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ONE AMAZING KID
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amazing kid
When a friend asked Mindy Jones if she would help her raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as part of the Baton Rouge Bees, Mindy agreed. That “yes” turned into a leadership opportunity for Mindy, as the next year she led the Bees’ fundraising efforts, raising more than $41,000. “As the campaign went on and I learned more about it, I realized how much this society does and how much they do for our community,” Mindy, 17, says. “My grandfather actually passed away from leukemia three years ago, so it’s a very personal journey for me.” Now a senior at St. Michael the Archangel High School, Mindy received the 2021 Ochsner Citizenship Award for Mission Integration, honoring her for “spreading the word about this campaign and LLS in general throughout the community,” she says. Her fundraising included other schools and companies to make a bigger impact. “We did things like reaching out to our middle schools that we went to who held fundraising days,” she says. Mindy is a graduate of St. Teresa of Avila Middle School. St. Michael’s included the campaign in its annual service initiative, and her dad’s company raised about $10,000 by challenging different branches to raise the most. With college in her future, Mindy hopes to become a psychologist working with criminal behavior. While she won’t lead the fundraising team this year, this amazing kid will still work to raise money and awareness of leukemia and lymphoma. ■
ST. JOSEPH STUDENTS PRESENT WORKSHOPS
Three juniors from St. Joseph’s Academy helped present the Louisiana 4-H Tech Club’s Healthy Living Workshops for the Big Buddy Program. The workshops were offered in partnership with the WalMart Foundation. Izzy Gruner, Katherine Winchester and Susanna Shields are among the club members who have identified healthy living education as a scarcity in the state. Using Geographical Information Systems technologies, they are able to visualize problems and solutions to local needs. Inspired by their national leadership team’s project, “Where’s the Food?” the local team created engaging healthy-living activities and lessons for the Big Buddy youth and are sponsored by the nonprofit Global Geospatial Institute.
After a school year of heavy use and regular transport between home and classroom, many Chromebooks have experienced their back corners breaking or falling off. Replacement corners cost around $40, which can add up when multiplied across the number of computers used by students in a school. Bruce Johnson, information technology director and middle school technology teacher at St. Luke’s Episcopal School, came to the rescue with a new solution to correct the ongoing problem. Using the school’s own resources, Johnson 3D prints replacement corner pieces. So far his efforts have saved the school more than $800 instead of paying for the more traditional fixes, let alone the savings of not having to replace the computers entirely. A unique publication produced by students at The Dunham School combines poetry, fiction and visual art for the school community and beyond. The most recent issue, Dunham Literary Journal 3.1, contained pieces exploring the loneliness and fear plaguing our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic while offering glimpses of hope and community-building. Laura Smith, Literary Journal faculty sponsor and English department chair, describes the issue as “imaginative, thoughtful and dynamic. I am very proud of the entire team of students who work with us!” Recent graduates Morgan Auzine, Nilayah Peter, Samantha Li and Xandie Belzer, served as senior editors and curated the issue that blends student writing and artwork.
3D PRINTING SAVES BIG BUCKS FOR ST. LUKE’S IT DEPARTMENT DUNHAM STUDENTS CURATE LITERARY JOURNAL
EPISCOPAL STUDENTS REPRESENT LOUISIANA
Two students from Episcopal School of Baton Rouge were chosen to represent Louisiana at the national level. Current seniors Soledad Robins and Quentin Messer participated in Louisiana Girls State and Louisiana Boys State respectively. Soledad was one of only two girls chosen to represent the state at Girls Nation, and Quentin was one of only two boys chosen to represent the state at Boys Nation. Sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary and the American Legion, Girls Nation and Boys Nation take place in Washington, DC, and provide students the opportunity to learn more about the federal government. The Louisiana programs focused on state government, and Episcopal’s Lucy Pelegrin and Davis Eglin also participated in the state events.
LIVINGSTON LEARNS BEST PRACTICES
LAB SCHOOL EARNS GRANT
Top education motivational speakers traveled to Livingston to present at the “True Grit” leadership conference. Authors Beth Houf, Brad Gustafson, Joe Sanfelippo, and Annette Breaux shared their expertise with Livingston school leaders including principals, office administrators, curriculum coordinators and coaches, and teaching mentors. Attendees learned new strategies and explored best practices. “It is always our mindset in Livingston Parish to take time to reflect on our successes and to search out ways to improve upon our efforts,” says Superintendent Joe Murphy. “We are committed to keeping our campuses safe and to implementing strategies that best benefit our students so we can make every learning opportunity count.”
Books are always on classroom teachers’ wish lists, and University Laboratory School Kindergarten instructor Cathy Rosenfeld’s wish was granted when she won a Patterson Partnership Grant. Rosenfeld is one of 5,000 teachers in the country who received $500 individual grants matched with 500 bonus points from Scholastic to spend on books for their classes. The grants are funded by noted author James Patterson who pledged up to $2.5 million this year in a continuing partnership with Scholastic Book Clubs to help teachers build classroom libraries. Rosenfeld used her grant money to purchase more than 100 books with a specific focus on diversity and inclusion that will be used in all four ULS Kindergarten classrooms.
Confronting Colic
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
BY BRPM
PODCAST T aking care of a baby is no small task. Babies operate on their own schedules, forcing parents to consistently readjust when they eat, work, and of course, sleep. Various factors can make such adjustments especially tiring, and colic might be at the top of that list.
COLIC UNDERSTANDING
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) notes that colic occurs when an otherwise healthy baby cries frequently for no apparent reason. All babies cry and fuss, and it’s important that parents do not misinterpret normal crying and fussing as colic.
Colic is defined as crying for more than three hours per day, at least three days per week, for more than three weeks. Children who have colic also cry around the same time, and may turn bright red and cry as if they’re in pain. When crying, babies with colic may clench their fists or curl up their legs.
COLIC TIMELINE
The AAFP notes that colic can start within a few weeks of a child’s birth. Symptoms are worst when a child is four-six weeks old, and many children outgrow it by four months of age.
CAUSES OF COLIC
there’s no definitive answer about what causes it. The AAFP notes that pain or discomfort from gas or indigestion may be a factor. When a baby cries, the child swallows air, which can give the baby gas that makes his or her belly feel tight.
A digestive system that isn’t fully developed, overfeeding or underfeeding, sensitivity to breast milk or formula, overstimulation, early forms of childhood migraines, and emotional reactions to being afraid, frustrated or excited are some additional potential contributors to colic.
Colic Treatments
A colic treatment that alleviates one baby’s symptoms will not necessarily be effective for another’s. However, the AND notes that avoiding potential colic triggers may help parents as they try to treat their babies. -Feeding the baby: Breastfeeding mothers can document what they’re eating to determine if there’s any rhyme or reason behind their babies’ colic. Document when the baby exhibits symptoms of colic as well, and then look for patterns. If a child tends to be colicky after breastfeeding mothers eat a certain food, then moms can cut that food out of their diets to see if that’s what is triggering the episode. Medicines taken by breastfeeding mothers also may trigger colic episodes, so moms can discuss their medications with their child’s pediatrician and their own doctors. -Formula: The AAFP notes that babies may be sensitive to certain proteins in formula, so treating colic may be as simple as changing brands. Slowing down formula feedings also may work, as it can ensure babies are not eating too much and/or too quickly. Warming formula to body temperature and feeding the baby in an upright position also may help alleviate symptoms of colic. -Holding the baby: How a baby is held or rocked may help reduce symptoms of colic. Massaging a baby’s back while holding the baby across your arm or lap might work. In addition, holding the baby in the evening and while walking also can help. If a baby has gas, holding the child upright might alleviate the pains contributing to colic. Using an infant swing or rocking the baby in your arms also may help. -Comforting the baby: Parents can speak with their children’s pediatrician about the various techniques to comfort their babies. Many parents have successfully reduced instances of colic by employing various movements and stimuli designed to soothe the baby. Colic can make for some difficult times for babies and their parents. Determining what may be causing colic and trying new ways to soothe babies can help both parents and their children. ■
