News Briefs – March 26, 2018

The East Fund’s “In Honor Of” Campaign

The East Fund launched their annual “In Honor Of” Campaign Mar. 4. The campaign works to recognize teachers that go above and beyond for their students, and it acts as a fundraiser for the East Fund, according to the East Fund Website.

To honor a teacher, students and parents can make a donation to the East Fund under a teacher’s name. Each teacher honored then receives a certificate following the campaign, which they can then display in their classroom, according to Laini Reynolds, an East Fund Student Ambassador.

The campaign raises several thousand dollars each year, which is then used to fund grants submitted by teachers four times a year, according to The East Fund website. Currently, the East Fund has financed over $600,000 in grants since its start and has one grant cycle, an opportunity for teachers to submit grants, left this school year, according to Reynolds.

Grant proposals can be submitted by East teachers and students and can potentially fund anything over $1,000. Grants are sent to the East Fund grant board which votes on the grants to fund each cycle. Past grants have funded gym speakers, eclipse glasses and 3D printers, according to the website.

According to Reynolds and her fellow student ambassadors, the campaign is a great way to recognize and thank teachers as well as benefit the East Fund.

The “In Honor Of” Campaign will last until May 4 and teachers will be honored at a luncheon held at the end of the school year.

Measles Outbreak in South JoCo

The Kansas Department of Health has issued a measles warning for southern Johnson County. After an outbreak in a local daycare, the health department has confirmed a total of eight cases in Kansas as of March 20.

The measles are highly contagious and those infected generally show symptoms 7-14 days after infection, symptoms include: a cough, runny nose, red eyes, mouth spots and a red rash covering the body, according to the Center for Disease Control website.

Infected patients supposedly contracted the disease from an unvaccinated person at a daycare. The virus then spread to three children too young to be vaccinated, according to East parent and lead investigator for the outbreak Tiffany Wallin.

In order to prevent further spread, the health department has issued a warning to avoid area which may have been exposed to the measles such as Children’s Mercy and AMC theaters in Olathe if you are unvaccinated.

“The best way to prevent the measles is vaccination,” Wallin said. “If you are vaccinated you are good.”

Death of Stephen Hawking

British physicist Stephen Hawking, most famous for his work in cosmology and with black holes, died March 14.

At age 21, Hawking was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, also known as ALS, the disease that slowly deteriorates the body’s basic functions. Hawking was given a few years to live. He suffered for many years and eventually lost the ability to eat and dress himself. He succumbed to the disease at age 76.

Despite his illness, Hawking was able to make many scientific discoveries and publish books, including his most famous, “A Brief History of Time.” Hawking also used past scientist’s theories to explain ideas such as the Big Bang. Finally, Hawking spent most of his time studying black holes and their radiation, now known as “Hawking’s Radiation”.

“I think it’s really cool that he brought science to the public and presented his ideas in ways that the majority of people could understand,” junior Claire Griffith said. “He definitely inspired me to pursue a career in science.”

Hawking’s ideas will continue to be taught for years to come and continue to inspire students like Griffith, including here at East.

“I am more inspired by the fact that he, in spite of many years dealing with the symptoms of the disease of ALS, was able to find a way to contribute to society,” said East physics teacher Miles Martin. “This reminds me that I can find my passion no matter what happens to me and do my best.”

Hawking will not only be remembered for his remarkable scientific discoveries, but also for his fighting spirit against ALS.