ONE AMAZING KID

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amazing kid

Logan Goodly, a first grader at GW Carver Primary School, knows what it means to go beyond expectations. His mother’s medical charts were labeled “cannot conceive” due to having cancer multiple times. So, when she found out she was pregnant with Logan, she knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. Because of her cancer treatments, doctors warned her that Logan could struggle with a variety of medical conditions and learning disabilities. There was also the chance that the pregnancy could have potentially deadly consequences for either her or Logan. These were scary things to have to face, especially during a time that was supposed to be a happy one. However, she made the decision though to go through with the pregnancy and placed Logan’s life above her own. To his doctors’ surprise, Logan was born on December 1, 2014 and continues to break barriers and excel, as he is currently an honor roll student who is very active and mature for his age. He is a very loving and compassionate boy who just wants to do whatever he can to bring a smile to people’s faces. In his spare time, Logan loves to sing, draw, collect plushies, martial arts, and all sports that involve running or throwing. He also loves to record videos on his mom’s phone of him doing the things he loves in hopes of brightening up someone’s day. All he wants to do is make those around him happy. Whether he’s filming videos of him singing or drawing, Logan’s compassion for others is what makes him one amazing kid. ■

OAK GROVE PRIMARY FUN RUN

The students at Oak Grove Primary were ready to run for their school. Oak Grove Primary recently hosted its first ever Boosterthon Bluejay Fun Run. This was a schoolwide fundraiser tied into the school Clip Run Program for Enrichment. Students registered online and obtained pledges/donations per lap. During their enrichment times, students ran laps, and the weather made for a perfect day of getting outdoors and getting on the move. The Fun Run proved to be a great success with 87 percent of Bluejays registered, 70 percent of Bluejays receiving pledges, 37 different states pledged, and five different countries pledged, including Columbia, Honduras, Turkey, Georgia, and the U.S.

Kyla O’Deay, a student at Dutchtown High, recently won the Ascension ICON singing competition with her incredible performances of “Dancing on My Own,” and Hamilton’s “Burn.” The Ascension ICON event was held at Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, and 16 students from Ascension Parish Schools came together to compete for the title. Ascension ICON is an annual competition and fundraiser benefiting the Ascension Fund. The Ascension Fund supports the public school system in Ascension Parish, providing grants to teachers for innovative and creative methods of learning in the classroom. To date, the Ascension Fund has awarded over 1,400 grant awards totaling over $1.6 million. As the grand prize winner, O’Deay received $1,000. The St. Joseph’s Academy tennis team won the 2022 LHSAA Division I State Championship, scoring 17 1/2 points to finish ahead of runner-up Mount Carmel Academy with 12 points. The Division I championship was held at the University of Louisiana Monroe. The team of Anne Scott Guglielmo and Shobe Manuel won the doubles state championship for the second year in a row, defeating teammates Caroline Pousson and Lilly Cambias in the all-SJA final match. In singles competition, Ella Mancuso is the state runner-up. The doubles team of Hayden Hoffman and Allaire Benedetto advanced to the second round, while Caroline Holliday advanced to the quarterfinal round of the singles competition.

ASCENSION ICON WINNER ANNOUNCED TENNIS TEAM REPEATS AS STATE CHAMPS

PARKVIEW YEARBOOK AWARDED LSPA AWARDS

Parkview Baptist School’s Yearbook Staff recently entered the school’s 2021 yearbook into the Louisiana Scholastic Press Association Yearbook Competition, and they won in several categories. Competition winners were announced during an awards ceremony at the LSPA conference. The 2021 Eagle, Parkview’s yearbook, received the following awards: first place in Cover Design and Theme Development/Organization; second place in Division Pages and Photography; and third place in Overall Design, Coverage, and Best Overall Yearbook. The theme of last year’s book was “Ready…Set…Go!”, and was inspired by retro video games. The judges complimented the theme, versatility of coverage, and the copywriting depth of the book. The staff is hard at work on creating another great yearbook.

EPISCOPAL CELEBRATES FACULTY

VIPS OPENS PUBLIC SCHOOL GARDENS

Episcopal School of Baton Rouge recently honored the 2021-2022 Newton Distinguished Faculty Award recipients: Renee Crousillac, Lower School teacher; Stacy Hill, Middle School science teacher; and Clara Howell, Upper School history teacher. Every year, Episcopal is pleased to recognize three talented members of the school’s faculty for their commitment to students and the Episcopal community. The Newton Distinguished Faculty Award honors the contributions of teachers with the three recipients receiving a stipend in support of their continued professional development. Since the Newton Distinguished Faculty Award program was established nine years ago, 27 members of the Episcopal faculty have been recognized.

Volunteers In Public Schools (VIPS) opened three EBR public school gardens. VIPS partnered with Atmos Energy to install three school gardens as part of Atmos’ “Fueling Safe and Thriving Communities” initiative. The three schools were selected based on their location and the interest of school administration, staff, and students to maintain the gardens following the installation. They include Crestworth PreK-8 School “Gator Garden,” Villa del Rey Elementary “Tiger Garden,” and Buchanan Elementary “Bobcat Habitat.” Atmos Energy Vice President of Public Affairs, Karl Weber says, “The VIPS EBRP School Garden Initiative highlights the importance of nutritious foods in fueling bright minds and healthy futures for our kids.”

Treating Torticollis

SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND WHEN TO SEEK HELP

BY EMILY DREZ

PODCAST

Did you know about 3 in every 100 babies are born with–or eventually develop–a condition that causes their necks to become stiff on one side? This condition is called torticollis, and it can happen easily if your baby is not moving his or her head enough. While it sounds scary, torticollis can be resolved with physical therapy as long as you address it quickly. That’s why pediatric physical therapists like Rebecca Rudisill, PT, DPT, are here to help if you suspect your baby may have torticollis.

WHAT IS TORTICOLLIS?

Torticollis is a common condition characterized by tightness in the muscles on one side of a baby’s neck along with weakness on the other side. This causes the baby’s head to tilt to one side while the other side becomes overstretched. The primary muscle involved is the sternocleidomastoid, which is a muscle that runs from behind the ear all the way to the breast and collar bone. We have these muscles on each side of our necks, and these muscles work together to help rotate our heads. When a baby has torticollis, his or her neck does not have full range of motion. “However, it doesn’t just stop at the neck,” says Rebecca Rudisill, a pediatric physical therapist at Woman’s Hospital. “There can also be a tightness running down the baby’s entire body,

which makes their arm, leg, and trunk stiff as well.”

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY BABY HAS TORTICOLLIS?

“Look at pictures of your baby. If their head is tilted the same way in every picture, then that’s your clue that something isn’t right,” Dr. Rudisill says. “Another sign to look for is if your baby is only looking to the right instead of the left, or vice versa. And, since their head is stuck in one position, they could also develop a flat spot on their head, which is another condition called plagiocephaly. If your baby has either torticollis or plagiocephaly, you definitely need to get that checked out to make sure they don’t have the other condition as well.”

CAN TORTICOLLIS BE PREVENTED?

Yes, but not in all cases. Sometimes torticollis is a result of the baby’s positioning in utero, like if he or she does not have enough room or is crammed into the mother’s ribs and hips. If the child is not born with torticollis, there are several preventative measures you can take. “Make sure your baby has plenty of tummy time and that they don’t spend too much time in swings and bouncers. You also need to make sure you are engaging with your baby by helping them follow your face, side to side, and having them look around,” advises Dr. Rudisill.

I THINK MY BABY HAS TORTICOLLIS. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

“Run, don’t walk, to physical therapy,” Dr. Rudisill says. “The wait-and-see method is outdated, and we have scientific evidence for that. The earlier you start treatment, the earlier we can resolve the condition.”

In fact, if your baby is born with torticollis, there is a 98 percent chance the torticollis will be resolved if you address it before they turn a month old. If your baby develops torticollis after he or she is born, seek help from a physical therapist as soon as possible. Your baby’s physical therapy will include lots of stretching of the tight muscles and strengthening of the weak muscles, along with developmental treatment such as tummy time, rolling, and sitting, depending on the age of the child. Older children may opt for aquatic therapy, which utilizes the same therapeutic measures to treat torticollis, just in a different environment. Your therapist may also give you a list of stretches and exercises to do with your child at home, which will be crucial for facilitating the process of treating the torticollis. ■

Make sure your baby has plenty of tummy time and that they don’t spend too much time in swings and bouncers.