text:
When Jasper Madonia started working in downtown Springfield in 1939, the downtown was a different place from today.
He describes a bustling place so busy that he had to push his way through the crowds of people during his lunch breaks. His favorite memory of working downtown is the Fannie May chocolate store that used to be next door, in the spot now occupied by Bentoh's restaurant.
Interrupted only by a few years in the Army during WWII, Madonia worked downtown for an astounding 73 years. He spent most of those years as part owner of Bridge Jewelry Co., the downtown fixture on South Fifth Street that recently closed after 90 years of business. He sold his stake in the business before owner Betty Sowarsh made the decision to close.
"We had pretty good business down there," Madonia said. "It was something. There were a lot of people downtown."
Asked if he believes the downtown could once again become a bustling place, he chuckles and says, "I think so."
A lot of other people think so, too, and they're working to make it happen. The SDAT Action Committee, comprised of local architects, business leaders and public officials, is working to bring back the vibrancy and prominence of Springfield's downtown. Short for "Sustainable Design Assessment Team," SDAT is Springfield's iteration of a program started by the American Institute of Architects to help communities become more livable and sustainable. Following a whirlwind visit in May 2012 by urban development experts from across the nation, the SDAT committee has taken the first steps in bringing people back to the heart of the city.
"We believe residents are coming back, and with that will come the stores and such," says Victoria Ringer, executive director of Downtown Springfield, Inc. Ringer says the current trend in population migration is back from suburbs and outlying areas toward city cores. Asked what's causing that trend, Ringer points to several factors: proximity to work, nightlife and a growing lack of desire to own and maintain a car. "Young people are saying, 'I want to achieve. I want art. I want convenience.' But there are also Baby Boomers who want that. The demographics are really across the board."
Pushing progress
Before disgraced ex-governor Rod Blagojevich bled Springfield of state jobs, much of the downtown was filled with state offices. Now, many of those office spaces are vacant, and Springfield architect Charles "Chuck" Pell says that trend isn't likely to reverse itself. Pell, who owns CJP Architects and serves as co-chair of the SDAT Action Committee, says instead of leaving those buildings empty in hopes that the state or a business will suddenly need vast amounts of office space, some of those buildings can be turned into residential space.
"It's a 'missing persons' problem," Pell said. "We need more people living downtown to create the kind of livable, walkable, sustainable neighborhood that people are seeking."
SDAT is working on several fronts to drum up interest in residential space – both from the consumer side and the provider side. To showcase some of the successes and renovation projects downtown, Downtown Springfield, Inc. hosts a yearly building tour, giving visitors a chance to explore buildings they otherwise wouldn't see. SDAT volunteers used the 14th Annual Upper Story Tour on May 3 as a chance to ask visitors if they would ever consider living downtown and what might make them do so. Pell says the survey is one of SDAT's first steps in finding out how to bring people back to downtown Springfield.
SDAT is also identifying empty buildings that are good candidates for residential conversions, with plans to approach the building owners about the idea.
"Some people hold onto properties for a long time, for one reason or another," Pell said, explaining that some buildings are owned by beneficiaries outside of Springfield. "They may not have the desire to do anything with these properties. If that's the case, let's think about moving these properties into the hands of people who have a desire to do something."
Redevelopment in downtown is under something of a time crunch, thanks to the impending expiration of the downtown TIF district in 2016. Pell says SDAT is looking at new ways to supplement redevelopment funds after the TIF expires, while also working with developers to identify and remove obstacles that might keep them from taking on projects downtown.
Success stories
When Abraham Lincoln departed Springfield by train on Feb. 11, 1861, to assume the presidency, he left from the Great Western Depot – now known as the Lincoln Depot – located along the 10th Street rail corridor at 930 E. Monroe Street. It's the last place that Lincoln's feet touched the ground in Springfield, but it was used as a warehouse for many years before a suspicious fire destroyed much of the interior. Restored in the late 1970s, the building was operated as a historic site by Copley Press, the former owner of the State Journal-Register, and Gatehouse Media, the newspaper's current owner, until the National Park Service declined to continue staffing the site because of accessibility concerns. Without the money to update the building, Gatehouse put the depot up for sale.
That's when Ida "Pinky" Noll stepped in. She bought the Lincoln Depot and renovated it with the help of Springfield architect Larry Quenette. By adding a few modern amenities and moving the law practice of her husband, Jon Gray Noll, and her son, Daniel Noll, into the depot's upper level, she ensured the building would remain a relevant historical site and a boon to the city's downtown.
Although the Lincoln Depot is located right next to the 10th Street rail corridor, the noise from trains is minimized by insulation, laminated windows and a custom-designed drop ceiling. And despite having to hook up new electrical and plumbing lines and get the railroad to cooperate, Pinky Noll said the decision to locate the Noll Law Office in the depot was simple: it's close to the courthouse, and it's historic.
"How many people have a chance to buy a piece of Lincoln?" Noll said. "You've got to know in your heart that you're doing the right thing. There's always unknowns. Whether you're building a new house or delving into a new one with 'secrets,' you just have to learn to make adjustments on the fly. I would really encourage people to look at these downtown buildings for office space, because they'll find out how rewarding it is to preserve a piece of the city's history."
On the other side of downtown sits a nondescript building at 118 S. Fourth St. While there's nothing particularly memorable about the outside, the interior is undergoing a transformation that has already yielded some attractive results. Chris Nickell of Springfield owns the building and has made it his home. His large apartment boasts an open floor plan, a well-appointed kitchen and high ceilings – not to mention a 30-second walk to his office in the Myers Building at the corner of Washington and Fifth streets.
When Nickell bought the building in 2012, much of the modernization work like plumbing and heating had already been done. He finished two apartments on the third floor, one of which he and his wife occupy. He plans to finish the nine remaining units over the coming months, and he has renters signed up already for all of them.
"For me, it was just proximity," Nickell said of his decision to live downtown. "My commute went from 30 minutes to 30 seconds."
Larry Quenette, who owns Renaissance Architects in Springfield and who helped the Nolls renovate the Lincoln Depot, finished his own renovation project recently. He rehabilitated the Dunn Building at 201 E. Adams St., turning it into a 12-unit apartment building with office space. All of the apartments are currently leased, and there's even a waiting list.
"I always think of downtowns as being the heart of a city," Quenette said. "Your heart has to be functioning well for the rest of your body to function. I think the same can be said of cities. When you've got a wholesome, inviting, active, financially-stable downtown, it sort of migrates out and helps to sustain all of the other areas of your city."
Projects with potential
Except for Café Brio in the ground floor, the Ferguson Building at 522-524 E. Monroe St. in downtown Springfield is empty. The same is true of the Booth Building at 516-518 E. Monroe St. Rick and Kim Lawrence of Springfield own both buildings, and they're planning a major renovation that could turn these underutilized buildings into a major economic boon for downtown.
"The Ferguson Building always intrigued me, and one led to two," Rick Lawrence said, adding that the couples' purchase of that building got them interested in the Booth Building as well.
If all goes according to plan, the Lawrences will create large one-bedroom apartments on the second through seventh floors of the Booth Building, with three apartments per floor. They also plan to develop two penthouses on the eighth floor with two bedrooms each. The ground floor of the Booth Building would be commercial space.
In the Ferguson Building, the Lawrences hope to keep Café Brio in the first floor, with a 24-hour fitness center in the second floor. On the eighth floor, they envision a restaurant with rooftop dining, and they plan to connect the remaining floors to the Booth Building. Rick Lawrence says that would allow a business to have office space in the Ferguson Building with access to residential space in the Booth Building.
"This is an investment because we want to contribute to the city," Rick Lawrence said.
There is one obstacle the Lawrences must cross first, however. Currently, the Ferguson Building is in the Central Springfield Historic District, which means their redevelopment would be eligible for a tax credit. However, despite being a stone's throw away, the Booth Building is not in the historic district.
Mike Farmer, director of the city's Office of Planning and Economic Development, says his department is currently gathering information and completing paperwork to convince the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency to expand the downtown historic district and include the Booth Building.
Farmer says he sees several signs that the downtown is making a comeback. He remembers returning to Springfield after college and spending as little time as possible downtown. Farmer says his young son, however, spends most of his time downtown.
"That's a monumental change in attitudes toward the downtown," Farmer said. Additionally, Farmer has noticed substantial investments in the downtown by Springfield's medical, financial, insurance and tourism sectors. Meanwhile, the addition of the County Market grocery store at 210 East Carpenter St. adds a "missing ingredient" to the downtown, which Farmer says should spur further residential development.
"No matter how wonderful your city is, the downtown is the place that people identify and remember when they think of your city. We're going for the 'complete street' concept that is pedestrian and bike friendly. We want the downtown to be more accommodating, more livable, more walkable and more social."
Chuck Pell at CJP Architects points to the growing influence of the medical sector in Springfield as just one of several indicators that the downtown is ripe for a rebirth. He says as the volume of medical jobs increases, more people will be seeking a place to live near the medical district with convenient transportation, shopping and nightlife – in other words, an "urban environment."
"People who are coming to town are asking these questions of realtors," Pell says, adding that the idea isn't to compete with the city's prosperous west side. "The more we can say yes, the more we can grow the pie. It's not about moving people back from the periphery and readjusting the pie. It's about making the pie larger."
Pell says successes like Larry Quenette's apartment conversion and the already-established Lincoln Square apartments – both of which are constantly full of tenants – are proof that there is demand for residential property downtown. And as the city begins repairing the crumbling streets and more residential space is available downtown, Pell expects the area to support more businesses, including those that will stay open on Sunday evenings.
Victoria Ringer at Downtown Springfield, Inc. says the downtown is at a critical point because the economy is slowly recovering, and disposable income is growing among young professionals. She hopes the renovation of the city's core will especially attract "artists, creatives and intellectuals."
"What we focus on now is personality and experience," Ringer said. "When you come downtown for dinner, you're not pulling into a parking lot and never seeing the outdoors. You're looking at 150-year-old buildings where Lincoln or Douglas may have walked, and on your way, you've gone by three or four more 150-year-old buildings and the kinds of shops you'd go to when you're on vacation."
Ultimately, Chuck Pell says the push to revitalize the downtown has a lot to do with sustainability. Driving less is one of the best ways to be "green," Pell notes, adding that living and working in the same area reduces driving miles.
"We have some issues in our city, like the notion that we're going to do $90 million worth of infrastructure repairs because we have more centerline roads than most communities," he said. "We need to think about that every time we plow up a corn field and put up a structure. We need to think about that when we have existing structures in the city's core."
Contact Patrick Yeagle at email@example.com.


text:
Colloquium Title Sten Hasselquist, NMSU AbstractShare this:TweetPrint
Red giants, eclipsing binaries, and asteroseismology. Patrick Gaulme, Max Planck Institute for Solar System ResearchShare this:TweetPrint
Understanding How Galaxies Reionized the Universe Sanchayeeta Borthakur, Arizona State University Identifying the population of galaxies that was responsible for the reionization of the universe is a long-standing quest in astronomy. While young stars can...
Continue Reading »
Continue Reading »
Subscribe to filtered calendar

subset: commoncrawl


text:
For young artists, nothing is better than living and learning alongside others who share a passion for the creative. Students have countless opportunities to perform and share their work with others. In turn, they enjoy and learn from the work of their peers, who are some of the most dedicated young artists in the world. With support and encouragement from friends, faculty and well-known guest artists, Academy students find time for self-discovery and growth. They find a place where they can be themselves.
The campus is a safe, residential setting where students learn independence and self-reliance sooner than their peers attending other schools - a real advantage when preparing for college.
Despite their busy schedules, students still find time to have fun and develop friendships that last a lifetime. Deep conversations over dinner in Stone Cafeteria, impromptu jam sessions, weekly "coffeehouses" performances, walk through the woods, enjoying a guest artist performance and organized off-campus trips - these are some of the ways students can relax and enjoy the company of their friends and fellow artists.


text:
Home |
About Us |
Dinner |
Lunch |
Sushi |
Beverages |
Catalog |
Contact Us |
Feedback |
Steak House
Gourmet Japanese Cuisine
315 Morse Street
Rte. 1 South
Norwood, MAe
Our great tasting food is presented to you as a complete culinary masterpiece. Begin with a delicate onion and mushroom soup, Followed by a crispy salad served with home made ginger dressing, shrimps appetizer prepared at your teppanyaki table in front of you by your chef and served with house dipping sauce. With flashing knives, your chef will slice your entree into bite-size pieces for your dining pleasure. Each entree comes with vegetables and white rice to complete your dinner.
(Complementary japanese green tea available)
Business Hours
Monday - Thursday: Noon - 9:45 pm
Friday - Saturday: Noon - 10:45 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 pm - 9:45 pm
MA Webcenter Editor


text:
A big wave of important turf races crests over the racing world this weekend, from Europe through the East Coast to Chicago and on west.
Saturday's Delaware Oaks could be an early stepping stone to the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic. And there's a small clutch of races for the 2-year-old set on both dirt and turf.
But by any measure, the green course is the place to be, with 10 graded stakes races from 1 mile out to 1 1/2 miles in the United States alone.
"Million Preview Day" Saturday at Arlington Park points directly to that track's three Grade I races Aug. 17. The grassy events at Belmont and Hollywood Park foreshadow later showdowns at Saratoga and Del Mar. And don't overlook Colonial Downs and Delaware Park.
A big litter of "Kittens" is running around, too. Yes, those "Kittens."
It's an exciting time, so read on.
There are several to watch in a field of eight drawn for the $600,000, Grade I Man o' War at 11 furlongs at Belmont Park. Last year's winner, Point of Entry, was to have defended his title but emerged from the Manhattan on Belmont Stakes day with a non-displaced condylar fracture and is sidelined, at least for now. Boisterous finished third in this race two year ago but ran instead in the Arlington Handicap last season. He's back this year, fresh off a win in the Grade II Monmouth Stakes on the Jersey shore and looking for his first Grade I win. He's been working nicely at Belmont for trainer Shug McGaughey, who says, "We've always thought he was a Grade I kind of horse." Twilight Eclipse won the 1 1/2-miles, Grade II Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream Park, then finished fifth behind some toughies in the Grade I Manhattan at Belmont. Those, in fact, included Optimizer, a D. Wayne Lukas charge who also is back for this. Optimizer has been in the trifecta in five of seven starts this year, all graded stakes. Al Khali was second in two of last year's top Grade I summer turf stakes, the Sword Dancer at Saratoga and the Northern Dancer at Woodbine.
Eight signed on for the $200,000, Grade III Arlington Handicap at 1 1/4 miles at Arlington Park -- the local prep for the Grade I Arlington Million at the same distance Aug. 17. At the top of the list is Rahystrada, winner of last year's Arlington Handicap and third in the Million. He comes off a respectable fourth-place finish behind Boisterous in the Grade II Monmouth Stakes. Dullahan, third in last year's Kentucky Derby, makes his first start since participating in the general American meltdown in Dubai on World Cup night (Animal Kingdom, the exception). He has struggled since winning the Grade I Pacific Classic on the Hollywood Park all-weather last summer. Najjaar comes off a third-place showing in the Grade III Louisville Handicap at Churchill Downs.
The $200,000, Grade III American Derby at 1 3/16 miles at Arlington Park drew 11 3-year-olds. General Election and Admiral Kitten, the 1-2 finishers in the Grade III Arlington Classic May 25, are back for an encore, as are a few others who finished farther back. There are some invaders who will provide a measure of how well the locals are running. This is the local prep for the Grade I Secretariat Stakes on Million Day.
The $150,000, Grade III Stars and Stripes, run at 1 1/2 miles at Arlington Park, is a prep for the second edition of the American St. Leger on Million Day -- a race that competes directly with the Grade I Sword Dancer at Saratoga. It's hard to look past Dark Cove, a 6-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro, who has won the Grade II Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland and the Grade III Louisville Handicap in his last two starts, both at 1 1/2 miles. Ioya Bigtime, a stalwart for the local heavyweight Team Block, has plenty of graded stakes experience and won the Stars and Stripes last year. But he was ninth in the Elkhorn and fifth in the Louisville Handicap. Maybe the home turf will suit better. Team Block also fields Suntracer, who is cross-entered in the Arlington Handicap. Horsemen raised some objection to the $400,000 purse for this year's American St. Leger and Arlington has been recruiting heavily in England and Europe to attract a bigger and stronger field for that prime-time event.
Kitten's Joy won the Virginia Derby nine years ago and Saturday's $500,000, Grade II renewal of the 1 1/4-miles race at Colonial Downs will feature three of his offspring -- Fear the Kitten, Redwood Kitten and Charming Kitten. "Fear" and "Redwood" are Illinois-breds, by the way. Redwood Kitten finished a fading third in the 1 1/16-mile Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland, then came back to win a minor stakes at Pimlico, going 1 mile on the lawn. Charming Kitten was third in the Grade I Blue Grass and ninth in the Kentucky Derby, then came back to finish second behind Rydilluc at 1 mile on the turf at Penn National. That was Rydilluc's first start since finishing fourth in the Blue Grass over the Keeneland all-weather and he also returns in this field. He also won the Grade III Palm Beach Stakes going 9 furlongs on the Gulfstream green and that should make him very attractive here. Others: Jack Milton won the Grade III Transylvania; War Dancer was third in the Grade II American Turf at Churchill Downs; Gefest was third in the Grade III Arlington Classic.
Speaking of Kitten's Joy, a dozen are entered for Saturday's $75,000 Kitten's Joy Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Colonial Downs. Among them is Amen Kitten.
Marketing Mix takes on five males in Sunday's $100,000, Grade III Sunset Handicap at Hollywood Park. The race is 1 1/2 miles on the lawn. The 5-year-old Medaglia d'Oro mare finished a close second to Zagora in last year's Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, then won her seasonal debut May 27, stepping right into the fray in the Grade I Gamely Stakes at 9 furlongs over the Hollywood grass. She has been out of the trifecta only three times in her 17-race career. Dhaamer, last year's winner, comes to it fresh from a victory in the Round Table Stakes over the course and distance. The others need to improve. Among them, Hawk's Eyes makes his U.S. debut after shipping up from South America.
Filly & Mare Turf
Trainer Bill Mott will try Emollient, an Empire Maker filly, on turf for the first time in Saturday's $350,000, Grade I American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles at Hollywood Park. She is the winner of three of seven starts and had an excellent outing on the Keeneland all-weather track while winning the Grade I Ashland Stakes by 9 lengths over some good ones, including Kitten's Point and Kitten's Dumplings. Sarach, an Arch filly trained by Richard Mandella, comes off a win in the Grade II Honeymoon Handicap at 9 furlongs. Scarlet Strike, Macha and Becky Lou, the 2-3-4 finishers in the Honeymoon, all are back. Wesley Ward brings the Keeneland-based Emotional Kitten, winner of the Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico in her last outing.
Colonial Flag, Strathnaver and La Tia are the early choices among eight set for Saturday's $200,000, Grade III Modesty Handicap, run at 1 3/16 miles over Arlington Park's lush turf. Colonial Flag, trained by Michael Matz at Fair Hill, has two straight thirds in Grade III events at Churchill Downs. Strathnaver also invades from Fair Hill but seeks a rebound after a poor outing over soft going at Belmont. Beautiful weather in Chicago promises a firm course Saturday. La Tia won the Grade III Arlington Oaks last season and is 2-for-2 this year, with both races over the course. Also in the field is Artemus Kitten.
The Alan Goldberg entry of Laughing and Tannery is among the favorites with 10 entered in Saturday's $200,000, Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park. Graham Motion has three to saddle, all as separate interests. But the morning-line favorite for the 11 furlongs tilt is Aigue Marine, a 4-year-old Galileo filly who raced well enough in the minors in France, then finished third in her U.S. debut, the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct last fall. She flopped in the Grade IIII Orchid at Gulfstream Park in March and trainer Christophe Clement is just now bringing her back to the races.
Praia heads a field of 11 for Saturday's $150,000, Grade III Virginia Oaks at 9 furlongs over the Colonial Downs turf. The Distorted Humor filly has failed to make the top two only once in six career starts and finished second last time out in the Grade III Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs. The mandatory "Kitten" quota is filled here by Always Kitten, out of a Dynaformer mare and thus eligible to improve with experience.
Turf Mile
There are three races to watch Saturday in this division, none graded but all with potential. The $100,000 Solar Splendor at Belmont is for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles. And revitalized Canterbury Park in Minnesota has the $125,000 Mystic Lake Mile and the $100,000 Lady Canterbury Stakes for fillies and mares, also at 1 mile.
Filly & Mare Sprint
A nice field of eight is set to go 7 furlongs in Saturday's $200,000, Grade II A Gleam Handicap, at Hollywood Park, a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. The field includes Book Review and Reneesgotzip, the 1-2 finishers from the Grade I La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies last December. Reneesgotzip finished third in last year's Breeders' Cup. Book Review got a break after two Grade II seconds at Santa Anita. Several of the others have shown talent at one time or another.
Ladies' Classic
The morning-line favorites for Saturday's $300,000, Grade II Delaware Oaks were drawn on the far outside of the nine-filly field expected for the 1 1/16-miles race on the main track. Tell a Great Story, the 5-2 pick, won her last two and is drawn No. 9. Ile St. Molly finished second to Tell a Great Story in their last race and will line up No. 8. Also of note in a field generally looking for improvement is Maracuya, a Big Brown filly who finished fourth in the Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico after winning her first two races in Florida.
Seven are set to face the starter for Saturday's $150,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship at 6 furlongs on the all-weather course. Willie B. Awesome was second in the Willard Proctor Memorial last month. Solid Wager won at first asking, then finished third in Proctor. There are some first-time starters here, too.
Also Saturday is the $50,000 Chenery Stakes at Colonial Downs, with juveniles going 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass.
2-year-old fillies
Saturday's $150,000 Landaluce Stakes, a 6-furlongs affair at Hollywood Park, got seven starters. Pleasant Miss and On the Backstreets both contested the Cinderella Stakes after maiden wins. The others are less experienced.
Also Saturday, the $50,000 Tippett Stakes at Colonial Downs is 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass.
Saturday's Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket features no fewer than six individual Group 1 winners. The race also has four overseas runners, making it both classy and interesting. The race, appropriately, is the seventh leg of the Global Sprint Challenge, with races in Japan, Australia and Hong Kong yet to go. It also is part of the expansive British Champions Series. The Group 1 winners confirmed for the race are Krypton Factor, Lethal Force, Shamexpress, Shea Shea, Society Rock and Sole Power. Shamexpress comes from Australia, Shea Shea from South Africa and Krypton Factor from Bahrain. In addition, Havelock is set to represent the United States. Sole Power won the fifth race in the Global Sprint Challenge, the King's Stand early in the Royal Ascot meeting, and Lethal Force accounted for the Diamond Jubilee on getaway day of that prestigious gathering. A win Saturday would not advance the cause of either horse in the series, however, as the $1 million bonus pays out only for winning three legs in three different countries. Shea Shea's trainer, Mike De Kock, emphasized the international importance of the 1,200-meters (6-furlongs) fixture. "For South African racing and breeding and for myself, to be competitive in a race like the July Cup means a lot. To win it would be something special," the trainer said. Fawzi Nass, who trains 2012 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Krypton Factor, echoed the sentiment.
"There has never been a Bahraini winner in Britain before and to win a race like the July Cup would be an honor for myself and would get plenty of recognition back home," he said.
A clutch of other races support the July Cup in Newmarket's festival week.
Eight are set for the 1 1/2-miles, Group 1 Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris on Saturday at Longchamp. The Coolmore standard bearer, Battle of Marengo, is the 131-pound highweight off his second-place finish in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes last month at Ascot. Joseph O'Brien will ride for his father, trainer Aidan O'Brien. Ocovango returns to action after suffering his first career defeat -- a fifth-place finish -- in the Epsom Derby.
News and notes:
The Fourth of July has come and gone but there are other "self-evident truths" besides those enumerated in the Declaration of Independence. For example, what Fair Grounds VP and Racing Manager Eric Halstrom had to say about the Louisiana Derby STILL being only a Grade II event: "We continue to hope that the esteemed committee will finally recognize that Fair Grounds deserves a Grade I race. The Louisiana Derby produced two of the top three finishers in the Kentucky Derby and the winner of the Belmont Stakes. Our three-race prep series overall featured five of the top six Kentucky Derby finishers plus the Preakness and Belmont winners. A nationally televised, million-dollar race that is now proven as the key final Triple Crown prep has probably earned Grade I status." The North American Graded Stakes Committee meets in December to evaluate the status of races for 2014.


text:
- Home
- About Us
- Troop Overview
- Documentary Video
- Troop 8 in the news
- Facts & Figures
- Parent Information
- Joining Info
- Volunteer Info
- People
- Events
- Resources
Troop 8 Facts and Figures
Troop 8 is owned and operated by St. Thomas the Apostle parish, and forms an important part of the parish's youth ministry program. It licenses the scouting program from the Boy Scouts of America, applying it in accord with the national and diocesan Catholic Committees on Scouting and St. Thomas' mission and character. Scouting at St. Thomas is the third largest youth ministry program, after the CCD program and elementary school.
Did you know that:
• During the average academic/scouting year, Troop 8 runs:
over 100 different events (meetings, outings, service projects)
40-50 different outings
over 100 total days of outings
3-4 weeks of high adventure treks for older boys
1-2 Extended trip for all scouts
All tolled, that makes for more days of scouting than days of school, and puts us at the top of boy scouting activity in the county.
• Troop 8 has received the Boy Scout "quality unit award" every year since its inception.
• Troop 8 has qualified for the National Camping Award for each of the past 18 years.
• Almost 50 Troop 8 alumni earned the rank of Eagle Scout - scouting's highest award.
• Troop 8 was the first troop in the local council to practice & teach environmentally conscious "Leave No Trace" camping, and the first troop in the council to implement BSA's high adventure program for older boys.
• Troop 8 boys run this site, which is recognized as one of the best and most sophisticated scouting internet sites
• 10 or more Troop 8 scouts have their own Amateur Radio operator licenses
• Each boy from Troop 8 typically gives between 30 and 200 hours in community service each year.
Troop 8 does not "double count" service, so this amount is over and above what the boys do for their schools and churches. It is also over and above the work they do for the scouting program.
• A number of Troop 8 boys have professional guide-level skills in specialty areas like whitewater paddling, rock climbing, and skiing as they work on "Ranger" award.
• All of our youth leadership boys have Wilderness First Aid or higher level training, and several have professional responder certification.
• In the past 18 years, boys from Troop 8 have been involved as medical first responders in over 20 injury-accidents, and have assisted boaters in distress on dozens of occasions. Four of our scouts won a national Medal of Merit for rescuing a family from a whitewater river.
• In the same period of time, boys from Troop 8 have been involved in well over 100 roadside assistance efforts, part of "doing a good turn".
• To the extent we have tracked it, more than a third of Troop 8 alumni have pursued careers that they were introduced to or developed through their scouting experience, including (among other things) aviation, medicine, teaching, military service, engineering, and religious life.
• Without exception, on outings across the country over the past 10 years, Troop 8 has been described in glowing terms… "exceptional young men" – youth Director, Spirit of Christ church, Arvada, CO… "simply the best youth group we have every year" - Grady Vigneau, owner, Round Hearth lodge … "great boaters – not just in technical skill, but in their attention to detail and especially their care for others" – Northern Waters Adventures.


text:
CK Sketch Variation: May/June 2011
There's nothing odd about this issue's scrapbook sketch--it prominently features three spaces for journaling, which makes it a terrific example of the rule of odds. What's that, you ask? It's a composition rule that states that images are more appealing when there are odd numbers of them.
Or try this variation that also changes the number of photos to odd numbers.
Con Slancio by Deena Wuest, as seen in the May/June 2011 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.
Sketch Tip Deena Wuest altered the sketch to apply the rule of odds to the photos instead of the accents. With this variation, you'll give your photos additional emphasis by centering them on your scrapbook page.
Get more sketches! Check out the Bonus Sketches for the May/June 2011 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.
Related Links:
CK Sketch Variations: February 2011
Appeared in:
|To comment on this article you must be logged in. Not a member?


text:
The Sole TT8 represents the best treadmill for the home that Sole do. All their treadmill expertise and design has gone in to this treadmill. This is a great heavy duty treadmill that will give years of service:
- Sturdy, built to last treadmill has a user capacity of 425 lbs
- The longest and widest running surface for safe confident running
- Built in cooling fans, mp3 station and water bottle holder
- Quality durable materials and construction for long lasting use and a long warranty
Sole TT8 Treadmill review
Sole supply the worlds leading hotel group Hilton with their fitness suite treadmills. They have a great reputation for building good quality treadmills and have made sure that stays with the TT8. The TT8 is named TT as it has a twenty two wide inch running surface which is the widest and at 60″ it's also the longest from Sole.
The TT8's speed and incline can be set manually at a touch of a button or alternatively there are 6 workout programs to choose from and you can customize 2 of them. They range from fat burning to peak and valley and more. These adjust the levels to a predefined course so you can vary your runs. The levels can be adjusted yourself using the console buttons or those on the hand rail.
Included is a heart rate chest strap which will show your heart rate on the console that can be viewed as a graph and is 99% accurate. There's also a heart rate program which will adjust the incline up or down so your heart rate stays at a predetermined level. For those expert in physical sciences will know that exercising at your optimum heart rate is the ultimate in personal fitness.
Like commercial treadmills there are twin cooling fans for a nice breeze to cool the body while you run. For maximum motivation you can listen to your favorite running music with the built in mp3 station and you can be sure you'll hear it as the deck is built to be whisper quiet and cushioned for less impact.
Overall the TT8 is one of the best treadmills you'll find at a great price range. With it's heavy duty build it's designed to last. They've reinforced the framework and used larger rollers than their other models so it will take plenty of punishment. For an in home treadmill we would always recommend the Sole TT8.


text:
President Obama unleashed his strongest criticism yet of Iran's harsh handling of widespread protests of its presidential election, invoking the memory of Neda, the woman whose death at the hands of police has turned her into a martyr.
"The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings, and imprisonments of the last few days," Obama said, speaking at just his fourth press conference since taking office.
In the wide-ranging Q&A, Obama admitted to sneaking a cigarette every now, promised that his ambitious and costly health care plan will not increase the deficit, gave Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke a vote of confidence and predicted double-digit unemployment.
But it was Iran that dominated the comments of the President. At one point, he cited "the searing image of a woman bleeding to death on the streets," a clear reference to Neda Soldan, whose death was captured on video and circulated around the Internet. Asked if he had seen the graphic video which shows the woman dying from a gunshot, Obama nodded in the affirmative and called it "heartbreaking."
Obama denied Tehran's charges that the U.S. is meddling in its affairs, but said Iran must stop its violent repression of protesters.
"This is not about the United States or the West, but about the people of Iran," Obama said. The Iranian people can speak for themselves, and that is what is happening.
The president has received criticism from some Republicans for toeing a cautious line on the elections that have sparked violence in Tehran. Aides have warned that a strong statement from the U.S. could undermine the opposition in Iran by injecting the U.S. as an enemy.
While Obama unequivocally condemned Tehran's violent crackdown and media blackout, he was careful to leave the door open to a change in policy by Iran's leadership.
"Obviously what's happened in Iran is profound and we're still waiting to see how it plays out," he said. But, "it is not too late for the Iranian government to recognize that there is a peaceful path that will lead to stability and legitimacy and prosperity for the Iranian people."
A correspondent from the Huffington Post relayed a question from a reader in Iran, asking what would prompt him to question the legitimacy of the election of hardline incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over reformer Mir Hossein Mousavi.
"There are significant questions about the legitimacy of this election," Obama said. "But the ultimate consideration for the Iranian regime is legitimacy in the eyes of its own people, not in the eyes of the United States."
Obama grew testy when, a day after he signed tough anti-tobacco legislation, a reporter asked him about his own habit.
"First of all, the new law that was put in place is not about me...I think it's fair to say...that you just think it's neat to ask me about my smoking, as opposed to it being relevant.
"Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No...I would say I am 95% cured, but there are times when I mess up."
As for the health care reform he is pushing, Obama vowed that any bill he eventually signs will not add to the already spiraling deficit, and promised that people happy with their care won't have to change plans..
"This is obviously a complicated issue, but I'm very optimistic about the progress [Congress is] making," Obama said. As for the costs, he said "we will find the money through savings and efficiencies in the health care system."
Left unaddressed by the President and his questioners was the issue of North Korea, which has threatened to fire a missile toward Hawaii.


text:
Why AAUW Cares about Community Colleges — and You Should, TooMay 08, 2013
As graduates across the country receive their diplomas this May, AAUW is drawing attention to an important but often underappreciated part of our national higher education system: community colleges. On May 9, we will release our newest research report, Women in Community Colleges: Access to Success.
More than 4 million women attend community colleges. They include more than a million mothers; they represent all ages, races, and ethnicities; and they have a range of goals. Mothers are motivated to pursue their education as a path to a living that will support their children and families. Many women want to gain job skills to be more competitive in the workforce, and some women see community colleges as a more affordable path to a four-year degree. Unfortunately, many women do not earn a certificate or degree or transfer successfully.
As a leading voice for women's educational and workplace success, AAUW now calls attention to the particular barriers facing women at community colleges. This report looks at the needs of student mothers who are balancing the roles of caregiver and student. We also focus on how to increase women's participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and nontraditional fields at community colleges to improve women's prospects for work and help close the gender pay gap, another issue near and dear to us. In 2009, President Barack Obama announced the American Graduate Initiative calling for community colleges to produce 5 million additional graduates by 2020. Improving women's graduation and transfer rates is essential to meeting this goal and requires action from both Congress and individual community colleges across the country.
We look forward to seeing more women at community colleges walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. Read the full report when it goes online May 9, and follow what others are saying about it.


text:
Boston Residential Tax Exemption
Since 1983, the City of Boston has offered a residential exemption to homeowners that occupy their property as the principal residence.
Taxpayers who own and occupy their home can save on their tax bill by having a portion of their tax bill exempted from taxation. To qualify for the residential exemption, homeowners must own and occupy their home on January 1 preceding the start of the fiscal year.
The value of the exemption is subtracted from the total full valuation. The fiscal year residential exemption is 30% of the average value of all residential property in the City.


text:
Technical Information
- The technical resource pages offer a wide variety of information about the precast/prestressed concrete industry.
- Numerous White Papers, Design Manuals, and Case Studies highlight the benefits of precast/prestressed concrete.
- Specifications and references will assist designers in gaining a further understanding of precast's technical requirements.
- Tilt Brochure
- Enclosure Brochure
- Award Winners Brochure 2013
- Company Brochure – EnCon
- Company Brochure – Stresscon
- Safe Rooms Brochure
- Company Brochure – Washington
- Company Brochure – ASC
- Data Center Brochure
- Design Brochure
- Parking Brochure_Atlanta
- Parking Brochure_Stresscon
- Renew Brochure
- Stadium Brochure_Atlanta
- Stadium Brochure_Stresscon
Fact Sheets
- Structural Plus Panel Options
- Wall Panel Fact Sheet
- Grade Beams Fact Sheet
- Parking Fact Sheet
- Parking
- Precast Benefits
- Precast Benefits
- R-Value
- Multi-Family Podium Fact Sheet
- Single Family Podium Fact Sheet
- Structural Plus Panel Options -Full Table
- Structural Plus Panel Options
- Structural Plus
- Tilt-up Fact Sheet
- Multi-Family Podium Fact Sheet
- Single Family Podium Fact Sheet
- Arcis Fact Sheet
- ASC Multi-Family Podium Fact Sheet
- ASC Single Family Podium Fact Sheet
- CMU Comparison Fact Sheet
- Data Center Fact Sheet
- EnCon Colorado Fact Sheet
- Structural Plus Panel Options
- Arcis Fact Sheet USE
- Grade Beams Fact Sheet
PCI Design References
- Precast Concrete Color and Texture Guide: Color, form, and texture are critical to the aesthetic appearance of architectural precast concrete. The choice of appropriate aggregates and textures in combination with well-conceived production and erection details can achieve a wide variety of design objectives.
- PCI Designers Notebook :A series of articles focused on precast/prestressed concrete topics, and printed in Ascent, one of the industries publications.
- Hollow-core Manual: Specific design criteria, verified by standard testing procedures, and universally applicable to hollow-core.
- Structural Quality Control Manual 4th Edition: Provides standards for quality control for the manufacture of precast/prestressed concrete products and is a complete guide for the development of an internal manufacturing quality control program. The principles are applicable to precast/prestressed concrete or site-cast concrete.
- Architectural Precast Concrete Design Manual 3rd Edition: Information is arranged sequentially to correspond with the steps that an architectural/engineering firm might employ when evaluating, selecting, and incorporating materials into a construction project.
Other publications of interest to a design team include:
- PCI Design Handbook Precast and Prestressed Concrete (MNL-120)
- PCI Manual for Quality Control for Plants and Production of Architectural Precast Concrete Products
- PCI Erector's Manual Standards and Guidelines for the Erection of Precast Concrete Products (MNL-127)
- PCI Erection Safety for Precast and Prestressed Concrete (MNL-132)
- PCI 6th Edition Design Handbook: The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, a non-profit corporation, was founded in 1954 for the purpose of advancing the design, manufacture, and use of structural precast/prestressed concrete and architectural precast concrete in the United States and Canada. The Design Handbook provides a single source of information for the design of both architectural precast concrete and structural precast/prestressed concrete.
- Architectural Quality Control Manual: A guideline for quality assurance of architectural precast concrete. Products are custom-designed, and the many combinations of shape, size, color, and texture require a high degree of craftsmanship. It is important to implement and maintain quality control standards to achieve specific performance and aesthetic requirements of a project.
Project Profiles
Sample Specifications
Architectural Precast Concrete
- Recommendations for specifying in-plant fabrication, including product design not shown on contract documents and/or field erection drawings
- Does not include coatings or sealing of joints between products
- Guidelines for specifying in-plant fabrication, including product design not shown on contract documents and/or field erection drawings
Video Resources
Stesscon Sales Promo
Building It Better
Discusses advances in precast concrete design for seismic regions and demonstrates some of the results generated by the Diaphragm Seismic Design Methodology program.
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Plant Tour
Production of a prestressed double-tee at a PCI-certified facility.
Precast Concrete Storm Resistance
Demonstrates the effectiveness of precast concrete in high storm situations.
PCI/AFRL Blast Test
Discussion and demonstration of the United States Air Force blast test program, which will be used to revise the criteria for blast-resistant construction.
White Papers
- Precast Sustainability and LEED EnCon – copyright page
- Precast Sustainability and LEED EnCon – cover page
- Precast Concrete Shear Walls – copyright page
- Precast Shear Walls
- Fly Ash
- Energy Codes and Precast Concrete in Colorado
- Architectural Applications
- Precast Sustainability and LEED – inside pages
- April 2014 Double Tee Test
- Precast Energy Compliance 2
- Precast vs EIFS EnCon
- Demystifying R-Values
- Precast Sustainability and LEED – inside pages
- Precast Sustainability and LEED


text:
Reporter, Anchor Desk
Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF was first licensed in 1967. Jim is active on HF, VHF and UHF. A member of Upper Hutt Branch 63 of NZART since joining as a schoolboy in 1967, he served on the Branch Executive continuously from 1967-79. In 1972-74 he was Branch Secretary and in 1975-76 was Branch President. Jim is a Life Member of the Upper Hutt Branch.
Jim was the Upper Hutt AREC Section Leader during 1973-80. He was sub-editor of the AREC Column in Break-In from 1974-90 and was appointed Deputy to the OC AREC in February 1980, an office held until 1989. In 1980-92 he was AREC Secretary.
A member of NZART Council 1977-85 and again 1989-92, was elected by Council in 1991 to be the Vice-President. In April 1992 he became the Association's President upon the resignation of the then President. Jim was the NZART President for five years to 1997.
Jim was involved with the establishment of the former Astral Towers premises of NZART HQ in Upper Hutt and was Chairman of the Headquarters Secretarial Committee 1982-92. He was made an Honorary Life Member of NZART in June 2000. He is the Editor /Presenter of the Association's Official News Broadcast a role he has held and enjoyed for over 25 years. Jim was the founder Editor of NZART's two weekly bulletins, HQ-Info-Line.
On leaving school in 1970, Jim joined the then NZBC and spent 10 years in the technical areas of television, then followed 15 years in Television Operations Management plus a further 15 years in TVNZ MCR Operations.
Now some 40+ years later, Jim has semi-retired and resides in Nelson the Sunshine Capital of New Zealand on NZ's South Island.


text:
Alpacas, a relative of the more familiar llama, and are native to the high Andes mountains of South America. Alpacas are one of the world's oldest domesticated breeds of livestock. With a history predating the Inca empire, alpacas have played a central role in the Andean cultures for five thousand years or more.
Alpacas are related to Camels, being part of the "camelid" family. While the Bactrian and Dromedary camels are found in Asia and the Middle east, in South America are found llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuna. All share common traits such as two toed, padded feet, a striding gait and a split upper lip.
Traditionally kept in small herds tended by natives of Peru, Chile and Bolivia, alpacas are a fiber producing animal. In their native lands they have been used for clothing, food and heat for many thousands of years.
More recently alpacas have found their way to North America, Australia and Europe where herds are being established. In all of these areas attempts are being made to develop industries utilizing the fiber produced by alpacas.
In the late 1970s, the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization defined the ideal animal for the future. The animal should be
Alpacas fit this ideal. To find an animal of the future, people need look no further than the alpaca.


text:
Hot Dog Recipes
Sweet Mango Pickle Relish (Hot Dog Condiment)
The last time I served hot dogs, I made sure to put out a spread of relish, mustard and ketchup. But I also made a beet goat cheese sauce that tasted out of this world. Last night, we grilled smoked apple chicken sausages and I felt like preparing another unique condiment.
I settled on giving a tropical twist to ordinary relish. I mixed diced mangoes, red onions, jalapeño pepper and capers with the pickles. The sweetness and explosion of flavors from the mango and capers were an instant hit.
Full Recipe...
Hot Dog Condiment Recipe
If you're planning on a barbecue this Memorial Day weekend, hot dogs might be part of your menu. Hot dogs, along with hamburgers, are the symbol and epitome of American food. The concept here is as simple as it is delicious: a sausage tucked in a long piece of bread.
Of course, I like to have fun with my food. I made my own version using garlic and spinach chicken sausages and a couple of unusual condiments. I used beet goat cheese sauce and a goat cheese spread made with French pickles (called cornichons), chives, curly parsley and mustard. It made for a refreshing change from regular ketchup and mustard. I could eat them by the dozen!
Full Recipe...
The Grass is Always Greener
Full Recipe...


text:
"We found a dog, we found a dog," someone yells from the pile, and word moves rapidly through the rescue workers and traumatized residents of Henryville, Indiana until Elaine Dietrich Thoms, stepping carefully over debris and ducking under downed lines, comes from the house two doors down, which has been fortunate through the tornado it is only half gone.
Thoms' house is completely gone. But she wasn't scolding the black chow mix called Ben as she nuzzled his face, incredulous that he was alive after 21 hours buried under the rubble of their former home. It had been leveled by the F4 tornado that cut an unholy swath through this tiny Indiana town on Friday afternoon.
Ben's rescuer walks him to flat ground and sits him down. The dog shambles like a newborn foal, then steadies and shakes as if flinging water. Chalky white dust flies from his fur. "You're so smart," Elaine says. "So smart. You hid."
It is one happy story amid a devastating narrative. Almost 30 million people were put at risk by the early spawning tornado season. The storm "moved like a lawnmower through some of the most beautiful countryside... that we have," Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels said on Sunday morning. Authorities aren't sure how many tornadoes were involved in Friday's destruction. Reports had two supercells passing over the same area before breaking up. At least 36 deaths have been reported in five states, mostly in Indiana and Kentucky.
As the sun came up like a surreal violet-and-orange ball on Saturday morning, I left my home in Clarksville, Indiana, just across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky, and drove up I-65 north toward Henryville 19 miles away. Until Friday, the town of nearly 2,000 was better known as the birthplace of Colonel Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Now it is the latest name of tornado devastation. There, Indiana State Trooper Ed Schroeder briefs a group of law enforcement officers in front of the Monroe Township Volunteer Fire Department. Cops don't usually show their uncertainty, but F4 twisters don't usually visit Indiana.
At the firehouse I happen upon my cousin, Bill Maloney, a volunteer firefighter who's lived in Henryville for 25 years. The house he shares with wife Beth Brown Maloney and 17-year-old daughter Kaitlyn, on a bluff above town, was in the middle of the storm; he'd high-tailed it home from work Friday and got in the door just in time to rush them to their basement, where they covered up with beanbag chairs and prayed.
Somehow their roof stayed intact. The houses across the street and on either side had gaping holes in theirs, and other houses on Pine Drive were reduced to shards. Beth tells me how lucky she feels to be alive and to have a house that is actually inhabitable, and that she's worried about her neighbors. They're close-knit; they have keys to each others' homes so they can let pets out and whatnot. Kaitlyn's in the Henryville High marching band. That's a family, too, and one of the band dads has brought them a generator.
We walk across the street to see Jason Thies, who spent the night with the Maloneys because his roof is gone. Seeing his neighbors, his lip quivers and he fights tears. Like many people in the Louisville area, he'd gotten off work early on Friday. He rode out the storm in his stairwell with his two dogs because his walkout basement has big windows. He prayed, and the dogs were OK for a while but went crazy after the twister passed because hail was pounding the inside of the house. Jason says it was louder than the tornado and sounded like softballs in a dryer. The massive hailstones have shattered windshields all over town, as if teenagers took an insane vandalism spree.
I catch the end of a briefing with Indiana Gov. Daniels, outside Bud Roe's, a house-turned-restaurant across a two-lane highway from the schools. A West Clark Community School Corp. bus rests on its side, hurled all the way across the street and impaling one end of the restaurant.


text:
On H-Net, Timothy S. Huebner reviews Laura F. Edwards's new book The People and Their Peace: Legal Culture and the Transformation of Inequality in the Post-Revolutionary South,
(Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2009). The book is based on micro-research in six counties in North and South Carolina. This passage from the review caught my attention, and it wouldn't surprise me if something similar were true in other regions, especially near the frontier:
Courts developed around magistrates in order to deal with more serious
offenses, but Edwards convincingly shows that in the final analysis
the people wielded considerable power within this system. Possessing
a deep sense of their responsibility to the community, as well as a
basic understanding of local legal processes, men and women--whether
black or white, rich or poor--routinely brought complaints against
others for breaching the peace. Such complaints empowered individuals
at the same time that they preserved existing hierarchy. "Local
officials considered complaints on a case-by-case basis, righting
specific wrongs done to the metaphorical public body without extending
additional rights to any category of dependents," Edwards explains (p.
110). Thus, local officials responding to complaints could "undercut
the domestic authority of one husband or one master" without making
any generalized rule that affected husbands or masters (p. 110).
I haven't met up with the book itself yet, but I hope to soon.


text:
Power Jet Lite
by Iwata
Featuring a powerful twin-pump, 1/6 hp. motor, the Power Jet Lite compressor is equipped with a pressure regulator for precise adjustment of airflow. Built with Iwata's Smart Technology, it automatically shuts off when not in use.
Economically priced, the Power Jet Lite doesn't have a tank reservoir, yet delivers all the power necessary for use with high-paint-flow airbrush. Like all Iwata Studio Series compressors, the Power Jet Lite comes complete with an air hose and adapters so it can hook up to any brand of airbrush.
Features include:
The Power Jet Lite is a zero-maintenance, oil-less piston compressor that can generate pressures from 1 to 70 psi. Its dimensions are 10 1/2 in. x 12 in. x 6 in.
?Ask a question about this product
Be the first to write a review on this product!
Share this Product
Why is the VIP Price not displayed for this product? MisterArt.com's goal is to provide our customers the lowest prices on all products we sell. Some manufacturers restrict retailers from displaying or promoting certain products at any price lower than a Minimum Advertised Price (MAP). It is MisterArt.com's policy to offer these products at their MAP price as our Non-Member Price. VIP Members will see the VIP Price after adding the product to the cart without any purchase obligation.
Enter Quantity & Click 'Add to Cart'
Please wait...
You May Also Like...
How to get VIP Club Prices
Anyone can be a VIP Member with:
Only $25/year
Learn More »
Tips For Your Question
Your email will not be shared. We will only use your email address to respond to your question. When asking your question, please be as descriptive as possible, it will allow us to give you the most accurate answer possible.


text:
If you're the parent of a beginning reader, chances are you're hearing a lot about phonics. Here's what you need to know about how your child will learn phonics — and how you can help teach phonics at home:
What exactly is phonics?
Phonics is knowing that sounds and letters have a relationship — it's that simple, and that complex. It is the link between what we say and what we can read and write. Phonics offers your beginning reader the strategies she needs to sound out words. For example, she learns that the letter D has the sound of "d" as in "doll." Then she learns how to blend letter sounds together to make words like dog.
Why is it important?
The ultimate goal of reading is good comprehension. (Try these strategies to help improve reading comprehension.) But in order for your child to understand what he reads, he must be able to do it quickly and automatically, without stumbling over words. Phonics facilitates that process.
How does your child's school teach phonics?
Systematically and sequentially. Teachers give children plenty of practice before moving on. Your child will read short, easy books, containing the particular letter sounds or words she's working on. You can help her practice by providing similar books at home, such as this BOB Books Beginning Readers box set.
To teach at home, reinforce schoolwork with easy activities:
- Team up with the teacher. Ask how you can highlight phonics and reading. If you have concerns, share them.
- Listen to your child read daily. If your child stumbles on a word, encourage him to sound it out. But if he still can't get it, provide the word so he doesn't get discouraged.
- Boost comprehension. Ask questions like, "What do you think will happen next?" or "What did he mean by that?"
- Revisit familiar books. It's okay if your child wants to re-read favorite books from earlier years. In fact, it's actually beneficial!
- Read aloud. Choose books on topics that excite your child (get great suggestions from our numerous book lists), and read with gusto, using different voices for the characters.
- Spread the joy. Show your child how much you value reading by having plenty of books and magazines around the house. And visit the library and bookstores often. You'll teach phonics as well as cultivate a lifelong love of reading in your child.
Shop our phonics resources below, or check out these phonics sets based on your kid's favorite characters.


text:
Follow me on TwitterMy Tweets
Instagram: @ILOVESF2
There was an error retrieving images from Instagram. An attempt will be remade in a few minutes.
Tag Archives: HYPER
SF2 partners with BLACK CELEBRITY GIVING 'SOLE DRIVE' W/ AMBASSADOR BUN B
Houston, TX – BlackCelebrityGiving.com (BCG) and Trill Rap Artist/Professor Bun B are very pleased to announce the 2012 fall cause campaign: "The Sole Drive", a worldwide shoe drive to provide shoes for free, for those who are most in need. The objective is to raise 20,000 … Continue reading


text:
Apprenticeship Program
Two-year paid program
Earn while you learn as an apprentice at Seattle Public Utilities. If accepted into one of SPU's two-year, on-the-job training programs, you'll receive valuable job skills, excellent pay and attractive benefits. In addition to being full-time employees of SPU, apprentices are required to attend evening classes on their own time. The classes are paid for by SPU. Apprentices are also required to participate in fitness training during the apprenticeship. Learn more about the Standards of Apprenticeship (pdf) adopted by the City of Seattle. (link to the Standards of Apprenticeship temporarily unavailable)
Water Pipe Worker Apprenticeship
Assist journey-level Water Pipe Workers in the construction, installation, maintenance, repair, and operation of water mains, transmission pipelines, valves, fire hydrants and water services for the City of Seattle and its outlying customers. Learn more >
Drainage and Wastewater Apprenticeship
Assist journey-level Drainage and Wastewater Workers to construct, maintain and repair sewer lines, drainage systems, shafts, tunnels and maintenance holes in the drainage and sewer systems for the City of Seattle. Includes inspecting sewer lines using closed-circuit television. Learn more >


text:
[ Slimm Calhoun ]
Y'all playin with this game
And it's a damn shame
[ Slimm Calhoun ]
This game real, boy, you can get scarred and barred in it
If your heart ain't in it, caught up in this world spinnin
Before you started you was finished, dehydrated and deplenished
n*ggas is all washed up without a swallow in they cup
Cause everytime a chicken cluck, you trickin a buck
You pressed your luck and got stuck, f*ckin up the re-up
That's the ones with big talk and no game
Spendin chips but no change
All the dope and no caine
War stories but no pain
The same ones that pop lip then flag ship
Then gotta hip skip before real n*ggas pop clips
You better hop hip
[ Hook ]
(Well, well, well, well
Well, well, well, well)
[ KM ] n*ggas slum and slimmed out
[ SC ] Chevy's is primed out
[ KM ] Hit traps and grind out
[ SC ] What's poppin, let's find out
(Well, well, well, well
Well, well, well, well)
[ KM ] College Park
[ SC ] to Adamsville
[ KM ] Calhoun
[ SC ] and Killa Kill
[ KM ] Got 'dro and plenty pills
[ SC ] Cuttin blows, hoes and dip
(Well, well, well, well
Well, well, well, well)
[ Killer Mike ]
In God I trust and in the crowds I bust
Smokin weed to calm down, I'm so blown off dust
It's harder to feel pain when my brains is mush
I know it's f*cked up how fathers turn they back on us
And our sick sad mamas smoking crack on up
Slime-ass po-po right in the back of us
Connected muthaf*ckas got better crack than us
But rich muthaf*ckas ain't gon' mash like us
Hear sirens coming and continue to bust
[ Slimm Calhoun ]
Lustful ways, livin in these mistrustful days
Who said crime don't pay, n*ggas out here c*ckin k's
Don't drop, they spray, one shot, you lay, toxic waste
One pine box, one case, I'll block yo place
[ Killer Mike ]
I beat n*ggas senseless for Jordans and sixty dollars
Pinned hoes' toes to the earlobes and collars
In the back of a Impala, all to deliver pain
Twist her frame and hear her holler
So savage that it's gettin harder
For me to see redemption in tomorrow
So far from God that I'm finding righteous paths hard to follow
I'm gulping vodka, I'm killin sorrow in the bottom of a sky bottle
So depressed and sick and
Slimm young and gifted
I'm just sick and twisted
[ Hook ]
[ Slimm Calhoun ]
Corner-clockin, in the backroom work-choppin
From Biscayne to Boat rockin, one-stop shoppin
Guarded by Glock and cash, ain't no stoppin
They party pill-droppin till all the drawers droppin
'dro-ed up, my n*ggas stay poured up, sho nuff
Hold up, big bank we fold up, so who wanna roll up?
We got that heat, so you better drop that beef
Before they pop and sweep your whole block in one heap
Stay at the gun show in a Range c*ckin new thangs
Like we out west, playa, down to whoo-bang
Come on!
[ Hook ]


text:
Our Advanced Search is the quickest way to find the perfect Jersey or Guernsey self catering holidayAdvanced Search
Sleeps 8
or near here
Facilities at Rozel
click here to see other units at this property
A fabulous barn conversion and the perfect holiday home. Away from the hustle and bustle, this rural location above Rozel valley has direct access to the cliff path network. The pretty bay and picturesque harbour are a few minutes stroll and is a delight for holiday makers and locals. The bay features one of the oldest surviving food kiosks, a bar serving meals and a AA 4 star 3 rosette hotel restaurant steeped in history.
Nowhere is far in Jersey and a short drive takes you to Trinity Village, the world famous Durrell Wildlife park and the Jersey Steam Museum. St Helier is approximately 4 miles.
The spacious cottages have been lovingly converted by the owner to provide top standard accommodation. A massive amount of care and consideration has been given to every aspect of the development and the owner is dedicated to providing happy memories of your Jersey holiday. The cottage has its own outside space and terrace with garden furniture.
TripAdviser rating -
★★★★★ Macole's client rating -
4 Bedroom Rozel Barn - Maximum 8 sleepers plus infant.
Ground floor:
Spacious Lounge-kitchen-diner. W.C.
First floor:
1 Double bedroom with en suite bathroom with corner bath and full shower.
2 Twin bedrooms each with en suite shower room.
Second floor:
Master suite with double bed, balcony with views across the farm to the sea. Spacous en suite bathroom with corner bath and full shower.
This is one of the largest rentals available on the island and has ample lounge seating and dining for up to 10 people.
More about the accommodation
Full tumble dryer and separate washing machine.
Freezer in addition to refrigeration.
Locational images are of Rozel bay which is approximately 1/2 mile away.
Rozel Barn - "Very clean. We first stayed at this property
in 2014; the high standard of finish still feels new. Great to have a
fully equipped kitchen...Games and DVD's for wet days...Great situation with
short walks to good pub/restaurant/harbour/beach. We thought that it
would be noisier this year with the adjoining properties now being
rented out, but our experience this year was as quiet as last time.
Owner is on site, approachable, friendly and very helpful..." - Mr/s H & Family. West Sussex - Client Survey
Olive Tree Cottage - "The cottage was excellent - the best we have stayed in and we have a lot of experience of cottage holidays. The welcome could not have been friendlier or more helpful. The island is still as beautiful as I remember from childhood holidays 40 years ago. " - Mr/s B & Family. Hertfordshire - Client Survey.
"Rozel Barn was the perfect place for a peaceful and relaxing family holiday. Superbly finished and very well equipped. First rate - everything was excellent, the accommodation was first class and the property was extremely well equipped. Ideal for our family group, which included grandpa, three other adults and two children, aged 9 and 11. We were all delighted with the place, and rated it one of our best-ever holidays together. " - Mr/s S. Oxford - Client Survey
"We thought the accommodation was fantastic, the quality of the finishings soft furnishings etc were great quality. Also the outside space was brilliant. " - Mrs M. Edinburgh - Client Survey
"Top of the range fixtures and fittings no expense has been spared. Stephen was on hand with lots of tips and info but was not intrusive. " - TripAdviser
"Very well appointed self catering cottage, a credit to the owner who obviously takes pride in his business at the farm." - Mr P. Llandudno - Client Survey
"Absolutely outstanding. We came over to get married, and everything was perfect. You even arranged the weather! Really outstanding. Not cheap, certainly, but worth every penny. We've stayed in a lot of self-catering places, and this was the very best ever. " - Mrs B. Moyenne, France - Client Survey.
" Would thoroughly recommend this accommodation if you're looking for something a bit special. It was spacious, beautifully decorated and extremely well thought out. The location was stunning, a quiet country setting with some beautiful cliff path walks starting less than 100m away and Rozel harbour just at the bottom of the hill." - TripAdviser
"Extremely well equipped. Met all our expectations. Loved all the little extra touches. " - Mrs H. Havant - Client Survey
"Hard to fault. Would love to stay there in
summer as well. Steve was a great host, very helpful, and did
everything possible to make our stay as enjoyable as possible. The
quality of accommodation was amazing. We did not want to leave!
" - Mr M. Alderton - Client Survey
What is provided
Top Tip! Make a list of the accommodation reference numbers that appeal.


text:
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) previously has been identified as an independent risk factor for C. difficile colonization and disease, as has use of antibacterial drugs — a relationship that appears to be modulated by a dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota. Recently, studies have shown that obesity also may be associated with decreased diversity and changes in composition of the intestinal microbiome, which could translate into a similar risk profile.
The current retrospective analysis looked at 132 cases gleaned from infection control database records, microbiology results and medical records of adult patients at a medical center who had laboratory-confirmed CDI from November 2011 to April 2012. By comparing a relatively low-risk group of patients with CDI to those with more traditional risk factors for the disease, such as exposure to health care facilities, antibacterial drug use and IBD, the researchers were able to identify an association between obesity and CDI.
Prevalence and Epidemiology
According to the CDC, CDIs cause about 14,000 deaths each year, and the annual number of hospital discharge diagnoses of CDI has doubled during the past decade, rising from about 139,000 to 336,600.
In addition, the epidemiology of CDI has shifted during that time, with an increasing number of cases that originate in the community being seen in traditionally low-risk populations. This shift has sparked concerns that unidentified risk factors may be increasing the likelihood of contracting CDI in this population subset.
The study's authors note that before 2010, guidelines developed by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (SHEA-IDSA) defined CDIs as "having community onset (CO) or inpatient health care facility onset (HO)." In recognition of the changing epidemiology of CDI, that definition was expanded in a 2010 guideline update to include an additional category of disease: community-onset health care facility-associated (CO-HCFA). This category refers to CDI cases that occur among patients in the community who had exposure to health care facilities during the previous four weeks.
For the purposes of this study, hemodialysis centers, day surgery centers, chemotherapy suites and long-term care facilities, in addition to traditional inpatient facilities, were grouped under the "health care facility" designation.
Study Specifics
The chief goal of the study, according to researchers, was to pinpoint potential demographic and risk factor differences between patients who develop CO CDIs and those with HO or CO-HCFA infections. "In particular," they said, "we examine whether obesity is overrepresented in patients with community-onset infections who did not have exposure to health care facilities, antibacterial drugs or the diagnosis of IBD."
In addition, the researchers noted, identifying the specific health care delivery sites represented among patients with CO-HCFA infections could facilitate targeted staff training and education, as well as improved allocation of infection control resources.
Using the former SHEA-IDSA classification, the 132 patients shown to have lab-confirmed CDI were categorized as having either community or nosocomial onset disease. Patients then were reclassified according to the new SHEA-IDSA guidelines as having CO, CO-HCFA or HO disease.
Initially, 91 cases were counted as CO disease, and 41 were determined to be HO disease. By using the definitions described in 2010, 35.2 percent of the CO cases were found to be HCFA-CO. Of these, 62.5 percent had a prior hospital admission as a risk factor, and 28.1 percent were from a long-term care facility. Other risk factors (accounting for those with more than one risk factor) included recent surgery (12.5 percent), hemodialysis (9.4 percent) and outpatient chemotherapy (3.4 percent).
Additional Study Findings
Univariate analysis testing for differences across the three groups revealed lower percentages of patients with IBD in the HO and CO-HCFA categories compared with the CO group. A higher percentage of patients in the CO category were noted to be obese; in fact, the percentage of patients in the CO group who were obese (34 percent) was statistically higher than the state average (23 percent). HO cases were more likely to have had previous exposure to antibacterial drugs compared with the CO and CO-HCFA groups.
"Patients with community onset infections had higher body mass indices than the general population, and those with community onset after exposure to a health care facility had higher rates of IBD and lower prior antibacterial drug exposure than patients who had CDI onset in a health care facility," the researchers wrote. "Obesity may be associated with CDI, independent of antibacterial drug or health care exposures."


text:
What a shock!
Greg Jamison still doesn't have enough money to buy the Phoenix Coyotes from the NHL. I wrote seven months ago that the former executive of the San Jose Sharks couldn't get prospective investors to buy into his game plan even with a new, sweetheart lease for Jobing.com Arena from Glendale.
Look for the team to move to Seattle if the sale of the Sacramento Kings to hedge fund manager Chris Hansen and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is finalized. The NBA team's prospective new owners want to move the Kings to Seattle where they plan on opening a new arena in two years. Two teams in one building is better economics.
Quebec, the former home of the Colorado Avalanche, has also been mentioned as a viable place for the Coyotes to go. It is. Quebec City has broken ground on a new arena. But NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wants the league to be coast-to-coast. And with Jets moving from Atlanta to Winnipeg last season the NHL doesn't want its sponsors and U.S. television partner, NBC Sports, thinking the league is contracting geographically.


text:
OEST PROCESS AND PROCEDURES MANUALJump down to:
Timetable | Administration of the OEST Program | The Search | Nomination | Selection | Awards | Section Winners Receives | State Winners Receives | Follow-Up | Summary
INTRODUCTIONThe Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Awards program was adopted by the National Association of Geology Teachers (NAGT) in 1971. Devised to honor Pre-College Teachers of Earth Science, the program has the following specific objectives:
- Identify excellence in teaching,
- Appropriately recognize and reward excellence in teaching,
- Stimulate higher levels of teaching performance,
- Create an interest in Earth Science Curricula generally,
- Establish NAGT as a strong support organization for Pre-College education, and
- Via active statewide and sectional programs, build a solid state, regional, and national liaison with administrators of Pre-College earth science education.
It is strongly recommended that sections and/or states supplement these awards whenever possible. Any second place or runner-up awards are the responsibility of the local section and/or state. In NAGT Sections running an OEST program in individual states, each state winner must automatically become eligible to compete for the Sectional OEST awards during that same year. If a Section wishes to do so, state winners from the previous years may be considered eligible as well. The Section President is ultimately responsible for insuring that the Sectional OEST program is functioning effectively, although the actual running of the program may be delegated to other section officers and/or committees under Sectional By-Laws or personal prerogative. Once the selection process is complete, the appropriate Sectional representative should inform the National OEST Committee Chair of all teachers who are to receive awards at either the state or Sectional level.
TIMETABLEFor a teacher to be named an OEST winner (state or Section) in a particular year, they must be nominated by their section application deadline. Then the section liaison should inform the National OEST Committee Chair, by June 1st, of all recipient names and email addresses.
By June 1st
- contact Mike Passow, OEST Committee Chair, with award recipient name and email
- please direct your award winners to the OEST Recipient Information page. The online form for OEST winners requires the award recipient to include a brief narrative (300 words), a digital picture (300 pixels/inch or 480 x 600 pixels), and contact information for the winner's home and school. These are required for publication in a brochure to be distributed at the NAGT/GSA luncheon each Fall. The material may also appear in publications of the award sponsors.
- the request for the OEST plaque should be made by the OEST representative on the OEST Plaque Information page. Award plaques will be dated in the current year.
Submissions received after the June 1 deadline will not be included in any acknowledgments for the current OEST cycle.
At the National LevelThe OEST Program is administered by a constitutionally mandated standing committee consisting of one member from each regional NAGT Section plus two or three members-at-large (if one of the two members-at-large is selected as Chair, a third member-at-large will be appointed).
The at-large members are recommended by the Committee on Committees for two-year terms and confirmed by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee appoints the Chair. Sectional Representatives are appointed by the Section in accordance with local procedures and policies. Their terms are specified by their Section. The Committee is responsible for publicizing the OEST program both nationally and at the Sectional level, and insuring that proper procedures are followed in the selection of all OEST winners. The Committee Chair is responsible for preparation of awards. Most committee business is transacted through e-mail and telephone, although occasionally meetings are held at GSA conventions.
At the Sectional Level
The NAGT Constitution states "Nominations will be made to the President of each section who will arrange for the Section Selection Committee." In many sections, local customs or official by-laws mandate that a person other than the Section President run the OEST program for the Section.
Several of the sections have separate OEST representatives for each state within their section. These representatives will report to the section representative, who will advise and coordinate the award process for the section.Whomever is given the responsibility of running the OEST program for the Section automatically becomes the Sectional Representative to the national OEST Committee. It is the responsibility of each Section to inform the OEST Committee Chair concerning any changes in the status of the Section representative. All nominations must be submitted online at the OEST Nomination Form page.
Nominations will be forwarded (by the NAGT central office) to the OEST Sectional Representative of the appropriate Section within as short a time as practical.
If the Section routinely names OEST state winners, it is advisable to name an OEST Coordinator for each state in the Section and have these people serve collectively as the Section OEST Coordinating Committee. It is not advisable, however, to have the Section OEST Coordinating Committee also serve as the Section Selection Committee because of possible bias towards their state winner. If the Section does not name state winners, then the Section OEST Coordinating Committee and the Section Selection Committee can consist of the same people. In either case, the Section OEST Chair is responsible for convening the Selection Committee and for the submission of the required forms and other information to the national OEST Chair.
THE SEARCHThe search is the most critical part of the OEST program. It must be thorough, it must be timely, and it should generate excitement. An effective search can be accomplished through personal correspondence, advertisements in relevant newsletters, and appropriate individual contact. It will not happen by itself. The following recommendations are intended for use at the state level, but most of these approaches are also useful for Sectional searches in NAGT Sections lacking separate state awards.
Prior to mailing letters to solicit nominations, a general announcement of the program may prove helpful. The National OEST Committee is in charge of publicity at the national level and will attempt to make the OEST program announcement available in as many national science education periodicals and newsletters as possible.
Most state Science Teacher Associations have a newsletter that is mailed to all member teachers on a regular basis. Many of these state organizations are affiliated with the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and a list of officers (including the newsletter editor) can usually be obtained by calling NSTA's national office. Some states even have local Earth Science Teachers Organizations (which may or may not be affiliated with NSTA). These are excellent vehicles through which to publicize the OEST competition.
State Departments of Education, Science-Math Centers and/or Networks, Science Coordinators Groups, or other statewide organizations may also have periodic newsletters or other means of communication with teachers. Use whatever method is best for the state(s) in which the search is made. The URL for the OEST program on the NAGT Site, http://nagt.org/nagt/programs/oest.html, should be included in each advertisement so that potential nominators can easily find the official nominating form.
A Solicitation Letter
Individuals most likely to produce nominations should be targeted. The list may vary from state to state. You may consider district superintendents, principals, science coordinators, regional science centers, departments of science education at colleges and universities, etc. Confer with officials at the State Department of Education for advice on whom to approach and how that person can best be reached. Mailing lists or labels may be available from the State Departments of Education or other state organizations.
Once the target group of nominators is determined, a persuasive letter should be composed. The number of letters sent out is usually driven by economics, but must be balanced against the expected number of responses. The contents of the solicitation letter should tout the award as a distinguished honor, bringing credit not only to the individual, but also to the school system represented by the nominee. Some states or Sections will limit the number of nominees from a single school district in any given year (generally to one nominee per district), but this is not an OEST requirement. This type of decision, if warranted, should be made by the state or Sectional leadership.
The solicitation letter must:
- outline the program clearly;
- state the advantages of participation;
- emphasize what action is required to participate;
- underscore the response deadline;
- specifically mention NAGT as the sponsor; and
- include the nomination website.
NOMINATION PROCESSAll nominators are required to follow the format specified on the official nomination form. Failure to use the official nomination form will lead to the submission of a wide variety of packages that may be difficult to compare. All nominators must fill out the official nomination form found here. Note that the narrative portion of the application is limited to one single-spaced typewritten page for each of the seven elements mentioned on the form.
Additional documentation to support the narrative should be encouraged, but quality should be stressed over quantity. It is a good policy to recommend that such documentation be kept to no more than five items. Supporting documents may take various forms, including, but not limited to: letters from parents, students and or/professional organizations, products of special efforts by the nominee, documents illustrating leadership roles on a local, state, regional or national level, etc.
Occasionally, incomplete nominations are received. As a bare minimum requirement, the single page official nomination form is acceptable as a nomination, and may be considered during the selection process, but such a submission is rarely competitive with files that have substantiating documentation. There is an implicit understanding that a teacher should teach at least 50% earth science to be considered for an "earth science award." This is a very nebulous criterion, and selection committees are free to interpret this requirement very broadly to accommodate unusual circumstances.
SELECTION PROCESSAll nominations must be submitted via the OEST website and will then be forwarded to the appropriate section. In some NAGT sections, a Sectional Committee will be formed to consider all applications from states within that Section.
In such a case, state winners should not be named unless there has truly been a state competition. The practice of soliciting nominations for a Sectional OEST award should not, by itself, automatically result in state winners being selected. If teachers are nominated for a state award, knowing ahead of time that the state winners will compete for Sectional honors, then there should be both state and sectional winners named (no matter whether there is one regional selection panel or several state selection panels). However, if the call for nominations states the competition is for a Sectional Award, then no state winners should be named.
A broad-based but small committee should be formed to evaluate and rank the nominations within a state (or a Sectional panel can be convened to rank nominations by state). Once state winners are selected, the winners' files are forward to a Sectional Committee. The committee then selects the Sectional OEST winner. In Sections using one Sectional panel for the entire review process, it is very important to insure broad geographic representation on the panel to dispel any appearance of bias. Some Sections permit the same individual to win both the state and sectional awards simultaneously. Other sections promote the runner-up in a state when the state winner is named Sectional winner. Either policy is acceptable.
The most effective selection committees generally contain between four and six members. Some suggested perspectives to be included on the committee (state or Sectional) include:
- an NAGT State (or Section) Coordinator, Chair;
- a geology Professor;
- a Science Education Professor;
- a Principal;
- an industry representative (such as state mining association);
- an Earth Science Teacher (perhaps a former OEST winner ); and
- a State Department of Education representative.
The committee can be designated as the State NAGT Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Awards Committee and charged not only with selecting the state winner(s) but also with planning the total program at the state level. Likewise, a Sectional committee may coordinate the Sectional program in addition to selecting the Sectional winner(s). Some Sections have found it useful to provide their judges with a form listing the seven criteria and a scoring rubric. The following rubric has worked well for North Carolina. (see below) When awardees are notified of their selection, it is extremely important that the nominator, the Principal of the school, and the district superintendent receive copies of the letter (see below). The committee should also be charged with sending press releases to hometown papers and publicizing the award in whatever way brings the most recognition to the awardees (see below).
Many teachers deserve recognition. It is often a difficult task to select a single winner. In meeting the program objective of recognizing excellence, it is recommended that honors be distributed as widely as possible. Occasionally, states or Sections will have too few nominees. There will be years when a state or a Section, despite an active publicity campaign, may get only one or two nominations submitted. If the teacher is deemed worthy, there is no problem giving an award to a lone nominee. However, if the nomination packet does not demonstrate high quality, it is better to give no award that year than to give an award to a teacher who has not exhibited standards consistent with the OEST Program.
Sample State Winner Email (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 61kB Aug18 16)
Sample Section Winner Email (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 62kB Aug18 16)
Sample Press Release (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 67kB Aug18 16)
RECOGNITIONA primary key to the success of the OEST program is the quality of the awards to top nominees. Certainly the prestige of being recognized by a national organization such as NAGT is significant and brings satisfaction to finalists in the OEST competition. However, for the program to be most effective, the awards should also be rewards. For example, a state OEST winner receiving a plaque through the mail to commemorate the honor might feel little exuberance over the occasion, and nominees would be difficult to obtain in subsequent years. A statewide competition should produce a greater impact if the objectives of the program are to be met and the award is to be recognized as a prestigious.
The successful awards program should embody three elements:
- Tangible and high-quality rewards
- Public presentation on an appropriate occasion
- Honor to as many nominees as possible
Tangible and High-Quality RewardsEach person honored by the competition should receive an appropriate award for his or her level of achievement. The award should produce a feeling of pride in the recipient. It should also reflect favorably upon NAGT by forcefully demonstrating our interest in and encouragement of excellence in earth science teaching at the K-12 level. Several levels of awards are built into the OEST Program. Some awards are funded by NAGT and other organizations at the national level, while others are funded locally. NAGT reserves the right to limit the total number of plaques and memberships given to any one Section.
- 10.5" x 13" plaque, from NAGT
- two-year complimentary membership in NAGT (including online access to Journal of Geoscience Education) and the hard copy of In The Trenches, both published 4 times per year by NAGT
- three-year complimentary K-12 Teacher membership in the Geological Society of America (GSA).
- three-year complimentary membership in the GSA Geoscience Education Division
- $700 for travel to a GSA Annual Meeting or GSA Section Meeting (must be used by the end of the next calendar year; an approximately 18-month window)
- a book from AGI
- one-year subscription to EOS and Physics Today from AGU
- one-year subscription to The Professional Geologist, from AIPG
- one-year membership in NESTA, including a subscription to The Earth Scientist, from NESTA
- an assortment of publications from the USGS
- 9" x 12" plaque, from NAGT
- two-year complimentary membership in NAGT (including subscription to Journal of Geoscience Education), from NAGT
- one-year membership or renewal and journal "The Earth Scientist" from the National Earth Science Teachers Association
- an assortment of publications from the USGS
- one-year complimentary K-12 Teacher membership in the Geological Society of America (GSA)
- one-year complimentary membership in the GSA Geoscience Education Division
- Earth Science Week kit from AGI
Public Presentation
In most NAGT Sections, State Science Teachers Association Meetings have proven to be the most prestigious settings for presenting awards because winners are honored in front of their peers. On occasion, regional meetings of the National Science Teachers Association, the Geological Society of America, or other organizations whose meetings the winner is likely to attend are preferable. Regardless of the venue, however, a representative of NAGT should be present at the ceremony to present the award. Usually this requires contacting the persons in charge well in advance of the meeting.
State winners in particular should be honored at the State Science Teacher meetings whenever possible. In this way the individual, the school system and the school may all share in the pride. Many of these organizations publish newsletters with statewide distribution. By contacting the appropriate person, it should be possible to get a photograph and write-up of the OEST winner(s) included in a subsequent newsletter edition.
Honor to Many
An award for one earth science teacher from a large, geographically diverse Section will not produce nearly the impact as recognizing a winner from each state within the Section. A single award for an entire state will not produce nearly the impact of recognizing many teachers in that state. Selecting a first, second, and third place winner, or a first place winner plus honorable mention winners, significantly broadens the program at the state level. Likewise, selecting several finalists at the Sectional level increases the effectiveness of the program. Such an approach is highly recommended.
Funding an Awards Program
A significant awards program is essential for a successful OEST program. The coordinator of a state OEST program probably will find that selling the program is easier and more enjoyable than expected. At the Sectional level, larger industries, especially mining associations and environmental firms, offer the greatest likelihood for success in fund-raising. Many organizations have educational committees and nearly all mineral industries recognize the value of earth science programs, and thus are likely to lend their support.
Financial solicitations are far more effective when made personally. The OEST State Coordinator (or Sectional Coordinator) in consultation with colleagues and the state geologist, can compile a list of organizations and industries considered to be likely financial supporters. Determine the best person to contact in each organization. Whenever possible, someone who knows the individual personally should set up an appointment and accompany the coordinator when the "pitch" for support is made. A must on each visit is to leave behind a written rationale for the program, the total amount of financial support required to accomplish the goals outlined (awards, publicity, etc) and perhaps a suggestion for the level of support desired from the organization visited.
THE FOLLOW-UPFollow-up, including publicity, is extremely important and is the most frequently neglected part of the OEST process. Basically, it means taking care of chores after the all the awards have been presented. The following items are critically important:
- News releases to the hometown paper of each teacher honored as well as to all organizations newsletters
Sample Newspaper Notice (Acrobat (PDF) 28kB Jan5 11)
- Letters of appreciation to each financial supporter of the program.
- Letter to each award recipient encouraging them to write a letter of appreciation to the organizations providing the award(s).
- A letter of congratulations to the school and system administrators.
- A letter of thanks to the organization providing the forum for NAGT to make the OEST awards.
These things having been done, the state, or Section, is set to begin the cycle again.


text:
Philadelphia's newest, Spring half marathon.
Guarantee your slot in the newest Philadelphia Half Marathon.
Race the premier half marathon in New Jersey at Rutgers University. This NJ half marathon has you running through one of the oldest campuses in the Nation.
The NJ State triathlon has sold out every year since its inception.
The largest triathlon in the NJ &
One of the largest in the Nation.
Voted, Once Again, Best Races In the Region
*Competitor Magazine - Best of Competition
CGI Racing is the leading race management company in the MidAtlantic Region offering the best half marathons and triathlons throughout the Northeastern United States. CGI Racing manages premier races
including The Love Run Philadelphia Half Marathon, the Rutgers Unite Half Marathon New Jersey, The New Jersey State Triathlon, & The Perfect 10 Miler. CGI Racing events are designed to bring together
local running and triathlon communities, promote healthy lifestyles, while
fostering charity involvement and competitive spirit.