SNACKTIME: why children should stay away from energy drinks

Seeking to gain a competitive edge in sports, 6^th through 12^th grade students are attracted to heavily marketed sports and energy drinks.  Unfortunately, there is confusion about the difference between the two products, which can lead to potential health risks, especially to children. Before diving into this dilemma, understand that water is the most effective means to replace a body’s lost fluids.

Sports drinks that are high in carbohydrates help replenish the body's depleted stores after prolonged exercise (60 minutes or more). Sports drinks help maintain the body's electrolyte balance and provide carbohydrates for additional energy. On the other hand, energy drinks contain stimulants in various combinations, such as caffeine and guarana (an herb containing caffeine). Labels can be confusing to read, and a single bottle may contain two to three servings of the drink with total caffeine content exceeding 400 to 500 milligrams per can or bottle.  This substantial amount of caffeine is too much for anybody, particularly a child.

By comparison, the average cup of coffee contains about 150 milligrams of caffeine while a cup of cocoa contains about 15 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup. Adverse effects associated with caffeine consumption in amounts of 400 milligrams or more include nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, increased urination, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia), decreased bone levels, and upset stomach. The caffeine contributed by energy drinks can cause a number of harmful health effects in children, including effects on the developing neurologic and cardiovascular systems.

According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, poison centers received 2,810 reports of exposures to energy drinks in 2014. More than 1,600 were children age 18 and younger. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and adolescents do not consume energy drinks. Also, the American Medical Association supports banning the marketing of energy drinks to children under 18.

Want a competitive edge? Eat healthy, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep. The bottom line is to avoid energy drinks as they pose potential health risks for children and teenagers.

See Sports drinks: Better than water?  A tip from the Mayo Clinic

***********************************************
Submitted by Leslie Kay-Getzinger, MS RD
Regional Dietitian for Nutrition Management Services Company
Image by Mother Nature Network

FAIRMONT NORTH TUSTIN THIRD GRADER AMONG WINNERS OF DISNEY BIG HERO 6 – XPRIZE CHALLENGE

Contest Entry Proposes Product Packaging Rating System to Help Consumers Select Products with Less Packaging Waste

Fairmont North Tustin third grader Kamran Ansari has a special connection with Disney's 2015 Oscar-winning animated feature Big Hero 6. He is among the winners in the DISNEY BIG HERO 6 – XPRIZE CHALLENGE.  The contest, held late last year, encouraged children between the ages of 8 and 17 to use science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics to develop innovative approaches for addressing global problems.

For his winning entry, nine-year-old Kamran proposed a product packaging rating system to inform consumers of the wastefulness of a product’s packaging. His system allows consumers to make environmentally friendly decisions by choosing products with less packaging waste.  Click here to see the winning video entries.

 

“I selected this topic because I thought packaging is having a big, negative impact on the environment, and I want to find ways to solve this problem,” said Kamran. “I am extremely honored and grateful for having won. I can’t believe it!”

“Kamran is a prime example of the amazing things children can do when they build upon their ingenuity and express their passion,” said Kristen Jansen, Campus Director for the  Fairmont North Tustin Campus. “We are proud of his achievement and pleased to provide a learning environment for him and his classmates to make a positive impact in the world.”

Contributed by Doug Fleischli, Fairmont Private Schools

SCOREBOARD Lady Panthers Complete Perfect Season; Win Tri-Way League Championship!

Click here to see the action-packed video. 

The Fairmont Private Schools - Historic Anaheim Campus junior high girls’ volleyball team completed an undefeated season by taking home the Tri-Way league championship trophy on Thursday, November 6.  Led by Coach Katy Kitchen, the Lady Panthers defeated Orange County rival Pegasus in two straight games, 25-16 and 25-17, in the championship match.

Traditional volleyball powerhouse Pegasus, with several players also on club teams, presented a formidable challenge for the Panthers.  Their defense held firm against a hard-hitting Pegasus team, with the Panther players showing their determination not to let a perfect season slip away.

“The girls demonstrated that doing your best and putting your heart into the game are the keys to  success,” said Coach Kitchen. "This is not a team made up exclusively of volleyball players. Their main interests include other sports and academic pursuits, such as speech and debate. They came together with the strong determination to win and to affirm that hard work pays off.” 

IN THE NEWS great teachers have lasting impact

The Teaching Channel on campus last summer filming one of Fairmont's great teachers in action. 

An article published by the New York Times on January 6th cited a recent study by Harvard and Columbia economists that shows highly effective teachers have a long-term impact on their students' success.

According to the study, students with great teachers are less likely to become pregnant as teenagers, more likely to attend college and earn more when they enter the workforce.  The study is the largest look yet at the controversial “value-added ratings,” which measure the impact individual teachers have on student test scores.

“Everybody believes that teacher quality is very, very important,” says Eric A. Hanushek, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford and longtime researcher of education policy. “What this paper and other work has shown is that it’s probably more important than people think. That the variations or differences between really good and really bad teachers have lifelong impacts on children.”

Teachers unions argue that using test scores to determine teacher quality is harmful and misleading. Others say test scores are an objective measure of a teacher's effectiveness in the classroom and call for accountability.  Regardless of your viewpoint, this study is groundbreaking in assigning a monetary value to poor, average and great teaching.

In my mind, and in the minds of many Fairmont parents, a great teacher is priceless!

Contributed by Danyelle, Fairmont Private Schools