Vegetarian stall in the Canteen

Dear Sodexo, 

I am here to present an idea to you about having a vegetarian stall in our school canteen. Although most people in this school are non-vegetarians, I feel that vegetarian food is very beneficial for your health and is good for the environment too, Sodexo should recognise this. Sodexo should have a vegetarian stall in the canteen, while keeping the other non-vegetarian stalls too. This way both non-vegetarians and vegetarians can be happy. A few reasons that I think this are - Vegetarian food is good for your health and it is good for the environment.

One reason I think that Sodexo should consider having a vegetarian stall in the canteen, is because vegetarian food is good for your health. Heart disease claims the life of nearly one out of every three Americans. Adopting a vegetarian diet is a powerful way to prevent heart disease. In fact, a recent British study found that switching to a vegetarian diet may cut your chances of developing heart disease by 32%! Animal foods tend to be high in cholesterol and saturated fat, major contributors to artery-clogging plaque. You may argue that vegetarian food may not provide you with all the essential nutrients your body needs. However, it is very easy to have a well-balanced diet with vegetarian foods, since these foods provide plenty of protein. Careful combining of foods is not necessary. Any normal variety of plant foods provides more than enough protein for the body’s needs. Although there is somewhat less protein in a vegetarian diet than a meat-eater’s diet, this is actually an advantage. Excess protein has been linked to kidney stones, osteoporosis, and possibly heart disease and some cancers. A diet focused on beans, whole grains, and vegetables contains adequate amounts of protein without the “overdose” most meat-eaters get. Calcium is easy to find in a vegetarian diet. Many dark green leafy vegetables and beans are loaded with calcium, and some orange juices, non-dairy milks, and cereals are calcium-fortified. Iron is plentiful in whole grains, beans, and fruits. Remember, that health is wealth.

One reason I think that Sodexo should consider having a vegetarian stall in the canteen is because vegetarian food is good for the environment. By having a vegetarian stall in the canteen we can reduce the impact of climate change, rainforest destruction and pollution, while saving water and other precious resources. In fact, raising animals for food produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all of the cars, planes, and other forms of transportation combined. There has never been a better time to go green by eating green. To produce one pound of animal protein vs. one pound of soy protein, it takes about 12 times as much land, 13 times as much fossil fuel, and 15 times as much water. Raising animals for food (including land used for grazing and growing feed crops) now uses a staggering 30% of the Earth’s land mass. Imagine what we could use all that land for. According to research if you had to pay for all the damage the meat had done the environment to get to you so that you would be able to buy, it would add a massive $240. Staff reporter Justin Caba quotes that - “A recent study published in the Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition has found that people who adopt a vegetarian diet save an average of $750 each year on groceries compared to people who eat meat.” - Caba, 2015. This is saying that vegetarian food can be very cost effective. According to scientific research Animal Agriculture is the one of the three biggest reason for global warming. It is responsible for about 20% of global warming being a greater reason of global warming than deforestation. It has grow to so much of a problem that scientists are so concerned by the effects of rising meat consumption that Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and possibly the world's leading authority on global warming, made a plea last year for people to have at least one meat-free day a week.(Finn, 2009). To feed the animal we have to grow thrice as much plants for them than we had to if we all didn’t eat meat at all. And this is not the only reason how it’s contributing to global warming. All the effort to get so much food to the animals emits huge amount of greenhouse gases. Adds poisonous chemicals into our soil, air, and water. And also erodes billions of tons of topsoil each year.

What I’m saying that our school should have a separate vegetarian stall in the canteen. There are also many students and teachers who are vegetarian. Recently we had posted a poll that went out to the whole Grade 7. The question was - Do you support the idea of having a separate vegetarian stall in the canteen (as part of Sodexo)? Out of the 111 people that responded, 81% supported the idea. That’s 91 out of 111 people. So why not take the healthier side, and include a vegetarian stall in our canteen.

The Destructive Power Of Peer Pressure

Have you ever been pressured by your parents with any school work, I have. My parents are always on to me, have you done your homework Faizana?, have you read?, have you done this?, have you done that? I know the feeling, it’s not to good, especially when you get a bad grade. Many kids from the age of 8-13 are actually being pressured from their parents or peers to get the best of grades the school has to offer. Kids are studying way beyond their limit, not having a social life, not being able to do things that most majority of kids are doing. At that age they are proving or pleasing to parents that they are capable of accomplishing something when their parents should know that they are capable of doing that. Yes, we all should encourage kids to do the best they can but that doesn’t mean they should put success upon everything else.

One reason I think that parents put too much pressure on kids is that many parents put pressure on their children to earn perfect grades, no matter the cost. Guidance couns telors say that this is one of the kid’s biggest issues, they get a lot of stress to please their parents or peers. Parents can be very eager and forceful for their kids to success in life, but they also need a social life. I think that for this issue, a way to solve it is for the parents to listen in on what is going on in their kid’s life and understand where they are coming from, not just accusing them. Kids have a lot of stress already from school or from friends, one of the biggest issues of stress are from social media. At many schools, such as UWCSEA parents can track their child's grades and tests, they can also track personal emails, and homework assignments. When the parents find that the grades are out, it is quite obvious that the kid will get a slight under confident feeling, that their parents might get angry at them. Of course, they would be worried, especially if it is coming near to the end of the year. Parents always are wondering how their kids are doing in school, that is normal, every parent should think that, though it can make the child agitated at times as they keep on getting reminded “studying comes first before anything else”. By rising the pressure, as they grow older, they will always want their parents to be happy or teachers, but it’s not like that, kids should please themselves, they should be happy, if they tried their hardest, that should be enough. It doesn’t need to show in the grades. "Rejection can be heart-breaking and devastating. Especially for high-achieving students who spent countless hours studying and preparing for assignments, exams and projects," said Anxiety.org.

Another reason for pressure is stress and anxiety. Kids get anxiety, they get worried. This can lead to depression, anger and frustration. So stress can affect anyone who feels overwhelmed — even kids. In preschoolers, separation from parents can cause anxiety. As kids get older, academic and social pressures (especially from trying to fit in) create stress said "Childhood Stress." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health. As it says, “as kids grow older, academic and social pressures create stress”, it means that, if any kid has any stress from school, their peers or family should notice this action and should help the kids otherwise what if the kid might hurt himself/herself, in some cases that might happen.

Girls and boys also adults, have this kind of pressure from work, family, friends or even social media. Parents should be aware of this, everyone should be aware and should help, everyone should be careful if it happens to their friends or it happens to yourself. If you are in this position get someone to talk to, they can help you.



Bibliography:

https://www.anxiety.org

http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/stress.html

Intramural Sports

Can you imagine quitting something you have such love and passion for? You may be thinking this is a crazy question and the obvious answer would be no, but that isn't the case for everyone.
While all schools want high performing athletic teams, school’s should understand that not everyone can make the team and when they don't make it all they feel is sad, disheartened, embarrassed, dejected and eventually could lose complete interest in the sport. I propose to you a solution that would make all coaches, students and parents appeared, Intramural sports. Intramural sports are great as they give students who don't make the team a chance to be able to play regularly, teaches them resilience and perseverance to not give up the sport. Playing intramural sports isn't just for fun, it allows you to reap rewards for your health, social life, and even academic pursuits.

The most crucial reason why we should have Intramural sports at our school is for students to maintain good health. Staying mentally and physically fit can be a hard thing to do especially when you are not part of a sports team. For example, the United States is struggling with a widespread obesity problem, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, more than one-third of adult Americans are obese hence, physical activity couldn't be more important for the nation's health. Intramural programs provide a great alternative for those who don't have the time or abilities to compete in competitive school sports teams.
Additionally, Intramural sports at school offer you a variety of sports to choose from and will provide at least three or more training sessions per week which will help you to stay fit. Competitive sports, on the other hand, can be more rigorous in nature resulting in overworking your body and causing potential injuries to the body. Coupled with the fact that intramural sports are a team activity, your commitment to the sport and team will ensure that you turn up for practice. Many people also feel more motivated to exercise when they're playing in an organized program rather than following a personal fitness regimen.
Word Health Organisation (WHO) states that children ages five to seventeen should accumulate at least sixty minutes of moderate intensity physical activity daily, being part of an intramural sports team will ensure children get their necessary recommended work out.

Another imperative reason why intramural sports are beneficial is that it helps individuals develop leadership and team building skills in addition to creating new friendships and building bonds. Intramural sports encourage you to get to know your teammates, set aside individual differences and work together as a team. My sister plays basketball, before joining basketball she thought it would be a way to make new friends. After the first day of training she came back home complaining that all they do is train and do constant drills, “there’s barely any new time to get to know people, the only time I get to talk to people are during break times which only last a minute or two, our conversation is interrupted by the coach telling us to get back to training” she says. These are the kinds of people I believe Intramural sports are suited for. Abe Drabkin, the Director of Marketing for the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), points out that some researchers say organizational activity prompts the release of the hormone oxytocin, which helps team-bonding.
Furthermore, some may argue that involvement in team sports helps students build character, allowing them to develop a sense of self-control and boost their self-esteem. But others believe that when students play the sport with the sole intention of winning, it could provoke aggression and violence. 

Following that argument, intramural sports might be preferable to the more competitive sports.

In addition to keeping good health, Intramural sports are good for those who are not able to withstand the pressure and stress caused by competitive sports.
Drabkin also states that intramural sports help students maintain health and wellness while managing stress. A survey of more than 400 moms with children in organized youth sports done by The Observer says that culture of competitive sports not only puts unhealthy pressure on children but creates significant stress for parents too. Another survey was commissioned by i9 Sports, a nationwide youth sports league franchise, clearly shows that we need to change the youth sports format and add an element of fun to put less pressure on children and their families. This is significant because it strengthens my argument on why we should introduce Intramural sports at school.
Equally important, being actively involved in physical sport and exercise could help students reduce stress whilst keeping kids physically fit and mentally charged, which then helps students excel academically too. Some research has proven that physically active children do better in reading and math.

In essence, we should introduce Intramural sports at our school as it provides all the elements to mold a successful student. Although it could add extra costs to the school and finding an area to play could be hard but Intramural sports as compared to competitive sports is necessary as it encourages students to stay fit and healthy in a fun way, without causing undue stress. It helps to build new friendships, boost self-esteem and improves your collaborative skills.

Women's Strive for Education

At UWC, students are highly encouraged to participate in service. I chose to participate in a service called Daraja which is a service that stands up for girls’ rights to education. Daraja Academy is a school built just for girls in Kenya and the girls there are able to receive education in a safe environment. After participating in the service and fighting for the cause, I became keen to keep helping women in need of education and I felt the cause was a severe one that should be resolved.

One might argue that women do not need education and should be in charge of housework leave the jobs which require strength or thinking to men but, others might say that women and men are equal and should have the same rights. This paper will argue that women and men should be treated equally and women should not be deprived of the right to receive education, nor should their treatments be differentiated to men because no one should be underprivileged based on their gender or status.

First of all, I think that education is one of the most critical areas of empowerment for women. It is also known as one of the clearest examples of the discrimination that women suffer. Women receiving education should not be seen as an opulence as it was established as a basic human right. According to UNICEF, among the children who do not go to school, there are twice as many girls as boys. This states that girls have a lower chance of receiving an education than boys. Also, if a family can only afford enough money to provide education for one member of the family, it will more likely be the boy in the family who receives education. The Convention on the Rights of the Child and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women recently established a basic human right that girls should be allowed to receive a basic education and it should not be a luxury for them. This means that women should have the right to receive a basic education to help them live their life successfully and they should not be deprived of the right to learn. Recently, UN Women offered classes to women who were not able to receive an education in north-eastern Afghanistan. A girl called Beheshta, age 20, who was receiving education from this program stated, “educating women and girls and women’s empowerment in our community is my dream,” (Beheshta, 2013). This shows that people of Afghanistan still decipher women receiving education as a luxury. I believe this mindset is very wrong and women having an opportunity to receive a basic education should be accustomed.

Secondly, no one should be underprivileged based on their gender or status and without these judgements, the world can become a more improved and fair community. According to UN WOMEN, if women receive an education, it will be advantageous for both the woman herself, and the improvement of the world to make it a safer place. For example, there will be an increasing literacy rate which can help improve conditions in developing regions and there will be a reduced chance of human trafficking. Also, children of educated mothers are twice as likely to survive and poverty will be reduced. Yet, according to Brookings Article, it states that there are many barriers stopping women from receiving a proper education which should be resolved. Some of these include, high costs, inflexible timetables, lack of numerous schools in different areas, lack of preparation in their early years, irrelevant curricula, regular closures of schools, lack of space and a limited capacity, and lack of proper materials. This means that in order for women around the world to receive an education everyone should contribute in helping women go to school, even if it is only a small contribution. To help, many people can donate or provide service for women to overcome these many barriers and for them to continue leading their educational lives.

Also, many women from various parts of the world are not able to read or write and that leads to women being classified lowly and not being able to be located to a job. Also, in most countries, male are classified more superior than female which, shows a lack of respect towards women. According to UN Women, only 12% of the people in Afghanistan are literate. This is a very small amount and it shows the lack of education that they have. According to a Brookings article, it states that “lack of fairness and justice persist in the education systems of developing countries, including judgements based on gender,” (Strand, 2015). It also states that, Afghanistan has the highest level of gender disparity in education in the world, largely due to cultural barriers such as early marriage or lack of female teachers. This shows how large the amount of discrimination is between men and women in developing countries. I understand that different countries or religions have different traditions about how the women should stay at home and do housework while the men receive education and work to earn money. But I strongly believe this is a wrong way of thinking because women or men, we are all the same species, humans, and we should all have the same rights as, we are classified as equal. Although the discrimination of women has decreased in many modern countries, many can still observe a slight preference that people have towards men. From my own experience, I can sense a difference between people’s mindset towards men and women. For example, if a boy gave orders to the people in a group and took control, the people would classify him as a boy with strong leadership skills. On the other hand, if a girl did the same thing, people would habitually classify her as bossy.

In conclusion, there are different perspectives that we can look at this issue but, the point I would like to get across is that discrimination between women and men is a serious issue that should definitely be fixed. Even though the inequality between men and women have ceased slightly in modern countries, I believe that developing countries are still experiencing this issue and people should take caution of this.


Bibliography

"Girls' Education: A Lifeline to Development." Girls' Education: A Lifeline to Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

"Right to Education Still Not a Reality for Many Women and Girls." Right to Education Still Not a Reality for Many Women and Girls. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.


"Expanding and Improving the Quality of Girls' Education in Afghanistan." The Brookings Institution. N.p., 19 Aug. 2015. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

Technology Balance for Kids

Only a few years ago, children were playing outside all day, playing sports, building forts and riding bikes. Children use to create their own form of play, that didn’t require costly equipment or adult supervision. Today, children are spending an increasing amount of their time using technology, sometimes without realizing the effects. While some argue that technology can greatly benefit to a child’s learning and education, others argue that overuse of electronic media can cause an unbalance in a child’s daily life, and can be harmful to those who don’t have access to digital devices and the internet.

It is hotly contested whether children should be encouraged to use technology, as it can expose them to inappropriate and harmful content. However, technology can be a great benefit to a child’s life, as new technology “opens up new worlds to them” says Nancy Jennings in her article called ‘Children and Computer Technology’. (Jennings, 2013) This is important to notice, as children who are using technology have a wider range of resources for school projects and research, as well as new platforms that are exposing them to new learning methods and education systems. Technology can also encourage children to capture, create and share memories, increase instant communication and enhance learning abilities. According to an article ‘10 Benefits of Exposing Young Children to Modern Technology’, (DigiParenthood, 2013) “Technology presents opportunities to present different activities children may eventually engage in.” An example that they mentioned was children get the idea of what sports such as gymnastics look like, or even race car driving. All in all, this suggests that technology can also lead and engage children to their biggest interests and passions for their future. Relating to sports, I personally find that technology can really spread the news about sports competitions such as swim meets, soccer tournaments, marathons etc. I also know useful apps for both swimming and gymnastics created for parents, coaches and athletes to get access to updated scores, times and points for competitions all around the world. Overall, technology can have great benefits to a child’s but also a parent's daily life.

A reason technology can be harmful to children is that they can lead to an unbalance in their daily life, sleep and screen time. Some parents take an active role in their kid’s lives and set limits on technology. According to an article titled ‘Balancing Screen Time’, poor sleeping patterns are related to the overuse of electronic media, and concluded that technology “raise a public health concern regarding lifestyle and functioning in young individuals”. (Ikeepsafeorg, 2016) This means that children who are using electronic devices regularly may not be balancing their important tasks with their screen time. I personally find that I feel more enriched and satisfied when I get enough sleep, while still accomplishing other important tasks.  An article on Huffington Post titled ‘The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child’ stated that “The truth is, no matter how engaging and educational certain technologies may be, if a child is sitting in front of a screen they are generally not being physically active or learning social skills.” (Cris, 2013) This brings up my point of technology balance, as many children are spending time on screens rather than balancing their daily lives with being physically active and learning new social skills. This also shows that being engaged in sports and other hands on activities can teach more skills to children than when they are sitting on their laptop. However, some argue that children should be independently choosing the appropriate platforms to be learning and entertaining themselves for their own benefits, rather than their parents. From personal experience, this can be very difficult because you can become very attached to what you are doing on the screen, and it can become a habit. With parent supervision, children will know the restrictions better, and it is more likely that they will listen to them. In an article named ‘The Truth About Kids and Tech’ by Heather Jones, it refers to Common Sense Media saying that “tweens from 8 to 12 years of age spend an average of four-and-a-half hours each day watching TV or using a digital device. (Jones, 2015) For teens 13 to 18, the average is six-and-a-half hours.” This is showing that as kids are becoming older, they are spending more time on digital devices. Making sure that you are not spending too much time on digital devices is important, therefore making parent supervision necessary.

Another reason technology can be harmful to a child is that most digital devices are expensive. Children who are living in lower income and lower educational household families are less likely to have access to the internet. Others may feel that this can benefit to the children, as they are not exposed to harmful content and are not distracted by what is on their screens nevertheless, I contend that children who can’t afford digital devices may feel left behind. I think this because these children won’t have access to the internet for homework, school projects and for their own entertainment. A recently published article by Terrance F. Ross stated that “Currently, 99 percent of America's K-12 public schools and libraries are somehow connected to the web.” (Ross, 2015) This is relevant as the small number of children or schools that don’t have access to the internet are not using the same resources as the majority of other children, which may be making them feel like they are not part of this new technology world. In the same article, they also mention that “In today's schools, having a dial-up connection is far from sufficient when measuring adaptation to modern times.” The part that seems relevant is the mention of modern times. As society will eventually grow, technology will grow with it, and it is therefore important to know and possibly have access to the internet and other digital devices.

As technology will grow and surround us, it is important to know the benefits but also the negatives of electronic devices. Technology can improve and build upon our education systems, giving access to more tools and resources than ever before. However,  it is clear that overuse of electronic devices can have serious negative effects. In order to prevent these effects, parents need to make sure their children are improving their self control and limiting their use of technology in their daily lives, and also making sure they get enough exercise and sleep.  

Resources:

Ross, Terrance F. "When Students Can't Go Online." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 13 Mar. 2015. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.

"10 Benefits of Exposing Young Children to Modern Technology." DigiParenthood. N.p., 23 Aug. 2013. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.

Cohen, Katherine. "Kids Spend Too Much Time with Technology." Newsworks.org. N.p., 16 June 2014. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.

"Balancing Screen Time." Ikeepsafeorg RSS. N.p., 26 Feb. 2016. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.

Jones, Heather, and Belinda Luscombe. "News." The Truth About Kids and Tech. N.p., 4 Nov. 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.

Rowan, Cris. "The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 29 May 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.

Wartella, Ellen, and Nancy Jennings. "Children and Computer Technology - The Future of Children -." Princeton University. Trustees of Princeton University © 2014, 11 Feb. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2016.

Enforce A No-Cut Policy

Some schools believe that cutting students from a sports team, helps them learn life lessons, when they don’t know it can actually be a bad decision. Cutting kids from a team can leave emotional scars, and believe it or not the ones with the least self-esteem and knowledge of the sport are the ones who would benefit most from continued participation in a sport. There should be a no-cut policy in our school so that each and every child receives equal amount of participation in a sport.

A crucial reason why we should have a no-cut policy is because some think that cutting kids from a sports team teaches them a life lesson. In the “real world” we do have our successes and failures, but they are still kids, all they want is to play a sport. Why do you talk so much about a close middle school community when you are encouraging kids not to participate. The less skilled ones, would take more interest in a sport because they can learn new skills, in contrast with the more skilled, more confident students who would take this opportunity to impress others, and take it for granted rather then seeing it as a chance to learn and grow as an athlete and a student. A situation where this occurs in our very own school, UWCSEA East. In our school, this season was basketball season, and being the popular sport that it is, of course many kids signed up. Unfortunately, not all could make it. Sixty girls and sixty boys signed up, there were three teams each, for boys and girls, A, B and C team. Each team could only allow 12 kids, meaning that in all 120 people that signed up, 72 kids made it and 48 young middle school kids got cut.

Forty-eight kids got cut. Since they have six whole teams, which I’m guessing is meant so that many kids could participate, they still had to cut kids. What about those kids who worked so hard and are are so passionate about the sport. Many will be saying, you did good, try next year, but say if this year was their next year and they didn’t get it, how would you feel if that was you? Out of all the kids that got cut, many of them were talented athletes, which didn’t get their chance to show the coaches what they can bring to a team. In a cruel irony, the children who are cut, as the least skilled and the ones with the least self-confidence, are the children who would benefit most from continued participation in a sport where they can learn such skills as a good work ethic and working cooperatively with a group towards a common goal. Why do we have to cut when we have enough facilities and coaches. We have a huge field and four big sports halls, these only cover a few sports, but still, is there a specific need to cut kids?

In addition, having cuts can leave emotional scars on those who simply get cut. The ones who were so excited to play, only to find out that they can’t. You mentally feel like you aren’t good enough and you never will be. This can definitely decrease one's self-esteem. “On the first day, we were told there would be cuts. After the tryouts, I was selected for the junior varsity team. My friend, Hillary, who was a talented athlete, was not so lucky. Suffering from heat exhaustion, she performed poorly. On the second day of the three-day tryout she got sick to her stomach. I remember going with her to the locker room. She was hurt, humiliated and embarrassed by the tryout process. Sadly, Hillary didn't come back for third day of tryouts and was cut, forever out of the loop, never to return to a team to try out again.” Said Brooke De Lench. Coaches think that in two to three days they can see one’s full abilities. This is completely wrong. Not everyone can play their best all the time. To crack under pressure is normal, we all do it but coaches don’t understand that, they believe that we have to play our best every second of the day. Leaving the tryouts, knowing that you could have done better, is disappointing and that thought keeps ringing in your head, reminding you that you didn’t play your best. Then finding out that you have been cut, breaks you down, and some don’t even continue to practice that sport leisurely because the fun of playing it has vanished and they give up, never to tryout again.

On the other hand, cutting kids from a team can make them work harder to earn their place on the team. It allows them to learn the skill of resilience and teach them how to cope with failure. From the research that I have done, I have found out that around 65% which is more then half of the students in my class believe that a no-cut policy isn’t needed. These kids are the more sportier ones and haven’t dealt with failure. Although, the ones who did agree to enforcing a no-cut policy have experienced what it’s like to be cut from a team. They are the ones who have worked harder then many others to achieve their goal.

It’s true, not all bad things come out of having cuts, but there are many good things that come out of having a no-cut policy. Selection for teams or representative roles would be based on demonstrated ability. Not-cutting would ensure that the lesser skilled would have equal access to learning opportunities. I’m suggesting that if we introduce this idea into our sports program, we can prevent emotional scars, loss of self-confidence and most importantly ensure that every single child gets equal participation in a sport of their choice.


Bibliography:

"Why a No-Cut Policy for Middle School Teams Is a Good Idea." Why a No-Cut Policy for Middle School Teams Is a Good Idea. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.

"Fighting For Change in a Local Soccer Club: A Letter to the Club's President About the Effect of Cutting." Fighting For Change in a Local Soccer Club: A Letter to the Club's President About the Effect of Cutting. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

"Reasons For and Against Implementing a No-cut Policy in a Public School Co-Curricular Program." Reasons For and Against Implementing a No-cut Policy in a Public School Co-Curricular Program. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

"Why a No-Cut Policy for Middle School Teams Is a Good Idea." Why a No-Cut Policy for Middle School Teams Is a Good Idea. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

UWC Basketball

I take the position that UWCSEA should pay equal amount of attention to all sports. If swimming get to train for a whole year, basketball should get to as well. Some will say that this can’t happen because basketball only works to go for a season, just like the NBA. But, I say that we could train for the whole year. This way kids get to play their sport for a long time, we would create a more “gelled” and better team, and could become better players as individuals as well.

Firstly, if we play basketball for a whole year, it will create a more bonded and gelled team, naturally. The players in the team will be more experienced, and trained well. An important example of this is from my own personal experience, I can tell you that playing a match right after having met my teammates is quite difficult. We don’t even know each other's strengths or weaknesses well enough yet and, forget that, we don’t know each other well enough yet. In addition to this, an article called “Basketball Health Benefits” by Better Health Channel says that one of the advantages of basketball is that “it helps you to make new friends and see them regularly teach you about being a good team player”.

This makes me think that, with going into matches and only have 1 season a year with your team, you can’t become as close to them and see them develop. It is not possible to see them teach you over a long period of time, . Thinking about swimmers or gymnasts, they have made such close bonds with each other because they get to train almost everyday, for the whole year. Having bonds with your teammates means you feel more comfortable around them and as the evidence says, you can see them regularly teach you about being a good team player. With basketball only coming for a season a year with training twice a week, the bonds and how well a team can potentially work together, can’t happen.

Secondly, basketball is majorly beneficial to one’s health in many different ways. It not only develops the team and how good you are at the sport, but it also develops your individual fitness and health, in ways that other sports could not.

An important example of is an article that says, “Basketball promotes cardiovascular fitness. It involves intense running and jumping, which gives the heart and lungs a through workout. It also tones your muscles with the running, jumping, dribbling and shooting.” Even though basketball might not be a sport that “builds muscle” it does tone your muscles and trains your cardiovascular fitness, which is helpful in many different situations.

Also I quote that, “A typical basketball game simultaneously develops speed, hand-eye coordination and cardiovascular endurance in a way that sports such as baseball & softball might not. Moving quickly back and forth across the court develops lower - body fitness, while shooting, defending and passing develops upper body fitness. (Stan Mack, June 24 2015.)

Basketball not only makes you better at the sport, but it improves your physical being and health by a lot as well. As the evidence says, “in a way that sports such as baseball and softball might not.” This shows that basketball does have its own unique benefits that other sports might not be capable of. The amount this sport can improve all different areas of our physical fitness, imagine letting us get to play it for a whole year. 

Last but not least, UWC young athletes would get to play the sport of their choice for the whole year. Swimmers or gymnasts who get to do the sport that they love for a whole academic year, and train about 5-6 times a week. Why shouldn’t we? I understand that it could be difficult for our school to supply us with basketball courts and basketballs for the whole year. People argue that the gymnastics gym is set and fixed, and so is the swimming pool. But, the question I ask is why does our school pay so much attention to gymnastics and swimming? How come they have fixed courts or venues for those 2 sports?

Something our school could do is perhaps take us to outdoor courts and organise something to give us as young basketball players, an opportunity to play basketball for longer than one season.

Something that is significant to notice is that when you go to our UWC school shop, swimming jumpers are available to everyone, even people who don’t do swimming. This is only for swimming, not any other. This proves that our school pays so much attention to swimming, much more than it does to any other sports. 

All this adds up to suggest that our school needs to pay more of an equal attention to all sports in our school, instead of just swimming and gymnastics. For us as basketball players we should get the opportunity to train just as much as swimming and gymnastics, because it is not like those sports are any more “special.” Basketball has multiple benefits to individuals, for example cardiovascular fitness, it creates bonds within a team and it gives us an opportunity to train just as much as other sports.

Bibliography

Better Health. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/basketball-health-benefits>.

"Importance of Playing Basketball." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 24 June 2015. Web. 15 Mar. 2016. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/464674-importance-of-playing-basketball/>.

"Top 10 Health Benefits of Basketball." Health Fitness Revolution. N.p., 08 Apr. 2015. Web. 22 Mar. 2016. <http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-basketball/>.

Reasons Why Vegetarianism Is the Best

Although, for many people the smell of a well barbecued steak could make their mouth water, but have you ever thought about how much negative impact takes place just so that this piece of meat could come to you?

I take the position that vegetarian food, although for many people it may not be as tasty as non-vegetarian food, has huge positives like better health and a lesser negative impact on the environment, that can outweigh the benefits of having a Non vegetarian diet. In our day to day diet, I feel that for the benefits of innumerable we should have a completely vegetarian meal at least once a week, thus reducing your amount of meat consumption.

Vegetarian food has further benefits than Non vegetarian food. One of the reasons is that Vegetarian food is significantly far more environmentally friendlier than Non vegetarian food. According to scientific research Animal Agriculture is the one of the three biggest reason for global warming. It is responsible for about 20% of global warming, being a greater contributing problem than deforestation. It has grow to a huge problem although many people don’t notice it. Scientists are so concerned by the effects of rising meat consumption that Dr Pachauri, chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and possibly the world's leading authority on global warming, made a plea last year for people to have at least one meat-free day a week. (Finn, 2009). There are many reasons why IPCC made this plea out to us all. First of all Animals only give us 1/10 of what they eat as meat and use the rest to survive, and in that process they also pollute the air with methane. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, also known as EPA, Comparatively the impact of methane (CH4) on climate change is more than 25 times greater than Carbon dioxide (CO2). That's not only it, to feed the 19 billion livestock we're raising, we have to grow thrice as much plants for them than we had to if we all didn’t eat meat at all. This takes up a lot of land, 33 million square kilometers to be more specific. That is about the size of Africa. And that's not even counting the land used to grow crops exclusively for the animals.  That’s a lot of land that once could have been trees or grassland in their original state. After that all the effort to get so much food to the animals emits huge amount of greenhouse gases. Adds poisonous chemicals into our soil, air, and water. Animal agriculture creates a lot of greenhouse gasses and it is greater than all of the gas emissions from planes, trains, and automobiles combined. All of this mostly affects the land and air but what about all the freshwater being used. About 70% of fresh water is used for agriculture. It takes about 15000 litres of freshwater to make one kilogram of beef whilst it takes only 900 litres to make a kilogram of fruits. If you had to pay for all the damage that the meat had done the environment to get to you it would add a whopping $240 to your weekly grocery shopping bill. But, as the earth can sustain this damage, for now, we don’t have to pull out that extra 240 dollars from our pockets. Even if it’s not possible to completely become a vegetarian, it’s still possible to make the problem little better by eating meat less often. Now as you all can see eating meat already does so much damage to the environment but what about how badly it affects the animals. A quote from Paul Shapiro, vice president of farm animal protection at the Humane Society of the United States. “From locking animals in tiny cages, to slicing parts of their bodies off without any pain relief, to genetically selecting them to grow so obese and so fast that many become lame, it’s by far the biggest cause of animal suffering in the world.”(Melone, 2014). Now this is just the question about your humanity. How would you feel if you were just raised for the sole purpose for being food for someone else with no greater purpose in life? That is some food for thought.

Another reason eating less meat is an amazing idea is that, consuming meat not only harms the environment but it also harms you. A study from Harvard School of Public Health found an association with red meat consumption and increased risk of a shortened lifespan. “We know processed red meat like hot dogs and salami are the worst,” says Larry Santora, MD, medical director of the Dick Butkus Center for Cardiovascular Wellness, Saint Joseph Hospital, Orange, California. (Melone, 2014). Red meat is not what you think it is. To treat the meat, countless chemicals are added to it and this sometimes can be harmful to the consumer. According to a study published in the journal Nature Medicine, meat being rich in cholesterol can clog the consumers arteries. This increases the chance to obtain a heart disease or cancer by 44%,  and that is no small number. Even with the amazing taste a meat has, after knowing it’s dirty little secret it can make it hard to swallow.

It's been said that meat provides nutrients like Vitamin B12 and Omega-3 that is not present in any plant based food. The vegetarian diet often has many perks that are related to personal health.(Melone, 2014). Research shows that vegetarians tend to be leaner than their meat-eating counterparts, and that they also tend to have lower cholesterol and body mass index (BMI). Data also suggests that a vegetarian diet can help with weight loss and be better for maintaining a healthy weight over time. This can be a crucial aspect in the long run. It has also been shown that having a vegetarian diet increases your life span by an average of 10 - 13 years. A vegetarian diet is rarely a negative for anyone and it is always a win for everyone although not many notice it. Virginia Messina, M.P.H., R.D., who has written extensively about vegetarian diets quotes that “Vegetarians have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and tend to be a little bit thinner, so vegetarians are automatically going to be at lower risk of certain chronic diseases,”. According to so many studies it has been shown that there are multifarious benefits vegetarianism can have on your personal health.  Lot’s of people think that eating a vegetarian meal provides less protein and iron. But there are countless studies lauding the benefits of a vegetarian diet. As for protein, the great myth is that you won't get enough of it unless you eat meat. But according to the World Health Organisation, the average Non veg eats twice the amount of protein they need in a year, so the odd vegetarian meal at work shouldn't weaken you too much.

There are innumerable benefits from eating less meat, Including valuing animal rights, saving the environment and personal health. But coming down to to the core with biology, humans in the first place were never meant to eat meat, and ever since then we still haven’t adapted to eating meat like numerous carnivorous and omnivores. Many characteristics that meat eaters have such as Lions and Bears are not present in us. We haven’t developed many of the required characteristics that we need. Like strong acids in stomach to break down meat thoroughly so that we don’t get food poisoning from the billions of bacteria present on meat. We also don’t have sharp claws and canines to help tear the meat resulting in more work for the digestive tract. And now if you are thinking - nobody likes being a vegetarian, nobody wants to be a vegetarian, and being a vegetarian is so lame and stupid. I have a perfect answer for that. Did you ever know that the famous Steve Jobs was once a vegetarian and some people said that his vegetarian diet help battle cancer and live longer than others would. What about the genius Albert Einstien he too was a vegetarian and how can I forget our famous popular female singers, Beyonce Knowles and Ariana Grande. You see a vegetarian is not that uncommon as many people think. I know many people prefer the greater taste and varieties of the non veg options in almost every Restaurant . And also many people think it is the quickest and the easiest way to get food. Have any of you seen frequency of occurring Fast food restaurants like McDonalds, KFC, BurgerKing is ? Although there are these benefits from eating meat But is it really worth what little we are gaining from compared to how much we are losing?

I'm not saying that you have to immediately change into a vegetarian and have a super strict vegetarian diet, although that would be amazing and great for you. No, No, I'm saying that with the best of you efforts you should try reduce the amount of meat you eat bit by bit. Baby steps that's how we all learnt how to start walking. Maybe say no to that Hawaiian Pizza and go for a vegetarian Pasta. And it you want a have a goal set for yourself try with having at least one completely vegetarian meal once a week. And something to help you motivate yourself, remember all those cute little piglets and calfs your saving lives of. 

bibliography

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/why-go-veg-learn-about-becoming-a-vegetarian/

http://www.britishmeat.com/49.htm

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/why_a_vegetarian_diet_is_good_for_your_health_and_the_health_of_the_planet

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2009/apr/27/work-canteen-vegetarian-food

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/HRD-ministry-seeks-IITs-IIMs-views-on-veg-non-veg-canteens/articleshow/44976176.cms

http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/7-reasons-vegetarians-live-longer

http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/10-reasons-to-stop-eating-red-meat/3-youre-eating-pink-slime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZDsSnpYZrw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANUoAdXfA60

Choice Of Sport For PE

A hotly debated topic is the P.E curriculum in schools. I take the position that kids from middle school to high school. The reason why I think that junior school kids shouldn’t pick the sport that they want is because they are young so they are still exploring the sports that interest them.

I think that it is good for tweens to choose the choice of sports that they want to do because it will help them excel in those sports. It will also help their self esteem because they will get better, another reason why it is good is because they will realise that practice makes perfect. Hopefully they will start applying that knowledge to academics.

Playing the sports that they already know will improve their mindset. You might think that they should try and develop skills in many different sports. I disagree with this because during adolescence their focus improves and if you do a new sport every few months it won’t help them.

Like I said before during adolescence your focus improves. If you give them the choice of the sport that they want to participate in they will focus more in it since they enjoy it, but if you make them participate in sports they don’t want to participate in they will not put their best effort into it.

You might be thinking that there are some kids that don’t enjoy any sport, or close to any. There is many ways you can solve this problem. You can make an alternative group for those who dislike sport, you can also let them a certain subject that they like and help them focus on that.

Playing sports can also relieve stress. You might be thinking that playing any sport can relieve stress, but if they play a sport they dislike then they can get irritated if they dislike it or if they are not very skilled in that sport then it could and most likely make them more stressed.

Why running should be more of a focus amongst schools.

While some people think swimming has more of a fitness benefit, other popular sports, including running can help build stronger muscles and bones and can help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Schools should put more attention on a variety of sports, as putting more of a focus on one sport could be bias and partial. Not only can running improve health and body functions, it can actually increase one’s level of self esteem and confidence, which can impact school work and outside of school. This paper will argue why running should be focused on and why the increasing level of the attention to swimming should be discontinued in favour of other measures.

Firstly, running can have a big impact on one’s health. Research shows that running can raise your levels of good cholesterol, while also helping you increase lung function and use. running can also boost your immune system and lower your risk of developing blood clots. For women, running can actually help lower your risk of breast cancer. It can also reduce the risk of having a stroke and reduces your chance of developing tension headaches. According to active.com, many doctors today recommend running for people who are in the early stages of diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis, and it is proven to help reduce the risk of having a heart attack. Therefore, running can increase and maintain your health and fitness and should have more of a focus at school.

Not all benefits of running are physical, running can provide a noticeable boost to your self esteem and confidence. You can give yourself a greater sense of empowerment, which can increase your level of happiness. Research shows that running can also relieve stress. Stress can cause a number of health and mood problems and could possibly lead to depression. As running can relieve stress and increase levels of self esteem and confidence, it will also help school/home work. Therefore running should be focused on children at his age, since with all the homework that is given, running can prevent children from panic and stress from school work.

While some people think that swimming has a better health benefit, swimming can actually have a negative impact to your body and health. In a chlorinated pool, the chlorine could provoke Respiratory problems, such as asthma. According to a 2002 paper published in the "European Respiratory Journal." Chlorine can also dry out your skin and create a green hue on your hair if you don't rinse it off. There's also a small risk of contracting a virus or infection from a public pool, particularly if it's not properly chlorinated. Therefore, the sports department should consider focusing more on running, simply because it has been proven by livestrong.com that it is important to alternate between these sports to maintain health and weight loss.

Therefore, I truly believe that the increasing level of attention on swimming should be discontinued throughout schools. This is because other popular sports, such as running can have a positive impact to your body and health. Even though, swimming can have a big health and body impact, swimming can also have negative effects to one’s health. Therefore, running, and other sports that have a positive impact, should definitely should have a big focus amongst most, yet all schools.

Social Skill Subjects in School

Schools should think about having more social skills subjects in school to help kids get a better grasp on what life is going to be like when they grow up. Some people believe that social skill subjects will take away from other academic subjects, but I believe that by having a more social skill you can both improve your academics and your overall outlook on life. Social skills can teach you how to organize your time, manage stress and even how to help friends.

Humans need social interaction to live. Scientists have proven that humans can't live without other human interaction. For example, a while ago a king had set up an experiment where babies would be raised in isolation, they would get food and water and everything they needed but no one was allowed to talk to them. Every single one of them died. Humans need social interaction to live, it provides them with thought, feelings, and actions. Ever since humans set foot into the world they have been working together to make progress, and it's no different now. If you want to make it further in life you will absolutely need these skills. Humans need, we need each other to get further in life. But to do so we need teamwork, communication, and support. To some people, this comes naturally but to others, it is one of the hardest parts of life.

Moving towards the darker side of things, kids need to understand that everything they say to people has an effect. It’s kind of like a game of hangman, saying the right words can save a life, but saying the wrong things can end one. Kids need to understand from a young age that it is not ok to channel their anger towards someone, they need to understand that everyone is going through problems and that's just a part of life. Kids need to learn that once you say something it can only be forgiven and not forgotten. On the flip side of this kids need to learn not only how to help themselves get through tough times but also how to help other people. This will result in a more caring environment and a more exciting place for people.

For some kids reading, math or P.E comes easily, but one of their weak points is being social, and people skills. A lot of schools don't show it but later in life they will be using this skill more than anything else they learned in school, therefore having it not be taught doesn't help any kid later on in life, which is what school was built for. The school was built for learning, it was built for young immature kids can transform and be ready to tackle the real world. As a kid grows up they will be faced with a lot of turning points, for example, smoking, drinking, friends with depression or anxiety. They have to understand that they are not alone in the world and that life is a roller coaster, with ups and downs, and while you are riding it you want it to end but once it’s over you want to go back. They need to learn to make the most out of life. Some people think that schools do a good job in incorporating teamworking skills into everyday subjects, where as I think that schools could do a better job of focusing in on these skills. A longer term effect of this is that schools will be sending out kids that are motivated and believe that they are ready to make a difference. A lot of the times kids are taught that they don't have the skills and qualities to make a difference, but what they don't realize is they have just as big of a say on issues as everyone else. because after all we don’t know what our real purpose is, so we might as well help the world for the better.

In conclusion, schools should have more social skills subjects not only because they require it but also because they need to understand the effects and how to handle problems when they come at them. Although a lot of people think that kids have it easy I know that to kids their problems are really important and whether they are really big or not they should be taught how to handle them. Whether it be a friend going through a rough time, getting a bad grade or even just having a small fight with a friend. To a lot of kids their weak point is social skills and this could be a major problem as it means that they are setting out kids that think they are ready for the world but, in reality, they make it worse, kind of like an incomplete boat that looks like it’s complete but when you put it to the test it doesn't get anywhere.

Smartphones for Teenagers

22 March 2016

Smartphones for Teenagers

Pro

A hotly debated subject is smartphones for teens, I take the position that parents should give Teenagers smartphones, not only does it help them at school but it can help their safety, they can communicate with friends/family all around the world and it is a form of entertainment.

My evidence for that it helps their safety, yes I know that you can get cyber bullied and texts from strangers, but it can also help them, for example their parents can put a GPS on their son/daughter. Almost every smartphone has a GPS and if not then are many apps that will allow you to do on the app store. Another reason it helps your safety is that you can phone/text your parents wherever you are so if you get lost you can phone someone. Another reason it can help your safety is that you can get taxis and the metro easier, for example before you didn’t know what metro line to get on but know you can search it up to find out, also it helps with taxis because before you would get any taxi, you have no idea who the person is and they could do terrible things to you, but now with a smartphone you can get an app with taxi drivers you can trust. Another reason that it helps your safety is that if there is a fire then you can phone the firemen and also if they are in accident and are the only one conscious then you can phone the ambulance, you would not be able to do that without a smartphone.

My evidence for that it helps academically is that if teenagers are struggling and can not ask anyone to explain they can search it up and then they know how to do it. Also it teaches them new stuff, using a personal experience that I learned how to help and do a rainbow, Healy and how to play many songs on the guitar watching videos. Yes you can do that on a computer or an iPad, but with a smartphone you normally have it with you wherever you go so that means you can watch it wherever you are, your friend’s house etc.. Another reason it helps you academically is that there are loads of free lessons on the internet, for example I learnt how to divide decimals doing this. As well if you are sick one day then you can ask your classmate/teacher what you did that day and what you can do so you can study what you were meant to be doing at school that day.

My evidence that it is good for socialising is that if you are a shy person then you can talk to people without making eye contact and things like that. For example imagine that you are super shy and you do not like making eye contact, well then with a smartphone you can message people without making eye contact. Another reason I think having a smartphone helps you socially is that you can message your family/friends wherever they are in the world, so your friends in your old school or your family in other countries. If you are struggling to make friends in your new school then you can message your friends in your old school. Another reason that having a smartphone helps you socially is that many teenagers have things, such as Snapchat, Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook etc., so then you can get in touch with your friends easier and meet up with them during the weekend.

Evidence for it is a form of entertainment is that you can use it long car rides for example on the bus to school and it takes some time and you have no friends on the bus then it is a form of entertainment as well as when you are on long flights. Also there are many games need creativity, quick thinking and problem solving, yes due to the phone you might get less face to face time with family but it can be solved with a time limit. Also there are many games on the app store which are educational that can teach you multiplication, division, stories etc..

You know how your parents are always going back in my childhood we played outside all day and roam around free. But things change, now there are more skyscrapers and more motorways and less places to roam around free, before you could get the metro at a younger age and go around the town by yourself at a younger age then. Also a really important thing to do is that you have to be careful, if you get emails from strangers, tell your parents. That is really important, a way to prevent this is that your parents have access to your email/texts and that you must tell them immediately. Also another important thing is to have a limit, if not teenager get easily distracted. For example you can not take the phone into your room after dark, no phone at the table and during family time. Also not all games are bad. Yes, even though they are quite expensive, there are many things you can do, so a solution to that is that you can get hand me downs, for example I could get my Dad’s old phone and then you do not have to pay so much money for the kids. To make kids not cheat during class is easy, when kids enter the class when they have tests they have to be checked, because sometimes it is more than just bringing in a phone, but a calculator, notes from friends who did the test already. Also you need to keep your password secret, because if not your friends can log on to your computer and post silly posts. So to prevent this you should keep your password secret. That is why I think smartphones are good for teenagers and that it can help their academics, safety, great fun and can communicate with their families and friends wherever they are.

To use, or not to use technology at breaks?

"Being able to use technology at break" is a topic that is hotly contested, because some think that technology can have some potential educational uses. However others think that technology shouldn't be allowed or even touched, as using too much technology can affect people's future's. This includes, the disturbance of eye-sight, as well as mentally and physically disturbing students, cutting connections with friends and activities (ex : football, basketball, tag, chit chat) . Not to mention, technology at break can destroy students self-management as technology at break can always leave students saying "I can do my homework at lunchtime". Below is going to be why specifically technology at break should never be allowed…

One reason why technology shouldn't be allowed at break is because of the mental damage and physical that technology can potentially do. This can be, continuously playing video games every day or checking your social media. Leaving students to sometimes have lower attention spans and memory damage in classes and outside of schools which could hugely impact students performance in schools. As well as slowly hurt students eye-sight. Here are 4(four) pieces of evidence from articles that proves the point…

"Neck pain and bad posture. Maintaining proper posture is essential for any time spent in front of technology, but the vast majority of us don’t do it. Computer desks and screens can be optimised for good posture, but try holding your phone up to eye level while composing your next email and see how long it lasts. All the neck-craning leads to neck pain, wrist problems, and bad posture, which arguably could have a lifelong negative affect on our health(10 Negative Effects Of Technology, THEHEALTHY.COM)."This article tells us how sitting for long periods of time staring at your electronic device can have a huge impact on your muscles and neck, If continued this could be a major problem.

"The use of social media has shortened our attention span from 12 minutes to 5 minutes. Constant news feeds, getting information in 140 characters and videos that are 10 minutes or less has literally rewired our brains. People who are online an average of 5 hours a day have trouble remembering people’s names, forget pots on the stove and even their own birthday(25 Negative effects of technology, roogirl.com)." This article tells us how the use of social media for a long period of time can affect students attention spans and memory.

"Constantly being “plugged in” and “connected” causes an extra layer of stress that wasn’t present before the overuse of technology(25 Negative effects of technology, roogirl.com)."This article tells us that if we are too connected to social media, for some, not checking social media can be very frustrating and that develops F.O.M.O (fear of missing out).

"Using technology can change a child’s brain. An article in Psychology Today says that the use of technology can alter the actual wiring of the brain. More than a third of children under the age of two use mobile media. That number only increases as children age, with 95% of teens 12-17 spending time online. The time spent with technology doesn’t just give kids newfangled ways of doing things, it changes the way their brains work. For example, the article says that while video games may condition the brain to pay attention to multiple stimuli, they can lead to distraction and decreased memory. Children who always use search engines may become very good at finding information—but not very good at remembering it. In addition, the article said, children who use too much technology may not have enough opportunities to use their imagination or to read and think deeply about the material." This article tells us that the over-use of technology can potentially affect our memory , students / children need more chances to use their imaginations and be outside, instead of staring at your screen(The Four Negative Sides of Technology, edudemic.com, Pamela DeLoatch)."

The second reason why technology shouldn't be allowed at break is because of the cut of connections with friends and out-door activities, or it could just be having a conversation with a group of friends. Using technology at break destroys that connection and that could leave you on your own for long periods of time, which also could lead to depression and loneliness. Exercise is also a very important aspect, even if its just walking from the cafeteria to the library. Here are 3(three) pieces of evidence that proves my point…

"Isolation. Constantly staring at a screen with earbuds in keeps you cut off from the people in the immediate, physical world around you. This unwillingness or even inability to connect to real people in front of you leads to isolation, a recurring issue for people who can’t disconnect from their technology. Relationships can certainly form and grow online, but electronic communication is a far cry from real human companionship(10 Negative Effects Of Technology, THEHEALTHY.COM)." This article tells us that relationships and bonding is very different from the "tech world" compared to reality. Meaning that students might find it difficult to communicate with friends in reality due to shyness and lost of communication.

"The use of online social media outlets causes us to meet face-to-face with much less frequency resulting in a lack of much needed social skills. We lose the ability to read body language and social cues in other people(25 Negative effects of technology, roogirl.com)." This article tells us how communication in social media can be very different compared to reality, resulting in lack of communication and social skills.

"Childhood obesity is on the rise, and technology may be to blame. Paediatricians also say that severe obesity is increasing among young people. Although one traditional focus is on the amount and type of foods kids eat, one study says that obesity is on the rise, not just because of food, but because as we use more technology, we exercise less. With technology that includes cars, television, computers and mobile devices, the amount of time we spend sedentary increased and our time in physical activity dropped(The Four Negative Sides of Technology, edudemic.com, Pamela DeLoatch)." This article tells us that over-use in technology can decrease our time with activities either after-school or at breaks and lunches. This means that technology can also be very unhealthy, and as well as keeping us away from others.

The third and final reason which is guided by experiences and thoughts of why technology shouldn't be allowed at break is because of self-management. By self-management, this means the way students think and organise their homework. Ex : "I can just do my homework tomorrow lunchtime, it will be fine". And this is often known as procrastination. This, if done multiple times can turn into a habit that is very unhealthy for students and can lead to physical and mental damage, as well as disconnecting from friends. From experiences, I have seen this process of "procrastination" happen very often with subjects such as Math, Chinese, English, etc… Even thought we already have a no-electronics at breaks and lunches rule, students are still using electronics heavily. Here is what an eye witness has saw during lunches…

"I had a music activity during lunch, sand at the back of the music room, far out in the garden. Their were a colony of gamers, about 15 (fifteen) of them, all sitting and gaming." This eye witness tells us the amount of students that are still using electronics at break even after UWC has set this rule.

In conclusion, technology allowed at break could be beneficial, but very risky as well because of the mental and physical damage, relationship problems and self-management. To avoid any further consequences from students regarding over-use of electronics during break-times and lunches, principals and heads should take this rule more seriously.




Bibliography

1.http://thehealthy.com/

2.roogirl.com

3.edudemic.com

You vs Pressure

 Pressure from Competitive Sports

To start us off, close your eyes and imagine this scene. You are at a football game, the sun glaring down at you, beads of sweat racing down your cheek as you cheer your team on. In fact, your son is in this team. The ball flies into the net and the crowd goes wild. You go ecstatic, screaming your head off until realising, that the players are all 8 years old and you are sitting in a set of bleachers, alongside a crowd that consists of 3 people. Believe me, my mom used to go pretty wild.

 Onto a more serious note, many people believe that children receive pressure that could emotionally and physically scar them for life, but I believe that certain types of pressure can boost a child’s performance, mentally and physically.  Pressure at a young age helps you prepare for the real world and when you start to gain responsibilities. Pressure to practice and get better helps children make themselves into adults. 

Competitive sports not only teaches the values of resilience but it also reinforces it. This is significant because this skill teaches kids to give their all in the toughest of times and deliver results under pressure. “I feel very lucky to have got involved in sport when I was quite young. I was ten when my parents took me to an open athletics day in Sheffield where I got the opportunity to try athletics for the first time and instantly fell in love with sport. This was the start of something that gave me focus and determination throughout my teenage years.” (Ennis-Hill, 2015). This shows that child athletes start to gain a sense of determination and dedication. 

I also have to agree that pressure can be harmful in many ways. Being an avid participator in competitive sports, I have experienced many failures and had to deal with large amounts of mental trauma after huge losses. I was devastated for the first few days but in the end of the day, it’s just a game. Through all the injuries and failures, you learn the values of teamwork, sportsmanship and resilience and this is what my argument is built around.

On the topic of injuries, there really aren’t that many serious injuries in the world of child competitive sports. Allyson Pollock, a physician and public-health professor conducted a study determining the dangers of rugby. She found out that a child playing 15 matches a season had 1 in 6 chance of getting injured (2014). This is important because many believe that kids get injured constantly. 

In most but not all sports, teams are required. Teams play a huge part in dealing with pressure. Whether or not you are friends with your teammates, if you ever lose a big game or have too much pressure on your head, having a team experiencing the same thing honestly gives you some comfort. In 4th grade, my football team and I were in the finals for under 11 football. We were all nervous yet excited, blood rushing through our veins, itching to get onto the field. Long story short, my team and I lost. We were devastated. Being in 4th grade and not losing a single game in our entire season, we didn’t know how to react. I still remember the way I walked off that pitch, a look of regret and heartbreak on my face. But I knew that my team was feeling the exact same thing and knowing that if we were a team and were going to go down together, gave me a little bit of redemption.

In conclusion, I believe that positive pressure from peers and adults can shape a child into a more mentally strong and resilient person and can give them values that will turn them into adults. I can also acknowledge the fact that the majority of children quit sports not because of pressure or injuries, or rather just not liking that/those sport/sports. 

Technology at break times

An issue that is hotly debated is whether technology should or shouldn’t be used in break times. I think that by making kids not use their technology, they can be more social with other friends in school and at the same time save their eyes. You could also spend the time doing something physical, because break and maybe PE are the only to times of day during the full 8 hours of school that you can actually do some physical exercise. While some say that using technology at break can have multiple functions and ways to improve your learning, it can also be very damaging to yourself. Students should try and avoid using technology at break times and schools should have specific days where students are allowed on their digital devices.

I think that Schools should not use technology at break because when you use technology at break times and times that you should be taking a rest from work, you can damage your brain more than you think. When you use your brain or eyes for too long at a time, it can damage the way you perform in later lessons. “Downtime is to the brain what sleep is to the body,” said Dr. Rich of Harvard Medical School. “But kids are in a constant mode of stimulation.” This means break times are and should be for taking breaks, not for spending the time on a screen which you probably have been doing on the period before. By doing some sort of physical activity during break time, you are essentially improving your mental focus for the next class. Scientists have proven that performing physical exercise before classes stimulate specific parts of the brain, helping the child stay more focused during the class.

Scientists have proven that taking short breaks is mentally better for learning, so if you do not give you brain a break, what you are basically doing is working it too much. By not taking your eyes of the screen, you are also damaging your eyes by not letting them have a break. Computer eye problems are common. “Somewhere between 50% and 90% of people who work at a computer screen have at least some symptoms of eye trouble.” This shows that even if we are not straining our eyes, even just by working at a computer in school, Computers and technology damage our eyes anyway, so why make it worse? Yes I understand, that using technology at break times and be a way to finish up homework, and yes I know that some people will use them for video games which can be good, which is why I am proposing the following; Schools should assign a specific day, either once a week, once every two weeks, or once a month, depending on how much the school uses technology in their curriculum.

As an add on to all of this, by not using technology at break times, you can socialise with people, and if you want evidence on this, “Socialising during lunch is a desirable activity and should be included in the time allotted. Socialising allows time for students to relate to others, provides a break in routine and allows students to return to afternoon classes refreshed.” Says Dr. Conklin. Another reason here why not using technology at break times helps you academically. Socialising is a natural habit, and right now what we are doing using technology as an excuse to keep to yourself.

All in all, while using technology at break can be a way to do things you couldn’t at home, it is harmful to you and by not using technology, you can, and will be overall a better student in class, save your eyes and use break times for break.

Having The Freedom To Choose The Sports Done in P.E.

I take the position that middle school students should be allowed to choose the sports we do in P.E. While kids get the required amount of physical exercise with the variety of sports given to us, middle school students are not enjoying P.E. classes because of the sports they don’t enjoy or are struggling in. The UWCSEA P.E. department should allow the freedom for middle school students to choose their own sports units in the P.E curriculum, because firstly, middle school students are starting to not enjoy P.E classes, and are pushing themselves to do things they don’t want to. Secondly, students’ self esteem is becoming lower because of how uncomfortable they feel when they’re doing the sports they’re not good at.

One critical reason middle school students should be allowed to choose their P.E curriculum is because students are starting to not enjoy P.E classes, and P.E classes are meant to be fun. Penelope Trunk, author of the article “Forced Gym Hates Exercise”, says: “Kids who don’t have any gym yearn for exercise during the day and they generally know what they like, team sports or individual sports, rigorous or methodical... Kids who are forced to do a certain type of exercise generally dislike exercise in the same way that kids who are forced to learn a certain way that’s not appropriate to them start to hate learning.” (Trunk, 2013). This is important to notice because that quote summarizes what I feel like in P.E. class. I don’t usually like the way we are being forced to learn the sports that we don’t take any sort of interest in, and I find myself become quite tense. I think the author’s intention was to tell P.E. coaches and parents that kids that have to follow the system of P.E. units get tired of doing forced sports. A study conducted by the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) interviewed 1,500 kids and found that over half (51 percent) of girls are “put off physical activity by their experiences of school sport and P.E. lessons.” (Alamy, 2012). This is significant because 51 percent is a lot of girls that don’t like sports just because of their experiences, which is saddening because kids should be able to enjoy sports without any obstacles in the way.

Another crucial reason middle school students should have the right to pick the sports they do in the P.E. curriculum is because kids’ self esteem is decreasing because of how unconfident kids are feeling when doing sports they’re not good at or not fond of. I have personal experience. I really find myself engaged in some sports that we do, such as basketball or badminton. They are really fun, interesting sports which I wouldn’t mind doing in P.E. classes. I feel I strive in these sports and really like them. However, I feel that P.E. units I have such as touch rugby and volleyball are really challenging for my abilities, and I dread P.E. and feel uncomfortable when attempting to do the sports. Furthermore, I know some people like my classmate Piper, that really like touch rugby and volleyball, and some people that despise basketball and badminton. This is important to notice because I feel this can relate to everyone, even outside of the P.E. subject. You can be really talented at humanities, but struggle in maths. It’s exactly the same for P.E. units. Also, Sarah Harris, contributor to the Mail Online, found a research at that was conducted at the University of Bedfordshire in the UK. They found that almost half of middle school teachers (42 per cent) say that their students don’t enjoy PE lessons, and that thirty-nine per cent of children across the UK have a negative attitude towards being physically active by the age of 16, according to a survey of 400 middle school teachers. This shows that many middle school students’ interest in P.E. is decreasing, because it says that by the age of 16, the children have lost their attention towards P.E. At this age, children are going through adolescence and while we’re going through this transition, we start to make many decisions that usually stick through to the end of adolescence. P.E. is a subject in school that shouldn’t be ignored, and is crucial to our health, but with people losing interest in it, it’s not gonna benefit their mental health (e.g. feeling better about your body) if children are not interested at such a young age.

I do agree that their is no need to change the system of the current P.E. units. In the survey I conducted within my mentor class, most if not all the respondents generally said they didn’t mind the P.E. sports we had in school, and 12.5% of the peers said no to changing the sports curriculum. The P.E. units we’ve been having have been quite successful throughout many years and there have been no complaints. Also, I do understand how painful organizing everyone into these sports would be, let alone organizing middle school students into different P.E. classes. But don’t we want all kids to be comfortable, confident and contented when they’re playing sports? Isn’t that what sports are meant to be doing? Offering this opportunity to select what sports we can do would help achieve this goal.

Middle school students should be able to have the rights to choose the sports they want to do. I take the position that while middle school students stay fairly fit with the P.E. units given to us, we are having to follow the system of sports that some kids aren’t eager to do. The UWCSEA P.E. department should provide the rights for middle school students to choose their own sports units in the curriculum.

I do understand that it’s gonna be very chaotic to organize the sports for 620 students. Also, most kids still like the P.E. units. However, there are kids still struggling out there. I’m proposing an idea which can help solve this issue. We can treat P.E. class as a health society; kids who are keen athletes can have the opportunity to sign up for hardcore sports, and other kids who are less eager to do tough sports can choose ones they want to do so they feel better about themselves.