🎉 Howdy, Fiveable fam! Let’s get right into this week’s top study strategies, stories, and important updates.

📲 Content Corner

A weekly roundup of the best study hacks, tools, and insights to boost your academic game.

• 👀 4 study hacks this neuroscientist swears by to get a 4.0 in school (the 4th one is genius).

• 🛕 AP World students! Explore this captivating 3D reconstruction of the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlan.

• 📚 How to trick your brain into enjoying studying by tapping into “the learning sweet spot”!

• 💉 A captivating animation showing the incredible science behind how vaccines really work.

• 😲 [Flash Warning] The surprising truth behind the left-brain vs right-brain myth!

• 🎵 For AP Lit students (and non-students alike) – here’s an author’s lyrical analysis of Olivia Rodrigo’s hit song Vampire.

📣 Homeroom Headlines

The Future of High School? XQ Institute Pushes for Progressive Change ✍️

The XQ Institute is breaking boundaries with its mission to “rethink high school”. They’re a nonprofit organization collaborating with 30 schools and districts nationwide, developing programs to improve high school education all over the United States.

They recently received a $25 million grant to work with D.C. public schools to redesign high schools in the city to be more engaging, progressive, and intertwined with career pathways.

Their collaboration with D.C.’s Coolidge High takes the spotlight, with Coolidge building systems to align their curriculum with the UN's sustainable development goals.

What this means for students: This isn't just a story about school redesign - it's about shaping a progressive future. The XQ Institute’s initiative has the potential to bridge the gap between classroom learnings and real-world challenges, letting students be change-makers.

While reimagining schools sounds promising, there's more at play. The tug of war between privatization fears and the quest for equitable reforms cannot be ignored. For us, this means staying engaged, informed, and holding these initiatives accountable.

Dive deep, question the status quo, and be part of building an education that's more than just textbooks. 🌍📘

Cleveland High School Faces Crowding Concerns Amid Rapid Growth 📈

Recent videos from Cleveland High School showcase students tightly packed in hallways “like sardines”, raising concerns about safety and mobility.

This congestion, resulting from significant district growth and changed walking patterns for safety reasons, has alarmed students, parents, and school staff alike.

Remedies proposed include revising walking patterns and introducing additional classroom spaces.

What this means for students: It's a visual representation of a bigger issue – the struggle for space in rapidly growing districts and the challenge to balance safety with freedom of movement.

While schools focus on limiting entrances and exits for security reasons, it's essential to find a balance that doesn't restrict students' mobility to the point of potential danger.

Activism, open dialogues, and having a voice in these discussions about school decisions are great ways to shape a more holistic educational experience. 🏫🗣️

Detroit's ArcPrep: Lighting the Way for Future Architects 🌆

ArcPrep, a collaboration between U-M Taubman College and Detroit Public Schools, provides high school juniors with hands-on architectural experiences.

Established in 2015, the program emphasizes design, community involvement, and technical skills, introducing nearly 500 students to the vast possibilities of the architectural world.

What this means for students: Beyond teaching architecture, ArcPrep champions diversity and empowerment in design. It equips GenZ with skills transcending traditional education, from tech proficiency to reimagining public spaces.

It's an opportunity to not just learn, but to reshape communities and potentially redefine the future of architecture. 🌆📐

😌 The Wellness Workshop

If we’re being honest, it’s easy to let advice like that ^ fall flat.

But after digging deep into hydration this week, we found some pretty shocking stats.

Did you know:

• One study found that being just 1% dehydrated is enough to cause a 5% impairment in cognitive performance. 🤯

• Another study found that just a 2% drop in brain moisture can cause short-term memory loss and difficulties with numerical calculations.

The big takeaway here? The side-effects from just minimal levels of dehydration are pretty big.

Being just 1% dehydrated could result in a letter grade lower on a test.

Fortunately, this is an easy problem to solve!

Harvard’s School of Public Health says that experts recommend drinking between 11 to 16 cups of water per day.

If that sounds like a lot, don’t sweat it! We don’t have to do things “perfect” every day.

This is just a friendly reminder that drinking enough water really does make a big difference.🚰💧

⭐ Student Spotlight

This week’s student spotlight goes to the members of the Pennridge Ice Hockey Club AND the Philadelphia Blind Hockey Club!

To help make the sport they all love more accessible, skaters from Philadelphia Blind Hockey and the high school hockey team partnered together to design and build skate assists from PVC pipes.

With the custom skate assists, members of the blind league will be able to skate with more independence and ease, without relying on others to help navigate the rink.

A big shout-out to both clubs for making a great sport more accessible! 🏒❤️

Know a high schooler or group of students doing something interesting like this?

Reply to this email with their story, and they could make an appearance in our next spotlight!

🎟️ Unlock your full potential this year with Cram Mode 🎟️

Wanting to achieve academic excellence this year?

Then you’ve come to the right place!

Cram Mode is the perfect tool to help you maximize your potential in AP classes and standardized tests this year.

With the next ACT test date coming up this Saturday, 9/9, now is the perfect time to join.

Students with Cram Mode have access to 3 live ACT review cram sessions this week alone, covering:

• The ACT reading section, tonight

• The ACT science section tomorrow night

• Another ACT science section review on Friday night

In addition, Cram Mode gets you access to 170+ live cram events throughout the school year for 21 APs, ACTs, SATs, and college prep sessions.

You’ll also unlock:

• 19,000 practice questions spanning every AP subject

• And instant feedback with easy-to-understand explanations for questions you miss

Cram Mode helps Fiveable students set themselves apart, achieving scores that consistently surpass national averages.

Unlock your full potential this year with Cram Mode! 🌟📖

🎉 Signing off for now, Fiveable fam! 👋