Dr. Ned Hallowell Meets With MKA's 8th Grade

Renowned psychiatrist and author Dr. Ned Hallowell was the keynote speaker at this year's 8th Grade Positive Choices program at the MKA Middle School today.  This annual event brings 8th graders and their parents together for a morning of joint discussion on issues ranging from study strategies to dealing with the challenges of adolescence.

Dr. Hallowell, who has been featured on Oprah, 60 Minutes, The Today Show and Good Morning America is an expert on ADD and ADHD, and among his numerous well-received books are When You Worry About The Child You Love, The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness and CrazyBusy: Overbooked, Overstretched and About to Snap.

For his 8th grade audience and their parents, Dr. Hallowell focused on the importance of connections in ensuring a happy and emotionally fulfilled adult life.  The "good news," he reminded them, is that high grades and SAT scores are not guarantors of happiness, but rather connection to family, friends and school - be it to a teacher, subject or activity - is a much more powerful and relevant indicator of future success, and is somthing that is already within every students grasp.