When I first began teaching, I had a student, who I’ll refer to as John. His 8th grade English class met mid-morning, when energy levels lagged as the bowl of breakfast cereal became a distant memory and the aroma of school lunch wafted through the corridors and tempted our growling stomachs.

During a discussion about Greek mythology, John began shaking and sweating, and when he spoke, his words slurred into a jumbled mess.

As everyone’s attention turned toward John and our discussion fell flat, like Icarus falling from the sky, a classmate reached into John’s backpack, retrieved a can of apple juice, and handed it to John. Shortly after consuming the juice, John was back to his usual self, imitating Zeus and conquering the world.

It was an eye-opening lesson on several fronts: the effects of diabetes and the way his classmates reacted.

As America’s obsession with fast and easy food continues to grow, so do most of American’s waistlines, causing myriad health problems. According to the Center for Disease Control, diabetes affects 25.8 million people in the U.S.: 18.8 million diagnosed and 7 million undiagnosed cases, as of 2010.

Between 2000 and 2009, a 2.6 percent increase among Nebraska adults who have ever been diagnosed with diabetes has occurred.  Unfortunately, our state matched the same percent increase that occurred nationwide.

Nearly one in ten Nebraska adults report ever being diagnosed with diabetes. A January 2010 report from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services estimates 103,000 Nebraskans, or 7.8 percent of the state’s adult population has diabetes.

Take a closer look at our region of the state and you’ll learn that numbers from both Knox and Holt counties label over nine percent of the population as diabetic. Antelope County is close with 8.4 percent falling into that category.

Undoubtedly, these numbers will continue to increase unless we each take responsibility for our health and our bottom line…or bottom.

Even cases of gestational diabetes have tripled since the mid-1990s.

During each of my pregnancies, my doctor sent me to the hospital for testing and each time, he told me I was diabetic. Once the girls were born, my levels returned to normal.

But I also realize that each of these cases of gestational diabetes increases my risk of developing diabetes as I get older. It’s a significant cause for worry.

I completed an online assessment from DHHS and based on my responses, I’m at moderate risk.  I have a 1 in 33 chance of having Type 2 diabetes now and in the next ten years, a one in seven chance.

It’s time to take action.

Diabetes is the major cause of heart disease and stroke and a leading cause of kidney failure, non-traumatic lower-limb amputations, and blindness among adults.

It’s the seventh leading cause of death in our country.

What are the associated costs?

$809 million per year in Nebraska.

It’s a high price to pay, especially when we all can take steps to reduce the chance of having diabetes.

            Think about your senior year. Consider the memories you made as you spent your year as the top dog: the last athletic event, the concluding dance, the final final.

            If you dig a bit deeper, you may remember the last significant moments with your classmates.

            Perhaps you participated in an age-old tradition by joining forces and missing the same day of school as part of International Ditch Day or Senior Skip Day.

            Or, maybe your class took a group outing. I’m not talking about a traditional field trip. I’m speaking about one of the favorite events of senior year: the senior “sneak” trip.

            The senior trip is an established tradition that has experienced a renaissance in some schools and elimination in many. In some instances, it has endured rules changes.

            Back in ’79, my class had a 24-hour window to travel, visit and return to Clay Center.

            Travel time limited our choices, but after careful deliberation, we decided to venture to Kansas City for a senior extravaganza at Worlds of Fun, dinner at a KC chop house, and shopping at Crown Center.

            We were a close-knit bunch, but that particular trip brought us closer together. Maybe it was our upcoming departure from home, from security and routine, that made us realize the significance of this last time together.

            As I write this column, Scott and I are in Chicago with 20 St. Mary’s seniors. Along with two sets of parents, we are supervising their last hurrah before graduating and commencing the next step in their lives.

            It’s been a fun, crazy, eye-opening whirlwind weekend in the windy city.

            And I’m certain my students have made everlasting memories, storing them in their internal memory bank so they can recall the details at any moment.

           We visited prominent Chicago landmarks, watched jousting at Medieval Times, saw a Red Panda (and agreed that the Henry Doorly Zoo is the best zoo in the country), cheered at a Black Hawks game, and walked over 10 miles a day. Students discovered the ins and outs of the Chicago Transit Authority and quickly learned that the ‘L’ sometimes transports colorful characters.

            We weren’t in Nebraska anymore, Toto.

            As an onlooker, this group has given me a renewed sense of pride about today’s youth.

            As we exited a CTA bus yesterday after trekking through Lincoln Park Zoo, each student said ‘thank you’ to the driver. He smiled and shook his head at this out-of-place display of appreciation. When I stepped off the bus, he told me he hadn’t heard those words from a customer for several years.

            What’s the significance of taking this kind of trip? It’s an educational opportunity to see new places they may never have the chance to see again.

            It’s a wake-up call about the realities of life – the hustle and bustle – beyond our community.

            It’s a social event, a time for emotional bonding amongst this group that will soon head on different life paths.

            I hope this group realizes what a special bond they share and continue to maintain that sense of family that exists among them.

                On a solemn Saturday afternoon back in November, Nebraska Assistant Coach Ron Brown led the scarlet and cream and the blue and white in prayer at midfield after a week of allegations and firings rocked Happy Valley.

                That singular moment of prayer hoped for healing and showed those watching that something bigger than a winning touchdown was important. To me, the hash-mark gathering recognized the seriousness of the accusations and asked for understanding and guidance during a complex situation.

                For most Nebraskans who follow Husker football, seeing Coach Brown praying at midfield following Huskers games is nothing new. Members of both teams meet and listen to a post-game prayer usually delivered by Brown, and sometimes, prayers offered by players.

                I’ve had the opportunity to hear Brown speak at assemblies, as well as Fellowship of Christian Athletes functions. Listening to him share testimony and talk about a connection between athletics and religion, it’s easy to develop respect for this coach who openly shares his beliefs and encourages student athletes to strive for the best.

                But Brown’s directness has caused a stir recently, not only in Nebraska, but around this vast sports nation.  Newspapers, talk radio, TV and sports outlet ranging from Nebraska’s daily newspapers to the Huffington Post to the New York Times to ESPN ran quotes and sound bytes of Brown’s March 6 opposition regarding proposed amendments to city discrimination laws in front of the Omaha City Council.

                The amendments would allow bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender occupants to file grievances if they were fired over sexual orientation or experienced workplace or public discrimination. (The Council passed the ordinance one week later.)

                Here’s the conundrum. Brown introduced himself as a member of the UNL coaching staff. Were Brown’s comments representing his employer or were the comments his personal beliefs?

                A March 22 Huffington Post article by sports writer Cyd Ziegler calls for the Huskers to fire Brown.  Ziegler believes the attitudes and beliefs of the running backs coach set a negative tone with Nebraska athletes. 

                Ziegler asserts that when Brown uses Memorial Stadium, Tom Osborne Field, or his office in the sports complex as the backdrop for videos while sharing his message, a separation between Brown’s beliefs and UNL’s policy is blurred.

                UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman reprimanded Brown, who has spent over 20 years coaching at the university.  UNL’s nondiscrimination policy is clear. UNL does not discriminate based on sexual orientation.

                This debate also calls to question Brown’s right to freedom of speech. As an individual citizen, he’s afforded First Amendment rights, including freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

                I don’t always agree with World-Herald columnist Tom Shatel, but I do agree with his perception of this situation. I’m ok with Coach Brown being himself, as long as he does not wear Husker gear and he informs UNL administration ahead of time of what he’s doing.  

                UNL has the prerogative to tell him no, also.

                Brown may be walking a fine line among religion, speech, and separation between church and state, but he’s standing strong in his beliefs.

                Presidents and statesmen have touted it. Philosophers reveled in it. Businessmen rely on its emphasis on creativity. And scholars from around the world sing its praises.

                “It” is music, the universal language of rhythm, sound and words, creating a lasting presence on everyone who experiences its joy. Music is powerful, an art form that sparks creativity and provokes imagination.

                But, what if the music suddenly stopped? What if, due to budget constraints, schools no longer introduced this most basic connection of human existence to its students?

                It’s an unfortunate yet true situation caused by a combination of factors.

                Many school districts across the country receive reduced state aid benefits, leading to cuts in programs. The first to disappear: fine arts.

                Plus, more schools elect to focus on the basics skills of readin’, writin,’ and ‘rithmatic, the heartbeat of the No Child Left Behind Act.

                These two factors are a lethal mixture for arts education programs. Ironic, since research shows students involved in fine arts activities tend to score higher academically.

                Music education is about so much more than notes on the scale. That’s why I am always reminded of former President Bill Clinton’s take on why music education makes a difference.

                “Music is about communication, creativity, and cooperation, and by studying music in schools, students have the opportunity to build on these skills, enrich their lives, and experience the world from a new perspective.”

                Music education showed me how to incorporate creativity into other subject areas, like finding a rhythm to Algebra problems; to fine-tune leadership skills, try being the drum majorette and line up a 60-member band and keep them quiet; and how to listen to the deeper meaning of a song lyric and apply it to a current event.

                It’s a strong foundation of my educational upbringing.

                I feel privileged to have had outstanding music educators – primarily Lucille Norman and Lois Zulauf – teach the intricacies of the E minor scale, the history of Beethoven and Bach, and the soul of Three Dog Night.

                Yup, my fourth grade class – as well as other Clay Center Elementary classes – could be heard belting out “Jeremiah was a bullfrog….was a good friend of mine.” And some days, we’d pay homage to “Bad, Bad LeRoy Brown” because he was meaner than a junkyard dog.  Other days, we’d sway along to the optimistic “Let There Be Peace on Earth” and hoped it would begin with us.

                The message of these musical interludes – the power of harmony – still resonates today.

                Now, I think about the SMH music program and how our instructor produced a pep band for this year’s athletic events. Sitting in the crowd at the State Basketball tournament games listening to them play reminded me of some of my strongest memories from school.

                We WILL rock you!

                Hopefully, Nebraska schools will not be faced with the agonizing decision whether or not to continue music programs. It’s a strong foundation for enhanced creativity, a building block of a student’s culture, and a pathway that opens doors.

                Music lasts a lifetime.

Do you have plans for St. Patrick’s Day? If not, check out my article about the O’Neill, Nebraska, St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, which features amateur competition from Norfolk’s Great American Comedy Festival.