Fidgeters, Rejoice! This Giant Rubber Band Will Help You Concentrate

Unless they’re parked in front of the TV, children can be balls of energy. And for the kids who are really active — like the ones who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — sitting still for long stretches is so much harder, making it difficult to focus in class.
That’s why Scott Ertl, a school counselor at Ward Elementary School in North Carolina, came up with a simple but genius device to help these kids channel all their excess energy.
The product — called Bouncy Bands — is a stretchy tether that can be attached to a student’s desk legs so that he or she can bounce their feet and stretch their legs while quietly working (and without distracting their classmates), the Winston-Salem Journal reports.
Besides those with ADHD, the device can help students who have learning disabilities such as autism, anxiety disorder and restless leg syndrome.
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Surprisingly, fidgeting is important. According to a 2007 Mayo Clinic study, allowing children to move around more while sitting made them more attentive.
Indeed, a reviewer on Amazon writes that the Bouncy Band helped her second grade nephew focus better and have more success in the classroom: “The teacher was pleased because he could pay attention for longer stretches and the movement doesn’t disrupt the class or distract others in any way.”
Ertl tells the Journal that kids with ADHD are hyperactive and do things that can get them in trouble because they don’t know what to do with all this extra energy. “They’re tapping their pencils on the desk or they’re drumming on the table and making noises or leaning back in their chairs,” he says. “They just need extra stimulation.”
Since January, Ertl has sold more than 3,000 Bouncy Bands. At Ward Elementary, students have been using these bands since 2012. Ertl also recently completed a successful Kickstarter to help provide these bands for students across the U.S. who can’t afford them.
Teachers seem to love the product, too. “The funny thing about it was I started using them and didn’t even realize it,” Ward teacher Linda Bohland says. “This is an amazing way to keep [ focused, able to work and move at the same time.”
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People Laughed and Stared at Becca. Now Hear Her Side of the Story.

It’s safe to say that people who have a mental illness have to put up with a lot more than just their diagnosis.
Before Becca Calla was diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Pervasive Mental Disorder, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and Tourette’s Syndrome (which is a neurological disorder) at age 16, she faced a constant onslaught of staring, teasing and verbal abuse. As if that wasn’t hard enough for a young girl, she also had to manage moving from shelter to shelter — and even faced homelessness at one point.
However, since her official diagnoses, she’s been able to receive the help and treatment that she needs. As you can see in her video submission below for Change the View 2014 (a contest that invites Ontario youth to submit short videos that help normalize mental health issues), not only does she cope with her disorders, the happy-go-lucky teen completely owns them.
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“I’ve been playing violin for 10 years. There are so many things I never thought I’d be able to play that I can now play in my sleep,” Becca says as she seriously shreds her violin. “Now, I know how to release my energy in a healthy way instead of getting angry all the time.”
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, mental disorders — ranging from mood to eating disorders — are extremely common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older (one in four) and just over 20 percent (or one in five) children suffer from a seriously debilitating mental disorder — whether currently or at some point during their life.
Despite mental illness afflicting such a large segment of the population, broader society doesn’t always accept these individuals, who are often plagued by stigma as well as discrimination.
But treatment, awareness, and education can make a big difference. As Becca says, “Ask anyone that knows me now. I’m the happiest girl because I know I’m getting the right support and help I need.”
 

An Unlikely Pairing Leads to Higher Self-Esteem and Academic Empowerment

When a child has a learning disability, he or she might find it more difficult to read, write, spell, or listen compared to most other children of the same age. Unfortunately, many remain at an academic disadvantage for most of their lives.
According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, close to half of secondary students with learning disabilities are about three grade levels behind and only 10 percent of these students enroll in a four-year college compared to 28 percent of the general population. Because many don’t have degrees, they are at a disadvantage when it comes to finding employment — only 55 percent of working-age adults with disabilities are employed compared to 75 percent without.
The stats are major hurdles for the 2.4 million students who have learning disabilities, but an innovative mentoring program called Eye to Eye is trying to level the playing field. Using art as a medium, the nonprofit matches students with learning disabilities with successful high school or college students who are disabled themselves.
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The organization was founded in 1998 by a group of Brown University students who have ADHD and other learning disabilities. “The idea of Eye to Eye was really simple,” co-founder David Flink, who is dyslexic, told Truth Atlas. “We were just a bunch of college students who had different types of learning disabilities, and we’re going to go hang out with a bunch of fifth and sixth graders to share what we knew about how to access school in the best possible way.”
Not only do younger kids benefit from a one-on-one relationship with someone who has been in their shoes, but it also allows the older kids to feel great about helping a struggling learner succeed.
Since its launch, Eye to Eye has worked with thousands of students and successfully grown to 62 chapters in 22 states. According to their website, an overwhelming majority of the mentees have found better self-esteem (85 percent), academic empowerment (87 percent), and increased hope for the future (87 percent).
Check out the video above to learn more about the organization.