The Impact of Repetitive Concussions In High School Athletes

Concussive injuries appear to be becoming a more common occurrence among athletes. While many studies have assessed the short-term and long-term effects of concussive injuries, fewer studies have specifically addressed the impact of multiple concussive injuries within a high school population. Through the use of the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing measure (ImPACT), this study investigated differences in a sample of 946 high school athletes with varying concussive histories (multiple concussions vs. single concussion vs. no concussion) at baseline and following sustaining a concussive injury. An additional analysis was conducted with athletes who obtained two concussions within the study to assess for trends in symptomology between their first and second injuries. For both baseline and study concussed athletes, athletes with multiple concussive injuries did not exhibit significantly elevated self-report symptoms nor decreased ImPACT composite scores compared to the other groups. Analysis of data from athletes who sustained more than one concussion within the study, revealed an increase in self-report symptoms and a decrease in ImPACT performance from time 1 to time 2. However, these changes were small in magnitude and were not consistently exhibited across the variables under investigation. Overall, this study did not find compelling evidence of increased symptomological patterns or decreased functioning for multiple concussed athletes as compared to peers.

Fixing America's School Lunch Program: Local Issues, National Challenges, and Global Perspectives on Possible Solutions

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has undergone profound changes since its establishment in the 1930s with a primary goal of feeding undernourished school children. Today, the program is under scrutiny for its negative impact on student health and environmental unsustainability. This project investigates the origins of the NSLP, the current status of the program, and opportunities for reform. In view of the program's deficiencies, much can be learned by studying other relevant models for school lunch, such as those used in Italy and France. While recognizing the political realities and budgetary constraints public schools currently confront, the Business Plan applies these lessons in its proposals for rethinking the school lunch program at one Denver public school.