Researchers from the University of Maryland College of Education have recently completed a study where they examined the development and early home experiences of young Latino boys in comparison to the development of white boys and Latina girls. “Our research focused on the early childhood experiences of Latino boys because that is such a crucial time for the development of skills needed for school and life success,” said Dr. Natasha Cabrera, lead researcher on the study. “A better understanding of the strengths as well as the difficulties of the home environment and development could help in crafting interventions that improve academic performance for Latino boys.” Cabrera and her research team determined that, similar to their white peers, Latino boys tend to grow up in ...
Kindergarten is a crucial time for all young students. It is the time when the foundations of fundamental learning skills are laid and can greatly impact the rest of a student’s academic career. Kindergarten is especially crucial for children when it comes to language learning. For Latinos and other low-income kids, they face the additional challenge of having obstacles in place at school and at home. “Children may go from a home with limited physical and psychological resources for learning and language to a school with similar constraints, resulting in a double dose of disadvantage,” said Susan Neuman professor of childhood and literacy education at New York University in an interview with Medine Plus. Neuman and her colleges followed 70 kindergarteners in Michigan (4.72% ...
Momsrising.org is asking mom's to become school wellness heroes to help make sure physical education and healthy foods are a part of school wellness policies. Kids spend most of their day at school, eating most of their calories and expending most of their energy at school, so it is vital for the school environment to be healthy. Currently, over 99% of schools are meeting new healthy snack standards, but with the new healthy school meal standards being rolled back around sodium, non-fat and flavored milk and whole grains, there is still so much work to do to make sure kids are in a safe and healthy school environment all day. You can help support health and wellness in schools before the end of June while school districts update their wellness policies. Get involved by dropping off ...
Attaining an education is one of the key social determinants of health. For many Latinos, getting an education beyond high school prevents them from obtaining a higher quality of life. While more and more Latinos are enrolling in two- and four-year universities, the gap in achievement is still vast between them and their white peers. Excelencia in Education, a non-profit organization founded to accelerate higher education access for Latino students, was recently announced as the recipient of a $1.5 million in grants from the Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation and Lumina Foundation to “expand strategies that accelerate Latino student success in higher education.” “This important collaboration highlights Lumina’s continued commitment to accelerate Latino student ...
As the Latino population continues to grow in numbers – 1 in every 4 people by 2035 is expected to be Latino – their influence on the overall country is expected to mirror that growth. Despite their large numbers, many Latinos still face inequities in several key health indicators that prevent them from obtaining quality healthcare and financial stability. In an effort to promote awareness for important Latino issues The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Policy Studies Center will host the inaugural Latino Policy Symposium from May 4-5. The event will bring together Latino leaders, community advocates, and researchers from across the heavily Latino-populated state of Texas (38.42% Latino population). Texas is currently the state with the second-largest Latino population in ...
Findings from a new report shed light on the state of Latino children and the education gap many face as they enter kindergarten. According to a study entitled “Making Math Count More for Young Latino Children” by Child Trends, Latino students are three months behind in math literacy compared to their white peers. Citing poverty in Latino households as one of the main causes, the study cautions that the education gap would only grow if not addressed immediately in the classroom. As the Latino population in the U.S. continues to grow – they are already the largest ethnic and racial minority in the country – this problem is going to be critical going forward. One in four U.S. kindergarteners today is Latino and in California and New Mexico, Latino children are already in the ...
Calling all students interested in food and agriculture! Food Tank is highlighting six unique opportunities for students to fund projects, receive professional training, and bolster their resumes on projects they may have already developed for a class, their thesis, or independent study. The six opportunities focused around food include:
Norman Borlaug Award For Field Research and Application: US$10,000
The Norman Borlaug Award will recognize exceptional, science-based achievement in international agriculture and food production by an individual under 40 years old who has fought to eliminate global hunger and poverty. Backed by the Rockefeller Foundation, candidates must be conducting field research or be working anywhere in the food system with farmers, animal herders, fishers or ...
There is an undeniable link between education and health. In fact, educational attainment is one of the key social determinants of health. Lack of access and opportunity are often some of the barriers that keep many Latinos from furthering their education beyond high school. However, the numbers from several studies have pointed to the fact that Latinos are making some headway into earning more degrees from two- and four-year universities. One study from Excelencia in Education correlates the rise in Latino enrollment with the growing number of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the U.S. HSIs are defined by federal law as “accredited and degree-granting public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education” that have 25% or more total undergraduate Hispanic ...
Water Wellness Alert!!! Did you know that between 50-75% of your body is made of water? Drinking enough water to keep your body hydrated is an important part of staying healthy for kids and adults. One of the simplest ways that we can make sure that kids are drinking adequate water (and skipping the sugar-sweetened beverages!) is to include access to drinking water in school wellness policies. Including water in your policy helps to keep it top of mind for school staff and ensures that water won’t become less of a priority if the administration changes. Now is a great time for schools to update their wellness policies. All schools participating in federal nutrition programs must update their policies to comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s final rule by June 30, ...
