Single-sex school focuses students on books, not image, girls say.

Since 2002, when the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, single-sex schools and programs have been popping up all over the country. The Associated Press reported that 10 new girls and boys schools opened this fall alone. The Seattle Girls' School was one of the pioneers in the movement when it opened four years ago. The middle school was founded on the theory that girls are more self-confident in the classroom when boys aren't present. Opponents believe that single-sex schools perpetuate old stereotypes.

Children's PressLine spoke to students at the Seattle Girls' School about their experiences in a boy-free environment.

Keyaunna Johnson, 14: In my regular school, the boys distracted me by either flirting or just bothering me. All the kids were very judgmental.

Here, we've been together for all three years of middle school so everybody knows everybody's style. We all understand it and don't judge anybody or worry about that type of stuff. But girls are very judgmental and that does come up once in a while. We might not like each other but we get kinda protective of one another. We're one big, happy family with sibling problems.

I have a boyfriend so my social life hasn't really changed [since I've been here]. I don't know as many boys as I used to but I am still around them and aware of them.

I think it is easier to make friends here than at a co-ed school because girls act different when they get around boys. There's a whole lot more drama when boys are around.

Girls accept each other easier than boys will accept girls.

I just don't tell people that I go to an all-girls school. Some people get the wrong impression. They all think we're lesbians.

Kendall Swanson, 14: I wasn't really distracted [in coed school] but a lot of the girls around me were, and they would rather focus on boys than their school work. I chose to come to a girls school because I wanted to try a new experience and I thought the surroundings would be good for me.

When you're in a co-ed school most people just wanna be friends with the "in" crowd. Here, we don't have an in-crowd. Yeah, we have groups of friends but no one more popular than the other. So it is a lot easier to find a good friend rather than someone you have to be friends with if you want to be popular.

We have a better school community in that we have each other's backs instead of talking behind each other's backs. It's easier to learn when you're not focusing on how you look. The disadvantages are that we don't have many school dances and if we do we have to invite people ourselves, so it is harder.

Since I've gone to an all-girls school I don't know that many [boys). But just because boys aren't in the classrooms doesn't mean that you don't get to see them at all. It's just getting boys out of the classrooms that makes it a lot easier for people to learn better. Our school helps girls to grow mentally. Before I came here I didn't want to talk in front of a group of people not because I had self-esteem issues but because I had stage fright. Now, we've done speeches in front of 500 people. It has helped me grow and learn more.

If someone is going to a school where their grades are suffering because they're only focused on boys then I would recommend they try a girls-only school. It's not necessarily easier but it is a more comfortable environment.

People who don't go to this school think that it is odd that we go to this all-girls middle school. People give me funny looks when I tell them where I go. One boy came up to one of our girls and said, "Hey, we have something in common â€" I like girls and so do you."

Jakki Bensinger, 14: I think it is easier in the single-sex schools because although we miss boys, you don't have to worry about how you look every single day. You can come to school in slacks and stuff and no one really cares that much. But in a co-ed setting you have to care about how you look or it'll hurt your reputation.

Ariel Jefferson, Seattle, 13: We talk about a lot more things here than they do in a co-ed school. It feels more comfortable when you're able to talk about these things to each other.

Mayre Squires, Seattle, 14: I felt coming here was much quieter because there weren't boys here who made noise. But then I found out girls made a lot of noise on their own.

PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE)