With more than 50 million kids heading back to school this fall, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) and Honeywell (NYSE:HON) are urging parents, guardians and educators to start conversations about safety now. The KidSmartz™ program, a joint effort between NCMEC and Honeywell, is making those conversations easier with new animated videos to help elementary school students understand and remember the “Four Rules of Safety”
“A nine-year analysis by NCMEC of more than 9,000 attempted abductions revealed important patterns, including the fact that many attempts happen on the way to and from school,” said Linda Krieg, NCMEC acting CEO. “Safety is a year-round concern, but the analysis tells us that this time of year is a critical time to prepare our kids for potential dangers. KidSmartz equips teachers and parents with tools they need to help kids make smarter and safer decisions.”
NCMEC’s attempted abduction analysis revealed not only the tricks used by people trying to abduct kids but also the ways kids can get away. KidSmartz, which launched last year as part of more than ten years of partnership between NCMEC and Honeywell, uses classroom activities, role-playing, animated videos and a “Safety Dance” song and dance to teach children in grades K-5 the “Four Rules of Safety.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7616251-ncmec-honeywell-kidsmartz-back-to-school/
XQ Institute is launching XQ: The Super School Project, a challenge to reimagine and design the next American high school. Harnessing the best of American ingenuity in cities and towns across the country, XQ aims to help spark a movement to rethink the American high school—an institution that was designed to meet the needs of the Industrial Revolution and hasn’t changed in more than a century.
“Our nation is radically different than it was 100 years ago. Nearly every aspect of our daily lives—from how we communicate to how we work and play—has changed dramatically,” said Laurene Powell Jobs, Chair of the board of XQ Institute. “But our high schools have stayed frozen in time. Together, we have an opportunity to help fuel a movement for students, to inspire great high schools, and even to rethink school itself. Our passion at XQ is to help educators everywhere foster students who are curious, engaged, and creative—armed with the new literacies, knowledge, and skills needed to thrive,” she added. “To do that, we must use our collective imagination.”
From the Model T to the Tesla and the switchboard to the smart phone—everything has changed except for how we prepare our kids for the future. XQ: The Super School Project is a rallying call to America to change the outdated model that has failed to prepare our students for the demands of the global economy, and an open call to every community to rethink high school for today and tomorrow. XQ Institute will provide a fund of $50 million to support at least five selected schools over the next five years. It will also partner with them to provide expert support and guidance to turn their ideas into real Super Schools that can inspire the country.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7611851-xq-institute-super-school-project/
iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), the leader in delivering robotic technology-based solutions, today announced the Roomba 980 vacuum cleaning robot – iRobot’s most capable and best cleaning robotic vacuum to date. Roomba 980 is the first Roomba to combine adaptive navigation with visual localization, cloud connected app control, and increased cleaning power on carpets, helping people to keep cleaner floors throughout the entire home at the push of a button.
“With more than 14 million robots in people’s homes worldwide, iRobot is the global leader in automated home cleaning,” said Colin Angle, chairman and chief executive officer of iRobot. “Roomba 980 is the next big step as it marks iRobot’s first cloud connected product with mapping capabilities for the consumer market. Leveraging the cloud and mapping technologies, robots gain a better understanding of their environment, and customers are provided with more control. Looking ahead, these technologies will also enable expanded capabilities for connected robots in the smart home.”
“Vacuum cleaning robots can’t rely on any one feature or technology to clean effectively,” said Christian Cerda, executive vice president and general manager of iRobot’s Home Robots business unit. “Vacuum performance, efficient navigation, adapting to ever-changing environments and cleaning under furniture where dirt is hiding are all important factors, and they must be balanced. Roomba 980 takes this into account to deliver convenient, customized, powerful cleaning assistance, each and every day.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7625951-irobot-roomba-980-vacuum-cleaning-robot/
As more than 2 million freshman head off to college, they enter one of the most dangerous times for harmful and underage student drinking—the first six weeks of their first year. And while there are numerous options available to address student drinking -- they are not all equally effective.
WHAT: The NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism will hold a press briefing to announce the CollegeAIM (Alcohol Intervention Matrix) guide and website – the centerpiece of which is a new comprehensive and easy-to-use tool that will help inform decisions about alcohol interventions and guide college staff to science-based strategies.
Developed with input from leading alcohol researchers and college staff, CollegeAIM is distinctive because of the number and expertise of its contributors, the breadth of research covered by its analysis, and its user-friendly format.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7587851-niaaa-collegeaim-alcohol-intervention/
What does it look like to really live a full life – one that enriches and satisfies, that provides happiness and enables achievement? Abbott is talking to one million people worldwide to find out. And the answers aren’t as simple as you would think.
Does living fully look the same to an accountant in Shanghai as it does to an architect in New Delhi or a street artist in São Paulo? What about a factory worker in Detroit or a new mother in Berlin? In today’s hyperconnected world that is pulling us together in so many ways, how do our cultural differences, life experiences and personalities influence what it means to live a full life?
Early in this quest we’re seeing preliminary trends, like the role health plays in a full life in Shanghai and the importance of family in New York. We’ll have to see if this is confirmed as we go global with our research. The one thing that is becoming apparent is just how personal it gets when we talk to people about life.
This global quest is at the heart of what our company does—finding answers that have helped people live healthier, better lives for more than 125 years.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7611051-abbott-live-fully/
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) today announced it has committed $28.6 million in new research investment to advance the most promising blood cancer science at leading academic and medical institutions around the world, including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College and MD Anderson Cancer Center. As LLS leads the charge to find cures for cancer patients, this new funding, along with ongoing investment in LLS’s aggressive research agenda, brings LLS’s total commitment to blood cancer research to more than $1 billion. The investment has led to the development of nearly every therapy currently used to treat the blood cancers.
Along with these new research grants, LLS remains committed to collaborating with biotechnology companies through its innovative Therapy Acceleration Program® (TAP), a model pioneered by LLS in the cancer arena in recognition that traditional research approaches weren’t yielding treatments and cures fast enough for patients. LLS commits approximately $13 million a year to its TAP initiatives. As part of the 24 current such collaborations, LLS recently initiated new investments with Kite Pharma and OncoPep.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7554852-lls-cancer-research-funding/
Last night Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) named Whitney Stewart National Youth of the Year in a ceremony held at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. She accepted the honor before an audience that included members of Congress and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) partners and supporters, including National Spokesperson and Club alum Denzel Washington.
Youth of the Year is BGCA's premier recognition program for Club teens and the National Youth of the Year title is the highest honor a Club member can receive, representing the voice of four million Club youth. For nearly 70 years, the Youth of the Year program has recognized young people for their outstanding leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle. The Youth of the Year program is presented by Disney with support from signature partner Toyota. Along with additional partners Taco Bell Foundation and University of Phoenix, the National Youth of the Year will receive $145,000 in academic scholarships, as well as a trip to Disney World and a brand new Toyota vehicle. This year Youth of the Year will award more than $1 million in scholarships to Club teens.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7640151-bgca-national-youth-of-the-year/
Boys, Girls, Clubs, America, Youth of the Year, Denzel Washington, program, Disney, children, mentor, MultiVu, MultiVu 7640151
Next spring, 3.3 million students will graduate from high schools in the United States. But according to new research data, many of these students don’t have the resources and information they need to make the jump from high school to college.
Today, the Ad Council, Viacom and Get Schooled launched a new series of public service announcements (PSAs) to encourage students to seek out the information they need to apply to and succeed at college. The new PSAs urge teens nationwide to visit GetSchooled.com to access the free college preparation tools, information and activities to help guide them through the application and financial aid process.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7648051-ad-council-college-access/
November is National Family Caregivers Month and AARP is launching a national campaign to bring awareness to the important role that family caregivers play in the lives of their loved ones. AARP's Random Acts of Kindness for Caregivers contest will begin on October 15 with the goal of encouraging people to recognize and reward caregivers - many of whom spend 18 hours per week providing care like bathing, dressing, preparing meals, administering medications, driving to doctor visits or paying bills - in small but meaningful ways.
“Caregiving may be one of the greatest expressions of love and it's woven into the lives of one in six adults,” says AARP Family and Caregiving Expert Amy Goyer, author of the new book Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving. “A staggering 40 million family caregivers provide support for loved ones and, as a caregiver myself, I know that the smallest acts of kindness - like holding a door for someone pushing a wheelchair, surprising them with flowers, or even taking a caregiver's dog for a walk - can be memorable moments in the life of a caregiver.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7607231-aarp-caregivers/
Toys“R”Us® today announced the launch of its annual nationwide fundraising campaign to benefit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Now through Sunday, December 6, customers can spread holiday joy to some of the 15.5 million U.S. children living in poverty by donating new, unwrapped toys at any Toys“R”Us or Babies“R”Us® store across the country and online at http://www.Toysrus.com/ToysforTots. The company will also collect monetary donations in-store and online through Christmas Eve.
NBA Legend, philanthropist and entrepreneur, Shaquille O’Neal once again joins the company’s campaign as his alter ego Shaq-A-Claus, to encourage shoppers to donate to Toys for Tots. Throughout the campaign, Shaquille will also invite social media users to #PlayItForward, an initiative designed to further spread awareness of the millions of children living in poverty and to inspire families to donate to the cause.
“Making wishes come true around the holidays is especially important to me, as I know how much one toy and one act of kindness can matter. When I was a kid, I was given my very own Dr. J autographed basketball, inspiring me to believe I could grow up to be a basketball star,” said Shaquille O’Neal. “For years, I would shop for presents at Toys“R”Us and distribute them to underprivileged children on Christmas morning. Now, in partnership with Toys“R”Us and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, I’m making it my mission as Shaq-A-Claus to give back and spread holiday cheer to the millions of needy kids in the U.S. I encourage everyone to join me this year and remember – every toy counts!”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7476351-toys-r-us-toys-for-tots-playitforward/
New Orleans is one of the country’s most culturally, architecturally, and musically interesting cities. It will serve as the picturesque backdrop for Team Challenge, the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America’s (CCFA) endurance training and fundraising program, to take over the city on February 28, 2016 for the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon, Half Marathon & 10k.
For the first time ever, Team Challenge is recruiting for participants to run through the Big Easy while raising critical funds and awareness of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Collectively known as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are painful, medically incurable diseases that attack the digestive system. There are more than 1.6 million Americans living with these chronic, debilitating diseases.
“Team Challenge provides people with an opportunity to raise critical research dollars while training to do something that, for many people, they never imagined they’d be able to do,” said Craig Comins, vice president of Team Challenge. “It is inspiring to see a group of people come together, some who have these diseases and some who do not, united in the mission of finding a cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7512652-ccfa-team-challenge-recruit-nola/
Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County is in the midst of unprecedented economic development, with new research revealing an influx of affluent visitors as the driving force behind new travel and hospitality-related construction and investment.
The average annual income of domestic travelers to the destination has reached $112,563 – almost 25% higher than the national average, according to a comprehensive analysis of the domestic travel market in the United States by research firm D. K. Shifflet & Associates Ltd., commissioned by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.
That is a dramatic 15.5% increase from the destination’s average in 2012 of $97,517, placing Greater Fort Lauderdale among the top leisure destinations in the U.S., and well above the national average visitor income of $90,591.
This increasing appeal to affluent travelers has led to a record-breaking 14.3 million tourists spending $11.4 billion annually in the destination, which is situated along Florida’s famed Atlantic Ocean coastline between Miami and Palm Beach.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7640751-greater-fort-lauderdale-development-boom/