ROSEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL’S
THE
Panther Prowl
issue 2, volume 26
november 2O14
@P_Prowl
Increasing food allergies affect classrooms Meaghan Allen Managing Editor
Senior Joe Heaton is one among the six million children in the United States who suffers from a food allergy. The teacher was handing out celery sticks with peanut butter on them in pre-school while they were having snack time, and after he ate one he broke out in an allergic reaction. The sensation of the allergic reaction had caused him to go home right away. This is when he discovered that he had a peanut allergy by simply ingesting it, instead of going to an allergist. “I do not know if the allergy has gotten better or worse,” Heaton said, as he has not had peanut butter since that day. During an anaphylactic reaction, IgE antibodies that sit on histamine-filled mast cells explode, which is what occurs when the body reacts to the allergen. The person suffering from the food allergy feels a sensation making that person feel hot, itchy, and feel like they are losing air. They may also break out in hives, making the body turn bright red or develop red blotches in a specific area of the body.
“After having large quantities of peanut products, I feel off,” junior Nikolai Lineberger said. The use of Benadryl can help calm the reaction, but an injection in the thigh using an EpiPen into someone having the reaction is necessary. They should take further action by going to the hospital or Emergency room, and take the used EpiPen with them. Benadryl is
an over-the-counter, oral medication for an anaphylactic reaction. Someone having the reaction should take Benadryl right away for it to take effect, and to help calm it down within a matter of a few hours. Deputy Superintendent Rebecca Vasil explained via e-mail that some classrooms within Roseville Community Schools are peanut-free rooms because of the growing number of food allergies.
building friendships and lifelong skills. “Our staff works so hard! Cuts, evaluation, attitudes from kids – they still spend so much time and money to motivate and encourage students,” assistant principal, Monica Gabriel said. “Our students are very accepting of all kinds of folks, specifically our gay and special needs population. Our students are respectful, and often protective of them. RHS students are mostly really good. Just to name a few good qualities. Some have never been suspended or had attendance issues.” “One of the classes we offer here at RHS is Algebra Enrichment. The purpose of the class is to help students do well in Algebra one. While students are scheduled to take enrichment all year,
they can “graduate” from the class early by doing an outstanding job in both classes, especially algebra one. Graduating allows students to take a different elective class; often times it’s a class they’re more interested in taking like art, or shop or maybe even P.E. It also means taking only one math class a day which is a big relief for many,” algebra teacher David Kaynor said. “I think RHS has a lot to offer our students. First I believe that we do a great job of offering classes to meet students at whatever level they are at,” geometry teacher Phillip Moore said. “From basic classes all the way to the Advanced Placement classes, we have something for everyone to be successful. I also believe that we have one of the best adminis-
RHS fights back with the facts Kiara Fluker Feature Editor
Anywhere you go with a lot of teens, unfortunately there will be drama. With a school of over 1,600 students, everyone will not get along, no matter how much the world wants them to. However, most show respect and concern for others. All in all, RHS is like a family, a few poor decisions should not define us. Like any other school, RHS gives students the opportunity to meet a lot of great people and grow. They are given the opportunity to take classes based on personal interests including, but not limited to: Machine Trades, Auto, Culinary Arts, World Language, Advance Placement and many other classes. That alone could be the root to
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Those classrooms are peanut free rooms because a student who is on that teacher’s roster has a peanut or nut allergy. For example, math teacher Kaitlin King has a sign outside of her classroom that reads: For the safety of those with nut allergies, NO nuts or products made in a factory with nuts are allowed in this classroom. Please check your labels! Principal Monica Gabriel also has a sign on
Meaghan Allen
her window outside of her office specifying that this is a Citrus Free Zone and a Chocolate Free Zone because of the number of kids on her roster who have those known allergies. RCS allows students with food allergies to carry EpiPens, but they also have undesignated EpiPens on hand in case an allergic reaction were to occur. Staff and faculty have been trained to use
the EpiPens in case this were to happen in the classroom, whether it is from airborne allergies or if they accidentally ingested peanut products from their food being contaminated by peanut products that were sitting on the desk previously or accidentally ingesting the product itself without knowing. Kids with food allergies have sometimes been told by their doctors to eat the food little by little to see if the allergy will go away with time. In most cases, this does not work. Sometimes this can make the allergy worse. With age, doctors say that the allergy could progressively get better, but in some cases, it gets worse or remains the same. Lineberger found out about his allergy in seventh grade, and it has not gotten worse overtime, but has remained the same. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), between 1997 and 2011, food allergies in the United States rose 50 percent. The CDC reports that four to six percent of children have food allergies and 25 percent of anaphylactic reactions occur without diagnosis. According to food allergy. org, (cont’d on pg. 2)
Classrooms, such as this civics class, reflect the positive aspects of RHS. trations around. I think that overall when there is a problem, it is tackled rather quickly and with good success.” “I am proud of our students in how they show complete acceptance of each other. Some of our students would not be socially tolerated in other schools. The diversity in our school is a major strength,” chemistry teacher Brian King said.
band and choir concert Dec. 2
“RHS devotes a lot of resources toward the mathematics department. For example, RHS has a “Math Lab” for students to receive individualized instruction. RHS also provides a classroom set of graphing calculators. In many schools, students are required to purchase their own calculator – often at $120 each!” geometry teacher Ryan Hansen said.
Kiara Fluker
“My education and involvement in clubs at RHS helped me get enough scholarships and grants to receive my fouryear Bachelor’s Degree from Oakland University for free,” RHS alumni student/English teacher Gabriella Schmalenberg said. It is easy to see that RHS’ staff cares about our students from allowingstudents to be involved in (cont’d on pg. 3)
End of Fall Play first Dec. 11, 12, trimester & 13 Dec. 5