Let me start by telling you about the Houston psyche. We’re proud of our city but not boastful. We know that we don’t have snow-capped mountains or crystal blue oceans, but we do know that this swamp is still a great place to live. According to U-Haul, Houston has placedRead More

Houstonians like me are excited to welcome you to the nation’s fourth largest city, our home, for Super Bowl 51. I have lived and traveled extensively throughout the US, Asia and Europe, but am proud to call Houston my home and excited to show it off to you. (Space Shuttle Endeavor andRead More

Attention parents, Europe is on sale from the mid $400s for travel between September 2016 and March 2017. Valid travel periods include Thanksgiving vacation (11/21 – 11/25) and Spring Break (March 13 – 17). Example fares from Houston for travel during Thanksgiving include: Berlin for $512 Frankfurt for $470 Munich forRead More

Dress codes in schools make sense – they set out concrete guidelines to keep students decent and at least somewhat professionally dressed. In theory, they can help to set students on an equal footing and reduce the disparity in dress between the economically disadvantaged and the well-off. Some administrators alsoRead More

Earlier this week, HISD announced the first concrete programs created under the Arts Access Initiative. The initiative, which is organized by the local nonprofit Young Audiences of Houston, focuses on creating opportunities for arts education in Houston’s public schools. In 2013-2014, the initiative conducted preliminary research in HISD K-8 schools. InformedRead More

Mr. Gallo’s AP European History class was legendary. I heard about it even before my freshman year, from older friends who were preparing to take it in the fall. They told me about the infamous summer assignment and the sheer volume of work which it entailed – extensive textbook readingRead More

In March, an American educator was awarded the highest honor in teaching – the inaugural Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize, which some have called the “Nobel Prize of Teaching.” Nancie Atwell of Edgecomb, Maine, is the founder of the Center for Teaching and Learning, an independent private school. At theRead More

Each year, Rice University‘s Boniuk Institute hosts a writing competition called Embracing Tolerance. The contest, open to high school students in the greater Houston area, encourages young people to think about and engage with the idea of religious tolerance and coexistence. The 2015 prompt asked students to consider the qualitiesRead More

Spring break is upon us. Several Houston private schools are on break this week, and many more will be on break next week; HISD spring break is next week, too. For students, this means a week of relaxation and no homework, but for parents, spring break can be a littleRead More

Back when I was in high school, it was all about Ralph Lauren and Nike Air Force 1’s. Nowadays – or at least when it comes to the state of General Academic’s Study Lounge – it’s all about Vineyard Vines and Sperry’s. It seems like even when students aren’t inRead More

Ramona Otto’s name may not ring a bell instantly for art lovers, but her folksy, Americana approach to art is turning a lot of heads in LA. The retired elementary school teacher recently transformed her home into a “folk art mecca,” putting her pieces on display for the public toRead More

Nestled in the heart of Houston’s Museum District, Presbyterian School is a testament to the value of the arts working in tandem with education. As you enter the parking lot, there’s a bit of commotion as cars, buses, and pedestrians share the road in a hurry to drop off andRead More

Michelangelo’s David (1501-1504), a central piece of the Renaissance, is under threat of tremors after 250 small earthquakes hit Florence in December. Italy’s Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini, announced that the country will spend €200,000 ($230,906) on what is described as an “anti-seismic plinth” to make the statue’s platform more stable. ARead More

Some time ago, we posted a piece about the importance of arts education and a recent study measuring its effects. In response to that same study, The Huffington Post‘s Sarah Virginia White wrote an article advising parents on how to optimize museum tours for their children. In addition to aRead More

As is frequently discussed in the media, there are fewer women than men, on average, in STEM fields. As of 2011, less than a third of all STEM jobs in the US are held by women. Of course, today’s high water mark of 30% is a considerable improvement on theRead More

The holiday season is in full swing, and many want their holiday party to be both enjoyable and unique. At General Academic, we always make room for trivia at our parties–have to keep our people on their toes, after all! This year, I’ve decided to share that trivia with you,Read More