Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider to be some of the top news of the week.

Below you will find a compilation of news spanning the health and education, labor, and economy sectors. This list includes mainstream, DC-focused, and trade publication coverage from Saturday, July 29, to Friday, August 4. Let these clips serve as a resource when developing thoughtful strategies and use them to further foster organizational innovation and adaptability.

Here’s what you need to know.

Mainstream News:

• Large parts of the world are experiencing extreme heat waves, with July recorded as the Earth’s hottest month in recorded history. However, one can acclimate their body to the heat by safely exposing oneself to short bouts of heat and humidity, and gradually increasing the length of exposure.
• A recent study spanning over decades has linked the long-term consumption of artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and saccharin, with increased fat stores in the abdomen and fat within muscle. This conclusion was reached even when accounting for other factors, including how much a person eats or the quality of their diet.

Education News:

• Last week, a judge dismissed a case of families suing the Fairfax County School Board and Virginia Department of Education. The case alleged that for decades, the school system has denied resources to students with disabilities that are guaranteed to them under federal law. Now, the families have asked the state attorney general to investigate the two entities.
• The University of Virginia issued a “clarification” to its legacy applicants admissions policy, stating that parental ties will no longer be conveyed to admissions officers in a direct “checkbox” way, but rather applicants will be able to write about a “personal or historic connection” with the university.
• The state of Florida has “effectively banned” the Advanced Placement psychology course due to being noncompliant with newly enacted standards, barring hundreds of districts from offering the class due to discussion of gender and sexual orientation.

Health News:

• An MIT professor published new research—a flexible ultrasound bra designed to detect breast cancer sooner. The new design could one day be used to screen for breast cancer more comfortably.
• A simple, relatively inexpensive blood test can now check dozens of genes associated with different kinds of cancer, but it remains widely unknown by those who are at the greatest risk.

Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider to be some of the top news of the week.

Below you will find a compilation of news spanning the health and education, labor, and economy sectors. This list includes mainstream, DC-focused, and trade publication coverage from Saturday, July 22, to Friday, July 28. Let these clips serve as a resource when developing thoughtful strategies and use them to further foster organizational innovation and adaptability.

Here’s what you need to know.

Mainstream News:

• The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline turned one this week. Since being launched, approximately 4 million calls, chats, and texts have been made. While the high call volume alarms the nation of a bigger mental health crisis, officials welcomed the hotline’s ability to put people in need with someone who could help them.

Education News:

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), a learning style that prioritizes emotion regulation and empathy, has grown common across the United States. Although the learning style faced backlash from Montana Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway early this year, most schools still use SEL in the classroom, according to an EdWeek article.
• This week, the Department of Education launched a civil rights investigation into one of America’s most elite schools. The investigation will look into Harvard University’s treatment of legacy status as an admission consideration.
• A new article by AP News explores the negative effect that the pandemic had on learning for students experiencing homelessness. During the pandemic shutdown, some schools lost track of families experiencing homelessness, meaning that many students weren’t receiving resources they may have needed.

Health News:

• Recent research says that 1 in 6 children in the United States didn’t finish their routine vaccine schedule. According to the report, children from lower-income households and rented homes, as well as non-Hispanic Black children, were at greater risk of not finishing their series.
• A USA Today story explored the link between depression and dementia in middle-aged adults. The article revealed that being diagnosed with depression more than doubles the risk of dementia later in life. While the link between the two is evident, the article explains that behavior changes as a result of depression, like decreased exercise, drug use, or diet, could be the driving factor behind the link.
• According to CNN, at least half of the United States is at risk of a “heat health emergency” this week. The scorching temperatures across the nation have led city officials to open cooling centers to allow residents to cool off and avoid heat-related injuries.

Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider to be some of the top news of the week.

Below you will find a compilation of news spanning the health and education, labor, and economy sectors. This list includes mainstream, DC-focused, and trade publication coverage from Saturday, July 15, to Friday, July 21. Let these clips serve as a resource when developing thoughtful strategies and use them to further foster organizational innovation and adaptability.

Here’s what you need to know.

Mainstream News:

• The World Meteorological Organization is warning citizens of parts of Europe, Asia, and the U.S. of an increased risk of death due to a global pattern of heat waves causing excessively high temperatures. Some ways to protect yourself include spending time outside to allow your body to adjust to the temperature before deciding to set out for a long day, hydrating, finding out if medications you take can make you more vulnerable to the heat, wearing lighter colors, and knowing the signs of heat-related illness.
• A virtual hearing kicked off the Education Department’s new plan for crafting regulations for student debt relief, following the Supreme Court’s ruling last month striking down the original plan. The Biden Administration’s second attempt will be aimed at helping those who need it most, the working- and middle-class borrowers left with debts that are “unaffordable, unreasonable, and unacceptable.”

Education News:

• According to a report released on Wednesday, the quality of classroom teaching dropped during the pandemic. School districts participating in the study stated that they found it “almost impossible” to implement their recovery plans due to staffing shortages and obstacles related to teacher training.
• A new analysis shows that degree-completion rates among Latino students have stagnated in recent years, while white students’ graduation rates rose, thus widening the gap between them.

Health News:

• A new study concluded that the use of hearing aids can lower the risk of dementia by 48 percent for older adults at risk, as age-related hearing loss nearly doubles the risk for dementia and accounts for over 8 percent of all dementia cases.
• A federal report showed that more people and animals, including pets, are getting sick from exposure to toxic algae that forms in natural bodies of water across the country. Exposure to high levels of blue-green algae and the toxins they create can cause illness and even death.

Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider to be some of the top news of the week.

Below you will find a compilation of news spanning the health and education, labor, and economy sectors. This list includes mainstream, DC-focused, and trade publication coverage from Saturday, July 8, to Friday, July 14. Let these clips serve as a resource when developing thoughtful strategies and use them to further foster organizational innovation and adaptability.

Here’s what you need to know.

Mainstream News:

• As outdoor workers struggle in a heat wave that has swept the nation, a new Washington Post article warns that there are few legal protections for workers in high temperatures. Laws typically vary by state, leaving workers across the country at risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and other heat-related injuries.

Education News:

• Some teachers and educators are using artificial intelligence (AI) to help create lesson plans, exams, and emails, with the technology even integrating district standards into the materials. While the use of AI in the classroom can be controversial, some teachers claim that it allows for more creativity, especially when a teacher needs help getting started.
• A recent article by the Chronicle of Higher Education explores how the importance of application essays is changing after the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action. There’s now a “supercharged spotlight” on including personal stories and information in essays to help an applicant stand out, said the article.

Health News:

• A recent study shows that emergency mental health visits for young females increased by 22 percent during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase is thought to be due to pandemic-related disruptions, including online learning, increased stress, and even potential abuse at home.
• The CDC reported this week that almost 1 in 10 children in the United States have a diagnosed developmental disability. The statistics call for a greater focus on creating accommodations, information, and resources for the families and children affected.
• A new study confirms a link between racism and childhood obesity. According to the study, children who experienced racial discrimination were more likely than their peers to have a high body mass index (BMI) a year afterward. “Discrimination is a type of stressful life experience that has negative effects on health just like other types of stressful life experiences,” said one of the researchers in the USA Today article on the study.

Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider to be some of the top news of the week.

Below you will find a compilation of news spanning the health and education, labor, and economy sectors. This list includes mainstream, DC-focused, and trade publication coverage from Saturday, July 1, to Friday, July 7. Let these clips serve as a resource when developing thoughtful strategies and use them to further foster organizational innovation and adaptability.

Here’s what you need to know.

Mainstream News:

• After his earlier initiative was struck down by the Supreme Court, President Biden has just taken the first step toward creating a new student loan forgiveness plan. The Biden Administration plans to use the Higher Education Act, which has a provision that allows the government to “compromise” or “waive” federal student loan obligations.
• According to a new study by the US Geological Survey, almost half of all tap water in the US is contaminated with “forever chemicals”. These are chemicals that linger in the human body and can cause cancer, obesity, thyroid disease, decreased fertility, high cholesterol, liver damage, and hormone suppression.

Education News:

• A recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education detailed how the Supreme Court’s ruling on race-conscious admissions will not affect the majority of colleges. The lawsuits that led to the Supreme Court’s decision centered on two colleges with extremely slim chances of admission. Institutions like those are selective enough to need to use race as a factor to diversify their student body, but that is not the case for most colleges.
• The number of homeless students in California jumped by 9%, making the total about 187,000 kids. The cause of homelessness among all in California is the shortage of affordable housing in the state, according to a researcher at UCLA.

Health News:

• In the past 20 years, the number of people dying from pregnancy-related causes has more than doubled, with the worst outcomes among Black, Native American and Alaska Native people. Researchers say that doctors would have a better chance at preventing maternal mortality if more women had access to healthcare postpartum.
• A new study found that clinical overuse of marijuana is linked to complications after major elective surgery, including blood clots, stroke, breathing difficulties, kidney problems, and even death. This is because smoking marijuana impacts blood flow in the brain and body, decreases respiration and body temperature, contributes to airway blockages, raises blood pressure, increases heart rate, impacts heart rhythm, and more.