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"Every child deserves the opportunity to shine, whether academically, through the arts, in sports or via community service. School districts throughout our country work to fulfill their mission to provide these opportunities, first by offering the most robust curriculum possible. Financial strains, however, can often limit extracurricular activities. Yet we can all remember from our own experience that schools, at their best, provide an array of performing and visual arts programming and a wide variety of sports and community service clubs. Numerous studies support engaging students in such a broad range of activities. In fact, as noted by John H. Holloway, a consultant for the teaching and learning division of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton, New Jersey, limiting outside activities can have a negative effect for students:"

Good recommendations to reduce eye strain.

"And as I looked at you there wearing all that worry under all that strain, I said it's about being there for your kids. Because at the end of the day, most students won't remember what amazing lesson plans you've created. They won't remember how organized your bulletin boards are. How straight and neat are the desk rows. No, they'll not remember that amazing decor you've designed. But they will remember you."

"If you suffer from back pain and shoulder strain at work, chances are it has something to do with the way you're sitting. Chiropractor and wellness expert Dr. Kyra Gerber shows us the common posture mistakes we make at our desk and how we can fix them."

" There are a lot of terrific web tools and mobile apps available right now. You know that. But how do you sort out which ones are actually worth downloading or even looking at? The Daily Genius editors have cobbled together a relatively refined list of the 5 best free apps that we plan to start using in the new year. The apps are for iOS, Android, OSX, Windows, Linux, web browsers like Chrome and Firefox, and more. So be sure to check out each one and see if it might be something that saves you time, money, or a headache. Check out f.lux for avoiding an eye strain-related headache, by the way. It's a personal favorite used on all computers in the house."

"You saw the pictures in science class-a profile view of the human brain, sectioned by function. The piece at the very front, right behind where a forehead would be if the brain were actually in someone's head, is the pre-frontal cortex. It handles problem-solving, goal-setting, and task execution. And it works with the limbic system, which is connected and sits closer to the center of the brain. The limbic system processes emotions and triggers emotional responses, in part because of its storage of long-term memory. When a person lives in poverty, a growing body of research suggests the limbic system is constantly sending fear and stress messages to the prefrontal cortex, which overloads its ability to solve problems, set goals, and complete tasks in the most efficient ways. This happens to everyone at some point, regardless of social class. The overload can be prompted by any number of things, including an overly stressful day at work or a family emergency. People in poverty, however, have the added burden of ever-present stress. They are constantly struggling to make ends meet and often bracing themselves against class bias that adds extra strain or even trauma to their daily lives."

"Achieving success typically means keeping a solid grip on your motivation. Otherwise, long-haul projects fizzle fast as you encounter the strain of regular challenges.  But scientists from Emory University now say that chronic inflammation is a huge troublemaker, and that it might interfere with your drive to persist and explore. According to their new theory, detailed in the paper Can't or Won't? Immunometabolic Constraints on Dopaminergic Drive, chronic inflammation puts a squeeze on your brain's dopamine supply. You probably know dopamine best for its role in helping you feel happy, but it's a chemical that keeps your brain seeking novelty, too."

"Importantly, our early indications suggest that the least effective method of reading may be the one society has been clinging to for centuries: reading on paper."