CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP CALENDAR

The Truth about Exercise Devices We've seen them all: The Thigh-Master, the Abdominizer, and the Slimtrack. So what's the truth about the home-exercise equipment we see hocked through television infomercials? Visit WebMD this week for a synopsis of research data on home exercise devices. The Truth about Sports Drinks Many parents have replaced their teen's sodas with sports drinks under the impression that they are healthier and are necessary to replace electrolytes and nutrients lost during their son or daughter's sport activity. "In most cases your sweat losses can be replaced by simply drinking water," says Kathy Grunewald at the Wellness Web website. Reducing Youth Sports Injuries As promoters of health and physical education, we often encourage involvement in youth sport for the physical as well as the psychological and emotional benefits. The downside of course, is the risks of injuries. Recent data seem to indicate a rise in youth sport related injuries. According to WebMD, "Sports-related injuries are responsible for 2.6 million visits to the nation's hospital emergency departments among people aged 5-24 - at a cost $500 million annually." Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Soy Protein But Were Afraid to Ask Suprosoy hosts a website dedicated to nutritional education regarding the benefits of soy in our diets. In March of 2000, the U.S. National School Lunch Program received new guidelines and regulations regarding the inclusion of vegetable proteins in every school lunch program. According to Suprosoy, "this means more 100% soy-based foods may appear on you child's school lunch menus, and with adolescent obesity running rampant, that's good news."

Hooah 4 Family This site is devoted to family issues. The pages contain health information of specific interest to you and family members of all ages. Outside links to other government resources that might be of interest to you and your family are included at this site also. Hooah 4 Kids Children's food pyramid Sun Safety & Summer Fun Dealing with Feelings Tobacco & Smoking Hooah 4 Teens Drugs & Alcohol Puberty Conflict Management Tobacco & Smoking Eating Disorders Peer Pressure Physical Activity Personal Safety Self Esteem Hooah 4 Parents Family Support Groups Food Safety: Summer Picnics Parents Guide to Kids Problems Boost'em Before You Buckle'em Internet Safety: Tips for Parents Physical Activity Teens and Work: Tips for Parents and much more.

PE Archives

Please let your colleagues know about PELINKS4U, and remember you can catch up on a year's worth of news in our PE Archives.

In the past few weeks Seattle has seen its share of tragedies. From the Mardi Gras hooligans to the 6.8 earthquake, Seattle has been beaten, shaken, and left to recover. It's a sad commentary that more lives were lost and more injuries were received, and nearly as much property was destroyed by the hooliganism enacted over Fat Tuesday than the damage caused by the worst earthquake to hit in over half a century. There's little more that we teachers can do in terms of reducing earthquake related injuries. Most schools have natural disaster action plans in place, and all that needs to be done is to practice the safety drills. Hooliganism on the other hand, is neither a random occurrence, nor an act of nature or God. It is the result of a deadly brew of alcohol abuse, misdirected anger and aggression, and a lack of self restraint and respect for other people. We can't stop earthquakes and we can't rid society completely of hooligans, but we sure as heck can reduce their numbers through a) effective education regarding responsible alcohol use, b) no-nonsense messages about what connotes acceptable behavior, c) the creation and enforcement of anti-bullying rules at our schools, and d) the maintenance of our positions as positive role models of healthful living. Ponder this: When polled, an overwhelming number of adults report that teachers and coaches were among the most influential role models in their lives - seconded only by moms and dads. Andrew P. Jenkins, PhD, Health and Fitness Section Editor

If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability. ~ Henry Ford ~

Featured Web Site

Circus Arts Cure Winter Blues! Has your PE class gone stale? Are your kids tired of the same old games, sports, and exercises? Do you need new lesson plans and activities that enhance motor learning, skill development, and involve even the shyest of kids? Visit the Teach Circus Arts website to learn how to incorporate juggling, manipulative skills, balancing, and various types of apparatus such as unicycles, stilts, and rolling globes into your current PE program. At this site you will also find photos of teachers and students practicing circus skills, links to circus education on the net, and information on workshops and teacher training.

Contribute YOUR Ideas

If you have ideas, comments, letters to share, or questions about particular topics, please email one of the following Section Editors:

	Scott Roberts
	Andy Jenkins
	Darren Dale
	Ron Hager

Red Cross Volunteer Opportunities Service Learning and Volunteerism have been shown to be powerful learning tools for teaching youth values such as compassion and community spirit. They have also been proven to help teachers "make real" theories and concepts through real life experiences. The American Red Cross has a variety of volunteer programs in nearly every community in the US. Visit their Volunteer Website and look for the zip code box. Enter your school's zip code, and you'll be provided with the addresses and phone numbers, and in some cases, WebPages of the Red Cross Chapter in your area. Great Gradebook for Mac MS Office '98 Users Need a computerized gradebook but can't find the time to create one in Excel? The pros at Mactopia have created a great gradebook that not only calculates class and individual student averages, but also assigns letter grades and grade points according to your criteria.

Drugs & Alcohol

Drug and Alcohol Related Resource Guides The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) (CSAP) has recently released six new resource guides which may be of value to secondary health and physical educators. According their website, "The new guides provide a brief description of the latest substance abuse prevention and treatment materials and findings available related to the topics of Children of Alcoholics; Impaired Driving; Inhalants; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Populations; Middle School and High School Youth; and Women. The guides also provide information on how to obtain copies of the materials described."

Adult Fitness

The Set-Point Theory Revisited Struggling with weight loss and yo-yo dieting? According to Peggy Orr, MS., RD at the Addictions and More Website, "Each person has a weight range within a few pounds which is healthy and normal for that person. This range is called the "set point." When someone eats when they are hungry, stops when they are full, and exercises in moderation, they will arrive at a weight that is healthy and natural for them. When we try to go below our set point weight, our bodies defense mechanisms against starvation kick in. A person's metabolism is decreased, therefore, we burn fewer calories in an attempt to maintain optimal health." Calculate Your Body Mass Index (BMI) See if your weight puts you at risk of health problems.