The Health Code – Part 1
Most Black & Brown Children Are Vitamin D Deficient in Fall & Winter — and It Shows
Indianapolis, IN – Every year, right around the time the days shorten and the sweaters come out, teachers notice it first: the yawns, the sniffles, the fading spark in their students’ eyes. Attendance drops. Coughs linger. Energy dips. By mid-November, it’s everywhere.
At The Genius School, we’ve learned that this isn’t coincidence — it’s chemistry. Beneath the surface, thousands of small biological switches are adjusting to shorter sunlight and longer indoor hours. For Black and Brown children in particular, these seasonal shifts expose a quiet crisis: widespread Vitamin D deficiency, a nutrient gap that can affect everything from learning to immunity.
*In this episode, we unpack the science and the story behind seasonal Vitamin D deficiency — and what families can do right now to help children thrive.*
The Pattern We See Every Year
Every year around this time, we can almost set our clocks by it.
As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, children start missing more school.
Coughs linger. Asthma flares. Energy dips. Focus fades.
Then, two weeks after the sugar rush of Halloween — right on cue — the wave crashes.
It hits again after Thanksgiving, and once more after Christmas and New Year’s, when diets drift, schedules shift, and sweets abound.
We see it in our classrooms, our attendance data, and even in our students’ moods.
Our children get sicker, slower, and more fatigued as the sunlight fades and the cold sets in.
It’s not random.
It’s not bad luck.
It’s biology — and much of it is preventable.
“It’s not random. It’s not bad luck. It’s biology — and much of it is preventable.”
Why This Happens
Life moves fast. Parents do their best — packing lunchboxes before work, juggling schedules, trying to keep everyone fed, safe, and happy.
More time indoors, less time moving in fresh air.
Less natural sunlight, more artificial light that disrupts sleep and hormone balance — especially from screens.
Less whole food, more processed, sugary snacks — chips, cookies, fruit drinks, crackers — especially in the lunchbox.
Research shows these modern habits drain the very nutrients our children’s brains, attention, and immune systems depend on.
When the sun disappears and sugar intake rises, the immune system weakens.
That’s why the same children who were thriving in July start struggling by November — especially those who spend less time outdoors when the weather turns cold.
But even beyond the season, studies show a deeper, persistent problem: Black and Brown children have chronically lower Vitamin D levels than any other group, all year long.
These deficiencies are directly linked to higher rates of illness, inflammation, asthma, attention deficits, mood swings, and immune disregulation.
Our Mission: Closing the Knowledge Gap
At The Genius School, we track what we teach — and what we observe matches what research confirms.
As sunlight decreases, so do children’s Vitamin D levels — and so does their wellbeing.
Low Vitamin D doesn’t just mean “less energy.” It means:
- Weaker immune defenses
- Higher inflammation
- More asthma and allergy symptoms
- More difficulty focusing or regulating emotions
Vitamin D is not simply a vitamin — it’s a hormone. It helps the immune system communicate, stabilizes mood, strengthens bones, and fuels the brain.
Research shows that optimizing Vitamin D can improve not only immune strength, but also mood, learning, and attention — meaning it could be one of the simplest and least expensive ways to improve your child’s quality of life.
And yet, many families — especially in our community — have never been told how essential it is, how common deficiency really is, or how inexpensive it is to fix.
Darker skin naturally filters more of the UVB light needed to make Vitamin D, so Black and Brown children actually need more sunlight exposure, not less.
This is where knowledge becomes power.
“My people perish for lack of knowledge.”
— Hosea 4:6
We can’t protect what we don’t understand. But once we know better, we can do better — and with knowledge, we have power to make truly meaningful changes.
What You Can Do Right Now
Foresight Over Fear
We know what’s coming — the spike two weeks after Halloween, the slump in December after the holidays, the fatigue and focus dip in January. It’s not a surprise; it’s a signal.
When we support Vitamin D early, we’re not just fighting colds — we’re building stronger immune systems, steadier emotions, and sharper minds. We’re teaching foresight — the foundation of genius.
“When we support Vitamin D early, we’re not just fighting colds — we’re building stronger minds.”
Coming Next
In Part 2 of The Health Code, we’ll unpack how Vitamin D actually works inside the body — the science behind this “sunlight hormone” — and explore how deficiency links to other health issues often misdiagnosed as something else.
Then, in Part 3, we’ll build the full toolkit: The Biggest Immune Boosters for Fall & Winter — practical ways every family can help children stay healthier, focused, and thriving.
The Health Code Series | The Genius School
“My people perish for lack of knowledge.”
But ours will not — because we will know, prepare, and thrive.
Disclaimer
This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician or healthcare provider before making any changes to your child’s health routine, supplements, or diet.
If your pediatrician or family doctor does not recognize the importance of maintaining optimal Vitamin D levels similar to the recommendations above, consider seeking a second opinion from a provider who understands the latest research on nutrition, sunlight, and immune health.
Be Part of the Transformation
Together, we can close achievement gaps, nurture the whole child, and transform learning outcomes for students across Indianapolis.