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Our School Health Day
posted by Haikal, 3 Cekap, on the school blog

Last Sunday, our school (0) hold a Health Day for the residents of Taman Murni. By the time the first visitors arrived at 8.00 a.m., the committee members (9) set up twelve booths in the school hall. I was handing out leaflets when an old man (10) was fainting near my booth. A nurse ran to help him, and he was fine after a few minutes.

The main speaker was Dr Aminah, (11) that runs the clinic near our school. She gave the visitors (12) an advice on how to keep their hearts healthy: eat less salt, walk for thirty minutes every day and stop smoking. The nurses worked (13) hardly all morning, checking blood pressure and sugar levels. The queue was long, but nobody complained.

Every visitor was (14) gave a free bag of fruit before leaving. The headmaster said that he (15) is very proud of us, and he promised more events like this. If more residents (16) will come next year, we will need a bigger hall!

Sleep: the Secret Power of Teenagers

Many teenagers say that they feel tired all the time, and the reason is simple: they do not sleep enough. Doctors say that people aged 13 to 18 need between eight and ten hours of sleep every night. However, a survey of 1,200 students found that more than half of them slept for less than seven hours on school nights.

Part of the problem is biology. During the teenage years, the body makes a hormone called melatonin about two hours later than it does in children and adults. Melatonin is the chemical that makes us feel sleepy, so a teenager who goes to bed at 9.00 p.m. often lies awake. Phones and tablets make things worse, because their bright screens keep the brain active.

The effects of too little sleep are serious. Students who are short of sleep find it hard to concentrate in class, and they get angry more easily. Their memory also becomes weaker, so they forget what they have just studied. Surprisingly, lack of sleep can make people hungrier, which is why tired students often choose sugary snacks.

Some schools have tried to help. In one school trial, the first lesson was moved from 7.50 a.m. to 8.45 a.m. Within two years, students were sleeping 34 minutes longer each night and their grades had improved. In most schools, though, lesson times cannot change easily, so students must change their own habits.

Experts offer three simple tips. First, go to bed at the same time every night, even at weekends. Second, switch off all screens an hour before bedtime. Third, keep your bedroom dark and cool.

TEEN VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH
Aiman Zulkifli, 15, runs a Saturday reading club for children in his neighbourhood

Interviewer: Aiman, how did the club begin?
Aiman: Two years ago I noticed that the children in my taman spent every afternoon on their phones. My neighbour, Puan Rohani, let me use her garage for free. On the first Saturday only three children came, but now we have thirty-two.

Interviewer: What do you do at the club?
Aiman: We read stories aloud, play word games and let the children act out scenes. Some of the children cannot read well, so older members sit with them one by one. Our rule is that no child is left behind.

Interviewer: Was it hard to start?
Aiman: Money was the biggest problem, because we had hardly any books. I wrote to a bookshop, and they donated forty second-hand books. Then my schoolmates held a book drive and collected over two hundred more.

Interviewer: Has the club changed you?
Aiman: Definitely. I am shy by nature, and I used to blush whenever I spoke in class. Standing in front of the children changed that. They are honest, too. If a story is dull, they just yawn!

Interviewer: What is next?
Aiman: A Family Reading Day at the community hall. Parents are coming, and a local author will read from her book. The details are on the poster.

THE WALLET AT THE BUS STOP

Last Friday, Kamal waited at the bus stop near his school after extra class. It had rained all afternoon, and the road was full of puddles. (35) ______ He picked it up and opened it. Inside were RM150, a bank card and an identity card in the name of Mr Lim Kok Seng.

Kamal's heart beat fast. He had been saving for new football boots for months, and the money would have paid for them. (36) ______ He knew that the owner must be very worried.

There was no phone number in the wallet, but Kamal found a small card from a clinic. (37) ______ Kamal looked at his watch. It was 5.30 p.m., and the clinic was only two stops away.

He ran all the way to the clinic. (38) ______ Kamal held out the wallet and asked, "Is this yours, Uncle?" Mr Lim's eyes filled with tears. (39) ______ Kamal politely refused and said that he had only done what anyone would do.

(40) ______ Kamal still thinks that the best reward was the look on Mr Lim's face.