Latest news with #Magnet
Newsweek
3 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
American Teacher in South Korea Compares School Lunch to U.S.—'Grotesque'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An American working as a teacher in South Korea has shared photographs showing how different school lunches are there to the ones he had growing up. William Pacheco is an elementary school teacher at Keisung Primary School in Daegu, South Korea. He's been living in South Korea for over 15 years now but grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. That background has given him a unique perspective when it comes to comparing the school lunches he enjoys today with the ones he had as a kid. Though he's keen to stress his perspective comes from his memories of growing up in Florida back in the 1990s, Pacheco told Newsweek he was taken aback when he first saw how "vastly different" school meals are in South Korea. "The food is fresher and far less processed," Pacheco said. "Students receive more food and based on what I have seen, students actually want to eat the food. Most school food I had growing up was almost inedible." Lobster was served for lunch at a South Korean School. Lobster was served for lunch at a South Korean School. William Pacheco Pacheco's memories of school lunches back then are not always positive ones, with the educator branding some of what was served to him as "prison food." "As a kid, I had to deal with milk that came in a bag and stale food of questionable quality that had to be eaten with a plastic spork," he said. "On some days it was grotesque. I distinctly remember kids tossing out entire meals because it was inedible." Keisung Primary School in Daegu is a government funded private school, not unlike a school in the Magnet school program in the U.S., with students and staff served the same meals. "I look forward to them," Pacheco said. "There's enough variety for me to not get bored of them." Thinking about the key difference between the school lunches he enjoys now in South Korea and the ones he had as a kid in the US, Pacheco said: "A lot more care and prep is required to make the meals in Korea. It's not about tossing bagged food onto a tray or into a microwave." Eager to spark debate on the subject and encourage people around the world to compare school lunches, Pacheco shared a series of photos to Reddit under the handle u/novadaemon. The post, shared earlier in May, amassed more than 1,000 upvotes, and included a phot from the day teachers and pupils at his school were served lobster tails. "The lobster thing was a special event. It isn't on the menu all the time, but the fact that the kids got the opportunity to eat it is something that would never happen back home," he said. "The variety of food here is amazing." A pair of students' school lunches, including highly sought-after lobster tail. A pair of students' school lunches, including highly sought-after lobster tail. William Pacheco Though he acknowledges he works in a private school, Pacheco said a similar standard exists in the public school system and that, crucially, the vast majority of school meals are free to children, which stands in stark contrast to the U.S. Though he knows his understanding of school lunches in the U.S. today is limited, he has friends with kids back home who have shown him what they eat. He's also seen some of pictures shared on social media showing of some of what is served to kids today. "Although I think it is a vast improvement over what I got as a kid, it is still full of processed carbs, fats and preservatives," he said. Improving the quality of food served in U.S. schools is an ongoing concern. In April last year, the U.S. The Department of Agriculture's (USDA) introduced new limits on added sugars as part of a new set of standards that also aim to reduce sodium levels in kids' meals. In a gradual shift to school meals, by fall 2027 the aim is to see a 10 per cent reduction of sodium in breakfast, and 15 per cent reduction for lunch, and a reduction in added sugars, with phase one seeing limits on specific high-sugar items, such as cereals and yoghurt, and phase two a reduction in overall weekly limits. Under the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service guidance, schools are required to follow the MyPlate standards for lunches that require kids to be served a plate of food that is made up of grains, vegetables, milk, protein foods and fruits. However, key government figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have called for an overhaul of the school lunch system with a greater focus on nutrition. A selection of the lunches served to children at a school in South Korea. A selection of the lunches served to children at a school in South Korea. William Pacheco Pacheco is skeptical about that approach though. "The U.S. could raise nutritional value standards and companies would just find the cheapest way to load the food with artificially sourced nutrients," he said. "I would just be more concerned with providing kids with balanced and fresh options in a format that is appealing," Pacheco said. "The meals here are balanced and contain fresh ingredients. Kids are exposed to a variety of food from a bunch of different countries as well. Their protein sources aren't limited to beef, chicken and pork. They also get a wider variety of fruits and vegetables." Pacheco acknowledges the quality of lunches today has improved but still feels it could "definitely be better" and wonders whether the quality of what is served today in the US may well be having a wider negative impact. "If a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, that would certainly apply here to kids," he said." I truly believe that c****y school lunches have a negative effect on the entire schooling experience in America. The more I think about it the more negative I feel about it." Newsweek reached out to Keisung Primary School for comment via Instagram.
Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
Nationwide research study on age-related muscle loss gets $10 million grant in Singapore
Sarcopenia affects nearly one in three Singaporeans aged 60 years or older. It is key to 'bank' muscle health during younger adulthood to help counter muscle loss, said an expert. PHOTO: ST FILE SINGAPORE – Researchers here have secured a $10 million grant for a nationwide programme dedicated to addressing the rising problem of sarcopenia, an age-related disease characterised by the progressive loss of muscle mass, strength and function. Led by SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre, this initiative is Singapore's first large-scale study on sarcopenia, which contributes to frailty and a lower quality of life as one ages. The disease leads to increased risks of falls, lower immunity, poorer recovery after surgery, among other adverse effects, but there are no effective treatments at the moment. If sarcopenia is picked up at all, it is only when people are showing severe symptoms such as loss of muscle mass and strength, said Professor Wang Yibin, director of the cardiovascular and metabolic disorders programme at Duke-NUS Medical School, at a media briefing. 'There's not much of a treatment. We don't have drugs, we can only provide them with dietary management and exercise advice. So still, there's a big mystery behind it and that's the main challenge of our project.' Called Mechanistic Investigation and Clinical Innovation for Sarcopenia Diagnosis and Therapy, or Magnet in short, this research project was awarded the $10 million Open Fund-Large Collaborative Grant by the National Medical Research Council on May 28. It brings together physicians and scientists from different institutes here who want to investigate why and how sarcopenia is triggered along with ageing or other disease states, and to find new ways of treating it. In the five-year study, Magnet will build a biobank of muscles and serum from 1,000 sarcopenia patients. It already has 500 such samples, collected in the past three years from surgical patients at Sengkang General Hospital (SKH) under a programme there led by Clinical Associate Professor Frederick Koh, a colorectal surgeon and a Magnet principal investigator. Professor Teh Bin Tean, the deputy chief executive officer of research at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), said he and Prof Koh had worked together to establish the tissue bank. At NCCS, researchers have been studying cachexia, which is sarcopenia associated with an advanced stage of cancer. About 20 per cent of advanced-stage cancer patients develop it, and it leads to poor health, poor drug response and reduced quality of life, said Prof Teh. Prof Koh said sarcopenia is associated with increased complications from surgery, and increased mortalities. 'In cancer patients... if you have sarcopenia, cancer cells have been shown to come back earlier. So this gives us a connotation that muscle is not just about movement and it's not just about tolerating stress, but it may also play an immune role... which we do not know much about today.' It is still early days when it comes to treatment possibilities. Prof Koh said they have found from earlier studies in SKH and Changi General Hospital (CGH) that the molecule HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate) – a metabolite of the amino acid leucine – may be beneficial, but further studies are needed. 'HMB may be one therapeutic agent which has shown some promise in early clinical trials in our experience, and we are expanding on that experience to run a larger study as part of the Magnet project,' he said. The term sarcopenia was coined in 1989 but it was recognised as a disease only in 2016. Recent studies have established the prevalence of sarcopenia, which affects nearly one in three Singaporeans aged 60 years or older. It also affects younger adults with chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes – one in 14 Singaporeans under 60 is estimated to have the muscle-wasting disease. 'For muscles, you need energy, protein and physical activity. So the high-risk group would be people who don't have enough energy, don't have enough protein, and are inactive,' said Associate Professor Samuel Chew, a senior consultant at CGH's geriatric medicine department. 'By the time we are 80, even if we are healthy, we would have lost at least about one-third of our muscle mass,' said Dr Chew. It is hence important to 'bank' muscle health during younger adulthood to help counter muscle loss over time, he added. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Chicago Tribune
23-05-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital nurses receive award from national credentialing organization
Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital has received a new accolade through the efforts of its nursing staff. In March, LFH received its first Magnet with Distinction designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and its fourth Magnet award from the group. These recognitions honor health organizations achieving the highest level of nursing excellence, according to a LFH statement. 'I am proud and honored to work alongside our wonderful nursing teams who demonstrate the deep impact of their nursing professional practice on our Patients First mission through the Magnet with Distinction designation. This honor reflects the collaborative practice that permeates throughout all members of the interprofessional team to create a caring and healthy environment at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital,' LFH Chief Nursing Executive Karen Mahnke said in a statement. 'Each day, our nurses go above and beyond their day-to-day duties to ensure our patients receive the highest level of care.' Hospital officials used the example of the efforts Liliya Kofman, a nurse for almost eight years as one example of why LFH received the honor. Kofman, who works in the hospital's wound department, wanted to try a new course on one patient's injury caused by venous ulcers that stubbornly refused to heal despite years of attempts. After consulting with the patient's daughter, Kofman explored an anti-biofilm silver dressing she had recently discovered was a possible new treatment. She embarked on the process to have the dressing tested for efficacy and later supplied it to the patient. Within a week, the wound was healing and is now another potential way to treat other hospital patients. 'Patient care is our priority,' Kofman said in the statement. 'If there are new ways to help treat our patients offering stronger results, we will take the necessary steps to see that through. I was pleased to be a part of a team effort to better serve our patients and am proud that this may help many future patients as well.' LFH was one of 23 U.S. health organizations receiving the ANCC 'with distinction' designation, according to the hospital. A spokeswoman noted the hospital currently employs 720 nurses.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Baystate Medical Center earns fifth consecutive Magnet Recognition for nursing excellence
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Baystate Medical Center has once again earned Magnet Recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This marks the fifth consecutive designation and placing it among an elite group of hospitals nationwide. The announcement highlights Baystate's two decades of sustained excellence in nursing, as it becomes one of fewer than one percent of hospitals across the country to achieve Magnet status five times in a row. The designation is considered the highest national honor for professional nursing practice and is recognized as the gold standard for nursing excellence. Chicopee small business recognized at Walmart showcase 'This recognition affirms what we already know to be true—our nurses are extraordinary,' said Joanne Miller, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive of Baystate Health. 'This fifth Magnet designation is a profound recognition of the extraordinary care, professionalism, and heart that our nurses bring to every patient, every day. It reflects 20 years of sustained nursing excellence and a deep-rooted culture of collaboration across our organization. I could not be prouder of the nursing team and every individual who supports their success.' Magnet designation is awarded based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes a review of patient outcomes, nursing leadership, professional development, and collaboration within healthcare teams. The ANCC cited Baystate for exemplary performance in these areas and praised its culture of innovation and continuous improvement. 'This honor is a reflection of our entire Baystate Medical Center family—all team members who work with and support our nurses,' said Ron Bryant, President & COO of Baystate Medical Center. 'It speaks to our collective commitment to excellence and the power of working together to care for our community. Congratulations to our nurses on this achievement!' Baystate first received a Magnet design in 2005 and has maintained its commitment to excellence in patient-centered care ever since. Hospital leaders attribute this sustained recognition to the dedication and teamwork among nurses and their interdisciplinary partners. Throughout its 20-year journey as a Magnet-recognized institution, Baystate has consistently prioritized professional development, shared decision-making, and resiliency, key principles of Magnet organizations. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boost your team this summer with student talent! Access up to $7,000 in funding through the Student Work Placement Program.
TORONTO, May 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Canadian employers are once again invited to apply for funding from the Magnet Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) for the Summer 2025 term. Since 2019, Magnet has been part of the network of organizations responsible for the delivery of SWPP, which provides eligible employers with wage subsidies for quality student work placements. Subsidies cover: Up to 50 percent of the wage cost for the placement (up to a maximum of $5,000 per placement) Up to 70 percent (up to a maximum of $7,000 per placement) for first-year students and under-represented groups, such as women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), Indigenous students, people with disabilities, and newcomers Magnet is now accepting applications for Summer 2025 placements. Employers can apply to receive funding for each post-secondary student they hire with a start date from May 1 to August 31, 2025. To learn more about eligibility and to start an application, visit SWPP: Strengthening Canada's Workforce, One Placement at a Time Since its launch in 2017, SWPP has supported over 249,000 work opportunities for students in all fields of study, including health services, transportation, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, and more. The program is a proven model for building future-ready talent pipelines, enhancing productivity, and strengthening local economies. Based on surveys of participating employers, the benefits of SWPP are clear: 86% of employers said they had an excellent experience 48% hired students long-term after their placement Each SWPP hire created an additional $400 in value per month for their employer At a time when developing skills for Canada's key sectors and bolstering talent pipelines for small businesses is more critical than ever, SWPP offers a significant boost for students and employers, especially small and medium-sized businesses. Apply Now and Invest in Canada's Future Workforce Magnet is proud to serve as one of the national delivery partners for SWPP and is committed to helping employers connect with student talent to meet their business needs. For more information, visit or contact us at info@ About the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) The Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) provides wage-subsidies to employers across Canada to create work-integrated learning opportunities for post-secondary students. The program is delivered by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). About Magnet Housed at Toronto Metropolitan University, Magnet is a centre of innovation focused on the future of work. As a centre of innovation, our mission is to transform the future of work through strategic collaboration and the development of digital solutions. We leverage a vast network of partners and harness cutting-edge technologies to address emerging workforce challenges, fostering a more inclusive and dynamic economic landscape across Canada. Magnet SWPP is funded by the Government of Canada's Student Work Placement Program. SOURCE Magnet View original content to download multimedia: Sign in to access your portfolio
