The Providence Post

THE PROVIDENCE POST providencemontessori.org

Nov. 22, 2021

News from the middle school!

“Be present in all things and thankful for all things”

FALL BONDING TRIP On October 27th - 29th the students had a blast on our overnight trip to the Life Adventure Center (LAC) in Versailles, Kentucky. We participated in a large variety of activities such as rock climbing, ziplining, horse vaulting, and bonding games. The rain did pose a bit of a challenge but we didn’t hear many complaints because we were so engulfed in the fun of the activities. Many students and teachers achieved their goal of stepping out of their comfort zones by climbing to new heights, bonding further with their fellow peers, and

VOL.,i...NO.III

- Maya Angelou

strengthening respectful and inclusive relationships.

Everyone seemed to have a good time with the activities and they also really enjoyed the food provided for lunch and dinner by the LAC staff. The menu included an Italian night, a taco bar, and hamburgers and hotdogs!

PAJAMA DAY November 11th was ‘pajama day” at the Erdkinder Campus. Students had the fun option of wearing pajamas to school for the entire school day, as long as they were appropriate for school.

MORE SCHOOL & LOCAL EVENTS What’s Happening in the Kentucky community?

STUDENT THANKSGIVING VARIETY SHOW On November 23rd, students and teachers will celebrate Thanksgiving by sharing their talents with each other during a Thanksgiving Variety Show.

Students and teachers will also enjoy cooperative games.

School will dismiss at noon for the Thanksgiving holiday.

THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR A group of students has created a theatre company over the past month. After nearly three weeks of rehearsal, the company’s inaugural production of Julius Caesar will open the last weekend in January from the 27th to the 30th.

EARN YOUR BIRD The Lexington-Rockbridge Jaycees are excited to be continuing Lexington’s best Thanksgiving tradition with the 10th Annual Lexington Gobble Wobble 5k on Thanksgiving Day! Every Thanksgiving morning, runners and walkers from across the country come to Lexington, Kentucky to take part in the Thoroughbred Classic 5K.

FESTIVAL OF TREES AND TRAINS The Festival of Trees and Trains is a ten-day annual event that is the largest fundraiser of the Paramount Women's Association in Ashland. KY. This event supports the Education Department of the Paramount Arts Center, which provides an enriching, creative, and theatrical outlet for our community. The Festival features fantastically decorated trees, amazing entertainment, fun children's activities, incredible food, local shopping and so much more!

Theme for 2021: Visions of Sugarplums Schedule:

4:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. Festival Open

Tickets sold at the door: General Admission: $7.00 Adults Children (12 And Under) $4.00 Seniors $6.00 (tax included) - Hannah-Blair Bennett, Kenny Bueno, Finn Sullivan

- Photo by Josiah Cutts

The Basement - continued A man in a winter coat stood at the door. Summer was fading into autumn; cool and windy. He knocked, waiting for a moment. No one answered.

Then a girl opened the door. “Uh, hello?” she inquired, half suspiciously.

The man sighed in annoyance, replying, “You know the elderly woman who lives here, kid?” The girl stared blankly at him, beginning to back away. “Don’t lie… I know you’re hiding something.”

Tarsa shook her head slowly and began closing the door. “Probably wants money...” she muttered to herself. Then her heart skipped a beat. “Wait!” she demanded.

The man turned to face her, his mouth twisting into an irritated smile.

“You said an old woman… How old?”

He paused, hesitating to answer. Then he leaned down, his gray eyes meeting hers.

“Oh, we’re talking very old. Two hundred years? Five hundred? One thousand?” he whispered.

Tarsa shuttered silently, regretting her decision to answer the door. She wanted to get far away from him; away from the house where she’d lived for only months; the place that had thrust a terrible complexity on her life. “What’s her name?” She blurted.

The man whispered, “Her name is Tarsa.”

- Alice Lugauer She slammed the door, a cold wind blowing into her face.

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS Here are a few of the Thanksgiving favorites from our students’ families!

MARSHMALLOW SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Ingredients: 1 lb. diced sweet potato 1 16 oz. large bag marshmallows 1 15 oz. box of raisins

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Steps: Preheat the oven to 375* Put sweet potatoes in a 9X9 pan Coat the sweet potatoes with the marshmallows Sprinkle the raisins on top of the marshmallows - Lucy Hand & Family

WATERGATE SEASONAL SALAD Ingredients:

HOLIDAY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP Ingredients: 1 diced caramelized onion 2 cups of coconut milk or vegetable stock 2 (or more!) garlic cloves 1 cubed and toasted butternut squash 2 Tbsp. of ginger

1 packet of instant pistachio pudding mix 8 oz. of crushed pineapple 1 cup of miniature marshmallows ½ cup of chopped walnuts 8 oz of whipped topping

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Steps: Mix all ingredients in a large bowl Fold in the whipped topping Chill until ready to eat - Meredith Rouse & Family

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Steps: Blend all ingredients Place all blended ingredients into a Dutch oven or large stove pot Cook on low heat until hot throughout.

- Sra. Fernandez & Family - List compiled by Emery Cassidy & Eliza Croley

NO!

Should you think twice before using the microwave?

Microwaves were invented in 1947 as a quicker, more efficient oven for smaller foods. They were first used in Boston, eventually spread all over America, and then to the rest of the world. People used them because of their power efficiency and cost. The science behind the microwave is rather simple. The microwave oven shines a type of light that heats the food. This light can be damaging to the body but many features of the device stop any harmful radiation. Microwaves do not leak radiation if well tended to and not broken (EPA). Microwaves reduce the risk of harmful burns, fires.. Because the microwave heats the inside of foods much more quickly than direct heat, it is much more effective.

Microwave radiation penetrates deeper into food and can get to and kill hidden bacteria. This method of using microwaves prevents food poisoning. (I don't know about my combatant but I don't want to be hospitalized and I don't think the school staff wants the students to either). The microwave uses less energy than a stove and also takes up less space than a stove. The microwave also turns off automatically so it is much easier for children to operate..

Microwaves do not produce flames so it is MUCH safer than a stove. Microwaves also have a precise heat which lets the user have more control over food preparation (historyofmicrowaves.com).

I hear people say that microwaves destroy nutrients in food. However, this is false - most cooking methods do destroy nutrients, and it may surprise you to learn that the microwave’s reduced prep time destroys less nutrients than conventional methods. Take spinach for example; Spinach retains almost all of its nutrients when cooked in a microwave, but loses almost 77% of its nutrients when cooked in a conventional oven. .

“One in six Americans get food poisoning each year because of improperly cooked food” (Jane Brown Ph.D.).

YES!

- Written by Julian Mitchell - Research by Harrison Housman

Do you think microwaves are safe? Here are some reasons why they might not be. Microwaves use radiation to heat your food, and while it does work to heat the food, it sucks a lot of nutrients out of your food while heating it. The water molecules rotate rapidly in the microwave and in the food in high frequencies which creates molecular friction which heats up your food. This causes the molecular structure in your food to change, and as a result diminishes the nutrient content in the food (Dr. Joseph M. Mercola).

Microwave radiation can heat body tissue the same way it heats food.

Exposure to high levels of microwaves can cause a painful burn. (fda.gov).

Not only does a microwave take nutrients out of your food, it can also create carcinogens, which are substances capable of causing cancer in living tissue.

Microwaves..continued These can be found in certain types of plastic. Plastic is a wide term, which is why it can be unreliable to say all plastics are safe to use. A number of different chemicals can be found in plastics like Bisphenol and Phthalates which can cause a lot of harm, and we use these plastics to microwave our food. Which is also why things have microwave safe labels, but it is still something that everybody should be cautious about.

When you heat water in the microwave, it can get to very high temperatures, also known as superheating, which can be dangerous when trying to remove the dish. If water is heated in a smooth container, the container can heat above boiling point without actually boiling the water. When you go to pick it up, it can cause it to instantly boil over which could cause minor to severe burns.

Broken microwave ovens can emit radiation, which can be harmful in many ways, including causing cancer and skin and tissue burns.

With all this being said, microwaves can be safe. However if not used correctly or not working properly, for example if your microwave isn't working correctly it could leak radiation, so it can cause harm to you and/or your food. Also, properly using microwave-safe containers is necessary to prevent creating chemicals such as bisphenol and phthalates, which are very bad for your health.

Audrey Eddie

ADOLESCENTS AND MENTAL HEALTH Interview by Alessandra Montes According to Christopher M. Palmer MD, “ Mental health reflects our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

Affecting how we think, feel, and act, mental health has a strong impact on the way we interact with others, handle problems, and make decisions. According to the World Health Organization, “in the course of a lifetime . . . everyone will struggle or have a challenge with their mental well-being just like we all have challenges with our physical well-being from time to time”.

After surveying several adults and peers, I found that most people were concerned that adolescents are facing more mental health challenges now than ever before. To gain better insight into this concern, I interviewed Courtney B. Sergeant-Fox, a Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Therapist in Lexington, KY. Alessandra: Do you think middle school students have more mental health challenges now than they did in the past?

Mrs. Sergeant-Fox: Absolutely, and it may not be that there’s necessarily more problems, it may just be that there is more awareness of it. But there are different problems because of social media - this constant connection to people all the time this constant pressure to measure up on different social media platforms. I’m not sure what version of that pressure kids may

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Interview Continued have had historically - but it's definitely there now, and that’s a lot of pressure and it’s constant, and it’s hard to get away from, and I’d say there’s probably more issues because of that.

Social media gives you this opportunity to get instant gratification, where before if someone wanted to say something mean to somebody, they would actually have to gain access to them. They would have to get them to pick up the phone or they would have to wait until they saw them in person. Now people can get access to you without you being available, or they can post something about you - they can send you an email, they can send you a text message. They have a lot more access to you, to say something that would be harmful.

Alessandra: Why is mental health such an awkward topic?

Mrs. Sergeant-Fox: Because we’re all vulnerable, right? part of it comes from the pressures of social media - everyone wants to look like they have it together...everybody wants to look like they're living a good life and having fun, and that's just not always true - and as a society, we place a really strong emphasis on happiness - be happy, always do what makes you happy. There are a lot of other important

emotions that are really great, besides happiness. There are things that happen in the world that should make you sad, and should make you angry, and should make you frustrated, and should make you excited. We place a lot of emphasis on this one emotion, versus saying - let’s just make sure our emotions match the situation. If you never experience other emotions, how would you even know if you are happy? So we want to be able to know that our emotions fit the situation and the circumstances and we don’t want to live in any one emotion all the time - we would not be experiencing real life.

Alessandra: What is something most people from others want when in a state of depression, anxiety, OCD and more?

Mrs. Sergeant-Fox: I think it's between understanding and empathy - and balancing that with realistic expectations... So for middle school, if the goal is to participate in an activity, if that activity makes one anxious, we don’t want to say, it makes you anxious so don’t do it, instead we want to say, how can we help you so you can participate in the activity. Even though it may seem uncomfortable at first, it will become easier...it’s basically not shutting the door on things you might want to do because of depression or anxiety – It’s a balance between empathy, understanding and realistic expectations. In school, think about participating. You can’t just say I am anxious so I won’t do it, instead push yourself because it will gradually get easier and could be an enjoyable experience.

Interview Continued...

Alessandra: How can adolescents help themselves when dealing with mental health challenges?

Mrs. Sergeant-Fox: Coping skills and setting healthy limits and boundaries. It's about setting the phone and technology down and figuring out how to be okay with just being. What can they do that's simply okay – go for a walk outside? Have a conversation? If they are anxious, science shows us that technology – the phone and social media – actually increases these symptoms. Scrolling through social media to see what people are doing and saying, is actually likely to make them feel even more anxious. So they need to set healthy boundaries, increase coping skills, give good weight to all emotions, and if the symptoms continue, seek assistance from a licensed therapist. They don't need to be happy all of the time - they also don't want to be depressed or sad all of the time.

It's finding a balance and setting realistic expectations for themselves.

Alessandra: How can peers help when a student is having mental health challenges?

Mrs. Sergeant-Fox: I think it’s showing understanding and empathy. We’re all kind of in the same boat - everyone is trying to figure something out - everyone has struggles,

everyone has something going on, and those around us usually want to help, even if they don't know how. So, if somebody doesn't respond in a way that is helpful, it doesn't mean they aren't a friend or that they don't like the person who is seeking help, it just means that person does not know how to help in that situation. It's important to know that when a person is going through an issue, they should just speak to their closest support persons, those who know more about them. There has to be some recognition that everybody can't always help with the emotions of others. They can be there for a moment, but the person seeking assistance needs to know the importance of working on other coping skills instead of always relying on feedback from other people. They can try journaling, taking a walk, contacting a trusted adult or parent or therapist. It is important to realize that we are all responsible for our own emotions and continually making friends feel responsible for those emotions might push them away as friends. Practicing coping skills is essential and helps preserve healthy relationships.

Think about the cartoon, Winnie the Pooh. The donkey named Eeyore was always down. But the other characters didn’t try to change him - they just accepted him and were supportive and caring.

Interview Continued Alessandra: What should adolescents do if they can't get help from a person or a therapist?

Mrs. Sergeant-Fox: Right now, because of COVID, a lot of things have changed and getting help via telehealth makes it easier to have access to a provider. Of course people have different incomes and different insurance coverages, but there are community agencies that have sliding fee scales and providers that accept only what the insurance will pay.

Teleheath also means people have access to providers statewide in different specialist areas and because students spend so much time communicating through technology, they are typically very comfortable with using telehealth.

Mrs. Sergeant-Fox agreed that the amount of mental health issues has increased for adolescents and stresses that young people need to set healthy limits and boundaries when it comes to the use of the phone and social media. She also emphasized the need for adolescents to learn a variety of healthy coping skills to use when faced with anxiety and depression that might arise from some of the current day issues. And she also encourages young people who are often dealing with feelings of anxiousness and sadness and depression to seek assistance from a licensed therapist.

Students served the neighborhood community by raking and picking up leaves at Arbor Youth Services.

FROM THE OFFICE ●

November 23, Tuesday - Student/Staff Variety Show - STUDENTS WILL BE DISMISSED AT 12:00 NOON. Bike-a-thon money is due.

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November 24, 25 and 26, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - NO SCHOOL - THANKSGIVING BREAK (students are not assigned homework during the holidays, unless they have make-up work to complete).

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November 29, Monday - Classes resume.

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November 30, Tuesday - School Picture Day

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December 17, Friday - Bike-a-Thon Shopping. Students will be dismissed at noon.

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December 20 - January 2 - WINTER BREAK - NO SCHOOL.

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January 3, Monday - Classes Resume.

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January 14, Friday - NO SCHOOL - Professional Development.

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January 17, Monday - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL

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January 21, Friday - Contracts and Deposits due for 2022 - 2023

SCHOOL TO TABLE Here is the middle school menu of produce for sale! *New* Fall Ornamental Gourds - 3 for $5 Seasoned and Baked Pumpkin Seeds - $1 Coming in the near future: ● Radishes ● Greens ● Strawberries ● Broccoli ● Cauliflower ● Carrots

Please note, our menu changes frequently.

Credits to the writers of our newspaper.

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Hannah-Blair Bennett, School Kenny Bueno, School Emery Cassidy, Recipes Thomas Cauthen, Entertainment Gaven Coffman, Local events Eliza Croley, Recipes Audrey Eddie, Opinions Harrison Housman, Research Alice Lugauer, Entertainment Julian Mitchell, Opinions Alessandra Montes, Opinions Finn Sullivan, School

- Julian Mitchell & Thomas Cauthen