Causes
STEM Program for girls
The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Program is a curriculum based on the idea of educating student in four specific disciplines – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics –in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. Rather than teach the four disciplines as separate and discrete subjects, STEM integrates them into a cohesive learning paradigm based on real-world applications.
Though the United States has historically been a leader in these fields, fewer students have been focusing on these topics recently. Much of the STEM curriculum is aimed toward attracting underrepresented populations. Female students for example are significantly less likely to pursue a college major or career. Though this is nothing new, the gap is increasing at a significant rate. Male students are also more likely to pursue engineering and technology fields, while female students prefer science fields, like biology, chemistry and marine biology.
What separates STEM from the traditional science and math education is the blended learning environment and showing students how the scientific method can be applied to everyday life. It teaches students computational thinking and focuses on the real world applications of problem solving.
For more information visit:
https://www.livescience.com/43296-what-is-stem-education.html
Suicide Prevention
It may not be possible to eliminate the risk of suicide, but it is possible to reduce the risk. Suicide should not be viewed solely as a medical or mental health problem, since protective factors such as social support and connectedness appear to play significant roles in the prevention of Suicide. Teen suicide is a growing health concern. It is the second-leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24, surpassed only by accidents, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
National suicide prevention efforts have focused on school education programs, crisis center hotlines, media guidelines (suicide prevention strategies that involve educating media professionals about the prevalence of copycat suicides among adolescents, in an effort to minimize the impact of news stories reporting suicide) and efforts to limit firearm access.
Referrals can be made for treatment, and treatment can be effective when signs are observed in time. Intervention efforts for at-risk youth can put them in contact with mental health services that can save their lives. Suicide is a relatively rare event and it is difficult to accurately predict which persons with these risk factors will ultimately commit suicide. However, there are some possible warning signs such as:
- Talking About Dying: any mention of dying, disappearing, jumping, shooting oneself or other types of self harm.
- Recent Loss: through death, divorce, separation, broken relationship, self-confidence, self-esteem, loss of interest in friends, hobbies or activities previously enjoyed.
- Change in Personality: sad, withdrawn, irritable, anxious, tired, indecisive, apathetic.
- Change in Behavior: can’t concentrate on school, work or routine tasks.
- Change in Sleep Patterns: insomnia, often with early waking or oversleeping, or nightmares.
- Change in Eating Habits: loss of appetite and weight, or overeating.
- Fear of losing control: acting erratically, harming self or others.
- Low self-esteem: feeling worthless, shame, overwhelming guilt, self-hatred, “everyone would be better off without me.”
- No hope for the future: believing things will never get better, or that nothing will ever change.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK or visit their website: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s mission is to provide immediate assistance to individuals in suicidal crisis by connecting them to the nearest available suicide prevention and mental health service provider through a toll-free telephone number: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). It is the only national suicide prevention and intervention telephone resource funded by the Federal Government.
Sea Turtle Conservation
Sea turtles have survived on Earth for more than 100 million years, yet today their future hangs in the balance. Six of the seven sea turtle species are threatened with extinction due to human impacts including fisheries bycatch, coastal development, plastic pollution, and the consumption of sea turtles and their eggs.
Critically Endangered:
- Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
Endangered:
- Loggerhead (Caretta caretta)
- Green (Chelonia mydas)
Venerable:
- Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)
- Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea)
Leading Threats to turtles:
- Fisheries Bycatch: Considered the greatest single threat to sea turtle populations worldwide, scientists estimate that millions of sea turtles have been accidentally captured by fisheries since 1990.
- Pollution: Plastic pollution, oil spills, and chemical runoff have all impacted sea turtles. A recent study found plastic in the stomachs of more than one-third of leatherback turtles found dead since 1968.
- Coastal Development: Development of coastal areas where sea turtles breed and nest can impact sea turtles in a variety of ways, including disorientation from light pollution, boat collisions, and nest disturbance.
- Direct Take: Sea turtles and their eggs are taken by people (both legally and illegally) in many parts of the world for consumption and use of shell material for handicrafts and jewelry.
- Global Warming: Rising sea level, hotter temperatures, and increased storm frequency caused by global warming may lead to the loss of suitable nesting habitats and affect natural sex ratios, which are determined by nest incubation temperature.
Through Sea Turtle Conservation programs, and collaborations among individuals and institutions worldwide we can help save sea turtles and our oceans.
More information on these websites:
https://www.oceanicsociety.org/projects/sea-turtle-conservation,
https://conserveturtles.org/, https://www.thegreatprojects.com/sea-turtle-conservation
