WEST AFTER SCHOOL CENTER
NEWS & OPINION

February 2010

Our mission is to provide opportunities that enrich the educational, social, and cultural experiences of students and families in our community.

620 Garfield Avenue, Lancaster, OH  43130     

740-653-5678                 

740-653-2402 FAX

Email:  jbibler@westafterschoolcenter.org

Visit us at www.westafterschoolcenter.org

Ten tips for a Healthy Heart in 2010!

1. Stop smoking. Quitting smoking is the single most important thing a person can do to live longer. If you are a smoker, you are twice as likely to have a heart attack as a non-smoker.

2. Cut down on salt. Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing heart disease. Avoid foods like crisps, salted nuts, canned and packet soups and sauces, baked beans and canned vegetables.

3. Watch your diet. A healthy diet can help to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, and can also help increase the chances of survival after a heart attack. You should try to have a balanced diet, containing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

4. Get active. The heart is a muscle and it needs exercise to keep fit so that it can pump blood efficiently around your body with each heartbeat. You should aim for 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a day.  Keeping fit not only benefits your physical health, it improves your mental health and well-being too.

5. Manage your weight. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health and increases the risk of life-threatening conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

6. Get your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked. The higher your blood pressure, the shorter your life expectancy. People with high blood pressure run a higher risk of having a stroke or a heart attack. High levels of cholesterol in the blood can lead to fatty deposits in your coronary arteries that increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diseases that affect the circulation.

7. Learn to manage your stress levels. If you find things are getting out of control, take a walk, call a friend, go out and exercise. All of these will help to relieve some of your stress.

8. Monitor your alcohol. Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Binge drinking will increase your risk of having a heart attack, so you should aim to limit your intake to one to two units a day.

 9. Check your family history. If a family member is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.

10. Make sure you can recognize the signs of heart disease. Tightness or discomfort in the chest, neck, arm or stomach which comes on when you exert yourself but goes away with rest may be the first sign of angina, which can lead to a heart attack if left untreated.

February is Children’s Dental Health Month

           National Children's Dental Health Month has been observed each February for more than 55 years. It serves as an annual reminder to children, parents and caregivers of the importance of healthy oral health habits. We cannot allow children’s dental checkups to be missed or their dental health to suffer because of the economic downturn. If you need assistance, contact a program director.

February 5, 2010

is

National Wear Red Day.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. You can speak  up about the risk of heart disease in women by wearing red on this day.

February is

American Heart Month

             This is the month set aside by the National Heart Association as a time to focus on our cardio-vascular health. We all know how important it is to live a healthier lifestyle, so let’s commit to give the gift of health to those we love and focus on our heart health in the month of February.  Why not change Friday night pizza night at your house to Friday night take a walk night?  Grab your spouse, your kids, your best friend, and your dog and take a walk.  Exercising is so much more fun when you are spending time with those you love.

Community Partnerships

The West After School Center wants to thank the Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio and its Choice Food Pantry for becoming our newest partner. Lutheran Social Services has provided families at all four of our 21^st Century CLC’s with bread and will continue to support us in the coming weeks and months.  

The Rule of 10,000 Hours

Why do some people succeed far more than others? Is it innate talent? The extent of positive childhood experiences? High-quality teaching within top-notch schools?

In his latest book, Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell (staff writer for The New Yorker) challenges readers’ perceptions and understanding of how success is achieved. He describes “Outliers” as those people who succeed far beyond what is considered to be normal. What is interesting is that Gladwell cites numerous examples of outliers (Bill Gates and Tiger Woods to name just two) who have achieved fame and success largely because of contributions from lots of different people and lots of different circumstances —despite having innate talent. The overarching point that he makes is that we, as a society, have more a lot influence over who succeeds—and how many people can succeed—than we think. This isn’t a new theory, but it is amazingly hopeful and uplifting idea that deserves further attention, especially for those dedicated to helping at-risk children close their learning gaps and improve classroom performance.

Perhaps the most talked about chapter from the book is the “Rule of 10,000 Hours.” It is in it that Gladwell most effectively challenges the view that people with talent easily rise to the top of their chosen field. Rather, he shows that the closer psychologists look at the careers of the gifted, the smaller the role that innate talent seems to play and the bigger role preparation seems to play. Gladwell notes:

“The idea that excellence at performing a complex task requires a critical minimum level of practice surfaces again and again in studies of expertise. In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.”

Essentially, the “Rule of 10,000 Hours” means that becoming an expert at anything is determined less by special talent but more by 10,000 hours of dedicated practice. And that’s the key—dedicated practice. A study of “outliers” shows that most all who achieve elite status have identified crucial skills necessary for success and honed in on perfecting them in a very a very deliberate way, often with the help of a mentor, coach, or teacher. Not all practicing is the same, and to become successful requires a huge amount of desire, motivation, and commitment to perfect those skills that others find too difficult to master.

Let’s face it, the premise of putting in 10,000 hours of practice make practical sense. You don’t become an accomplished pianist without practice. The same it true for an accomplished reader or writer. But what kind of practice? We know that doing more and more of the same thing likely won’t produce better results. What we do need is the kind that includes an expert analysis of requisite skills and comes with a comprehensive provision of community support systems that help all kids achieve at high levels.

In any typical school, children are challenged if they are engaged in general learning activities for about 4-5 hours each day. Over 13 years, their training should approach the threshold of 10,000 hours of general learning. But only those who are fortunate to be challenged and supported in deliberate practice, likely an additional 10,000 hours of focused practiced in an area of choice, will ever attain elite status.

To create those opportunities and provide the hours of deliberate, focused practice, schools cannot do it alone. Community-based before and afterschool programs must be created and developed to higher levels to share that responsibility—and success—of helping all learners attain opportunities to achieve potential in every endeavor.

Pick up a copy of this book at

any bookstore and read it.

Together, we can create

conditions that will help all kids

achieve success.

Watch our Television Show on  the LSN

Channel 6 and 9 - Time Warner Cable

New episodes air at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Healthy Living for Kids

"STUDENTS MAKING Art R TOPS"

S.M.A.R.T.  ART

Watch our show and learn about the wonderful art activities the students in the WASC, Cedar CLC, Tallmadge CLC, and Eastside CLC experience with Art Academic Coach, Ashly Draper.

Good health involves the mind, body, and soul!

S.M.A.R.T.  ART

We Thank Our Partners

Ohio University-Lancaster

The Ohio State University Extension  

The Robert K Fox Family Y

Lancaster-Fairfield County Community Action Head Start

New Horizons Youth and Family Center

Fairfield County Family, Adult, and Children First Council

Fairfield County Jobs and Family Services

Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio

Sixth Avenue United Methodist Church

Fairfield Foundation

United Way of Fairfield County

MEAL PROGRAM at the WASC

The West After School Center is registered with the Ohio Department of Education as a meal sponsor with the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

We can provide one free daily snack for all program enrollees at the WASC, Cedar, East and Tallmadge CLC, and one meal (supper) based on income verification.

We thank you for your cooperation and understanding with the paperwork requirements for this program as we provide a valuable service  to the community.

The flagship program of the West After School Center is the After School Tutoring Program which targets those students needing additional help in reading and math.  But most other programs and services are open to all students and families of

West Elementary School. 

Phone 740-653-5678 for answers to your questions.

Did You Know?

21st Century Community Learning Centers are part of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended, Title IV, Part B, better known as the No Child Left Behind Act.  They have been in existence for 10 years.

CHILDCARE OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Looking for a safe, quality program for your child’s before or after school care? Check out the affordable opportunities at the WASC, Cedar, East and Tallmadge CLC. Stop by for a visit, or call and speak to one of our staff members. Our centers open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. Childcare students receive many of the same benefits as those enrolled in the 21st CCLC afterschool tutoring programs. 

The West After School Center is an independent, non-profit, community-based before and after school child care center licensed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

Happy Valentine's Day from Everyone at the West After School Center