Latest news with #Understand


Scroll.in
27-07-2025
- Health
- Scroll.in
SC issues 15 guidelines to address student suicides, mental health in educational institutions
The Supreme Court on Friday issued 15 interim guidelines to address the rise in student suicides and mental health challenges in educational institutions across India, PTI reported. The guidelines include the appointment of trained counsellors and psychologists, the adoption of a uniform mental health policy and annual reviews of wellness interventions at such institutes. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta observed that there was a 'legislative and regulatory vacuum' regarding a unified, enforceable framework for suicide prevention in schools, colleges, coaching centres and similar environments. The court said the guidelines would remain in force and binding until suitable legislation or regulatory frameworks were introduced by the competent authority. The order came in response to an appeal against an Andhra Pradesh High Court decision that had rejected a request to transfer to the Central Bureau of Investigation a probe into the suspicious death of a 17-year-old National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test aspirant in Visakhapatnam. The Supreme Court directed the central agency to take over the investigation, according to The New Indian Express. Mental health safeguards The Supreme Court directed all educational institutions to adopt and implement a uniform mental health policy, drawing from the UMMEED draft guidelines, the Manodarpan initiative and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. It must be reviewed annually and made publicly available on institutional websites and notice boards. The draft UMMEED, or Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, Develop guidelines were released in 2023 by the Union Ministry of Education to help prevent student suicides in schools. The Manodarpan initiative was launched to provide psychosocial support during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy outlines roles for stakeholders in reducing suicide rates. Among other suggestions, the court said that institutions with more than 100 students must appoint qualified counsellors, psychologists or social workers trained in child and adolescent mental health. Smaller institutions may establish formal referral arrangements with external professionals. The court directed educational and coaching institutions to avoid practices that could harm students' mental well-being, such as public shaming, assigning academic targets that exceed students' capacity and segregating students into batches based on their academic performance. Residential institutions have been advised to install tamper-proof ceiling fans or other safety devices and restrict access to rooftops, balconies and similar high-risk areas to deter impulsive acts of self-harm. The court said that coaching hubs in cities such as Jaipur, Kota, Sikar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai must implement enhanced mental health protections. All teaching and non-teaching staff must undergo mandatory training twice a year, conducted by certified mental health professionals. These guidelines apply to all public and private schools, colleges, universities and coaching centres.


Business Wire
05-05-2025
- Science
- Business Wire
Eight Student Teams Named National Winners of 33
MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toshiba and NSTA today announce eight national winners of the 33 rd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competition, the world's largest K-12 science competition. This year's winners have shared innovative proposals to help overcome some of the greatest challenges facing the world today, from healthcare challenges to transportation efforts to protecting the environment. 'For the last 150 years, and for the next 150 years, our goal is to enable a more sustainable, resilient future." Tomoaki Kumagai, Chairman & CEO, Toshiba America, Inc. The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competition is designed to inspire students to develop the skills emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards, including problem-solving, critical-thinking and collaboration skills. To participate, students must imagine and produce a system or a technology with the potential to solve the problems of the future. Regional finalist ideas were judged by a multidisciplinary panel of scientists across various sectors of government (e.g., NIH, NASA, NSF), academic researchers, biotechnology scientists and physician researchers. 'At Toshiba, we're proud to inspire the world's future STEM leaders,' said Tomoaki Kumagai, Chairman & CEO, Toshiba America, Inc. 'For the last 150 years, and for the next 150 years, our goal is to enable a more sustainable, resilient future. Key to that is nurturing the development of today's students. Through our ongoing partnership with NSTA, we're thrilled to be able to further encourage the STEM engineers of tomorrow as part of our commitment to the future and to the people who will shape that future.' Some of the winning solutions included: Environmental Technology Innovations: Several of the winning projects focused on protecting the environment to encourage pollination (Electro-Buzz) to fighting wildfires (Drone Ranger). Medical Technology Advancements: From glasses that translate sign language (Eye Understand) to seizor prevention and detection (Seizor) to heart-attack prevention (Nano Artertract Plaque Seeker), winning projects across grades sought to address today's most pressing health challenges. Transportation Inventions: Students aimed to create safer roads by inventing concepts for improved road surfaces (Biomimetic Surfaces) that prevent crashes. 'I'm always impressed with how attuned young minds are to the needs of our society,' said NSTA President Alicia Conerly, Ed.D. 'Their projects demonstrate the remarkable understanding of the of the challenges of tomorrow and I was inspired to see such creative solutions. Our future is in good hands with these future scientists and innovators at the helm.' ExploraVision Prizes The eight national winning teams are comprised of a first-place winner and second-place winner from four groups based on grade level. Members of first place nationally winning teams each receive a $10,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity). Members of second place nationally winning teams will each receive a $5,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity). The national winners of ExploraVision 2025 are invited to participate in an award ceremony on Friday, June 13 in Washington, D.C. During this event, students will have the opportunity to present their winning ideas to Bill Nye 'the Science Guy,' a renowned scientist, engineer, author, and inventor, who is a strong advocate of STEM education and the ExploraVision program. The event will conclude with an awards ceremony where the winning teams will be formally recognized for their creativity and accomplishments. For 33 consecutive years, sponsored by Toshiba and administered by NSTA, ExploraVision has helped children to expand their imagination and have fun while developing an interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education at an early age. For more information or to access an application for the 2025-26 program, visit or email exploravision@ For updates on the ExploraVision program, follow on X at or Facebook at Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision 2025 National Winners 2025 First-Place Winners Grade K-3: Eye Understand: Glasses for People who use Sign Language A.D. Henderson University School Boca Raton, FL Project Storyboard here Grade 4-6: ElectroBuzz: Redefining Pollination for a Resilient and Sustainable Future Willow Springs Elementary School Fairfax, VA Project Website here Grades 7-9: Drone Ranger for Fighting Wildfires Twin Grove Middle School Buffalo Grove, IL Project Website here Grades 10-12: Seizor Victoria Park Collegiate Institute North York, Ontario Project Website here 2025 Second-Place Winners Grades K-3: BlazeBlock: The Hep Revolution That Stopes Fires Cold Don Campbell Elementary School Red Deer, Alberta Project Poster here Grades 4-6: Lost Then Found Heritage School Salem, OR Project Website here Grades 7-9 Biomimetic Surfaces STEM School Highlands Ranch, Highlands Ranch, CO Project Website here Grades 10-12 Nano Artertract Plaque Seeker (NAPS) Downtown Magnets High School Los Angeles, CA Project Website here About Toshiba As Toshiba Group celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025, it is enhancing its management structure, streamlining operations, and investing in forward-looking businesses to build foundations for new growth. This will allow it to continue to support advances toward a sustainable future with products and services developed by its wide range of businesses in the energy, infrastructure, and electronic devices domains. Guided by its corporate philosophy, 'Committed to People, Committed to the Future.,' Toshiba brings industry-leading capabilities in green transformation (GX) and digital transformation (DX) to solutions for companies addressing the many challenges faced by modern society. By leveraging the power of data derived from its constantly evolving products and solutions, the Group is determined to help to achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy. In fiscal year 2023, Toshiba Group generated annual sales of 3.3 trillion yen, and had 105,000 employees around the world. For more information, visit or follow Toshiba Corporation on LinkedIn. About Toshiba America, Inc. Founded in 1965, Toshiba America, Inc. (TAI) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Toshiba Corporation and the holding company of three Toshiba operating companies that offer a broad range of products and solutions for the commercial, energy and industrial sectors. The three companies, which along with TAI are known collectively as Toshiba America Group, are Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (Semiconductor & data storage solutions), Toshiba America Energy Systems, Corp. (Power generation solutions), Toshiba International Corporation (Industrial, power electronics & transmission & distribution solutions), and a Toshiba America Company, Toshiba America Business Solutions (Multifunction printers, label and receipt printers, digital signage, managed print services, and cloud solutions). About NSTA The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is a vibrant community of 35,000 science educators and professionals committed to best practices in teaching science and its impact on student learning. NSTA offers high quality science resources and continuous learning so that science educators grow professionally and excel in their career. For new and experienced teachers alike, the NSTA community offers the opportunity to network with like-minded peers at the national level, connect with mentors and leading researchers, and learn from the best in the field. For more information, visit or follow NSTA on X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.


National Post
05-05-2025
- Science
- National Post
Eight Student Teams Named National Winners of 33rd Annual ExploraVision Competition
Article content Article content Article content MCLEAN, Va. — Toshiba and NSTA today announce eight national winners of the 33 rd annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competition, the world's largest K-12 science competition. This year's winners have shared innovative proposals to help overcome some of the greatest challenges facing the world today, from healthcare challenges to transportation efforts to protecting the environment. Article content The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competition is designed to inspire students to develop the skills emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards, including problem-solving, critical-thinking and collaboration skills. To participate, students must imagine and produce a system or a technology with the potential to solve the problems of the future. Regional finalist ideas were judged by a multidisciplinary panel of scientists across various sectors of government (e.g., NIH, NASA, NSF), academic researchers, biotechnology scientists and physician researchers. Article content 'At Toshiba, we're proud to inspire the world's future STEM leaders,' said Tomoaki Kumagai, Chairman & CEO, Toshiba America, Inc. 'For the last 150 years, and for the next 150 years, our goal is to enable a more sustainable, resilient future. Key to that is nurturing the development of today's students. Through our ongoing partnership with NSTA, we're thrilled to be able to further encourage the STEM engineers of tomorrow as part of our commitment to the future and to the people who will shape that future.' Article content Some of the winning solutions included: Article content Environmental Technology Innovations: Several of the winning projects focused on protecting the environment to encourage pollination (Electro-Buzz) to fighting wildfires (Drone Ranger). Medical Technology Advancements: From glasses that translate sign language (Eye Understand) to seizor prevention and detection (Seizor) to heart-attack prevention (Nano Artertract Plaque Seeker), winning projects across grades sought to address today's most pressing health challenges. Transportation Inventions: Students aimed to create safer roads by inventing concepts for improved road surfaces (Biomimetic Surfaces) that prevent crashes. Article content 'I'm always impressed with how attuned young minds are to the needs of our society,' said NSTA President Alicia Conerly, Ed.D. 'Their projects demonstrate the remarkable understanding of the of the challenges of tomorrow and I was inspired to see such creative solutions. Our future is in good hands with these future scientists and innovators at the helm.' Article content ExploraVision Prizes The eight national winning teams are comprised of a first-place winner and second-place winner from four groups based on grade level. Members of first place nationally winning teams each receive a $10,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity). Members of second place nationally winning teams will each receive a $5,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity). Article content The national winners of ExploraVision 2025 are invited to participate in an award ceremony on Friday, June 13 in Washington, D.C. During this event, students will have the opportunity to present their winning ideas to Bill Nye 'the Science Guy,' a renowned scientist, engineer, author, and inventor, who is a strong advocate of STEM education and the ExploraVision program. The event will conclude with an awards ceremony where the winning teams will be formally recognized for their creativity and accomplishments. Article content For 33 consecutive years, sponsored by Toshiba and administered by NSTA, ExploraVision has helped children to expand their imagination and have fun while developing an interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education at an early age. Article content Grade K-3: Eye Understand: Glasses for People who use Sign Language A.D. Henderson University School Boca Raton, FL Project Storyboard here Article content Grade 4-6: ElectroBuzz: Redefining Pollination for a Resilient and Sustainable Future Willow Springs Elementary School Fairfax, VA Project Website here Article content Grades 7-9: Drone Ranger for Fighting Wildfires Twin Grove Middle School Buffalo Grove, IL Project Website here Article content Grades 10-12: Seizor Victoria Park Collegiate Institute North York, Ontario Project Website here Article content 2025 Second-Place Winners Article content Grades K-3: BlazeBlock: The Hep Revolution That Stopes Fires Cold Don Campbell Elementary School Red Deer, Alberta Project Poster here Article content Grades 4-6: Lost Then Found Heritage School Salem, OR Project Website here Article content Grades 7-9 Biomimetic Surfaces STEM School Highlands Ranch, Highlands Ranch, CO Project Website here Article content About Toshiba As Toshiba Group celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2025, it is enhancing its management structure, streamlining operations, and investing in forward-looking businesses to build foundations for new growth. This will allow it to continue to support advances toward a sustainable future with products and services developed by its wide range of businesses in the energy, infrastructure, and electronic devices domains. Guided by its corporate philosophy, 'Committed to People, Committed to the Future.,' Toshiba brings industry-leading capabilities in green transformation (GX) and digital transformation (DX) to solutions for companies addressing the many challenges faced by modern society. By leveraging the power of data derived from its constantly evolving products and solutions, the Group is determined to help to achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy. In fiscal year 2023, Toshiba Group generated annual sales of 3.3 trillion yen, and had 105,000 employees around the world. For more information, visit or follow Toshiba Corporation on LinkedIn. Article content About Toshiba America, Inc. Founded in 1965, Toshiba America, Inc. (TAI) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Toshiba Corporation and the holding company of three Toshiba operating companies that offer a broad range of products and solutions for the commercial, energy and industrial sectors. The three companies, which along with TAI are known collectively as Toshiba America Group, are Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (Semiconductor & data storage solutions), Toshiba America Energy Systems, Corp. (Power generation solutions), Toshiba International Corporation (Industrial, power electronics & transmission & distribution solutions), and a Toshiba America Company, Toshiba America Business Solutions (Multifunction printers, label and receipt printers, digital signage, managed print services, and cloud solutions). Article content About NSTA The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is a vibrant community of 35,000 science educators and professionals committed to best practices in teaching science and its impact on student learning. NSTA offers high quality science resources and continuous learning so that science educators grow professionally and excel in their career. For new and experienced teachers alike, the NSTA community offers the opportunity to network with like-minded peers at the national level, connect with mentors and leading researchers, and learn from the best in the field. For more information, visit or follow NSTA on X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content