The Sentinel

Federal funding to educate incarcerated restored

Photo: Xiaoyi/PEXELS

by Max Lubbers, Chalkbeat Chicago
Courtesy Illinois News Connection

Jason Marks, 48, said he remembers sitting in a prison cell and thinking to himself: "Is this it? Am I going to die in prison?"

He wanted the answer to be no. But Marks had been in and out of the criminal justice system since his youth - and he didn't know how to break that cycle.

"I was running in a hamster wheel, watching everybody in the world," he said about a week after his release from prison. "I wake up one day, I look in the mirror, I got gray in my goatee. So I'm like: What am I going to do?"

About half a year after he asked himself that question, Marks hit a turning point. He was transferred to a different prison - East Moline Correctional Center - and there, he heard about a program that could grant him a bachelor's degree, run through Augustana College in Rock Island.

Marks applied and got in - and could finally envision a way off the hamster wheel.

"I actually felt like a human being when I was in class," he said. "I don't want this to sound cliche or take this lightly; it's changed my life."

Access to higher education is limited in prison. In 1994, a sweeping federal crime bill cut incarcerated people off from Pell Grants, a form of federal need-based financial aid. In the years after the legislation went into effect, the number of higher education programs in prison fell sharply across the nation, from estimates of more than 700 in the early 1990s to eight in 1997, according to a historical review by the American Enterprise Institute.

This month, for the first time in nearly three decades, the federal government restored Pell Grants to incarcerated people. More than 760,000 incarcerated people across the nation could benefit, the U.S. Department of Education estimates.

A handful of Illinois prisons currently offer non-vocational higher education, according to a 2022 report by the Illinois Higher Education in Prison (HEP) Task Force. That may change under the new policy - but availability of program spots and systemic educational issues could keep many people in prison from actually enrolling this fall.

Eligibility depends on correctional facility, educational level

Pell Grant eligibility will depend on whether an incarcerated person lives in a prison with a federally-approved program. The U.S. Department of Education opened up applications early this month and will approve higher education institutions on a rolling basis.

So it's hard to pin down the number of incarcerated students in Illinois who will receive Pell Grants this school year. But a previous initiative offers clues into how funding will work.

Before this month's change, nearly 200 colleges across the country participated in the "Second Chance Pell Experiment," giving them permission to disburse Pell Grant funds, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Two existing college programs in Illinois drew upon this funding, and both will continue to provide services, said Naomi Puzzello, a spokesperson from the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Augustana Prison Education Program, which Marks attended, is one of those sites.

Sharon Varallo, the executive director of Augustana's program, said the Pell Grant money makes a dent in the cost of running the program. But she said grants and private donors heavily contribute so incarcerated students can attend for free. Augustana enrolled 10 students the first year, then an additional 24 the next year, she said.

"It's going to take more than just Pell (Grants) to fix this system," she said. "It will be a game changer, but it's not going to be a tsunami of new programs opening, I guarantee you that. It is very hard to get going."

The Illinois Department of Corrections contracts some colleges to provide courses, mostly vocational, and Puzzello said these particular programs won't be impacted by Pell restoration as of now. But the majority of higher education programs in Illinois prisons are not state-funded, and could apply to use Pell as another funding stream, as the case with Augustana.

A wide expansion of programs may require more incentive - or more money - than Pell, Varallo said. The Illinois Department of Corrections had not received interest for new programs as of late July, said Puzzello, the spokesperson for the agency.

For now, ending up in a prison with a program is a matter of chance - and there are only so many spots.

A little over 400 people in state-run prisons enrolled in non-contractual programs during the 2021 school year, according to the most recent public data. That's less than 2% of the total prison population at the time, based on the Illinois Department of Corrections' quarterly reports.

Along with having physical access to a program, eligibility depends on sentence length and education level. The Illinois Department of Corrections' policy requires prospective students to have enough time on their sentence to benefit from a program, though it does not outline exact lengths.

Per policy, participants must also have a high school diploma or an equivalent, and they must score an 8 or higher on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE), a nationwide assessment of math, reading, and language skills. Over 60% of test-takers in the state correctional system scored below a 6 on the TABE in 2020, according to the Illinois HEP Task Force report.

Often, incarcerated people face disparities in their education before prison, said Xavier Perez, a criminology professor at DePaul University.

So Pell Grants can help with funding, but they won't erase every barrier to college access, said Perez. Rather, he said broader, structural change will be necessary, and not only around the prison system. He points to underfunded schools - along with poverty, lack of adequate healthcare, and structural racism - as some of the root issues interlocking with incarceration.

For Perez, education was his own escape. He said he went to a juvenile facility as a teenager, but found a refuge through reading and writing. Perez has since earned his Ph.D, and now, he teaches classes at Stateville Correctional Center, a maximum security prison south west of Chicago.

When he walks into class, he sees himself in a lot of his students.

"It might just be a chance of luck, that I'm not in there with them," he said. "Many of them come from my neighborhood. We grew up in the same context, I just was fortunate enough to have programs around me that took my life in another way."

Some research shows that incarcerated people who participate in higher education programs while serving time are less likely to go back to prison.

But Perez said these programs go deeper than those numbers. Where they really shine, he said, is the way they "get people rethinking about their environment and their worldview."

Jason Marks - the student at Augustana's program - knows that transformation well. He's been in and out of adult prisons nearly 10 times, mainly for theft and some battery charges.

So when he took classes in prison, he had a question for his professors: What do I do after release?

"I thrive in prison; I'm good at that, I've done it enough times. Where I need help is here and now, upon getting out. I said: 'Is there a path forward?'" Marks said. "It was breaking my mind - so many times back and forth inside of that hell."

Thanks to Augustana's program, Marks said he finally felt supported when he got released in June. This time, as he walked outside the prison gates, he saw his professors there to celebrate. No one had cared to wait for him like that before, he said.

"I finally feel like I found some inner peace," he said. "Since I've been out, I keep getting these waves of anxiety coming on - like I have this fear that something's wrong, but nothing's wrong. Because I'm just so used to something always being wrong."

Marks grew up surrounded by abuse and addiction, he said, with family members getting him drunk at 10 years old and high on cocaine by 15. And, in the past, he said he tended to end up on his family's couch, or right back to doing what landed him in the system.

But now, the Augustana program is giving him a chance at a different path.

Marks has heard the criticism that people in prison don't deserve to go to college, especially not for free. But he said everyone deserves an education and wishes the Pell Grant restoration could have happened long ago.

Breaking the cycle requires changing structures, Hope Student Tyrone Stone - who also participated in Augustana's program - said people need more than education to break the cycle. They need hope and support.

Growing up on Chicago's West Side, Stone said he excelled in high school. After graduating, he moved to Lincoln, Illinois to enroll in college.

"In my family and my friends' eyes, I'm this guy that's doing really great - you know, 'He's the one that's going to help, he's the one that's going to change things,'" Stone said.

But his life took a turn. His father died in prison. Stone couldn't afford to stay at his college. He moved back to the Chicago area and took classes at a few other colleges, but he struggled.

Then he said he got caught up in the streets. In 2015, Stone went to prison for armed robbery. He got to go home earlier this year. He's now 35.

"Your thinking process has to change. Things you want to keep up with, you gotta let go. You can't be the same person," he said. "So I had to grow up really, really fast."

While in prison, Stone said he did what he could - he raised his kids over the phone, calling them and listening to their remote lessons when COVID-19 forced virtual learning. He taught some of his peers reading skills and said he participated in any program he could.

Stone got released early for good behavior. But even so, his life was on pause for about seven years. Time went by, chipping away his confidence and motivation.

That changed with his college program, he said. In his first class, he doubted that he could form genuine connections - but by the end, he said his classmates came rushing to hug him. They could tell when he was hurting or sad, he said, and they'd support him when he needed it.

"The camaraderie is a real thing, the learning is a real thing," he said. "It's a competitiveness like no other. A lot of people might think, you guys are just inmates. But there are some brilliant people behind bars."

During one class, he said they close-read the lyrics of "Strange Fruit" sung by Billie Holiday, a song protesting the lynching of Black Americans. The previous day, he said he had watched the trial for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who ultimately was convicted in 2021 for murdering George Floyd.

"It was not a coincidence to me. It was like, 'I have to wake up,'" he said. "I don't want to be a victim. I know George Floyd or any of these other victims didn't go outside and want to become a victim. I don't want to be a martyr in that way."

That's why he's motivated to change the systemic issues in the incarceration system, he said - including the way that people of color are disproportionately locked up. Two-thirds of people incarcerated in state-run prisons are people of color, based on the most recent public prison population data, while 76% of people in Illinois are white, according to the U.S. Census.

Stone said he's also concerned about young people who are incarcerated. When he got sent to Cook County Jail - a Chicagoland facility where thousands of people wait for their trials - Stone said he saw many teenagers there with him. He remembers hearing some say they didn't expect to live past 21, so why read a book?

"They looked like babies," he said. "They look like my babies - these are the same babies that I saw inside these cages."

So Stone now dreams of creating a program to support youth, and using the space of his old elementary school - Paderewski - to do it. Paderewski closed in 2013 when then-mayor Rahm Emanuel recommended shutting down 50 public schools, the majority serving primarily Black students.

Without his higher education program in prison, Stone said, he wouldn't have the belief in himself to come up with that idea.

"Once we have that beacon, that light, that hope, then we start to rebuild our personalities," Stone said. "We start to rebuild our purpose and create a complete self, someone that we can present to the world and say, 'I messed up, but look at what I'm doing now.'"

Prison education programs can help change perspectives

The programs can provide more than a boost to the spirit. In Marks' case, it helped him find his bearings after his release from East Moline Correctional Center late last month.

When he got out, Marks said he had about $30 to his name. Members of the Augustana program helped coordinate his housing and basic necessities. And they formed a support network around him.

That first day of release, Marks got a blanket, handmade for him. It was donated by a local church that the director of his program attends.

In a corner panel reads a message: "Welcome Home." He still keeps it on his bed.

"I'm surrounded by positive, smart, successful people, and I'm like - how is this happening?" Marks said. "It's sad that people are getting out that won't have this, and I didn't have this any other time."

Marks' professors call him up to get lunch. His previous roommate taught him how to use a computer, so Marks could type up his cover letter. And in the month since his release, Marks has landed a job.

These days, Marks said life looks different - he's no longer running frantically on a hamster wheel, looking at the world passing him by.

"I walk outside and everything's slowed down a little bit," he said. "I enjoy the fresh air and the trees look greener; I start laughing sometimes, like man, this is crazy."

It's surreal at times, Marks said, but it's an outlook he wants to keep. While at his transitional housing, Marks saw a neighbor across the street moving in. He decided to offer his assistance.

He helped get her stuff moved out of a storage unit and into her house. And one day, after he saw her son riding around in a scooter, Marks gave the boy a bike that had been donated to him.

"I felt like, 'I gotta do something for somebody, because everybody's doing things for me,'" he said.

He's also determined to do something for himself: Break the cycle and keep moving forward, off that hamster wheel.

This article was first published for Chalkbeat Chicago and courtesy Illinois News Connection.

Recipe | Flavor-rich fresh homemade peach pie

Photo provided

StatePoint Media - From the hearty and warm flavors of winter to the bold, rich and bright flavors of summer, herbs and spices are not only a delicious and better-for-you addition to any dish, they can transform it into unforgettable memories.

Summer is the perfect time of year to celebrate food, flavor and time with family or friends. As you prepare for all this season’s gatherings, remember to shop carefully, as freshness is essential when it comes to herbs and spices.

"Fresh flavors and aromas are strong triggers that ensure that experiences today are remembered tomorrow," says Giovanna DiLegge, vice president marketing, North America Consumer at McCormick, a global leader in flavor.

That’s why for the first time in nearly 40 years, McCormick is debuting a brand new design for its red cap branded products that audibly seals in aromas and flavors, for long-lasting freshness of herbs and spices. And to help you make the most of summer, McCormick is sharing this recipe for Fresh Peach Pie, which incorporates rich and bright summer fruits, and a sweet note of cinnamon spice:

Ingredients:
• 3 pounds fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced (about 7 cups)
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick Ground Cinnamon, divided
• 1 package (14.1 ounces) refrigerated pie crusts, (2 crusts)
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 tablespoon McCormick All Natural Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 tablespoon water

Instructions:
1. Mix peaches, 1/2 cup of sugar, lemon zest and juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in large heat-safe bowl until well blended. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain peaches, reserving 8 tablespoons of juice. Return peaches to bowl; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, prepare pie crust as directed on package. Roll each crust into 12-inch circles on lightly floured surface. Press 1 crust into bottom of 9-inch pie plate. Cut remaining crust into 10 strips, about 1-inch wide. Refrigerate pie plate with bottom crust and prepared strips until ready to assemble pie.

3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Mix 2 tablespoons of remaining sugar, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and corn starch in small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of reserved peach juice to cornstarch mixture, whisking to mix well; set aside.

4. Place remaining 6 tablespoons peach juice in small saucepan. Bring to simmer on medium-low heat. Stir in vanilla. Whisk cornstarch slurry into saucepan. Cook and stir just until thickened and smooth, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Pour syrup mixture over peaches; toss to coat. Allow to cool slightly.

5. Spoon peach mixture into chilled pastry-lined pie plate. Arrange pie dough strips over top to create a lattice (see below for instructions). Trim dough strips about 1/2-inch longer than bottom pie crust. Fold strips underneath crust and pinch to adhere. Crimp or flute crust edges, as desired. Brush lattice with water and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Place pie plate on large shallow baking pan.

6. Bake 25 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F. Rotate pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes longer, until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on wire rack. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

How to weave a lattice top crust: Using longer strips for the center of pie and shorter strips for edges, arrange 5 pie dough strips vertically over top of filling, leaving about 1 inch of space between each strip. Fold back every other strip (2 and 4) to just above midline of pie. Place one of the longer strips across pie horizontally, just below the fold. Fold vertical strips back down over top of the horizontal strip. Fold back the opposite vertical strips (1, 3 and 5) and place another strip below the first horizontal strip, again leaving about 1 inch of space between them. Fold vertical strips back down over top. Repeat this process with one more strip below, and then 2 strips above first crosswise strip. Work quickly, as the warm filling may make the dough difficult to work with.

After 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover edge of crust with foil strips to prevent excessive browning.

Guest Commentary | A person of many companions may soon come to ruin

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

You may have heard this before. I went out to find a friend a none were to be found. I went out to be a friend and found them all around.

Where do you find friends?

Your best friends may be your family. You may be close to siblings, cousins, and others related to you. Growing up, I was blessed to be around a lot of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, siblings, and parents. I didn’t have to think much about searching for friends because so many relatives were always around. This is not always the case. Many people have small families or maybe even no family. Some families go in different directions, live in different places, or move on with different interests and lives.

The Internet and social media have become the world’s biggest connection place.

We often find friends in school. Some of the people we shared elementary and high school with become lifelong connections. Even if we don’t see each other much, we still have those great past times that help us reconnect quickly.

We connect with people at our places of employment. Some of the people you spend hours with every day become lifelong friends.

Houses of faith are often good places to make new friends. People get to know each other in Bible study classes and other small group religious settings. The people you share your faith with will often become like brothers and sisters.

The local gym is often a place where people socialize. If you become a routine attender of an exercise class you will eventually develop some friends.

The Internet and social media have become the world’s biggest connection place. To many people this is their only connection. All their “friends” are on Facebook or Instagram. Many people have thousands of social media friends. Too often the loneliest people on the planet are those who are only connected by a keypad.

There are many more places where you can connect. Many communities have baking, quilting, hunting, sports clubs, and more. Civic groups from Kiwanis, Rotary, and Ruritan groups will often meet weekly and do community projects.

You might make some friends volunteering at the hospital or nursing home. There will be people in most of these places who will be glad to make a new friend. Talk to your local nursing home about your interest and you may be surprised how quickly your talents are utilized. You will also find some people who will be glad to make a new friend. Keep in mind this is not always easy as you will be trying to make friends with many who feel alone and forgotten.

You can always become active in the local political circles. This all depends on your level of desperation and if you don’t mind being shunned by whichever party you don’t declare affiliation.

Don’t try to have too many friends. The Bible says a person of many companions may soon come to ruin. However, you need a few friends and hopefully you will have some good ones.

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He is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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Declutter, Discover, Delight: Hosting a stellar yard sale this fall

Photo: Duskfall Crew/Unsplash

Sentinel News Service - In a world where material possessions seem to accumulate faster than we can keep up, the idea of decluttering has become more appealing than ever. But what if there was a way to not only declutter your living space but also discover hidden treasures and delight in the process? Enter the backyard yard sale – a fantastic opportunity to turn your excess belongings into cash while creating a sense of community in your own neighborhood. This guide will walk you through the steps of hosting a stellar yard sale in your backyard, from planning and organizing to maximizing your profits and enjoying the experience.

The Power of Decluttering
Before you can embark on the journey of hosting a successful yard sale, it's important to recognize the transformative power of decluttering. Clutter not only occupies physical space but can also weigh down your mind. By letting go of items you no longer need or use, you're not just clearing your environment but making space for positive energy and new beginnings. Embracing the process of decluttering can lead to a sense of liberation, allowing you to focus on what truly matters and inviting a renewed sense of creativity into your life.

Unearthing Hidden Treasures
One person's trash is another person's treasure, and hosting a yard sale is the perfect opportunity to unearth hidden gems. As you go through your belongings, you might come across items you had forgotten about or that hold sentimental value. This discovery process adds an element of excitement to the yard sale experience, both for you as you reminisce about the stories behind the items and for your potential buyers who might stumble upon unique pieces that spark their sense of nostalgia and fascination.

Planning Your Stellar Yard Sale
A successful yard sale requires careful planning and organization. Start by setting a date and time for your event, considering factors like weather and local community events to ensure maximum foot traffic. Weekends are often ideal, as more people are likely to be available to attend. Check local regulations and obtain any necessary permits to avoid any last-minute hassles. Create a thoughtfully organized layout for your yard, designating clear areas for different categories of items to create an effortless browsing experience for your shoppers. Remember, pricing is key – be realistic and open to negotiation, striking a balance between attracting buyers and ensuring a fair return for your belongings. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal is not only to declutter your space but also to find new loving homes for your items while also making a satisfying profit.

Organizing for Success
As the date of the yard sale in your backyard approaches, it's time to get organized. Gather tables, racks, and other display items to showcase your items attractively. Create inviting arrangements that draw shoppers in and encourage them to explore. Group similar items together – clothing, electronics, kitchenware, etc., allowing visitors to browse through categories of interest effortlessly. Consider using signs or labels for the organization and adding a charming touch to your setup, guiding buyers on their treasure hunt. Ensure that your yard is clean and presentable, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that entices visitors to linger and discover hidden gems.

Marketing Matters
You'll need to spread the word about your yard sale to attract a steady stream of enthusiastic buyers eager to uncover treasures. Leverage the power of social media by creating engaging posts and events on popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Showcase high-quality photos of select items you'll be offering to pique curiosity and anticipation. In addition to digital strategies, don't underestimate the charm of traditional methods – hang eye-catching flyers around your neighborhood and personally share the event details with your circle of friends and family. This dynamic approach ensures that your yard sale becomes the talk of the town, drawing in a diverse crowd of bargain hunters and curious shoppers.

The Art of Negotiation
Yard sales are known for their bargain-hunting atmosphere, and the art of negotiation plays a significant role. Be prepared for haggling and consider setting slightly higher prices than you're willing to accept. This strategic pricing approach not only provides flexibility for bargaining but also allows you to meet your buyers halfway, ensuring both parties walk away feeling satisfied. Keep a friendly and open attitude throughout these interactions, making the shopping experience transactional and a pleasant and memorable exchange for your visitors.

Embracing the Delight
As shoppers explore your yard sale and make purchases, take a moment to embrace the delight of the experience. Engage with your visitors, share stories about the items you're selling if applicable, and enjoy the sense of community that such an event can bring. Seeing your items find new homes and knowing that you're contributing to sustainable shopping practices can be truly fulfilling.

Giving Back and Clearing Out
At the end of your yard sale, you might find that you have some items left. Consider donating them to local charities or shelters, ensuring that they find meaningful homes. This final step in the process can bring a sense of closure and fulfillment, knowing that your belongings are making a positive impact.

Counting Your Delights – Maximizing Profits
After the sale concludes, take some time to tally up your earnings. Reflect on what went well and what you could improve for next time. Hosting a yard sale in your backyard isn't just about decluttering; it's also an opportunity to earn extra cash and learn valuable lessons about organizing, marketing, and connecting with others. It is also one of the really good money saving moving tips—organizing a yard sale in order to declutter before a relocation. This will help you reduce the number of things you will need to haul with you and also ensure you don't go over your budget, as you will also make some extra moving cash. Therefore, it is an overall win-win situation, no matter the goal.

A Journey of Decluttering, Discovery, and Delight with a Yard Sale in Your Backyard
Hosting a yard sale in your backyard is a multifaceted journey that goes beyond the simple act of selling items. It's about decluttering your space, discovering hidden treasures, and delighting in the process. From the initial planning stages to the final moments of the sale, every step offers a chance to connect with your community, embrace the art of negotiation, and experience the joy of giving your belongings a new lease on life. So, roll up your sleeves, get ready to declutter, and embark on a delightful adventure right in your own backyard.

Back-to-School: Safety tips for students riding the bus to school

Photo: Jean Woloszczyk/Unsplash

Family Features - Another school year means millions of children across the United States will begin and end each day with a bus ride. The way many kids ride to school today, however, is the same as it was 25 years ago - in diesel school buses, which have been shown to be harmful to children's health, the community and the climate.

Investments are being made to clean up the nation's school bus fleet, like the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean School Bus Program, which will provide $5 billion over five years to help replace existing buses with low- and zero-emission models. One alternative energy source, propane, is an environmentally friendly and affordable option that can be implemented today to provide a better tomorrow for more students. The low-carbon emissions energy source is abundantly available and can work in tandem with other energy sources, including electric, to move the nation's school bus fleet further down the path to zero emissions and ensure every child has a safe, clean, healthy ride to school.

In addition to speaking to your children's school district officials about alternative school bus solutions, there are lessons parents can teach their children about how to remain safe before, during and after their daily trips on school buses. Consider these tips from the experts at the National Association of Pupil Transportation.

Before the Bus Arrives

Ensure backpacks are packed securely so papers and other items don't scatter as the bus approaches.

Create a morning routine that puts kids at the bus stop five minutes before the scheduled pickup time. This helps avoid a last-minute rush, when safety lessons are easily forgotten, and ensures kids are safely in place for boarding.

Encourage children to wear bright, contrasting colors so they can be seen easier by drivers.

Instruct children to walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, advise them to stay out of the street, walk single-file, face traffic and stay as close to the edge of the road as possible.

Walk young children to the bus stop or encourage kids to walk in groups. There is safety in numbers; groups are easier for drivers to see.

If kids must cross a street, driveway or alley, remind them to stop and look both ways before crossing.

Verify the bus stop location offers good visibility for the bus driver; if changes are needed, talk with nearby homeowners or school district officials to implement changes. Never let kids wait in a house or car, where the driver may miss seeing them approach the bus.

Remind children the bus stop is not a playground. Balls or other toys can roll into the street and horseplay could result in someone falling into the path of oncoming traffic.

Instruct children to stay at least three steps away from the road and allow the bus to come to a complete stop before approaching it.

On the Bus Ride

When boarding the bus, items can get bumped and dropped. Caution children that before picking anything up, they should talk to the driver and follow instructions to safely retrieve their possessions.

Teach safe riding habits: Stay seated with head, hands and feet inside at all times; keep bags and books out of the aisle and remain seated until the bus stops moving.

Instruct children to never throw things on the bus or out the windows and to never play with or block emergency exits.

Remind kids that loud noises are off limits so they don't distract the driver. That includes cellphones and other electronic devices; instruct children to put them on mute or use headphones.

Leaving the Bus

Remind children to look before stepping off the bus. If they must cross the street, teach them to do so in front of the bus by taking five big steps (approximately 10 feet) away from the front of the bus, looking up and waiting for the driver to signal it's safe.

For parents who meet their kids at the bus, eliminate the risk of your children darting across the street by waiting on the side of the street where they exit the bus.

Make the bus ride part of your daily "how was school?" discussion. Encourage kids to talk about the things they see and hear on the bus so you can discuss appropriate behaviors and, if necessary, report any concerns to school administrators.

Benefits of Propane Buses
Every day, 1.3 million children in the United States ride to school in 22,000 propane-powered school buses, which are currently in use by more than 1,000 school districts across 48 states. Alternative fuels, such as propane, offer multiple benefits for school districts and students alike because propane buses reduce harmful emissions, save money and provide a safer ride for students.

Student Health
Propane reduces harmful nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 94% compared to diesel and emits near-zero particulate matter emissions. Both emissions, which can be found in the cloud of smoke emitted from the tailpipes of diesel buses, are known triggers for asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems, according to the EPA.

Reliability
Propane has a range of 400 miles and the performance needed to drive long distances without stopping to recharge or refuel.

Cost Savings
While propane and electric are both options for clean student transportation that also reduce the harm to air quality, the cost is not equal. On average, an electric school bus costs $375,000, meaning districts can purchase three propane-powered buses (which are only $6,000 more expensive than diesel buses) for the price of one electric bus. In fact, a study from the World LP Gas Association found the cost savings of getting rid of all diesel buses and replacing them with propane would save enough money to hire 23,000 teachers due to lower long-term fuel and maintenance costs.

Find more information and learn how to talk to school district officials about adopting clean school buses at BetterOurBuses.com.

Tips for parents for kids with Autism heading back to school this month

by Terri Dee
Illinois News Connection

It's also important to pay attention to the physical needs of an autistic child to avoid overwhelming them.

CHICAGO - For a child on the autism spectrum, returning to school after the summer break may be viewed with anxiety and hesitancy. However, parents can pave the way for a better experience.

A child may feel uncomfortable with the unfamiliar faces of a new teacher and classmates. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, about one in 50 children in Illinois is diagnosed with autism.

Erin Skaggs, marketing director for Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley, said she believes some action in advance of the first day of school can make a difference.

"I always recommend to start with your school - contact the counselor or social worker about setting up a one-on-one school tour," she said. "It really can help alleviate some of those questions kids have, and parents, about where their child will be going on that first day. And then certainly, of course, going to any other 'welcome' events the school may have."

Skaggs suggested that the child also have a one-on-one meeting with the teacher - and with parents present - before the school year starts, to address any necessary accommodations. She added that letting children choose their own school supplies and clothing gives them a sense of control and can have a positive impact.

In DuPage County, the ratio of children with autism is one in 65. In Lake and McHenry counties, it is one in 70, according to state data.

It's also important to pay attention to the physical needs of an autistic child to avoid overwhelming them. Skaggs said a backpack to be carried to and from school should be the correct size for the child. It should have adjustable straps and be no wider or longer than the child's torso for equal weight distribution.

"Always make sure if you're loading items into your child's backpack to place heavier items closest to the back of the backpack, closest to the body," she said.

The Illinois Center for Autism's Special Day School Program offers year-round educational programming to students from ages 3 to 21 who've been diagnosed with autism, cognitive or emotional disabilities or developmental delays. The ICA program is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Caffeine? How much is too much for kids and adolescents needing an energy boost?

Photo: Don Daskalo/Unsplash

While most caffeinated beverages are marketed and flavored to taste good for children, too much caffeine over a sustain period of time can have side effects or even be toxic students.

by Tim Ditman
OSF Healthcare

Key takeaways:

Too much caffeine can lead to headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, high blood pressure and hyperactivity. For kids, this can impact schoolwork and athletics.

Everyone responds to caffeine differently. But a general rule for young people: limit daily caffeine consumption to 2.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.

Adults should watch what kids are drinking, how often and how they respond. If you have significant symptoms of a caffeine overdose, call 9-1-1.

Urbana - United States Sen. Chuck Schumer is asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to look into PRIME Energy drinks, a product of entertainers Logan Paul and KSI. The senator claims the drinks are high in caffeine and are marketed to children, possibly leading to dangerous health outcomes. The people behind PRIME have defended the product.

Politics aside, the issue of what young people put in their bodies is something to be aware of, says Michael Broman, PhD, MD, an OSF HealthCare cardiologist. In fact, it’s one he thinks about daily.

“My children are 8 and 10. I don’t allow them to have caffeine except under my supervision and only in very small doses,” Dr. Broman says sternly.

Caffeine basics

Dr. Broman says energy drinks, when consumed properly, can provide the desired energy boost. A college student studying for a test, for example.

But it’s caffeine consumption that you must be aware of.

“Caffeine has clearly been linked to adverse events and toxicity when given at a high enough dose,” Dr. Broman says.

The effects of caffeine will vary from person to person. Some will be more sensitive to caffeine due to genetics. Others may be able to break down caffeine more quickly, meaning less sensitivity.

Generally though, Dr. Broman says taking in too much caffeine could lead to your heart racing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain and high blood pressure. You may also feel hyper and not able to sit still.

“Caffeine also causes dependence,” Dr. Broman adds. “As a person uses more and more over time, they start to miss it when they don’t have it. They can withdraw from caffeine.

“That’s one of the most worrisome side effects, especially in kids. If a child is using a lot of caffeine and they stop, they can have attention problems and headaches. It can affect their performance in school and athletics.”

What to know

Here’s the formula to remember: Dr. Broman says for children and adolescents, limit daily caffeine consumption to 2.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. (You can easily find a pounds to kilograms converter online.)

For example, if a high school student weighs 120 pounds (or around 54 kilograms), they would want to stick to 135 milligrams of caffeine per day. One PRIME Energy drink has 200 milligrams of caffeine. A 20-ounce bottle of Coca Cola has 57 milligrams. Caffeine content in coffee can vary. So be vigilant about your health and seek out the numbers. Check the product label or look up the product online before you swing by the drive thru or go to the store.

The formula, though, doesn’t mean two bottles of Coke or a half swig of PRIME per day will yield no consequences for a 120-pound teenager. Rather, Dr. Broman recommends people under 18 not ingest caffeine regularly at all. Parents, teachers and coaches should watch what young people are drinking. Make the energy drink or soda a once-in-a-while treat. Water flavored with fresh fruit can be an alternative or talk to a dietitian about what’s right for you.

“A lot of these caffeinated beverages are marketed and flavored to taste good for children,” Dr. Broman says. “The drinks may also be in the store displays right next to the non-caffeinated beverages. They can look almost the same. So, it’s often difficult for a young person to figure out, ‘Is this beverage caffeinated? Is this one non-caffeinated?’”

And remember, everyone reacts to caffeine differently. Like any other ailment, know your health history and how your body responds to things. If you have significant symptoms from a caffeine overdose, call 9-1-1 and take an ambulance to the emergency department.

“People with prior cardiac conditions are way more likely to have very dangerous side effects from the use of caffeine,” Dr. Broman says.

Remote work was an underestimated benefit and blessing for family caregivers

by Joanne Kenen
Kaiser Health News

Even when Beltré switched to a hybrid work role — meaning some days in the office, others at home — caring for her father was manageable, though never easy.

For Aida Beltré, working remotely during the pandemic came as a relief.

She was taking care of her father, now 86, who has been in and out of hospitals and rehabs after a worsening series of strokes in recent years.

Working from home for a rental property company, she could handle it. In fact, like most family caregivers during the early days of covid-19, she had to handle it. Community programs for the elderly had shut down.

Even when Beltré switched to a hybrid work role — meaning some days in the office, others at home — caring for her father was manageable, though never easy.

Then she was ordered back to the office full time in 2022. By then, Medicaid was covering 17 hours of home care a week, up from five. But that was not close to enough. Beltré, now 61, was always rushing, always worrying. There was no way she could leave her father alone so long.

She quit. “I needed to see my dad,” she said.

Couple out for a walk

Photo: Pixabay/Mark Thomas

Work-from-home made it much easier for caregivers to take care of their loved ones and improve the quality of life those they were responsible for during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In theory, the national debate about remote or hybrid work is one great big teachable moment about the demands on the 53 million Americans taking care of an elderly or disabled relative.

But the “return to office” debate has centered on commuting, convenience, and child care. That fourth C, caregiving, is seldom mentioned.

That’s a missed opportunity, caregivers and their advocates say.

Employers and co-workers understand the need to take time off to care for a baby. But there’s a lot less understanding about time to care for anyone else. “We need to destigmatize it and create a culture where it’s normalized, like birth or adoption,” said Karen Kavanaugh, chief of strategic initiatives at the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. For all the talk of cradle to grave, she said, “mostly, it’s cradle.”

After her stepmother died, Beltré moved her father into her home in Fort Myers, Florida, in 2016. His needs have multiplied, and she’s been juggling, juggling, juggling. She’s exhausted and, now, unemployed.

She’s also not alone. About one-fifth of U.S. workers are family caregivers, and nearly a third have quit a job because of their caregiving responsibilities, according to a report from the Rosalynn Carter Institute. Others cut back their hours. The Rand Corp. has estimated that caregivers lose half a trillion dollars in family income each year — an amount that’s almost certainly gone up since the report was released nearly a decade ago.

Beltré briefly had a remote job but left it. The position required sales pitches to people struggling with elder care, which she found uncomfortable. She rarely gets out — only to the grocery store and church, and even then she’s constantly checking on her dad.

“This is the story of my life,” she said.

Workplace flexibility, however desirable, is no substitute for a national long-term care policy, a viable long-term care insurance market, or paid family leave, none of which are on Washington’s radar.

President Joe Biden gave family caregivers a shoutout in his State of the Union address in February and followed up in April with an executive order aimed at supporting caregivers and incorporating their needs in planning federal programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. Last year, his Department of Health and Human Services released a National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers outlining how federal agencies can help and offering road maps for the private sector.

Although Biden checked off priorities and potential innovations, he didn’t offer any money. That would have to come from Congress. And Congress right now is locked in a battle over cutting spending, not increasing it.

They cashed in his retirement fund to hire part-time caregivers.

So that leaves it up to families.

Remote work can’t fill all the caregiving gaps, particularly when the patient has advanced disease or dementia and needs intense round-the-clock care from a relative who is also trying to do a full-time job from the kitchen table.

But there are countless scenarios in which the option to work remotely is an enormous help.

When a disease flares up. When someone is recuperating from an injury, an operation, or a rough round of chemo. When a paid caregiver is off, or sick, or AWOL. When another family caregiver, the person who usually does the heavy lift literally or metaphorically, needs respite.

“Being able to respond to time-sensitive needs for my dad at the end of his life, and to be present with my stepmother, who was the 24/7 caregiver, was an incredible blessing,” said Gretchen Alkema, a well-known expert in aging policy who now runs a consulting firm and was able to work from her dad’s home as needed.

That flexibility is what Rose Garcia has come to appreciate, as a small-business owner and a caregiver for her husband.

Garcia’s husband and business partner, Alex Sajkovic, has Lou Gehrig’s disease. Because of his escalating needs and the damage the pandemic wrought on their San Francisco stone and porcelain design company, she downsized and redesigned the business. They cashed in his retirement fund to hire part-time caregivers. She goes to work in person sometimes, particularly to meet architects and clients, which she enjoys. The rest of the time she works from home.

As it happened, two of her employees also had caregiving obligations. Her experience, she said, made her open to doing things differently.

For one employee, a hybrid work schedule didn’t work out. She had many demands on her, plus her own serious illness, and couldn’t make her schedule mesh with Garcia’s. For the other staff member, who has a young child and an older mother, hybrid work let her keep the job.

If caregivers quit or go part time, they lose pay, benefits, Social Security, and retirement savings.

A third worker comes in full time, Garcia said. Since he’s often alone, his dogs come too.

In Lincoln, Nebraska, Sarah Rasby was running the yoga studio she co-owned, teaching classes, and taking care of her young children. Then, at 35, her twin sister, Erin Lewis, had a sudden cardiac event that triggered an irreversible and ultimately fatal brain injury. For three heartbreaking years, her sister’s needs were intense, even when she was in a rehab center or nursing home. Rasby, their mother, and other family members spent hour after hour at her side.

Rasby, who also took on all the legal and paperwork tasks for her twin, sold the studio.

“I’m still playing catch-up from all those years of not having income,” said Rasby, now working on a graduate degree in family caregiving.

Economic stress is not unusual. Caregivers are disproportionately women. If caregivers quit or go part time, they lose pay, benefits, Social Security, and retirement savings.

“It’s really important to keep someone attached to the labor market,” the Rosalynn Carter Institute’s Kavanaugh said. Caregivers “prefer to keep working. Their financial security is diminished when they don’t — and they may lose health insurance and other benefits.”

But given the high cost of home care, the sparse insurance coverage for it, and the persistent workforce shortages in home health and adult day programs, caregivers often feel they have no choice but to leave their jobs.

Temote and hybrid work is mostly for people whose jobs are largely computer-based. A restaurant server can’t refill a coffee cup via Zoom.

At the same time, though, more employers, facing a competitive labor market, are realizing that flexibility regarding remote or hybrid work helps attract and retain workers. Big consultant companies like BCG offer advice on “the working caregiver.”

Successful remote work during the pandemic has undercut bosses’ abilities to claim, “You can’t do your job like that,” observed Rita Choula, director of caregiving for the AARP Public Policy Institute. It’s been more common in recent years for employers to offer policies that help workers with child care. Choula wants to see them expanded “so that they represent a broad range of caregiving that occurs across life.”

Yet, even with covid’s reframing of in-person work, telecommuting is still not the norm. A March report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found only 1 in 4 private businesses had some or all of their workforce remote last summer — a dropoff from 40% in 2021, the second pandemic summer. Only about 1 in 10 workplaces are fully remote.

And remote and hybrid work is mostly for people whose jobs are largely computer-based. A restaurant server can’t refill a coffee cup via Zoom. An assembly line worker can’t weld a car part from her father-in-law’s bedside.

But even in the service and manufacturing sectors, willing employers can explore creative solutions, like modified shift schedules or job shares, said Kavanaugh, who is running pilot programs with businesses in Michigan. Cross-training so workers can fill in for one another when one has to step into caregiving is another strategy.

New approaches can’t come soon enough for Aida Beltré, who finds joy in caregiving along with the burden. She’s looking for work, hybrid this time. “I am a people person,” she said. “I need to get out.”

She also needs to be in. “Every night, he says, ‘Thank you for all you do,’” she said of her father. “I tell him, ‘I do this because I love you.’”

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

African-American women who use chemical relaxers suffer from hormone-related cancer more frequently

by Ronnie Cohen
Kaiser Health News

Social and economic pressures have long compelled Black girls and women to straighten their hair to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.

Deanna Denham Hughes was stunned when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer last year. She was only 32. She had no family history of cancer, and tests found no genetic link. Hughes wondered why she, an otherwise healthy Black mother of two, would develop a malignancy known as a “silent killer.”

After emergency surgery to remove the mass, along with her ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, and appendix, Hughes said, she saw an Instagram post in which a woman with uterine cancer linked her condition to chemical hair straighteners.

“I almost fell over,” she said from her home in Smyrna, Georgia.

When Hughes was about 4, her mother began applying a chemical straightener, or relaxer, to her hair every six to eight weeks. “It burned, and it smelled awful,” Hughes recalled. “But it was just part of our routine to ‘deal with my hair.’”

The routine continued until she went to college and met other Black women who wore their hair naturally. Soon, Hughes quit relaxers.

Social and economic pressures have long compelled Black girls and women to straighten their hair to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards. But chemical straighteners are stinky and costly and sometimes cause painful scalp burns. Mounting evidence now shows they could be a health hazard.

Relaxers can contain carcinogens, like formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, and other endocrine-disrupting compounds, according to National Institutes of Health studies. The compounds can mimic the body’s hormones and have been linked to breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers, studies show.

African American women’s often frequent and lifelong application of chemical relaxers to their hair and scalp might explain why hormone-related cancers kill disproportionately more Black than white women, say researchers and cancer doctors.

“What’s in these products is harmful,” said Tamarra James-Todd, an epidemiology professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who has studied straightening products for the past 20 years.

She believes manufacturers, policymakers, and physicians should warn consumers that relaxers might cause cancer and other health problems.

In conversations with patients, Gore sometimes also talks about how African American women once wove messages into their braids about the route to take on the Underground Railroad as they sought freedom from slavery.

But regulators have been slow to act, physicians have been reluctant to take up the cause, and racism continues to dictate fashion standards that make it tough for women to quit relaxers, products so addictive they’re known as “creamy crack.”

Michelle Obama straightened her hair when Barack served as president because she believed Americans were “not ready” to see her in braids, the former first lady said after leaving the White House. The U.S. military still prohibited popular Black hairstyles like dreadlocks and twists while the nation’s first Black president was in office.

California in 2019 became the first of nearly two dozen states to ban race-based hair discrimination. Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed similar legislation, known as the CROWN Act, for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. But the bill failed in the Senate.

The need for legislation underscores the challenges Black girls and women face at school and in the workplace.

“You have to pick your struggles,” said Atlanta-based surgical oncologist Ryland Gore. She informs her breast cancer patients about the increased cancer risk from relaxers. Despite her knowledge, however, Gore continues to use chemical straighteners on her own hair, as she has since she was about 7 years old.

“Your hair tells a story,” she said.

“It’s just a deep discussion,” one that touches on culture, history, and research into current hairstyling practices, she said. “The data is out there. So patients should be warned, and then they can make a decision.”

The first hint of a connection between hair products and health issues surfaced in the 1990s. Doctors began seeing signs of sexual maturation in Black babies and young girls who developed breasts and pubic hair after using shampoo containing estrogen or placental extract. When the girls stopped using the shampoo, the hair and breast development receded, according to a study published in the journal Clinical Pediatrics in 1998.

A 2017 study found white women who used chemical relaxers were nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those who did not use them.

Since then, James-Todd and other researchers have linked chemicals in hair products to a variety of health issues more prevalent among Black women — from early puberty to preterm birth, obesity, and diabetes.

In recent years, researchers have focused on a possible connection between ingredients in chemical relaxers and hormone-related cancers, like the one Hughes developed, which tend to be more aggressive and deadly in Black women.

A 2017 study found white women who used chemical relaxers were nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those who did not use them. Because the vast majority of the Black study participants used relaxers, researchers could not effectively test the association in Black women, said lead author Adana Llanos, an associate professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

Researchers did test it in 2020.

The so-called Sister Study, a landmark National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences investigation into the causes of breast cancer and related diseases, followed 50,000 U.S. women whose sisters had been diagnosed with breast cancer and who were cancer-free when they enrolled. Regardless of race, women who reported using relaxers in the prior year were 18% more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Those who used relaxers at least every five to eight weeks had a 31% higher breast cancer risk.

Nearly 75% of the Black sisters used relaxers in the prior year, compared with only 3% of the non-Hispanic white sisters. Three-quarters of Black women also self-reported using the straighteners as adolescents, and frequent use of chemical straighteners during adolescence raised the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer, a 2021 NIH-funded study in the International Journal of Cancer found.

Another 2021 analysis of the Sister Study data showed sisters who self-reported that they frequently used relaxers or pressing products doubled their ovarian cancer risk. In 2022, another study found frequent use more than doubled uterine cancer risk.

After researchers discovered the link with uterine cancer, some called for policy changes and other measures to reduce exposure to chemical relaxers.

“It is time to intervene,” Llanos and her colleagues wrote in a Journal of the National Cancer Institute editorial accompanying the uterine cancer analysis. While acknowledging the need for more research, they issued a “call for action.”

No one can say that using permanent hair straighteners will give you cancer, Llanos said in an interview. “That’s not how cancer works,” she said, noting that some smokers never develop lung cancer, despite tobacco use being a known risk factor.

The body of research linking hair straighteners and cancer is more limited, said Llanos, who quit using chemical relaxers 15 years ago. But, she asked rhetorically, “Do we need to do the research for 50 more years to know that chemical relaxers are harmful?”

Charlotte Gamble, a gynecological oncologist whose Washington, D.C., practice includes Black women with uterine and ovarian cancer, said she and her colleagues see the uterine cancer study findings as worthy of further exploration — but not yet worthy of discussion with patients.

“The jury’s out for me personally,” she said. “There’s so much more data that’s needed.”

Not long ago, she considered chemically straightening her hair for an academic job interview because she didn’t want her hair to “be a hindrance” when she appeared before white professors.

Meanwhile, James-Todd and other researchers believe they have built a solid body of evidence.

“There are enough things we do know to begin taking action, developing interventions, providing useful information to clinicians and patients and the general public,” said Traci Bethea, an assistant professor in the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Research at Georgetown University.

Responsibility for regulating personal-care products, including chemical hair straighteners and hair dyes — which also have been linked to hormone-related cancers — lies with the Food and Drug Administration. But the FDA does not subject personal-care products to the same approval process it uses for food and drugs. The FDA restricts only 11 categories of chemicals used in cosmetics, while concerns about health effects have prompted the European Union to restrict the use of at least 2,400 substances.

In March, Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) asked the FDA to investigate the potential health threat posed by chemical relaxers. An FDA representative said the agency would look into it.

Natural hairstyles are enjoying a resurgence among Black girls and women, but many continue to rely on the creamy crack, said Dede Teteh, an assistant professor of public health at Chapman University.

She had her first straightening perm at 8 and has struggled to withdraw from relaxers as an adult, said Teteh, who now wears locs. Not long ago, she considered chemically straightening her hair for an academic job interview because she didn’t want her hair to “be a hindrance” when she appeared before white professors.

Teteh led “The Cost of Beauty,” a hair-health research project published in 2017. She and her team interviewed 91 Black women in Southern California. Some became “combative” at the idea of quitting relaxers and claimed “everything can cause cancer.”

Their reactions speak to the challenges Black women face in America, Teteh said.

“It’s not that people do not want to hear the information related to their health,” she said. “But they want people to share the information in a way that it’s really empathetic to the plight of being Black here in the United States.”

Kara Nelson of KFF Health News contributed to this report.

This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

Drinking too much water, even when dehydrated, can be hazardous to your health

Omni Kumar hits a backhand groundstroke during his match against Stefan Dostanic at the 2022 Fighting Illini Open. Professional athletes like Kumar, soldiers, and outdoor laborers performing strenous work can quickly become dehydrated on hot summer days. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

by Paul Arco
OSF Healthcare

Don’t drink just water. Sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade, as well as coconut water and cow's milk are full of electrolytes.

ROCKFORD - When it’s hot outside, people tend to reach for the water. But too much of a good thing can be a problem.

It’s called water intoxication and it’s making news. Recently, a young woman died from drinking too much water in a short amount of time, and a young boy was hospitalized after doing the same thing.

"Water intoxication comes from drinking too much water," says Elizabeth Clay, a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare. "And it can lead to some severe symptoms. You can get a headache, disorientation, confusion, nausea, vomiting – it can even be fatal.”

Other serious symptoms include muscle weakness, increased blood pressure and double vision.

"The amount of water that a person should consume is going to be individualized," says Clay. "But overall, your kidneys can only handle so much. And that's between 0.8 and one liter. So, you really don't want to be taking in more than that per hour in water.”

Water intoxication can affect anyone. But it’s a problem that is especially common in people who participate in sporting events, military training or working outside.

"Dehydration can play a major role in water intoxication because when a person feels that they're getting dehydrated, they may try to overcompensate and may drink too much water at one time, and your body can't handle that," says Clay. "So, you'll start to get these symptoms whether it's nausea, vomiting, confusion – just disruption of your brain activity – and that comes from that depletion of sodium. And so, your cells inside your brain are holding on to that water and it causes swelling inside your brain and that can lead to some serious complications.”

Clay suggests taking frequent swallows throughout the day rather than chugging a bottle of water at once. Also, eat a healthy diet to get the needed electrolytes. And don’t drink just water. Sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade, as well as coconut water and cow's milk are full of electrolytes.

There are no guidelines as to how much water a person needs each day. Some people still follow the 8x8 rule, which recommends drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Still, it depends on certain factors like body weight, the amount of physical activity you get and the climate where you live.

"So, if you can, stay indoors and out of the sun during this hot weather," says Clay. "But if you must be outside – if you've got training or some sort of physical activity that maybe your job or work requires – just want to make sure that you're getting those electrolytes and that water that you need. Just don't overdo it.”

If you begin to experience symptoms after drinking too much water, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Illinois volleyball season opens season against EIU in a free exhibition match

CHAMPAIGN – The Fighting Illini volleyball team will start their 2023-24 season on August 16 at Huff Hall in an exhibition contest against Eastern Illinois University. The match, which is free general public, will start at 6 p.m.

Illinois' regular season play starts on August 26 at Northern Illinois University. After the road opener on Saturday, the Illini hosts their first home contest three days later against Valparaiso at 6 p.m. on August. 29.

The Illini will enjoy the services of nine veteran players and six newcomers this season. American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) all-region selection Raina Terry and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honoree Brooke Mosher return to the squad led by head coach Chris Tamas, who starts his seventh season at the helm.

2023 season tickets are on sale now and can be reserved online by following this link here.