Teen Council Comments

By: Maddie Machovec

Hi! My name is Maddie Machovec, and I'm a second-year member of Alabaster Teen Council. The month of September is a very special one for a few reasons. Number one, it's the first full month back in school, and the first time I start to feel back in the routine of going to school every day. Of course, this year is very different due to COVID-19. All students in ACS are on a modified schedule, doing online school three days a week, and in-person school two days. While I was very excited to get back to in-person school, I'm so thankful to ACS for doing everything they can to keep the students, teachers, staff, and their families as safe as possible. I know online school can be difficult, so I have a few tips.

First, try to keep a consistent schedule as much as possible. Wake up at the same time every day, regardless of whether you are doing online or in-person school on that day. Second, set aside a specific block of time every day to do your school work. Sit down at a certain time every morning, and don't do anything else until you're done with the work for the day. Third, don't be afraid to ask for help. All of your teachers want to see you succeed, so don't be scared to reach out for extra help or more practice. Finally, keep a planner or to-do list. Whether it's a daily/weekly planner, a goals checklist, or a cross-off list you make every day, have a way to keep track of everything you need to get done that day, and that week, to make sure you don't fall behind. Remember also to be gracious to your teachers, school staff, administration, and parents. School during a global pandemic is new to all of us, so please be kind and courteous because your parents and all school and district staff have worked very hard to make school this year be the best it possibly can.

This month is also very special because September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. One in 285 children will be diagnosed with cancer before their twentieth birthday. In the U.S., 43 kids are diagnosed with cancer every day, meaning every three minutes a family will hear the devastating news that their child has cancer. This topic is especially close to my heart, because in 2008 my cousin Owen passed away from a pediatric brain tumor. Childhood cancer is a scary topic that most people, understandably, don't want to talk about. It's difficult to think about anyone you are close to being diagnosed with cancer, and especially hard to think about children. But, as Americans, Alabamians, and Alabaster citizens, we need to talk about it. I'm so proud of all the great things the city of Alabaster, and those who live in our city, have done for childhood cancer awareness. THS hosts the Go Gold Bowl at the first football game of the season to raise money for Children's of Alabama in downtown Birmingham. The Alabaster-based Elaine Roberts Foundation does a fantastic job of raising awareness in our community and around the state. Mayor Handlon and the city council recognized September as childhood cancer awareness month in Alabaster. As a community, we've made huge steps forward. You might be asking yourself, "What can I do to help?” The Elaine Roberts

Foundation and Children's of Alabama are great local places to donate to, and, on a larger scale, organizations like the American Childhood Cancer Organization and St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital are always accepting donations. My personal favorite thing to do is post about childhood cancer awareness on social media and wear gold ribbons. Gold is the official color of the childhood cancer awareness ribbon, and every year I have people ask me about my ribbon, giving me the perfect opportunity to explain Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.