Researchers at Iowa State University are finding physical activity is a boon to the brains of elementary school students. ISU kinesiology assistant professor Spyridoula Vazou says short bouts of skipping or jumping combined with academic learning can lead to improvement in kids’ cognitive abilities. “We always have the traditional perception that kids need to sit down to learn or they need to stand still to learn better and that is not accurate,” Vazou says. A group of children around 10 years old took part in a study conducted by Vazou and associate professor Ann Smiley-Oyen.

The kids were given a test measuring cognitive function while sitting at a table. They then were asked to do physical activities like crab walking or skipping around obstacles – while they answered math problems. When they stopped the activity to do the test again, they performed better than they had while simply sitting. Vazou says it’s important that the activities are not too physically demanding.
“So, as long as the intensity is moderate, they benefit during exercise and they benefit even more right after (the exercise) because they can absorb the information even better,” Vazou says. Many other studies have found longer bouts of aerobic activity can improve cognition in children, but Vazou says the research at ISU suggests even short periods of activity can improve a child’s working memory, self-control, and focus.

Vazou hopes parents and teachers take notice of the study’s findings.  “We shouldn’t suppress the desire of children to move, we should encourage them to move, because that is how their brain will function better,” Vazou says. The research at ISU also found that overweight and obese children showed even more cognition improvement after physical activity than their peers.

(Radio Iowa)

Two people were arrested during separate incidents overnight into early this (Friday) morning, in Montgomery County. Sheriff’s officials say at around 1:30-a.m., deputies arrested 37-year old Roger Lynn Gibson, of Stanton. Gibson was taken into custody in Stanton, on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Probation Violation. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.

And, at around 10:45-p.m. Thursday, Red Oak Police arrested 17-year old Nicholas James Terry, of Red Oak, for being a Minor In Possession of tobacco, and careless driving. Terry was taken into custody in the 1500 block of Broadway in Red Oak, and subsequently released on a citation.

Iowa State Fair officials have revealed another Grandstand act for this year’s fair and it should please fans of hard rock from the 1980s. Def Leppard will perform on Saturday, August 15. The English rock band previously played the Iowa State Fair Grandstand in 2008 and opened for KISS last summer at Wells Fargo Arena. The opening acts for Def Leppard on August 15 will be Styx and Tesla.

Previously announced Grandstand acts for the 2015 Iowa State Fair include Casting Crowns on August 13 and Alabama on August 20. Tickets for the shows will go on sale later this spring. This year’s Iowa State Fair is scheduled for August 13-23.

LINK: http://www.iowastatefair.org/on-stage/grandstand/

(Radio Iowa)

A report from the Iowa Department of Education shows the state leads the nation in the percentage of students under age 18 enrolled in college level courses. Jeremy Varner of the department’s Division of Community Colleges, says another report shows the number of students enrolled in both high school and community college classes or “jointly enrolled” hit a record of nearly 43-thousand. “It is pretty significant, Iowa has some great policy in place that gives students the opportunity to get a jump start on their college education, which saves them money, reduces student debt, provides them a lot of opportunity,” according to Varner.

Varner says Iowa provides opportunities to students across the spectrum. “Many states focus on kind of elite students and giving them kind of a jump on a liberal arts education,” Varner explains. “But we, 42-percent of the courses that are offered are in the career and technical areas. And so Iowa provides students broad access to career tech opportunities as well.” Iowa students enrolled in an average of seven-point eight (7.8) credit hours, or two to three college courses during the 2013-14 school year.

“It’s an opportunity for students to reduce their debt, get a jump on college, maybe get some general education courses out of the way that might help them to reduce their time to degree — or maybe take on a second major,” Varner says. “It also allows students to start down a career pathway in career technical areas, so students can make progress toward a nursing degree or a degree in information technology or something like this.” There is another advantage for students who take a college course while still in high school.

“They get a sense of what college is about before they show up,” Varner says, “so it reduces that shock when students matriculate. They get a sense of what those expectations are, get some success under their belt, especially for first-generation students.” Students take college courses in three ways: through joint programs at their high school, through colleges where the courses aren’t available at the high school, or by paying tuition on their own to attend. Varner says 88-percent of the students take the college courses through a joint relationship with their high school, which they can take for no cost.

(Radio Iowa)