Dec.

11, 2019 The Pulse Page 3

Sleep deprivation takes toll on teen health, school life

Elly Herrick
Staff Writer
Sleep is like food for the brain, and today’s teens are The body needs sleep so that overnight it can recharge
starving. and the brain can consolidate events of the day.
In 2019, just 15 percent of teens got the 8 to 10 hours of Sleep deprivation becomes even more dangerous when
needed sleep on school nights, National Sleep Foundation tired teens get behind the wheel of a car. Depending on how
researchers reported. many hours of lost sleep, drowsy driving is the same as
The vast majority of teens suffer sleep deprivation, cre- drunk driving, a 2016 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease
ating a public health epidemic that has spread across the Control & Prevention showed. In 2018, more than 90,000
nation making teens a danger to not only themselves but crashes were attributed to drowsy driving, according to the
at times to others around them, the American Academy of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Pediatrics reports. ITA Communications junior Riley Werve worries about
Indian Trail High School & Academy junior Rebecca the dangers of drowsy driving.
Dietz is one of those teens who needs more sleep. “My life could be in danger if something goes wrong,”
“I’m less motivated,” said Dietz, a General Studies stu- Werve said. “It’s dangerous and I have almost gotten into
dent who typically gets about four hours of sleep on school accidents sometimes because of how tired I am.”
nights. “You aren’t as energized so getting up to go places Kyle Burnap, a General Studies junior, spends his lunch “Pullover or drink water, if drowsiness sets in,” Gray
isn’t as easy.” alone so he can catch up on sleep. recommends.
Sleep deprivation affects emotional and physical health. Photo by Autumn Stout “Sometimes I’m so out of it and it’s so bad. I’ll have to
When people lack sleep, they struggle to concentrate and “I just can’t get tired,” Philips said. stop and take a break and let myself refocus before I get
remember. They also suffer moodiness, due to unbalanced Studies show that when people do work in their bed myself hurt,” she said.
hormone levels, and may be more prone to develop anxiety when it’s time to go to sleep, their brain plugs into work The National Sleep Foundation offers several tips to
and depression, Stanford University researchers reported in mode instead of powering down. Blue light radiating off help teens deal with sleep deprivation. Developing a rou-
a 2017 study. phones and computers doesn’t help by sending signals that tine that will help prepare a body to fall asleep is vital to
“Sometimes I fall asleep when I need to be awake, and I suppress production of melatonin, a sleep hormone. the process.
also oversleep after multiple nights of minimal sleep,” Di- “Don’t do it. It’s honestly the worst thing for you,” said The foundation also recommends setting a regular bed-
etz says. Summer Gray, Communications Academy junior, referring time with a sleep schedule. A nightly routine also may put
As a person loses sleep, the negative health impacts on to using electronics at bedtime. the body into a rhythm which should create the urge to go
the body grow. Prolonged sleep deprivation can cause high Homework and stress are two main reasons teens forego to bed.
blood pressure, weight gain, and poor balance. sleep. While some turn to coffee or other caffeinated drinks “I really just do what I got to do and see what happens,”
Night owl and Med-Sci Academy sophomore Connor to re-energize, those aren’t the healthiest solutions, medical Phillips said.
Phillips is no stranger to bad sleep habits. experts report.

Mr. Blue brings out smiles, boosts school spirit in Indian Trail students
Ricardo Villafan
Staff Writer
If students have ever wondered who
that little kid singing at some of the Indian
Trail High School & Academy’s football
games is, it’s Mr. Blue. He is one energetic,
kind-hearted, and talented 6-year-old that
just wants to make the people that hear him
happy.
“My mom used to sing me little songs
when I used to be a baby,” said Skylar-
Blue Maravilla, also known as Mr. Blue.
Mr. Blue started singing when he was
about 1 year old, recalled his mom, Ash-
ley Maravilla. But he didn’t start to sing
in front of an audience until much later.
After singing in just his house for so long,
he wanted to start performing in front of a
larger audience. So he told his mom and
Skylar-Blue Maravilla joins the tropical-
themed students after singing at a fall
football game against the Tremper team
and is praised and lifted up by the stu-
dents. Photo courtesy of Ashley Marailla
she became a sort of manager for him.
He has performed at the Kenosha Coun-
ty Fair and placed first against about 40
other contestants. Mr. Blue has also sung
in nursing homes for the senior citizens of
Kenosha and put on shows at many Indian
Trail football games performing the na-
tional anthem.
Multiple staff members at Indian Trail
have encouraged the young boy and many
students highly praise him. Rodney Nix-
on, an Indian Trail security guard, said
Mr. Blue boosts school spirit in students
that hear him sing, and he helps build the
school community.
“I enjoy his singing. I thank him so
much for participating, and we will see
him during basketball season,” Nixon said.
Mr. Blue can also be seen as an inspira-
tion to people who want to try and perform
and put themselves out there.
Most people know who he is, and al-
most all of the football team has grown to
know his name. When he sings, that audi-
ence is a huge inspiration to him.
“They’re all be clapping and saying
‘Woo woo’,” Mr. Blue said. Who wouldn’t
be inspired by all that attention? Especially
at the young age he is.
Mr. Blue would like to sing as a job
one day. Maravilla, his mom, has noticed
something very special about her son, and
that’s the fact that at just 6 years old he
knows who and what kind of person he is.
“If he takes pictures and if he performs,
he likes wearing bow ties because that’s
who he is. He’s been like that since he
was a baby,” Ms. Maravilla said. “I always
dressed him really really well. He went to
a new school and a parent actually told
him, ‘Oh you don’t have to dress fancy
like that.’ And he was like ‘Oh that’s who
I am.’”
As for all the energy that Mr. Blue has,
he does a lot more than just sing. He’s a
pretty athletic kid, so he plays basketball,
dances, and of course sings. He memorizes
monologues and songs in just about two
days, Maravilla said. So not only is he very
talented, but he’s also very smart.
As of right now, he’s focusing more on
school rather than performances. But he
insists he most definitely will not lose his
passion for music.
“He’ll just get better,” Maravilla said.
His mom believes that Mr. Blue will al-
Senior Julia Peters caught up with
ways have that drive to sing and to make
6-year-old Skylar-Blue Maravilla after
his audience feel joy. he sang the national anthem at Indian
To see more from Mr. Blue, he has a Trail’s homecoming football game.
Facebook page called Mr. Blue Sings. He Peters knows Maravilla from the sum-
also will perform with KUSD theater as a mer camp she worked at earlier this
munchkin in “The Wizard of Oz” in Janu- year. Photo courtesy of Ashley Marailla
ary at Indian Trail.
His mom expressed gratitude for those “Thank for you supporting him. Come
who have overwhelmingly embraced her and see him,” Ms. Maravilla said.
son’s talents.

Indian Trail provides students with state college campus visitation opportunities
Boden Sack
Staff Writer
Almost 70 percent of high school graduates enroll in
college. With about 5,300 different schools to choose
from, the application process can get complicated.
Administration at Indian Trail High School & Academy
understands that it is difficult and counselors try their best
to help.
Indian Trail offers one particular activity that might
help students narrow down their choice: free of charge
field trips to two-year and four-year colleges and trade
schools.
One trip that administration offers is the college fair
at Carthage College. This single fair includes representa-
tives from about 200 different colleges from all over the
country and military recruiters. Field trips are also avail-
able to show students tuition-free schooling through Gate-
way Technical College. These tuition-free programs range
anywhere from cosmetology to truck driving.
The trips are open to all grade levels and are completely
free. They take place during the school day, so in order
to participate, a student must get a permission slip from
the counselors office and turn it in before the designated
deadline.
“Most trips take about 20 to 25 students,” said Michelle
Schroeder, an IT counselor. “Students get unique opportu-
nities like virtual welding.”
Each trip provides transportation via a yellow school
bus and often has plenty of room for more participants.