Athletic boosters from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School are hosting a February event to help raise money for concussion testing equipment at the school.
The B-CC Barons All-Sports Ball is set for 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on at Tommy Joe’s (4714 Montgomery Lane) and will include appetizers, a cash bar and silent auction. Tickets are $50 and the booster club is trying to fund concussion baseline testing for all B-CC student athletes.
Nine schools in Montgomery County have baseline testing equipment, according to Montgomery County Public Schools, but all are financed by booster clubs and rely on volunteer health professionals to administer the tests. Whitman High School has had the testing for nine years, The Gazette reported in December.
It was in December that MCPS superintendent Josh Starr recommended $75,000 toward baseline testing in his recommended fiscal year 2014 budget.
Starr announced the plan to look into baseline testing in September:
“The long-term effects of concussions and head injuries are being discussed across the country and are the subject of a growing body of research,” Dr. Starr said. “I think we must explore a districtwide baseline testing program as part of our ongoing efforts to keep our student-athletes safe and healthy.”
Baseline testing is an exam conducted during the pre-season that assesses an athlete’s balance and brain function, including learning and memory skills, ability to pay attention or concentrate, and how quickly he or she thinks and solves problems. Results from baseline tests can be compared to additional exams administered to an athlete suspected to have experienced a concussion. Health care professionals can use the results of these tests as one measure in deciding when it is safe for a student to return to action.
For more information on the B-CC fundraiser, visit the event page.
