Pollinator Week is an annual event celebrated internationally in support of pollinator health.

So, what exactly are pollinators? Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. They also sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce.

If you enjoy coffee, chocolate, apples, almonds, and many other foods that are part of our daily lives, you may be surprised to learn that without pollinators they might no longer exist. About 35 percent of the world’s food crops are the result of pollinating species, an essential component in global food production.

Learning about the importance and benefits of pollinators on the world’s food supply is the idea behind the 4-H Pollinator Habitat Program. The three-year program aims to teach 30,000 youth nationwide about the importance of pollinators and pollinator habitats, while encouraging the establishment of quality pollinator habitats at 22 sites across the country.

The program features a “Teens as Teachers” approach which is a true win-win for kids. The young people learn skills from teen ambassadors they look up to while 4-H teens develop their leadership skills through teaching.

The great thing about Pollinator Week is that you can celebrate and get involved any way you like! Kids can take part in craft activities by making their own ants from clothes pins and pipe cleaners, or designing a butterfly using a coffee filter and food dye, among many other ideas found on the 4-H website. https://www.4-h.org or http://www.4-h.org/corteva

4-H teen ambassador Grace Moeller from Minnesota will join Rancher & 4-H Mom Natalie Kovarik to discuss the 4-H Pollinator Habitat Program, how kids can get involved during National Pollinator Week, and the importance of the program for the future of U.S. agriculture and the global food supply.

Grace Moeller
Grace is a 17-year-old Pollinator Ambassador from Blue Earth County, Minnesota. She is passionate about pollinators, climate change, and the outdoors. Grace loves to ride horses, design clothes, and run Cross Country + Track and Field.

Natalie Kovarik
From the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills, Natalie Kovarik shares her ranching and familying story to showcase the beauty behind the western lifestyle as well as foster a community that supports and trusts in agriculture as much as she does. Most of her days are spent bouncing around in a dusty old tractor or out in pasture on horseback, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. With roots firmly planted in the ranching community, she aims to spend her time advocating for rural life while collecting meaningful moments on her ranch with her ever-growing family.

Interview is courtesy: National 4-H Council & Corteva AgriScience
#national #pollinator #week #june #learning #importance #pollinators #essential #component #global #food #council #corteva #agriscience #family #moeller #grace #natalie #kovarik #4h #production #birds #bats #bees #butterflies #beetles #ecosystems #teens #teachers

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Lessons from Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Help Keep Kids and Teens Engaged in Learning as Social Distancing Continues

Learning loss is a real issue every summer, but in the unprecedented era of COVID-19, many students already began the summer at an educational disadvantage. As schools closed their doors weeks ahead of time, students completed the school year at home, relying on virtual classrooms and take-home work.

The digital divide made it a lot harder for some children to complete school work, especially those from low-income and minority households, who may not have reliable internet access. In homes where parents did not have the choice of tele-work, older children may have needed to care for their younger siblings so parents could work, making it even harder to do school work under already challenging circumstances.

Now there’s concern over how to keep kids engaged in learning this summer. Research finds children typically fall behind academically each summer, losing about two months’ worth of math skills during the summer. Low-income youth lose more than two months’ worth of reading skills, while their middle-class peers make slight gains.[1] Unchecked, summer learning losses can cause disadvantaged kids to fall behind and possibly jeopardize their chances of graduating from high school.

Public schools and some afterschool programs like Boys & Girls Clubs may remain closed this summer to prevent the spread of the virus, and that means students have lost an important lifeline – a place to connect with friends and teachers, work on their social and emotional skills (which help kids achieve success in areas like academics, arts, leadership and service) and access a typical learning experience. In this segment, parents can take some valuable cues and gain advice to help their kids from a youth development expert from Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

July 6 -11 has been designated as national Summer Learning Week, the perfect time to hear from Chrissy Chen, the Senior Director of Youth Development Programs at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. She’ll discuss how parents can learn some important tips to keep kids and teens learning during summer, especially due to the changes that happened during this recent school year due to COVID-19. She’ll also explain what the important tools are to make sure young people don’t experience summer learning loss while also building their social and emotional skills so they can prepare for the new school year — and life beyond the pandemic.

www.bgca.org
www.myfuture.net

Interview is courtesy: Boys & Girls Clubs of America

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Now an Innovative 4-H Program Is Changing That for Millions

The “American Dream” is built on the idea that with hard work, upward mobility and success are possible. In our ever evolving and technology dependent society, digital skills and broadband access are necessary tools for achievement.

However, more than 24 million people living in the U.S., including 19 million in rural communities, do not have access to broadband, also known as high speed internet. That leaves a large portion of today’s teens locked out when it comes to high speed internet. This essential service in today’s economy impacts everything from children’s education to their future economic mobility.

Recent research shows that overall, teens without broadband access feel less equipped online with it comes to connecting, creating and learning. The research also shows:

 Almost half of teens surveyed said they’ve struggled to complete homework due to slow internet connections
 Teens without broadband are less optimistic about their social mobility for higher education & careers
 43% of rural teens surveyed plan to leave their hometowns and 34% of those teens cite poor internet connectivity as the reason; which means these towns are losing talent and future innovation.

As leaders in positive youth development, National 4-H Council partnered with Microsoft on the 4-H Tech Changemakers program. The initiative is aimed at closing the connectivity gap in rural areas by empowering teens to bring technology and digital skills to their communities. The program works to position digital skills as a valuable life skill that’s necessary for improving non-urban communities’ path towards economic mobility.

The 4-H Tech Changemakers are working with broadband service providers throughout the U.S., along with community members and civic leaders to help teens gain the digital skills needed to benefit from technology and high-speed connectivity, which includes everything from online safety to computer basics and device training.

On Friday, April 24, join members of the 4-H Tech Changemakers to learn more about the programs being implemented, how they’re helping to bridge this technological gap and make sure that all community members across the country have the tools and skills they need to achieve the American dream.

#jennifer #sirangelo #4h #4-h #american #dream #elusive #teenagers #high #speed #internet #changing #millions #built #hard #work #mobility #success #possible #evolving #tech #technology #society #digital #skills #broadband #achievements #economic #communities #access #service #connecting #creating #learning #homework #connections #higher #education #careers #teens #future #innovation #youth #development #change #makers #empowering

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A Look Back at 2017….
2017 was another successful year at PEACE OUTside Campus. We accomplished the following things:

We produced a video version of our Teens ‘N Transition to College Program (TNTC).

During the Spring semester, we piloted the video version of our program (TNTC) to over 600 students at Academy of Mount Saint Ursula, Archbishop Stepinac High School, Clarkstown South High School, Pleasantville High School and the Save A Life Event at Lakeland High School.

Margaret Campe at the University of Kentucky was awarded the Lindsey M. Bonistall Research Fellowship. She is conducting research related to on and off campus safety with results to be published in 2018.

We held another successful Lindsey Run on October 1, 2017 at SUNY Purchase. This year, our premier community awareness event honored the dedication, service and commitment to our mission of: Board Member Althea Fusco, Harrison Mayor Ron Belmont and Congresswoman Nita Lowey. Former NY Giants, Ottis “OJ” Anderson and Stephen Baker “The Touchdown Maker” signed autographs and took pictures with participants in support of our mission and goals.

Looking Ahead…..
We are gearing up for some new research on prevention programming in the Spring, as well as our annual appeal. More information to come on our website and social media.

PEACE OUTside Campus, The Lindsey M. Bonistall Foundation | 914-347-4411 info@peaceoutsidecampus.org | www.peaceoutsidecampus.org
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Peace and Love,
Sir Ivan
Recording Artist Sir Ivan Releases New Anthem and Makes $100,000 Donation in Support of Anti-Bullying Efforts

Sir Ivan – Kiss All The Bullies Goodbye [feat. Taylor Dayne] (Paul Oakenfold Original Mix)
www.SirIvan.com

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NEW YORK — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Deputy Director Lori L. Scialabba will administer the Oath of Allegiance to America’s newest citizens, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Director & CEO Thomas P. Campbell, during a special naturalization ceremony at the Museum on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 10:00 a.m.

USCIS New York District Director Phyllis Coven will open the ceremony followed by the National Anthem performed by the Gospel for Teens Choir and welcoming remarks from New York City Council Member Carlos Menchaca. USCIS Deputy Director Scialabba will provide congratulatory remarks. Mr. Campbell will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and deliver the keynote address to the new citizens and guests.

The 75 citizenship candidates originate from the following 42 countries: Albania (2), Antigua-Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil (3), Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, People’s Republic of China, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic (13), Ecuador (2), France (4), Germany, Ghana (2), Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, India (3), Ireland, Israel (2), Italy, Jamaica (4), Kosovo (2), Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco(2), Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Russia, Rwanda, South Korea, St. Kitts-Nevis, Taiwan, Turkey (3), United Kingdom (3), Uruguay (2), and Yemen.

USCIS encourages new citizens and guests to share their naturalization ceremony experiences and photos through social media, using the hashtag #newUScitizen on Twitter.

During the last decade, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) welcomed more than 6.6 million naturalized citizens. For more information about USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis or @USCISMediaVT), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.

WHO: Lori L. Scialabba, USCIS Deputy Director
Phyllis Coven, USCIS District Director New York
Carlos Menchaca, New York City Council Member
Thomas P. Campbell, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Director and CEO (citizenship candidate)
75 Citizenship Candidates

WHEN: Tuesday, July 22, 2014, 10 a.m.
WHERE: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, NY, NY 10028-0198

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This year, nearly three million young people will graduate from high schools across the United States. Many will continue their education, while others will begin pursuing careers. In both cases, they will be required to make many of their own decisions which will have financial implications and directly impact on their ability to become independent.

Junior Achievement’s and The Allstate Foundation’s annual Teens and Personal Finance Survey provides a snapshot of teens’ behaviors and attitudes around money management. It examines how teens view the importance of effective spending, saving and budgeting—and their opinions around how well they are executing those tasks. The key findings illustrate a teen population that is more optimistic now than in past years about its financial future, yet faces challenges related to effectively managing its money.

Jack Kosakowski, president and CEO of Junior Achievement, will discuss key findings of the survey along with tips for parents on how to make their teenagers smarter about personal finance.

About the Talent:
Jack Kosakowski, president and CEO of Junior Achievement. Starting as a student in the Junior Achievement program in Toledo, Ohio, he attended the University of Toledo on a Junior Achievement scholarship and has since served in a variety of leadership roles with increasing levels of responsibility over the past 40 years.

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Interview With: Dr. Gary W. Harper, Ph.D., M.P.H, Professor, Department of Psychology; Director, Master of Public Health Program, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois

Interview Focus: April’s National Volunteer Month spotlights opportunities around the nation and invigorates people to give back to their community. Dr. Gary Harper, a professor at DePaul University in Chicago and a board member with the National Runaway Switchboard, can address the psychological effects of volunteering and discuss how communities can get involved in combating the runaway crisis – an issue that affects youth nationwide.

Dr. Harper to also discuss what are the latest findings from NRS’ trend report that show who is running and what their issues are, along with local call statistics. In fact, the latest trend report based on NRS’ call statistics since 2000, reveals that this crisis hasn’t slowed down. There has been an increase in:

Calls from homeless youth. Over the past three years, there has been a staggering 50 percent increase in calls from homeless youth, and an 80 percent increase over the past decade.
Calls from throwaway youth. Over the past three years, there has been an 18 percent increase in calls from throwaway youth and a 50 percent increase over the past decade.
Calls from kids who have been on the street for six months or more. There has been a 48 percent increase over the past three years, 70 percent increase over the past ten years, and 32 percent increase over the past year.
Callers identifying economics, neglect and GLBTQ issues as their problems. Twenty-seven percent more callers have identified economics as a problem over the past three years, and 83 percent more over the past decade. There has been an 11 percent increase in calls from kids identifying neglect as a problem over the past year and 44 percent increase over the past decade. There has also been an increase of 7 percent over the past three years in callers wanting to discuss GLBTQ issues and 36 percent over the past decade.

About the National Runaway Switchboard: The National Runaway Switchboard, established in 1971, serves as the federally-designated national communication system for homeless and runaway youth. NRS, with the support of more than 150 volunteers, handles an average of 100,000 calls annually. NRS provides crisis intervention, referrals to local resources, and education and prevention services to youth, families and community members throughout the country 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Over 13,000 youth have been reunited with their families through the NRS Home Free program done in collaboration with Greyhound Lines, Inc. The NRS crisis hotline is 1-800-RUNAWAY. For more information, visit http://www.1800RUNAWAY.org.

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Prom and graduation are around the corner and as teens embark on this new and exciting time in their lives, they are especially prone to the risks of drinking and driving. Motor vehicle crashes remain the number one cause of death among youth ages 15-20 with nearly 1/3 of traffic accidents alcohol-related. In fact, drivers between 15 and 20 years old are more often involved in alcohol-related crashes than any other age group. And, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one third of youth under age 21 killed in alcohol-related fatalities die during the months of April, May and June.

Dr. Larry Gentilello has published key studies documenting the extraordinarily high contribution of drug and alcohol abuse to life-threatening injury and the potentially powerful impact of hospital-based trauma center interventions to reduce such problems. His research has also identified laws in many states that discourage screening and counseling for alcohol and drug problems in the emergency room and trauma center. He discusses: Ģ The impact of teen drunk driving. The rate of alcohol-related fatal crashes among drivers between 16 and 20 years old is more than twice the rate for drivers 21 and older.
Ģ How parents can help their teenagers avoid the consequences of drunk driving.
Ģ Laws on the books in 31 states that allow drunk drivers to repeat their destructive behavior because they discourage screening and counseling for alcohol problems when patients are seen in the emergency room.
Ģ A new study by Columbia University , which shows that youth binge drinking is reaching epidemic levels — and that binge-drinking college students are more likely to drink and drive. Drunk driving in this group has also increased, as more than half of all college students binge drink. Most of them began drinking in their teen years. Deaths from alcohol-related accidents have risen an alarming 6% in college students.
Ģ Anecdotes from Dr. Gentilellos experience in one the nations largest trauma centers. These anecdotes can put a human face on the impact of alcohol and drugs in traffic accidents.

More about Larry Gentilello:
Ģ Larry M. Gentilello, M.D., F.A.C.S. Chairman of the Division of Burns, Trauma and Critical Care at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, one of the nations busiest trauma centers
Ģ Member of the American College of Surgeons Trauma Prevention Committee Ģ Recipient of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Innovators Combating Substance Abuse Award ( http://www.InnovatorsAwards.org )
Ģ Author of numerous publications on topics that include alcohol screening in the emergency department and trauma center and reducing risky adolescent behavior
Ģ Featured prominently in the landmark HBO documentary, Addiction https://videos.whiteblox.com/gnb/secure/player.aspx?sid=33111

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