So while last week’s freezing temperatures drove us inside a large, well-ventilated gym for K-5 students at Washington Elementary…
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THIS week a literal atmospheric river of Northwest rain led us to plan to station our volunteers, noggins and art under a generous outdoor tent at Fort Vancouver!
And of course a continued risk from coronavirus, including delta and omicron variants, has kept us out of the crammed Vancouver Public School classrooms that we LOVE. We’ll get back there eventually, but when science (not just politics) determines it’s safe.
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But there’s great value in changing expectations, in leaving classrooms and offering brains, art and volunteers in novel places, and despite some occasional showers, we had an outdoor blast with students at Fort Vancouver High School – the home of Trappers!
Home of the (Tired) Trappers!
We love visiting students at Fort, and have collaborated many times over the years with their amazing Biology teachers Coreyanne Russell and James Cederstrom.
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Our accomplished outreach participants began arriving about a half hour after sunrise.
Kass Fitzgerald, Theresa Vu, Alex Phanphackdy, Alex Heinrich and Tira Gaston from Portland State University, Ben Bolen from PSU and the PSU Neuroscience Club, Darrin Lane from Oregon State University, and Denesa Lockwood from Oregon Health & Science University set up under the big tent at Fort to talk research and make more art.
Fort Vancouver starts too early for healthy brains
“The first two hours of the school day are a waste – my brain is literally a blank.”
—10th grader at Fort Vancouver High School
Fort classes STILL (after all these years) begin ridiculously early, at 7:25am – much too early, according to neuroscientists, for the healthy development of adolescent and young adult brains. The research on this is exceedingly clear.
“Sleep–wake schedules set by school do not fit with biological circadian and homeostatic processes regulating adolescent sleep patterns. Consequently, several aspects of quality of life and education of teenage students are compromised. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that middle and high schools should begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. to adequately satisfy the sleep needs of students.”
—Later School Start Time: The Impact of Sleep on Academic Performance and Health in the Adolescent Population
Teachers and students reported four separate fights in school yesterday – events less likely to occur if school started later, and students enjoyed healthier amounts of sleep.
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Daylight “Savings” makes it worse
The situation will only worsen next week, on Sunday, March 13, when the Pacific Northwest joins most of the country in shifting to “Daylight Savings Time,” which saves zero daylight, but does force us all to wake up an hour earlier in the dark.
The switch to Daylight Savings, supported by golf and other business lobbyists, kills people, drives up rates of mental illness, worsens school attendance, and increases the prevalence of heart disease and stroke. If we follow the science, permanent standard time is the way to go.
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ACT: SAVE STANDARD TIME
Thankfully, Coreyanne and James provided an adenosine receptor antagonist (that would be the caffeine in their welcome hot coffee) and snacks to fuel our morning volunteers!
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And despite the early (too early!) start, Fort students asked utterly AMAZING questions, shared terrific stories, crafted beautiful brain cells and offered tremendous hope for all they contribute to and discover themselves!
Brain Wrangling
Pipe cleaner Neurons!
MAKE YOUR OWN: Pipe Cleaner Neurons & More!
Questions
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So many thanks to our intrepid, early morning outreach volunteers, and to the curious, thoughtful, sleep-deprived students, teachers and staff at Fort Vancouver High School!
***READ MORE STUDENT RESPONSES FROM FORT!
NEXT FOR NOGGIN: WE’RE HEADING TO LONDON!!!!!!
Noggin in LONDON @ Kings!
