Unity Junior High 6th Grade Honor Roll

TOLONO - Last week, Unity Junior High School announced the names of sixth-grade students who achieved honor roll and high honor roll status in the third quarter. Congratulations to the students who earned the requisite grade point average to celebrate the honor.

High Honor Roll

Kenny Wayne Adcock
Lilly Annabelle Bailes
Brooklyn Blair Bates
Ethan Earl Bent
Elizabeth Joanne Berkey
Katherine Elaine Berkey
Konnor Lewis Bletscher
Sylvia Lola Cahill
Kale Boden Cowan
Trevor Daniel Coy
Alec Joseph Daly
Amelia Marie Good
Hayden Bradley Grussing
Aubrie Paige Gumm
Jordan Elizabeth Hamilton
Kynedy Ashlynn Hoel
Alivia Krall
Adeline Marie Marinelli
Lilly Madelyn Meharry
Ellery Merkle
Jacklynn Kay Alexandra Moore
Kelvin Justus Moose
Holden William ONeill
Carolina Maria Pagaduan Popovics
Luc Sandor Marcelo Popovics
Maxwell Douglas Powers
Marina Ray Price
Maya Alexis Rawdin
Bella Rose Robbins
Skylar Grace Savona
Vivian Rosalie Shunk
Jasper Lee Souza
Dylan Robert Stierwalt
Olivia Jane Styan
Jack Christopher Terven
Deklyn James Thomas
Hayley Olivia Thompson
Cassandra Pearl Thweatt
Charles Reider Watson
Quentin Stephen Webber
Hallee Ann Weber Patterson
Henry Joseph White
Ethan Matthew Wishall
Ashton Jace Wolf

Honor Roll

Kelsey Marie Adcock
Carter Ryan Bickers
Christian Cremeens
McKenzie Lynn Deakin
Emma Nicole Denney
Sophia Hope Dillman
Evan Matthew Donaldson
Jase Charles Eisenmenger
Levi Amari Flowers
Ian Robert Gaines
Jaxson Edward Glad
Samuel Bentley Hollett
Owen Dean Hottman
Kaiyanna Renee LeForge
Cora Dee Leonard
Jauniyah Rosemarie Lisanby
Russell Patrick McCabe
Scarlet Rosemary McCann
Lane Lucas Meharry
Tatum Faith Meharry
Baeden Edward Millsap-Moore
Lillian Calen Mohr
Hayden Andrew Moore
Alexis Nicole OBryan
Marley Rae Parks
Jaxon David Pendleton
Henry Scott Ritchie
Madelyn Olivia Roth-Robertson
Sophia Isabella Schuckman
Connor Allen Schwartz-Rouse
Austin David Shafer
Hayden Dale Smith
Tucker Douglas Stierwalt
Virgil Laurence Summitt
Jayden Michael Terven
Lucas Neal Williams
Olivia Lynn Wilson
Adam Scott Wolken

Smart devices are triggering a real pain in the neck for some people

by Paul Arco
OSF Healthcare

ROCKFORD - Technology is all around us. From our laptops to tablets, many of us are consumed with our gadgets for hours on end. In fact, various reports say the average person in the United States spends between five and 10 hours each day on their smartphones, computers, video games, and TVs.

But with all this screen time comes potential health problems. A condition known as “tech neck” is the stressing of the muscles while looking down at items such as phones or computers for long periods of time.

“Technology which is affecting your neck is the best way I can put it," says Dr. Nandini Chattopadhyay, a family practice physician with OSF HealthCare. "Technology can mean phones, iPhones, tablets, computers and their overall effect on the neck, shoulders, upper back, which has been a problem in the recent years and that’s what tech neck is all about.”

Some are calling this problem the new carpal tunnel syndrome.

“In tech neck, we see the neck being affected because of the technology," says Dr. Chattopadhyay.  "More often than not, it's the nerves which are running from the back of the head to your neck and shoulders, which becomes weak because of the way that people do these activities and looking at technology devices. The relationship between nerve and pain in terms of neck is now called the new carpal tunnel of this era.”

Tech neck affects both adults and children, but symptoms vary and can be different for each person, says Dr. Chattopadhyay, who has treated patients as young as five. The repetitive strain on the bones, nerves, and muscles caused by looking down at a phone or laptop, for example, can cause joint inflammation, pinched nerves, arthritis, and even herniated discs.

So if I started at the head, then it can be headaches, changes in vision and needing glasses at a much younger age than what you would usually need," says Dr. Chattopadhyay. "Then it’s a lot of neck stiffness, then weakness of your upper back. A lot of tension of the muscles on the upper back. Gradually the pain goes all the way down to the lower back and then you feel numbness and tingling in your arms. These are some of the common symptoms that I see.”

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Nandini Chattopadhyay, MD

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There are ways to prevent tech neck, such as maintaining good posture, using a smartphone holder, investing in a monitor stand and asking your doctor about physical therapy. The good news is there are treatments that can be effective for tech neck. There’s no need to live with pain if it can be treated, says Dr. Chattopadhyay.

“The management of this comes with the awareness," she adds. "So daily exercises, making sure you're moving around, and have the ability to take breaks from technology devices. That's very important if you're working on the computer every day, then take one or two hours just to yourself to do regular exercises where you're not looking at the computer screen.”

Our phones and other devices are important tools and there’s no reason to give them up, Dr. Chattopadhyay adds. But she does recommends holding the phone at eye level to help reduce the strain. But if you continue to experience any pain, it might be time to visit your doctor.