Synopsis of the Guidelines:

1. Students have the same right to engage in individual or group prayer and religious discussion during the school day as they do to engage in other comparable activity.
2. Local school authorities have “substantial discretion” to impose rules of order but may not structure the rules to discriminate against religious activity or speech.
3. Students may attempt to persuade peers about religious topics as they would any other topics, but schools should stop such speech that constitutes harassment.
4. Students may participate in before- or after-school events with religious content, such as “see-you-at-the-flagpole” gatherings, on the same terms they can participate in other noncurricular activities on school premises.
5. Teachers and administrators are prohibited from either encouraging or discouraging religious activity and from participating in such activity with students.
6. Public schools may not provide religious instruction but may teach about religion.
7. Students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork and other written and oral assignments. The work should be judged by ordinary academic standards and against other “legitimate pedagogical concerns.” Students may distribute religious literature on the same terms other literature unrelated to curriculum can be distributed.
8. Schools have “substantial discretion” to excuse students from lessons objectionable on religious or other conscientious grounds. But students generally don’t have a federal right to be excused from lessons inconsistent with religious beliefs or practices.
9. Schools may actively teach civic values and morals, even if some of those values also happen to be held by religions.
10. Students may display religious messages on clothing to the same extent they may display other comparable messages.

[Source: Kevin Simpson. "Nation searches its soul" (sidebar: "Federal Guidelines"), Denver Post, 20 February 2000.]

1. The Right to meet with other religious students.
   The Equal Access Act allows students the freedom to meet on campus for the purpose of discussing religious issues.
2. The Right to identify your religious beliefs through signs and symbols.
   Students are free to express their beliefs through signs and symbols (including Christian t-shirts, etc.)
3. The Right to talk about your religious beliefs on campus.
   Freedom of speech is a fundamental right mandated in the Constitution and does not exclude the schoolyard.
4. The Right to distribute religious literature on campus.
   Distributing literature on campus may not be restricted simply because it is religious.
5. The Right to pray on campus.
   Students may pray alone or with others so long as it does not disrupt school activities or is not forced on others.
6. The Right to carry or study your Bible on campus.
   The Supreme Court has said that only state-directed Bible reading is unconstitutional.
7. The Right to do research papers, speeches, and creative projects with religious themes.
   The First Amendment does not forbid all mention of religion in public schools.
8. The Right to be exempt.
   Students may be exempt from activities and class content that contradict their religious beliefs.
9. The Right to celebrate or study religious holidays on campus.
   Music, art, literature, and drama that have religious themes are permitted as part of the curriculum for school activities if presented in an objective manner as a traditional part of the cultural and religious heritage of the particular holiday.
10. The Right to meet with school officials.
    The First Amendment to the Constitution forbids Congress to make any law that would restrict the right of the people to petition the Government (school officials). Freedom of speech is a fundamental right mandated in the Constitution and does not exclude the schoolyard.

* Taken from Student’s Legal Rights by J.W. Brinkley/Roever Communications

If you would like more information on your legal rightson campus, view the booklet on students rights at the American Center for Law and Justice.

• As you read the Bible daily, underline additional verses that you will be able to use in witnessing. Memorize as many as you can.
• Begin to pray for individuals with whom you might share Christ. Trust God to provide the opportunities for you to talk with them, and the wisdom to know what to say.
• Spend time with these friends. Win their confidence by doing things with them and for them. If they see that you really care about them, they will be more likely to listen when you present the Gospel to them.
• Pray for opportunities to mention Christ in casual conversation. For instance you might simply ask, “What do you think happens after death?” or, “How do you think a person becomes a Christian?” Listen to their ideas and then say, “Here’s what I believe.” In giving your answer, use Scripture as references.
• Take your friends to church and discuss the message with them afterward.
• Start a Bible class in your home and invite your non-Christian friends. Read a chapter of the gospel of John each week.

When witnessing, allow time for questions and discussion and let the Holy Spirit speak to people through the Word. Try to make it clear that becoming a Christian involves a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and that you don’t become a Christian by being good, doing the best you can, or joining a church. Only by personally receiving Christ, trusting in Him as your personal Lord and Savior, does one become a Christian.

To find forgiveness, people must be willing to:

• Admit they are sinners in need of forgiveness.
• Turn from their sin.
• Believe that Jesus Christ died to save them from a life of sin and an eternity of separation from God.
• Receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and commit their lives to Him.

Give an opportunity for a response. If you sense that an individual sees his or her need, you might ask:

• Have you ever received Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?
• Would you like to do so, right now?

Discuss Revelation 3:20 and John 1:12. Point out that:

• Christ stands at the door of your heart, knocking.
• Christ will come in if He is invited.
• When He does come in, you will become a child of God.

Lead the person step-by-step through the following suggested prayer:
Dear Father,
I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that Christ died in my place, paying the penalty for my sin. I am willing to turn from my sin. I now invite Jesus Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Savior. I am willing, by your help, to follow and obey Christ as the Lord of my life. Amen.

These are just a few of the questions that teens ask themselves everyday. Do you keep searching for the meaning of your life? Have you ever wondered if there was more to life than what you are doing with it? Do you think that things in your life are out of control and that you have no way to stop them? Are you seeking peace and happiness and do not know where to find it? In such moments, you know there is something missing, something wrong in your world. Does every relationship leave you with a hole in your heart. We know that something is not right, but we just can not figure out what it is or how to fix it. But it does not ever have to be that way for you again. There is an answer to your search.

We have all felt this way at one time or another in our lives. You know there is a relationship you do not have that you are supposed to have. At times you may have felt you have found it, perhaps in a love relationship, but that feeling never seems to last. I am going to tell you about a relationship that will last. One that will fill that emptiness in your heart

These are just a few of the things that teens struggle with everyday. Being a teenager is not easy these days. There are all kinds of temptations out there, sex, drugs, alcohol to just name a few. Teens turn to things like these because they are seeking something that will make them forget about their problems and make them happy, even if it just for a short time. The thing is that these do not last long and can get you in all sorts of trouble. Don’t you wish that there was a better alternative? Well, there is.

A lot of teens are in this spot and then they find out they had a friend they never knew about. This friend’s name is Jesus. Perhaps you have heard about Him but never knew what He was about or how He could help you. Maybe you have heard the stories about Him and never thought they were true. He has brought peace and happiness to the lives of many people, both young and old.

Did you know that archaeologists have proven that a lot of the stories mentioned in the Bible actually happened. These stories have survived for thousands of years. Some talk about how armies that have been outnumbered a hundred to one have managed to win the battle when they believed in God and asked Him for help. They also talk about how cities have been destroyed because they were evil. There are stories in the Bible about how people have been saved from prison or even death because they believed in God. Some people that were really evil have unexpectedly changed their ways and now help the people that they were once persecuting. There are also stories of people being miraculously healed, even brought back to life.

We shall talk about how to know if Jesus really exists. The Bible says that He was the son of God and that He performed many miracles, including healing people. Do you know of anybody today that has been cured of an incurable disease? It happens all the time. Sometimes these diseases just disappear with no trace left behind. The doctors can not figure out what happened. One minute the person is dieing and the next there is nothing wrong with them. Maybe you have heard of somebody that has been in an accident and should have died, but they survived with very few or no injuries. Did you know that scientists have proven that if you pray for someone when they are sick, they get better faster.

People that were once so unhappy with their lives now can not believe how happy they are once they believed in Jesus. People that once thought that they had nothing to live for, except for misery and heartache, now find themselves so much happier. They ask themselves why they never came to believe in Him before and how much better their lives would have been if they had known about Jesus before. Not everybody’s lives will get better just like that, but once you come to accept Jesus their will be a lot of people that want to help you, pray for you, and just want to be your friend.

Some people have been so upset with their lives that they just wanted to commit suicide so that they would not have to suffer any more. A lot of times something strange happens. They will receive a visit or a call from somebody unexpectedly. This person will show up and start talking to them about Jesus and how happier their lives can be. You see, God knows about peoples troubles and sends a messenger to them to let them know how they can have peace in their lives and not have to worry about things. Stuff like this happens all the time.

Other people turn to drugs and alcohol to try and deaden the pain that is within their hearts. This never works. In fact the pain does not go away, it usually gets worse. Then you either end up in jail or you overdose and die. Is this what you want.

God did something for us that few people would do. He sacrificed His son, Jesus, so that we could live in peace. You see, Jesus died on the cross to take away our sins. Three days after Jesus died, he arose from his grave so that we would believe in his father, God.

They made Jesus carry that heavy wooden cross through the town, down those unpaved streets. While He was doing this people were lining the streets yelling at Him, and throwing things at Him. Can you imagine yourself having to go through this? To make matters worse, they made Jesus wear a crown of thorns on his head.

After Jesus got to their destination, they crucified Him on a cross. In case you do not know, that is one of the worst ways to die. They hang you on the cross by pounding these huge metal spikes through both your wrists, and then they put your legs together and pound another spike through your feet or legs. Then they stand the cross up and wait for you to die a slow death as you suffer and suffer. You see the longer you hang on the cross the weaker you get and the harder it is for you to keep breathing. In the end you get so week that you can not take another breath, and then you suffocate. Remember that you would be awake through all of this.

The thorns pierced his scalp, letting the blood trickle down his face, over his eyes, down his chin, then dripping off. You know how much it hurts when you get a thorn in your skin. Just imagine what it felt like to have a whole bunch of thorns in your scalp and know that you had no way to remove them. Jesus knew he was going to die. He could have run away at any time but he chose not to. He stayed and died a terrible, very painful death so that we may live and not have to suffer.

Jesus wants to help us to be happier. There is just one thing though, you have to ask Him for His help. He will not just reach and give it to you unless you ask Him first. Jesus is like that because God gave us free will. If we did not have free will, then we would be like slaves. I am sure you do not want to be a slave. God never makes us do anything that we do not want to do. If you want peace and happiness, you have to ask for it. It is as simple as that. There a just a few simple things that He asks from you in return. They are not hard and will not take long to do.

Maybe you are one of those scientific people who do not believe in Heaven or Hell. Science has proven that everybody does have a soul, that is does really exist. Maybe you think that when you die your soul just dies with your body. Did you ever think that maybe it does not die? Maybe your soul lives on. Just maybe there is a Heaven and a Hell. Your soul would have to go somewhere. Are you willing to gamble with your soul after you die?

Just think about was discussed here. If you are ready to believe in God and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then all you have to do is follow these simple steps. There are no tricks. You just have to ask. But you have to mean it. To accept Jesus, you need to do four simple things:

1. Admit you have done some things in your life that you knew were wrong and that you need Jesus.
2. You have to be sorry for these things you have done and want to change.
3. Understand that Jesus paid the ultimate price so you could be forgiven for the bad things you have done.
4. Accept Jesus Christ into your heart and life.

Now you need to pray. If you do not know how to pray, then here are some tips. Prayer is just talking to God, not magic words. A lot of people have trouble praying, including people that have been going to church a long time. Your prayer should be in your own words, from your own heart. Just pretend that Jesus is your best friend and that He is in the room with you. If you really are not sure how to start, you could say something like this to Him:

Lord Jesus, I know that I have done wrong things and that I need Your help. I believe that You died in my place, to pay for my sin, and that you came back to life again to save me. I want to change and be more like You. I now invite You to come into my heart and life as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Remember that the world is working against you. Society wants you to feel less than whole, inadequate, unworthy, and alone because it is not OUR world; it’s satan’s world. God is quietly loving you and guiding you and preparing your future, but the world you live in is SCREAMING at you and dangling action, excitement and temporal “joys” all around you. Keep your eyes on the One who knows who He created you for and knows when He’ll bring you two together.

If you have just prayed this and accepted Jeses, we would,like to hear from you. Just send us a message to us here.