Research finds link between Facebook use and lower grades: According to a new study from Ohio State University, college students with a Facebook account spend less time studying and have lower GPAs than students who are non-users. Researchers found that Facebook users in the study typically had GPAs between 3.0 and 3.5, while non-users had GPAs ranging from 3.5 to 4.0. Those with Facebook profiles said they averaged one to 5 hours a week studying, while those without accounts reported studying 11 to 15 hours per week. 79% of Facebook users participating in the study claimed the site did not have an impact on their academic performance. OSU Research News | Sunday Times

Source: Academica Top 10 (April 14, 2009)
— http://www.academica.ca/comment/reply/7333

I — along with a team from my church — will be heading to Africa on April 16th for a short term mission trip. We will be working with the Villages of Hope Africa in Kitwe Zambia installing/repairing a computer lab in a community school that serves over 700 kids. Some of these kids live right in the village orphanage (~170) while the majority come to the school from nearby shanty-towns.

First let me say — I have raised all my financial support! This is not a plea for financial help — but rather a plea for your prayers and a chance to answer the many questions I have been getting about my upcoming trip.

We do have a website put together if you would like more details about what we are doing. The site can be found at: www.mymission.ca/zambia

One of the things I am looking forward to the most is meeting 2 of our supported children. As a family we support 3 kids in Africa – 2 of those are in Zambia and 1 lives in the Village of Hope orphanage I am going to work at. The second attends the community school. I hope to meet both of these boys and will be bringing some special gifts for them.

I will be traveling from April 16th to May 3rd – I would deeply cherish your prayers for myself and my family while I am gone.

Noel-Levitz has recently released their latest E-expectations survey of 1,005 college-bound high school seniors in 2009. Rachael Reuben has written a great summary of the report which is available over at .eduGuru. If you would like to read the full report it is available on the Noel-Levitz website here.