December PE Stars!

Here are the students who were voted December "PE Stars" by their classes.  These students showed excellence in the following attributes:

* Work Ethic
* Focus
* Positive Attitude
* Sportsmanship
* Leadership

Great job to these and all the students who are striving to achieve their best!

3rd Grade Stars

4th Grade Stars

5th Grade Stars

6th Grade Stars

2011 Middle School Boys Basketball

The Syracuse Middle School Boys Basketball “A-team” recently finished their season with a 7-2 record.  After a slow 1-2 start, the Rockets were able to win six games in a row including tournament championships in Palmyra and Syracuse.  This was a group of kids who proved to have a strong desire to work hard and improve daily.  Their excellent team chemistry and passion for the game was very evident each time they took to the court.  Every player contributed in a very valuable way to the success of the team.  There is no doubt they will continue to be successful if they do not lose their drive and intensity to reach their potential.  Team members:  Tanner Harsin, Anthony Reed, Peyton Harsin, Ethan Zastera, Connor Bennett, Monty Roberts, Tim Stilmock, Brett Cast, Braxtyn DeGolyer, Jacob Clayton, Connor Cameron, and Braxton Beach.  Coach:  Brian Recker

Game Stats

Syracuse 53

Auburn 17

Scoring:  T. Harsin 8, Reed 2, Zastera 2, Bennett 2, Roberts 12, Stilmock 12, Cast 1, Cameron 14

Syracuse 36

JCC 42

Scoring:  T. Harsin 2, Zastera 5, Bennett 2, Roberts 6, Stilmock 7, Cameron 9, Beach 5 

Syracuse 34

Ashland 36

Scoring:  Reed 5, Bennett 4, Roberts 4, Stilmock 8, DeGolyer 4, Cameron 9

Syracuse 40

Palmyra 25

Scoring:  Reed 2, P. Harsin 2, Roberts 4, Stilmock 11, Cast 3, DeGolyer 2, Cameron 14, Palmyra #14 2

Syracuse 46

Conestoga 6

Scoring:  T. Harsin 4, Reed 2, P. Harsin 4, Zastera 2, Bennett 2, Stilmock 14, Cast 4, DeGolyer 2, Cameron 8, Beach 4

Syracuse 34

Raymond Central 25

Scoring:  Reed 5, Bennett 3, Roberts 4, Stilmock 12, DeGolyer 4, Cameron 6

Syracuse 41 (in overtime)

JCC 38

Scoring:  Reed 5, Bennett 1, Roberts 3, Stilmock 6, DeGolyer 2, Clayton 2, Cameron 17, Beach 5

Syracuse 45

Auburn 16

Scoring:  T. Harsin 11, Reed 3, P. Harsin 2, Roberts 2, Stilmock 9, Cast 3, DeGolyer 1, Cameron 11, Beach 3

Syracuse 44

Lincoln Lutheran 30

Scoring:  T. Harsin 2, Reed 5, Bennett 2, Roberts 9, Stilmock 8, DeGolyer 3, Cameron 15

Question Box - Vitamins

6th Grade Question:  How much vitamins is too much?

This is a great question.  If you are eating a variety of fresh, natural, whole foods, you will not have to worry about getting too much of a certain vitamin.  Water soluble vitamins like B vitamins and vitamin C easily pass through the body if your cells do not require them at the time.  Fat soluble vitamins like E and K do get stored in the body, but it would be almost impossible to eat too many fat soluble vitamins.  A person simply could not eat that much food in one day.  My advice would be to concentrate on making sure you are getting all the vitamins you need by choosing a variety of healthy fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, eggs, and dairy. 

Blueberry antioxidants protect retina cells

A new study out of China Agricultural University showed the power of blueberries to protect eyesight.  Researchers exposed retina cells of the eyes to varying degrees of ultraviolet light, while providing these cells with blueberry antioxidants called anthocyanins.  The anthocyanins appeared to protect the retina cells from damage.  Berries continue to prove that they have many health benefits!  They are my number one recommended fruit.

Yixiang Liua, Xue Songa, Di Zhanga, Feng Zhoua, Dan Wanga, Ying Weia, Fengyi Gaoa, Liyang Xiea, Gang Jiaa, Wei Wua and Baoping Jia.  Blueberry anthocyanins: protection against ageing and light-induced damage in retinal pigment epithelial cells  British Journal of Nutrition  2011 October  Functional Food Research Laboratory, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University.

Rocket Workout

This part got cut off on the other video.  We completed a Circuit Training Rocket Workout.  Circuit training is when you do a variety of different exercises without resting much in between the various exercises.  It allows you to challenge the body's fitness levels in a variety of ways, improving many areas of physical fitness.  In the video below, the students worked to improve their aerobic and anaerobic energy systems, power, strength, and coordination.

Rocket Workouts, Fitness, & Cupstacking!

November PE Stars

These students were voted the "Stars" of their class for the month of November.  The star student represents someone who displays great Work Ethic, Focus, Positive Attitude, Sportsmanship, and Leadership.  Keep up the great work!

3rd Grade Stars

4th Grade Stars

5th Grade Stars

6th Grade Stars

Prevent cancer by not sitting so much

The American Institute for Cancer Research recently announced that 43,000 colon cancer cases and 49,000 breast cancer cases could be prevented if people would simply avoid sitting the majority of the day.  Once again, movement and exercise prove to be outstanding in the prevention of disease.  When a person sits all day, their circulation becomes sluggish.  This could lead to poor oxygen & nutrient delivery throughout the body, as well as a stagnant detoxification system - the body needs to get rid of toxins.  If you have a job that forces you to sit a lot, try to get up every 30 minutes or so and move around.  Do some walking, stretching, jumping jacks, push-ups or anything else that gets you moving!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500165_162-57317464/study-links-sitting-around-to-cancer/

Too much pop affects teens

The Minneapolis Star Tribune recently reported that students in Minnesota who drank the most pop also seemed to be the most violent.  The higher the pop consumption, the more problems with aggressive behaviors like getting into fights.  These same findings were also reported in a Boston, Massachusetts study.

Pop is extremely high in sugar which can cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate wildly.  This can cause poor mood and agitation which could potentially lead to the violent behavior.  Also, if children are drinking lots of pop, they probably aren't getting enough water and quality, nutritious food in their diet.  The lack of quality food means a lack of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats that the body needs.

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/wellness/132589863.html

Bowling Champions

On the final day of our bowling lessons we had championship matches amongst the classes.  Pictured below from top to bottom are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams.  Nice work!

The Health & Fitness Question Box

Something new this year in PE is the "Health & Fitness Question Box."  Students have the opportunity to get their questions answered on my website each week!  If you have a health & fitness question, be sure to drop it in the question box at school.  Here are two questions that were asked this week:

Question 1 from "Anonymous" asks:  What fruit would benefit someone the most?

Answer:  Different fruits benefit people in different ways.  Most fruits contain antioxidants which protect our bodies from damage.  If I had to pick just one, I would say berries, especially blueberries.  Research has show that they are extremely protective of the brain.

Question 2 from "Anonymous 6th grader" asks:  Will we be doing ten pins on Monday?

Answer:  Yes!  We will have a 10 pin team competition.

3rd Grade Volleyball

Exercise = Cardiovascular Health!

Exercise strengthens the heart like any other muscle.  When the heart is stronger it can pump blood throughout the body much better.  This is important as blood contains the necessary oxygen, nutrients, and cells to keep our bodies alive & feeling well.  Exercise also produces eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide) which helps the heart & blood vessels relax so blood can flow easier.

October PE Stars

These students were voted as the October stars of their class for showing excellence in the following categories:

* Work Ethic
* Focus
* Positive Attitude
* Sportsmanship
* Leadership

Great job!!!


3rd Grade Stars

4th Grade Stars

5th Grade Stars

6th Grade Stars

Green Vegetables & Your Immune System

When we come in contact with a foreign invader (bacteria, virus), it will almost always enter through the nose or mouth.  From here, it’s going to end up in our digestive tract.  At this point, it must battle our front line troops – immune cells and friendly bacteria that line the walls of our GI tract.   The immune cells that protect us here are called lymphocytes.  Lymphocytes attack pathogens and help repair any damage done to the intestinal wall.  The Babraham Institute in Cambridge, UK, suggests that green vegetables could play a very important role in making sure these lymphocytes are in shape and ready to respond to the foreign attack.

The researchers used mice to discover the effects green vegetables (broccoli, kale, spinach, etc.) had on intestinal lymphocytes.  When the mice regularly ingested green vegetables, they had lymphocytes that were plentiful and powerful!  They responded well to any pathogenic invader.  When the mice were fed a synthetic diet without any green vegetables for 2-3 weeks, 70-80% of the lymphocytes disappeared.  That is an astounding discovery!  It appears that the phytonutrients in green vegetables signaled to a key receptor in the body that kept lymphocytes going strong. 

As we approach the middle half of the school year, colds and flu will become more common.  Here is yet another natural approach to keep your immune system functioning at a high level. 




Source:  

Ying Li, Silvia Innocentin, David R. Withers, Natalie A. Roberts, Alec R. Gallagher, Elena F. Grigorieva, Christoph Wilhelm, Marc Veldhoen Exogenous Stimuli Maintain Intraepithelial Lymphocytes via Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation ell  2011 October
The Babraham Institute in Cambridge

Raw Vegetables & Berries Change Heart Disease Risk

The chromosome 9p21 is a gene that is often times a weak spot in people with heart disease.  In the past, we thought that those who have the weak version of this gene were automatically going to get heart disease.  New breakthroughs in research are now proving that genes like this are not set in stone.  In fact, they can be expressed differently when a person makes healthy lifestyle choices.

Researchers from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, discovered that the 9p21 gene may be altered as a result of changes in diet.  After studying 27,243 people of varying ethnicity, researchers concluded that there was significantly less risk for heart disease amongst people who ate a diet rich in raw vegetables, berries, and fruits.  This tells us that these foods are communicating to this gene in a positive way, influencing it not to cause havoc to the cardiovascular system.  If you know you have a history of heart disease in your family, it might be a good idea to consider adding more raw vegetables, berries, and fruits to your diet.  Pick a variety of these foods to improve your health!

Source:

Ron Do, Changchun Xie, Xiaohe Zhang, Satu Männistö, Kennet Harald, Shofiqul Islam, Swneke D. Bailey, Sumathy Rangarajan, Matthew J. McQueen, Rafael Diaz, Liu Lisheng, Xingyu Wang, Kaisa Silander, Leena Peltonen, Salim Yusuf, Veikko Salomaa, James C. Enge. The Effect of Chromosome 9p21 Variants on Cardiovascular Disease May Be Modified by Dietary Intake: Evidence from a Case/Control and a Prospective Study.  PLoS Medicine  2011 October
Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada. 

3rd Grade Bowling Highlights

Football & Rocket Workout

1st Quarter Video Highlights

AUG/SEPT Syracuse PE Stars

On a monthly basis, Mr. Recker & the PE students individually vote on a standout student who shows
excellence in the following areas:

* Work Ethic
* Focus
* Positive Attitude
* Sportsmanship
* Leadership

The votes are completely confidential and counted up by Mr. Recker.  If you see these students in the hallways, give them a high five for the awesome work they are doing in class!

6th Grade Stars

5th Grade Stars

4th Grade Stars

3rd Grade Stars