Brick 26

What is Brick 26?

It is a nonprofit organization that raises funds to aid and assist all Long Island Veterans with various needs, especially those Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. As part of its fundraising efforts, BRICK 26 is planning an August 4th 10K race in Eisenhower Park. Each participant will carry at least one brick as a symbolic weight for all that our soldiers have carried for us through their service. At the conclusion of the race, the bricks will be collected with a plan to build a monument to Veterans at a Long Island college.

As the sister of a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, who has done two tours in Iraq, I think this is an excellent way to not only bring the school community together to make a difference, but to encourage students to be active. My brother is responsible for going around to the several schools and collecting the money at an assembly where he presents to the students. One school in Long Island in particular, Sunrise Drive Elementary School in Sayville, has done great efforts in supporting the cause through their Project 26. To raise awareness among children for this worthy cause, Sunrise Drive’s Student Council asked the fellow students to bring in $0.26 each. The students found ways to fund their donations for this project by holding bake sales, recycling bottles and cans, digging in their couches, piggy banks, and earning money through chores. After collecting $916.82, the Sunrise Drive students presented their donation to my brother, Veteran Marine, Sgt. Jeffery Matassa. Sunrise Drive collected the most per student of all participating schools. As a result, the school’s name will appear both on one of the bricks being carried as well as on the back of the event t-shirt.

On a scale of 1-10...

I recently read an article about publicly releasing teacher’s ratings for anyone to see.  When I think about the consequences of this action, there are negative and positive aspects that come to mind. For one, publicly releasing a teacher’s rating will allow the community to know if there hard-earned money is keeping poor-performing teachers with a job or rewarding those who are performing above and beyond. With that being said, it is questionable how exactly teachers are being rated. To put a major weight on standardized testing results to evaluate teachers can undermine advancements in the field of education. We presently live in a society where changing technologies require more diversified approaches to curriculum and assessment. To elevate teachers in such a way will be a step backwards because it will disengage and alienated students. Standardized test scores do not fully capture student learning, and measures of student growth do not represent many aspects of a teacher’s effectiveness. Some advocates argue that parents have a right to know if their child is in the class of a teacher who has been identified as ineffective. Similarly, parents might want to know if their child has been placed in the class of a particularly effective teacher. Teachers need to be treated as professionals, which means their privacy should be protected. Publicly releasing teachers’ evaluations with names attached has the potential to antagonize teachers and make them less willing to collaborate with districts and states in future reform efforts. Parents and the public have a right to know information about teachers, but teachers’ privacy needs to be protected.

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My Coaching Experience

Three years ago I coached a 5th and 6th grade soccer team in Cortland, NY for about 8 weeks.  During this experience I learned many things.  My coaching experience was both challenging and rewarding.  Volunteering my time to give these kids a physical activity to do after school was probably the most rewarding part.  Three days a week after school the kids would come dressed and ready to play some soccer.  Each practice I brought in a practice plan and worked on a variety of basic soccer skills with the players.  Throughout the eight weeks of coaching I noticed significant improvement in many of the kids.  This was very inspirational to me that these kids came to learn and listen and were excited to play.  It was a very rewarding experience for me to know that I had an impact on these kids.  We had games once a week and this was also learning experience for me.  Coaching this team was the first team of any sport I have ever coached so I had to learn on my own as the season went on how to coach.  It was challenging at first to figure out which kids played what position and making sure they all got equal playing time.  It was difficult sometimes because the kids would complain if they had to play a position that they didn't want to.  But most kids after playing a position they were not comfortable with, told me they ended up enjoying it regardless.  Overall I enjoyed my experience as a coach.  The kids I worked with were great kids and I would like to do some sort of coaching in the future.  

EUI: Exercising Under the Influenece

It’s no secret that drinking alcohol is detrimental to a person’s health, but from a fitness aspect there are several specific effects alcohol can have on an exercise-seeking person.
Hard workouts deplete the glycogen storage, which are carbs that are stored in the liver and muscle, and creates a state of refurbishing in the muscles cells.  Putting alcohol into your system as soon as you finish stalls the process of repairing muscle tissue. High levels of alcohol consumed takes the place of the carbs in your bodies storage, which leaves your energy storage still 50 percent lower than normal even eight hours later, when it should be repairing and replenishing itself. When your body consumes alcohol, it is already dealing with a surplus of calories. It then has to prioritize metabolizing the alcohol over burning fat and carbs. Alcohol also breaks down amino acids and stores them as fat. It also increases levels of cortisol, which is a stress hormone that encourages fat storage. Alcohol consumption also hinders your muscle recovery and performance by disrupting your sleep. In a study of 93 men and women, researchers found that alcohol decreased sleep duration and increased the amount of time awake especially in women, whose sleep time was decreased by more than 30 minutes. Disrupting the sleep cycle can reduce the human growth hormone production that builds muscle as much as 70 percent. Alcohol also irritates the stomach lining, which can reduce your capability to absorb nutrients. A more obvious affect is it’s influence on your bladder causing you to go more. Every gram of ethanol that is consumed, 10 milliliters, or two beers, of urine is released. As little as 2 percent dehydration hurts endurance performance.

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Teacher's Unions

Opponents of teachers’ unions argue that they take reform power away from administrators and parents as well as drain district resources Advocates of teacher unionization, however, believe empowering educators who are in the classroom strengthens student achievement by allowing for resources to be distributed in a more effective manner and to be used more efficiently. A central purpose of any labor union is to maximize the well-being of its members. In order to accomplish this goal, teachers’ unions often advocate for higher wages, fewer hours and higher benefits for teachers. If these unions are successful in advocating for such changes, then districts might redistribute resources towards teacher pay and away from other areas. The union is necessary as a protection for teachers against the unruly power by administrators. In our school systems, just like in federal governments, we need checks and balances.School reform cannot possibly succeed when teachers, who are on the frontline, are left out of the decision-making process. Administrators cannot improve what happens in the classroom by humiliating and bossing around the teachers who are in daily contact with the children. Only in an environment of mutual respect can administrators and teachers produce the kind of partnership that will benefit students. Administrators must be willing to talk with and listen to the leaders chosen by teachers to represent them.

SPEAK out!

SPARK, which provides one of the world’s most-researched physical education program and a division of School Specialty, is continueing its mission on Capitol Hill in support of more physical and health education programs for students as part of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education’s SPEAK Out! Day being held March 29, 2012. As physical education programs shrink and our nation’s childhood obesity rates continue to rise, it is imperative that organizations that care about physical fitness in schools fight for every minute and every dollar. It is with this understanding that SPARK participates in this political event. The NASPE SPEAK Out! Day is focused on showing Congress how they can support physical and health education by allowing Title I and Title II funds to be used for physical and health education programs and professional development for teachers. According to NASPE Senior Manager of Government Relations Carly Braxton, “We are thrilled that members of the broad education community will join us to advocate for enhanced quality physical education in schools. It is everyone’s responsibility to make quality physical education and physical activity a reality in every school in America.” "Because physical education is not considered a ‘core’ subject under the law, it is marginalized in the funding and decision-making process,” said Paul Rosengard, Executive Director at SPARK. “The fact is that one-third of the children in this nation are overweight or obese and that statistic is one we cannot ignore. Meeting with members of Congress and bringing this issue to the forefront of our government is the first step in ensuring that we provide the best future for our youth."

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Mascot Controversey

The usage of Native American mascots in professional sports and schools has been a topic of debate in the United States for quite some time and has even led to some institutions changing the names and images of their mascots all together.  This raises the question should or shouldn’t a school’s mascot be changed because Native Americans deem them offensive. Some feel that Native American mascots breed insensitivity and misunderstanding about native people. They also seem to push the argument that there are no mascots based on African Americans, or Asian Americans depicted in sports. However, Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish can be viewed as an exception to this belief. I come from a town in Long Island called Massapequa, which has deep Native American roots and respectively our mascot is the Massapequa Chief. I believe they can be viewed as respectful and pay homage to Native American culture. I remember back in high school when they wanted to change our mascot from the intimidating Chief to the Massapequa Waves. It sparked a huge controversy and everybody was in an uproar because they didn’t want to change the mascot that they’ve grown to represent and be proud of. However, with that being said, many Native Americans feel that the mascots should be deemed offensive by the people being imitated and not by those who are doing the imitating. Native American mascots focus on bravery, courage and fighting skills rather than anything derogatory. In 20120 a law was passed in Wisconsin to eliminate race-based nicknames, logos, and mascots in schools. A school can argue to keep their mascot if they have permission of local Native American tribes. It's the first law of it's kind in the country.