(Distributed July 2006) Louisiana school districts expecting federal lunch reimbursements must have a school wellness policy in place at the start of the 2006 academic year. This is the provision of an act of Congress signed by President George W. Bush in 2004.

(Distributed July 2006) What are you doing to start the new school year? Don’t have kids in school? It doesn’t matter. A good education for all students should be everyone’s concern, according to LSU AgCenter family resource management specialist Dr. Karen Overstreet.

(Distributed July 2006) Nearly 181,000 youth in Louisiana have found a home in 4-H. The new school year offers the opportunity for students to join 4-H clubs where they can interact with others who have common interests, according to LSU AgCenter Terril Faul,director of the 4-H Youth Program.

(Distributed July 2006) It’s never too late to help your child succeed in school. Developing success skills occurs at home as well as in the classroom, according to LSU AgCenter 4-H youth expert Janet Fox.

(Distributed July 2006) Every competitive and recreational athlete needs adequate amounts of fluids to perform their best. Not replacing lost water leads to weakness, cramps and headaches, according to LSU Agricultural Center nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Distributed July 2006) The rush to school and work each day means some things have to be sacrificed – and often that includes breakfast. Surveys show that as many as 48 percent of girls and 32 percent of boys do not eat breakfast every day.

(Distributed July 2006) Back to school means take-along lunches for some kids and teachers. It’s important to take extra care of foods packed in the morning and not eaten until lunchtime to prevent growth of bacteria that cause foodborne illness, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Distributed July 2006) Being the parent of a college freshman can be challenging. College students undergo many changes as they begin their journey to independence, says LSU AgCenter family life professor Dr. Diane Sasser.

(Distributed July 2006) One of life’s perils for the college-bound student can be a credit card. As you prep your kids for all the pitfalls in life, don’t forget money management, advises LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker.

(Distributed July 2006) Employment is more than a way for students to make money, according to LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker. It also can foster a sense of self-worth, develop a sense of responsibility and accomplishment, enable a contribution to society and cultivate a sense of professional identity.