At last! Summer’s here, and LHS students are jumping out of their desks and up for joy. Uninterrupted sleep, long days out with friends, and warm weather, who could ask for anything more? It’s a season to be enjoyed, and for that reason it’s easy to forget the most basic necessities of summer safety. Namely, applying sunscreen and covering up to protect against Texas’s summer sun.

   Nobody likes a sun burn, and what’s more, nobody likes cancer. With more cases than lung, breast, and colon cancer combined, skin cancer is currently the most common type of cancer in the United States. Every single year, millions of individual cases are reported. Although there are three different types of skin cancer, melanoma is the most dangerous, and the number of those diagnosed with it is increasing faster than any other type of cancer.

   To many, it seems skin cancer is the product of a lifetime spent out in the sun, but in reality, it’s the second most common form of cancer for those between the ages of fifteen and twenty-nine. That’s because any change in your skin, be it a severe sun burn or even a light tan, is the result of UV damage, and ultraviolet radiation is a carcinogen. Of course, summer is the season renowned for its unrelenting UV rays.

   Fortunately, it’s not difficult to protect oneself from the dangers. Simply wearing a shirt reduces the risk, as does wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. But above all that, it’s best to apply sunscreen before even stepping outside. Most dermatologists would recommend the use of sunscreen with a broad spectrum to ensure protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

   While nobody likes getting burned by the sun, summer’s still a favorite time of the year and simply remembering to stay protected can keep this year’s `summer full of fun.

   For many juniors and seniors prom marks a rite of passage into their lives past high school as the impending promise of graduation marches closer and closer.

   Prom is a night to have fun with friends and make memories that will last a lifetime, which is exactly what students did as they danced and laughed the night away at the Double Tree Hotel in Austin:

Everyone can feel the allure of summer as the end of the year draws closer. Caught up in the desperation to be done with homework and tests, it is easy to forget the boredom that often comes with the summer months. However, there are many events that are taking place right here in our great state, beginning the moment we trade our textbooks in for sunglasses.

Whether you want to stick close to home and attend one of the many summer camps offered in Austin this summer, or whether you want to take a day trip to Luling for the Watermelon Thump, there is guaranteed to be something going on this summer that will definitely put taking advantage of Sonic’s happy hour (let’s face it, it’s on everyone’s mind), to shame.

1. Concerts! Living in Austin has many advantages. One of them being the many opportunities to concerts of local as well as major artists. Popular bands like MGMT and Passion Pit can be caught at Stubb’s this June and live locals can be caught almost any night of the week at Antoine’s, Emo’s and La Zona Rosa.

2. The 119^th Birthday Party of Dr. Pepper Beginning on June 7 and lasting through June 11, the party will feature a 10-2-4k race as well as the annual “Tour de Pepper” bike ride. In addition to a car show and free tours of the bottling plant, there will also be a carnival and endless opportunities for free Dr. Pepper! For more information, visit www.dublindrpepper.com

3. The 57^th Annual Luling Watermelon Thump Celebrating the true fruit of summer, the Luling Watermelon Thump will feature a watermelon eating contest, a carnival, and of course, a seed spitting contest. Beginning on June 24 and ending on the 27, there will be live music and endless opportunities for fun and for watermelon.

4. Bat Cruises Summer sunsets are undoubtedly beautiful. To add to the interest of twilight, the bats that occupy Congress Avenue Bridge make a nightly appearance in the sky.  Capital Cruises offers an evening boat ride on Lady Bird Lake to experience the wonder of the largest bat colony in North America, firsthand. Reservations for groups can be made at www.capitalcruises.com

5. Summer Camps Though summer camps generally bring to mind tent pitching, camp fire building and other activities that isolate non-outdoorsy folk, our great city offers a camp opportunity to everyone.  Camps for aspiring musicians, chefs, artists, and then some are being offered at various prices throughout summer. www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Guides/SummerCamps

6. Fiesta Texas Always a summer favorite, Fiesta Texas only gets better with age. If the allure of the Superman: Krypton Coaster alone isn’t enough to lure people in, the entertainment planned for this summer will have people lining up. Jordin Sparks (6/27) and Mitchel Musso (7/2) are just a few among many that will be rocking the stage at Six Flags over the break.

7. Volunteer at Dell Children’s Hospital For those in need of CAS hours, community service for NHS, or just wanting to do something good for the community, Dell Children’s Hospital offers volunteer opportunities specifically set aside for teenagers. In an eight week program,  high school students over the age of fifteen can help those in need and get service hours. The application process is simple and inexpensive. More information can be obtained by calling 512-324-0161.

8. The 3^rd Annual Austin Ice Cream Festival Nothing exemplifies the fun of summer like this festival about a common treat enjoyed in the months that bring us three digit temperatures. The Austin Ice Cream Festival will feature live music, many contests, and part of the proceeds will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas. The festival is to take place on August 15^th and admission will be for $5 for adults and children under 12 get in free. Bring your family and friends to Waterloo Park to participate in what is sure to be a good time!