Texting and Driving In Wisconsin

As of September 18, 2009, 18 states have banned texting while driving. Wisconsin is not one of these states. The state currently does not have any law against this growing problem. According to Sparta High School students and staff, this is an issue.

When senior Storm Treu was asked if he texted while driving, he quickly replied, "No." His thoughts on the subject? "Many people do it, it's not safe. It's probably the cause of my brother's accidents."

Mr. Sands, a math teacher at the school, had very strong opinions on the subject.

When asked if there should be a law against it, he answered, "There should be a law, absolutely."

Sands was asked what he thought about the issue, "Because it takes your eyes off the road it is very dangerous, for not only that person but everyone on the road. That 5 to 10 second text can cause an accident," he said.

Sands also believes that texting while driving is, "becoming a bigger problem".

When asked if he has ever texted while driving, he replied, "I have not while driving, I have as a passenger."

While it is not a law yet, Wisconsin seems to be on its way to stopping cell phone use on the road. State representative Jerry Petrowski has proposed bans on teens using cell phones 3 times.

There is also a pending legislation on the issue. Wisconsin Senate Bill 103 would prohibit texting while driving. If passed, the cost of breaking this law would be $100 to $400, for the first offense. Whether these actions, or any others, will stop the problem, it is yet to be known, but hopefully until then common sense can fill the gaps where the laws are lacking.

Youth Options

Youth Options is a program for highly driven high school students, that includes a student taking classes at a college around the area and taking classes at the high school. "Youth Options is a state program, and all public high schools must advertise it to their students." Greg Benz, high school counselor, stated. He said, "In order for a student to be eligible for Youth Options they must have exhausted all of the options at the high school."

When filling out the application, a student chooses classes that they are interested in taking, but the student has to have already taken that class at the high school and can go no farther into it. Also a student could take a class at the college if the high school doesn't offer the students that class.

Natasha Mason, a Youth Options student that attends Sparta High School and University of La Crosse gives good insight on what this program is about. "I attend Sparta High School and am a youth options student at the University of La Crosse. In Sparta I take three courses in the afternoon; Pre-Calculus, Government, and E Writing; and at UWL I attend two classes in the morning; Philosophy and Minority Cultures." Natasha Mason stated.

"The applications for the semesters are always due March 1st and October 1st, then they are sent to the school board for approval of classes." Mason stated. After the school board approves the classes that you are eligible for, you wait until all of the college students have chosen their classes, and work with a counselor at the college you're attending to choose the classes that best works with your schedule," Mason said.

This program is mainly for seniors, but juniors can attend as well with a high recommendation for it. "Last year six students were in the program for the whole year, this semester there are four students in it, and next semester five kids have applied for the program." Benz said. This semester the four students who are in the program are; Natasha Mason and Kristin Barclay who attends UWL, Seth Kaffka who attends Western Technical College, and Kristin Piotrowski who attends Viterbo university.

University of La Crosse, Viterbo University and Western Technical College are the three schools that you can apply for when at Sparta High School. All three of these colleges have different requirements such as ACT score, grade point average (GPA), and the students recommendations. "For some kids Youth Options is a really good program, and others it might not be," Greg answered.

Natasha said, on about recommending other students to try this program, "Definitely, Youth Options has given me so much confidence for next year and has helped me prepare for what is ahead of me. This program has done more for me than the classes I would've taken in Sparta just to fill the time."

H1N1

By: Tesia Moore

Flu season has hit Sparta high school.
When asked how she felt about H1N1, Casey Thurston, a sophomore at Sparta High stated, "It is a serious matter, but I think people are making it more serious than it has to be". Is she right? What exactly is H1N1 and what is the community doing about it?

H1N1 Influenza is a virus that causes respiratory symptoms. Nancy Goodman Sparta school nurse explained, "H1N1 Influenza is a new flu strain that humans have not seen before. This can cause people to not have any immunities against it and lead to more serious illness. "

Goodman is correct, according to the Center's for Disease Control, H1N1 Influenza is a new strain of influenza that most humans have not seen before.

Many people think of the flu as a stomach virus that causes nausea and diarrhea, but according to Mrs. Goodman, "Influenza causes mostly respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, fever, body aches, and chills.

Some people also experience nausea and diarrhea, but this is less common with seasonal influenza." The Centers for Disease Control reported that 30,000 people die each year from seasonal flu. They are forecasting that 90,000 will die as a result of H1N1.

So who is at risk? Mrs. Moore stated, " Young children, college age young adults, those with chronic medical conditions, and pregnant women are at increased risk for getting H1N1 and having more serious illnesses as a result. To date, there have been 10 deaths associated with H1N1 in Wisconsin."

Preventing illness is the best way to protect those at risk. "Hand hygiene, staying home when you are sick, and getting vaccinated are the best means to prevent you from getting influenza", stated Goodman.

Ms. Goodman stated that, "No, the season flu shot will only protect you against the seasonal flu. In order to be protected against both, you need two vaccinations this year, one to cover the seasonal flu and one to cover H1N1." states Ms. Goodman.

The Center's for Disease Control is promoting vaccination of healthcare workers, pregnant women, children, and those with chronic medical conditions. They are also encouraging those that are sick to stay home until their fever resolves.

To handle the students out with the flu, "We are asking that parents keep their children home if they have influenza like illness." reports Mr. Russ, Sparta Senior High Principle.

The school is not promoting a minimum absentee rule according to Mr. Russ. In addition to promoting staying home when ill, Mr. Russ stated that the school has sent letters home to families about the use of Germex in the classrooms. The school has also steped up their cleaning protocol.

Influenza is currently wide spread in the state with one death reported in Monroe County this past week. Jennine Thurston, Laboratory Technician from Fransiscan Skemp reports that they have been testing patients for H1N1 in Sparta.

The Tomah VA has also been testing patients that come in with influenza like illness and have been actively vaccinating their staff and veterans for seasonal flu. "We will begin vaccinating staff and veterans for H1N1 as soon as our supply arrives", reports Melissa Moore RN. Moore reports that the best way to protect patients is through the vaccination of healthcare workers.

For the vaccine to provide protection, "It takes the immune system about two weeks to develop immunity against the virus after the vaccine has been given. It is important to continue with great hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette in order to prevent the spread of influenza." reports Moore.

You can get both the seasonal and H1N1 vaccine on the same day. "If you get both vaccines in the inactivated form that is giving via injection or if you get one as a live virus via nasal spray and the other as the inactivated form. The only time that you would need to wait between vaccines is if you choose to get both vaccines in the live virus form that is given via nasal spray. You need to wait four weeks in between vaccines if you choose to be vaccinated in this route." stated Mrs. Moore.