Los Altos lad interns at Cal State Fullerton

55646-intern.JPG

Phillipe Rodriguez was only 6 years old when he attended his first science camp at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont. Now, at 17, he is contributing to National Science Foundation research.

Over the summer the Los Altos High senior interned in the physics department at Cal State Fullerton, conducting experimental research with Professor Murtadha Khakoo. Khakoo is doing the research under a grant from the National Science Foundation.

“I usually take only one or two students as assistants during the year,” Khakoo explained. “Phillipe is a very dedicated student, he was very motivated.”

While the rest of his Hacienda Heights classmates were enjoying their summer vacation, Rodriguez found himself immersed in a physics lab at the university for six weeks.

Read more in Rich Irwin’s story <a href=”http://www.sgvtribune.com/news/ci_19032533″>Intern.</a>

School districts struggles with use of social media by teachers

In April, an Azusa English teacher found herself
placed on leave and pulled from a student trip to Europe after posting
vulgar comments and references to drug and alcohol use on her Facebook
account.

In August, a gay water polo coach at Charter Oak High School was
fired after a parent complained about photos of him online posing with
drag queens.

And last week, a preschool teacher in the United Kingdom was banned
from the classroom for two years after officials discovered she had
created an elaborate Facebook scam intended to fool her ex-boyfriend
into believing she had given birth to his child and gone to Australia.

Experts say conflicts such as these are becoming increasingly common
as more people embrace social media. And school districts are struggling
to produce policies on how to handle such situations.

“I think because of the personal nature of social media, it’s raising
new questions no one ever thought about before,” said Jane Ballinger, a
professor of communication at Cal Poly Pomona.

Read more in J.D. Velasco’s story Social.