My last column: Thank you and goodbye
I can still remember a time when, at an academic banquet, a woman approached my table and asked, “Are you Alexis Bentz?” When I confirmed that I was, she exclaimed that she was an avid reader of the Beacon and a fan of my work. She told me that she hadn’t considered the generational gap before, and that my column had inspired her to view teenagers in a new light. The... READ MORE
For teens and seniors in the dating game
Alexis Bentz is a senior at Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland. She has been writing this column encouraging intergenerational communication since middle school. On television or in cinema, romantic comedies are relatively formulaic: Two people meet, instantly hit it off, go through minor relationship drama that may involve pouring rain or an airport chase scene, and then... READ MORE
Families need to show love, acceptance
Alexis Bentz is a senior at Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland. She has been writing this intergenerational column for the Beacon since middle school. The structure of the typical family has changed drastically in the last 100 years. In the early and mid-1900s, the traditional family consisted of a mother, father and children. Divorce, homosexuality, single parents and... READ MORE
Creativity: it can get better with age
Alexis Bentz is a senior at Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland. She has been writing this intergenerational column for the Beacon since middle school. I’ve been writing about issues that impact both the older and younger generations for The Beacon for six years. But I’ve been a short story writer almost from the time I could hold a pen. My first story was about a butterfly... READ MORE
Your role in next year’s national census
They say that the only constants are change and taxes. I would add another item to this list: the census. Since our country’s founding, the census has been taken every 10 years with the intention of counting all individuals living in the United States and logging their demographic information. You’re probably more than familiar with how the census works — or, should I say,... READ MORE
Money management is important for all
Last summer, I had the opportunity to study “across the pond” at Oxford University. While there, I used up roughly 75% of my spending money buying Moo-Moo’s milkshakes. It was perhaps not the most intelligent budgeting on my part, but what can I say? Those milkshakes were heavenly. My escapades in England exemplify how essential it is to be well-versed in the art of money... READ MORE
Issues facing the sandwich generation
In my previous columns, I have written a lot about the younger and older generations and how they can better understand and interact with each other. But there is another generation that I have not discussed before that very much deserves to be recognized: the sandwich generation. The sandwich generation is so named because members of that generation are the “filling” between the... READ MORE
Social media: the good, the bad, the ugly
There are few things more characteristic of the 21st century — or more controversial — than social media. Whether it’s catching up with friends on Facebook, watching videos on YouTube, or posting a new selfie on Instagram, social media has come to dominate our lives, especially for young people. And given its undeniable presence and impact, it is essential that we consider its... READ MORE
Fashion reflects personality for all ages
In the fashion world, the only constant is change. As society and popular culture evolve, so do our garments. Regardless of what styles have been in vogue throughout history, one thing remains the same: fashion is a high priority in American society, both for teenagers and older adults. First, let’s clarify the difference between “fashion” and “style.” While the two words... READ MORE
Active listening benefits all generations
There was a poster hanging in my eighth-grade health classroom that I can still visualize. It read in a brightly colored font, “‘Listen’ and ‘silent’ are spelled with the same letters.” That poster echoed the message that we have been taught from an early age but often ignore: that merely hearing, or the act of perceiving sound by the ear, doesn’t cut it. Only by... READ MORE
