Kaskela Law LLC Announces Investigation of FirstEnergy Corp. (FE) and Encourages Long-Term FE Stockholders to Contact the Firm

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Kaskela Law LLC announces that it is investigating FirstEnergy Corp. («FirstEnergy») (NYSE: FE) on behalf of the company’s stockholders.  The investigation seeks to determine whether the members of FirstEnergy’s board of directors breached their fiduciary duties to FirstEnergy and its stockholders. 

Current FirstEnergy stockholders who purchased or acquired shares of the company’s stock prior to February 21,…

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Kaskela Law LLC announces that it is investigating FirstEnergy Corp. («FirstEnergy») (NYSE: FE) on behalf of the company’s stockholders.  The investigation seeks to determine whether the members of FirstEnergy’s board of directors breached their fiduciary duties to FirstEnergy and its stockholders. 

Current FirstEnergy stockholders who purchased or acquired shares of the company’s stock prior to February 21, 2017 are encouraged to contact Kaskela Law LLC (D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq.) at (484) 258 – 1585, or online at http://kaskelalaw.com/case/firstenergy-corp/, to discuss this investigation and their legal rights and options with respect to this matter.

Recently a securities fraud complaint was filed against FirstEnergy and certain of the company’s executive officers on behalf of investors who purchased shares of FirstEnergy’s stock between February 21, 2017 and July 21, 2020 (the «Class Period»).  According to the complaint, during the Class Period the defendants «touted FirstEnergy’s legislative ‘solutions’ to problems with its nuclear facilities, but failed to disclose that these ‘solutions’ centered on an illicit campaign to corrupt high-profile state legislators in order to secure legislation favoring the Company.»

On July 21, 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio filed an 82 page criminal complaint detailing a «brazen scheme by FirstEnergy and its affiliates and representatives to corrupt the political process and undermine democratic institutions in the State of Ohio in order to secure passage of HB6.»  Following this news, shares of FirstEnergy’s common stock declined $14.17 per share, or 34% in value, to close on July 22, 2020 at $27.09 per share, on heavy trading volume.

Current FirstEnergy stockholders who purchased or acquired shares of the company’s stock prior to February 21, 2017 are encouraged to contact Kaskela Law LLC for additional information about this investigation and their legal rights and options with respect to this matter.

Kaskela Law LLC represents investors in securities fraud, corporate governance, and merger & acquisition litigation.  For additional information about Kaskela Law LLC please visit www.kaskelalaw.com.  This notice may constitute attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions.

CONTACT:
D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq.
KASKELA LAW LLC
18 Campus Blvd., Suite 100
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(484) 258 – 1585
(888) 715 – 1740
www.kaskelalaw.com
skaskela@kaskelalaw.com

 

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SOURCE Kaskela Law LLC

Prodigy Education Unveils New Brand

EdTech company launches new brand to further its mission of helping every student in the world love learning

TORONTO, Aug 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – Prodigy Education, an award-winning educational technology company, has unveiled their new brand to connect educators, parents and students with their mission to help every student in the world love learning.

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EdTech company launches new brand to further its mission of helping every student in the world love learning

TORONTO, Aug 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – Prodigy Education, an award-winning educational technology company, has unveiled their new brand to connect educators, parents and students with their mission to help every student in the world love learning.

Prodigy Education (CNW Group/Prodigy Education)

Their new brand strategy reflects a strong commitment to driving positive educational outcomes and promoting equality, accessibility and student engagement.

«Now more than ever, we must continue to support educators, parents and students in their learning journeys given the uncertainty around the upcoming back-to-school season,» says Rohan Mahimker, founder and co-CEO of Prodigy Education. «The exciting changes we’re making will be a new guiding light on our path to transform learning and become a global leader in education.»

Prodigy Education New Art Style (CNW Group/Prodigy Education)

To guide the way, Prodigy Education prides itself on creating products that are aligned with their five brand pillars: personalized, engaging, accessible, sustainable and effective. These provide a cornerstone for continued innovation as many families and educators return to school in a very different learning environment.

They believe that every student should have access to a high-quality, personalized learning experience. Their new website provides educators and parents with resources that help them differentiate math content, track learning and empower every student to succeed — no matter where students are learning from.

Prodigy Education seeks to create an engaging learning experience for students. Their new tutoring platform, Prodigy Math Coaching, provides students with high-quality, one-on-one support from qualified teachers. Prodigy Math Game delivers adaptive questions and makes learning fun as students explore an ever-expanding fantasy world.

They believe education shouldn’t come with a hefty price tag, and have made Prodigy Math Game accessible and free for anyone to play. To ensure sustainable growth, parents have the option to purchase a Premium Membership that gives students exciting bonus features and motivates them to answer more math questions, and also provides parents with powerful tracking tools to empower student learning. This model helps them keep all their educational content free for teachers and students.

In addition to earning a Digital Promise certification that recognizes their commitment to creating research-based products, Prodigy Education has worked with independent researchers to validate and ensure that Prodigy Math Game effectively drives student outcomes. While students play, a research-backed algorithm delivers tailored content created by an in-house team of teachers. To reach more teachers, Prodigy Education also recently added support for Clever single sign-on integration.

A new 3D design style, bright and optimistic colors and two new fonts capture Prodigy Education’s desire to stand out from the crowd and find creative educational solutions. To promote accessibility, one of the new fonts, Prodigy Sans, will be available for free for everyone to use.

Prodigy Education New Logo (CNW Group/Prodigy Education)

Finally, the importance of personalized education and the learning journey is highlighted in Prodigy Education’s new symbol, «The Path». Growing from small to large with a single line, it embodies the growth mindset they seek to inspire in students of all ages.

About Prodigy Education
In the last nine years, Prodigy Education has grown from 3,000 local users to more than 90 million worldwide users who are voluntarily practicing math every single day — and enjoying it! Currently one of the fastest-growing educational startups in North America — with a recent expansion into India — Prodigy Education connects students, parents, teachers and school districts with resources that promote a lifelong love of learning. Anyone with an internet connection is welcome to create a free account and try an effective and engaging math platform for grades 1 to 8. Prodigy Education’s guiding mission is to help every student in the world love learning. Visit prodigygame.com to learn more.

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SOURCE Prodigy Education

MAGIC Foundation preparing for Children’s Growth Awareness Week Sept. 13-19

CHICAGO, Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Children’s Growth Awareness Week to focus on growth disorders
The MAGIC Foundation boosts awareness, advocacy Sept. 13-19

Height is nature’s early warning signal — a potential visual alarm for parents and physicians. Growth can be an overall sign of the health and physical development of a child, but when children aren’t growing properly, it may be an indication of a treatable medical condition.

During…

CHICAGO, Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Children’s Growth Awareness Week to focus on growth disorders
The MAGIC Foundation boosts awareness, advocacy Sept. 13-19

Height is nature’s early warning signal — a potential visual alarm for parents and physicians. Growth can be an overall sign of the health and physical development of a child, but when children aren’t growing properly, it may be an indication of a treatable medical condition.

During Growth Awareness Week, Sept. 13-19, The MAGIC Foundation (Major Aspects of Growth in Children) is working to draw attention to the issue of children’s growth through its website, magicfoundation.org, and on its social media sites.

Mary Andrews, Magic Foundation CEO and cofounder, started the organization in 1989 with other mothers who had all struggled to find answers to growth challenges their children faced.

«We were a small group of moms who knew we could make a difference for other families,» Andrews said. «We did not want others to face the unknown; we knew they needed information about growth and growth disorders to make their paths easier.»

Andrews underwent a three-year medical journey before her son, Deno, was finally diagnosed with growth failure.

«I kept asking why he was not growing like he should. I asked why his peers were so much taller than him. I asked why his baby sister of two years was now taller than he was. I asked why he was not outgrowing his clothes and shoes,» she added. «Yet, the answer was always, ‘He will grow in his own due time.’ Not true as I now know!»

Andrews’ full story can be found at https://www.magicfoundation.org/mary-andrews/.

Today, MAGIC is the leading worldwide organization for growth disorders in children and adult endocrine disorders.

Andrews urges parents to consider the following questions as signs their children may require medical assistance:
·    Is your child growing a minimum of 2 inches per year after the age of three until the beginning of puberty?
·    Is your child not outgrowing their clothes and shoes?
·    Is your child much shorter than his or her peers?
·    Is your child crossing the percentile curve on a growth chart, either in a downward or upward motion?
The dissemination of information is important as early detection and diagnoses are critical. Growth affects much more than height. Serious problems relating to heart strength, blood sugar control, lung capacity, bone density, immune system function, metabolism and much more can all be impacted by growth disorders.

The MAGIC Foundation is a national nonprofit organization committed to educating the public about children’s growth, providing support to families and helping those searching for answers about their undiagnosed child.

For additional information and to schedule an interview with parents of children impacted by growth disorders, please contact the MAGIC Foundation at 630-836-8200 or Contactus@magicfoundation.org.

Contact: Teresa Tucker, co-founder/patient advocate
The MAGIC Foundation
619-269-0489

# # # # #

 

SOURCE The MAGIC Foundation

For Teachers (and Parents): Free Webinar On Remote Learning Tools for Educators

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — With the coronavirus pandemic forcing numerous school systems and universities to focus on distance learning, NextUp Solutions is inviting teachers across the country to learn how to take full advantage of remote learning tools during a free webinar next week.

The interactive, hands-on workshop, «Remote Learning Tools for Educators,» is designed to benefit K-12 teachers as well as university instructors. The webinar is set for <span…

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — With the coronavirus pandemic forcing numerous school systems and universities to focus on distance learning, NextUp Solutions is inviting teachers across the country to learn how to take full advantage of remote learning tools during a free webinar next week.

The interactive, hands-on workshop, «Remote Learning Tools for Educators,» is designed to benefit K-12 teachers as well as university instructors. The webinar is set for Aug. 14, from noon to 1 p.m. EDT. To register, visit http://www.nextupeducators.eventbrite.com.

The session will cover the ins and outs of communications tools such as Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom; ways to mimic interactive activities through platforms such as Mural; game-based learning platforms such as Kahoot; and more. Participants will be able to try out the remote tools for themselves and ask questions throughout the webinar.

Webinar host NextUp Solutions is the Washington area’s go-to company for Agile training. It transitioned all its in-person training courses to virtual classes after the pandemic first broke earlier this year.

«We want to share with other educators the same teaching tips and tools we’ve been using online since the public health crisis first started making classroom gatherings too risky,» said Richard Cheng, NextUp’s vice president of Agile training. «This webinar is for anyone coming face to face with the reality they’ll be teaching remotely for a while, at least. That includes parents who think they might benefit from the use of some of these tools.»

The webinar, he said, is meant primarily to help out the many teachers who’ve been left to fend for themselves in the transition to distance learning for the new academic year. «It can take months to create an effective online learning strategy, and time is running out. NextUp’s virtual training experts have been conducting live online classes since early last spring, and we feel it’s our duty as teachers and technophiles to share these practical tools as a free community service – a way to give back to our educators.»

The webinar will be led by NextUp’s Jill Stott, a senior Agile trainer and a former English teacher who is familiar with the needs of fellow educators. Stott has trained thousands of people with diverse job responsibilities, both in person and virtually. She’s known for making her classes not only informative and engaging, but also fun.

Cheng noted that if NextUp finds that there is continuing need, the company may add more free webinars for educators or even offer free private workshops for interested school systems.

For those unable to attend the August 14 session, NextUp will be offering a second workshop on August 27 at https://nextupeducators827.eventbrite.com. For more information about any of NextUp’s training classes, visit nextupsolutions.com/training.

About NextUp Solutions Inc.:

As the Washington area’s leading Agile training organization, hundreds of companies have turned to NextUp Solutions and its team of Agile experts for training across a variety of frameworks, including Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, and Large-Scale Scrum.

At NextUp, Agile is more than a methodology – it’s a mindset. When it comes to problems with technology, Agile enables project management and software development professionals, teams and organizations to solve the unsolvable and make people’s lives easier. Since pioneering one of the world’s most-successful campus-based technology development centers, NextUp has remained committed to expanding Agile practices through the application of progressive and disruptive tactics.

Real-world Agile expertise informs NextUp’s training programs. The company teaches Agile and Scrum concepts in a business context because it believes there should be a clear link between what you learn and how you use that knowledge every day. Participants emerge from NextUp’s classes transformed, with new skills that are meaningful to both themselves and their teams.

NextUp’s team of instructors has introduced Agile practices to myriad organizations through training, coaching and assessments. The company’s offices are located in Arlington, Virginia, and Blacksburg, Virginia.

 

SOURCE NextUp Solutions Inc.

Vertebrae Named Best Place to Work by Los Angeles Business Journal

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Vertebrae, the technology leader in web-based 3D & augmented reality (AR) solutions for retail, today announced that it has been named one of the Best Places to Work by the Los Angeles Business Journal. The 14th Annual award recognizes and honors the 100 best employers in Los Angeles that are benefiting the county’s economy, workforce and businesses. Vertebrae was selected as a winner based on confidential feedback…

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Vertebrae, the technology leader in web-based 3D & augmented reality (AR) solutions for retail, today announced that it has been named one of the Best Places to Work by the Los Angeles Business Journal. The 14th Annual award recognizes and honors the 100 best employers in Los Angeles that are benefiting the county’s economy, workforce and businesses. Vertebrae was selected as a winner based on confidential feedback from its employees on subjects such as workplace policies, philosophy and employee experience.

«In a few short years, Vertebrae has grown from an emerging tech start-up to the market and technology leader in 3D and AR for commerce,» said Vince Cacace, CEO of Vertebrae. «We’ve built a company with deep expertise at the intersection of enterprise eCommerce and 3D & AR technology. Our platform drives sales for some of the biggest brands and retailers in the world and provides the fundamental infrastructure for modern commerce. Along the way, we’ve fostered a creative and innovative workplace rooted in humility where everyone has a shared goal of making the online shopping experience more like real life for customers everywhere.»

«Vertebrae is leading a movement to change the way that consumers shop online – hand in hand with the biggest and best retailers in the world,» said Keith Rives, VP of Engineering at Vertebrae. «This is an amazing place to work, full of smart, enthusiastic people who are committed to doing what is best for our retail clients and each other.»

Companies from across the county entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles. The rankings were revealed at a special virtual event on August 5, 2020 and were published today in the Los Angeles Business Journal. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Los Angeles, analyzed the data and determined the final rankings.

About Vertebrae
Vertebrae provides 3D & augmented reality (AR) commerce solutions for the world’s largest retailers. Vertebrae’s technology enables web-based 3D & AR product visualization and try-on experiences that drive measurable results. The end-to-end platform makes the process of 3D asset creation, management, deployment, and reporting easy. Vertebrae’s clients include Adidas, Toyota, Herschel Supply Co., Facebook, Coach, Microsoft, and many more. Vertebrae is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Austin. For more information, visit https://www.vertebrae.com.

 

SOURCE Vertebrae

Kumbaya App Unveils Pod Supporter Program to Help Families Transition Kids To Distance Learning

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Kumbaya App, a marketplace for parents to hire trusted teens for paid gigs, today debuted its

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Kumbaya App, a marketplace for parents to hire trusted teens for paid gigs, today debuted its Pod Supporter Program to provide help to families transitioning to distance learning during the 2020-2021 school year. The Pod Supporter Program offers teens the opportunity to become in-person pod supporters while helping kids in elementary school, especially K-2, adapt to virtual and distance learning while earning hundreds to thousands of dollars per month.

In July 2020, the United States surpassed four million coronavirus cases, according to the COVID Tracking Project. However, data on COVID-19 transmission among children is still limited, and the CDC highlights that more research is needed on transmission from children to household members in the U.S. as they urge schools and families to adapt to new safety guidelines. As such, the CDC is suggesting podding (sometimes called cohorting) for students and staff to remain together while social distancing, with limited mixing between groups. Through the app, parents who are planning to implement podding can now get additional in-person support from trusted teens in their community through the Kumbaya App.

«As soon as school pod discussions started, we received many calls and messages about having teen gigsters support parents through these unprecedented times as their families adapt to new school procedures,» said Chen Levanon, the Kumbaya App’s CEO and co-founder. «We are proud to address their needs through our app and offer our new Pod Supporter Program as a solution to help solve the U.S. childcare and education crisis caused by the pandemic.»

«No one should feel hopeless,» added Dr. Adi Zief-Balteriski, chief behavioral officer and co-founder of the Kumbaya App. «Parents who want help with childcare or podding should be empowered to get it, and any teen who can work and wants to work should be able to find a job even during this pandemic. The Kumbaya App aims to solve both problems by connecting parents and teens to help each other.»

Parents in the U.S. typically spend $2,000 a year on additional child care, which will be difficult for many families to afford this year due to the unprecedented job loss caused by COVID-19. The Kumbaya App’s Pod Supporter Program puts parents in contact with trusted teens who can support their kids as they engage in virtual lessons and complete their homework throughout this unique school year. Both pod families and pod supporters will sign a COVID-19 waiver to engage in care services through the app.

For teens interested in becoming pod supporters, visit https://www.mykumbaya.com/pod-supporter. For parents looking for pod support, send an email to contactus@mykumbaya.com.

About the Kumbaya App
The Kumbaya App is the first communal marketplace to safely help GenZ teens find gig job opportunities in the care industry, including virtual and in-person tutoring, babysitting, pet walking, music lessons, arts & crafts and more. The app connects parents who need care assistance to trusted teens in their network of contacts who are looking to make money. The Kumbaya App is the safest and most private way for parents to easily hire teens in their community. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, the team serves to build multigenerational trust, community and education.

The Kumbaya App can be downloaded on the App Store for iOS devices, or Google Play for Android. For more information, visit the website at http://www.mykumbaya.com.

 

SOURCE Kumbaya App

SPIRE Announces Intensive Weekend Program For High School Student Athletes

GENEVA, Ohio, Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — An immersive training experience called 44 Hour HS Intensive Weekend program is the most recent addition to SPIRE Institute and Academy’s line-up of innovative programs for high school students.

According to SPIRE’s Chief Operating Office Jeff Orloff, a weekend session focusing on each sport–swimming, track and field, basketball, esports or drone racing– will be offered once a month during the 2020-21 school year, giving high school student…

GENEVA, Ohio, Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — An immersive training experience called 44 Hour HS Intensive Weekend program is the most recent addition to SPIRE Institute and Academy’s line-up of innovative programs for high school students.

According to SPIRE’s Chief Operating Office Jeff Orloff, a weekend session focusing on each sport–swimming, track and field, basketball, esports or drone racing– will be offered once a month during the 2020-21 school year, giving high school student athletes whose sports programs have been suspended or cancelled the opportunity to train in their sport, work out athletically, and stay mentally sharp under the tutelage of the SPIRE staff.

«44 HS Hour Intensive Weekend will give these young athletes the chance to develop skills and technique specific to their sports based on their individual needs,» said Orloff. «SPIRE has an experienced staff of performance development experts and mental skills training specialists who will work directly with these student athletes and set up internal competition as appropriate.»

Student athletes will arrive by 5 PM on Friday evening, and depart by 1 PM on Sunday. Six meals are provided, and participants reside on campus in the Academy’s new Village Residence Housing under the supervision of SPIRE’s house parents. Tuition is $395 per student for room, board and all training activity. Training will consist of four sessions for a total of 10 hours over the weekend.

Note: HS athletes attending this SPIRE weekend program are responsible for making sure that their participation does not negatively impact their high school eligibility back home.

For more information, email admissions@spireinstitute.org or register online at http://www.spireinstitute.org.

 

SOURCE SPIRE IA (Institute and Academy)

NCHL Honors National League for Nursing CEO Dr. Beverly Malone with the 2020 Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award

CHICAGO, Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The National Center for Healthcare Leadership, a nonprofit organization that supports the advancement of evidence-based leadership practices, is pleased to announce that Dr. Beverly Malone, Chief Executive Officer of the…

CHICAGO, Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The National Center for Healthcare Leadership, a nonprofit organization that supports the advancement of evidence-based leadership practices, is pleased to announce that Dr. Beverly Malone, Chief Executive Officer of the National League for Nursing (NLN), has been named the 2020 Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award recipient.

As head of the NLN, the premier organization for faculty and leaders in nursing education, Dr. Malone is recognized for forging partnerships with key educational institutions, corporations and foundations that keep the NLN on the cutting edge of the technological innovations that are needed by nurse educators to help them succeed in today’s rapidly changing environment. Under her leadership, the NLN, with 40,000 individual members and 1,200 institutional members, has moved to a mission-aligned business model that supports and develops nurses heading into leadership roles as well as building a diverse workforce dedicated to advancing the nation’s health.

Dr. Malone is a visible national and global thought leader on issues facing the nursing profession, including diversity, the nurse educator shortage, and workforce development. Her career has mixed policy, education, administration, and clinical practice, underscoring her commitment and contributions to improving the health of the public, and distinguishing her leadership excellence.

«Dr. Malone exemplifies transformational leadership as evidenced by her life-long career advancing innovation in nursing education and addressing national and global health issues, including workplace diversity,» NCHL CEO LeAnn Swanson said. «As we celebrate the Year of the Nurse, it is only fitting that we honor Dr. Malone with NCHL’s most prestigious award, recognizing her dedication to leadership, organizational excellence and mentorship, and her strong advocacy to advance the cause of nursing.»

Dr. Malone joined the National League for Nursing in 2007 after serving as General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom in London, England, from 2001-2007. Prior to that, she was deputy assistant secretary for Health in the Department of Health and Human Services from 1999-2001, and served two terms as president of the American Nurses Association from 1996-2000. Earlier in her career, Dr. Malone held leadership roles at the North Carolina A&T State University, and was the director of nursing professional staff resources at the University of Cincinnati, University Hospital.

Dr. Malone received her BSN from the College of Nursing and Health at the University of Cincinnati and earned her M.S. in Adult Psychiatric Nursing from Rutgers. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Cincinnati and attended the Harvard Institute of Educational Management.

Dr. Malone has received numerous professional and educational honors during her career, including honorary doctorates from Georgetown University, University of Cincinnati, and University of District of Columbia. Recent fellowships include Fellow Ad Eundem of the Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, and Fellow of the National Academy of Medicine. In 2020 she received the Linda Bates Parker Legend Award from the University of Cincinnati, she was honored as a Modern Healthcare Inaugural Minority Leaders Luminary, and she received the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Alpha Omega Chapter of Signa Theta Tau and The College of Nursing of Adelphi University. She has been ranked several times as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare, which has also honored her as one of the Top 25 Women in Healthcare.

The Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award committee was co-chaired by Peter W. Butler, Retired President Rush University Medical Center, and Jill Schwieters, NCHL Board Chair, JAS & Associates. The committee’s members are: Nancy Howell Agee, Carilion Clinic; Bob Clarke, Furst Group; Damond Boatright, SSM Health – Wisconsin Regional; Dr. Joanne Conroy, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health; Edgar Curtis, Memorial Health System; David Ertel, Vizient, Inc.; Jessica Melton, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital; Dr. David Feinberg, Google Health; Dr. Rod Hochman, Providence and 2019 Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award recipient; Michelle Hood, American Hospital Association; Shoou-Yih (Daniel) Lee, PhD, Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health; Joe Moscola, Northwell Health; and Brian Peters, Michigan Health and Hospital Association.

Dr. Malone will be honored at NCHL’s 2020 Gail L. Warden Leadership Award Celebration, which will occur virtually on Thursday, November 19, as part of the NCHL Human Capital Investment Conference being held November 16-20. Over the years, the conference and celebration have been one of healthcare’s most important events, attracting luminaries and notable leaders from prominent health sector, academic, and research organizations.

ABOUT THE GAIL L. WARDEN LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE AWARD    
Established in 2005, NCHL’s annual Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the health field, including the mentoring of future leaders towards transforming organizational performance to improve health and healthcare. It is named for Gail L. Warden, founding chairman of the NCHL Board, president emeritus of Henry Ford Health System, and a major proponent of leadership development throughout his career.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP
Established in 2001, the not-for-profit National Center for Healthcare Leadership champions three premier membership programs that advance healthcare leadership. These are the Leadership Excellence Networks (LENS), US Cooperative of International Patient Programs (USCIPP), and National Council on Administrative Fellowships (NCAF). Each of these programs supports a portfolio of interorganizational collaborations that address critical issues facing today’s leaders as they pursue excellence and solutions. For more information please visit NCHL’s website. You can also visit NCHL’s LinkedIn page or follow NCHL on Twitter.

 

SOURCE National Center for Healthcare Leadership

Now That Thanksgiving 2020 Is Cancelled, 7 Ways to Virtually Celebrate According to Family Historians Polled by ScanMyPhotos.com

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Family historians across the country, preparing for the inevitable cancellation of Thanksgiving this year, share seven ways to surround yourself with cherished activities to celebrate from afar to keep keep families together virtually.

The ScanMyPhotos.com poll of 100 family historians paints a grim picture this Fall, as Americans will radically change their behavior in light of the pandemic. While some will bend the rules, most families are…

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Family historians across the country, preparing for the inevitable cancellation of Thanksgiving this year, share seven ways to surround yourself with cherished activities to celebrate from afar to keep keep families together virtually.

The ScanMyPhotos.com poll of 100 family historians paints a grim picture this Fall, as Americans will radically change their behavior in light of the pandemic. While some will bend the rules, most families are predicted to stay at home, creating «virtual Thanksgiving» gatherings — but how?

«It’s likely that families and friends will prepare special activities for online participation, including online viewing parties, gaming, and eating together while apart. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that distant relatives will have equal footing with more local ones,» said Mitch Goldstone, CEO at ScanMyPhotos.com.

Learn what even those who aren’t tech-savvy can do to prepare for this upcoming season of togetherness, even when it will be spent apart. ScanMyPhotos.com is connected with families across the nation as their digital photo archivist service. The regular engagements with people who had their decades-past pictures scanned are the best group to ask what plans they have for the holidays.

The regular engagements with people who had their decades-past pictures scanned are the best group to ask what plans they have for the holidays.

As Americans swelter in the summer heat with masks on, thoughts of Fall aren’t far away. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving as we know it has been cancelled — but that may be a good thing. ScanMyPhotos polled 100 family historians for their perspective, and found that Americans are most likely to resort to virtual Thanksgiving gatherings. This could actually benefit more distant relatives, as they would be able to connect just like everyone else.

This human connection is difficult to blend. For example, it’s common for friends and family to connect during the Thanksgiving holiday, but there’s usually the awkward moment where someone uses Skype, FaceTime, Google Meet, or Zoom to connect while the rest of the family attempts to crowd around a phone.

This year, since more people will be stuck at home, the playing field is even. Everyone will be awkward. But it will allow relatives who might not usually be able to attend in person to attend the party. It could also provide welcome relief to elderly relatives in nursing homes.

If there’s another silver lining it’s that the entertainment possibilities will be posted online in real time. Saturday Night Live made the best of a quarantined season, as has the film industry with movies like Mulan going straight to online distribution in lieu of theatrical runs. It’s possible an army of YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram stars will be born in the isolation of this year’s Thanksgiving. Although the existing stars will no doubt capitalize on the moment as well, especially in lieu of this year’s live tour plans.

Because traditional Thanksgiving parties are canceled, there are ways to gather online for holiday reunions virtually. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time filled with family and joy. Often it is the only time during the year when the entire family gathers together.

7 Ways to Surround Yourself with Cherished Moments to Celebrate Thanksgiving From Afar

1) Visit Virtually, Online: Send invitations to your friends and the entire family to gather at a specific time during Thanksgiving for a virtual video call celebration while everyone is safe at home. «Zoom» live-action during your turkey dinner. Share stories. Watch and listen to the collective conversations to celebrate with your siblings, parents, distant relatives, and friends. Technology will unite and connect without ever leaving home. Make sure everyone understands how and when to log in.

2) Share Decades-Past Snapshots: Gather and digitize your old-school photos snapshots to reminisce and narrate the stories behind past Thanksgiving dinners and share the stories behind the memories when you cannot be together in person.

3) Select a Game For Everyone To Play: Jackbox is a gaming service that allows you to Facetime with your friends while playing virtual games.

4) Virtual Memory Wheel: Connects and gets everyone to engage. Become part of the story, while socially distancing. Have everyone select ten of their all-time most memorable pictures from past Thanksgivings and family gatherings. Share all the pictures online, and narrates the story behind the photos.

5) Smile, It is Family Photo Time: Take a family photo, complete with all virtual guests. Use a collage photo app to assemble each picture into a family keepsake and order photo gifts for everyone.

6) Guess Who? Cards: Have everyone submit two anonymous memes or message cards describing something excellent and unusual that happened to them in 2020. Add a third card with an aspiration for something they had hoped to do in 2020 but were unable to do. And one more identifying the best book, favorite TV show, movie, song, or event they enjoyed during the past 12 months. Then have everyone guess who wrote each Guess Who?

7) Prepare Before. Send a gift and traditional dessert before Thanksgiving. Mail matching bouquets and a favorite family dessert to all your guests to enjoy together during your interactive Zoom party.

Major retailers already announced they would close on Thanksgiving. Many others are doing without the traditional day after «Black Friday» sales as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Parades are not the only canceled tradition. Large Thanksgiving dinners are out too.

For those seeking an opt-out to escape family drama, the excuse why you cannot visit in person during Thanksgiving has already been made. No explanation is needed. Multi-generational families, separated by distance and time apart, can instead all gather together online.

Because traditional Thanksgiving parties are canceled, there are ways to gather online for holiday reunions virtually. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time filled with family and joy. Often it is the only time during the year when the entire family gathers together.

Background: ScanMyPhotos.com is a nationwide photo digitization service headquartered in Irvine, CA, and has preserved 600 million pictures.

 

SOURCE ScanMyPhotos.com

Looking to Address Truck Driver Shortage and Boost Ohio’s Economy, Roadmaster to Open New Training Facility

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Looking to address Ohio’s high unemployment rate and a shortage of truck drivers, Roadmaster Drivers School is ready to open a new training facility in Columbus, the state’s largest city. While Roadmaster has continually operated in Columbus since 1995, this new custom-built school will open its doors and have its first class on <span…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Looking to address Ohio’s high unemployment rate and a shortage of truck drivers, Roadmaster Drivers School is ready to open a new training facility in Columbus, the state’s largest city. While Roadmaster has continually operated in Columbus since 1995, this new custom-built school will open its doors and have its first class on Aug. 17. The 10,000-sq. ft. facility sits on 12 acres in the state capital and will be able to serve approximately 750 students each year.

Meanwhile, the Ohio State Senate is currently considering a bill that would increase training opportunities to meet Ohio’s growing demand for additional truck drivers. House Bill 222, which passed the Ohio House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support, would provide a tax credit for companies that invest in truck-driver training, equal to a total of one-half of the training expenses.(1) «Ohio legislators are to be commended for this timely and forward-looking initiative,» says Brad Ball, President of Roadmaster Drivers School. «New truckers are urgently needed in Ohio, and fortunately, job-seekers are responding; we are already seeing a significant upsurge of demand for training at our new facility in Columbus

Ball, whose company is nationally known for quality training of entry-level truck drivers, notes that demand for training has been growing for some time, due to pandemic-driven increases in unemployment. The jobless rate in Ohio, for example, which was at 4.1% in January of this year, rose to 17.6% in April.(2) The rate has dropped somewhat since then, but is still extremely high; more than 35,000 Ohioans filed new unemployment claims for the week ending July 11, with 429,000 filing claims for continued unemployment during the same period.(3) In this context, not just in Ohio but nationwide, says Ball, trucking stands out as an island of employment stability and opportunity.

Long before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Ball points out, there was a severe shortage of truck drivers(4), and the COVID-19 crisis has if anything increased the need for new drivers. As store closures and social distancing have made in-store shopping increasingly difficult, American consumers have turned to ecommerce. According to new research from Adobe Analytics, total U.S. online sales reached $73.2 billion in June, up 76.2% from June of 2019.(5)

To help manage the consequent surge in shipping and handling, Amazon alone has announced plans to hire 100,000 new employees, including drivers, for its U.S. warehouse and delivery operations.(6) And ecommerce is by no means the only area in which truck drivers are, and will continue to be, in high demand. Trucking, notes Ball, moves 71% of all freight shipped in America, and accounts for nearly 6% of all full-time jobs in the country(7).

The training required to enter the profession, he notes, is relatively brief, about four weeks. «Every day,» says Ball, «nationally and in our new facility in Columbus, we’re hearing from people who want to get off the layoff-and-furlough roller coaster and build a new, secure future for themselves.» Roadmaster is currently putting the finishing touches on its new facility in Columbus is opening in August.

About Roadmaster Drivers School:
Roadmaster, headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL, is a nationwide training organization for truckers. They have more than 25 years of experience training more than 150,000 graduates with 13 training locations nationwide. By focusing on giving students the best education and maintaining high job placement standards, Roadmaster has gained a national reputation in the trucking industry for quality training of entry-level commercial truck drivers—noted for their training practices to be the most hands-on and safety-focused training in the country. For more information, visit http://www.roadmaster.com.

1.    Hlavaty, Kaylyn. «House Passes Bill to Address Truck Driver Shortage in Ohio.» WEWS, 21 Feb. 2020, news5cleveland.com/news/democracy-2020/ohio-politics/house-passes-bill-to-address-truck-driver-shortage-in-ohio.
2.    «Ohio Economy at a Glance.» U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, bls.gov/eag/eag.oh.htm.
3.    Staff, 10TV Web. «More than 30,000 Jobless Claims Filed in Ohio Last Week.» 10tv.Com, WBNS, 4 June 2020, 10tv.com/article/news/local/ohio/more-12-million-ohioans-have-filed-unemployment-claims-last-11-weeks-2020-jun/530.
4.    Long, Heather. «Analysis | America Has a Massive Truck Driver Shortage. Here’s Why Few Want an $80,000 Job.» The Washington Post, 28 May 2018, washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/05/28/america-has-a-massive-truck-driver-shortage-heres-why-few-want-an-80000-job/.
5.    Evans, Katie, et al. «As Pandemic Pushes on, Online Sales Grow 76% in June.» Digital Commerce 360, 16 July 2020, digitalcommerce360.com/article/coronavirus-impact-online-retail/.
6.    Mattioli, Dana. «WSJ News Exclusive | Amazon to Hire 100,000 Warehouse and Delivery Workers Amid Coronavirus Shutdowns.» The Wall Street Journal, 17 Mar. 2020, wsj.com/articles/amazon-to-hire-100-000-warehouse-and-delivery-workers-amid-coronavirus-shutdowns-11584387833.
7.    «11 Incredible Facts about the $700 Billion US Trucking Industry | Markets Insider.» Business Insider, Business Insider, markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/trucking-industry-facts-us-truckers-2019-5-1028248577

 

SOURCE Roadmaster Driving School