Ohio State University’s Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) is sharing an exciting opportunity for middle school and high school students interested in STEM. BMES is hosting its annual STEM day on Sunday, October 22, 2023 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. STEM day is a free event in collaboration with OSU College of Engineering students and faculty, where middle and high school students can participate in hands-on activities and challenges in STEM. The event will be hosted in person @ OSU’s Fontana Laboratories.
This year’s activities are an ultrasound lab where students will use and learn to use and read real ultrasound machines, an EMG lab where students will learn how to take an EMG and read the signals from their own muscles, and a coding activity where students can learn some of the basics of web design and programming. Lunch is also provided.
This is a fantastic opportunity for any student who is interested in STEM to have hands-on experiences with real world technology, and learn more about STEM opportunities at OSU!
Sign-ups are open now and are limited to 45 students
If you have any additional questions, please reach out to Rachel Horvath (horvath.269@osu.edu) and/or Kate Herr (Herr.419@osu.edu).
Sign up link: go.osu.edu/stemday-signup
Mental Health Matters:
Most of our students are not getting enough sleep. Middle and high school students are a population more likely to run on sleep deprivation. Research suggests that about 6 out of 10 middle school students and 7 out of 10 high school students do not get enough sleep.
➠Is your student getting enough sleep?
Children ages 6-12 should regularly sleep 9-12 hours a night and teenagers ages 13-18 should regularly sleep 8-10 hours a night.
➠Why is sleep so important?
Students who are not regularly getting the recommended amount of sleep are more likely to…
have lower gpas, fall asleep in school, and have more school absences/tardies
have greater difficulty with focus and attention
engage in more risky behavior
struggle with concentration, memory, and decision making
have a difficult time regulating feelings, resulting in a more irritable mood
report higher levels of stress
At each phase of sleep, important physiological processes are allowing your student to
➠How can I help my student get more sleep?
Encourage your student to spend some time outside daily. This helps maintain the body’s sleep and wake cycle. You might go outside to talk to your student about their day, suggest that your student study outside, or encourage your student to go for a walk.
Find ways for your student to get some physical activity/movement in their day.
Help your student practice time management with their school work and plan for the next day prior to bedtime.
When possible, stick to a regular meal schedule and avoid heavy meals before bed.
Help your student avoid caffeine after school.
Try to help your student go to bed and wake up as close to the same time every day. Sleeping in on a Sunday will make it harder for your student to get back on schedule for their school week.
Discourage napping. Naps, especially after school, can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night. Many students also report feeling less motivated to work on homework after waking up from a nap.
Turn off the screen an hour before bed. The blue light emitted by phones, computers, TVs and other screens can disrupt the body’s natural sleep rhythm.
Remove electronic devices from the bedroom even if your student has already fallen asleep. Getting texts and updates/alerts after falling asleep can wake your student up. Many of our students also report waking up in the middle of the night and feeling tempted to check their phone or play a game on a device.
Find a few calming things your student can do nightly to cue their body and brain that it is time for bed (examples may include deep breathing, stretching, journaling, having a glass of decaf tea)
Sources:
Center for Disease Control
National Institute of Health
Therapyaid.com
If you are looking for more tips on this topic or if you have a suggestion for the next topic in the “Mental Health Matters” section of our parent newsletter, please contact: Andrea Johnson, LPCC-S
Mental Health Specialist
johnsona@gjps.org
(614) 479-1328
Do not hesitate to reach out to our counseling team with any questions or concern.
Mrs. Artis (students with last names A-K) artisa@gjps.org
Miss Lubinski (students with last names L-Z) lubinskij@gjps.org
