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Well week 10 of the semester is over and now it's time to reflect over the past 2 weeks of class.
A new project was introduced in class, the advocacy project. So far this consisted of researching who my political leaders are and obtaining their contact information. Then we were to pick a proposed bill and give the progress on how it is doing in the House. The one I chose to look into is about stopping obesity in schools, a very important issue. In researching this, it was startling to see how many children were moving away from the healthy people goal. We also watched a documentary segment called Unatural Causes. This video intorduced us to several people all of different social classes, but living in the same county. It started out showing the family of a wealthy hospital CEO and his lovely neighborhood and all the opportunities available there. It later ended showing an unemployed woman living well under the poverty line. It was just amazing to me to see all the different social classes living so close in the same county. It also caught me by suprise when it showed the lives of one couple who seemed like they were struggling finacially at times, living paycheck-to-paycheck, and they made the same amount of money as the average american does. We also started to talk about the upcoming photo essay project. I have done projects like this in the past and have already begun brainstorming what I should do.
I learned several things over the past 2 weeks of class. I learned just how many different social classes they are and how they can exist close together. I learned what some people in lower social classes must do to get by. And also, I learned that if you feel strongly about a subject that is going on, you can contact your political representatvie; that is what they are there for. I look forward to the upcoming weeks of class. Doing the photo essay and the junking activity this week in class.
My SMART goal has been to walk to school and work at least 5 times a week. I had a successful week and achieved my goal once again
Successes & Challenges
This week was very similar to the past few weeks in that I faced several successes and hardly any challenges. One new challenge I faced this week has been walking home from my later in the afternoon classes. A couple days I have to walk home between 5:00-5:30 and it is crazy how early it is getting so dark. So i guess it is not necessarily a challenge, just something new that is happening that I don't care for. Some successes this week was I started to drink coffee in a travel mug on the way to early classes. This helped save time by drinking it on the walk and helped keep me warm, even with the frosty mornings we've been having.
Another success I have been having is listening to tunes on the walk. It helps pass the time very quickly and makes me look forward to walking, so I can be alone and rock out. However, I did see some people looking at me at a stoplight when I was humming along. I felt very good while walking and had an even bigger smile on my face than normal while walking with my i-pod.
I chose to look into the Nutrition and Overweight section of the healthy people 2010, because I feel that is such an important issue in America today. Then I chose to focus on objective 19-3, which is Reduce the proportion of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. This is one of the biggest problem areas in our country over the last couple decades. The 1988-1994 baseline for all age groups (6-11 years and 12-19) was 11% and the 2010 target for both of these age groups is down to 5%. Unfortunately, the progress for this objective is not looking good. For both of the child and adolescent age groups -83% moved away from the target.
Looking at the elimination of health disparities section I found that race has a large influence on this objective. Then I looked at some opportunities and challenges and read that "Collective national action and community involvement are essential to promote healthful diets among all Americans and to reverse the trend in increased overweight and obesity." An opportunity mentioned for children and adolescents was the classroom; To focus on physical activity and nutrition education for children. Under emerging issues it stressed the idea of prevention rather than treatment (such as pharmaceuticals or bariatric surgery) was ideal fro controlling the childhood obesity situation.
H.R.2044 : To reduce childhood obesity, and for other purposes.
Title:To reduce childhood obesity, and for other purposes; STOP obesity in schools Act of 2009
Sponsor: Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] (introduced 4/22/2009) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 4/22/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and also to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period that the Speaker will determine, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Recommendation: Vote Yes for H.R.2044 : To reduce childhood obesity, and for other purposes.
My Political Representative: Congressman James Oberstar
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