[I. Welcome– Catalina Flores-Rau, SHAC Chair]
          [00:00:07]
          MAKE SURE WE GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. I DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR INTO THE AFTERNOON. SO THIS FORT BEND ISD SHACK MEETING IS AN OPEN MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND OR VIEW. THE TIME IS 1207 ON DECEMBER 3RD, AND THIS MEETING IS OFFICIALLY CALLED TO ORDER. NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED ONLINE AND AT THE FORT BEND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FOR AT LEAST 72 HOURS. 
          THE MEETING IS BEING RECORDED AND MEETING MINUTES WILL BE POSTED TO THE FORT BEND ISD SHACK WEBPAGE WITHIN TEN DAYS. IF WE HAVE THE ATTENDANCE OF QUORUM, WE WILL BE ASKING FOR VOTES. WE ASK THAT AT THIS TIME. EVERYBODY SILENCE YOUR PHONE AND PLEASE HOLD COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS UNTIL EACH PRESENTER IS DONE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING TODAY. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I KNOW IT FEELS REALLY STRANGE THAT THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING OF THE YEAR. 
          REALLY REGRET NOT HAVING OUR MEETING IN OCTOBER, BUT APPARENTLY THESE TWO AMAZING SCREENS WERE THE REASON WHY WE COULDN'T MEET IN OCTOBER. SO I MEAN, I CAN ACTUALLY READ THEM NOW, WHICH BEFORE IT WAS ALWAYS KIND OF DULL, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. WELL, WITH NO FURTHER ADO, I THINK WE HAVE ALLISON COMING UP HERE TO DO A QUICK, MINDFUL MOMENT, AND THEN WE'LL INTRODUCE OUR FIRST SPEAKER. HI EVERYONE. SO HAPPY DECEMBER. GLAD EVERYBODY MADE IT TODAY. 
          SO FOR TODAY'S MINDFUL MOMENT, I WANT YOU TO REFLECT ON A HOLIDAY I CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS. 
          IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE HOLIDAYS AND I JUST WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE EXCITEMENT. 
          MAYBE IT'S A DIFFERENT HOLIDAY THAT YOU ARE ANTICIPATING OR HAVE ANTICIPATED AS A YOUTH, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP. JUST THINK OF THAT EXCITEMENT YOU FEEL. AND MAYBE AT NIGHT YOU CAN'T SLEEP AND YOU'RE TOSSING AND TURNING AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK OUT THE WINDOW FOR SANTA CLAUS AND SANTA CLAUS ISN'T THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALL THOSE ANXIETY. BUT IT'S NOT REALLY ANXIETY. IT'S EXCITEMENT. RIGHT? THE FEELINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE CANNOT SLEEP? TODAY'S MEETING IS GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT SLEEP AND SLEEP HYGIENE AND THE MENTAL HEALTH STATUS. SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND REFLECT ON THOSE EXCITED FEELINGS. I WANT YOU TO CLOSE YOUR EYES AND VISUALIZE HOW YOU FEEL OR HOW YOU FELT AS A LITTLE KID. JUST THAT EXCITEMENT OF WAKING UP. OR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CELEBRATE A DIFFERENT HOLIDAY, MAYBE YOU KNOW THE SMELLS AND THE SOUNDS OF YOUR YOUR FESTIVITIES. AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS THINK ABOUT YOURSELF LYING IN BED. AND I WANT YOU TO GENTLY SQUEEZE YOUR RIGHT HAND, MAKE A FIST, AND TAKE A FULL BREATH IN. BREATHE IN. AND EXHALE AND RELEASE THAT PALM. NOW BREATHE IN AND SQUEEZE THAT LEFT PALM. MAKE A FIST. AND EXHALE AND RELEASE. NOW TAKE THAT RIGHT ARM AND CLENCH THE BICEP. CLENCH THE THE FOREARM. CLENCH THE FIST. BREATHE IN AND HOLD. AND LET IT ALL GO. AND THEN THE SAME THING WITH THE LEFT ARM. 
          CLENCH AND BREATHE IN. AND EXHALE AND RELAX. NOW BOTH ARMS SQUEEZE EVERY MUSCLE IN YOUR UPPER BODY. BREATHE IN. AND EXHALE AND RELAX. OKAY, NOW THIS TIME, ADD YOUR FACE, CLENCH YOUR JAW, CLENCH YOUR FOREHEAD, SQUEEZE IN AND BREATHE. AND EXHALE AND RELAX. 
          AND GENTLY OPEN YOUR EYES. IT'S YOUR HOLIDAY. SO THIS IS A TECHNIQUE THAT'S CALLED PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION. I'M SURE MANY OF YOU KNOW HOW TO DO IT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE SLEEPING OR CALMING YOUR MIND, YOU CAN TAKE THIS PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION AND GO UP THROUGH YOUR BODY. WE DIDN'T DO THE LOWER BODY, BUT JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, I TEACH A LOT OF MY CLIENTS TO DO THIS. SO ANYWAY, I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOYED IT AND WE WILL GET STARTED. CATALINA, IS IT BACK UP TO YOU, OUR FIRST SPEAKER OKAY, HERE'S CATALINA 
          [II. Presentations]
AGAIN. THANK YOU ALLISON. OKAY. SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND FLIP OUR PRESENTATIONS AROUND REAL QUICK. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DOCTOR SUSINA COME AND SPEAK TO US ABOUT THE ADOLESCENT BRAINS AND THE IMPACT OF SLEEP AND GAMING. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LET ME JUST GET THAT SET FOR YOU. RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO ADVANCE ALL THROUGH THIS. NIGHT. 
          ALL RIGHT SIR YOU'RE READY. AND DOWN. AND DON'T MIND SPEAKING TO. YEAH. THERE YOU GO SIR. 
          THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE I'M GLAD TO HAPPY MERRY CHRISTMAS. HAPPY NEW YEAR 
          [00:05:01]
TO COME. AND I AGREE WITH ALLISON I'VE KNOWN THIS LADY A LONG TIME AND SHE'S TOTALLY CORRECT. SLEEP IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE DO EVERY DAY. AND IF WE DON'T GET OUR ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF RESTORATIVE, I MEAN, RESTORATIVE SLEEP, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT US THE REST OF OUR LIVES. AND SO WHAT? I'M. IT'S OKAY. THANKS. I'M NOT USED TO USING A MICROPHONE. ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS SOMETHING THAT DOES AFFECT CHILDREN. AND ADOLESCENTS SLEEP QUITE A BIT. AND THAT'S GAMING OR SOCIAL MEDIA USE. OBJECTIVE TODAY IS TO UNDERSTAND HOW SCREENS AFFECT CHILD AND ADOLESCENT BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR KEYS TO RECOGNIZE THE KEYS OF SCREEN RELATED SLEEP AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES, AND TO LEARN PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS. 
          SO I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW HOW TO RECOGNIZE THESE ARE ISSUES. LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT OF STORY IN MY 20 MINUTES HERE. I CAME ACROSS THIS PHENOMENA PROBABLY ABOUT 2011, 2012 WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH THIS YOUNG GUY, AND HE WAS REALLY DOING REALLY WELL TRAINING, NEUROFEEDBACK, TRYING TO TRAIN THE ADHD OUT OF HIM IF POSSIBLE. AND HE TRAINED GREAT DURING THE WEEK, 2 OR 3 DAYS A WEEK I SAW HIM, AND THEN THE NEXT MONDAY HE CAME IN. HE WAS FAR WORSE THAN HE WAS. WHEN HE LEFT, I THOUGHT, WELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ALL WEEKEND? OH, I LOVE TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES. I SAID, OKAY, I HAD NO CLUE ABOUT VIDEO GAMES. AND SO I STARTED STUDYING AND I SAID, WELL, HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU PLAY? HE SAID, I PLAY PROBABLY 3 OR 4 HOURS A DAY DURING THE WEEK AND SOME WEEKENDS I SPEND 12 HOURS A DAY ON IT. I SAID, WHOA, THAT'S A LOT. AND HE HAD BIG DARK RINGS UNDER HIS EYES. SO THERE WAS CLUES THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING NOT GOING ON RIGHT THERE. AND SO, LIKE BEING A NEUROSCIENTIST, I DUG INTO THE LITERATURE AND I SAID, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? AND SO I FOUND OUT THAT MY LITTLE BIT OF NEUROFEEDBACK TRAINING THREE HOURS A WEEK COULD NOT COUNTER HIS MULTIPLE HOURS. HE'S PLAYING ON THESE SCREENS. 
          AND SO WHAT WE FIND OUT IS THAT VIDEO GAMING, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST PERSON SHOOTERS, ARE NEUROFEEDBACK SYSTEMS BUILT TO MAKE A BRAIN ADHD. SO IF THEY DON'T HAVE ADHD, IT'LL MAKE THEM ADHD. AND THERE'S I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE TIME TO GO IN AND GO INTO THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT IT DOES TO THE BRAIN, BUT WE'LL HIT IT BRIEFLY. AND SO THIS IS A THE CASE I WAS TALKING ABOUT. AND WE DID SEE OVER TIME ACADEMIC DECLINE, IRRITABILITY, REVERSE SLEEP CYCLES, MEANING HIS CIRCADIAN RHYTHM WAS TOTALLY OFF AND FRONTAL LOBE ACTIVITY AND POST SCREEN USE. SO ALISON, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE THE PDF THAT I SENT YOU WITH FOLKS, INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM TAKE ALL THE PICTURES AND NOTES, FINE WITH ME. I'D BE PERFECTLY ANYBODY. 
          JUST EMAIL HER AND SHE CAN SEND IT TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO. CHANGE. ALL RIGHT. THERE YOU GO. 
          KEY STATISTICS. ALISON WANTED ME TO INCLUDE SOME STATISTICS. THANK YOU. MA'AM, THE SCREEN TIME. TEENS AVERAGE 7.7 HOURS. COMMON COMMONLY ON MEDIA A DAY. THE ADDICTIONS ARE 4 TO 10% MEETS CLINICAL THRESHOLDS. SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL CLINICAL DEFINITION OF ADDICTIONS, IT YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 4 TO 10% OF OUR CHILDREN. NOW, I WILL SAY THAT ALSO SOCIAL MEDIA WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. BUT THE VIDEO GAMING PRIMARILY IS A MALE ISSUE. ANY IDEA WHY MALES HAVE A 14% LARGER AMYGDALAS, SO THEY GET MORE OF A THRILL WHEN THEY PLAY THE GAMES COMPARED TO FEMALES, BUT THEY'RE ALL FEMALE GAMERS OUT THERE. THREE TIMES. 
          POOR SLEEP IN TWO HOURS IN AT LEAST IN OVER GREATER THAN TWO HOURS OF USE. AND SO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO REALLY MESS WITH THEIR SLEEP AND ACADEMICS. REM SLEEP GOES DOWN, GPA GOES DOWN, FOCUS GOES DOWN. ALL RIGHT, BRAIN ON SCREENS. IT DOES AFFECT THE DOPAMINE SYSTEM. THAT'S WHY YOU SEE KIDS THAT HAVE ADHD. THE COMMON TYPE THAT WE SEE WITH THIS GAMING AND WITH THIS SOCIAL MEDIA USE IS FRONTAL MIDLINE THETA. IT'S A SPECIFIC ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS IN THE FRONT PART OF THE BRAIN. AND IT'S BECAUSE THE DOPAMINE BECAUSE AS YOU GO INTO A, FOR INSTANCE, A FIRST PERSON SHOOTER GAME, YOU GO INTO A FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY IN THE GAMES. THAT DOES DRAIN THE DOPAMINE SYSTEM. AND WHAT DO THEY DO? THEY PUT A METHYLPHENIDATE ON, WHICH IS A DOPAMINE TYPE STIMULANT, TO HELP THAT PART OUT, BECAUSE THEY'VE ACTUALLY GOT DOPAMINE DEPLETION AND GAMING JUST LIKE ALCOHOL, JUST LIKE DRUGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE CAN MAKE IT SO THAT YOU CAN'T GET JOY FROM ANYTHING ELSE IN YOUR LIFE OTHER THAN YOUR DRUG OF CHOICE, INCLUDING GAMING, 
          [00:10:05]
FRONTAL LOBE PERFUSION, BLOOD FLOW IN THE FRONTAL LOBE. THIS IS WHY WE FIND THAT IN THESE INDIVIDUALS, THERE IS ONE MEDICATION THAT MAY HELP TO IMPROVE FRONTAL LOBE PERFUSION, ESPECIALLY IN THE ONES THAT HAVE BEHAVIORAL ISSUES. AND IT'S GUANFACINE PLUS NAC N-ACETYLCYSTEINE GUANFACINE IS AN OLD BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION THEY USED TO USE FOR YEARS AGO. THEY TURNED IT INTO INTUNIV IN 2009 AND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WORKED. WELL, IT WORKED BECAUSE IT'S A VASODILATOR, BRINGS IN MORE BLOOD FLOW, HELPS YOU WITH FOCUS AND ATTENTION, BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO INTO A FIGHT OR FLIGHT OR FREEZE RESPONSE, YOUR BRAIN ACTUALLY VASOCONSTRICTS TO THE FRONTAL LOBE. SO YOU'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING. 
          JUST THINK ABOUT THE LAST TIME YOU DROVE INTO A BLINDING RAINSTORM, ALL OF A SUDDEN FOCUSED ON THE TAIL LIGHTS IN FRONT OF YOU, THE HEADLIGHTS COMING UP BEHIND YOU IN REAR VIEW MIRROR. DO I HAVE AN ESCAPE ROUTE? AND DOPAMINE KICKS IN TO GET YOU TO THE END OF THAT DRIVE SO YOU CAN GET OUT OF THAT RAINSTORM. OTHERWISE YOU THROW UP YOUR HANDS AND CRASH. SO IT'S ALL DONE ON PURPOSE TO HELP YOU SURVIVE, BUT YOU'RE NOT CARRYING ON A CONVERSATION WITH ANYBODY UNLESS YOU'RE TELLING THEM TO SHUT UP. I'M TRYING TO DRIVE HERE. NO WORK, NO THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE. THAT'S A SURVIVAL RESPONSE. 
          THAT'S WHAT THESE KIDS GET INTO IN HEAVY GAMING. SO FRONTAL LOBE PERFUSION GOES DOWN. 
          IMPULSE CONTROL. AND YOUR INABILITY TO CONTROL YOUR IMPULSES GOES DOWN. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHERE WE SEE THIS FOCUS ISSUES COME. AND IT ALSO MIMICS ADHD LIKE PROFILES. BUT IT ACTUALLY TRULY IS A DIAGNOSABLE. BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE DOING A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND A LOT OF GAMING, YOU MISS YOUR SLEEP. AND WHEN YOU MISS YOUR SLEEP, THAT ALSO PRODUCES THE SAME TYPE OF ADHD SYMPTOMOLOGY. AND WE SHOULD NOT BE TREATING SLEEP ISSUES WITH THE STIMULANT. ALL RIGHT. GAMING AND EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION. IT PRIMARILY INVOLVES THE DOPAMINE RELEASE. INCREASES RISK OF ADDICTION. SYMPTOMS OF ANGER. WHEN INTERRUPTED YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THEM OFF. IT'S TIME TO EAT DINNER. YOU KNOW THEY JUST THROW A FIT I CAN'T TELL. I LEVEL UP WITHDRAWAL SIGNS, ANXIETY DURING DEVICE RESTRICTIONS. YOU WANT TO HAVE A AND MOST PARENTS WILL GIVE IN WHEN THEIR KID JUST AS THEY START OUT REAL SMALL. I REMEMBER ONE TIME IN A TOYS R US, THIS LITTLE CHILD JUST STARTED SCREAMING BECAUSE HE WANTED THIS TOY AND THE MOTHER SAID NO. WELL, HE KEPT ON SCREAMING LOUDER AND LOUDER UNTIL THE MOTHER FINALLY SAID, OKAY, GIVE ME THE TOY. THAT JUST REINFORCED THAT BEHAVIOR. YOU GOT TO STICK TO IT, YOU KNOW? AND MY DAYS, MY DAD GREW UP, BROUGHT US OUT TO THE CAR AND TOLD US WHY WE SHOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, VERY SPANKING MANNER. 
          WE LEARNED OUR LESSON. SO AND WITHDRAWAL SIGNS, ANXIETY DURING DEVICE RESTRICTIONS. I HAD A GUY THAT WAS A HEAVY GAMER. HE WAS A RADIOLOGIST, A NEURORADIOLOGIST, AND HE COULDN'T DO HIS WORK BECAUSE HE WAS GAMING ALL THE TIME. HE WAS REALLY ADDICTED. AND SO I GOT HIM TO FINALLY COMMIT TO JUST QUITTING AND HE QUIT COLD TURKEY. TALK ABOUT THE TALK ABOUT THE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS THIS GUY HAD. I DIDN'T CARE BECAUSE HE'S A DOCTOR AND HE'S AN ADULT. YOU YOU DESERVE TO GO THROUGH SOME PUNISHMENT FOR THAT. SO WE GOT HIM OFF OF IT. 
          ALL RIGHT. SLEEP DISRUPTIONS AND ACADEMIC COST. YOU KNOW, SO IF WE THINK ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA, IF WE THINK ABOUT GAMING, IT'S INVERSELY RELATED TO SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, TO YOUR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, TO SO MANY THINGS THAT WE NEED OUR PRO-SOCIAL BEHAVIORS. AND PLUS THE FACT THAT YOU'RE SEEING NOW IN ALL THE SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ABOUT HOW COVID REALLY AFFECTED THE KIDS AND GOT THEM ON THE SCREENS EVEN MORE, AND NOW THEY THEY THEY I'VE SEEN THEM RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER AT A TABLE, TEXTING EACH OTHER. THEY CAN'T EVEN TALK. THIS IS TERRIBLE. 
          THIS IS NOT GOING TO SURVIVE IN IN A WORLD LIKE WE HAVE IT RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT. 
          CONCUSSION SCREENS POST CONCUSSION DELAY RECOVERY BY OVERSTIMULATING THE VISUAL CORTEX. THIS IS AGAIN IF WE HAVE CONCUSSIONS AS A PART OF US NORMAL SPORTS WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER RIGHT NOW A SPORTS CONCUSSION RECOVERY PROGRAM AT OUR CENTER. THE FIRST IT'S EVER BEEN IN IN THE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON OR IN THE COUNTIES OF OF HARRIS COUNTY. SO IT'S PRETTY I TREAT A LOT OF BRAIN INJURIES. AND SO IT'S INTERESTING THAT THIS. IN 19 I MEAN, IN 2009 THEY PASSED A HOUSE BILL 20 1919 WHICH SAID THAT THERE'S THINGS THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES COULDN'T DENY COVERAGE FOR. AND MY COVERAGE SPECIFICALLY NEUROFEEDBACK. ONE WAS BRAIN INJURY, THE SECOND ADHD, AND THE THIRD IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE. 
          AND SO THAT IS JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES NOW, THE STATE SAID THEY COULDN'T DENY IT. INSURANCE COMPANIES DENY IT ALL THE TIME BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY GET. 
          [00:15:04]
THEIR WHERE THEY GET THEIR MONEY IS DENYING CLAIMS. AS YOU CAN SEE, I DON'T LIKE THEM VERY MUCH. I DON'T TAKE INSURANCE AS IT IS. ALL RIGHT. LIMIT SCREEN USE TO THE FIRST 40 IN THE FIRST 42 TO 72, 48 TO 72 HOURS IN POST HEAD TRAUMA. YOUR YOUR CHILD AND I DO INCLUDE CHEERLEADING AS A SPORT. THEY GET HEAD INJURIES ALL THE TIME. DO YOU KNOW THAT GIRLS HAVE HIGHER INCIDENCE OF BRAIN INJURIES IN SPORTS? THEY SAME SPORTS THAT BOYS PLAY. DO YOU KNOW WHY? SKINNY NECKS. THE BIG OLD LINEMAN'S GOT THESE BIG NECKS? THEY DON'T GET BRAIN INJURIES BECAUSE THEY CAN DISPERSE THAT ENERGY. BUT THE GIRLS WITH THOSE LITTLE TINY NECKS, THEY GET BRAIN INJURED MUCH MORE. AND THEY MOST OF THE TIME IT'S NOT PICKED UP. SO IT JUST KNOW THAT THERE IS A CONNECTION THERE. ALL RIGHT. WARNING SIGNS OF SCREEN OVERUSE, IRRITABILITY WHEN RESTRICTED FATIGUE OR REFUSAL TO SLEEP. PLEASE DON'T LET THEM TAKE THEIR MEDIA INTO THEIR BEDROOM WHEN THEY SLEEP AT NIGHT. SO MANY OF THESE YOUNG GIRLS SLEEP WITH THEIR CELL PHONES UNDER THEIR PILLOWS. THIS 5G PENETRATES FIVE CENTIMETERS INTO THE BRAIN, AND IT IS CAUSING ALL SORTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD ISSUES WITH WITH THESE, WITH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE. SO THAT'S GET THEM AS FAR AWAY FROM THEM AS YOU CAN. DON'T TRUST THEM. SAY, WELL, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OFF AND JUST KEEP IT NEEDS TO BE AWAY. ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THAT YOUR JOB AS A PARENT IS NOT TO MAKE YOUR CHILDREN HAPPY. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT'S NOT YOUR JOB. YOUR JOB IS TO PREPARE THEM TO BE FULLY INDEPENDENT, HIGHLY EDUCATED, TAXPAYING CITIZENS. RIGHT? YOU WANT THEM TO BELIEVE. 
          SO WHEN I ASK THESE YOUNG KIDS ALL THE TIME, WHEN DO YOU GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL? DO YOU WANT WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE? OR DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE? I'M GOOD HERE. I THINK I'LL JUST GO TO A JUNIOR COLLEGE AND JUST STAY AT HOME. NOT GOOD. NOW, WHEN I ASK ANOTHER KID THAT AND HE SAYS, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GET OUT FROM UNDER THE RULES. DADDY'S GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES. SO THAT'S A SUCCESSFUL PARENT RIGHT THERE. SECRECY ABOUT DEVICE USES. THEY ARE SNEAKY LITTLE DEVILS. ACADEMIC OR SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL. YOU WILL SEE THAT THE MORE THAT THEY SPEND TIME IN THE BEAUTIFUL YEARS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, THAT'S A TIME WHEN THEY DEVELOP THE ROLE IN LIFE. THE ROLE DEVELOPMENT IS DONE BY FACE TO FACE CONTACT WITH PEERS AND INTERACTIONS LIKE THIS. IT'S NOT DONE IN A TWO DIMENSIONAL SCREEN, SO I DON'T CARE HOW MANY FRIENDS THEY SAY THEY HAVE ON IN IN CYBERSPACE. THEY'RE NOT FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PLAYMATES, BUT THEY'RE NOT FRIENDS. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE KIDS. AND WHILE THEY'RE TALKING SO NEGATIVE ABOUT, THEY'RE NOT BEING AS SUCCESSFUL AS THEY WANT TO BE IN WHEN THEY GRADUATE COLLEGE, AND THEY REALLY IS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T INTERACT WITH OTHER HUMANS. I REMEMBER HIRING A THERAPIST YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS OVER AT THE CENTER, AND SHE WAS DEVASTATED WHEN I ASKED HER TO CALL A PARENT TO TALK TO A PARENT ABOUT THEIR CHILD BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T USE THE PHONE. THEY DON'T TALK ON THE PHONE EVEN. IT'S LIKE, OH, AND THIS WAS LIKE TEN, 15 YEARS AGO. 
          IT'S CRAZY. BUT THAT'S THAT GENERATION THAT'S COMING UP. ALL RIGHT. SCREEN CURFEWS, NO DEVICES. ONE HOUR BEFORE BED, WE GOT TO GET THAT BRAIN READY TO POWER ITSELF DOWN. ALSO, THEY SHOULD BE USING THE BLUE LIGHT FILTERS ON THEIR ON THEIR DEVICES, AND THEY HAVE THEM BUILT INTO ALL OF THEM NOW DETOX WEEKENDS, 24 TO 48 HOURS WITH NO, NO SCREENS FOR ANYBODY. 
          LOOK AT THE PEOPLE LOOKING AROUND. OH MY GOD, I COULDN'T DO THAT MYSELF. HOW CAN YOU DO THAT? AND I, YOU KNOW, USED TO SAY, WELL, MAYBE YOU COULD SHUT THE ROUTERS OFF IN YOUR HOUSE. 
          HOWEVER, THEY GOT WI-FI AND HOWEVER YOU'RE GOING TO NEED IT FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR SECURITY SYSTEM. SO IT'S NOT REALLY POSSIBLE. CONTROL APPS, THERE ARE APPS IN THERE AND THESE ARE SOME OF THEM. I'M NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH THESE, BUT ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO TRY TO TRACK WHAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE DOING ON THEIR PHONE IS HIGHLY ADVISABLE. THE TRAFFICKING AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE GROOMING THAT GOES ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA, ESPECIALLY FOR THE GIRLS, IS JUST TERRIBLE. REWARD SYSTEMS EARN SCREEN TIME VIA CHORES AND ACTIVITIES. SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT. SOCIAL MEDIA IS LIKE VIDEO GAMING IS LIKE ALL THE SAME. THEY CREATE INSTANT GRATIFICATION AND OUR INSTANT GRATIFICATION IS DIFFERENT FROM DELAYED GRATIFICATION. LEARNING TO PLAY THE GUITAR, DELAYED GRATIFICATION, GOING TO SCHOOL FOR YEARS FOR HIGH SCHOOL, DELAYED GRATIFICATION, GOING TO SCHOOL FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS. 
          IN COLLEGE. IT'S ALL DELAYED GRATIFICATION. AND IF YOU'RE TEACHING THEM ONLY INSTANT SUCCESS, INSTANT FAILURE RIGHT THERE AND THEN, YOU JUST HIT RESET. THAT'S INSTANT GRATIFICATION. THAT'S NOTHING THAT IS NEEDED, NEEDED FOR ADULT LIFE. SO WE NEED TO TEACH 
          [00:20:03]
THEM THAT DELAYED GRATIFICATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. AND THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE BLUE LIGHT FILTERS AND THE SCREENS. I HAVE MY BLUE LIGHT GLASSES RIGHT DOWN THERE. ALL RIGHT. TECH TIMEOUT LOGS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS. AND TRACK STUDENT SCREEN USAGE VERSUS PRODUCTIVITY. AND AGAIN IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A VALID OBJECTIVE MEASURE OF THEIR USAGE, NOT THEIR WHAT THEY TELL YOU THEY USE. BECAUSE AND I'LL TELL YOU ESPECIALLY BOYS, THEY FUDGE THESE NUMBERS ALL THE TIME. IT'S PART OF THEIR NATURE. GET AWAY WITH AS MUCH AS THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH, AS LONG AS THEY CAN. BEHAVIOR JOURNALS NOTICE FATIGUE INATTENTION PATTERNS. THIS IS FOR THE PARENTS TO TRY TO START, YOU KNOW, TRACKING DEVICE FREE SPACES, LIBRARIES, WELLNESS ROOMS, READY CORNERS, READING CORNERS. I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE SCHOOLS CAN DEVELOP PARENT TEACHER SCREENS. 
          OH, HOW ABOUT FORT BEND? HOW WHAT'S THEIR WHAT'S THEIR RULING RIGHT NOW ON CELL PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM? GREAT. GOOD JOB GUYS. AND THIS THING WITH AI IS GOING TO REALLY CHANGE EVERYTHING. NOW I USE AI A LOT IN MY ANALYSIS OF I USE AI IN NEUROLOGY, AND I'M CREATING MY OWN AI CALLED CLINICAL NEURO ANALYTICS AI JUST FOR ANALYZING BRAINS. IT CAN BRING IN TONS OF INFORMATION, BUT IT TO LET THESE KIDS DO THEIR ASSIGNMENTS USING AI ALL THE TIME. THESE GUYS GOT TO RESTRUCTURE EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S COMING FROM THE CHILD. AND IT'S ONE TEACHER WAS REPORTING TO ME THE OTHER DAY THAT THEY GOT 20 ESSAYS IN, AND 15 OF THEM WERE IDENTICAL. NONE OF THEM CHEATED. NO. ALL RIGHT. AND PARENT TEACHER SCREEN DIARIES, SHARED SCHOOL HOMEWORK, SHARED HOME AND SCHOOL TOOLS. ALL RIGHT. WHEN TO REFER. NOW THIS IS WHAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW. SEVERE BEHAVIORAL WITHDRAWAL. NEXT THING COMORBID ADHD AND ANXIETY SYMPTOMS. MAJOR ACADEMIC OR SLEEP DECLINE. HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT THE AURA RING? I GOT MINE, I'VE HAD MINE SINCE GENERATION ONE. THE BEST THING EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE. IT'S HARD TO DO FOR CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY'RE GROWING AND THEY'RE GOING TO GROW OUT OF THEM. BUT AURA IS AN EXCELLENT TOOL. WE GOT A STUDY GOING ON RIGHT NOW FOR CITY STUDY, MILLION DOLLAR PRIVATE FUNDED STUDY. I'VE GOT THE HOUSTON OPERATION. THERE'S ONE IN MIAMI AND COLUMBUS AND CINCINNATI. SEEING IF WE CAN REDUCE SEIZURES IN THOSE WITH EPILEPSY DIAGNOSED WITH EPILEPSY. THEY'RE ON MEDICATIONS, STILL HAVING SEIZURES. SO IF YOU GUYS KNOW ANYBODY, REFER THEM OVER. WE GOT THIS STUDY STARTED. THEY GET A FREE ORDERING. OH OH YOU ARE A RING. OH YOU ARE A RING.COM. OH YOU ARE A RING.COM. 
          YEAH. AND IT'S I'VE HAD IT FOR THE SINCE THEY CAME OUT WITH GENERATION ONE. AND IT IS PHENOMENAL. IT'S GENERATION FOUR NOW AND IT'S EVEN MEASURED SLEEP APNEA. YOUR OXYGEN AT NIGHT, YOUR MOVEMENTS YOUR QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP. AND I'LL WATCH IT RELIGIOUSLY. SO IF YOU TAKE A NEW MED AND IT MESSES WITH YOUR SLEEP, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU, OKAY. IT'S FAR SUPERIOR. IT GETS IT HAS 50 BIOMETRICS. YEAH. AND YOU CAN WEAR IT IN WATER FISHING, HUNTING. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH THIS RING. AND IT'S I HAVE NEVER HAD ONE MALFUNCTION ON ME AND I'VE HAD FOUR NOW. OKAY. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT MAJOR ACADEMIC OR SLEEP DECLINE AND PEDIATRIC PSYCHOLOGISTS OR CHILD NEUROLOGISTS. YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO THIS. NOW. YOU GUYS ARE PRETTY FORTUNATE. IF WE NEED A NEUROLOGIST, WE'VE GOT ONE OF THE BEST IN IN KATY DOCTOR MELISSA JONES. SHE IS WONDERFUL. SO IF YOU GOT SOME ISSUES WITH YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER OR YOU KNOW OF ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT BE A NEUROLOGY CASE. I DO THOSE I CAN CLEAR THEM AND SCREEN THEM. SOMETIMES IT IS WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF MOLD GOING ON RIGHT NOW. 
          WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF HEAVY METALS. I FOUND A YOUNG BOY THE OTHER DAY WITH BARIUM IN THEM. 
          WHERE DID HE COME UP WITH BARIUM? I HAD NO IDEA. BUT TOXIC LEVELS OF BARIUM, TOXIC LEVELS OF MOLD, GI ISSUES ARE THROUGH THE ROOF. THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON WITH KIDS THAT MAY BE PHYSIOLOGICAL PRESENTING AS PSYCHOLOGICALLY ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, WITHDRAWAL, AND EVERYTHING'S FATIGUE AND IT MAY BE SOMETHING IN THEM. SO IF WE WANT TO FIGURE THAT OUT, THAT'S WHAT I DO AT MY LOCATION. I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S CAUSING THAT PERSON'S SYMPTOMS AND NOT JUST ASSUME. CHRONIC STRAIN EXPOSURE ALTERS BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR. SLEEP LEARNING SUFFERS WITH OVERUSE AND TOOLS PLUS BOUNDARIES EQUALS NEURAL PROTECTION. WE ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY, HOW CAN WE PROTECT OURSELVES? I THINK THESE KIDS ARE WISE ENOUGH. YOU KNOW, IF YOU EVER WANT ME TO DO A PRESENTATION TO THE STUDENTS, PROBABLY BE BETTER FOR HIGH SCHOOL THAN NOT. BUT I'D LOVE TO COME IN AND TALK TO THE KIDS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW THERE'S. I 
          [00:25:02]
DID A STUDY ONCE UPON A TIME I WAS ACCUSED. I WAS PROBABLY THE LEADING EXPERT, EXPERT PERSON IN THE AREA OF VIDEO GAMING. AND SO I GOT INVITED TO UT SOUTHWESTERN OVER HERE AT THE MED CENTER, AND THEY HAD THIS PRESENTATION ON VIDEO GAMING. AND ONE OF THE COMMENTS WAS THAT IT SEEMS LIKE VIOLENT JUVENILE CRIME HAS DROPPED SINCE VIDEO GAMES WAS CREATED. 
          I THOUGHT, SO, BEING THE IMPULSIVE ADHD PERSON HERE, I HELD MY HAND UP. I SAID, I THINK I KNOW WHY. IF YOU COMPARE THE MALE SUCCESS RATE IN COLLEGE, YOU WILL FIND IT DECLINED. DECLINED AT THE SAME RATE SINCE THE VIDEO GAMES CAME OUT. SO WHAT DID I HAVE TO DO? I HAD TO GO DO THE STUDY TO FIGURE OUT IF I WAS RIGHT AND I WAS RIGHT. MALE SUCCESS RATE IN COLLEGE WAS THE LAST EQUAL TO FEMALE SUCCESS RATE IN WHITE VERSUS WHITE. KEEPING THE SAME SOCIOECONOMIC CLASSES, I HOPE. AND WHAT WE FOUND OUT IS THAT 81 WAS THE LAST YEAR THAT THEY GRADUATED 5050. AND SO BY THE TIME IT HIT 94, IT TOOK A DIRECT DROP. THAT'S WHEN MORTAL KOMBAT CAME OUT. AND NOW NOW IT'S DOWN TO 38% MALES GRADUATING TO FEMALES. SO THAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE THE GUYS I HAD, ONE OF MY YOUNG GUYS, HEAVY GAMER, HE GOT A FULL SCHOLARSHIP IN SWIMMING TO TCU PRIVATE SCHOOL, VERY EXPENSIVE. WELL HIS MOTHER OVER MANAGED HIM AND WHEN HE WENT TO COLLEGE, PLAY GAMES, GO TO CLASS, HE PLAYED THE GAMES, GOT AN ACADEMIC PROBATION THE FIRST SEMESTER, SECOND SEMESTER COMPLETELY WASHED HIM OUT. THEY PULLED HIS SCHOLARSHIP AND EVERYTHING. HE DIDN'T GO TO CLASS BECAUSE HE WAS TOO ADDICTED TO GAMING. SO WE STARTED NEUROFEEDBACK TRAINING IN SEPTEMBER. BY DECEMBER, WE HAD HIM BACK TO A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, WAS VERY INTERACTIVE SOCIALLY, JUST IN A GOOD PLACE. 
          WHAT HIS PARENTS REWARD HIM WITH FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENT VIDEO GAME. AND IN SIX WEEKS WE READ HIM, READ HIM. AND HE HAD. HE WAS WORSE THAN HE LEFT WHEN HE WAS CAME BACK FROM COLLEGE, HE DESTROYED ALL THAT WORK. HE WAS ABLE TO TAKE HIS BRAIN AND COMPLETELY REVERSE ALL THE WORK WE DID. SO JUST A STORY OF A REAL LIFE STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED. SO HERE'S MY CONTACT INFORMATION. AND LIKE I SAY, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SHARE ANY OF THIS WITH ALL YOUR FOLKS. AND WE GOT A FEW MINUTES, I HOPE FOR QUESTIONS. GOT ONE IN THE BACK. 
          SO IN ADDITION TO MAKING CELL PHONES, BANNING CELL PHONE USE DURING SCHOOL HOURS, FORT BEND ISD HAS PROVIDED ALL STUDENTS WITH LAPTOPS. BECAUSE WE ARE GOING OVER TO A FULLY ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT. SURE. SO PHYSIOLOGICALLY, MY KID IS IS FORCED TO BE IN FRONT OF A SCREEN BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS A DAY. SO THIS IS TWO HOURS. IN ADDITION TO THEIR SCHOOLWORK WORK, IN ADDITION TO IN ADDITION TO SCHOOLWORK. BUT MAKE SURE THEY GOT THE BLUE LIGHT GLASSES OR THEY'VE GOT THE GLOVES. WHATEVER IT IS ON THEIR COMPUTER, THEY CAN TURN IT ON SO IT PREVENTS A BLUE LIGHT FROM PENETRATING THE BLUE LIGHT DURING CLASSES. YOU'RE SAYING, YEAH, THE BLUE LIGHT CLASS. ANYTIME YOU'RE ON A SCREEN, THEY SHOULD HAVE YOUR BLUE LIGHT GLASSES ON OR HAVE THE HAVE THE COMPUTER SET UP. 
          THERE IS A FREE SOFTWARE GLUCK'S OR SOMETHING LUX AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT AND THEY WON'T ALLOW ANY OF THAT I'M SURE THE COMPUTERS BUT OKAY OKAY OKAY. SO THIS IS THE THE TWO HOURS IS AFTER. YEAH. THE TWO HOURS IS OUR OWN SOCIAL TIME OKAY OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. GOOD. I'M GLAD YOU CLEARED THAT UP. WHAT IMPACT DOES THE BLUE LIGHT HAVE ON THE BRAIN? WELL, THE BRAIN WAS. THE BRAIN WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO STARE AT LIGHT. IT WASN'T. YOU KNOW, YOU SHADE YOURSELF ALL THE TIME. WELL, THE BLUE LIGHT, WHICH IS REALLY AT A LOWER FREQUENCY, IS STILL PENETRATING AND GETS INTO THE BRAIN, AND IT REALLY MESSES WITH THE BRAIN CIRCUITRY. WHAT DOES IT MESS UP? IT MESSES UP YOUR SLEEP. SO THE MORE THAT BLUE LIGHT YOU GET EVERY DAY, THE MORE SLEEP ISSUES YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE. EVERY ONE OF MY COMPUTERS HAVE THE HAVE THE FILTERS ON IT. THEY MAY MAKE THEM ALMOST. YOU SHOULD JUST CHECK THEM. IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT AN APP OR SOMETHING, BUT IT IS A VERY BENEFICIAL PIECE TO HAVE. OTHER THAN THAT, THEY MAKE CLEAR BLUE LIGHT GLASSES. MINE WERE 12 BUCKS FROM AMAZON AND THEY WORK QUITE WELL. SO IT'S IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO BECAUSE THE NEUROLOGICAL IMPACT OF LOOKING AT BLUE LIGHTS ALL DAY LONG LIKE THEY'RE DOING HAS NOT REALLY BEEN MEASURED. BUT THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF WORK BEING DONE RIGHT NOW AT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ABOUT 
          [00:30:03]
RADIO ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION FROM SCREENS. YOU KNOW, WE USED TO THINK RADARS WERE KIND OF SAFE, AND THE NAVY SHIPS WOULD HAVE THEM AND THE SAILORS WOULD GET UP UNDERNEATH THE RADARS IN THE 40S BECAUSE IT WOULD WARM THEM UP. THEN THEY FOUND OUT IT WAS RADIATION AND IT STERILIZED THEM ALL. SO NOT A GOOD PLAN. SO WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH OUR LIGHTS? WE HAVE SEEN WE HAVE SEEN A DROP IN FERTILITY RATES IN CHILDREN. I MEAN IT'S IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD. 
          IS THAT BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME I MEAN, THE GENERATIONS THAT HAVE GROWN UP WITH SCREENS, MY GENERATION DIDN'T. BUT WHAT IT HIT ABOUT 1990. SO ANYBODY AFTER THAT IS ALWAYS HAS BEEN ON SCREENS THEIR WHOLE LIFE. SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE WE'RE HAVING SOME OF THE ISSUES. THIS ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS ARE REALLY TOUGH. AND VITAMIN D, HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW PEOPLE OR KNOW THE CHILDREN THAT ARE LOW ON VITAMIN D? IF YOU SUPPLEMENT VITAMIN D AND IT DOESN'T BRING IT UP IN THEIR SYSTEMS, YOU'VE GOT MOLD IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE MOLD WILL NOT LIKE VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTS GO INTO YOUR SYSTEM. AND WHAT MAKES VITAMIN? WHAT MAKES MOLD WORSE IN YOUR HOUSE? ROUTERS, SCREENS. IT JUST MAKES THAT STUFF GROW EVEN MORE SO AND YOU CAN'T GET AWAY WITH IT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOLD ISSUES RIGHT NOW CAUSING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS. IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON AROUND THE KIDS THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SPECIFICALLY TO YOU, BUT HOW DO WE MAKE THIS INFORMATION MORE DIGESTIBLE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE COMMON PERSON, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT LIKE IN THIS ROOM? I THINK MOST OF US HAVE A GENERAL SENSE FOR, YOU KNOW, THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF SCREENS, SPECIFICALLY SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALL THAT. BUT I FEEL LIKE THE MESSAGE HASN'T PENETRATED TO, YOU KNOW, ALL FAMILIES. AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET THIS MESSAGE TO PARENTS? PARENTS? WELL, THAT'S A GREAT GROUP THAT I'D LOVE TO SPEAK WITH. I MEAN, PARENTS NEED TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION. THEY HAVE NO CLUE. YOU KNOW, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THE TWO LARGEST SOURCES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FREQUENCIES IN ANY CITY ARE AIRPORTS AND HOSPITALS. HOSPITALS. AS SOON AS THEY GOT AN INK BABY, AN INCUBATOR, THEY STICK AN IPAD IN THERE WITH IT. IT'S LIKE, ARE YOU INSANE? SO THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS EITHER. AND THAT'S A MEDICAL COMMUNITY. I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO PARENTS I WOULD LOVE I'VE GOT A PAPER OUT. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOT A COPY OF THAT PAPER I DID ON VIDEO GAMING. ALLISON. YOU COULD SHARE THAT WITH THEM. THAT WOULD BE A GENERALIZED. VERY UNDERSTANDABLE. WE DID IT FOR FAMILY MAGAZINE ARTICLE IN THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN GET IN FRONT OF TALK TO A GROUP OF PARENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE REALITIES OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEIR CHILDREN, AND NOT JUST NOT JUST THE VIDEO GAMING, BUT THE SCREENS ITSELF, THE DEPRESSION RATES OF SUICIDE RATES GOING THROUGH THE ROOF IS JUST TERRIBLE GOING RIGHT NOW. AND WHAT DOES IT DO TO IT'S DUE, I THINK, TO A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE INFLUENCE THAT HAS ON YOUNG, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG FEMALES, THE MALES WITH THE VIDEO GAME HAS PREDOMINANTLY THEIR LITTLE PLACE TO HAVE FUN, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND IT'S REALLY DAMAGING THE BRAINS AND KEEPING THEM FROM THINKING. THEN YOU ADD TO IT. NOW AI, THAT'S A LOT OF KIDS ARE DOING THEIR HOMEWORK ON. THAT'S JUST NOT THEY'RE NOT LEARNING. THEY'RE JUST LEARNING HOW TO SKIRT THE EDGES AND NOT THINK. SO. I WOULD LOVE TO DO ANY PRESENTATION LIKE THAT. AND IF YOU'VE GOT ANY OTHER IDEAS, THROW THEM OUT THERE. I WILL JUST SAY THAT I LOVED YOUR PRESENTATION AND I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M 100%, YOU KNOW, ALIGNED WITH THIS TYPE OF GETTING THIS INFORMATION. HOWEVER, I ALSO KNOW THAT THE PARENTS IN MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAVE A HARD TIME KEEPING UP WITH THE WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS THAT GET SENT OUT BECAUSE THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH INFORMATION. SO MY THOUGHT IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO THE ROOM AT LARGE, LIKE, HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS LIKE, YOU KNOW, BITS OF INFORMATION? AND ONE THING THAT DID COME TO MIND IS SOMETHING THAT I WASN'T EVEN AWARE OF UNTIL IT JUST RANDOMLY CAME OUT FROM OUR SCHOOL AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL IS THE WAIT UNTIL EIGHTH PLEDGE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HEARD ABOUT THAT IN THE ROOM, BUT YEAH, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF RANDOM, BUT THIS IS MAYBE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE THE WAIT UNTIL EIGHTH PLEDGE SPECIFICALLY IS TRYING TO GET PARENTS TO COME TOGETHER, RALLY TOGETHER, AND LIKE POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE AND NOT ALLOWING OR NOT INTRODUCING SMARTPHONES SPECIFICALLY TO THEIR THEIR KIDS UNTIL AT LEAST AFTER, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY AT THE END, AFTER EIGHTH GRADE. BUT AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE INITIATIVES. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM. IT JUST KIND OF RANDOMLY GOT SENT OUT FROM OUR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. BUT I'M LIKE, I DIDN'T EVEN HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS? YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT HERE AT SHACK OR ANYTHING. SO, YOU KNOW, THE AWARENESS PIECE. AND THEN I ALSO WHAT COMES TO MIND IS LIKE THE SOUND BITES. HONESTLY, I HAVEN'T LIKE STAYED 
          [00:35:02]
UP TO SPEED ON ALL OF THOSE. BUT IF IF THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON A TOPIC LIKE THIS, SOMEHOW INCORPORATING THOSE INTO INTO THE SOUND BITES THAT WE DO, I. 
          I LOVE ALL OF THIS IS LIKE, I LIVE FOR THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT YOU JUST PROVIDED, SIR, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I ALSO KNOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE BANDWIDTH TO, YOU KNOW, SET ASIDE TIME TO COME TO A MEETING OR WHATEVER, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM AREN'T EVEN INTERESTED UNTIL THEY HEAR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, THAT GRABS THEIR ATTENTION. WELL, THE ONE THING THAT I LIKE TO TELL PARENTS, IF YOU LET YOUR CHILD BE BABYSAT BY A SCREEN, YOU WILL HAVE THEM THE REST OF YOUR LIFE BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIVING IN YOUR HOUSE AS ADULT CHILDREN. AND IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, I MEAN THAT THAT I HAD SEVERAL CASES LIKE THIS, AND I WAS COMPLAINING TO ONE OF MY PULMONOLOGIST FRIENDS AND WE WERE ON A SAILING TRIP AND HE SAID, RON, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE POPULATION YOU WORK IS IT DOESN'T HURT YOU AT ALL. THESE PARENTS CAN AFFORD TO HAVE THEM LIVE WITH THEM THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. SO IT'S REALLY NO BIG DEAL. I WAS GOING, BUT IT'S NOT RIGHT. I'M STILL A THINKING THAT I CAN'T BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF 16 YEAR OLD BOYS AND GIRLS DON'T WANT TO GET THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE, BECAUSE I'M JUST GOING TO HAVE. I JUST GOT PEOPLE TO DRIVE ME AROUND. I CAN GET UBER. IT'S LIKE, COME ON, YOU GOT TO WANT TO HAVE SOME SORT OF INDEPENDENCE. SO THERE IS A REALLY A REDUCTION IN THERE'S NO RITE OF PASSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN TO GET INTO ULTHOOD. AND I GUARANTEE YOU IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THEY TURN 18 AND GO TO COLLEGE. THEY'RE STILL THE SAME KID. I'VE HAD A KID GO OFF TO COLLEGE AND BE FOUR YEARS OF COLLEGE AND NEVER MADE A SINGLE APPOINTMENT FOR HIMSELF, NEVER ORDERED FOR HIMSELF, NEVER WENT TO A SINGLE COUNSELOR AT THE SCHOOL WITHOUT HIS MOTHER THERE. 
          IT'S RIDICULOUS, YOU KNOW? AND BUT THAT'S OKAY IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR CHILD NOT TO BE ABLE TO GRADUATE INTO ADULTHOOD SOMEHOW, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING THAT. HAVE YOU EVER GOT. WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT STUDY DONE IN THE 70S ABOUT THE MICE? IT WAS A TREMENDOUS STUDY. AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT WHEN YOU MAKE IT TOO EASY ON THEM, THEY BECOME THEY THEY'LL SELF ELIMINATE THEY'LL THEY'LL HELP. 
          CIVILIZATION WILL GO DOWN. SO YOU WANT TO HAVE CHALLENGE AND YOU WANT YOUR LIFE. YOU WANT TO HAVE TO HAVE TO STRAIN. THAT'S WHAT BUILDS THIS MENTAL MUSCLE TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE. AND IF THEY NEVER IF THEY YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO TO BUY ANYTHING NEW. IF WE BROKE IT, WHAT DID WE LEARN TO DO? WE LEARNED TO FIX STUFF. 
          DUCT TAPE WILL FIX A LOT OF STUFF WHEN YOU'RE A KID, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S A IT'S A THING THAT THE KIDS AREN'T GETTING RIGHT NOW. THEY GRADUATE AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO CHANGE A TIRE. THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO CALL FOR SERVICE. THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO SET AN APPOINTMENT EVERY SUMMER. YOU SHOULD SPEND TIME WITH THESE CHILDREN, GIVING THEM AN EXTRA SET OF LEARNING TOOLS HOW TO COOK, HOW TO DO LAUNDRY, HOW TO SEPARATE LAUNDRY. I'M STILL WORKING ON THAT WHEN MY WIFE SAYS, BUT BUT IT'S IT IS SOMETHING I THINK THAT IS NECESSARY. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE. BUT MY GOSH, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE IN SUCH A DEFICIT. AND I THINK COVID HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT. THEY WERE REALLY BEHIND WHERE THEY SHOULD BE RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S SO SAD. AND WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN. AND I'M GLAD TO OFFER MY TIME, MY SERVICES, MY I'LL GET OUT THERE AND PREACH. YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE ROOM. I, I'VE ACTUALLY DONE PRESENTATIONS IN THAT LIVING ROOM OF SOME LADY WHO COULD GET A GROUP OF PEOPLE TOGETHER. THAT'S FINE WITH ME. I JUST WANT TO GET THIS WORD OUT. I'M 72 YEARS OLD, SO I GOT A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT I'M TRAINING UP MY YOUNG CADRE OF THERAPISTS RIGHT NOW TO TAKE OVER. BUT I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN TO GET THIS WORD OUT. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M SITTING UP HERE GOING, THIS IS NOT RIGHT. WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING QUICKLY. AND LIKE YOU SAY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET IT OUT THERE? I'VE BEEN WRITING, I'VE BEEN PUBLISHING. I'M THAT'S WHY I'M A NEUROSCIENTIST. I'VE GOT MY MASTER'S AND DOCTORATE IN SOCIAL WORK, BUT I'VE GOT 100 PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS IN PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS. SO I'D LIKE TO DO THE RESEARCH. 
          I'M A STATISTICIAN, SO ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO GET THIS INFORMATION FORWARD, I WOULD LOVE TO DO. SO YOU GUYS COME UP WITH AN IDEA, SPREAD IT, TALK TO ALISON AND YOU KNOW I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR THIS LADY. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR HIM? ONE MORE. MORE OF A COMMENT. I LOVE TODAY'S TOPICS ON MENTAL HEALTH. I'M DOCTOR BRATHWAITE DINGELL, DEPUTY MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF FORT BEND COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND I'M ACTUALLY A BOARD CERTIFIED COMMUNITY PEDIATRICIAN BY TRAINING AND SPENT YEARS IN IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN NEW YORK AND MARYLAND AND HERE AS WELL. AND SO THESE TOPICS ARE REALLY RELEVANT FOR FAMILIES, PARENTS. EVERYONE'S IN THIS BOAT TOGETHER. AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR FOLKS WHO WANT TO READ MORE OR JUST LEARN MORE. HEALTHYCHILDREN.ORG IS THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS WEBSITE, I LOVE IT. 
          I REFER MY FAMILY MEMBERS TO IT WHEN I'M NOT ON CALL FOR THEM, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S TOPICAL AND CAN BE SEARCHED BY ANYTHING INCLUDING GAMING, ADDICTION, SOCIAL MEDIA, ALL THOSE. AND WE 
          [00:40:04]
DO. THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS IS THE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION, AND WE DO HAVE POLICY STATEMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA USE IN TEENS SCREEN USE UNDER THE AGE OF TWO, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND THE SURGEON GENERAL, MY MY PUBLIC HEALTH HAT, THE SURGEON GENERAL. 
          PROBABLY ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO VIVEK DOCTOR VIVEK MURTHY DID DO I'M SURE YOU KNOW REPORT AND ADVISORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND ITS ADVERSE IMPACTS ON CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS PARTICULARLY. AND SO IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL MATERIAL TO REVIEW, THAT'S OUT THERE AND READILY AVAILABLE. AND THE SAD POINT IS HE DID THIS MANY YEARS AGO, A FEW YEARS AGO, AND IT STILL HASN'T GOT OUT THERE. IT HASN'T HAD THE IMPACT. ON POLICY AND WE WERE FOLLOWING AS WELL. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF MEDIA THAT PICKED IT UP AND TRIED TO AMPLIFY IT, TRYING TO GET SOME, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY TRYING TO PUT JUST LIKE WE WOULD DO FOR CIGARETTE SMOKING OR WHATEVER, PUT THOSE KINDS OF LABELING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU KNOW, AND APPS AND THINGS FOR PARENTS. AND THAT DIDN'T GO VERY FAR. BUT IT IS GOING TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL DECISION FOR EVERY FAMILY RIGHT TO MAKE. AND IT'S HARD. I'VE PARENTED I HAVE ADULT CHILDREN AND AND A GRANDCHILD, AND IT IS HARD WHEN FOLKS ARE TRYING TO RAISE THEIR KIDS A CERTAIN WAY AND THE KIDS ARE COMING TO SCHOOL AND SAYING, BUT MY FRIEND HAS THAT AND WHATEVER. BUT I RAISED MY KIDS EXACTLY AS YOU SAID. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT TO BE POPULAR. IT'S TO DO THE THING THAT YOU THINK IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILD. CORRECT. GREAT JOB. WELL, THERE WAS A STUDY DONE IN THE LATE 70S, EARLY 80S. IN, IN THE NORTHWEST THAT FOUND THAT EVERY HOUR A CHILD BETWEEN THE AGES OF ZERO AND SIX SPENT IN FRONT OF A SCREEN. BACK THEN IT WAS BIG BIRD AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF GOING ON. IT WASN'T VIDEO GAMES, BUT THAT IT WOULD INCREASE THEIR LIKELIHOOD OF DEVELOPING ADHD BY 9%. SO EVERY HOUR AND SOME OF THESE KIDS ARE PLANTED IN FRONT OF BABY EINSTEIN, AND THEN PARENTS WOULD DO THEIR STUFF. SO I THINK WE CREATED THE ADDICTIONS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AND DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS DOING. 
          AND NOWADAYS, YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE DISCLAIMERS THAT THEY HAVE IS KIND OF LIKE ON THE PACK OF CIGARETTES, AS THE SURGEON GENERAL HAS SAID, YOU KNOW, SO THEY'RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN PUSHING THE DISCLAIMER AS MUCH AS PUSHING THE PRODUCT. AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE STUCK RIGHT NOW. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S ATTENDANCE HERE. YOU KNOW, THE EXTRA SPEAKER DIDN'T SHOW UP. OH I'M SORRY. WELL LET ME SORRY. LET ME TURN IT OVER TO YOU. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW SOME ACTIONABLE ITEMS THAT WE CAN DO IS ALL OF THIS IS RECORDED AND IT'S GOING TO BE ON OUR WEBSITE. AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE THING WE COULD DO, AT LEAST WITHIN OUR OWN SCHOOL, IS MAKING SURE THAT OUR WELLNESS COMMITTEES KNOW ABOUT THIS. I KNOW SHANNON'S GOING TO BE SENDING IT OUT TO THEM AND JUST TRY TO SPREAD THE WORD. 
          I'M I'M ACTUALLY THINKING I'M GOING TO HAVE MY KIDDOS SIT DOWN AND WATCH THIS BECAUSE I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB DELIVERING THE INFORMATION. OKAY, SO NOW WE HAVE DOCTOR AARON FORBES WHO'S GOING TO COME HERE FROM HOPE SQUAD. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. HEY GUYS. THANK YOU. I DO LIVE IN THE AREA BUT I WENT TO THE WRONG BUILDING SO THAT'S JUST MY FAULT. THANK YOU. SO THIS ONE IS THE ADVANCE. YES. PERFECT. YES. AND THE MIC I KNOW I'M SO SHORT. WE'VE GOT TO LOWER THIS DOWN FOR ME. ALL RIGHT. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME TODAY. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOPE SQUAD, BUT I'M ALSO HERE AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER. 
          MY MY CHILDREN ARE IN A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT. AND I WAS AN ADMINISTRATOR IN A NEIGHBORING NEIGHBORING DISTRICT FOR TEN YEARS BEFORE STARTING AT HOPE SQUAD. AND SO WHAT I SAW AS A PRINCIPAL, AS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, AND EVEN AS A TEACHER, IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING. MANY OF THEM ARE NOT THE ONES THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO BE STRUGGLING. A LOT OF THEM PUT A REALLY WONDERFUL FACE ON THINGS, AND THEN THEY END UP IN OFFICES TALKING ABOUT THEIR STRESS LEVELS AND A LOT OF TIMES ANXIETY. SOMETIMES THEY THEN DON'T SHOW UP TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'RE RIDDLED WITH CONCERNS. AND SO AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, I FELT AS THOUGH I HAD A LOT OF BOILING POTS ON THE STOVE. Y'ALL CAN IMAGINE THIS ANALOGY WITH ME. AND IT WAS A PRETTY BIG STOVE BECAUSE I HAD THOUSANDS OF KIDS IN MY BUILDING. AND SO ALL OF THESE POTS WERE BOILING AND WE WERE JUST SLAPPING LIDS ON THE POTS, HOPING THAT EVERYBODY WOULD STAY AT A LEVEL PACE AND GRADUATE. RIGHT. BUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED IS THAT WHAT WE WEREN'T DOING WAS EQUIPPING STUDENTS TO HELP EACH OTHER. AND SO OUR KIDS ARE SO VERY POWERFUL WITH EACH OTHER, THEIR INFLUENCE OVER EACH OTHER, HONESTLY, IS BIGGER THAN THEIR INFLUENCE, OUR INFLUENCE OVER THEM. IF WE THINK BACK TO PEANUTS WHEN WE TALKED TO KIDS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, IT SOUNDS SOMETHING LIKE WOMP WOMP WOMP 
          [00:45:02]
WOMP WOMP WOMP. BUT WHEN THEY HEAR IT FROM EACH OTHER, THEY INTERNALIZE IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. AND SO WHEN I WAS INTRODUCED TO HOPE SQUAD, I HAVE A PERSONAL STORY WHERE I LOST TWO FRIENDS TO DEATH BY SUICIDE AT A VERY YOUNG AGE WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY REASON FOR BEING AN EDUCATOR, IS THAT THERE ARE SOME UNSEEN KIDS AND UNSEEN STRUGGLES, AND MENTAL HEALTH IS SOMETHING THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CAUSE OF STRUGGLES FOR ADULTS AND KIDS. AND SO SINCE THAT WAS MY DRIVING FACTOR FOR BEING AN EDUCATOR, WORKING IN HOPE SQUAD AND EMPOWERING KIDS TO HELP EACH OTHER REALLY ALIGNED WITH MY VALUES. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK A BIT ABOUT THE POWER OF CONNECTION AND HOPE SQUAD. 
          BUT I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE AN ACTIVE HOPE SQUAD HERE IN FORT BEND ISD. RIDGE POINT HIGH SCHOOL HAS STARTED THEIR HOPE SQUAD LAST YEAR. AND SO WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF HOPE SQUAD TOO. SO WE'RE GOING TO START JUST TALKING ABOUT THE NATIONAL STATISTICS. AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TEXAS IS ALIGNING ACROSS THE US, BUT NOT JUST IN THE US. I'VE TALKED WITH EXPERTS IN AFRICA, EUROPE. WE ALSO HAVE SOME EXPERTS IN ASIA THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH. 
          AND SO THIS IS MORE OF A GLOBAL PHENOMENON. BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE US IS MATCHING. 
          AND SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE SEEING THAT THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR PEOPLE AGES 10 TO 34 AND TEN IS AN IMPORTANT NUMBER HERE, BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT DEATH BY SUICIDE, WE'RE OFTEN THINKING ABOUT OLDER ADULTS OR TEENS. BUT SADLY IT HAPPENS AT YOUNGER AGES, AT TIMES. AND SO THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WAS DEATH BY SUICIDE. AND THEN WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS SAME STUDY IS THAT 1 IN 10 STUDENTS REPORTED THAT THEY ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN 2023, BUT THREE OUT OF 20 HAD SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. 
          BUT THE THE STATISTIC THAT ACTUALLY BOTHERS ME THE MOST IS AN ADMINISTRATOR IS IN THIS SAME STUDY, 40% OF STUDENTS SELF-REPORTED THAT THEY HAD PERSISTENT FEELINGS OF SADNESS AND HOPELESSNESS IN A TWO WEEK PERIOD. AND SO THAT'S NEARLY HALF OF OUR TEENS THAT WERE POLLED BETWEEN THE AGES OF TEN AND 18 WERE SAYING THAT THEY'RE THERE'S A THERE'S A SENSE OF NON PURPOSE AND A SENSE OF SADNESS WITHIN THEM. AND IF WE CAN AFFECT THAT PIECE AND HELP KIDS FEEL MORE CONNECTED THAN HOPEFULLY WE CAN AVOID THIS PIECE WHERE SUICIDE IDEATION HAPPENS. AND SO WHAT WE FIND AND SO VERY ALIGNED AND I'M ACTUALLY GLAD THAT I WENT SECOND, IS WHEN WE GREW UP, WE WERE ABLE TO LEAVE SCHOOL AT SCHOOL AND LEAVE HOME AT HOME. 
          AND NOW WITH CELL PHONE USE AND SOCIAL MEDIA, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH STUDENTS? AND I SAW IT. IT CROSSED OVER INTO MY CAMPUS ALL THE TIME. IS THAT WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT SCHOOL WOULD FOLLOW THEM HOME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WHAT HAPPENED AT HOME WOULD FOLLOW THEM INTO THE SCHOOL DAY, BECAUSE I HAD PARENTS TEXTING THEIR KIDS SAYING, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM THE GROCERY STORE AT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE LIKE IN ENGLISH CLASS, RIGHT? SO THOSE TWO LINES ARE NOW BLURRED IN A WAY THAT IT WASN'T WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP AND WHEN SOCIAL MEDIA, WHEN PARENTS REMOVE THEIR CHILDREN FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. MY KIDS AREN'T ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I HAVE A TEENAGER. RIGHT. BUT WHAT I SAW IN MY OFFICE IS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT HAD AN ACCOUNT, SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACTS CAN HAPPEN TO THE KIDS. OTHER KIDS ARE TALKING ABOUT THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL. AND SO WITH THE ADVENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR OVER CONNECTEDNESS ONLINE, STUDENTS ARE HAVING THIS SENSE OF DREAD THAT FOLLOWS THEM NO MATTER WHAT AREA THEY ARE IN. AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS UNIQUE TO THIS GENERATION OF STUDENTS. AND SO 21 YEARS AGO, OUR FOUNDER, DOCTOR HUDNELL, WAS ALSO AN ADMINISTRATOR AT A HIGH SCHOOL. AND HIS. POPULATION WAS SEEING DEATHS BY SUICIDE FOR LIKE 3 OR 4, SOMETIMES ANNUALLY. AND THIS WAS IN UTAH. AND SO WHAT HE DID WAS HE FIRST STARTED BY TRAINING THE ADULTS. SO WE WOULD TEACH THE ADULTS THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF SUICIDE AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW TO GET A KID TO HELP. BUT WHAT THAT DIDN'T DO WAS CHANGE THAT NUMBER. THEY CONTINUED TO SEE STUDENTS ATTEMPT SUICIDE OR DIE BY SUICIDE. AND SO WHAT HE DID WAS HE PUT TOGETHER A GROUP OF STUDENTS AND SAID, HOW CAN WE STOP THIS? AND WITHIN THAT FOCUS GROUP, THE STUDENTS DECIDED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FORM UP WHAT THEY NAMED THE HOPE SQUAD FOR THEIR CAMPUSES. AND SO 21 YEARS AGO, WE STARTED THE FIRST HOPE SQUAD. AND WHAT THAT DID WAS WE TAUGHT STUDENTS THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THAT SOMEONE MIGHT BE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, AND THE PATHWAY TO AN ADULT WHO CAN HELP. AND FOR NINE YEARS IN HIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY DID NOT SEE ANOTHER DEATH BY SUICIDE. AND THE FLAGSHIP SCHOOL ITSELF HAS NOT SEEN ONE SINCE. NOW, NOT EVERY CAMPUS SEES THAT LEVEL OF SUCCESS, BUT PROVO, UTAH, HAS RECENTLY BEEN NAMED THE HAPPIEST PLACE OR THE NICEST, SORRY, THE NICEST PLACE IN THE 
          [00:50:05]
US, AND HALF OF THAT IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE FACT THAT HOPE SQUAD HAS BEEN 21 YEARS IN ALL OF THEIR CAMPUSES, TEACHING KIDS HOW TO BE CONNECTORS AND HOW TO BE A FORCE FOR GOOD AND POSITIVITY WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY. IF YOU DO THAT FOR 21 YEARS, THEN IT ROLLS INTO THE ADULTS AND THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. AND SO HOPE SQUAD NOW HAS MORE THAN 2000 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE US. WE HAVE ABOUT 300 IN TEXAS ALONE HERE IN THE HOUSTON AREA, WE HAVE DISTRICTS LIKE YOURS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A HOPE SQUAD AND LAMAR ISD. SPRING ISD TOMBALL ISD IS DEDICATED TO ROLLING HOPE SQUADS OUT TO ALL OF THEIR SCHOOLS WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, AND SO IT'S STARTING TO BE A THING THAT TAKES OFF HERE IN TEXAS, ACTUALLY REALLY KIND OF PROUD BECAUSE TEXAS IS NOW SURPASSING UTAH IN THE NUMBER OF HOPE SQUADS THAT WE HAVE. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH, I THINK THAT TEXAS IS REALLY WELL SITUATED TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE WE HAVE FORWARD THINKING ADULTS LIKE YOURSELVES WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE HELP STUDENTS WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. AND SO HOPE SQUAD'S IMPACTED MORE THAN A MILLION STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND THE WAY WE MEASURE THAT IS WE HAVE HOPE SQUADS THAT ARE SUPPORTING STUDENTS. HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE THEY SUPPORTING EVERY YEAR? AND THAT'S WHERE WE GOT THAT NUMBER. SO WHY DOES HOPE SQUAD WORK? RESEARCH SAYS STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO TALK TO EACH OTHER FIRST IF THEY HAVE SOME SORT OF HARD TOPIC THAT THEY WANT TO CHEW ON WITH SOMEBODY, LIKELY THEY'RE GOING TO COME TO A FRIEND TO TALK ABOUT THAT HARD TOPIC. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS HOW DO WE GIVE OUR STUDENTS TOOLS TO HANDLE THOSE HARD CONVERSATIONS? AND SO THE CDC SAYS THAT ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO REDUCE RISK FACTORS IN STUDENTS IS LEAN IN TO THE IDEA OF CONNECTEDNESS. HOW DO WE MAKE THEM FEEL MORE CONNECTED WITH THEIR CAMPUS? AND SO AT HOPE SQUAD, DOCTOR HUDNELL ASKED THE QUESTION, WHAT WOULD WE DO IF WE LEANED INTO THE POWER OF THESE PEER CONNECTIONS? AND SO THE CDC'S RESEARCH SAYS THAT YOUTH WHO FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO SCHOOL ARE LESS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE, POOR MENTAL HEALTH, SEXUAL RISK, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, VIOLENCE, AND THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE MORE POSITIVE HEALTH BEHAVIORS LIKE EATING HEALTHY, HIGHER TEST SCORES, MORE ATTENDANCE AND GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL. AND SO LEANING REALLY HEAVILY AND MAKING STUDENTS FEEL CONNECTED ON THEIR CAMPUS CAN HAVE A LARGER EFFECT THAN JUST PREVENTING OR CAPTURING STUDENTS AT THAT SUICIDE IDEATION POINT. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS RAISING HEALTHIER STUDENTS BECAUSE OF IT. AND SO WHAT HOPE SQUADS HAVE SEEN AS THE IMPACT IS ADVISORS. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPORTING OUR HOPE SQUAD. STUDENTS FEEL LIKE WE'RE PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE AWARENESS. ADMINISTRATORS SAY THAT THEY'RE PROMOTING A SAFER SCHOOL CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT. IN MY OPINION, WE CAN'T HAVE SAFE SCHOOLS WITHOUT HEALTHY MENTAL STATES IN OUR KIDS. AND SO PART OF THE REASON WHY WE HAVE UNHEALTHY AND UNSAFE SCHOOLS IS NOT JUST THAT WE NEED TO HARDEN OUR EXTERIORS AND PUT BULLETPROOF FILM ON GLASS, BUT ALSO WE NEED TO GO TO THE ROOT CAUSE OF WHAT'S CAUSING STUDENTS TO BE SO DISCONNECTED THAT THEY BECOME VIOLENT ON CAMPUS. AND SO WITH HOPE SQUAD, WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A SAFER SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. AND THEN THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS OUR MEMBERS, WHICH ARE THE STUDENTS WHO ARE PART OF HOPE SQUAD, KNOW HOW TO GET THEIR PEERS TO HELP. AND SO THIS IS HOW HOPE SQUAD WORKS. 
          AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF COMING TO RIDGE POINT'S PARENT MEETING WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THIS. AND SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN EVERY CAMPUS IS WE TRAIN ADVISORS FOR THE HOPE SQUAD. AND SO THOSE ARE USUALLY TEACHERS OR COUNSELORS. SOMETIMES I HAVE IN THE DALLAS AREA, WE HAVE A LIBRARY AIDE WHO WAS REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS WORK. AND SO SHE'S AN ADVISOR FOR THE HOPE SQUAD AS WELL. AND SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST, A SCHOOL COUNSELOR. WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT HOPE SQUAD IS WE'RE GOING TO PICK OUT ADULTS WHO LIKE CONNECTING WITH KIDS, AND KIDS LIKE CONNECTING TO THEM. AND SO WE CHOOSE THOSE PEOPLE TO EMPOWER THE KIDS WHO ARE IN HOPE SQUAD. THE WAY WE FIND HOPE SQUAD STUDENTS IS PRETTY UNIQUE. WE USE A NOMINATION PROCESS, SO WE KNOW THAT KIDS GO TO TALK TO KIDS FIRST. WHO WE NEED TO FIND IS WHO DO THEY GO TO TO TALK TO. AND SO IN HOPE SQUAD, WE ASK KIDS, WHO DO YOU GO TO WHEN YOU NEED A TRUSTED LISTENER? AND WE TAKE THAT LIST OF KIDS, BUT INSTEAD OF IT BEING A VOTE LIKE YOU WOULD SEE WITH A STUDENT COUNCIL, WE THEN TEACH OUR ADULTS TO SAY, LOOK AT THE LIST. DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S IN SWIM AND SOMEONE WHO'S IN FOOTBALL? DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S IN BAND AND SOMEONE WHO'S IN THEATER? DO YOU HAVE A KID WHO IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY OF THOSE THINGS? DO YOU HAVE HIGH ACHIEVING, MIDDLE ACHIEVING AND LOWER ACHIEVING STUDENTS? BECAUSE WE WANT A KID TO BE ABLE TO LOOK TO THE RIGHT AND 
          [00:55:02]
LOOK TO THE LEFT AND BE ABLE TO FIND A HOPE SQUAD MEMBER ON CAMPUS, BECAUSE HOPE SQUAD SHOULD BE REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR CAMPUS. AND SO WE WILL DO A NOMINATION PROCESS. BUT THEN THE VERY NEXT STEP IS TO HAVE THAT PARENT MEETING. WE WOULD NEVER PUT A CHILD IN HOPE SQUAD THAT DOESN'T HAVE PARENT PERMISSION. MENTAL HEALTH IS A HARD TOPIC FOR SOME PEOPLE, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT AND WE HONOR THAT. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HOPE SQUAD DOES IS WE GIVE OUR ADVISORS THE RESOURCES TO HAVE A MEETING WITH PARENTS LIKE THIS SAYS, CONGRATULATIONS, YOUR KID IS A LEADER AND A LISTENER ON OUR CAMPUS, AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THEM. BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS OTHER KIDS ARE GOING TO COME TO THEM WITH HARDER CONVERSATIONS THAN THEY MIGHT COME TO PEERS BECAUSE THEY'RE EMPATHETIC. AND SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A SCHOOL IS GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO MANAGE THAT CONVERSATION AND SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THEM AND THEIR PEERS. BECAUSE WHAT I'VE NOTICED AS AN ADMINISTRATOR IS I'VE GOT A LOT OF KIDS WHO LIKE TO POUR FROM EMPTY BUCKETS. THEY ARE FIXERS AND HELPERS, AND SO THEY WANT TO HELP SOMEBODY. THEY GET A LOT OF JOY OUT OF BEING HELPERS, BUT SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES. AND SO IN HOPE SQUAD, WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. FIRST, YOU NEED TO PUT ON YOUR OXYGEN MASK BEFORE YOU HELP SOMEONE ELSE WITH THEIR OXYGEN MASK. AND SO WHEN WE TALK TO PARENTS LIKE THAT, LIKE YOUR KID IS LIKELY GOING TO HEAR SOME HARD THINGS FROM KIDS. AND WHAT HOPE SQUAD CAN DO IS GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO MANAGE THAT, BECAUSE WE'RE TEACHING THEM THEY'RE NOT A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL AND YOU ARE NOT A COUNSELOR. YOUR ROLE IS TO LISTEN TO YOUR PEERS AND GET THEM TO AN ADULT WHO CAN HELP. AND SO IN THAT WAY, HOPE SQUAD'S HELPING OUR KIDS LEARN BOUNDARIES AND SELF-CARE. 
          WHEN WE PUT IT LIKE THAT, MAJORITY OF PARENTS SAY YES. AND HONESTLY, IN THE CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH PARENTS AT RIDGE POINT, MANY OF THEM WERE ASKING, CAN I SIGN THE PAPER NOW? AND THE ONES WHO WERE ASKING OTHER QUESTIONS, WE CAN ANSWER THEM. BUT ULTIMATELY THERE'S LIKELY A PARENT OR TWO WHO SAID NO, AND THAT'S PERFECTLY OKAY, BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT FOR SOME KIDS AND NOT RIGHT FOR OTHERS. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WE FORM UP THE HOPE SQUAD IS THEY'RE GOING TO START MEETING REGULARLY WITH THEIR ADVISORS. AND SO THE ADVISORS ARE GIVEN MENTAL HEALTH LESSONS THAT ARE RESEARCH BASED, AND THEY GIVE THOSE LESSONS TO STUDENTS. AND THEN THE STUDENTS AND THE ADVISORS TOGETHER START ENGAGING IN HOW DO WE BRING THESE OUT TO YOUR PEERS. AND SO AN ELEMENTARY HOPE SQUAD MIGHT BE AND BY THE WAY, WE ARE SUICIDE PREVENTION COMPANY. BUT IN ELEMENTARY IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE TO BE TALKING ABOUT SUICIDE DIRECTLY. SO IN A SUICIDE PREVENTION SITUATION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PREVENTION WITH KIDS IN ELEMENTARY. SO WITH OUR ELEMENTARY KIDS, WE'RE TEACHING THEM WHO MIGHT NEED OUR HELP AND HOW TO GET THEM TO AN ADULT WHO CAN HELP. WHAT ARE WE LOOK FOR WHEN A FRIEND MIGHT NEED TO TALK TO AN ADULT? THOSE ARE THE APPROPRIATE PLACES. AND THEN WE BUILD SKILLS. AND SO I WENT TO SEE AN ELEMENTARY CAMPUS VERY RECENTLY. AND WHAT THEY TOLD ME WAS IT WAS HOPE WEEK. AND SO WE DID AN ACT OF KINDNESS TREE. AND SO COME SEE OUR ACT OF KINDNESS TREE DOCTOR FORBES. AND IT WAS THE FIRST DAY THEY HAD IT UP. AND THE HOMEROOMS, WHEN THEY NOTED AN ACT OF KINDNESS, THEY WERE PUTTING A LEAF ON THE TREE. 
          THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY GREETED STUDENTS ABOUT ONCE A MONTH AT THE CAR RIDER LINE WITH BUBBLES, AND THEN SIGNS FOR THE PARENTS THAT SAYS HONK FOR HOPE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING AS WELL. AND SO WHAT WE DO TO ENGAGE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS THE STUDENTS IN HOPE SQUAD ARE GETTING THESE RESEARCH BACKED LESSONS, BUT THEN WE SAY, HEY, KIDS, HOPE SQUAD SAYS THESE ARE SOME WAYS THAT YOU CAN REACH OUT TO YOUR PEERS ON THIS TOPIC, LIKE SELF-CARE. DO YOU THINK YOUR PEERS WOULD SEE IT THIS WAY? AND SO ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL LESSONS ASKED STUDENTS TO PUT TOGETHER A SELF-CARE PLAN AND THEN GO WORK ON THAT SELF-CARE PLAN WITH A BUDDY. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THEY TAKE THEIR LEARNING OUT. 
          BUT THEN THEY SAY HOPE SQUAD THEN SUGGESTS, LET'S WRITE STICKY NOTES ABOUT SELF-CARE AND POST THEM IN THE BATHROOM MIRRORS OR IN THE COMMENTS, OR LET'S PLAY SELF-CARE BINGO AS A WHOLE CAMPUS. AND WHEN THEY FINISH THEIR BINGO CARD, THEY BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNSELOR'S OFFICE AND GET THEIR BAG OF TAKIS. RIGHT. AND SO WHAT WE DO THEN IS SAY, WOULD YOUR STUDENTS LIKE THIS? AND I TALKED TO A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO TOLD ME RECENTLY THAT AT THEIR CAMPUS, THEY HAD A LOT OF DRIVERS, AND THE DRIVERS WOULD OFTEN GET PARKING TICKETS, AND THE PARKING TICKETS WERE A SLIP THAT WERE LIKE THIS, AND THEY WERE PINK. 
          AND SO THE HOPE SQUAD MEMBERS SAID, WHAT IF FOR SELF-CARE, WE MADE THEM LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THOSE PARKING TICKETS, BUT WE HAND WROTE SELF-CARE TIPS. AND SO EVERY KID WENT OUT TO THE PARKING LOT ONE DAY AND THOUGHT THEY HAD ALL GOTTEN PARKING TICKETS SLIPPED ON THEIR WINDSHIELD, BUT INSTEAD IT WAS A HANDWRITTEN NOTE FROM A HOPE SQUAD STUDENT THAT TALKED TO THEM ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES. AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE GIVE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO BRING MENTAL HEALTH TIPS OUT TO THE SCHOOL. BUT WE ALSO ASK THE KIDS, HOW WOULD THIS BE WELL RECEIVED BY YOUR PEERS AND EMPOWER THEM TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT OUTREACHING TO THE KIDS? AND SO THESE ARE THE LEARNING OBJECTIVES THAT HOPE SQUADS LEARN. FIRST, WE START BY BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE GOT SOME BIG SCHOOLS HERE. NOT ALL OF THE KIDS ON HOPE SQUAD KNOW EACH OTHER. AND MANY OF THEM ARE ALL FROM DIFFERENT CLIQUES. SO THE FIRST THING WE DO IS WE START WITH THE HOPE'S QUAD CORE. WHO ARE WE? WHY ARE WE COMING TOGETHER? WHAT IS OUR 
          [01:00:02]
PURPOSE? AND DO SOME TEAM BUILDING? ON TOP OF THAT, WE LAYER AGE APPROPRIATE SUICIDE PREVENTION. AND SO IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THOSE ARE THOSE PIECES OF TRUSTED ADULTS. 
          AND WHAT DO WE WATCH FOR IN A FRIEND? AND HOW DO WE SUPPORT A FRIEND TO GET TO AN ADULT. 
          RIGHT. BUT THEN IN MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVELS AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS, WE TEACH THEM ABOUT SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. WE DO TALK ABOUT SUICIDE AND WAYS TO WATCH FOR THE RED FLAGS THAT MIGHT GO UP AMONGST PEERS. AND THEN WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS, YOU ARE THE BRIDGE TO HELP. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FIX. THERE ARE SOME SECRETS THAT ARE UNSAFE SECRETS. 
          AND SO WE TEACH THEM HOW ON THAT CAMPUS. HOW DO YOU GET TO A FRIEND WHO CAN HELP? AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE CAN TEACH STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DIAL NINE, EIGHT EIGHT. YOU CAN TEXT 988. AND THAT'S A GREAT RESOURCE. BUT ON OUR CAMPUS, IF WE HEAR SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, HOW DO WE GET TO AN ADULT WHO CAN HELP. AND WE MAKE THAT PATHWAY INCREDIBLY CLEAR. AND THEN YOU HAVE CHAMPIONS ALL OVER THE CAMPUS WHO CAN TEACH OTHER KIDS THE PATHWAY TO HELP ON CAMPUS AS WELL. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT AGE APPROPRIATE SUICIDE PREVENTION LOOKS LIKE. AND THEN AS A PRINCIPAL, MY FAVORITE PARTS ARE ACTUALLY IN THE LIGHT PINK. IT'S ALL THE SKILL BUILDING THAT WE CAN DO TO KEEP STUDENTS OUT OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND SO WE TEACH THEM ON THE SECONDARY LEVEL ABOUT UNPLUGGING FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. WE ALSO TEACH THEM ABOUT HEALTHY CONFLICT RESOLUTION. WE TEACH THEM ABOUT STRESS MANAGEMENT AND SELF-CARE. ANOTHER THING THAT WE TEACH IS CULTIVATING EMPATHY. AND INSTEAD OF BEING A BYSTANDER, HOW TO BE AN UPSTANDER. AND SO WE'RE DOING ANTI-BULLYING AND WORKING ON ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT BRING STUDENTS INTO A SENSE OF ANXIETY OR STRESS. WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THOSE ON THE PROACTIVE LEVEL. SO AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, WITH MY BOILING POTS, MY HOPE SQUAD STUDENTS KIND OF HELP ME TURN IT DOWN TO A SIMMER, BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING SKILLS ON CAMPUS TO HELP STUDENTS WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH PROACTIVELY. AND SO ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES HAVE PHENOMENAL MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS ON CAMPUS, AND THEY ARE WORKING THEIR HARDEST WITH ALL OF THEIR STUDENTS. BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS EMPOWER STUDENTS TO HELP EACH OTHER AND EMPOWER THEM TO KNOW WHEN TO CONNECT TO AN ADULT. 
          AND THE MORE WE CAN GET STUDENTS INTO THOSE COUNSELORS OFFICES FASTER, THE MORE WE CAN HELP STUDENTS BEFORE THEY HIT A CRISIS POINT. AND THAT CRISIS POINT MIGHT ALSO BE LIKE A SCHOOL SAFETY CRISIS POINT, RIGHT? WHEN THEY GOT INTO MY OFFICE, I WOULD ASK, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED HARMING YOURSELF OR SOMEBODY ELSE? IT'S A HARD QUESTION TO ASK A KID, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO ASK. AND SO WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO CATCH KIDS BEFORE THEY GET TO THAT POINT. 
          AND SO WHEN HOPE SQUADS REALLY THRIVE IS WHEN WE HAVE FULL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION. AND SO WE TALK TO OUR ADVISORS ABOUT WHO IS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY. WHEN I HAD STUDENTS WHO WERE IN CRISIS AT MY CAMPUS, WE WOULD CONNECT WITH TEXANA. THEY WERE WITHIN MY COMMUNITY. 
          AND SO EACH HOPE SQUAD KNOWS WHO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND WHAT THEIR PATHWAY TO HEALTH IS. 
          AND IF A STUDENT NEEDED TO BE SEEN BY A PROFESSIONAL, HOW DO WE ON OUR CAMPUS GET THEM TO THAT PERSON? BUT THEN WE ALSO ENGAGE PARENTS REGULARLY, AND SOME OF THOSE ENGAGEMENTS ARE FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL CAMPUS. WE HAVE NEWSLETTERS THAT GO OUT THAT ARE THEME BASED, BUT ALSO WE ENGAGE THE PARENTS OF THE HOPE SQUAD MEMBERS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR KIDDOS ARE LEARNING AS WELL. AND THEN WE HAVE DEDICATED ADVISORS. PRINCIPAL SUPPORT. WE HELP THE FACULTY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PURPOSE OF HOPE SQUAD IS AS WELL. AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE RALLY THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AROUND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND PREVENTION. AND SO THIS IS WHAT OUR FOUNDER SAYS, AND WE BELIEVE IT VERY FIRMLY IS THAT IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD, BUT IT TAKES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO SAVE ONE. AND I THINK WHAT WE DO REALLY WELL IS TEACH ADULTS HOW TO HELP KIDS. BUT WHEN WE'RE LEAVING STUDENTS OUT OF THEIR OWN EQUATION, THEN WE'RE MISSING A PIECE OF PREVENTION. AND SO TEACHING THEM THOSE SKILLS AND ALSO THE PATHWAY TO HELP IS THE NEXT STEP TO HELP SAVING KIDDOS. AND SO THAT IS MY PRESENTATION. BUT I AM HAPPY TO TAKE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. SO YOU MENTIONED IS THIS PART OF A COMPANY THAT WILL IS WILLING TO COME INTO SCHOOLS AND START THIS UP? OR HOPE SQUAD DOESN'T COME TO SCHOOLS TO TEACH KIDDOS, AND THAT'S REALLY INTENTIONAL. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT HAPPENS WITHIN YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY IS GUIDED BY SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS YOUR KIDS. AND SO WE ARE A COMPANY, AND IT IS A PRODUCT THAT WE GIVE TO SCHOOLS, AND WE TRAIN THE ADULT LEADERS AND THEN GIVE THEM THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO TRAIN THE KIDDOS. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE HEARING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH TO BE HEARING ABOUT IT FROM 
          [01:05:05]
SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY AND WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL. AND SO WE DON'T TRAIN KIDS, BUT WE DO PROVIDE THE ADULTS ALL THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO TRAIN THEIR KIDS. DOES THAT ANSWER THAT? SO THE ADULTS ARE YOU MENTIONED LIKE SCHOOL COUNSELORS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, TEACHERS. I BELIEVE AT RIDGE POINT, WE HAVE A MIX OF COUNSELOR AND A TEACHER WHO'S RUNNING IT. BUT LIKE I SAID, IT COULD BE ANY ADULT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT THE SCHOOL DECIDES IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO LEAD THE HOPE SQUAD. AND THEN WE TRAIN THEM AND THEY GET ACCESS TO ALL OF THOSE RESEARCH BACK LESSONS AND RESOURCES TO THEN WORK WITH THE KIDS AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN THE CONVERSATION. OKAY, BECAUSE WE I'M I'M AT FORT SETTLEMENT MIDDLE SCHOOL RIGHT NOW. WE DID THIS PROGRAMING CALLED. YES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BUT THAT WAS LIKE SOMETHING ELSE WHERE WE HAD PROFESSIONALS COME IN AND DO LIKE 2 OR 3 DAYS OF AND THOSE ARE LIKE TIER ONE PHENOMENAL PROGRAMS. AND SO WHAT HOPE SQUAD DOES IS WHEN WE HAVE PROGRAMS LIKE THAT THAT COME IN, THEN THE KIDS KEEP THAT CONVERSATION GOING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK HOPE SQUAD IS REALLY PURPOSEFUL ABOUT NOT COMING IN AND TRAINING KIDDOS. WE WANT IT TO LAST ALL YEAR LONG. AND SO WE WE GIVE THE KIDDOS THE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP ENGAGING STUDENTS. AND SO PROGRAMS LIKE YES COMPLEMENT WITH HOPE SQUAD REALLY WELL BECAUSE THEN THE STUDENTS CAN TAKE THAT MESSAGE AND CONTINUE IT ALL YEAR LONG. OKAY. AND THEN I GUESS I CAN TALK TO YOU AFTERWARDS, BUT HOW MUCH WOULD IT BE? BASICALLY I DON'T I DON'T MIND SHARING. SO WE HAVE A TRAINING COST FOR ADULTS. AND SO WHEN WE TRAIN THOSE FOLKS IT'S DEPENDS ON THE TRAINING. BUT SOMETIMES IT'S 600, SOMETIMES IT'S 800 PER PERSON. 
          WHEN THEY'RE TRAINED THEY'RE TRAINED FOR LIFE. SO IF WE HAD SOMEONE FROM RIDGE POINT WHO GOT A B UNDER THEIR BONNET TO GO BE AN ELEMENTARY TEACHER, THEY COULD START UP AN ELEMENTARY HOPE SQUAD WITHOUT NEEDING A RETRAINING OF ANY SORT. AND SO THERE'S A YEAR, ONE COST OF TRAINING THE ADULTS, AND THEN THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL COST THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE LICENSING. AND IT RANGES BETWEEN 2500 AND 4000 A SCHOOL EVERY TIME, EVERY YEAR THAT WE HAVE A HOPE SQUAD. OKAY. AND SO AS FAR AS PREVENTION GOES, IT'S FAR LESS THAN BRINGING IN A LOT OF ADULTS FOR ME TO HAVE A SINGLE SPEAKER AT MY CAMPUS. IT WAS UP ANYWHERE BETWEEN 8 AND $10,000 FOR ONE DAY. AND INSTEAD, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS EQUIPPING KIDS TO KEEP THAT CONVERSATION GOING YEAR ROUND. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH HOW RIDGE POINT FUNDED IT? WAS IT THROUGH THEIR PTO OR A. OKAY, SO HALF AND HALF A BIT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. HALF PTA. YEAH. HI I'M ARIEL EVERSON WITH GOES ON THE RUN. GREATER HOUSTON WE ARE AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT IS SIMILAR TO HOPE SQUAD THAT RELIES HEAVILY ON THE ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, FURTHER OUR PROGRAM. SO WHAT METHODS DO YOU USE TO GET THOSE ADULTS ON BOARD? I KNOW TEACHERS HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATES AS WELL AS PARENTS, AND BUT IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE THOSE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT KIDS CAN, YOU KNOW, LOOK TO AND SEE OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO FEEL SECURE AND FEEL SAFE AND, AND HAVE THAT MESSAGE, YOU KNOW, RING HOME. SO WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE SQUAD USE. SO WE FIRST THING WE DO IS WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE AS ADVISORS. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED TO ENGAGE THE ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO FULLY SUPPORT THE HOPE SQUAD STUDENTS. THEY NEED A FEW TRUSTED ADULTS TO RUN THAT PROGRAM. RIGHT. AND THEN THINGS THAT WE DO TO CONTINUOUSLY ENGAGE THE ADULTS THEN, IS WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL TRUSTED ADULT IDENTIFICATION. AND SO WE ASK THE HOPE SQUAD STUDENTS TO IDENTIFY WHO IN THEIR LIFE ARE TRUSTED ADULTS, AND THEN THEY GO OUT AND GIVE THEM INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO BE THAT PATHWAY TO HELP FOR KIDS. 
          AND SO WE ACTUALLY ASKED THE STUDENTS TO HELP US WITH THAT PIECE. AND SO WE ENGAGE THE TRUSTED ADULTS THROUGH THE HOPE SQUAD MEMBERS. SO IT'S LIKE A SURVEY THAT KIDS. NOT EXACTLY NOT YEAH. WE HAVE YOU HEAR YOU HEAR WHAT THE KIDS ARE SAYING. AND SO. EXACTLY. YEAH. AND AT AT RIDGE POINT, I KNOW THAT THEY INVITED ABOUT 90 STUDENTS THEIR FIRST YEAR, AND I DON'T KNOW THE TOTAL NUMBER THAT ENDED UP BEING IN HOPE SQUAD. SO IF YOU THINK 90 KIDS ON CAMPUS WHO ARE THEN IDENTIFYING ALL OF THE TRUSTED ADULTS ON CAMPUS AND HELPING THEM SEE HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT KIDS TO, IT BECOMES MORE GRASSROOTS FOR US. NICE. THANK YOU. YEAH. ANY MORE QUESTIONS? OKAY. LET ME THROW ONE OUT THERE THEN. BECAUSE USUALLY WHAT I GET IS OH AARON, THAT SOUNDS REALLY HARD FOR KIDS. IT'S A BIG TOPIC RIGHT. AND SO USUALLY THAT COMES UP IN THESE CONVERSATIONS. AND SO I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED NOBODY ASKED. SO BECAUSE SUICIDE IS SCARY AND WEIGHTY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WHAT HOPE SQUAD IS ACTUALLY FINDING IS THAT KIDS ARE GOING TO KIDS ALREADY TO TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS. AND SO WHAT WE DO INSTEAD IS WE EQUIP THEM 
          [01:10:01]
WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO HANDLE THAT. AND SO THE INTERNAL RESEARCH THAT WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE WE COLLECT DATA FROM SCHOOLS EVERY YEAR, IS THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED FOR HOPE SQUAD HAVE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF COMPASSION FATIGUE AND SATISFACTION ALREADY. AND SO WHEN WE MEASURE WHAT THEY DO PRE AND POST BEING IN HOPE SQUAD, WE FIND THAT THEIR COMPASSION FATIGUE IS REDUCING AND THEIR COMPASSION SATISFACTION IS GOING UP BECAUSE THEY NOW PART OF A TEAM AND THEY HAVE TOOLS. AND SO YOU GUYS HAVE ALL YOUR HELPER KITS ON CAMPUS ALREADY. AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TOOLS THAT WE USE TO FILL UP THEIR SKILLS ON HOW TO BE A COMPASSIONATE HELPER KID, BUT IT IS A COMMON QUESTION THAT COMES UP IS, OH WOW, THAT'S A BIG TOPIC. HOW DO WE HELP THE KIDS WITH THAT? AND SO HOPE SQUAD ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT IS A BIG TOPIC. AND SO WE HELP THEM BUILD THEIR TEAM IDENTITY AROUND BEING HELPERS. 
          AND THEN LOTS OF SELF-CARE LESSONS BECAUSE THOSE KIDDOS POUR FROM EMPTY BUCKETS A LOT. 
          AND SO WE HELP THEM TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES FIRST. OKAY. IS THERE A SPIRITUAL COMPONENT TO THE TRAINING? NOT TO HOURS, BUT WE RUN IN A LOT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS, CATHOLIC AND CHRISTIAN. 
          BUT ALSO I HAVE SOME TRIBAL SCHOOLS AS WELL. AND SO WHAT I TELL OUR WHAT I TELL THOSE SCHOOLS IS, IS ANY SUPPLEMENTING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN CAN HAPPEN. AND THAT'S WHAT ANOTHER PIECE OF HAVING SOMEONE WITHIN THE SCHOOL WHO IS THE ADVISOR IS, YOU KNOW, YOUR KIDS AND YOU KNOW WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM. AND PERHAPS YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT THEIR SPIRITUALITY AS WELL. I KNEW A LOT ABOUT MY KIDS SPIRITUALITY AS A PRINCIPAL. 
          AND SO SINCE WE'RE TRAINING ADULTS WITHIN YOUR SPACE, IF SUPPLEMENTING IS APPROPRIATE OR IF A KID DECIDES TO BRING THAT IN, THEN THEY CAN HONOR THAT VERSUS HAVING A TRAINER COME IN AND OUT. WE ARE ALWAYS FEEL LIKE WE'RE WALKING A TIGHTROPE WITH THE KIDS TEACHING AND A TEACHER, A COUNSELOR TO LEAD UP THE SCHOOL. THEY CAN ADD SUPPLEMENTATION AND HONOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH KIDS AS THEY COME UP. BUT NO, THERE'S NOT A RELIGIOUS PIECE TO HOPE SQUAD SPIRITUAL. WE TALK TO STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR SPIRITUAL HEALTH, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE SELF-CARE LESSONS. IT'S JUST A PIECE. SO IT'S LIKE PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL, MENTAL. AND SO WE THAT'S THE ONLY LESSON THAT I KNOW OF THAT ENGAGES IN IT. IT'S MENTIONED, BUT WE DON'T GO TOO DEEP IN IT JUST TO HONOR DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE THAT WE DEAL WITH. SO. IF YOU WANTED TO DELVE MORE INTO THAT AND YOU HAD A BIGGER QUESTION, I DON'T MIND CONTINUING. SO HOW DID HOW EXACTLY DID YOU GET STARTED? AVERAGE POINT DID YOU JUST GO TO THE PRINCIPAL CAME TO US ACTUALLY. AND SO IT IT WAS A SAD SITUATION WHERE THEY HAD LOST A STUDENT TO SUICIDE. AND AT THAT POINT THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, ARE WE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN? AND THE PRINCIPAL SAID, I'M READY TO LOOK INTO SOMETHING ELSE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT KIDS. AND SO IT WASN'T A SITUATION WHERE HOPE SQUAD WAS REACHING OUT. IT WAS A PRINCIPAL WHO, LIKE ME, SAW THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND WANTED TO ENGAGE IN A DIFFERENT WAY. AND SO ENGAGING THE STUDENTS BECAME A PASSION PROJECT FOR HIM. OKAY, SO I THINK I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT DO YOU HAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS? I DON'T IT'S FOR THAT HOPE SQUAD. COM I SHOULD HAVE PUT THAT THERE. YEP. NOPE. I LEFT THAT SLIDE OFF ON ACCIDENT, BUT WE CAN GET IT OUT TO EVERYBODY. AND ON YOUR AGENDA IT SAYS MY NAME. SO JUST E FORBES AND THEN HOPE SQUAD COMM. YEAH. AND THIS THIS IS REALLY THEIR FULL FIRST YEAR BECAUSE LAST YEAR WAS KIND OF GETTING STARTED. AND SO THE PLAN IS ONCE WE'VE GONE THROUGH THERE'S KIND OF OUR PILOT. SO ONCE WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS WE WANT TO HAVE SOME KIDS. THE PRINCIPAL AND AARON COME BACK AND TALK TO ALL SECONDARY PRINCIPALS AND SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN. WE TRY NOT TO MANDATE THINGS ON CAMPUSES, BUT WHEN CAMPUSES SEE LIKE A BIG IMPACT, AND THEN THE OTHER PRINCIPALS AND KIDS HEAR FROM THE OTHER PRINCIPALS, A LOT OF PEOPLE THEN WANT TO JUMP ON BOARD AND DO IT. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT WILL COME IN FUTURE YEARS. I LOVE THE MID YEAR STARTS LIKE THEY DID. IT GIVES THE STAFF TIME TO TRAIN AND NOMINATE AND ENGAGE THE PARENTS AND SO. YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. REALLY APPRECIATE OUR SPEAKERS TODAY. I THINK IT WAS REALLY GREAT INFORMATION. AND NOW I THINK EVERYBODY PROBABLY WANTS A LITTLE BIT OF A STANDING UP BRAIN BREAK. LET ME GO AHEAD 
          [01:15:01]
AND SCROLL DOWN. WE GOT SHANNON COMING UP IF YOU WANT TO GIVE YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE. 
          [III. Administration]
SO THIS ONE THIS COMES FROM THIS COMES FROM PLAYWORKS. AND PLAYWORKS IS A GREAT RESOURCE. 
          THEY HAVE A HUGE LIBRARY THAT SUPPORTS INDOOR RECESS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THE CLASSROOM. THIS THE GOAL OF THIS IS TO HELP WITH CONCENTRATION AND LISTENING SKILLS, BUT ALSO TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF MOVEMENT AND BASED UPON YOUR SPACE, YOU CAN CHANGE IT AROUND HOWEVER YOU NEED, RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAD A LITTLE MORE SPACE, WE CAN MAKE IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT. BUT I SEE YOU ALL FOUND SOME PERSONAL SPACE SO I CAN LET YOU MOVE A LITTLE MORE THAN REGULAR ON YOUR CHAIRS. SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS YOU SEE THOSE FOUR WORDS THERE, UP, DOWN, STOP AND GO. WELL, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A PHYSICAL MOVEMENT THAT HAS TO GO WITH EACH OF THOSE. BUT SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF SPACE, I WON'T BE MOVING YOU TOO MUCH. SO IF I SAY UP, I JUST WANT YOU TO DO A LITTLE SQUAT. THAT'S IT. SO WE'LL PRACTICE. FIRST UP, UP. IF I SAY DOWN, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO REACH AS TALL, TALL, HIGH TO THE SKY AS YOU CAN. OF COURSE, WE CAN DO A LOT OF OTHER DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS. AND IF I HAD MORE SPACE, WE CAN DO THAT, LIKE JUMPING JACKS. JUMP. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO JUMP, SO I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU TO STRETCH HIGH TO THE SKY. WHEN I SAY DOWN. UP, I'M NOT GOING TO DO IT WHENEVER. IT'S YOUR TIME THOUGH, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BE WATCHING ME WHEN I SAY STOP. SO IN OUR SPACE WE HAVE A LIMITED SPACE. SO IF YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT A CLASSROOM, YOU HAVE TO PICK A SAFE MOVEMENT. SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO YOU CAN MARCH IN YOUR SPOT. YOU CAN WALK AROUND THE ROOM, BUT ONLY WALKING WHEN I SAY STOP OKAY. SO STOP. OR YOU CAN RUN IN PLACE ANY OF THOSE. AND IF I SAY GO YOU'RE GOING TO FREEZE. SO IF I SAY GO, YOU'RE FROZEN. 
          WHICH ISN'T TOO HARD IN HERE BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE CHILLY. AND I NORMALLY DON'T SAY I'M CHILLY IN HERE. ALL RIGHT. SO. GO. STOP. DOWN, UP, UP UP. STOP. GO DOWN UP. STOP. GO. ALL RIGHT, SO JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ENTERTAINING ME. I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK ONE FOR TIME'S SAKE, BUT WE CAN CHANGE THAT TO A LOT OF THINGS. YOU CAN PUT JUMPING JACKS, SKIPPING, HOPPING, JUMPING, ANY KIND OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT YOU WOULD WANT. AND THEN DEPENDING UPON THE CLASS SIZE THEN IN THE CLASSROOM. BUT YOU CAN ALSO WE COULD DO IT IN THE GYM TOO. BUT AGAIN THIS IS A GREAT RESOURCE. I DID THIS WITH THE PE CADRE AND I SHARE IT WITH. I'LL BE SHARING IT WITH OUR LEADERS AS WELL, AND IT'S PART OF OUR INDOOR RECESS LINK THAT I HAVE FOR OUR PE TEACHERS TO SHARE WITH CAMPUS TEACHERS. OH, THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY. YEAH. 
          OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY, GUYS. SO USUALLY NOW IS WHEN WE WOULD MOVE ON TO VOTING FOR OUR MEETING MINUTES AND WE'RE ON A BAD STREAK. SO THAT BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT SLIDE. WE REALLY NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT WELL, OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT ACTUALLY WOULD LOVE TO TRY TO SEE IF ANY ALL OF YOU GUYS CAN BRING A FRIEND TO THE NEXT MEETING. WE DEFINITELY NEED TO BRING MORE FOLKS IN. I KNOW OUR WELLNESS COMMITTEES HAVE STARTED MEETING, AND I THINK, SHANNON, WE'RE KIND OF CLOSING THAT CIRCLE WITH OUR WELLNESS COMMITTEES ON EACH ONE OF THE CAMPUSES. AND IN THEORY, EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, IF YOU'RE NOT WORKING FOR THE DISTRICT, WOULD BE SERVING ON A WELLNESS COMMITTEE ON A ON A CAMPUS. SO WE REALLY WANT TO GET A FEW MORE PARENTS IN THIS ROOM, A LOT MORE PARENTS IN THIS ROOM. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO START DOING IS I'M GOING TO GO DOWN THE LIST AND REALLY LOOK AT WHO ARE OUR MEMBERS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE MEETINGS RECENTLY, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TOUCH BASE WITH THEM. AND I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE SOME OPEN POSITIONS. SO DEFINITELY START ASKING AROUND, SEE IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN JOINING. SO THEN WITH THAT SAID, CONTACT ME IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BEING ON THE EXECUTIVE TEAM FOR NEXT YEAR. I KNOW IT SEEMS SUPER EARLY. IT'S LIKE OUR ONLY SECOND MEETING OF THE YEAR, BUT WE'RE ALREADY HAVING TO START TO LOOK AT THAT FOR FOR NEXT YEAR. SUBCOMMITTEES, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE SUBMITTED YOUR MEMBERSHIP PLEDGE. AND LIKE I SAID, EMBED YOURSELVES IN THE SUBCOMMITTEES, YOUR CAMPUS 
          [01:20:02]
WELLNESS COMMITTEES. WE ALSO WANTED TO BRING UP WE'VE KIND OF IDENTIFIED SOMETHING WHERE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST WE HAD LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES THAT THE SHACK DEFINED. THEY WERE KIND OF DIFFERENT FROM THE ONES THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES DEFINED. AND AS WE GO FORWARD, I THINK THERE'S A LEARNING WHENEVER WE HAVE A TOPIC LIKE MENTAL HEALTH TODAY, OUR OUR GOAL, AND WE HAVE SUMITA, WHO'S KIND OF COMING ON AS AN ADVISORY MEMBER IS TO HAVE A FIVE, 5 TO 10 MINUTE REVIEW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN THIS LEGISLATIVE WORLD THAT DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH OR DEAL WITH WHATEVER TOPIC WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT. SO WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. SUMITA, I THINK YOU GUYS ALL KNOW HER. SHE HAS BEEN ASKING OUR GREAT QUESTIONS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED THIS. CAN YOU? MICROPHONE. I HAVE A LEGISLATIVE ONE ON ONE SESSION. I KNOW ACTUALLY LET ME LET'S WAIT UNTIL WE'RE ON THE MICROPHONE BECAUSE OF COURSE THIS IS RECORDED LEGISLATION LEGISLATIVE PROCESS 101. TURN IT ON. YOU GOT TO TURN ON. BUT YEAH WE DEFINITELY I WANT HER TO COME AND GIVE US A QUICK REVIEW OF HOW LEGISLATION TAKES PLACE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BECAUSE WE ARE SORT OF UNIQUE AND THINGS ARE IN FLUX RIGHT NOW. LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, THAT OUR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS ARE LITERALLY AT THE SUPREME COURT AND THEN EVEN OUR OUR PRECINCT MAPS ARE BEING CHALLENGED AND THINGS LIKE THAT AT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT LEVEL. SO THINGS ARE SORT OF IN FLUX. BUT I FEEL LIKE I THINK IT'S IN THE TEXT NOW THAT I READ THAT THERE'S LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED THAT REQUIRES CIVICS EDUCATION TO BE INTRODUCED INTO OUR CLASSROOMS AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN MISSING. SO WE CAN SORT OF GET A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF LEGISLATION 101, AND THEN WE CAN JUMP INTO LIKE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. SO YOU TOO CAN BECOME ENGAGED IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. AND IT ACTUALLY STARTS LIKE WE'RE IN A WEIRD SITUATION WHERE THIS WAS AN ON YEAR. NEXT YEAR IS AN OFF YEAR FOR FOR THE LEGISLATURE, BUT YOU ACTUALLY START PREPARING FOR THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN JANUARY. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, NEXT MONTH FOR THE 2027 LEGISLATIVE SESSION. SO AND WE HAVE LIKE LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY HELPED. WE HAVE LIKE A PHYSICIAN DOCTOR LALANI, WHO, WHO'S WHO'S A BIG PROPONENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND OTHER HEALTH ISSUES. AND HE'S BEEN HELPED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO WRITE LEGISLATION TO BRING TO THE LEGISLATURE. SO WE CAN TRY TO DO THAT TO. OKAY, OKAY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN OUR NEXT MEETING. WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE SOMEBODY TO COME UP HERE AND DISCUSS, AT THE VERY LEAST, THE TOPIC THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DISCUSSING FOR THE MEETING. ALL RIGHT. AND NOW IT'S UP FOR SHANNON. ALL RIGHT. SO I'LL FOR SAKE OF TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH THESE QUITE QUICKLY. BUT THERE'S ENOUGH FOR YOU TO GET THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ALL WE HAVE GOING ON NOVEMBER. AS YOU CAN SEE ON HERE, THIS IS OUR WHOLE CHILD HEALTH DISTRICT INITIATIVES AND EVENTS. AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH. SO NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH. AND THAT WAS FOR CAMPUSES AGAIN WITH OUR WHOLE CHILD HEALTH INITIATIVES. IT DEPENDS ON THE CAMPUS AND WHAT INITIATIVE THAT THEY WANT TO ENGAGE IN. AND I DID RECEIVE SOME FEEDBACK AT ARMSTRONG ELEMENTARY. THEY DID A WALK FOR THAT, AND THEY TOOK ALL THE KIDDOS OUT AND THEY USED THEIR TRACK. SO IT WAS GREAT JUST BRINGING AWARENESS ABOUT IT. AND THE PE TEACHER WAS TELLING ME, THE KIDS ARE SAYING, WELL, I DON'T WANT THE DIABETES. AND SO HE HAD TO HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT DIABETES IS AND HOW WALKING CAN KEEP YOU HEALTHY AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. SO IT WAS JUST, AGAIN, YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS JUST GOING OUT ON A WALK AND TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT JUST TO PROVIDE SOME CLARITY AND, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING FOR THE LITTLE ONES TO OUR NUTRITION DEPARTMENT, THEY CELEBRATED THE HOLIDAY MEALS THAT THEY DO, AND MOST OF IT WAS ON CAMPUSES ON THE 13TH. AND THAT WAS THAT HOT TURKEY. AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT WE KNOW THAT NOT EVERYONE CELEBRATES THANKSGIVING, BUT IT'S STILL ABOUT COMING TOGETHER AS A CAMPUS AND SHARING A MEAL TOGETHER. SO THAT'S THE WAY THAT FORWARD FACING IS ON THAT. WE'VE GOT DECEMBER HANDWASHING AWARENESS MONTH, AND THERE'LL BE INFORMATION AND TOOLKIT THAT GOES OUT TO THE CAMPUSES TO SUPPORT THAT. AS FAR AS PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF DISEASE, THEN WE HAVE NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY ON FEBRUARY 6TH. 
          WE ALSO HAVE NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK, WHICH GOES ALONG THE SAME TIME THROUGH THE SECOND THROUGH THE SIXTH. AND THERE'S RESOURCES PROVIDED FOR THE CAMPUSES FOR THAT AND FOR THE WEAR RED DAY. AND AGAIN, CELEBRATING OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT THEY DO TO HELP AMPLIFY STUDENT SUCCESS. WE ALSO ARE PARTICIPATING IN 
          [01:25:06]
ONE WEEK TO SAVE A LIFE. THIS IS FEBRUARY 23RD THROUGH THE 27TH. WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION. WE'VE ACCEPTED THE DISTRICT OF LIFESAVERS CHALLENGE, AND ALL THIS INFORMATION WILL BE GOING OUT TO CAMPUSES AS WELL, WHERE ONE COMPONENT OF THIS IS THAT DURING FACULTY MEETINGS, ALL STAFF WILL BE TRAINED IN HANDS-ONLY CPR AND THEN ADDITIONALLY IN ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES DURING PE CLASS, THERE WILL BE A SHORT LITTLE VIDEO AND EXPLANATION ON HOW TO DO HANDS-ONLY CPR AS WELL. SO THAT'S JUST A SMALL SNIPPET OF IT. AND AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AND WE HAVE A TOOLKIT. AND ALL THAT INFORMATION WILL GO OUT TO THE CAMPUSES SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE AND HOW OUR DISTRICT CAN BECOME A DISTRICT OF LIFESAVERS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO PLAY THIS JUST FOR TIME'S SAKE. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS OUR THIS WAS FROM OUR FIRST TIME OR OUR LAST SOUND BITE IN NOVEMBER. AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE COMING OUT IN DECEMBER. AND YOU CAN FIND THOSE ON OUR WHOLE CHILD HEALTH WEBSITE. AND THERE'S A SCANNING THE CODE TO AS WELL. AND THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE THESE ARE OUR OWN STUDENTS THAT ARE. SO THIS WAS LORI SAID FROM KEMPNER HIGH SCHOOL. THEY'RE REALLY GREAT. IT'S THE KIDS DOING IT AND THEY'RE QUICK LITTLE SNIPPET. BUT I LOVE IT THAT IT'S OUR OWN KIDS, RIGHT DOING THIS. HEY, GOODBYE. I WAS LIKE, IT'S GREAT, BUT I WANT TO MOVE ON. SO WE JUST IF YOU WERE NOT AWARE, WE JUST HAD OUR DISTRICT STUDENT WELLNESS COALITION THINK TANK, AND THAT WAS ON THE 19TH. AND YES, ALISON AND CATALINA CAME AND DEREK WAS A JUDGE FOR US ALONG WITH OTHERS. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER PRESENTED OUR DISTRICT AND THEY'RE WINNING PROPOSALS. UNITED HEALTHCARE DONATED $2,500 IN FUNDS, AND THEN THEY THE JUDGES, DETERMINED HOW THAT MONEY WAS DIVVIED UP AMONG SIX CAMPUSES. SO SIX DIFFERENT CAMPUSES. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE OTHER CAMPUSES THAT WEREN'T FUNDED AND WORKING WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING FOR THEM. AND WE HAVE FOUND THAT. SO I'M REACHING OUT TO THEM TO GET THEIR UPDATED ITEMIZED LISTS AND HOW WE CAN GET THOSE ITEMS FOR THEM. BUT AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL WAS NAMED OVERALL WELLNESS CHAMPION, AND THEY WERE ORDERED $500. AND THEN WE HAD CRAWFORD, CLEMENTS, HIGHTOWER, TRAVIS AND DULLES, AND THEY'RE EACH RECEIVING 400 EACH. AND THOSE ARE JUST PICTURES OF THEM AND THEIR THEIR PROPOSALS THAT THEY HAD. AND THEY ALL DID A GREAT JOB THERE IN THEIR BUSINESS ATTIRE. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO HAD BRIDGEPOINT, ELKINS, BUSH AND KEMPNER. AND THEN THEY WILL BE ALSO WE'RE WORKING WITH GETTING THEM A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING AS WELL. SO THEY EACH ARE GOING TO RECEIVE SOME FUNDS AS WELL. AND THEY ALL DID A GREAT JOB. THEY'RE SUPER EXCITED. OKAY, SO I DID THAT SHORT AND SWEET FOR Y'ALL. THANK YOU. SHANNON AND THE KIDS WERE REALLY AWESOME. 
          YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB GETTING THEM PREPARED AND PRESENTING AND IT WAS REALLY 
          [IV. Meeting in Closed Session]
FUN TO WATCH. OKAY, SO WE'VE TOTALLY RUN OVER TIME, I GUESS. RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU KNOW OF A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT YOU ARE A MEMBER OF. YEAH, I MEAN, YOU'RE A MEMBER OF A SUBCOMMITTEE. 
          HAVE YOU BEEN CONTACTED? HAVE YOU GUYS MET? IS ANYBODY NOT A MEMBER OF A SUBCOMMITTEE AND LOOKING FOR ONE? OH, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I'M ASSUMING EVERYBODY'S BEEN HOLDING THEIR 
          [V. Meeting Closure- Catalina Flores-Rau, SHAC Chair]
MEETINGS. AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. LIKE I SAID, LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN JOINING OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM. AND OTHERWISE. I THINK THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR NOW. AND WE DO WANT TO GET LIKE, ARE YOU THINKING LIKE A FULL SHACK? EVERYBODY? OKAY, LET'S TAKE A PICTURE OF EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.