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Family News

Family News Family-related news, voices, trends. By OC FamilyPublished: January, 2006

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SILENT EPIDEMIC Students continue to huff and puff  California’s schoolchildren remain woefully out of shape, with only about 25% of them passing the annual, required physical fitness test.  Nearly 1.4 million fifth-, seventh- and ninth-graders were tested this school year in six areas. They are aerobic capacity, body composition, abdominal strength and endurance, trunk strength and flexibility, upper body strength and endurance, and overall flexibility. Just 25% of fifth-graders, 29% of seventh-graders, and 27% of ninth-graders reached even minimal standards for all six areas. And only 56% of the students across the three grades met the targeted performance standard for aerobic capacity, considered the most important of the six.  “There are still far too many students failing to reach even minimal levels of physical fitness,” said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell in a statement. “A silent epidemic of obesity and poor nutrition is endangering our children’s health and their ability to learn.”  This is the sixth year for reporting physical fitness test results in California’s public schools. There has been a bit of DID YOU GIVE MONEY? Teens say holiday cash will be saved  A recent “Money Matters Holiday Survey” confirms that cash is king when it comes to satisfying teenagers’ wish lists at holiday time. The survey, conducted by Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), includes insights from more than 700 teen members of clubs nationwide, 286 of whom have participated in the “Money Matters: Make It Count” program, a joint initiative of BGCA and The Charles Schwab Foundation, which promotes financial literacy among teens from disadvantaged circumstances.  Some 38% of teens said they prefer to receive cash or a check as a holiday gift. (Memo to parents: Start making your holiday list for 2006, and count it twice.) Other in-demand holiday gifts included cell phones or portable electronics (15%), clothing (12%) and a car (9%). When asked what they would do if they received $1,000 as a holiday gift, 28% of teens said they would save it. Also:  •Teens are working hard for the money: 32% of teens got the money they plan to spend on holiday gifts this year from a part-time job.  •Teens take their cues from others their own age: When it comes to deciding what they would like to receive as a holiday gift, teens are most influenced by: popularity with friends or other kids at school (38%), advertisements (35%) and magazine articles (27%).  The Money Matters program, available to all Boys & Girls Clubs, helps teens ages 13-18 learn practical ways to save, spend and invest the money they earn through fun, interactive activities and exercises on topics such as using a checking account, managing debt, saving for college and the basics of investing. IN THE FISH Mercury content concerns parents  Nutrition and health in the U.S. has been a topic of concern all too regularly. Now studies show that consumer apprehension towards mercury in fish may be causing some to disregard important health guidelines about seafood consumption.  The University of Maryland’s newly formed Center for Food Nutrition and Agriculture Policy (CFNAP) has launched “Real Mercury Facts,” a website documenting and clearing up extensive public confusion about mercury levels in seafood. The site, www.realmercury-facts.org, is in response to a national survey showing that almost one-third of the public reports being concerned about the amount of mercury in fish and shellfish and, as a result, are cutting back on the amount of seafood they eat to once a week.  The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourages two servings of fish a week. LITTLE LEAGUE Online talks come up short  Recently, the Little League International organization hosted an online “ask the staff” session that ultimately was too much about rules and regulations and too little about how the game is played. With criticism and dropping participation, this is key.  Our question went unanswered and we leave it to coaches, parents and readers to consider responding in our Letters department to this question: “Is the pressure to win growing so intense in Little League that everything is flowing to the few standouts at the expense of the rest of the team? Is that really the best recipe for keeping a child’s interest in playing yet another year?” FAMILY NEWS BITES CHILDREN’S BOUTIQUE OPENS IN SOUTH COUNTY  Jim and Martha Glubka have opened a Children’s Orchard in San Juan Capistrano in memory of their son Jimmy who lost a six-year battle with leukemia. The store offers gently used and new name-brand children’s clothing, toys, furniture and accessories. A portion of the proceeds from the franchise location will go to Jimmy’s Vision Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides emotional support to families that have lost a child to cancer. ORANGEWOOD RECEIVED FINANCIAL DONATION  Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Fairmont Newport Beach recently donated $5,000 to the Orangewood Children’s Foundation. The donation will be used to support Orangewood Children’s Home, the county’s temporary shelter for abused and neglected children. FERTILITY CENTER OPENS IN NEWPORT BEACH  The Newport Fertility Center recently opened in Newport Beach. The center offers a variety of treatments, including in-vitro fertilization and reproductive surgery. Dr. Mark Kan, who has been in the field of reproductive medicine for more than 10 years and has managed thousands of IVF and fertility cycles, is the director of the center. SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT  Valley High School, the second-oldest high school facility in the Santa Ana Unified School District, will undergo a major renovation for the 2006-07 school year. Expected to cost nearly $25 million, the project includes air conditioning throughout the school, extensive classroom renovations and upgrading of electronic technology capabilities, a state-of-the-art science department and more. ANNUAL ASTHMA WALK A SUCCESS  Nearly 1,000 walkers turned out for the “2005 Blow the Whistle on Asthma,” held in November at the Irvine Spectrum Center. Hosted by the American Lung Association of Orange County, the third annual event raised more than $80,000. Proceeds from the walk will be used to support the association’s research and education efforts. THEATER GROUP TO PERFORM IN SCOTLAND  The Tri School Theatre Group has been selected to perform next August in Scotland during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Tri School Theatre, comprised and led by students from Connelly High School in Anaheim, Rosary High School in Fullerton and Servite High School in Anaheim, was selected as one of 22 high schools nationwide to perform during the prestigious arts festival. EVENT RAISES MONEY FOR STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS  Some 450 friends and supporters of the Rancho Santiago Community College District recently attended the eighth annual Chancellor’s Ball. The event raised approximately $100,000 for student scholarships and programs at Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon Colleges. PRESCHOOL SERIES BEGINS ON PBS KIDS  A new preschool series, “It’s a Big Big World,” will begin Jan. 2 on PBS KIDS. Created by award-winning television veteran Mitchell Kriegman (“Bear in the Big Blue House”), the program teaches children about science and geography through loveable characters and stories. The program is presented on weekdays; check your local listings for details.

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