After taking the Birch Natural Mattress into our studios for testing, our editors approved this pick for side, back, stomach, and combination sleepers. The brand prioritizes natural, organic materials—such as cotton, wool, and latex—and the mattresses are constructed right here in the United States.
With certifications from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Eco-INSTITUT, and GREENGUARD Gold, this is truly one of the most eco-friendly hybrid mattresses available. Plus, it’s soft, supportive, and breathable, with a 100-night sleep trial and 25-year warranty.
Birch also makes a luxe version of its original mattress with an upgraded organic cashmere cover and extra comfort layers, along with a kids natural mattress. Right now, you can get 25% off sitewide and two free pillows with every mattress purchase.
It’s no coincidence that back-to-school season is immediately followed by cold and flu season. As we are all now well aware, hanging out in enclosed spaces with groups of people breathing the same air is a surefire way to spread respiratory viruses. While, luckily, such infections are usually mild, most people would prefer to avoid the discomfort of getting sick and potentially missing work.
This holds especially true for teachers, who rely on being able to project their voices and have 20, 30 or more young people relying on their presence. There’s pressure to be “on” all day, every day.
HuffPost asked teachers what they do to try to keep themselves healthy at the start of the school year. Here are their tips:
Know that you won’t be able to avoid every virus, and stay prepared.
Maurice (“Coach”) Smith, who has been an educator since 2007 and is currently teaching in Los Angeles, told HuffPost, “I usually catch a cold/flu early to late September and it’s like clockwork.”
This wasn’t the case before he began teaching, however. “I may have caught a cold here and there before I started teaching, but catching the flu or stomach flu was rare until I set foot in a classroom. I absolutely believe that there is a direct correlation between the two.”
Other teachers also experience illness on a predictable schedule. “I tend to catch a cold at the beginning of the school year and again in the winter,” Matteo Enna, who is about to enter his 19th year of teaching kindergarten in California, told HuffPost.
This has changed since Enna’s first years in the classroom, when he experienced frequent illness, often as soon as school let out for a break. “It was as though my body was fighting against being sick while I was in class, however when there was any downtime in the school year, my exhausted body and mind would succumb to the illness.”
When the inevitable occurs, Smith said, he tries “to arm myself to be able to handle the illness once it gets to me” with nutritious foods, drinks and supplements.
Keep classroom air and surfaces as clean as possible.
A regular high school classroom can house 150-200 students every day; college classrooms sometimes have even more. It’s impossible to keep all germs at bay, but there are a few things that can be done to minimize their spread.
“In the classroom, we keep sanitizers and Clorox wipes. The students are pretty good with keeping their desk areas clean if we bring it to their attention,” Smith said. “We also keep air purifiers going in our classrooms at all times. It just helps with reducing the sneezing and coughing in general.”
Tracy Ramage is an assistant teacher in a high school special education classroom in Delaware. She will be “masking as the school year begins and students are coming back together.”
“I usually find my chances of getting sick are much higher at the beginning of the school year than at the end,” Ramage added.
Teach and model good hygiene habits.
As always, kids need to hear you say it and then see you do it. This applies to coughing or sneezing into your elbow.
Ramage does “a lesson on germs and hygiene at the beginning of the year” to give students explicit instruction in classroom expectations.
For elementary teachers, handwashing can be worked into daily classroom routines. Teachers can show students how to properly cover their mouth and nose when they sneeze or cough. Smith mentioned one such technique: “dab when you sneeze.”
skynesher via Getty Images
Good hygiene habits and air filtration systems can help mitigate the spread of germs in classrooms.
Try to get enough sleep and exercise.
Getting the grading done and clocking seven to nine hours of shut-eye every night are often mutually exclusive for teachers. Being on top of things always seems to mean feeling exhausted. But adding even 30 minutes of sleep to your night (by, for example, not taking your phone to bed with you) can help you feel more rested and ward off illness.
“It is important to make sure you get enough sleep. Also, meal planning is important so you don’t end up skipping meals or eating unhealthy,” Latoya Rowlette, a high school English teacher in Maryland, told HuffPost.
Exercise in moderate doses has been found to prevent respiratory illness —though, again, it can be hard to make time for it without sacrificing some sleep.
“At the start of the school year I take steps to boost my immune system by getting adequate sleep, eating healthy and managing stress,” Ramage said.
Sleep and exercise are part of Smith’s prevention, too. “I usually go to bed around 9 p.m. and I’m up at 5 a.m. to start my school day. I play basketball regularly for cardio and I do pushups and box for strength training,” he said.
Over the summer, Enna adopted the habit of rising early to go to the gym and setting an earlier bedtime to allow for it. “Going to bed earlier has helped sustain my energy throughout the day,” he said, adding, “I leave my phone out of reach so I am not tempted to scroll aimlessly until I fall asleep.”
Take measures to prevent burnout.
If you’re a first-year teacher, you’ll be exposed to more germs than ever before — but your stress level may actually be the thing that brings you down.
Burnout “is actually more of a pressing issue for a new teacher,” Smith said, and “can lead to getting sick as well.”
“I find that I start getting sick around the middle of the school year. That’s when teachers start getting fatigued,” said Rowlette.
Smith recommended starting the year with the right mindset to avoid both burnout and illness. “Back to school season is the time to get organized both physically in the classroom and mentally. We must be fully prepared because even the smallest issues can lead to burnout by spring,” he said.
For teachers, self-care can actually be a form of caring for students, too. Enna has been learning jiu-jitsu, which he describes as “a humbling experience” in which “you have to embrace the fact that you will struggle.”
“Having this new perspective has strengthened my ability to teach,” he said.
On a smaller scale, Enna said, “one thing that has helped over the years is using a few minutes after class to sit in my chair and rest my eyes. This form of mindfulness allows me to relax and reflect so that I can proceed in my day with more energy and focus. I also tend to play music (hip-hop instrumentals), which creates a chill environment as I prep for the next day.”
Taking time to re-center and rest doesn’t mean neglecting students. “Students need us to be fully present in our daily interactions with them. Being tired or ill will impact those moments, the same goes for being healthy and mindful,” Enna said.
When teachers burn out, that impact spreads throughout the school community. “A lot of teachers who don’t practice self-care don’t last long,” Rowlette said.
Newswise — SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2023 — “Back-to-school” season means buying pens and paper, figuring out the new bus route, and … earaches. Doctors typically treat these infections with antibiotics, but children don’t always complete the full course, accelerating resistance to these medications. Today, researchers report developing a single-use nanoscale system that’s unlikely to generate resistance. Using a compound similar to bleach in test animals, they show it can kill off one type of bacterium that causes ear infections, and it could someday be easily applied as a gel.
The researchers will present their results today at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS Fall 2023 is a hybrid meeting being held virtually and in-person Aug. 13–17, and features about 12,000 presentations on a wide range of science topics.
“We initially conceived of this idea by looking at the household cleaner bleach. Even though it has been used since the 19th century, bacteria do not appear to have developed any widespread resistance to this cleaner,” says Rong Yang, Ph.D., the project’s principal investigator.
But Yang quickly warns that people should not treat infections with bleach. The solution sold at stores is highly concentrated and caustic, but when used in a properly controlled manner at extremely low concentrations, the active ingredient in bleach is considered compatible with living tissue.
After realizing that the active ingredient in the household cleaner could circumvent antibiotic resistance, the researchers, who are at Cornell University, decided to tackle a nearly universal childhood scourge: acute ear infections. These infections affect more than 95% of children in the U.S., and treatment typically requires taking antibiotics for five to 10 days. However, these regimens can cause problematic side effects, leading some families to discontinue the medication prematurely, particularly if symptoms resolve. But using these medications improperly can speed up the development of antibiotic resistance, which makes infections more difficult, if not impossible, to treat. This issue ranks among the biggest threats to global health, according to the World Health Organization.
Bacteria have more success fighting against some substances than others. Hypochloric acid from bleach belongs to a family of compounds, known as hypohalous acids, to which bacteria have yet to develop any significant resistance — most likely because of the numerous ways these highly reactive acids damage microbial cells, Yang says.
Because these substances break down quickly, Yang and her colleagues sought to generate one of them on an as-needed basis behind the eardrum in the middle ear, where ear infections occur. They found inspiration in an enzyme from giant kelp, which converts hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to hypobromous acid (HOBr), a chemical relative of bleach.
A frequent cause of ear infections, the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae produces H2O2 to fight off other microbes. To mimic the kelp enzyme, which contains the metal vanadium, Yang and her colleagues designed nanowires made of vanadium pentoxide (V2O5). These produce HOBr only in the presence of the H2O2-producing bacteria, and their rod-like shape helps to keep them in place by reducing their ability to diffuse into body fluids.
In tests on chinchillas, which contract ear infections from the same pathogens as human children, they succeeded in eliminating most of the S. pneumoniae. Yang and colleagues found that after treatment with the nanowires, the animals’ once-inflamed eardrums returned to normal. Meanwhile, tests in healthy animals found evidence that the treatment did not interfere with hearing.
For these experiments, the researchers injected the nanowires directly into the middle ear. In more recent work in chinchillas, they developed a less invasive, more practical method for delivering the wires. By decorating the nanowires with peptides known to transport small particles across the eardrum, Yang and her team found they could deliver the treatment topically as a gel deposited into the ear canal. Once the gel was applied, the nanowires within it went through the intact tissue. They are also exploring other approaches for passing the nanowires through the eardrum.
Because other ear-infection-causing bacteria do not produce H2O2, the researchers are currently examining whether this system is effective in the presence of microbes other than S. pneumoniae, and how they might adapt it to fight the other bugs.
The researchers have not yet done studies to determine how long the system stays in place, although their evidence suggests the nanowires drain out of the middle ear after the infection clears. However, Yang suspects they could adapt the nanowires’ properties to stay in place for long periods afterward. This latter approach could make it possible to prevent recurrent infections that plague many children.
“If the bacteria return, the system could restart, so children wouldn’t need antibiotics repeatedly and breed more resistance along the way,” Yang says.
The researchers acknowledge support and funding from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
A recorded media briefing on this topic will be posted Tuesday, Aug. 15, by 10 a.m. Eastern time at www.acs.org/acsfall2023briefings.
For health and safety information for ACS Fall 2023, please visit the FAQ webpage.
The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
To automatically receive press releases from the American Chemical Society, contact [email protected].
Note to journalists: Please report that this research was presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.
Title Eradication of ear infection via autonomous synthesis of antimicrobials
Abstract Otitis media (OM) is the main reason for pediatric antibiotic prescriptions. The current treatment mandates a rigorous regimen of multidose antibiotics over 5–10 days. The systemic antibiotic exposure and often prematurely terminated treatment due to the challenge of drug administration to young patients are believed to breed antibiotic resistance. To address these challenges, we designed a local treatment that converted a metabolic product (H2O2) of an OM pathogen (Streptococcus pneumoniae) into a potent antiseptic (HOBr), a reaction catalyzed by locally administered nanozymes, i.e., vanadium pentoxide nanowires. The therapeutic, HOBr, was only synthesized in the presence of the pathogen, enabling on-demand and targeted generation of therapeutics for OM treatment. Hypohalous acids are broad-spectrum and have a long history in general disinfection applications without breeding substantial drug resistance. A single dose of the nanowire formulation eradicated OM in a standard chinchilla model in 7 days with no observable tissue toxicity or negative impact on hearing sensitivity.
As we head into the fall, it’s time to tackle that back-to-school shopping list — and this year, parents are expected to shell out a record amount of money on supplies. CBS News’ Haley Ott has tips on ways to save.
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Back-to-school shopping season is here, and this year parents are expected to shell out a record amount of money for their kids, the National Retail Federation says. Experts say families plan to spend an average of $890 per child. Jennifer Streaks, senior personal finance reporter with Insider, joined CBS News to discuss where to find spots to save.
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Back-to-school season is full of anticipation for both kids and parents. New teachers, new routines and new friends are all exciting but can also provoke anxiety for everyone involved.
HuffPost asked therapists who work with parents about what issues they tend to bring up this time of year. Here’s what they said:
Kids’ Learning Needs
Though few pandemic-related educational shifts were positive, one potentially helpful development was that when students learned at home, parents got a chance to see what was going on in their classrooms and how well their particular academic needs were being served. Post-pandemic, many parents’ awareness of these issues — and their stress levels — is still heightened.
“Parents got to see: This is how my child learns. This is how my child engages with their classroom,” Mercedes Samudio, a licensed social worker and author of “Shame-Proof Parenting,” told HuffPost.
As a new school year begins, some parents may worry that their children will run into issues they’d faced in previous years or that a teacher won’t be attentive to their child’s particular learning needs. Though it’s important to keep in mind any issues a child has had at school, it’s also critical to give each new relationship the benefit of beginning with a blank slate. A different teacher or a different mix of students may bring out a side of your child you haven’t seen before. Also, don’t underestimate how much your child matures and changes from one year to the next. Just because something was an issue in first grade doesn’t mean it will continue in the second grade.
Since you won’t be at your child’s side listening to what the teacher has to say, the best way to stay up-to-date with how things are going in the classroom is to have regular check-ins with your child.
“I’ve always encouraged family meetings. But I think having weekly check-ins, especially during the beginning of the school year, helps everyone to feel supported and set up,” Samudio said. Your child will know they have this space to let you know about any issues, and you will also be able to identify other people they can turn to, such as a school counselor or nurse, if they need help during school hours.
Samudio suggests adding the check-in to the calendar, just like any doctor’s appointment or athletic practice.
During these check-ins, try to ask open-ended questions — but stay away from the well-worn and often useless “How was your day?” That will often elicit a rote, one-word response (“Fine”). Here is a list of the kinds of questions that might help you get a sense of what your child’s days are like.
You want to give them an opening to express “a whole spectrum of emotions at the beginning of the school year,” not simply happiness, Samudio said.
She added that parents should try not to make assumptions about what their kids may be anxious about when it comes to milestones, such as the first day. Instead, ask, “What are you most looking forward to?” and “What are you least looking forward to?”
Neha Navsaria, a psychologist consultant with the Parent Lab and professor of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, suggested using a “I wonder what/how…” phrase with children.
This phrase, she told HuffPost, “is very inviting to young children because it is an indirect way to pose a question, but it comes out as a statement of curiosity (‘I wonder what it was like to be in a new classroom with a different teacher?’).”
The Return Of Homework — And Homework Struggles
One of the best things about summer for kids is forgetting about homework completely. This is often an equal relief for parents, who may feel pulled into a cycle of nagging and fighting over homework as soon as school begins.
“Keeping kids on-task with their school work can be a source of battles and power struggles between parents and children,” Navsaria said. Conflict becomes more likely “when parents and children have different learning styles and organizational methods. This is further exacerbated when children have specific deficits in learning and organization, such as ADHD, learning disabilities and developmental delays.”
She recommends that parents try to set aside their own assumptions and sit down for a moment to calmly problem-solve with their child.
“Parents can easily fall into a trap of assuming that their child isn’t taking something seriously at school and the parent is the only one thinking about it —which creates a burden on the parent and increases their stress. By opening up the discussion with your child, you may hear that he or she has plenty of thoughts about the situation, but they needed a sounding board and some guidance to move forward.”
For example, rather than assuming that a child doesn’t want to complete a project, a parent might be able to help them break tasks into manageable steps and schedule time to complete each one — with ample breaks between work sessions.
The Specter Of School Violence
It’s unlikely that there will be a shooting at your child’s school (their odds of being shot at school are about 1 in 10 million), but it’s almost certain that they will take part in a lockdown drill and rehearse hiding in the corner of a darkened classroom. Such practices have come under criticism for a lack of effectiveness and the potential psychological effects they have on children, but they remain a regular occurrence in American schools.
Samudio said she has heard a number of parents worrying about the ways violence in our society will, directly or indirectly, affect their children. “The kind of violence that we have in the world — kids can’t be shielded from that anymore,” she said. In generations past, we might have assumed that schools were a safe space, but parents and kids today can’t rest in that comfort.
If you hear that there has been a lockdown drill (or an actual lockdown) at your child’s school, you’ll want to talk to them about it. But, again, don’t make assumptions, and let your child lead the conversation. Ask questions like, “What did you do?” “Why were you doing it” and “How did you feel?” You don’t want to add any distress to their interpretation. At the same time, you want them to know that you’re open to hearing about any fear they may have.
The Transition From Summer To The School Year
Though it’s natural for parents to be concerned about their child’s academic performance, there’s actually not much they can do to assess or improve their child’s skill level on their own. School readiness, on the other hand, comprises lots of skills, many of which you can give your child the opportunity to practice at home. Being able to complete tasks like using the bathroom and opening their lunch box by themselves “help them feel autonomous and competent and independent in the school setting,” Sarah Bren, a psychologist in New York, told HuffPost.
Emotional regulation skills are also key, Bren said. “If a kid is feeling really anxious all day at school, you’re not going to take in anything even if you’re academically super ready.” Helping kids practice emotional regulation can begin with simply helping them recognize and name their emotions. You can encourage this by offering labels for their feelings: “You seem angry right now. Are you feeling angry?”
Another way that you can help facilitate a smooth transition is to gradually move mealtimes, bedtimes and wake-up times so that the new schedule of the first day back doesn’t come as such a shock to the system. “You’re just taking the changes you have control over and moving them up in the schedule a little bit [so they’re] not all happening at once,” Bren explained.
“You are transitioning from a more care-free and less scheduled lifestyle to a back-to-school mode, which is more regimented and scheduled,” Navsaria added.
“Without the daily structure of school anchoring a family, it is easy for parents to become lax with some of these rules [in summer]. This is not a bad thing, consistently reinforcing routines can be exhausting for parents, but it is important to acknowledge that it then makes the transition back to school routines more challenging,” she said.
Moving bedtimes back by 10- to 15-minute increments over a number of days can make this process easier.
Feeling Overwhelmed
One thing most parents confront at some point during the back-to-school transition is a feeling of being overwhelmed: open houses, lunch boxes, musical instruments, team uniforms and an endless series of online portals, each requiring a new user name and password.
“This means more coordination of schedules and more communication of which to keep track,” Navsaria said.
“This can often leave parents in this state of high alert, feeling that they are going to miss an important announcement or their child will be left out of an experience,” she added.
The fear that we’re going to drop one of the balls that we’re juggling is very real — and it can help to admit this.
Bren likes the following image: “In the air, there’s a million balls. Some are rubber and some are glass.” It can be helpful, she said, to put “a little thought into which are glass and which are rubber because I think sometimes as parents, we don’t let ourselves distinguish those two things.” Forgetting a violin or gym clothes, for example, are slips with minimal consequences — rubber balls that we can just let go.
But if we don’t allow ourselves the possibility of dropping any ball ever, “we’re much more likely then to accidentally drop a glass one. … It’s not possible to keep all these balls in the air. But if I give myself permission to sometimes drop balls, I’m going to be much more likely to say which are the ones I can drop and which are the ones I can’t.”
Samudio concurs, saying that one way for parents to reduce their stress levels is to hold themselves to more realistic expectations. An attitude of “everything is gonna go right as long as I planned it to a tee” is unrealistic, she said.
“Somebody probably will forget their musical instrument. Somebody probably will at the last minute need to do a project and you’ll have to go to Staples and get all that stuff. All of this will happen.”
“Being honest with yourself at the beginning of the school year” that such things will occur, Samudio said, and then not making a big deal about them when they do, can both lower your stress level and help teach your kids how to handle setbacks.
The best way to teach them to go easy on themselves is to show yourself a little grace in such moments. “They can see that you’re telling them to be nice to themselves, and you’re beating yourself up all the time,” Samudio said.
Food and drinking water quality are essential to our health. Below are some of the latest headlines from the Food and Water Safety channel on Newswise.
The 100% vegan Oca Low kids design swaps out traditional laces for velcro (so parents can have one less headache in the morning), with familiar features like the brand’s signature bio-foam insole and organic cotton canvas upper.
To keep your kids’ feet comfy and secure, Cariuma added an even softer recycled mesh lining and extra cushioning around the ankle. This is one pair of shoes they won’t complain about putting on.
Plus, a slip-resistant rubber makes the sneakers playground-friendly.
Available in sizes K6 through Y2, these mini kicks are designed for toddlers to eight-year-olds. To start, the brand launched four shades: off-white, black, rose, and shadow blue.
If you’re passionate about bettering the environment, consider these shoes a one-two punch. Not only are you investing in your child’s comfort (and style!), you’re investing in the future of the earth, too.
In true Cariuma fashion, the brand will plant two trees for every purchase of the Oca Low Kids (and any other style, for that matter).
The best part? If you want your child to truly follow in your footsteps, you can score some pretty significant savings by bundling these kicks with a matching pair for yourself.
When purchased with the new Oca Kids, the (mindbodygreen editor-approved) adult Oca Low sneaker drops down from $79 to $60—and we’re confident these shoes will swiftly become a go-to for both you and your mini-me.
Newswise — The start of the school year means new classes, new school supplies and for many kids, new shoes. If the back-to-school shopping list includes a new pair of sneakers, it’s important to choose a shoe with good support that fits well, according to pediatric orthopedic surgeons at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).
“When parents bring their children in with foot pain or an injury, the first thing I do is ask about their shoes. The problem is often inappropriate or poorly fitting footwear,” says Dr. John Blanco, who sees young patients at HSS in New York City and at HSS Long Island. “Footwear has a lot to do with how their feet function day to day, especially during athletic activities.”
Dr. Blanco says a sneaker should fit well in terms of length and width, have good arch support, and be made of sturdy materials. “If we could make sure shoes were the right size, had proper support and were laced up appropriately, we would probably solve 80% of the basic foot problems we see in kids,” he says.
While many people have no problem with sneakers that they buy off the shelf, a specialty store with experienced staff can measure the foot and help select the best shoe for one’s foot type, according to Dr. Blanco.
You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a good shoe. “The price of the sneaker has nothing to do with the quality of the shoe,” he says. “I see kids all the time with shoes that may look fancy on the outside, but you look inside and see that they don’t provide support.“
Dr. Blanco recommends lace-up sneakers over those that use Velcro, which provides less support. He says it’s important for young people to lace up their shoes each time they put them on. “Many kids are in the habit of slipping their foot into and out of a shoe without lacing it up appropriately, and this affects the way the shoe fits,” he explains. “A loose shoe can leave a someone more prone to injury if playing a sport.” Laces should go all the way to the very top hole and be tied snugly, as properly laced shoes give more stability to the foot.
How to Choose
When choosing sneakers, Joseph Molony, a physical therapist and manager of the Young Athlete Program at HSS, recommends people start with a good quality name-brand shoe. You don’t need to buy a top-of-the-line luxury model, but a solid name-brand shoe will generally be well constructed of quality materials. He offers additional advice when shopping for sneakers:
Identify which brand fits best. Each company uses a specific foot mold when designing shoes. You may need a narrower heel, a wider toe box or a higher arch. Try on different brands to see which design is a good match for your foot structure. Once you’ve identified which one fits well, you can generally stick with that brand.
The shoe should fit comfortably and snugly with no gaps between your foot and the inside of the shoe. For example, someone with a narrow foot may not do well with a shoe with a wide toe box.
The shoe shouldn’t be so tight that it rubs against your foot in certain spots.
Your heel should not rise up out of the shoe when you walk. Even if the shoe feels comfortable, the heel should not slide up and down.
If you find a shoe you like in a store and it fits well, you can see if it’s available online for less money. If the color you want isn’t available in the store, you may also be able to find it online.
Be careful when considering soft, flexible, cross training and minimalist sneakers (if you can roll them up or twist them easily, they would generally fall into this category). While they may be comfortable and fine for some, they are not be the best choice for kids who need shoes with support.
Runners may want to alternate running shoes every other day since shoe materials often take some time to recover their shape. You end up buying the same number of shoes each year when you rotate them.
Wear the appropriate shoe for the athletic activity. Although cross-training shoes can be used for various athletic activities, many sports require specific shoes. Running shoes are not appropriate for court and field sports.
Dr. Blanco says it’s important to retire shoes once they’re worn out. He says many teens hold on to their shoes too long. “The main problem I see is that people wear their shoes to the very end. The shoelaces are broken, their toe is ripping through the side of the shoe, the sole is worn down, but they love the shoes.”
Once a shoe is worn out, it no longer provides the support and protection needed for day-to-day activities, let alone sports.
About HSS
HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 14th consecutive year), No. 2 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2023-2024), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2023-2024). In a survey of medical professionals in more than 20 countries by Newsweek, HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics for a third consecutive year (2023). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection and complication rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. In addition, more than 200 HSS clinical investigators are working to improve patient outcomes through better ways to prevent, diagnosis, and treat orthopedic, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The HSS Innovation Institute works to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 165 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.
Ideal study spaces provide a view through a window or doorway.
Liv-Connected
Millions of American children and teens are heading back to school this season. While much of their academic success can be credited to their parents, teachers, guidance counselors and educational materials, the importance of their home environment should not be understated. Whether a brand new kindergartener or a graduating class of 2024 senior, having the right setup to study and do homework can have a powerful impact on their academic success. Three experts weighed in by email with solutions for creating home spaces, including technology, space planning and design ideas you can easily implement.
Smart Home Technology
Kansas City-based smart home technology integrator Joseph Acree is getting more requests for kids’ study spaces, he reported, likening them to “home offices for children.” And, as with their adult counterparts, these areas need to include the basics (data connections and potentially displays, cameras and sound bars for remote learning), but can also include wellness enhancements.
“For example,” he suggested, “having tunable lighting can make a big difference in productivity.” (It can also help with sleep, an absolute wellness essential for kids of all ages.) “Being able to tie all this technology together in one smart home system makes it easy to hit a single button and have the scene set for ‘homework time’ or ‘remote learning,’ which can turn on the display, the camera and sound bar. Automating these features makes them all the easier to use,” he shared.
Parental controls is another area where technology can assist, especially with the youngest children, and where Acree said he is getting more requests. These can be customized based on the child and types of restrictions they need. “We have a 12-year-old who is extremely responsible and uses his devices primarily for learning. On the flip side, our 17-year-old needs to be restricted at times because he will be on his devices all day, every day if we allowed it.” Flexibility is key for parents, he observed.
Acree also pointed out that “there is a grey area between reliance on technology and what is [left] up to the individual to make responsible decisions. Parents have to be aware of what can influence or disrupt the educational process, so we can guide our children on responsible technology usage. Network security, awareness, and continuous education are critical to these processes.” Working with a professional can shed light on what’s available and how to implement it, he added.
Elementary School Students
Even your youngest children should be part of the design planning process, advised Karen Aronian, Ed.D.. “Ideally, elementary-aged kids should be their study spaces’ lead designers and general contractors,” suggested the New York area professional (and former public school teacher), who designs educational spaces for academic, hospitality, and private clientele.
Starting out can be challenging, Toronto-based psychologist Dr. Bev Walpole, C. Psych., shared, citing motivation, focus, self-discipline, time management and technology usage as issues to navigate. “Elementary school children may find it difficult to stay motivated and focused on their studies at home,” she pointed out. “Learning to manage time and prioritize tasks is a skill that young children are still developing.” Getting this right requires understanding each child’s unique needs and keeping communication open, the psychologist noted, but the rewards include helping them develop essential skills and supporting academic progress.
“Once you have your design framework considerations detailed (budget, theme, furnishings, essential materials, personalized decor add-ons), you can create their learning space together,” Aronian continued. “Recreate the elements at home that will benefit your child and partner with their teacher to boost your child’s education.”
You’ll want to think about the study area’s layout with regard to the child’s seated direction and view, ideally out of a door or window. You also need to factor in lighting, storage and shelving, climate control, air quality and details that personalize the space for your child. “Showcase their work and education posters,” the former teacher noted. As they advance through grades, you’ll be reinventing the space together, she added.
The ideal homework/study space may live outside of a child’s room, especially if it’s space challenged. “I was reimagining hallway closets into study spaces decades ago, which are now mainstream,” Aronian recalled. Any space can be a learning space. She sees kitchens as ideal workspaces for elementary students who need parental cues to stay on task. She also likes outdoor spaces as seasonal spots: “I recently helped a client design a pirate’s crow’s nest treehouse that serves as their twins’ go-to study space,” she shared.
Middle School Students
These adolescents have different needs than their younger siblings, and parents still have a key role to play, Walpole advised. “Set up a quiet and well-lit area in the home specifically for studying and homework. This space should be free from distractions and equipped with the necessary learning materials.”
Technology will play a role. “Set guidelines for screen time and encourage your child to use technology for productive learning activities. Limit access to social media and video games during study hours,” the psychologist recommended. At the same time, peer interaction is also crucial at this age, she added. “Facilitate opportunities for your child to interact with friends and classmates through virtual hangouts or study sessions. Social connections are vital for emotional well-being and can also support collaborative learning.”
When it comes to the room’s look and feel, “Tweens generally know what they want and don’t want,” Aronian observed about those students between ages 10 and 12. “In this regard, a parent/guardian is more of a facilitator than a collaborator,” she added. They’re going to be more familiar with the technology, furnishings and color schemes they prefer by that age and grade. “I love home improvement stores for endless ideas to jumpstart tween’s design input,” she added.
“If they’re all about tech, the setup may be a metaverse smart space; with a clap, they’ll command Alexa to commence ChatGPT practice. Or maybe your child works best in nature-driven environs, where an inside/outside approach offers the ultimate snuggery.”
Middle schoolers’ spaces often have to multi-task, Aronian commented. “When setting up a tween’s study, consider their passions that drive how the space functions. Students who stream content or Zoom for study sessions will want a quality webcam and gaming chair. They’ll require a green screen wall if they’re in performing arts. These are considerations for designers to best manifest their client’s goals,” the educational designer suggested. Switching up locations while studying is also proven to imprint information better, she added.
Acree observed that kids are more tech savvy than their parents might think, so if there’s a concern around technology access, bringing in a professional is a way to ensure that the systems they set up can’t be bypassed.
High School Students
“High schoolers know they’re on a fast track to a college dorm room and libraries. They’re looking for organized study spaces that offer efficiency and utility,” Aronian commented. When planning their spaces, it’s important to consider whether they’ll be an all-in-one room for sleep, study, lounging, gaming and mindfulness. Some parents are opting for study spaces ‘in a box’ that just require measuring and installation.
It can be a challenging time for this older age group too, Walpole observed. “Adolescents are at a stage where they are striving for more autonomy. They may resist the idea of a structured study space at home, viewing it as a restriction on their freedom.” They may also struggle with feelings of isolation, lack of motivation and digital distractions, the psychologist added. “The process of establishing a suitable study space and routine at home may lead to conflicts between adolescents and their parents.”
Parents can overcome challenges like this by including their adolescents in the process of creating both space and schedule, setting realistic expectations, and setting boundaries around tech use, Walpole recommended. “This involvement can help them feel more ownership for their study environment.”
Final Words
“Movement and seating options are critical for all ages, even within a small study space,” Aronian recommended. “A standing desk, a cozy spot with plush pillows on the floor, and a conventional desk are best for students K to 12,” she advised. Be prepared to reconfigure and revise as your child ages too. “The challenge is not to let your child’s learning environment get stale.”
***
Author’s Notes
Contributors Acree, Aronian and Walpole will be sharing more back-to-school space insights in an hour-long Clubhouse conversation tomorrow afternoon (August 2, 2023) at 4 pm Eastern/1 pm Pacific. You can save the date and join this WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS discussion here. If you’re unable to attend, you can catch the recording via Clubhouse Replays here or the Gold Notes design blog here next Wednesday.
The beginning of the school year can be full of emotions, both good and bad — and a new national survey suggests how many kids are dealing with issues that cause their parents concern.
The survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of the On Our Sleeves Movement for Children’s Mental Health, found 71% of American parents say their children experienced challenges last school year.
The top issues identified by parents included:
Safety concerns at 37%
Academic challenges, 26%
Bullying, 24%
Ongoing pandemic-related social challenges, 24%
Mental health challenges, 22%
“Between academic struggles, behavioral challenges, increased depression and anxiety, and challenges making social connections, we’ve been hearing firsthand from families about how tough last school year was for many kids,” Dr. Whitney Raglin Bignall, associate clinical director of On Our Sleeves and a pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, said in a news release Thursday.
The survey results, collected earlier this month from 585 parents of children ages 3 to 17, closely match what parents anticipated when asked the same question before the last school year.
As the new school year approaches, Raglin Bignall says it’s “crucial to understand how kids are thinking and feeling about returning to the classroom.”
“Checking in and having conversations with them is a simple, yet critical way to help minimize any lingering issues before they turn into even bigger challenges this upcoming school year,” she adds.
This is just the latest research to spotlight issues affecting the physical and mental well-being of students.
Last year, a Gallup survey showed school safety concerns reached a 20-year high among U.S. parents of students enrolled in grades K-12. It found 44% of adults who participated said they feared for their children’s physical safety at school, while 20% said their children have independently articulated concerns about safety.
-Emily Mae Czachor contributed to this report.
Thanks for reading CBS NEWS.
Create your free account or log in for more features.
Newswise — New data from Rwanda, and some of the first published on how COVID-19 has impacted school attendance in the Global South, suggest that a widely-predicted spike in drop-out rates has “not materialised”.
Ever since the pandemic forced schools around the world to close, analysts, academics and teachers have been warning that many students in poorer countries might not return. According to some estimates, more than 10 million school-age students are at risk of dropping out worldwide. There have been particular concerns about marginalised groups such as the very poorest children and girls.
The new study, which used enrolment data from 358 Rwandan secondary schools, collected both before and after the closures, found that rather than undergoing a sharp fall, student numbers actually rose when schools reopened. The cause appears to have been a combination of existing students returning, and the enrolment of other pupils who were out of school before the pandemic began.
Researchers say that this may represent an emerging trend, because as-yet unpublished results from other sub-Saharan countries, such as Ethiopia and Malawi, similarly show no steep fall in numbers.
Despite this, a more gradual, long-term decline in the numbers of children in school may be underway. The research tracked enrolment past the point where schools reopened in Rwanda, and up to May 2021. By that stage, some students did appear to be dropping out of the system. This was particularly true of those from marginalised groups.
The research was undertaken by a team from the University of Cambridge and the East African research and data collection firm, Laterite, and was carried out for the Mastercard Foundation’s Leaders in Teaching Initiative.
Professor Pauline Rose, Director of the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre, at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, said: “Given the seriousness of the impact of COVID-19, I wouldn’t have been surprised if enrolment rates had halved when schools reopened. We are still developing a comprehensive picture of the situation across Sub-Saharan Africa, but the impact on drop-outs appears far less extreme than initially feared.”
“It is important we continue to monitor the situation. There was clearly real enthusiasm for schools to reopen at first, but there are now signs that some children may potentially be disappearing from the system.”
Schools in Rwanda closed in March 2020 and did not reopen until November, when they did so on a staggered basis. The research collected aggregate enrolment data from before the pandemic, in February 2020, and a year later, in February 2021.
This showed that after schools reopened, enrolment rates rose in the Secondary 1 and Secondary 4 year groups: natural entry points into the Rwandan system because they mark the start of lower and upper secondary school respectively. Enrolment rose by 7% at the Secondary 1 level, and 11% at Secondary 4, in February 2021. Numbers remained steady in the other year groups.
Crucially, the Rwanda Basic Education Board decided to make all students return to the year group that they were previously in when schools reopened. This means that the Secondary 1 and 4 year groups comprised the same cohorts across 2020 and 2021. The rise in numbers was therefore almost certainly due to students who had previously dropped out re-joining their cohort in February 2021.
The study also gathered both enrolment and assessment data from a sample of 2,800 students in the Secondary 3 year group, which it followed up to May 2021.
By that stage, researchers found, some students had started to drop out. About 89% of the entire sample group were still in school by May 2021, but the figure was lower among girls, and particularly among students who were over the ‘expected’ cohort age because they had been kept back an additional year or more. The overage group were also disproportionately likely to come from less-wealthy backgrounds.
“Keeping track of these children is really important,” Mico Rudasingwa, Research Associate at Laterite said. “By the time they reach adolescence, those from the poorest backgrounds in particular are in danger of dropping out early to support with income generating activities for the household.”
The sample group of students also took a learning assessment, in the form of a numeracy test, in February 2020, and again in May 2021 – two terms after their return to school. The results were measured using a ‘latent ability score’ – given as a figure between 0 and 1 – which takes into account not only how many questions they got right, but how difficult those questions were. The average score rose from 0.47 in the first test to 0.52 in the second. Over 90% of the schools in the sample group recorded an average improvement in numeracy scores.
Although positive, these results should be treated with caution, as there is no counterfactual evidence available about how much their test results might have improved had the school closures never occurred. The learning levels of some groups also improved more than others. Boys generally outperformed girls by about 0.02 points on the latent ability scale, while overage students again lagged behind their peers, by about 0.03 points.
The study also collected teacher retention data by tracking 1,700 teachers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects before and after the closures. Around 94% of STEM teachers returned to their classes in early 2021, and almost half the schools surveyed saw an overall increase in STEM teachers through new recruitment. The report describes this low turnover rate as ‘encouraging’.
The movement’s message to the U.S. Senate: “We demand Congress enact further legislation to fully protect students from school shootings — and to do it NOW.”
Press Release –
Sep 19, 2022
PORTLAND, Ore., September 19, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– 100 Percent of US strives to unite Americans around the urgent need to prevent school shootings. The campaign asks progressives, conservatives, and everyone in-between to acknowledge, “While we don’t agree on much, 100% of US agree kids should not be murdered at school.”
The campaign founder and mother, Mariah Gray, launched 100PercentofUS.com over the summer, as millions of parents prepared to send their kids back-to-school. “School shootings should not be a political issue. If folks from the entire political spectrum agree kids and teachers should not be murdered at school, then Congress has their marching orders—it’s time they devise and implement effective legislation to prevent 100% of school shootings across the country,” said Gray.
The backbone of the campaign is a promise not to discuss politics in order to maintain solidarity among participants. “Our campaign is not telling Congress how to stop school shootings, we’re telling them when to do it. We demand Congress enact further legislation to fully protect students from school shootings by a deadline of Nov. 1, 2022.”
100PercentofUS.com encourages participants to write letters to two key Senators urging Congress to take immediate action to prevent future school shootings. Letters should be mailed to majority leader and New York Senator Chuck Schumer, and Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who serves as the minority leader of the United States Senate.
October 1st—the date on which participants should mail their letters is quickly approaching.
For more information or to download letter templates and get involved in the bipartisan movement, please visit 100PercentofUS.com.
About 100 Percent of US 100 Percent of US is a non-monetary, non-affiliated, grassroots movement comprised of Americans seeking action from our legislature on the issue of school shootings.
What began as fulfilling one second-grade teacher’s Amazon Wish List quickly transformed into a school-wide initiative for 350 students
Press Release –
Aug 24, 2022
CALGARY, Alberta, August 24, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Kidoodle.TV® (owned by A Parent Media Co. Inc.) is proud to announce that after clearing the list of second-grade teacher Mrs. Danielle Tresslar — fulfilling her entire Amazon Wish List for the upcoming school year — the company also cleared the lists for her entire school, providing Amazon gift cards to all other 18 classrooms at Rugel Elementary School located in Mesquite, Texas.
The school’s principal, Dr. Amanda Walker, expressed sincere gratitude, acknowledging the impact it would have on students. “Each year, teachers find themselves spending their own money to buy supplies and books for their students. This generous gift will relieve the burden for them. Kidoodle.TV has gone above and beyond to clear the list for our Rugel classroom teachers.”
A Parent Media Co. Inc. (“APMC“) was motivated to clear the lists of the entire school and, with the assistance of Dr. Walker, surprised teachers and students at an event at Rugel Elementary on Aug. 11, 2022. Rugel Elementary is a K-5 Title 1 school with 350 students. “They saw the need and they are stepping up to help. The impact they have made will go beyond the tangible, [it] will positively change lives,” said Dr. Walker.
This year, APMC placed a high priority on participating in the nationwide #ClearTheList campaign. “We’ve been fortunate to have families across the world choose to include Kidoodle.TV as part of their daily lives, and because of that, we are proud to be able to give back to communities in need,” said Neil Gruninger, President and Chief Product Officer of APMC.
The #ClearTheList movement aims to bring awareness to the lack of classroom supplies in schools throughout the United States while also recognizing and lending a helping hand to America’s deserving teachers through the fulfillment of their Amazon Wish Lists.
“We understand that having the proper tools to succeed in the classroom is an integral part of making children feel safe and fostering personal growth. An initiative like #ClearTheList allows us to extend our passion for keeping kids safe beyond the digital landscape,” added Gruninger.
Mrs. Tresslar’s note, which caught the attention of Kidoodle.TV, read:
“I work in a title 1 district where 90% of our students are under the poverty line. Every student receives free breakfast and lunch! Majority (sic) of the time students can not afford classroom supplies so I end up buying things for them to use in class! We are always in need of pencils, expo markers and books to add to our little classroom library!”
Classroom teachers spend an excessive amount of money out of pocket each year for classroom supplies. In recent years, teachers have taken to Amazon, sharing their classroom wish lists publicly online, allowing parents and donors to contribute and ease the financial burden. As a purpose-driven organization, the Kidoodle.TV team was inspired to participate in support of teachers and students and applauds the #ClearTheList campaign for its commendable efforts.
Other APMC initiatives include its annual donation of 60 million ad impressions to organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation that benefit the health and well-being of children.
Join the Kidoodle.TV Safe Streaming™ family on /www.kidoodle.tv, or download the app and start watching for free today.
About APMC and Kidoodle.TV®
A Parent Media Co. Inc. is a family-based media and technology company focused on providing innovative solutions to consumers and brands, including Kidoodle.TV®, Glitch+, and Safe Exchange Inc. Kidoodle.TV is a Safe Streaming™ service committed to providing children with a safe alternative to stream their favorite TV shows and movies. Available in over 160 countries and territories on thousands of connected devices, Kidoodle.TV provides peace of mind with every show* vetted by caring people committed to Safe and Free Streaming for Kids™. Kidoodle.TV is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, LG, Samsung, VIDAA-enabled Hisense TVs, Chromecast, Roku, Amazon, Jio, Xfinity X1, Connected TVs, HTML5 Web, and many other streaming media devices, including Miko 3. Kidoodle.TV is certified by the kidSAFE® Seal Program and is the proud recipient of the Mom’s Choice Award®, a Stevie® Award, platinum winner of the Best Mobile App Award, and Parents’ Picks Award – Best Elementary Products. Visit www.kidoodle.tv to learn more.
GIMME Beauty highlights its most popular, must-have items being restocked for the coming school year.
Press Release –
Aug 16, 2022
SALT LAKE CITY, August 16, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– GIMME Beauty, the viral social media sensation that delivers innovative hair care solutions, has restocked its most popular — and most commonly misplaced — back-to-school essentials. From hair ties and bobby pins to elastic stacks and claw clips, GIMME Beauty has got everything to start the school year off right for just $48.
Back-to-school season means a busier schedule for everyone; from early-morning rush hour to after-school practice, life can get pretty hectic. It’s natural for things to get lost and misplaced amid the chaos of it all. With that in mind, GIMME has restocked the most commonly lost items throughout the school year.
Hair bands are notorious for getting lost. GIMME Beauty reinvented hair bands with game-changing, patent-pending features that customers have been asking for. GIMME hair ties provide a firm, yet gentle, hold, preventing headaches, dents and damage. With bands made for all kinds of hair types, customers can find the right band that works best for their hair.
Bobby pins are another repeat offender. Average bobby pins routinely fall out and get lost, even during the most mundane tasks. GIMME Bobby Pins are another hair classic reimagined, featuring a tougher, longer-lasting spring and textured insides for a more secure hold. Ideal for all hair types, these also have a top spot on the list among the most commonly lost hair essentials.
Clear elastics also are often misplaced — even just around the house — and when time is short, GIMME’s Elastic Stacks are known for securing hair of all types. When early mornings mean getting out the door fast, GIMME’s Elastic Stacks are perfect for all trendy back-to-school hairstyles.
Additionally, GIMME’s patent-pending hair brushes are back in stock. GIMME’s Detangling Brushes are perfect for styling with care and taming all hair types. As a bonus, GIMME will offer their anti-static brushes as an add-on to the bundle at a greatly reduced price.
“Back-to-school is a busy time for the family and brings with it a whirlwind of activity,” said Jeff Durham, CEO. “Busier days mean less time for hair care, so we aim to make the process as simple, straightforward, and stress-free as possible. We made sure to restock on the basics, along with everything needed to start the school year off right.”
The school year comes with enough stresses, both from school work and personal life; GIMME Claw Clips can help keep hair off that list. GIMME’s Clickfit Claw Clips are perfect for all-day firm grip and everyday use on the days when styling is not an option.
GIMME Beauty’s vision is to design innovative hair solutions that disrupt the status quo of the health and beauty hair care category. The company’s products rank among the industry’s fastest-growth items, according to Nielsen Market Data. Since it launched in 2006, GIMME has become a national brand available at more than 20,000 stores across the United States. Follow GIMME on Instagram or Facebook to learn about its latest collections.
PARAMUS, N.J., August 15, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Gayo Azul®, the famous Caribbean Hispanic cheesemaker with a Dutch influence, announces the Back-to-School with Gayo Azul® “Win a Bicycle” Contest in celebration of Back-to-School, as students and their parents gear up for the upcoming school year. Gayo Azul invites parents and their children to enter its Back-to-School with Gayo Azul® contest, hosted on their website at www.gayoazul.com/promotions. Three grand prize winners will be randomly selected to win prizes valued at over $600, including a bicycle valued at $500 and a gift card valued at $100 to redeem Gayo Azulcheese at your local retailer.
Entries for Back-to-School with Gayo Azul “Win a Bicycle” Contest will be accepted from Aug. 15 until Sept. 15, 2022, at 11:59 pm ET.
There are multiple ways to earn entries for the giveaway, and Gayo Azul encourages customers to complete them all to maximize their chances of winning:
Follow Gayo Azul on Facebook (@gayoazulcheese) and Instagram (@gayo_azul_cheese)
Share the giveaway posts from Gayo Azul’s Facebook and Instagram
Once the contest has closed, three grand prize winners will be randomly selected.
“Many of our consumers have been loyal to our brand for years, sometimes even decades,” says Debbie Seife, Marketing Director of FrieslandCampina. “We like to show our appreciation for that loyalty in fun and out-of-the-ordinary ways, and I hope our consumers love the grand prize as much as we do. The last Gayo Azul Contest amassed thousands of entries, so we want to open the door again based on the extreme excitement.”
Gayo Azul is known for its fantastic cheeses, which stand apart due to a unique combination of both Dutch and Hispanic cheesemaking. Gayo Azul boasts a rich history, beginning in the 1950s in the Caribbean, where Dutch cheeses were quickly gaining popularity. Gayo Azul began expanding its cheese portfolio, which is now loved not just in the Caribbean, but across the United States as well. By combining a passion for the craft with a strong emphasis on authentic flavor and premium quality, Gayo Azul has found itself a staple in family kitchens for multiple generations. After decades of growth and innovation, Gayo Azul now offers a versatile assortment of cheeses, sure to satisfy any cheese lover.
All of Gayo Azul’s cheeses are available in convenient sizes; varieties include:
NEW Cotija—a firm and crumbly Mexican aged cow’s milk cheese with a sharp, slightly salty flavor. It is an unbeatable topping when crumbled over enchiladas, tacos or street corn.
Dutch Gouda—mild taste and creamy texture, the wedges are perfect for a cheeseboard and work wonderfully shredded in a casserole or for sauces with wonderful meltability. Also available in slices, it makes for a delicious cheeseburger, grilled cheese, or cold sandwich.
Dutch Edam—a bit firmer than Gouda, and with a rich flavor and smooth, creamy texture. It is excellent cut-up for cheeseboards, shredded for baking dishes, or cubed for salads. It is known for its red wax exterior and the spherical shape of a full Edam ball.
European Swiss—a semi-firm cheese with a sweet nutty taste and telltale round holes, also known as eyes. Available in sliced form, it is perfect for burgers and both cold and grilled sandwiches.
Queso Blanco— a fresh, white cow’s milk cheese with a slightly salty and mild flavor. Its young age creates an irresistibly creamy, yet crumbly texture that holds shape well, making it ideal for grilling. It is also perfect when crumbled to complement any soup, salad, or rice and beans. It is great served as a table cheese with fresh fruit, marmalade or chutney.
Queso Para Freir—a fresh, white, cow’s milk cheese with a firm texture, mild and slightly salty flavor. Known for its high melting point, which softens the cheese while leaving an unmelted interior that holds its shape, it is commonly used for frying. It is also great sliced for sandwiches, crumbled over fruit salads, and melted over baked dishes.
Gayo Azul products can be found at local grocers throughout the Northeast and Southeast, including BJ’s Wholesale, Fresco Y Mas, Key Foods, Market Basket, Presidente, Publix, Sedano’s, and Winn Dixie Supermarkets, as well as Walmart Supercenters.
To get more information about Gayo Azul and its products, find where its cheeses are available, and discover new recipe ideas, visit www.gayoazul.com or follow them on Facebook (@gayoazulcheese) and Instagram (@gayo_azul_cheese). For more information about Back-to-School with Gayo Azul® “Win A Bicycle” Contest, go to www.gayoazul.com/promotions.
Royal FrieslandCampina N.V.
Gayo Azul is a brand of Royal FrieslandCampina. Royal FrieslandCampina daily provides millions of consumers spread all over the world with dairy products containing valuable nutrients from milk. The products of FrieslandCampina find their way to over a hundred countries. The company has its Central Office in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. The activities of FrieslandCampina have been divided into four global market-oriented business groups, being Food & Beverage, Specialized Nutrition, Trading and Ingredients. The company is fully owned by Zuivelcoöpate FrieslandCampina U.A., which has 16,995 member dairy farmers in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium and is one of the largest dairy cooperatives in the world. For additional information, please visit our website: www.frieslandcampina.com
With children’s media consumption increasing ~30% during summertime, co-viewing with Kidoodle.TV® offers families the chance to actively engage and learn alongside each other.
Press Release –
Aug 11, 2022
CALGARY, Alberta, August 11, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– As warm summer months bring children out of the classrooms and in front of the television, children’s media consumption increases ~30%. This makes it more important than ever to know what they are watching. Co-viewing with Kidoodle.TV® offers families the chance to actively engage and learn alongside each other.
According to MediaSmarts, co-viewing creates media-savvy kids and encourages critical thinking during media consumption. “Co-viewing is so important as it helps parents see and hear what their children are engaging in and provides an opportunity for families to talk about the stories and situations that appear in their favorite shows,” said Neil Gruninger, President and Chief Product Officer at A Parent Media Co. Inc. (APMC).
Kidoodle.TV® (owned by A Parent Media Co. Inc.) encourages safe co-viewing habits for families. The practice helps improve communication, keeps children engaged and encourages critical thinking. Parents can feel confident knowing the content their kids are watching on Kidoodle.TV is age-appropriate, educational, and most importantly, that its top content is always vetted by real human beings.
Co-viewing is more than simply turning on a movie together — it’s the chance for parents to ask questions, quiz on educational concepts and encourage deeper engagement with the content.
Co-viewing can support early literacy skills, boost empathy, and help children learn how to regulate emotions. Similar to reading to children, co-viewing gives kids and parents the chance to learn together. In a study where parents applied active reading techniques to watching television, children scored higher on reading comprehension and vocabulary tests than kids who didn’t experience co-viewing.
“As parents and caregivers ourselves, we know kids get bored quickly in the summer, and we have built Kidoodle.TV as a go-to solution for when it’s too hot outside or families need a break. When we watch TV or movies with them, we can ask questions to help them think about what they see and learn,” added Gruninger.
Watch family favorites like “Paw Patrol: Pup Tales,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “The Dodo” this summer on Kidoodle.TV.
Join the Kidoodle.TV Safe Streaming™ family on https://www.kidoodle.tv, watch from a connected TV, or download the app on a mobile device or tablet.
About APMC and Kidoodle.TV A Parent Media Co. Inc. is a family-based media and technology company focused on providing innovative solutions to consumers and brands, including Kidoodle.TV®, Glitch+, and Safe Exchange Inc. Kidoodle.TV is a Safe Streaming™ service committed to providing children with a safe alternative to stream their favorite TV shows and movies. Available in over 160 countries and territories on thousands of connected devices, Kidoodle.TV provides peace of mind with every show* vetted by caring people committed to Safe and Free Streaming for Kids™. Kidoodle.TV is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, LG, Samsung, VIDAA-enabled Hisense TVs, Chromecast, Roku, Vizio SmartCast Amazon, Jio, Xfinity X1, Connected TVs, HTML5 Web, and many other streaming media devices, including Miko 3. Kidoodle.TV is certified by the kidSAFE® Seal Program and is the proud recipient of the Mom’s Choice Award®, a Stevie® Award, platinum winner of the Best Mobile App Award, and Parents’ Picks Award – Best Elementary Products. Visit www.kidoodle.tv to learn more.
SAN ANTONIO, August 8, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– It is that time again. Schools are ramping up and school sports are in high gear in August. The stats are high – 21.5 million kids between ages 6 and 17 play competitive sports. Le Sauce knows that dinnertime changes in the Fall and schedules don’t leave much time to prepare and eat delicious dinners. Enter Le Sauce & Co’s heat and pour finishing sauces.
Le Sauce & Co, a locally owned and distributed company, is a brand of gourmet finishing sauces created to take meals from ordinary to extraordinary experiences in 60 seconds. Getting back into the routine of school can be tough and challenging as routines are shifted and many homes are eating at different times.
Le Sauce can’t get everyone to the table, but when they are there, they will have a great meal. Jodi Pass, a Le Sauce customer said, “We have two teens who do not always try new things. Our daughter loved the sauce and wanted more of everything. Our son never puts any gravy or sauce on his food and he is now a believer.”
Le Sauce & Co. wants to honor teachers this month. Le Sauce is offering the first 50 teachers who post on Instagram or Facebook, tag @lesaucecompany, a free sample pack of their gourmet finishing sauces.
Le Sauce & Co is a women-owned business started in Boerne, Texas. The Kirl Family is filled with foodies and their dream of having their own business in food came true three years ago. After winning a finalist spot in the HEB 2019 Quest for Texas Best, Le Sauce & Co was launched and is currently in HEB stores throughout the state of Texas as well as available nationally on Amazon.
Every child has a gift that can change the world; Spartek Academy: An Acton Academy develops those gifts in 1st-8th grade students.
Press Release –
updated: Aug 10, 2021
COLUMBIA, Md., August 10, 2021 (Newswire.com)
– Spartek Academy: An Acton Academy [Spartek] is opening its doors in Columbia, Maryland. Spartek is a learner-driven private school where 75% of our curriculum is hands-on and students are in charge of their learning. There are no teachers, only guides, no homework, and no tests. How do our students learn? With a mastery-based approach. It’s simple: every student works at their own pace and shows mastery in that area before advancing.
Spartek Academy is an affiliate school of Acton Academy, based in Austin, Texas. Acton Academy has 300+ Affiliate schools worldwide and has been endorsed by Sal Khan, Founder of Khan Academy; Seth Godin, Author; and Sugata Mitra, Founder of School in the Clouds.
Acton’s disruptive educational model focuses on three things: learning to learn, learning to be, and learning to do. Students participate in Socratic discussions and self-paced challenges, which equips them to be independent lifelong learners. In addition, Hands-on Quests for Science, Entrepreneurship, and the Arts prepare children for apprenticeships and real-world challenges.
About the Founder: Janear Garrus, the Founder of Spartek Academy, is an entrepreneur and educator. She has founded several other organizations and programs serving the Baltimore-Washington area: Chesapeake Educational Alliance, Launch Business Camp, Greater Purpose Christian Homeschoolers, and the Baltimore Children’s Business Fair (which is hosting its fifth annual event this fall). In addition, she and her husband have homeschooled their children for their entire education. Garrus found that Acton Academy aligned with her desires for her children’s education and felt compelled to start one in Howard County. “I chose to start an Acton Academy in Howard County because I truly believe in the model. It takes the best elements of homeschooling and combines them with innovation and collaboration amongst students. Spartek is an environment where there are no limits to students’ learning and discovery. What students are good at, they can focus on now, and that’s powerful.”
Spartek is enrolling in grades 1-8 for the 2021-2022 school year. The school will add a grade-level each following school year. For more information about Spartek Academy: An Acton Academy, contact Janear Garrus at 410-343-9780 or hello@spartekacton.org.
Inspired by the incredible true story of the 52-hertz whale, author Johnny DePalma’s latest rhyming picture book, ’52 – A Tale of Loneliness’, echoes emotions that may be felt at home.
Press Release –
updated: Mar 23, 2021
SAN FRANCISCO, March 23, 2021 (Newswire.com)
– Known throughout the San Francisco Bay Area for curating the pandemic’s Emergency Art Museum (emergencyartmuseum.com), award-winning author Johnny DePalma’s latest literary accomplishment dives deep into innate human feelings, emotions, and loneliness – something all too common in a COVID-19 world.
“I would say all my books are somewhat autobiographical,” said DePalma, regarding his latest book, ’52 – A Tale of Loneliness.’ “Loneliness is such a universal and complex emotion. For me, my days of loneliness were also my days of unlimited imagination. I would take the time to connect with all of the small, seemingly invisible things in my life. And, looking back, I think those moments we’re incredibly important. Years later, when I learned about the 52-hertz whale, (also known as the loneliest whale in the world) I knew I wanted to write a book that reconnects with that misunderstood emotion.”
This children’s tale, recommended for ages 4-8, has recently hit home for an audience of all ages. Taking place far beneath the beautiful sea, a unique whale sings a song that is all his own. Told in short, poetic passages, this whale, simply known as 52, celebrates the joy of life he’s found beneath the ocean waves. Yet, despite his isolation, 52 remains optimistic and introduces readers to the magic, beauty, and joy found within his own invisible world.
DePalma details the beauty of isolation with effortlessness throughout the book, writing, “And that’s all mine! I get to see, the things invisible, like me! So, every night, I say hello, to all the barnacles below. To every bubble, kelp, and shell. To every grain of sand as well. For all these things make up my home, and with them, I don’t feel alone.”
“It’s been greatly inspired by the California coast,” said DePalma. “After all, that is where the real-life 52-hertz whale has been known to travel. In 2018, my good friend and illustrator, Kyle Brown and I took a research trip from Point Conception, to Monterey, and eventually through San Francisco to find the creative spark needed for the illustrations in this book. I couldn’t be happier with the result. It’s my hope that children and families alike will uncover that same special spark of joy that 52 has found. Considering what we’ve all been going through, I think embracing some of these feelings, and putting a voice to them is going to be an important step for children moving forward.”
DePalma went on to say, “As children start heading back to school, social and emotional learning tools are going to be imperative. Characters like 52 are there to help guide children through those difficult feelings and to help them find their voice in a world that might suddenly feel a bit different. I want children to know that being unique can be a positive and powerful thing. Sometimes, it just takes the right perspective for them to see that.”
One recent reviewer stated, “DePalma effectively validates feelings that are relatable to children of various ages. Although 52 experiences loneliness, and sometimes feels invisible, he still sings, and his tale is not a sad one. This good-natured whale exemplifies themes of self-acceptance, individuality, contentment, empathy, bravery, and joy.” – Cecilia_L
Terra Jolé, of “Dancing with the Stars,” fame stated, “This book is a wonderful way for children to feel content with who they are. This speaks loudly to me as a mother isolating her family through the pandemic. Embracing a world you’re creating for yourself is a powerful message in a children’s book.”
To date, 52 –A Tale of Loneliness has won a Mom’s Choice Gold Award, and a Reader’s Favorite Five Stars. The book also includes a downloadable companion audiobook read by Emmy Award-winning actor, Patton Oswalt.
