Some sort of aptitude testing is done in just about every school in the country, mandated by the city or state government, to check on the progress of the educational system. This testing time can be stressful for students because, though they are not actually "graded" on their performance, they still have to sit through many long days of math and reading comprehension tests. Having to concentrate for such an extended period can be very challenging for students, particularly young ones. Schools try to perk them up by offering snacks, but a Washington State school found something very interesting this year when they decided to give the kids fruits, instead of muffins or granola bars. They found that the students were quieter, less stressed and more focused.

This was by no means a scientific test, but anecdotal evidence from people who spend their lives observing children is not something to be taken lightly. The principal and teachers surmise that not only did fact that the fruits were less sugary than other snacks play a role in helping the children to concentrate, but the fruits were more satisfying and more filling than alternatives.  It if happened to one or two students, it would be harder to believe, but a positive change - no matter how small - in such a large group of children as a result of healthy snacking is something worth looking into.

Who didn’t hear the phrase “Don’t chew gum at school!” when they were growing up? Of course, this sort of instruction always encourages a few people to flout the rules and chew gum even more frequently. The main reason that gum chewing was frowned upon was that students would probably stick the used wads under the desk or on the floor, where other unsuspecting students might come into contact with them. For some reason, though, the teachers always claimed that the reason was that students couldn’t pay attention while chewing gum. This was a ridiculous excuse since people are more than capable of engaging in other activities while they chew, like walking, for example.