10 Facts About Military Schools

10 Facts About Military Schools If you are looking at a private school for your son or daughter, military school is one option worth considering, particularly if you are looking for  a boarding school. Here are some facts about military schools to help you make that decision, including a few that may surprise you. There Are Approximately 66 Military Schools in the US There are approximately 66  military schools in the U.S., most of which serve students in grades 9 through 12. However, more than 50 of those military high schools also include junior high, typically grades six, seven and/or eight. A few schools enroll students in younger grades, but the military curriculum doesnt always apply. Most military schools are residential schools, which means students reside on campus, and some schools offer the option of boarding or day.   They Instill Discipline Discipline is the first word which comes to mind when you think of military school. Indeed, discipline is the essence of military schools, but it doesnt always refer to a negative form of discipline. Discipline creates order. Order creates results. Any successful person knows that discipline is one real secret to her success. Put a young, rough around the edges man in a military high school and the transformation will astound you. The structure smooths and refines. The program demands greatness from its participants. This environment is also a place for students looking to engage in advanced studies and leadership opportunities in a rigorous environment. The level of positive discipline prepares them for the rigors of college, careers or military involvement.   Build Character Being a team member, learning to execute orders and sacrificing ones personal needs for the good of the group - these are all character building exercises every good military school teaches its students. Service above self is an integral part of most military schools philosophy. Integrity and honor are core values to which every school commits. Students who attend military school leave with a sense of pride in themselves, their communities and their roles as good citizens of the world.   Selective Admission The idea that anybody can get into military school is simply not true. Military schools set their own individual admission requirements. In most cases, they are looking for young people who want to make something of themselves and succeed in life. Yes, there are some military schools devoted to helping troubled teens turn their lives around, but the majority of military schools are institutions with some of the highest admittance criteria around.   Demanding Academics and Military Training Most military schools offer extensive college preparatory courses as part of their academic curricula. They combine that demanding academic work with rigorous military training so that their graduates are poised to matriculate to college and universities everywhere. Distinguished Graduates The rolls of military schools are filled with distinguished graduates who have gone on to be successes in just about every endeavor you care to name. Not just in military service either. JROTC JROTC or Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps is a Federal program sponsored by the U.S. Army at high schools nationwide. The Air Force, Navy, and Marines offer similar programs. About 50% of JROTC program participants go on to active military service. JROTC provides an introduction to military life and philosophy at the secondary school level. It is an important part of most military schools programs. The instructors are usually retired officers of the armed forces. Leadership Development Developing leaders is at the core of a military schools philosophy. One of the objectives of that kind of training is to develop students leadership skills. Most schools offer carefully designed leadership programs designed to maximize each students fullest potential. A Path to the Service Academies Military schools are often seen as a path to the service academies. And, while it is true that they offer the right sort of training and experience the academies require, parents and students need to bear in mind that nominations to our nations service academies are extremely selective and limited. Only the best of the best get in. Patriotism Patriotism is at the core of military training. The history of our country and how it got to where it is in the 21st century is an important part of what military schools teach as well. Inspiring service to our nation is the mission of a military school. Resource Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States    Article edited by  Stacy Jagodowski

Legal literacy Solicitors Journal - Emphasis

Legal literacy Solicitors Journal Legal literacy Solicitors Journal As a solicitor, its likely that youre a skilled oral communicator. But if youre less than confident when it comes to writing, youre not alone. Many professionals havent received formal writing training and instead rely on copying the style of their predecessors. Unfortunately, traditional legal writing contains many archaic, wordy phrases, which can be a little perplexing for the average person. Communicating complex legal ideas isnt always easy. But youre treading on rocky ground if you dont pay attention to your reader. If your client finds your written documents vague, hard to understand or confusing, they may call elsewhere next time. Alternatively, they may begin to mistrust you or suspect that you are hiding something. Keeping it clear and simple The modern alternative is to opt for plain language a move that is becoming increasingly popular within the legal profession. For instance, Nabarro recently launched a high-profile, firm-wide Clarity Matters campaign to simplify the way it writes. The firm is working towards writing all its contracts in plain English. Its also provided specialist writing-skills training for all its fee earners and legal secretaries, as well as for many of its support staff. Other firms, such as SJ Berwin, DLA Piper and CMS Cameron McKenna, have also commissioned specialist writing-training programmes. What is plain language? Crucially, plain language is not about dumbing down or patronising the reader. Instead, it takes technical, difficult or complex ideas and communicates them in a structured, easy-to-read way. The first step is to think about your reader and avoid a one size fits all approach. Pick the best words to communicate your thoughts, depending on whether your reader is a lawyer or a layperson. At each stage, ask yourself whether they would be able to instantly understand what you mean. Plain language also means including technical language where necessary. Its about being precise and clarifying your points. A new legal language Its not only laypeople who are reaping the benefits of plain language programmes. An American study by law professor Joseph Kimble asked judges to state whether they preferred legal paragraphs written in plain English or traditional style. The majority of judges preferred the plain language versions. The message is that its worth making the extra effort to gain your readers trust by ensuring that your written communication is clear. All you need are the right tools and a little attention to detail. Here are the five major mistakes solicitors make and ways to fix them. Mistake one: unnecessary words, such as therein, herein, forthwith and aforesaid Poor prose: I herein enclose the contract for the aforesaid book, as requested Better prose: I enclose the contract for the book, as requested. Even better prose: Here is the contract for the book you requested. The herein and aforesaid in this example are just unnecessary and make the sentence sound archaic and stilted. Replacing them makes the sentence much more readable. Note that often as in this case it also makes it easier to edit the sentence further. Mistake two: verbosity Poor prose: Pursuant to the recent communication of the improper proposal that the information be falsified, such assertion could only have been ascertained or appreciated from a full, detailed review of the meeting notes. Better prose: The claim that the information was falsified is wrong. This would have been clear if a detailed review of the meeting notes had been conducted. The author of the first example is more than a little disgruntled. But the message is hidden behind too much flowery language. The second suggestion gets to the heart of the problem and makes the meaning clear. Note that the author uses the passive voice in the second example to soften the blow. You dont always have to use the active voice (see mistake four); just make sure that if you do use it, you do so consciously. Mistake three: using nouns instead of verbs Poor prose: In the case of X, we believe the company is in possession of a structure that would be acceptable for securitisation. Better prose: X possesses [or has] a structure that is acceptable for securitisation. Possession is a noun, whereas possesses is a verb. Verbs create action in the sentence which moves the pace along and helps keep the readers interest. We believe has also been taken out as the sentence already asserts the writers belief. Mistake four: overuse of the passive voice Poor prose: The role played by the client in the project has been investigated. Better prose: X investigated the clients role in the project. The first example doesnt tell us who investigated the role, creating a very impersonal tone. Using the active voice makes the writing easier to read. It also forces you to say who or what (the agent) is taking the action. The second example is more specific, which makes the reader feel connected to whats happening. Of course, the passive voice can also be useful when you dont want to admit responsibility for an action. Mistake five: long, complex sentences and paragraphs Poor prose: As per earlier correspondence, I have attached the quotes that we have obtained from three firms (a) Hooke, Lyne and Siennker (contacts David Hooke and Franz Siennker) (This is separate from the law firm but forms part of the same group, and also has a different administrative team)(b) Edna Clouds (contacts Clare Edna and Michael Clouds) and (c) Maybey Knott who are a limited company (the contacts there are Noel Maybey and James Knott). Better prose: Following our previous correspondence, I have attached quotes from three firms. The contacts for Hooke, Lyne and Siennker are David Hooke and Franz Siennker. Please note that this firm has a separate administration team, even though it is part of the same group. Edna Clouds contacts are Clare Edna and Michael Clouds. Maybey Knott Ltds contacts are Noel Maybey and James Knott. A sentence more than three lines is far too long. In the first example, there are also too many brackets and too much information squeezed in one space, which can become confusing. The second example takes out all the brackets and sets everything out much more clearly. Remember, writing clearly can save you both time and money. It may mean a bit of extra effort, but it may well pay dividends. Robert Ashton is Chief Executive of Emphasis, the specialist business writing trainers.