Preston to offer computer
science courses with
Amazon Future Engineer
Preston High School is now part of
the Amazon Future Engineer program
and will receive funding from Amazon
to start offering computer science
classes to students this Fall. Preston
High School is one of more than 1,000
high schools across the country currently
signed up for Amazon Future
Engineer, a national program aimed at
making computer science accessible to
all students. Amazon Future Engineer
is a four-part, childhood-to-career program
that works to inspire and educate
10 million children and young
adults each year to pursue careers in
the fast-growing fi eld of computer science
and coding – Amazon Future Engineer
focuses on access for all. With
Amazon Future Engineer’s funding,
Preston High School will offer Intro
to Computer Science and Advanced
Placement (AP) Computer Science
classes through curriculum provider,
Edhesive. Amazon’s funding provides
preparatory lessons, tutorials, and
professional development for teachers,
fully sequenced and paced digital curriculum
for students, and live online
support every day of the week for both
teachers and students. These full-year
courses are designed to inspire, prepare,
and propel students in their pursuit
of computer science education. All
students participating in this program
will receive a free membership to AWS
Educate which provides them with free
access to computing power in the AWS
Cloud for their coding projects and content
to learn about cloud computing.
Each year, Amazon Future Engineer
aims to inspire more than 10 million
kids to explore computer science; provide
over 100,000 young people in over
2,000 high schools access to Intro or
AP Computer Science courses; award
100 students with four-year $10,000
scholarships, as well as offer guaranteed
and paid Amazon internships to
gain work experience. Amazon Future
Engineer is part of Amazon’s $50 million
investment in computer science/
STEM education. In addition, Amazon
Future Engineer has donated more
than $10 million to organizations that
promote computer science/STEM education
across the country.
Assemblyman Michael Benedetto presented a legislative resolution to the borough’s
Ancient Order of Hibernians in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Ireland’s
Declaration of Independence in 1919. The resolution passed the NYS Assembly and
the NYS Senate unanimously and was signed by Governor Cuomo.
(Above Hibernians, Joe McManus, president of the county’s division 3 and Bob Nolan,
county president, accepted the citation on behalf of their brothers.
Photo courtesy of Bob Nolan
What you need to know about exercising outside
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, M 30 ARCH 15-21, 2019 BTR
BENEDETTO PRESENTS RESOLUTION TO HIBERNIANS
BY SONIA RAPPAPORT, PHYSICAL
THERAPIST & REHAB INSTRUCTOR,
THE VISITING NURSE SERVICE OF NEW
YORK (VNSNY) AND PARTNERS IN CARE
It should come as a surprise to no
one that exercise boosts metabolism
and mood. But did you know that exercising
outdoors, particularly in the
winter, can increase those benefi ts?
Believe it: According to a study published
by the National Center for Biotechnology
Information, exercising
in the cold weather increased participants’
metabolism and their muscles’
capacity to use oxygen – not bad! Meanwhile,
a 2017 study found that climbing
outdoors, compared to both exercising
indoors on a treadmill and to remaining
sedentary, vastly improved feelings
of enjoyment and reduced fatigue,
supporting the notion that exercise is
a viable stress recovery solution, and
“green” outdoor exercise even more
so.
This is especially good news for people
in today’s “sandwich generation,”
whose busy lives may include caring
for older parents and also for their own
children. While your 70-year-old mom
might not be a candidate for competitive
rock climbing, she just might want
to join you for a walk in the park, giving
you both an enjoyable fi tness boost
and some time just to catch up.
As a physical therapist and reha-
bilitation instructor working with the
not-for-profi t Visiting Nurse Service of
New York and its affi liate Partners in
Care, I work with people of all ages and
fi tness capabilities, from 25-year-olds
to 95-year-olds—from those recovering
from surgery to homebound seniors
with limited mobility. To help make
winter exercise safe and enjoyable for
all, I’ve put together a few important
tips and precautions that I share with
patients who get “cabin fever” or are
looking for safe ways to stay fi t and get
outside during the winter months!
Protect Your Heart: If you have
a history of high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes
or smoking, consult with your doctor
before exercising in the cold, as these
are all signifi cant risk factors for a
heart attack. Start by exercising regularly
indoors, and if you get the ‘OK’
from your doctor, feel free to venture
outside. Start slowly and chart your
course with a simple walk around
your neighborhood or a stroll through
the park. For added safety and enjoyment,
ask a friend or neighbor to join
you.
…And Your Skin, Feet, Hands
and Ears: A little cold will bite if you
don’t prepare for it. When it’s cold,
blood fl ow concentrates in the body’s
core, leaving your feet, hands and ears
susceptible to frostbite. A thin pair
of glove liners made of wicking material
under a pair of heavier gloves
or mittens, a headband to cover your
ears and extra thick socks under your
sneakers should do the trick to protect
those areas.
Remember, your skin needs protection
in the winter, too! Approximately
80 percent of UV rays still penetrate
through the clouds, so the sun doesn’t
have to be out for your skin to be in
danger. Moisturizing before you leave
the house or apartment will also help
you avoid dried out and irritated skin
that can result from strong winds.
Watch Out for Ice!: Here’s a threeword
solution for slipping on ice and
snow: take it slow. The most frequent
winter injuries are slips and falls, but
they can absolutely be avoided by a few
careful steps, like wearing boots with
soles that won’t skid, making sure
all paths you walk on are well-lit and
walking as fl at-footed as possible in areas
that may be icy.
Dress the Part: Bundling up like
the abominable snowman or dressing
down in anticipation of a sweat-a-thon
are both rooky mistakes! It’s true that
exercise generates a lot of heat – maybe
enough to make you forget that it’s
winter! The evaporation of sweat pulls
heat from your body, and as a result,
can make you feel chilled. My solution
is to dress in layers: A thin layer of
synthetic material draws sweat away
from your body and an extra layer of
fl eece adds insulation – and can be removed
and put back on as needed.
Hydrate: Even though you can expect
to sweat less than you might in
the summer, dehydration is still a major
risk factor. Seniors in particular
are susceptible to fl uid and electrolyte
imbalances because of the body’s declining
ability to conserve water with
age. Be sure to drink water before, during
and after exercising.
How Low Can You Go?: Older
adults are also more susceptible to hypothermia,
a medical emergency in
which your body loses heat faster than
it can produce it. People can lessen
their chances of developing health
complications resulting from hypothermia
if they prepare and are made
aware of the symptoms, which include
cold hands and feet, fatigue, confusion,
trouble walking, slow breathing and a
low heart rate. It’s advisable to consult
with a doctor or healthcare provider
before embarking on any new kind of
exercise, fi tness or wellness routine –
especially when that routine involves
a winter wonderland!
Sonia Rapaport is a physical therapist
and rehabilitation instructor with
the Visiting Nurse Service of New York
and its private pay affi liate Partners in
Care. For more information please visit
www.PartnersinCareNY.org or www.
VNSNY.org, or call (212) 609-7700.
/www.VNSNY.org
/www.VNSNY.org
/www.PartnersinCareNY.org
/www.PartnersinCareNY.org
/VNSNY.org