I am a former student athlete under the CMS system, whose recovery from a severe, 8-month-long concussion was unnecessarily prolonged due to a failure in gauging its severity. This life-altering experience caused me to establish a non-profit, Project T.H.I.N.K. which is dedicated to empowering youth through concussion awareness and prevention. This nonprofit is the driving force behind this powerful plea: We need a policy mandating baseline concussion tests for all student athletes participating in CMS.

Concussion is not a stranger to athletics. It is a serious injury that, unchecked, poses lifetime hazards, especially to young, growing minds. My story is one among countless others, highlighting the pressing need for preventive measures. It is essential for our system to have a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to this issue.

The American Academy of Neurology emphasizes the significance of baseline testing, stating that post-injury tests are 52% less sensitive if not compared to an athlete's baseline test (Neurology, 2017). With a baseline test, we would have an accurate measure to gauge the athlete's cerebral health post-injury, mitigating the risk of permanent trauma.

Mandating baseline concussion tests gives our athletes, our future, a fighting chance against unseen, underestimated threats, ensuring they return to the game fully healed and ready. The health and future of CMS athletes stand to be vastly improved by this crucial policy.

We call upon the CMS School Board to affirm its commitment to student safety and pass a policy mandating baseline concussion tests for all their athletes. Please sign and support this life-changing initiative; our athletes' well-being hangs in balance.