Latest news with #Britto
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TSC student body president, Trinidad native graduates after 'big change,' leadership roles
Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Tallahassee State College graduate Destinee Britto struggled to find where she would fit in during her accelerated academic journey after moving to the capital city. But what started as the decision to grasp the opportunity of serving as class president in high school led to her drive to secure the student body president role at TSC, which – as of May 1 – she calls her alma mater. 'It was a big change coming from Trinidad, but it opened up so many new opportunities,' 18-year-old Britto told the Tallahassee Democrat. 'At first, it was overwhelming adjusting to a new school system and culture, but I quickly found ways to get involved and make my voice heard, especially through student leadership and service.' TSC's 2024 graduation: TSC fall commencement to mark the college's first graduating class since its renaming Britto, who served as TSC's Student Government Association president this past year, recently crossed the stage as part of the college's spring 2025 graduating class during the Thursday commencement ceremony at the Tucker Civic Center. The next stop on her journey is Florida State University, where she plans to double major in sports management and political science. But the road to Britto's latest achievement of graduating was not an easy one. While she says life in the beautiful Trinidad and Tobago – a dual-island country in the Caribbean – allowed her to be 'surrounded by a vibrant culture, close-knit community and strong family ties,' she faced challenges such as starting high school at 11 years old in the home country. 'I was navigating a lot at a young age," Britto said. "Still, I'm grateful for those early years because they gave me a strong foundation in resilience and drive." When Britto's family moved to Tallahassee in 2021, she took that resilience and drive with her when she attended Rickards High School and served as class president before graduating in 2023 and enrolling at TSC. 'Being 16, I knew that I needed a place that would be able to help me grow, a place that was affordable and a place where I'd be close to my family,' Britto said. 'I got all three by being at TSC.' Through Britto's role as student body president, she says she created more opportunities for incoming students to get involved by establishing several committees through SGA and creating a couple freshmen-only positions after hearing concerns from students who wanted to get more engaged. 'To me, being SGA president really just means it was in my court to hear student voices,' Britto said. 'It isn't just about having that title or being able to throw an event, it's about doing what's best for the students.' Besides SGA, Britto was involved with campus organizations such as TSC's Black Student Union and International Student Organization as well as FSU's Caribbean Student Association, where she served as one of its public relations chairs through the ASPIRE TSC2FSU transfer program. In addition, Britto is one of eight students in the country to have been selected in February as a 2025 DREAM Scholar, where the program offers students an opportunity to develop leadership, critical thinking and networking skills. While Britto's time at TSC consisted of several achievements and accomplishments, she says her support system – which includes TSC's Student Life Manager Deidra Green, who is also the college's SGA advisor – played a significant role in her success. 'I'm just extremely proud to have witnessed her reach her goal of not only being the SGA president, but being the first one of Tallahassee State College and doing such an amazing job to begin a legacy with our name change," Green said. "A lot of her peers obviously look up to her, but just seeing the culmination of all her hard work over the past two years has been amazing to witness." As Britto gears up to attend FSU, her career goal is to become a sports lawyer with a focus on immigration law. "It's very sad to be leaving TSC because I know the opportunities that it has opened for me, but I know it has also opened doors for me at Florida State,' Britto said. 'I'm very excited and look forward to seeing what I'm going to do over at FSU with the confidence that I have gained here.' Tarah Jean is a reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at tjean@ Follow her on X: @tarahjean_. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: TSC SGA president, Trinidad native graduates after challenging journey
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What science says about smacking as government has 'no plans' for total ban
Calls to ban smacking and other forms of physical punishment against children in England have failed to receive government support. Earlier this month leading children's doctors urged the government to consider a complete ban on smacking in England, arguing there is no evidence it has any positive effect on children's wellbeing. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) said "science doesn't back smacking children" and could put children at risk of "really significant physical harm". According to the Children Act 2004, it is unlawful to hit your child, except where it is "reasonable punishment", and this is judged on a case-by-case basis. But the College wants England to follow Wales, Scotland and other countries who have banned smacking and is encouraging an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would remove the "reasonable punishment" defence from law in England. However, education minister Stephen Morgan has responded to the calls explaining that while the UK government is "looking closely" at the legal changes made in Wales and Scotland, it has "no plans to legislate at this stage" for England. Mr Morgan added the Government wants to "look at the evidence" before taking such a "significant legislative step". While many people find the idea of physically punishing a child in any shape or form unacceptable, others take the view that, in certain circumstances, it can have a role to play in helping to shape children's future behaviour. "For generations, smacking was considered a standard way to discipline children," explains educational psychologist, Dr Patricia Britto. "Many adults today remember being smacked as kids and believe it helped them learn right from wrong. However, modern research, including neuroscience evidence, shows that smacking doesn't work the way people think. "Instead of improving behaviour it can make children more aggressive, harm their mental health, and even change the way their brains develop." Scientists have studied thousands of children to understand how smacking affects them in the long term. One recent study, from University College London (UCL) tracked over 8,000 children and found that those who were smacked at age three had more behaviour and emotional problems by the time they were teenagers. "The research also found that children who are physically punished are also at increased risk of being subjected to more severe violence," Dr Britto adds. There is also some scientific evidence that physical punishment could have a link to mental health problems. "The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health reports that children who experience physical punishment are nearly three times more likely to develop mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression," Dr Britto explains. While further research from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan, using data on more than 150,000 children over a 50-year period, also linked spanking to aggression, antisocial behaviour, mental health problems, cognitive difficulties, low self-esteem and other negative outcomes. Dr Britto says recent advances in neuroscience have given us even more insight into why smacking can be harmful to children. "Brain imaging studies show that children who experience physical punishment have changes in the areas of the brain responsible for decision-making, emotional regulation, and impulse control," she explains. "When a child is smacked, their brain activates the 'fight or flight' response. This releases cortisol, a hormone linked to stress. In small doses, cortisol helps us react to danger, but repeated exposure, like being smacked often, can change how the brain develops." High cortisol levels over time can shrink the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for problem-solving, impulse control, and reasoning. "This means children who are regularly smacked may struggle with emotional regulation, making them more likely to react aggressively or have difficulty managing frustration," Dr Britto adds. Harvard research shows that smacking alters a child's brain response in ways similar to severe maltreatment and increases the perception of threats, leading to lasting consequences. According to Fiona Yassin, family psychotherapist, and founder of The Wave Clinic while some parents may see smacking as a "quick-fix" solution, in reality it can have long-lasting consequences that carry through to adulthood. "If a parent has resorted to smacking, it's often because they feel they have lost control of the situation, she explains. "Smacking a child can give an adult a short term sense of power and release. However, it does not help the child to understand what they have done wrong and why they were hit - it simply instils fear in them." Whatever you views on smacking Yassin says there are some healthy ways parents can discipline their children. "Parents can teach children what's right from wrong with calm words and actions, and role model behaviours they would like to see in their children," she suggests. "It is helpful for children to have clear and consistent rules to follow and it's important these are delivered to the child in an age-appropriate way with clear language they can understand." Active listening is also incredibly important for parents: "Be open to questions from your child and hear them out when they want to be listened to," Yassin adds. It's also helpful for parents to understand that whilst they may think their child's behaviour is disruptive, it could be developmentally appropriate. "For example, a young child in a high-chair who throws food on the floor may not be intentionally disruptive, instead they may be exercising intrigue in food and wanting to explore different objects and textures," Yassin explains. Child protection groups argue that the science speaks for itself and suggest it is used to back a complete ban on smacking in England. And it seems there is support from many parents with research highlighting a shift in public opinion on the subject in recent years. A 2024 YouGov poll carried out on behalf of the NSPCC found that 71% of adults in England now believe smacking is unacceptable - up from 67% the year before. Younger parents are leading the change, moving away from physical punishment and choosing discipline methods backed by science. "As more parents turn to nonviolent discipline strategies, we are moving toward a future where children grow up feeling safe, supported, and emotionally healthy," Dr Britto concludes. "Teaching children right from wrong should come from guidance and understanding - not fear." Read more about parenting: The countries that have banned smacking children as doctors urge England to follow (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read) 10 parenting styles to be aware of and what they actually mean (Yahoo Life UK, 8-min read) The truth about truancy as children lose 11.5 million days of learning (Yahoo Life UK, 11-min read)
