A roundup of recent newspaper stories about children's health...
Monday, Feb 5:
Communities
Advocate for Transitional Services
Support groups for children who age out of foster care have become
powerful advocates for an increase in state transitional services for
youth. This New York Times article chronicles how several states have
expanded services. (NY Times, 1/27/07, by Eckholm)
Pushing Back at Bullying
Many Connecticut schools are implementing a successful anti-bullying
program sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League. The program trains student
volunteers to speak candidly to their peers about their experiences with
bullying behavior and its consequences. (NY Times, 1/28/07, by Hirshey)
California Schools Have Few Librarians
This San Jose Mercury News story about a celebrated Sunnyvale
elementary school librarian notes that California 's student-librarian
ratio is well below the national average. Education experts say librarians
help develop students' reading skills and improve scores on standardized
tests. (SJ Mercury, 1/29/07, by Bartindale)
California
Gets an 'A' for Combating Childhood Obesity
The University of Baltimore's Obesity Initiative gave six states,
including California, top grades for their efforts to pass child obesity
prevention legislation. California 's legislation included setting nutrition
standards for schools and requiring physical education for all students.
(CNN, 1/30/07, by Wadas-Willingham)
Colleges
Discuss Mental Health Issues
The recent apparent suicide of a Stanford graduate student has
brought new attention to a growing problem of student stress, according
to this Palo Alto Weekly cover story. Although suicide rates among Stanford
students are lower than at schools of similar size, experts say that college
counseling centers nationwide see more students every year. In March,
experts from neighboring colleges plan to convene to discuss ways to address
mental health issues on campus. (PA Weekly, 1/31/07, by Tanenbaum and
Rocha)
Boston
Principal Works to Curb Student Stress
Concerned that high stress levels can lead to self-destructive
behaviors, including eating disorders and drug abuse, a Boston-area high
school principal has explored ways to reduce anxiety among his students.
Changes at the school include regular surveys about students' worries,
the formation of a stress-reduction committee, and the elimination of
homework during school vacations. ( Boston Globe, 1/31/07, by Meade)
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