Video games might not be as bad for teens as we think

Almost all teens play video games these days - a fact which has been linked to obesity, increased aggression and poor performance in school.

Gaming might also have some civic and social benefits, a new study says.

"Teens, Video Games and Civics," released Sept. 16 by the Pew Internet and American Life Project surveyed 1,100 kids ages 12-17.

The study found 99 percent of boys and 94 percent of girls regularly play video games on either consoles, computers or cell phones. At least half of those teens played games every single day.

The average teen, the study says, plays several different categories of games, both violent and nonviolent ones.

Worried already by these stats? I'm with you.

But, the Washington D.C.-based project also reported that game-playing for most teens is social, with 76 percent of teens playing games with others at least some of the time.

Another 76 percent of kids reported helping their friends while gaming; 44 percent learning about societal problems through games.

"The stereotype that gaming is a solitary, violent, anti-social activity just doesn't hold up," Amanda Lenhard, author of the study, said in a news release. "Gaming is ... part of life for both boys and girls."

More than 50 percent of teens said they regularly think about moral and ethical issues when playing games, 43 percent reporting that games help them make decisions about how different aspects of society should be run.

Relatively harmless games like Thrillville, Sim City and Lord of the Rings influencing teens' perspectives is one thing. But what about the more violent ones, like Grand Theft Auto, and Resident Evil?

I'm still not entirely sold. Are you?

Check out the study at pewinternet.org; and how your teen's games stack up at www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews.

Academy open houses: U-46 will hold high school academy open houses for seventh- and eighth- grade students at 7 and 8:15 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 6 and 7. The district's five academies are Larkin's Visual and Performing Arts Academy, Streamwood's World Languages and International Studies Academy, Bartlett's Science, Engineering and Technology Academy, Elgin's Gifted and Talented Academy and South Elgin's Broadcast, Education and Communication Networks (BEACON) Academy. Each academy will accept up to 50 incoming freshmen for the 2009-10 school year.

St. Joe gets connected: St. Joseph Catholic School in Elgin became the latest Fox Valley school to adopt a reverse calling system. The system lets school officials record a message and then send it to an entire community within minutes via phone, text or email. The school plans to use the system for general reminders, school closures or in the event of an emergency, officials said. Kaneland District 302, Central Community Unit District 301 and Community Unit District 300 have all adopted systems within the past six months.