For Kids

In this section we will add some cool links for you to learn more about a lot of things like study habits, how to keep healthy with nutritional snacks, and information on getting ready for high school. If you are reading this and have some ideas about important information to add, please send us an email at info@ChallengeAndChampions.org. We would love to hear from you!

Challenge & Champions 2010 Youth Learning and Leadership Handbook

Click the link above to download a handbook that has been specially designed to support your growth as a Champion at the 2010 Challenge & Champions summer program.

Here’s a middle school checklist to get started from .

• Attend school regularly and take it seriously.
• Work hard and do your best in ALL of your subjects, not just your favorite ones.
• Take a Learning Styles Quiz to find out more about how you learn.
• Do your homework. Homework is practice, and this is how you get better in school.
• Learn and develop good study habits so you’ll do better on tests and get better grades.
• Learn Study Skills tips and see which ones might work well for you.
• Keep up on reading assignments, and read books, magazines, or online articles for fun.
• Stay on track with your schoolwork and plan ahead for deadlines.
• Tell your parents or guardians about the things you are doing in school.
• Be involved in sports, music, clubs, or activities at your school and in your community.
• Think about what kind of job you would like to have some day.
• Talk with adults you know about their jobs and what they like or dislike about them.
• Take a Personality Test to see what careers would fit your personality.
• Explore what interesting courses your high school has to offer.
• Think about what you would like to do with your life after high school.
• Talk with your parents or guardians about continuing your education after high school.

Learn how to improve your study habits

Mind Tools has some really great ideas on how to memorize

Top 10 study tips

Reading Tips for 9th graders

Tips on Healthy Eating in the School Cafeteria from Teen Advice

Cafeteria food isn't exactly known for being nutritious, but if you stick to a couple of simple rules, you can make it through lunchtime without sacrificing your health (or going hungry).

Cafeteria Do's

• Do eat a healthy breakfast every day. If you starve yourself (or just subsist on energy drinks) all morning, you're more likely to binge on fatty snacks at lunch.
• Do get a piece of fruit with your meal. It'll satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you from craving soda or dessert.
• Do balance out your plate with some veggies, too. A fresh salad with a variety of ingredients is best. Skip the croutons and top it off with oil and vinegar instead of a creamy dressing like ranch.
• Do drink water. You should drink around 8 glasses of water a day, and lunchtime is a perfect chance to get a couple of those in (and a way healthier option than most other cafeteria beverages). Bring a water bottle to school and fill it at the fountain before lunch - it's cheaper and better for the environment than buying bottled water.
• Do check labels. Fruit juice sometimes has more corn syrup than fruit, and snack chips are often loaded with sodium and creepy-sounding chemicals. Opt for 100% juice and all-natural snacks without a ton of ingredients.
• Do try to bring a healthy snack from home. Before you leave for school, throw a piece of fruit, a granola bar or a bag of carrot sticks into your backpack. It'll save you money, and it'll force you to be healthy in the face of all those unhealthy options at school.

Cafeteria Don'ts

• Don't skimp. Eating healthy is not the same as eating less. If you don't have enough at lunch, you'll just be setting yourself up for major food cravings a couple of hours later.
• Don't pick pepperoni. It's high in fat, sodium and cholesterol. Opt for pizza topped with veggies or plain cheese. Or better yet, skip the pizza altogether and get a sandwich.
• Don't get nachos. The chips are fried, and that neon orange cheese stuff is packed with fat but no nutritional value. Go with whole wheat pretzels or baked potato chips instead, and get your cheese fix from string cheese, cottage cheese or a couple of slices of cheese on a sandwich.
• Don't get dessert right away. If you get it, you'll eat it. But if you hold off on buying anything till you're done with your meal, you might decide that you don't want anything anyway.
• Don't drown yourself in soda. Those little bubbles might fill you up, but all that soda has some ugly side effects. Go with water, club soda, milk or 100% fruit juice instead.
• Don't try to be perfect. Everyone deserves a chili dog and fries now and then. Just be sure to balance it out with fruits, veggies and a healthy dinner later on.