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About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2007)
W07 ______ Forum Students receive incomplete education without important vocational classes STUDENTS m J acob G ianuzzi ____________ Staff Reporter For some students college offers a bright and shining future but, for others, circumstances may inhibit their ability to attend college. Unfortunately, vocational classes or classes taken by students who are either unable or unwilling to attend college are no longer an option for most students. Whether due to monetary concerns or lack of staff to teach the classes, students are no longer able to pursue vocational education. I believe that more resources need to be devoted to vocational classes. Not enough money is being dedicated to vocational classes. Classes such as wood shop, home economics and metal shop teach valuable skills whether a student is planning to attend college or not. They provide skills for life. For instance, who doesn't need to know how to cook? In order to be successful in life students must have a job. Vocational classes can prepare them for jobs by providing hands-on experience. Whether or not a student wishes to attend college, they still need skills to better equip them for the job market. There aren't many choices for those who don't plan on going on to college. For a few, community college is an option to learn and to possibly move on to college. For others, this is the end of the line school- wise. Schools that provide vocational education offer a future to students who may not be college bound. Dedicating a small percentage of funding to vocational education even as an extra-curricular option is essential for students not planning on going to college. In my opinion, students who could afford it would pay to take these classes as it would teach valuable life skills. In order to have a class, the administration would have to hire a teacher and funding would have to be secured. Paying a staff member or two probably wouldn't be a difficult task to accomplish for the sake of education. I believe it is an important option that needs to be explored. [ ) o u o u t h in k h a ve we snou v o c a tio n a l classes a n d w hu? u, i y ii ® i|É il * H s ig illiti □ lilp llll BII ' :• ••: , i h N ^ ' ! % V" ' V x V : ; ' ' V Dominique Channel freshman : i : : Contributing Writer Yes, say diet nutritionists, a vegetarian diet is a ijtolthy choice providing C R vegetarian diet is balanced. There have been multiple arguments surrounding the question of which diet is healthier. Many say that it is natural for us to eat meat so it must be healthier. However, studies have shown that a vegetarian diet is the best way to go and is much healthier. Vegetarians face about 30 percent lower risk of death from heart ji§ j M disease than those who eat meat, fish or poultry. Studies have shown cancer deaths are at least 40 percent lower among vegetarians. Vegetarians have a lesser chance of suffering from kidney and gall stones, diet-related diabetes and high blood pressure. They also have much lower cholesterol levels. However, if you want these advantages you have to follow through with a diet that ensures meeting nutritional requirements. If you are a vegetarian, you should know that most people have special needs depending on their activity level, age and gender. /f^^[ewboms won't develop jl properly without nutrients provided by mother's milk or formula. Toddlers need protein and vitamins that may require fortified vegetarian foods."—Time Magazine. Vitamin B12 is especially necessary for teens. They also need lots of protein, vitamin D and essential fatty acids to fuel developing bodies. Are you an athlete? For best performance, athletes need protein, calories and nutrients like iron and zinc so you'd need to eat food such as tofu and lentils. animal flesh! All that plant food could be used much more efficiently if it was fed to people directly. The more people who1 go vegetarian, the more we can feed the hungry."—goveg.com Another reason to "go veg" is that being a meat eater is one of the worst things you can do for the Earth. Enormous amounts of pollution are released by factory farms. The meat industry is one of the biggest contributors to global warming. A vegetarian diet has more of a positive effect on the environment than switching to a hybrid or green car. Many have claimed you cannot be an environmentalist if you are not a vegetarian, it is just that effective. Whether you "just really, really love animals"— Natalie Portman or you feel that "to my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being"—Mahatma Gandhi. Maybe you want to make the world cleaner, or you just think meat is gross (feces, blood and other bodily fluids can be found in meat; all of which makes animal products the top source of food poisoning in the United States), becoming a vegetarian is a noble cause and as hard as it may seem, it's never too late to help save the world and end suffering. m : : . I think giving kids chances to take Fiome Economics and Shop leaves more opportunities for them after high school." "I Ili "Yeah I think we should have FFome Economics so you can learn to make really good pancakes." 1 ! my mind, the life of a is no less precious than that of a human being” — Mahatma Gandii Pregnant women may be required to supplement their diets with vitamins B12 and D. Elders are in need of calcium and vitamin D to keep bones strong, fortified food and supplements will help. Being vegetarian will save 95 lives a year and save over 100 animals from horrible abuse. "Eating meat doesn’t just hurt animals; it hurts people too. It takes tons of crops and water to raise farmed animals-in fact, it takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce just one pound of ' , Is a vegetarian diet really the best choice? A very B reyne -C artwright x-v . ' V ' & f ' iv ïiv B : M e a t v s T o fu : u Charley Cheuvront, senior Kellie Kawasaki and Ashtyn Butuso, sophomores ■ ' I ¡1 ■•r m liv/M ■ ■ ■ "Y es, b ecause som e people aren't as college bound as others and their skills are in vocational classes. //
