Inside the unique STEM school for students with learning difficulties

Eye-opening statistics about career readiness are seemingly everywhere these days, and nowhere is that more apparent than when it comes to the future of STEM, where jobs are rapidly growing — up to 17 percent from 2014 to 2024 by one estimate — and could reach 8.6 million by 2018. In that light, the scramble to provide students with hard skills, like robotics and coding, coupled with related soft skills, such as critical thinking and collaboration, seems only natural.

But in the world of special education, these numbers take on a special significance. Despite high unemployment and underemployment for autistic adults, for example, more than a third of studentswith an autism spectrum disorder end up picking STEM majors, which often require a mix of hard and soft skills.

For these students, “The STEM piece develops rigor,” said Dr. Ellis Crasnow, the director of a newly-opened high school in Los Angeles devoted to STEM teaching for students with learning difficulties, such as autism. “It teaches you to be analytical; it teaches a kind of exactness.”

The STEM3 Academy — that’s STEM cubed — was started by theHelp Group, an L.A. nonprofit with a smattering of schools around the city, most catering to students with learning disabilities. In fact, STEM3 has its roots in another Help Group school, called Village Glen, back when Crasnow was serving as principal there. “A few years ago we introduced robotics to the high school. It was very successful. We then started computer science and a STEM curriculum in the whole of Village Glen,” he said. After students there entered a robot that did well at the FIRST Robotics Competition, “we began to think that we should have a school just dedicated to STEM teaching.”

Last week, the school opened its doors with 33 initial students on a small campus it shares with another school. STEM3 is classified as a non-public school. There’s a tuition, but most students don’t pay it. If parents or public school staff the student has interacted with can convince their district that the school would be a good fit for the student’s IEP, the district assumes the cost, even if the district is hundreds of miles away (the school boards some students nearby and provides a bus service to and from campus).

A wide range of ancillary services, like counseling and speech pathology, are also offered, in addition to courses in media creation, robotics, and AP computer science. Perhaps in recognition of the school’s small size and unique focus, it doesn’t look much like a traditional school physically, either. In preparation for the school’s opening, Crasnow and his team tore down walls to open up a huge innovation lab with concrete floors that’s heavy on maker space technology like 3D printers, cameras, and powertools.

Teachers were hand picked for their experience with special education but also for their expertise in the subjects they teach, from physics to biology to ELA. “We often say, in general ed, the teachers are specialist and in special ed, the teachers are generalists,” Crasnow said. What he was really looking for, he said, were “content experts who will really raise the bar for these students.”

That, along with the school’s STEM focus, could help students start to see school in a new light. “Rather than having students be passive learners, we want them to be engaged,” Crasnow said, acknowledging that project-based learning, technology and hands-on projects play a big part of students’ days at school. “It also suits kids with special needs who tend to do better if the experience is multimodal, kinesthetic, aural. They do well if the learning is coming from a variety of directions.”

At the end of the year, Crasnow plans for each student to develop his or her own online portfolio, a collage of various media and personal experiences, intended as much to chart social and emotional growth as academic. “In some ways the social aspect is more important,” he said. “Can you appropriately express your emotion? Can you argue your case? It’s important that they be able to articulate themselves, and the STEM part lends itself to that.”

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10 steps for making your online courses accessible for all students

New report highlights 10-step plan to applying Universal Design for Learning online

According to a new report, incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in online courses not only benefits students with disabilities, but can have significant benefits for all students, ultimately increasing retention and improving learning outcomes. UDL is tough enough in a face-to-face environment, but the real challenge might be how to implement the principles in an online world where students’ abilities and learning styles differ drastically.

The recent report, written by three professors at Montana State University, aims to help educators involved in online learning implement UDL for teaching both general and diverse populations, including students with disabilities.

The authors note that while, ideally, UDL allows students with disabilities to access courses without adaptation, it can also help to improve learning—and, therefore, retention—among all students.

“The concept of universal design is as longstanding as cuts in sidewalks, which were originally mandated to allow access for wheelchairs, but which ultimately ended up with the unintended consequence of benefiting babies in strollers, people on bicycles, and children on skates,” the authors write. “The philosophy and principles of a UDL framework are similar to UD and are meant to provide pedagogical strategies for instructors to maximize learning opportunities for diverse groups of students including those with physical and/or learning disabilities.”

Knowing Where to Start

The theoretical framework for the report includes the work of Rose and Mayer and their three overarching principles of effective UDL course design: Presentation, action and expression, andengagement and interaction.

In presentation, the course provides learners with various way of acquiring information and knowledge. In action and expression, students are provided with various routes for demonstrating what they know. And in engagement and interaction, an instructor is enabled to tap into students’ interests, challenge and motivate them to learn.

In other words, educators need more than just assistive technology to create a UDL-friendly online course.

“Currently, many students with disabilities utilize technology such as screen readers, close-captioned videos, seating arrangements and a test environment that minimizes distractions that contribute to their success in higher education,” note the authors. “However, Coombs notes that for online courses there should also be an accessibility to the learning infrastructure, and accessibility to the actual course content and the student needs to be well-versed in the assistive technology that is provided by the institution.”

The authors also highlight that courses using UDL should ensure that the learning goals of the course “provide an appropriate academic challenges for the college student and that the assessment is flexible enough to provide accurate, continuous information that helps instructors revise instruction to maximize learning for diverse learners.”

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Special education shifts to results-driven framework

New guide explains how RDA works and how districts’ special education departments can successfully address the new rules

The Office of Special Education Programs’ (OSEP) new Results Driven Accountability (RDA) framework changes its accountability system from a primary focus on compliance to an increased emphasis on results.

To help educators understand and better prepare for a shift in special education from compliance to a results-driven framework, Excent Corp., developer of the Enrich special needs management software platform, has published a guide titled “ABC’s of RDA: Results Driven Accountability.”

The 18-page PDF explains the new RDA system, the processes being put in place, and how data collection and analysis can help educators address the new RDA rules.

“ABC’s of RDA” begins by explaining the shift in the way the U.S. Department of Education oversees the effectiveness of states’ special education programs.

It discusses the foundation of RDA, such as the stakeholders involved and the underlying principles, as well as the three components of the RDA framework.

The guide then discusses how educators can use student data to improve outcomes. Finally, it outlines the tasks that states and local education agencies should require from whatever technological tool is selected to support them in the collection and management of special education data.

“Under the new RDA framework, the Office of Special Education Programs has shifted the balance from a system focused primarily on procedural compliance to one that puts more emphasis on results. This shift has put a considerable strain on states and districts, which are already administering and monitoring complex special education program guidelines,” said David Craig, president of Excent. “Our customers tell us repeatedly how about the challenges the new RDA system presents… We developed this guide based on our experience helping districts across the country, and we sincerely hope it will help ease the challenge for other districts and educators as well.”

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How to Create a CAO-CTO Partnership that Fosters Student Achievement

About Event

As the digital classroom evolves and technology reshapes the way that K-12 curriculum is developed and used, it’s important for the chief academic officer (CAO) and chief technology officer (CTO) to form a strong professional partnership in order to impact student achievement.

In this webinar, How to Create a CAO-CTO Partnership that Fosters Student Achievement, you will learn:

• Why it’s more important than ever for the CAO and CTO to align
• What it takes to create an impactful CAO-CTO partnership
• How to integrate curriculum and technology to boost student learning
• How to assign apps and content to student devices
• How to provide varying degrees of device access to students
• How to give students more “ownership” over their device

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Facts You Should Know About Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis (Gastro meaning stomach and paresis meaning partial paralysis) is a condition in which your stomach cannot empty itself of food in a normal fashion. It is caused by damage to the vagus nerve, which regulates the digestive system. Normally, the nerves on the stomach wall (vagus) sends a signal for contraction and the stomach empties itself. But when this nerve becomes damaged, the food cannot move ahead properly. Food movement eventually slows down or stops.

However, the causes of gastroparesis can include:

• Uncontrolled diabetes (as high levels of blood glucose may effect chemical changes in the nerves)
• Anorexia nervosa or Bulimia nervosa
• Connective tissue diseases like Scleroderma
• Gastric surgery with injury to the vagus nerve
• Medications such as narcotics and some antidepressants
• Parkinson’s disease
• Rare conditions such as: Amyloidosis (deposits of protein fibers in tissues and organs)

Symptoms:

• Heartburn or GERD
• Nausea
• Vomiting undigested food
• Feeling full quickly when eating
• Abdominal pain and bloating
• Palpitation
• Poor appetite and weight loss
• Poor blood sugar control

What it can lead to:

• Fluctuations in blood glucose due to unpredictable digestion times (in diabetic patients)
• General malnutrition due to the symptoms of the disease (which frequently include vomiting and reduced appetite)
• Stagnant food can solidify with time and form Bezoars causing intestinal obstruction.
• Stomach infection due to bacterial growth in undigested food

Diagnosis:

• Physical exam, blood test and sugar test
• Barium X-ray : You drink a liquid (barium), which coats the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine and shows up on X-ray. This test is also known as an upper GI (gastrointestinal) series or a barium swallow. This would show the obstruction.
• Ultrasound
• Endoscopy

Treatment:

• Dietary modifications (low-fiber diet and may be restrictions on fat and/or solids). Eating smaller meals, spaced two to three hours apart has proved helpful. Avoiding foods that cause the individual problems, such as pain in the abdomen, or constipation, such as rice or beef, will help avoid symptoms
• Prokinetics like metoclopramide (Reglan, Maxolon, Clopra), cisapride (Propulsid)
• Insulin dose adjustments
• Stomach pacemakers
• Botox injections
• Antiemetics: These are drugs that help control nausea
• Feeding tube, or jejunostomy tube

Gastroparesis is a tough disease to manage. The more informed you are about this condition, the better you will be able to handle it.

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World Hepatitis Day: Our Spotlight on Hepatitis B

In honor of World Hepatitis Day, we’d like to share some facts about Hepatitis B with you.

Hepatitis B is a liver (hepato-) infection (-itis) caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). Hepatitis B is transmitted when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with the HBV gets into the body of an uninfected human being.

It is estimated by CDC that 700,000–1.4 million persons in the United States have chronic hepatitis B.

Transmission:

• Sexual intercourse with a person infected with HBV
• Injection drug use that involves sharing needles, syringes, or drug-preparation equipment
• Birth from an infected mother
• Contact with blood or open sores of an infected person
• Needlestick injury or sharp instrument exposures
• Sharing potentially sharp items such as razors with an infected person

Signs and symptoms:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine
• Clay-colored bowel movements
• Joint pain
• Jaundice

Persons with chronic HBV infection might be asymptomatic, have no evidence of liver disease, or have a spectrum of disease ranging from chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer).

Treatment:

• Acute: treatment is usually supportive
• Chronic: several antiviral drugs (adefovir dipivoxil, interferon alfa-2b, pegylated interferon alfa-2a, lamivudine, entecavir, and telbivudine) are prescribed followed by regular checkups.
• Vaccination: Although it is not a treatment, vaccination is worth following. Injection schedule comprises of 3 intramuscular injections, the second and third doses administered 1 and 6 months, respectively, after the first dose.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that the following persons be vaccinated against Hepatitis B:

• All infants, beginning at birth
• All children aged <19 years who have not been vaccinated previously
• Susceptible sex partners of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive persons
• Sexually active persons who are not in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship (e.g., >1 sex partner during the previous 6 months)
• Persons seeking evaluation or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease
• Men who have sex with men
• Injection drug users
• Susceptible household contacts of HBsAg-positive persons
• Health care and public safety workers at risk for exposure to blood or blood-contaminated body fluids
• Persons with end-stage renal disease, including predialysis, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and home dialysis patients
• Residents and staff of facilities for developmentally disabled persons
• Travelers to regions with intermediate or high rates of endemic HBV infection
• Persons with chronic liver disease
• Persons with HIV infection
• Unvaccinated adults with diabetes mellitus who are aged 19 through 59 years (discretion of clinicians for unvaccinated adults with diabetes mellitus who are aged ≥60 years)
• All other persons seeking protection from HBV infection — acknowledgment of a specific risk factor is not a requirement for vaccination

Some important facts to remember:

• HBV can survive outside the body for at least 7 days and still be capable of causing infection.
• Any blood spills — including dried blood, which can still be infectious — should be cleaned using 1:10 dilution of one part household bleach to 10 parts of water for disinfecting the area. Gloves should be used when cleaning up any blood spills.
• Symptoms begin an average of 90 days (range: 60–150 days) after exposure to HBV.
• HBV is not spread through food or water, sharing eating utensils, breastfeeding, hugging, kissing, hand holding, coughing, or sneezing.

The simple formula of 1,2,3 (three shots of immunization) on 0,1,6 months is the best way in which we can prevent this infection apart from direct contact with the already infected source. After all, it is better to “prevent and prepare than repent and repair.”

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Group B Strep Awareness Month

Despite its name, Group B Strep is not related to the more commonly known Step throat infection but instead, it is a sometimes deadly infection that can occur in babies anywhere from the prenatal stages to a few months after birth. Sounds scary, right? In honor of July being Group B Strep awareness month, let’s take some time to go over the symptoms and tips for how to prevent this infection.

First of all, what is Group B Strep?

Group B Strep is a type of bacteria that live in the lower intestines of both men and women. For healthy adults, the bacteria doesn’t cause any health issues and most people don’t even know they have it.

Approximately 10-30% of pregnant women carry the Group B Strep bacteria though, and can pass along the bacteria to their babies where it can cause serious illness.

How do you prevent Group B Strep Disease?

All pregnant women should get tested for the Group B Strep bacteria in their 35^th-37^th weeks of pregnancy. If the test comes back positive, an antibiotic treatment during labor can help prevent the bacteria from getting passed along to the baby.

If you’ve already given birth and there are concerns about the baby having the disease, a sample of the baby’s blood or spinal fluid can be tested. If the baby tests positive, then an intravenous injection of antibiotics can help clear up the infection.

What are the symptoms of Group B Strep Disease?

The disease can take on two forms: early onset or late onset.

Early onset the disease will usually occur between birth and the first week of life while late onset infections usually happen within the first month of life. Some of the symptoms include:

• High, shrill crying
• Lethargy
• Difficulty breathing
• Fever
• Pale, gray skin
• Difficulty feeding
• Inconsolable irritability

Without proper treatment, this disease can lead to meningitis or sepsis, and even death.

How do you treat Group B Strep Disease?

Luckily, antibiotics can successfully treat the Group B Strep bacteria both in babies and in adults. A pregnant woman carrying the Group B Strep bacteria only has a 1 in 4,000 chance of delivering a baby with Group B Strep disease if she receives antibiotic treatment during labor. Without antibiotics, that same baby’s chances of developing the disease increase by over 20 times!

Currently, the only way to prevent this infection in newborn babies is through intravenous antibiotic injections. So if you’re pregnant, remember to get tested and always mention it during labor.

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What Not To Eat For Healthy Teeth

Let not these gummy worms tempt you. Everything in moderation is good but the problem starts when you don’t know the truth. Here are some facts about what not to eat for healthy teeth:

• Sweet: It’s a universally known fact that anything that contains sugar is really bad for our teeth. These sugars act as a perfect food material for the bacteria that thrive in our mouth and are converted into acids as by-products. Thus, the pH of our mouth falls down (becomes acidic). This acidity is the main reason why the hardest substance in human body, which is the Enamel, starts getting softer and eventually pitting occurs. If this is not checked at the right time, dental caries or cavities develop.
• Sour: Pretty much anything that’s acidic is sour. So, in a way, consuming something sour is nothing but a step closer to getting near the tooth cavity stage. Sour gummy worms might appear to be a tempting munch in between meals, but they are one of the worst items for your teeth. This is simply because they are sweet, sour and, above all, sticky – clinging onto teeth for a long time.
• Carbonated drinks (soda), sport drinks, red wine and fruit juices: It has been estimated that a single serving of soda can have up to 11 teaspoons of sugar along with certain acids. Diet drinks such as diet sodas or diet beers might save you from sugars but the artificial sweeteners are rich in acids. In a similar way, sport drinks can be high in sugars to give you that instant boost of energy. Why not substitute them with a calorie and sugar free bottle of plain water? Red wine leaves stains on the teeth that are hard to fix and bad in appearance. Avoid them or switch some water in your mouth after consumption. Fruits are naturally sweet, so look for juice that has no added sugar. You can also reduce the sugar content by diluting juice with some water or ice.
• Extreme temperature changes: Drinking or eating things that are too hot or too cold can lead to extreme temperatures in the teeth. At first, it can lead to a shock in the form of sharp pricking pain and eventually an irreparable condition that will involve a dentist intervention. Similarly, opening bottles with teeth and cracking ice between teeth can lead to microfractures and abfractions on tooth surface.
• Lack of oral protection: During contact sports like American football, Rugby, Boxing, Wrestling etc, not using a mouthguard (modeled plastic to protect teeth) can cause chipping and cracking of teeth. These can be bought from any drug store or can be custom fitted by a dentist. Oftentimes, this small investment towards healthy teeth can be very helpful.
• Tongue or lip piercings: These might look hip, but biting down on the metal stud can crack a tooth. If the metal rubs against the gums, it can cause gum damage that may lead to tooth loss. The mouth is also a haven for bacteria, so piercings raise the risk of infections and sores.
• Grinding teeth: Bruxism is a teeth grinding condition that can wear teeth down over time. It is most often caused by stress and sleeping habits. Wearing a mouth guard at night can prevent the damage caused by grinding while sleeping. If you have this condition, consult your dentist today.
• Constant snacking, binge eating and purging: Frequent snacking leads to a low pH (acidity) in the mouth due to a constant supply of sugars for the bacteria to feed upon. Our saliva acts as a buffer and neutralizes this acidity so that tooth decay is ultimately prevented but if we constantly keep on munching something, this effect is prevented. Grab some sugar free chewing gums next time you are at the supermarket or drug store. This will keep your teeth brushed, stimulate salivary flow and provide for healthy exercise for the jaw muscles without lowering the pH. Anorexia nervosa or vomiting after eating to prevent weight gain can lead to tooth erosion. The vomit is rich in gastric juices that have pH as low as 2.
• Smoking: Tobacco causes tooth staining, leads to unhealthy gums and hence tooth loss. What can be worse than this? If you are thinking about cancer, you are right. Smoking is the leading cause of oral cancers.

There are many things that may look and feel good at first glance. They may even seem to satisfying our thirst and hunger. But ultimately, the choice is ours. Let’s help each other make the healthy choice!

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Pertussis: the 100 Day Cough

The arrival of colder season (in areas where applicable) is often accompanied by coughing and sneezing. While colds and flus are often deemed as the culprit, did you know that pertussis may share similar symptoms as a common cold?

Sufferers of pertussis, or whooping cough, lament the frustrating and slow recovery (hence the name “100 day cough”). Teenagers and adults whose immunity to the pertussis vaccine have waned may be affected. The group most susceptible, however, are infants under 6 months who have not received full courses of pertussis vaccine. In many cases, babies often get pertussis from their parents and caregivers–half of which require hospital care as they are more serious and can be fatal.

Those severely impacted by the disease have coughing fits followed by a classic whoop, much like the sounds of many “hold-your-breath” contests in the summer month pools.

What is it?
Pertussis is caused by a highly infectious bacterium called Bordetella pertussis. Under the microscope, B. pertussis is immotile and somewhat round (range from rod-shaped, oval, to round), and has a protective capsule. It is a strict human pathogen.
Transmission occurs through inhalation of infected droplets. From there, B. pertussis colonize the ciliated cells in the respiratory mucosal tract. Cilia are little microscopic hairs (not to be confused with giant nostril hairs) responsible for moistening and protecting your airways by filtering unwanted particles to your throat to be swallowed.
Subsequently, B. pertussis secrete a variety of toxins, drawing inflammation and damage in the host airways. In addition, damaged airways compromise the immunity of the host and further increase host sensitivities to other offending air particles such as dust and fumes. The most susceptible populations include infants 6 months and under, especially in unvaccinated and developing areas.

Symptoms
Symptoms usually appear within 5 to 10 days post exposure, extending to as long as 3 weeks. During stage one, pertussis may be mistaken with a common cold, as they usually begin with runny nose, sneezing, and cough or fever. In babies, coughing may not be present and are likely to be replaced by apnea (pause in breathing). To distinguish between a cold, flu, and pertussis, please visit here.
In stage two, coughing fits followed by “whooping” occur in conjunction with vomiting and exhaustion. The “whooping” occurs due to the exhausting nature of the coughs–which deplete air from the lungs, causing the need to “whoop” and inhale loudly for oxygen. These coughing fits can last for 10 weeks or longer.
In the recovery phase, the cough slowly lessens in intensity, but may return due to other respiratory infections.

What You Can Do
Prevention is key. Babies and children should receive the complete series of the DTaP (diptheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis) vaccine, which includes the 4 doses at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months, and subsequent booster shots at 4 to 6 years old. Immunity is compromised when the full series of vaccines is not completed.
Instances where children under 7 years old shouldn’t be vaccinated or should wait include:

• when children are suffering from moderate to severe sickness (ask your doctor)
• allergies to previous doses of DTaP (ask your doctor)
• prior history of brain or nervous system impact within 7 days after DTaP dose (ask your doctor)

In addition, consult the doctor if the child experiences the following after DTaP dose:

• seizures
• nonstop crying for 3 hours or more
• fever over 105℉

For babies under 2 months of age, parents and other caregivers aged 11 to 64 should follow the CDC recommendation of getting the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) vaccine to prevent transmission to infants. Consult the doctor if you have severe allergic reactions to Tdap.
Much research is being done for greater vaccine efficacies. For additional information on DTaP vaccines, please visit here.

For those who are affected, antibiotics are prescribed to lessen the duration of the illness. In this case, follow the doctor’s advice on finishing the antibiotic course if treated at home. In addition, lowering the irritant levels in the air (dust, fumes, etc) can help to not trigger as many coughing fits. Use of vaporizers will also help. Cough medicine is not useful unless prescribed by the doctor. Practice good hygiene and good coughing “etiquette” to prevent further transmission to other members (this is proper etiquette).
If hospitalization is required, various procedures will be done to ensure clear breathing (mucus suctioning) and proper feeding and hydration (IV fluids).

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Freckles and Tans: Skin Cancer and Melanoma Prevention

Three-day weekends, the ultimate time to enjoy the summer weather while the sun’s out, the breeze is blowing, and there’s no worry of hurrying back to work on Monday. But while you’re out at your Memorial Day BBQs this weekend, don’t forget your sunscreen!

Even though those UV rays from the sun – or tanning beds – give you that nice bronzed, tan look you’ve been missing all winter, they can also cause sun damage to your skin leading to skin cancer or melanoma (a rarer, more dangerous type of skin cancer).

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in both in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, accounts for roughly 2% of all skin cancer cases but the 5 year survival rate is quite high at 91%. Let’s talk about melanoma prevention.

One factor leading to a high survival rate is early detection. Know your skin and regularly check yourself for irregular spots. Freckles, birthmarks, and even moles are quite common and usually not irregular, but keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t change over time. This 12-minute video goes over how to check yourself for skin cancer.

A good rule of thumb to follow when trying to decide if that new freckle or spot looks irregular is the ABCDE rule:

A: Asymmetry – Does the left half look like the right half?

B: Border Irregularity – Are the edges blurred, notched, or ragged?

C: Color – Is it the same color throughout or are there different shades of colors?

D: Diameter – Is the spot bigger than 6 mm, or ¼”, wide? That’s roughly the size of a pencil eraser

E: Evolving – Does the spot change in size, shape, color, or sensation (itching, tenderness, etc.) over time?

If you see a worrisome spot, talk to your dermatologist.

While 10% of all melanoma cases are linked to a family history of the disease, it’s also linked to other factors too. The biggest factor is skin color.

The pigment Melanin, which gives your skin and hair color, also protect your skin from UV rays. This is why Caucasians are 24 times more likely than African-Americans develop skin cancer. Dermatologists may recommend those at particularly high risk to undergo yearly mole-mapping to more accurately keep track of how those are behaving over time.

Not all spots are bad though, and there’s one really easy way to keep those worrisome spots away: sunscreen. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using 1 oz of greater than 30 SPF sunscreen (enough to fill a shot glass) to cover all exposed skin 15 minutes before going outside. Sunscreen should be applied every 2 hours, or after swimming or sweating.

If you find yourself without sunscreen, try to use hats or clothing to protect your skin. The suns’s rays are strongest between 10 am and 2 pm so if your shadow is shorter than you are, go find some shade!

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