents a detailed examination on the problem of adolescent smoking on a global basis. The writer takes the reader on an exploratory journey that outlines the causes of youth smoking and discusses programs that are in place to prevent its occurrence. In addition the writer provides a discussion on the effectiveness of such programs.

From the Paper
"In the last several decades the world has discovered the truth about the perils of smoking tobacco. There is little doubt that the habit contributes to lung cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma and many other disorders. There have been numerous studies conducted on the perils of smoking and the reasons people continue to do it and the conclusion often points to the addiction being acquired in adolescents. Adults know on an intellectual level that they should not smoke, but often times by the time they reach adulthood they have already been smoking for several years. Adolescents know they should not smoke, but they have the disadvantage of believing they are invincible. Smoking in adolescents is not exclusive to America. It is a worldwide problem in which many nations are scrambling to find a solution."

Tags:smoke, health, teenagers, adolescent, cancer