High School Happiness and Wellbeing
The high school years, positioned as they are at the flashpoint of adolescent development, can be among the best and worst of times. Students begin high school as mere children and graduate as young adults ready (we hope) to take their next big steps into college, careers, and life. Consequently, we as a society should focus on providing the most positive, productive, and equitably enjoyable high school experiences possible for our teens. But do we? Challenge Success, the Stanford Graduate School of Education nonprofit that focuses on school communities, just released their Challenge Success Student Voice Report. This rich review of quantitative and qualitative data from 2010-2023 explores high school students’ emotional and physical health, sense of connection and belonging in school, and engagement with learning. The study analyzed data from more than 270,000 high school students over the course of 14 years. The results in three specific areas aren’t…
Boost Your Brainpower by Incorporating These Exercise Tips Into Your Daily Routine
Believe it or not, a stronger body can contribute to stronger test scores. This guest article from Laura Pearson, co-creator of Edutude. delves into a series of actionable strategies designed to empower students to manage their finances effectively. Through Edutude, Laura strives to find unique, creative ways for parents and educators to encourage students to be challenged, motivated and excited by learning. In addition to her work with Edutude, Pearson is an advocate for children’s rights and education. Embarking on your college journey is an exciting and challenging time. As you navigate your academic responsibilities, it’s crucial to find ways to enhance your learning potential. One powerful yet often overlooked strategy is incorporating exercise into your daily routine. Not only does physical activity improve your overall health, but it also significantly boosts cognitive function, memory retention, and mood. Let us walk you through practical steps to seamlessly integrate exercise into…
First SAT of the 2020-21 School Year… How Did It Go?
“We all had to stand in line for about 20 minutes because we had to agree to statements regarding our health and COVID, which stunk. Then we were all divided into rooms with no more than 9 kids at a time. Nothing too crazy but it was definitely different!” “The testing center was very disorganized, and we had to wait for over an hour to even go to the testing room. They made us wear masks throughout the exam which was a little annoying.” These actual statements from actual students who took the actual SAT on August 29 should be taken as both precautionary warnings and signs of hope. What is the warning? The test makers and site supervisors are committed to enforcing health and safety measures for SAT and ACT administrations. Expect the following on test day: — All students and staff must wear masks or protective face coverings…
First Aid Kit for Testing During a Pandemic
Test preparation means being prepared for test day, come what may. While most preparation occurs in the months, weeks, and last desperate days before an exam, every test taker should endeavor to be ready for whatever might happen on the day when it all counts. And unexpected, surprising, and sometimes even alarming things can happen during tests. The process of testing can take as much of a toll on a body as it does on a brain. The atmosphere of intense concentration and anxious silence tends to open up nasal passages and magnify the nuisance factor of every little itch, pain, and sniffle. Toss in the fear that the students testing next to you might be carrying COVID-19 (even though they almost certainly are not) and you can understand why your Test Day Checklist must include a well-stocked first aid kit: MASK Don’t expect to get into your test center…
Four Important Considerations for Student Health
Fall is here–so are big exams and college applications. Whether you are looking to go away for school or stay local, the countdown to college begins with many things to think about, including issues related to good health. Luckily, Julie Dickens—who knows all about these issues as a parent of high school and college students, healthcare professional, and founder of Cold FAid™—shared four powerful tips with us to help you stay healthy while in school. 1. Get Organized The first thing that you should do to ready your health portfolio for college is to organize who to call if you need to see a health care provider. Enter into your mobile phone your contacts for the following: primary care provider, dentist, ophthalmologist, pharmacy, and health care insurance carrier. Make sure to obtain a copy of your health insurance card to carry in your wallet. 2. Think Prevention Be sure to…
First Aid Kit for Test Day
Test preparation typically describes the extensive coaching, studying, and practice that supports peak performance during high stakes testing. Sometimes, though, the term literally means being prepared for whatever might happen on test day. The standard array of #2 pencils, the right snacks, and comfy clothes are usually all that is needed to get through even the toughest exams. But, every so often, a problem arises that a big, pink eraser can’t fix. Testing can take as much of a toll on your body as it does on your brain. The atmosphere of intense concentration and anxious silence tends to open up nasal passages and magnify the nuisance factor of every little itch, pain, and sniffle. Unless something very wrong occurs, you won’t need band aids, antiseptic, or a defibrillator, but a small, well-stocked first aid kit could save your test day: PAIN RELIEVER Like the fabled thorn in the lion’s…