Did you know that teens learn better when they sleep in a bit? Teens need at least nine or more hours of sleep at night, yet with school start times at 8 a.m. or earlier, many teens are not getting the sleep they need to perform their best. Sleep deprivation is cumulative - and you can't "catch up" on sleep over the weekend. Some of the effects include:

• Difficulty staying awake and paying attention in class
• Difficulty learning, thinking, making decisions, using good judgment or solving problems
• Moodiness and irritability
• Confusion with other disorders such as depression and attention deficit disorder
• Problems with memory, growth, the immune system, and general health
• Delayed reaction times (affects sports and other activities)
• Sluggishness and decreased motivation
• Using bad behavior to counteract daytime sleepiness.
  Examples include eating sugary, fast-energy foods; drinking too much caffeine and smoking.
• Using bad behaviors to fall asleep earlier
  Examples include drinking alcohol or taking pills.
• Sleepiness and a lack of alertness while driving
  Sleep deprivation can cause as much impairment as drunk driving. More than 50,000 crashes are caused each year by drowsy drivers under the age of 25 years old.

At TC Prep, we believe that part of the solution is to provide a menu of services combined and tailored to the individual student's needs. Students are able to work from home, online, on campus, or any combination of these. With the help of a teacher mentor, flexible start times, Online courses and individual tutoring, students receive the support needed to achieve. Plus, FREE dual-enrollment at Northwestern Michigan College mean that students can graduate from TC Prep having already earned college credits!