Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1017146
C T A A N D N E A ' S R E D F O R E D C A M P A I G N is about the promise of public education today for our nation's future leaders and the educators who reach, teach and inspire them. It's a vision of progress and hope: classrooms with modern tools that help students prepare to make an impact on the world; students getting the support they need to thrive; and educators having the support they need to serve. It's a vision in stark contrast to the reality of education bud- gets being cut, overcrowded classrooms, outdated materials, and educators working around the clock to make a difference in the lives of their students. Let's raise our voices together, wear Red for Ed, and stand up to lawmakers to ask for better pay and school funding. Fight for our students, uphold our values, and advocate for change. Join #RedforEd at cta.org/redfored. Do You #RedforEd ? Across the country, P R E V E N T I O N F I R S T is an initiative by the California Department of Public Health to increase opportunities for students to participate in moderate-to-intense physical activity (PA), with a goal of 60 minutes every day. A 2013 Institute of Medicine report found that students who do this exhibit improved brain function, a greater attention span, faster cognitive processing speed, and better perfor- mance on standardized academic tests. A guide called "Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program: A Guide for Schools" developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can help educators implement PA for their students — and themselves. Components of a school PA program include enhanced physical education; PA at school, such as activity breaks integrated into each class period; and staff involvement, such as onsite walking clubs, fitness classes, stretching at meetings, etc. Go to cdph.ca.gov and search for Prevention First to download the guide. The brighter colors shown on the brain on the right indicate much greater brain activity after students age 9 and 10 spent 20 minutes on a treadmill at moderate speed. Credit: Courtesy Chuck Hillman, University of Illinois This is Your Brain on Exercise 11 A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 018