(NewsUSA) - The upcoming school year will be like nothing teachers, students, and families have ever experienced, as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic steers school systems to embrace online learning and incorporate it in new ways.<br /> <br /> However, school systems across the country are rising to the challenge and staying connected to their students with dynamic digital resources, such as those from Discovery Education.<br /> <br /> Since the beginning of the pandemic, school systems across the country have invested in digital services like Discovery Education Experience because they support students' education at home, in the classroom or wherever learning is taking place.<br /> <br /> Experience - Discovery Education's flexible K-12 learning platform - connects educators to a vast collection of compelling high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, and professional learning resources. Together, these resources give educators everything they need to facilitate instruction in any learning environment and create lasting educational impact.<br /> <br /> "Discovery Education is committed to keeping students and teachers connected to learning at home or in school," says Scott Kinney, Discovery Education's president of K-12 Education.<br /> <br /> "To accomplish that, we partner with school systems to provide students and teachers the digital resources - such as Discovery Education Experienc - they need for success during this school year and beyond."<br /> <br /> In addition, to providing school systems digital resources Discovery Education provides teachers the professional development they need to use new technologies and maximize their school district's technology investment.<br /> <br /> Discovery Education has a long history as a global leader in digital curricula that align with the current standards for K-12 education, and their products include digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and professional learning for educators.<br /> <br /> Visit discoveryeducation.com for more information about the company's resources, and visit <a target='_blank' href="https://www.discoveryeducation.com/district-partners">https://www.discoveryeducation.com/district-partners</a> to determine whether your local school district is making Discovery Education materials available to their students for the upcoming school year.<br /> <br /> Ref: Colleges - in Blogs

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(NewsUSA) - Sometimes we're so caught up in all the pro sports stars whose lives have been wrecked by misusing prescription painkillers that we forget the problem extends down to the amateur level.<br /> <br /> And, yes, that does mean college and even high-school sports.<br /> <br /> At least one study put the number of college student athletes who've used prescription medications to enhance their performance at as high as 53.3 percent. And another recent study on high school athletes, published online in the Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, reported that 12 percent of male seniors and 8 percent of female seniors admitted to abusing painkillers.<br /> <br /> To former ESPN.com columnist Gregg Easterbrook -- who wrote about painkillers in his book "The King of Sports: Football's Impact on America -- it's no surprise that the largest percentage of those young abusers play football.<br /> <br /> "Youth and high-school players see an example that appears to be of men so tough, they laugh at pain," he wrote. "The message sent is that young players should use their own bodies recklessly."<br /> <br /> So what's a concerned parent to do?<br /> <br /> Well, if your child is experiencing neuro-musculoskeletal-related pain from playing sports-- spinal pain, say, from too many tackles or strained soccer kicks --first know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last March began urging physicians to avoid prescribing opioids for chronic pain in response to a record high 28,647 deaths involving the highly addictive drugs in 2014.<br /> <br /> Know, too, that the most popular non-pharmacologic alternative to routine care is drug-free chiropractic care.<br /> <br /> "Doctors of chiropractic play a key role in sports health care by providing hands-on care that help improve range of motion, flexibility, muscle strength, and other key performance factors," notes the not-for-profit Foundation for Chiropractic Progress' Sherry McAllister.<br /> <br /> Ref: Exercise - in Blogs

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(NewsUSA) - Americans may read thrillers and watch adventure movies, but their days aren't exactly fueled by pure adrenaline. They work, drive the kids to soccer practice, eat dinner, watch HBO -- but those with a handheld GPS can satisfy their thirst for adventure through modern day treasure hunts, or geocaching.<br /> <br /> Geocaching is a global treasure-hunting game. Someone hides an item, uses a GPS to determine its coordinates, and then posts the information online. Geocache-seekers then use their own GPS units to track down the geocache, usually a box or a small item and a logbook.<br /> <br /> The game sounds deceptively simple. While geocachers know the items' coordinates, reaching them might require a workout -- some locations require hiking and climbing, for example. Also, GPS units only take geocachers within 10 to 15 feet of the geocache, which is hidden to avoid accidental discovery by "Muggles" -; those uninitiated in the ways of geocaching.<br /> <br /> Geocaching.com, the largest Web site for geocachers to announce new geocaches and log their successes, lists over 1,000,000 geocaches in over 200 countries.<br /> <br /> The game has become so popular that GPS manufacturers are starting to design handheld GPS units specifically for geocaching. For example, the Magellan eXplorist GC (www.magellangps.com) includes a seamless connection to geocaching.com, a sunlight-readable color screen and a simple user interface to make geocaching a breeze. The unit is waterproof and comes pre-loaded with the coordinates of the most popular geocaches in the world. The GPS chipset promises 3-meter accuracy.<br /> <br /> Of course, the eXplorist GC also comes with standard outdoor features, including waypoint creation, a worldwide basemap, active tracking and a trip odometer.<br /> <br /> When geocachers find a geocache, they write their name in the logbook or exchange one of the items in the cache for one of equal value. Then they put the cache back in its original location, so other treasure-seekers can enjoy the thrill of the chase and, perhaps, discover a place previously unknown to them.<br /> <br /> For more information about the eXplorist GC, visit www.magellangps.com/eXploristGC/.<br /> <br /> Ref: Hiking - in Blogs

(NewsUSA) - More businesses and countries worldwide are embracing digital payments as a way to make e-commerce more efficient and create a smoother transaction experience for consumers.<br /> <br /> Digital wallets, such as uBUCK, offer a dollar-backed stable token built on Waves blockchain technology, one of the fastest blockchains available. uBUCK's technology allows for the management of both digital and traditional currency, and both online and offline purchasing power.<br /> <br /> "Piloted by an all-star management team, uBUCK is looking beyond carving out a niche to become a disruptive player in this ever-changing payments industry," according to the company's website.<br /> <br /> The uBUCK digital wallet allows for instant transfers of funds, and unlike some digital wallets, uBUCK is not limited to the United States. Transfers can occur globally, with no transfer fees and no cost to the end user.<br /> <br /> The elimination of transfer fees is one of uBUCK's strongest selling points, as it is an option for those who don't have traditional bank accounts, such as migrant workers looking to send money home, or for anyone else, such as parents sending money to kids at college who want to avoid the additional fees associated with some financial transfers.<br /> <br /> Users of uBUCK can transfer funds, make online purchases, or withdraw cash at an ATM, although reports on digital wallet use suggest that the expanded technology may ultimately replace the need for bank branches and ATMs.<br /> <br /> Sending money with uBUCK is a simple, four-step process:<br /> <br /> * Buy the voucher. Users download the uBUCK app and purchase a voucher.<br /> <br /> * Buy uBUCK cash. Users redeem a PIN to purchase uBUCK cash.<br /> <br /> * Select recipient. Users without a uBUCK account will be invited to the app via email.<br /> <br /> * Send payment. Users can then enter the payment amount, send, and confirm.<br /> <br /> "Our mission is to put honesty, transparency, and trust back into software," according to Ashik Karim, CEO of LiteLink Technologies, the parent company of uBUCK Technologies. LiteLink was recently featured in a Forbes magazine article, "10 Blockchain Companies to Watch in 2019."<br /> <br /> LiteLink is publicly traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange and OTC Markets. Their symbols are CSE:LLT and OTC:LLNKF.<br /> <br /> Ref: Electronics - in Blogs

(NewsUSA) - When Jess Michaels isn't obsessively checking her steps on FitBit or watching daytime Court TV, she's a best-selling author who writes historical romances with heroines who speak their mind.<br /> <br /> Her first foray into publishing began, as many picture the life of an author, with a traditional publishing deal. But after releasing a few books, Michaels decided to turn down an additional deal and try self-publishing.<br /> <br /> "I'd begun developing an audience for my books and wanted to try something different. Authors I respected had success and greater control over their work with self-publishing, so I was eager to try it for myself," says Michaels.<br /> <br /> She mastered it quickly and decided to go "strictly indie" in 2015, using Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) service to publish in both eBook and print. Since her decision to self-publish, she has been on the USA bestseller list ten times. Her husband quit his job at a large technology company and now works with Michaels to run their publishing company.<br /> <br /> "I wanted more control over not just the creative writing, but also the marketing strategy, cover art, and other business aspects of publishing. I grew frustrated being unable to make these decisions going the traditional publishing route," she says. "I'm both a writer and entrepreneur, and I'm enjoying more creative and financial rewards than I ever have."<br /> <br /> For Michaels, who says the initial idea of going indie was "taking a leap off a cliff and hoping you can fly before you crash," the resulting benefits have exceeded her expectations.<br /> <br /> For those authors wrestling with the idea of self-publishing, consider this:<br /> <br /> - Creative control. Self-publishing a book allows authors to build characters and stories exactly the way they want and, ultimately, retain full rights to their original material. A book that has been nursed from inception to novel remains yours.<br /> <br /> - Get to market fast. Once a book is ready, self-publishing services, such as KDP, guide authors through setting up their books and getting them in the hands of readers in just a matter of days.<br /> <br /> - Make more money. Authors who opt to self-publish can set their own prices and take home a higher percentage of royalties.<br /> <br /> While a self-published author serves as his or her own marketing department, indie publishers make marketing simple and effective. Self-publishing companies, such as Amazon, also offer authors additional promotional opportunities to make their work available to more readers.<br /> <br /> Many authors find support through writers' groups online, such as Facebook groups, or in-person by attending workshops and writers' conferences. Most cities have local writing groups that meet regularly. These meetings can provide constructive criticism of your work and other resources.<br /> <br /> "I fell into self-publishing by accident, and found that connecting with other authors and joining a local writers' organization helped me improve my technique and career tremendously," says self-published science fiction and fantasy author T.S. Paul. "When sales of my novels began to take off, I began working with freelancers and a virtual assistant, also, to grow the community around me."<br /> <br /> Regardless of whether a writer is interested in romance, mystery, fantasy, or biographies, self-publishing with services such as KDP can empower them to pursue their dreams, especially if they're willing to study the business side of publishing as well as Jess Michaels did.<br /> <br /> Who knows? Maybe the best seller list is closer than you think.<br /> <br /> For more information, visit <a target='_blank' href="https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/.">https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/.</a><br /> <br /> Ref: Books - in Blogs

Just me writing my little story! It's a coming of age story about a girl graduating from high school and not being sure where to go from there. Her family and friends help her out with a little bit of chaos and a lot of luck! <br /><br />“T! Can I borrow your notes for French?” Hailey fluttered her eyelashes at me and gave me her most winning smile, knowing that my notes were at least twenty times better than hers. I rolled my eyes and reached for my bag. I was ready for the French exam later, it was on my study schedule to be way beyond prepared. I started studying months ago so that I could get all of my sleeping in. Of course, Hailey almost never sleeps. <br />“Oh my gosh, girlie hand them over,” speaking of not sleeping, Evelyn had just walked over and was holding her hand out to me. I’m not sure how Evelyn ever slept, since she ran with me every morning at 5 am and she was on every sports team that she could fit into her schedule, plus some advanced classes. <br />“Hey, hey, no! I asked first!” Hailey gave a pouty look, her lip out and her eyes big. With her tiny frame and overly stunning blue eyes she looked adorable, but I knew that Evelyn probably needed the notes more. She struggled with French, and Hailey had had me and Cardan there to help her all year. Evelyn and I had only become friends a couple of months ago, despite having run the same route together everyday for the past four years. <br />I shoot Hailey a sympathetic smile and pull out my red notebook with Iron Man stickers coating it and hand it to Evelyn.<br />“Eek! You’re the best!” She planted a kiss on my cheek, which earned me a jokingly jealous look from Hails. Honestly, I couldn’t blame her either. With her perfectly clear brown skin and her hair always done up in some sort of cute braids, Evelyn was one of the prettiest girls in our grade. Of course, she was also a sweetheart and therefore sat down on the couch next to Hailey so that they could review together. Hailey started chattering with Evelyn about something or another as I closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep. <br /><br />“Pencils down!” Madame Saker’s yell startled me awake and I heard a small, stifled chuckle from Cardan, who was sitting next to me. I wiped the little bit of drool off of my face and shot him a quick glare, but by the time I looked over, he was already staring at his exam again, his lower lip firmly stuck between his teeth. Honestly, at this point it’s a miracle that he still has lips with how often he gnaws on those things. We start passing our tests forward and I toss my pencil onto his desk to get his attention. When Cardan looks over at me, his brow is furrowed and he looks moments from a panic attack. I throw him a thumbs up and a questioning face and he gives a despairing shrug. Cardan is actually one of the smartest kids in our grade, but he never believes he did well on literally anything. I know that the five seconds between our tests getting to her and Madame dismissing us could be vital to Cardan’s mental state, so I reach over and grab his hand. It’s shaking, but he intertwines his fingers with mine and takes a breath deep enough that people across the world could have seen it. He squeezes my hand right as Madame calls that we can leave. The bell won’t ring today because it “disturbs the mind of a studying student”. Basically, the headmaster thinks that anyone who is currently studying and not in an exam will be startled really badly by the bell, even though we are all expecting it. <br />Cardan releases my hand with a small smile and grabs his bag. No one else in the room has theirs except for Hailey who is already pulling out her dance notebook. I grab my pencil from Cardan’s desk and tuck it into my ponytail as I walk over to Hails, Cardan trailing behind me. <br />“So, T, how did you do? Cause I think that I messed up the conjugation of être on the fifth question, but it was a fill in the blank, and if that’s all I messed up, we’re totally fine… Do you think that I could run tendus twice today without some of the younger kids getting annoyed? It really helps their turnout, but they also complain sometimes…” Her tongue appears between her teeth as she scribbles in her notebook, completely lost to the rest of us now. Cardan and I exchange an eye roll over her head. Surprisingly easy, considering that she stopped growing in like fourth grade at 4’ 10”. <br />“Thanks for the notes Tiana, they really helped!” Evelyn bumps my shoulder lightly as she walks past and I wave goodbye to her before placing a gentle hand on Hailey’s back and scooping up her bag, steering her in the direction of the common room. She continues mumbling under her breath as Cardan pulls out a book and follows behind us, already lost to the world as well. <br />By the time we reach the common room, I’ve had to steer the two of them to avoid five different people rushing around and at least three people who tried to talk to them about the exams we’ve taken. Of course, neither of them know this, and both collapse on a couch to continue what they were doing, giving me the room to climb between them and take a nap with my head on Cardan’s lap and feet on Hailey’s. <br /><br />It’s Hailey who wakes me up about an hour later in order to remind me that we need to change for the parties later tonight. Since we’re seniors, we kind of get a free pass to go to every single end-of-year party, and Hailey is also friends with everyone, so she has people to see at all of them. Cardan takes this as his cue to leave, and kisses both of us on the forehead before heading upstairs to his room. He’s probably packing up his cat’s supplies for the trip home tomorrow. I’ll have to leave hails at some point tonight to check up on him before he gets too in his head about going home. <br />“So, what are we thinking? I know that the soccer girls always wear their jerseys, but like cropped or bedazzled or whatever you guys do to them, but I don’t think that you can wear that to every party… Or maybe we could stop back here and change between that and other parties. Well, I wouldn’t want people at the parties to notice you changed, since that might be a little weird. Oh! Can you do my hair for tonight? I can’t just wear it in a ballet bun like usual, since that is what I do all the time. Oh my gosh! Did I send out the message to remind the kids that classes are canceled tonight?” Hailey continued rambling, thankfully remembering that she did actually send out the reminder, several of them actually, as I steered her to our bedroom. She flopped back on my bed, still talking, as I slipped out of my leggings and tank top and into a pair of ripped skinny jeans with my purple and red jersey that Hailey had stitched into a crop top and bedazzled the number 8 on the back. She was still talking as I shoved my clothes in my laundry hamper, so I grabbed one of her decorative pillows that was on the floor and threw it at her. <br />“What?” Hails sat up, and finally looked at me, a cute blush coloring her cheeks as she realized I was already changed. “Are you gonna take that pencil out for the party?” That was her only verbal acknowledgement of my clothes change as she headed over to her closet and grabbed a cute purple dress and white ballet slippers, slipping in for five seconds before coming out already changed. <br />“Hair?” She threw me another dazzling smile before plopping back on my bed. I grabbed my hairbrush from its place on the dresser and climbed on the bed behind her, listening to her ramble about everyone’s summer plans and pretending that it was okay that I had absolutely no clue what I was planning to do once summer ended. I had no college plans, no job plans, nothing prepared for my life. <br />“Done!” I finally said, cutting Hailey off a little, but she barely noticed as she pranced to the mirror to look at her wraparound braid. <br />“You’re an angel! Thank you!” Hails ran back and kissed my cheek before grabbing earrings off of the mess on her dresser and sliding them in as I pulled out my phone. I had a text from Cardan asking if I was done with the book he lent me and double checking the dates I was staying with him, a text from Evelyn that was just a picture of her jersey that she had cut holes into the side of and made slimmer around the waist to fit her, and a few texts in the soccer group chat about who was bringing what. I ignored the group chat, sent Evelyn a thumbs up and a selfie and shot a quick reassuring text (or seven) to Cardan before tossing my phone down and shrieking when I found Hailey standing an inch from my face. <br />“Ready?”<br />“You’re a pain,” I mumbled as I stood up, reaching for my phone again and tucking it in my back pocket. “Let’s go.”<br />“YAY!” Hailey pranced from the room, leading me to the first party of the end of my high school life.