NFHS Voice: Lights Signal Thanks, Hope
April 24, 2020
By Karissa Niehoff
NFHS Executive Director
The closing of schools and the cancelling of spring activities is a disappointing end to high school for this year’s senior class. However, there is still reason for optimism.
We anticipate that senior athletes and activity participants in the class of 2020 will move on to the highest of leadership roles in their chosen professions in the years to come.
Prior to this year, these seniors have accrued the general benefits of high school sports and other activity programs in which students learn self-discipline, build self-confidence and develop skills for practical situations – teamwork, fair play and hard work. Not to mention that many have higher grade-point averages, better attendance records and are set for a higher success rate in their chosen careers.
Seniors in this year’s class, however, will be among the toughest graduates ever as their lives have been the bookends to two of the worst tragedies in our nation’s history. Born sometime during the 2001-02 school year, which began with the horrific events of September 11, 2001, these resilient 2020 graduates had an abrupt ending to their high school days with the ongoing national health crisis.
Understanding their disappointment of not getting to compete this spring, people from coast to coast are expressing their support for these high school students.
With an idea apparently born in Texas, further developed in Colorado and supported by many others during the past several weeks, lights at high school stadiums throughout the country have been brightening the night-time skies. The #BeALight hashtag accompanies post after post of schools participating in this recognition of seniors who are missing their final season of high school sports or performing arts.
In some cases, the lights come on at 8:20 (20:20 in military time) and glow for 20 minutes, 20 seconds – a connection to the 2020 spring season at hand. Currently, 38 states have officially cancelled spring sports and activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is likely more will follow.
Among the traditional spring sports of track & field, baseball, softball, lacrosse, tennis and golf, almost three million girls and boys will be affected by this shutdown, including upward of one million seniors.
These lights have been turned on to say thanks to those seniors and to let them know they will be missed. Their contributions to high school activity programs will be remembered forever, and the benefits they received will guide them throughout their chosen careers.
Electric bills notwithstanding, perhaps these lights can burn for 20 minutes every night until the games return later this year. The lights signify hope – a hope that these lights will burn again this fall to showcase high school sports and performing arts.
While the timing of the return of high school sports and activities will rest with each state high school association in consultation with local governments and state health officials, the positive impact on communities nationwide will be tremendous. Once all the critical medical precautions have been addressed, high school sports and performing arts could take center stage once again. Although it is still too early to forecast the return of high school sports, its impact could be extraordinary.
With the loss of many non-school and club sport opportunities due to financial issues, high school sports and performing arts could fill an even larger void in the lives of our nation’s youth. And we look forward to that time ahead when student-athletes are on the field and fans are in the stands. Be safe. Stay healthy.
Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is in her second year as executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is the first female to head the national leadership organization for high school athletics and performing arts activities and the sixth full-time executive director of the NFHS, which celebrated its 100th year of service during the 2018-19 school year. She previously was executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference for seven years.
Pandemic Planning: Creating a Schedule
December 15, 2020
By Stacy Leatherwood Cannon, M.D.
Henry Ford Health System
With coronavirus continuing to grab headlines and physical distancing orders still in place, every day tends to feel the same.
More parents than ever are working from home, have reduced hours or may even be out of work due to the pandemic. Those who are working at full capacity may feel the strain of trying to balance work and childcare. Many schools and extracurricular programs have been moved online or canceled.
With both parents and kids feeling the stress of new daily routines, it's more important than ever to create a schedule that all family members can follow.
Staying On Schedule
When schedules are off (particularly sleep schedules), children and teens may be at greater risk for depression and anxiety. Younger children may act out because they have increased energy with no outlet. The good news: Creating a schedule — and sticking with it — can help everyone feel more grounded.
Children thrive with an understanding of the daily routine. Knowing what to expect and what they need to do reduces anxiety and helps kids feel more in control.
A few ways to achieve an effective schedule:
• Make it a family affair: Instead of drawing up a schedule and expecting everyone to stick to it, involve your children in the process. Call a family meeting where you come up with sleep and waking times, mealtimes and breaks. Kids are more likely to embrace a new schedule if they played a hand in creating it.
• Enforce bedtime: Children doing remote learning may not have to rise as early to make it to school on time. Even so, it's important to set a regular bedtime so they can remain on task during daylight hours. Your best bet: Establish a bedtime routine that includes calming activities (like a bath and reading) and ensure your children go to bed at an appropriate hour. School-aged kids should get about 9 to 10 hours of sleep each night.
• Stick to mealtimes: Keeping mealtime consistent allows for a structured break where kids and parents can reconnect and troubleshoot when necessary. This is especially important with older adolescents who may work independently during the school day. Unfortunately, what works for one family member may not work for another. Ideally, families should work together to establish mealtimes, then adjust based on each individual's needs and assignments.
• Encourage breaks: Kids and adults alike become zombie-like after sitting in front of a screen for extended periods. For children who are distance learning, frequent breaks are especially important. The younger the child is, the more breaks they need to stay engaged. That said, even older kids should take breaks every 30 minutes or so to walk around, get a snack and do some simple stretches. Better yet, take your breaks together and do some jumping jacks or share a snack as a family.
Successful Scheduling
Coming up with an effective schedule that the whole family can follow is not something you do at the last minute. Plan for the week ahead over the weekend. Sit down as a family and discuss what worked — and what didn't — the previous week. Then tweak as necessary.
Most important, be patient. These are unprecedented times for all of us. And while we have months of experience dealing with this pandemic, transitioning back to school has brought new challenges.
Try to shift your focus toward the perks of this experience. This is a rare moment in history when families can come together and spend a lot of quality time together. It could be a time of growth and transformation for your whole family.
Concerned about how your children are managing the pandemic? Help is available. To find a doctor or pediatrician at Henry Ford, visit henryford.com or call 1-800-HENRYFORD (436-7936).
Stacy Leatherwood Cannon, M.D., is a board-certified pediatrician and the physician champion for childhood wellness for Henry Ford LiveWell. She sees patients at Henry Ford Medical Centers in midtown Detroit and Sterling Heights. Learn more about Dr. Leatherwood Cannon
PHOTO: Novi's Abigail Pheiffer, a senior on the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, gets in some wall sits during a break in her day.