Back to School
For many children, adolescents, and young adults, the end of the summer is also the beginning of a new school year. Whether in their first year of kindergarten or senior year in college, returning students face both old and new challenges at the start of the fall semester. Virginia Cooperative Extension has research-based knowledge to help parents and students alike during the back-to-school season. In this media kit, you will find contact information for our expert who can address back-to-school issues, feature stories on bullying and reducing stress levels when the family returns home, archived news releases, audio clips, and links to other materials on this timely topic.
Latest News
Tips for back-to-school shopping sanity (August 2012)
As the first day of school quickly approaches, so does the back-to-school shopping frenzy. Karen Poff, Virginia Cooperative Extension family and consumer sciences agent in Shenandoah County, has provided some helpful tips parents can use to keep their families happy and their budgets in check.
Extension encourages parents to take a stand against bullying (September 2008)
As students return to classrooms and playgrounds around the commonwealth for a new school year, Virginia Cooperative Extension is urging parents to talk to their child about bullying and to understand their school's policies on this important topic.
Extension has tips to ease stress levels when families just arrive home (September 2008)
Home is a place of shelter from the hard knocks of the world, but maybe not in that first 20 to 30 minutes when parents arrive from work and the children get home after the day’s activities
Experts
| Renee Boyer | Extension consumer food-safety specialist and assistant professor of food science and technology | Virginia Tech | (540) 231-4330 | rrboyer@vt.edu |
| Crystal Tyler-Mackey | Extension community viability area specialist in the Southeast District | Virginia Tech | (804) 524-5494 | cmtyler@vt.edu |
| Elena Serrano | Extension childhood nutrition specialist and assistant professor of human nutrition, foods and exercise | Virginia Tech | (540) 231-3464 | serrano@vt.edu |
News Releases
Pack a healthy lunch for kids returning to school (August 2007)
With a rise in the number of overweight children, parents must be extra vigilant when packing their children’s lunches. From their first day in kindergarten until the last day of their senior year, children need nutritious lunches with fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy products to maintain good eating habits that will last for life and even improve their attention span and academic performance.
Food-borne illness an unwelcome guest at any tailgate party (July 2007)
With the start of the new school year comes football season and tailgating. Make sure that food-borne illness doesn’t spoil the fun by following sound food-safety advice from Virginia Cooperative Extension.
New college students settling into choosing foods for themselves (August 2007)
For many college freshmen, the first day of college is the first time in their lives they choose when, where, and what they eat. Suddenly the high school routine of breakfast, lunch, occasional snacks, and home cooked meals change into daily visits to the burger or chicken sandwich emporiums and midnight pizza runs. The daily workout routine of track, basketball, softball, and cheerleading practice is replaced with daily walks to various dining halls and late-night meals while studying.
Parents can teach children school bus safety (August 2007)
As schools reopen, it is a good time to remember that it takes the cooperation of many people to get children there and back safely.
Teach children nutrition’s role in healthy lifestyle (August 2007)
Some of the best lessons a child can be taught are how to cook and how to make smart food choices. With childhood overweight an ever-increasing program, teaching children food-choice skills is necessary to maintain good health, said Elena Serrano, Virginia Cooperative Extension nutrition specialist at Virginia Tech.
Despite new law, parents still need to discuss finances with students (January 2007)
With a new law in effect requiring Virginia high schools to educate students about finances, many parents might wrongly assume their children are learning all they need to know about money in the classroom and do not need to hear about the touchy subject of finances again at home. But the truth is, parents still need to discuss money with their children before they graduate from high school.
Publications
Extension has publications on child development and parenting.
Magazine Articles
Smart Foods, Smart Grades (Innovations, January 2007)
A youth nutrition program developed at Virginia Tech encourages a healthy diet and physical activity, which studies show may improve academic performance
Multimedia
Professor studies the dreaded “Freshman 15” (August 2005)
Virginia Tech radio soundline with Kathy Hosig, professor of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise
Kids, snacks, and obesity (April 2005)
Radio news feature with Elena Serrano, nutrition Extension specialist
Vending machines in public schools (February 2004)
Virginia Tech radio soundline with Elena Serrano, nutrition Extension specialist
Virginia Action for Healthy Kids combats childhood obesity (February 2004)
Virginia Tech radio soundline with Elena Serrano, nutrition Extension specialist
All video and audio resources are courtesy of University Relations Office of Visual and Broadcast Communications.
Additional Resources
As a part of a national public-private partnership of more than 50 organizations and government agencies representing education, health, fitness and nutrition, Virginia Action for Healthy Kids addresses the epidemic of overweight, sedentary, and undernourished youth by focusing on changes in schools to improve nutrition and increase physical activity.
The School Nutrition Association, a national nonprofit organization, represents more than 55,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. It has news articles, links, and other information about nutrition in public and private schools around the country on its website.
Many counties and cities have family and consumer sciences and 4-H agents with resources on back-to-school issues. Contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office for more information about a program in your area.
Extension also has a directory of Extension experts on all of the topics it covers. If you need help locating a source or looking for additional information, contact Michael Sutphin at (540) 231-6975 or Lori Greiner at (540) 231-5863.