Girl’s dream to end childhood hunger gets national attention [Video]

Here’s one from one of my friends, Joey Sovine.

Ten-year-old Katie Stagliano dreams to end childhood hunger across the world.

The 4th grader from Pinewood Preparatory School in Summerville was recently featured in NBC Nightly News “Making a difference” segment.

Her dream began in her backyard where a 3rd grade project turned into a 40 pound cabbage.

“We decided that my cabbage was too special to be eaten so I contacted the organization fields to family. They are an organization that brings extra crops from farmer’s fields and other places to people in need and they told us that Family Crisis Ministries’ soup kitchen would greatly appreciate it,” explained Katie.

The 40 pound cabbage went on to feed over 275 people and triggered a dream that is spreading throughout her school.

With help from environmental science teacher Michael Newman, a garden has been constructed on the school’s property where Katie’s classmates help to grow food for the homeless.

Katie has now helped to feed over 800 people and hopes to inspire more people to grow food for those less fortunate.

Watch this story: Summerville kid dreams to end childhood hunger

Heroic PE teacher pushes mother and children from path of car

A physical-education teacher at A.K. Suter Elementary School in Pensacola is being called a hero after he was struck by a car this morning near the school while he protected children.

Patrick Judd was transported to Baptist Hospital. Colleen Kirsch, spokeswoman for the hospital, said Judd was in good condition this morning.

Deputy Superintendent Norm Ross said witnesses saw Judd push a mother and her two children out of the path of an oncoming car.

By doing so, Judd took the brunt of the hit and suffered a leg injury.

District officials applauded Judd’s selfless actions Friday.

Laura Richards, 37, dropped off 6-year-old Abigail for school this morning and was crossing the street while talking with Judd.

She had 2-year old Laura Sophia sitting on her hip and 4-year-old Isabella holding her hand as she walked.

“He jumped back to take the full impact,” Richards said of Judd. “I don’t really know what happened. It happened so quickly but when it was all said and done we were safe on the side of the road and my daughters’ flip flops were still on the pavement.”

Richards said she know Judd because she sees him every morning and afternoon doing crossing guard duty. The last day of school before Christmas break, Richards said, Judd wears a Santa Claus costume while guiding traffic.

“We’re so grateful,” she said. “We pray for him and that he’ll be alright. If if he hadn’t been there it would have been us. My two little girls are so tiny.”

“The incident this morning was certainly an act of heroism,” Ross said. “It doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s been a longtime employee and has demonstrated throughout his career his dedication to students and the school.”

Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said he was proud of Judd’s service to the schools.

“This is just another example of the dedication of our employees in this district,” Thomas said.

In 1999 Judd won the Elementary School Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award from the county.

Read more and see the family he saved: ‘An act of heroism’

Students use “Wall of Shame” to fight discrimination [Video]

I love the idea these students had and the story that came from it.

When it comes to negative stereotype students at the University of Memphis have a visual reminder this week. Monday, members of the Students Activities Council put up a wall in the student plaza to expose the discrimination that still exists.

The wall made of cinder blocks is covered with dozens of words of hate still used to stereotype different races, groups and individuals.

“I think it will really open people’s eyes to what people really think. A lot of things are just kept inside,” said Sean Fernandez.

Students spent weeks filling in these cinder blocksand say the words comes from real life experiences.

They say labels like generic, pretty boy or drama queen may not seem offensive, but if used over over in a negative way they can hurt . “What is kind of bothersome might be not be bothersome to you, but we still have the same feeling when something bothers us,” said Jenn Armstrong, President of the Student Activities Council.

The wall has only been up a day, but is already having an impact on students even employees on campus.

“I”ve never seen anything like it,” said Shamika Wright.

The wall will be torn down with ropes and chains and students are hoping along with they’ll tear down discrimination on campus.

“I just really want people to start talking,” said Armstrong.

Read more, watch this story and see the wall: Students Use Wall Of Shame To Fight Discrimination

Students help injured classmate complete project and graduate [Video]

This is a a great one! If you are soft-hearted, get the tissues ready.

Last January, a Seneca Valley High School student was killed in a tragic accident on I-79 while driving to a sporting event.

But her best friend, a passenger in the vehicle, survived serious injuries and is now looking forward to a bright future.

Family, friends and teachers say it’s nothing short of a miracle to see Dana Hughes, a Seneca Valley High School senior, up and walking again. Two months ago, the teen was critically injured in an auto accident while heading to a lacrosse match.

As a senior, in order to graduate, Hughes had to complete her senior project of training and competing in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s ”Just A Short Run” marathon at North Park.

However, the accident left her not well enough to run so about 90 of her classmates got permission to complete the project for her.

“She’s like a big sister to me. All my life, she’s always been my role model, so I wanted to do something for her,” said one of Hughes’ classmates, Megan Condit.

Hughes, just out of rehab, was able to walk five miles of the marathon, and dedicated the effort to in the memory of Quail. And today she had a chance to thank all of her classmates and friends who supported her.

“Everything that I got when I was in Pittsburgh Institute, in the hospital, the prayers especially helped,” she said. “I think, God was shining over me. I know he was.”

“I never thought I’d say this, but I never thought I’d be so excited to go back to school,” added Hughes.

Read more and watch this heart-warming story:  Students Help Injured Classmate Complete Project

Young at heart: Elderly librarian says kids keep her alive [Video]

Here is a library worker who is older than many of the books on the shelves but she says her elementary students keep her young at heart.

Arlene Greene turns 82 this summer and she credits the kids at Wengert Elementary for her new lease on life. “When I first came here to Nevada I was sitting around, doing reading, watching T.V. and I was slowly dying and my daughter said, mom, ‘you are going to die like this. You’ve got to volunteer.’”

Greene now volunteers five days a week. Wengert’s principal, Suhaila Mustafa, says, ”She is very sweet, very kind to them.’ Mustafa says Greene resembles grandma and provides a family atmosphere.   

Greene is no push over, though, and the kids know it. A book overdue is a book overdue. And she is a stickler when it comes to saying “please and thank you.”

Greene says, “I would encourage everybody who doesn’t know what to do with themselves, who have nothing, their children have married or gone away, jump into a school. Volunteer and work with the kids. It’s like living all over again.”

Read more and watch this story: Cool at School: Young at Heart

Photo: Flickr user apdk

10-year-old chess king [Video]

A 10-year-old West Jordan boy has won the 2009 Utah Game/60 Chess Championship – and he could be ranked first in the nation in his age group.

Kayden Troff won $120 in prize money Saturday and has been invited to attend U.S. Chess School this summer.

Troff’s quick game is rated 2125, which is higher than any active tournament player in the state. His long game is rated 1933. He needs to reach 2500 to attain grandmaster status, the highest title a chess player can achieve.

Damien Nash, an expert-level player and director of the tournament, says he thinks Troff will be ranked No. 1 in the nation in the rapid chess category for kids under 13.

Kayden has been playing since he was 3, and practices up to seven hours daily.

Read more and watch that story: 10-year-old boy wins Utah chess tournament

Boy with 176 IQ is 1 in a million [Video]

Pranav Veera can recite the names of the U.S. presidents in the order they served in office. He can say the alphabet backward. Give him a date back to 2000, and he’ll tell you the day of the week.

He’s only 6 years old.

At first glance, Pranav is a typical young boy who is highly competitive at playing Wii video games and likes to play outside. A closer look reveals he’s anything but typical.

Pranav has an IQ of 176. One person in 1 million has an IQ of 176 or above. Albert Einstein’s IQ was believed to be about 160. The average IQ is 100.

When Pranav was 4-and-a-half, his parents noticed he seemed unusually intelligent while playing with alphabet sets. He could even recall which letters were certain colors.

“That kind of puzzled us,” said his father, Prasad Veera. “You have to have not a normal memorization, but some other means of recall.”

Now, he loves all kinds of alphabets.

“He loves to collect them, like different colors, different sizes, different materials,” said his mother, Suchitra Veera.

The Veeras decided to have Pranav tested three months ago at Powers Educational Services in Hyde Park.

“I said, ’Let’s try it out, because he seems to do a lot of stuff kind of not quite normal for his age,” his father said. “He tested 176.”

He seems to have a photographic memory, so keeping Pranav engaged and learning is a big challenge for his family.

His mother and grandmother, Shanta Sastri, work with him at home.

They’re guided by his focus and interests.

Read more and watch video of this amazing little guy: Boy with 176 IQ is 1 in a million

Students on Spring Break repair homes [Video]

For many people, the biggest investment is their home. But countless people can’t afford to pay for all the work that needs to be done.

Home hasn’t been a home for Sarah Ware. But she said she has angels on her side.

“This is more than a blessing,” Ware said. “I just thank the Lord.”

Her home of 60 years was falling apart. In just days she would’ve had to move out. But on Thursday, her home looked like new.

The student group BG Crosswalk, from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, spent its spring break in Greenville.

“We’ve done some painting, some trim work,” said BGSU student Josh McRoberts. “We’ve cleaned up outside. Some of the guys did some siding.”

Across town, more students were working up a sweat helping another homeowner with work he said he could never afford.

“Right now we are putting up a screen on the fence, we primed the whole house, we painted it,” said BGSU student Cody Elling.

It’s not the spring break many of them expected.

“A lot of our students struggled with it,” a group member said. “They could’ve worked this week and made money, but instead they paid $140 to come down here.”

The tough economy is hitting each student in different ways. But they said, right now, that doesn’t matter.

They all put their problems aside to help people they’ve never met.

Read more and watch that story: Students On Spring Break Repair Homes

Photo: From Flkr user amanky

More than child’s play: Scrabble scores add up to learning [Video]

A chattering classroom full of Lakeville Elementary students is hunched over Scrabble boards. It may seem like just a game. But fun is not the only reason their teacher Charlotte Bremond has been holding after-school Scrabble classes for eighteen years.

“It increases their vocabulary, makes their math skills sharper,” Charlotte explains. “It also gives them good strategies for creating words.”

In her twenty-two years as an elementary school teacher with the Oakland School District, Charlotte estimates she’s introduced over three thousand students to Scrabble. Eight years ago, she organized the first regional tournament for students, and for the last five years, she’s been raising money so she can take the very best players to compete nationally.

 ”It’s a beautiful sight, it’s fabulous.”

And it’s a site she’s worked hard to diversify.

“I think a lot of African American children believe that their skills or talents lie in playing ball, so I go out of my way to recruit children of color who can come and play the game and do a good job,” Charlotte says.

Mother Tamika Landry says Scrabble has helped her daughter with schoolwork.

“Since Cinaka joined the program, I’ve seen her test scores improve, I’ve seen her self-confidence improve, and her ability to learn different things has really shot through the ceiling,” Tamika says proudly.

Fourth-grader Cinaka adds, “I think it’s fun and cool, and I hope I go to the nationals!”

Read more and watch that story: Scrabble Scores Add Up to Real Learning

Teen finds missing baby in stolen car [Video]

 

A baby is safe after a car with the child inside was stolen on Detroit’s northwest side Wednesday morning.

“When I seen my little boy, I was just so happy,” said the 5-month-old’s mother, Bianca Bell.

Bell’s son, Joshua, was in the backseat of a vehicle at a gas station on Fenkell and Strathmoor roads when his father went into the gas station for a moment. Police said that’s when a thief jumped in the running vehicle and drove away with the child.

Students who were waiting for a bus nearby saw the car pull in and park and the driver walk away.

Bianca Bell, crying tears of joy, said she thought for a moment that she was never going to see her son again.

Read more: Baby Inside Of Stolen Car Found Safe

Watch that story: Baby Boy Found Safe in Stolen Car