Weekly Media Roundup - March 27, 2013

“Two Tazewell County Sheriff’s deputies took students of the after school program at North Tazewell Elementary School by Storm ... and by Evo ... Friday afternoon as two Tazewell County sheriff’s deputies and their K9 partners demonstrated their combined talents for detecting drugs and following commands,” the Bluefield Daily Telegraph reports. Officers explained how and why they use Evo and other dogs to help detect drugs and answered questions from students.

“Mr. Science” paid a visit to the afterschool students at James A. Cawood Elementary School’s 21^st Century Community Learning Center this week to showcase some hands-on experiments. Using toilet paper and a leaf blower “Mr. Science” explained flight and used household ingredients to teach students about electricity. Fifth-grader Elizabeth Inman told the Harlan Daily Enterprise, “He is so much fun. He teaches us about erosion, balance, good structure, how water moves and how air pushes things. He shows us how things work instead of talking about it or reading it in a book. He shows us detail.”  “Mr. Science” is an award-winning science educator and author Jason Lindsey of Paducah. 

 

In response to the investigation fraud allegations at some of Florida’s private tutoring firms, Florida Afterschool Network CEO Larry Pintacuda argues that allocating funds for high-quality afterschool programs could be a better way to spend state funds. In the Tallahassee Democrat he writes: “While tutoring can be a powerful tool for many children, quality after-school programs provide opportunities that not only support children’s cognitive development, but their physical, social and emotional development as well… Children attending quality after-school programs attend school more regularly, perform better on tests, have fewer behavioral problems and are less likely to use tobacco, alcohol or drugs. Quality after-school programs also provide a safe, nurturing environment that decreases the likelihood that children will become victims or perpetrators of criminal activity.”

 

Last week, 150 T-Mobile employees and city workers volunteered and painted and refurbished the Mission Boys & Girls Club. Volunteers painted murals of trees, athletes, spaceships, stars and more on the walls of the club, landscaped and added planters, organized the library, and moved in new furniture. T-Mobile donated a 50-inch TV, a couch, chairs, rugs and food machines as a part of its Huddle Up program, which works with afterschool programs in high-need areas, The Monitor reports. The activity was coordinated through the Corpsgiving program which helps companies volunteer in their communities.