Category: Education

National Parents as Teachers Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

National Parents as Teachers Day is today. Observed annually on November 8th since 2001, it was originally put forth by The Parents as Teachers Centre in Missouri in the 1970s; Missouri educators had witnessed children starting kindergarten with various levels of school readiness in correlation to their parental involvement. Now, National Parents as Teachers Day recognizes the parent educators as well as the organizations that offer parents’ education services across the country. During this trying time, existing amongst the global pandemic, more parents than ever are fulfilling the role of parent and teacher for their children. Parent educators give parents of young children support and information so all children can learn, grow, and develop to realize their full potential. 

Book Lovers’ Day

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Book Lovers Day has been observed annually on the first Saturday of November which falls on November 7th this year! Additionally, the holiday is celebrated annually on August 9th. Books are so good, they get double the love!

Read some fun facts about reading and books below!

  • Children learn 4-12 thousand new words each year through reading (on average). 
  • One tree can produce approximately 50 books.
  • In the USA, 57 books are purchased per second on average.
  • Reading helps reduce stress, keeps the brain sharp, can aid in sleep, and increases empathy. 

Cane Syrup Saturday!

Debbie Roney Smith on

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Maphis Nursery & Tree Farm in Chipley is hosting a FREE event this Saturday, November 7th.

Appropriate for all ages, this special, one-time event will show you and your family how cane syrup was made in the old days. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can chew some cane, drink the juice, help feed the mill, and more! Additionally, there will be cane syrup available for purchase after the tour AND you can explore the nursery and gift shop for more goodies! 

Visit their Facebook event page for more information: click HERE!

National Stress Awareness Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

National Stress Awareness Day is run by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA), and is held annually on November 4th. 

So what exactly is stress? Stress is your body’s reaction to pressure from a certain situation or event. It can be a physical, mental, or emotional reaction. It can be incredibly debilitating to deal with any kind of stress on a regular basis. The goal of this annual day of awareness is to raise awareness of stress, its impact, reduce stigma, and promote the importance of well-being and stress reduction for individuals and organizations.

Looking for more information? Try this site to begin your search: CLICK HERE!

Reminder: Daylight Saving Time Ends

Debbie Roney Smith on

Daylight saving time ends this Sunday, November 1 at 2 AM! Clocks will fall back one hour to 1 AM, which means you get an extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning – a great way to start the month. 

The only state not affected by the end of Daylight Saving Time in Hawaii which has never observed daylight saving. This is because the island state is farther south and therefore close enough to the equator that there is no significant difference in sunrise and sunset times across the year. Additionally, some areas of Arizona might now follow the fallback. 

Daylight Saving Time essentially shifts an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening so the end of DST adds an hour to the beginning of the day instead of the end. Implemented as a measure to conserve energy but research clearly states that any conservation is negated by increased energy usage in the morning. 

Fun fact: the addition of an hour to either morning or evening, aka the switch, is always done on the weekend to limit the amount of potential disruption. Additional fun fact: this year, the reversal of DST falls on the night of Halloween, something that will not happen again until 2026! 

Halloween Fun Facts!

Debbie Roney Smith on

Happy Halloween everyone! How much do you know about the history of the now 2nd-highest grossing holiday in the U.S.A.?

Check out 3 fun facts about Halloween below!

  1. The infamous movie Halloween (1978) used the cheapest mask available for the character of Michael Meyers because they had a very tight budget. It was a William Shatner Star Trek mask! Do you think they look alike? Must have been an incredibly cheap mask!!! 
    Michael Myers, 1978
    Captain Kirk, Shatner’s character on Star Trek
  2. Trick-or-treating is a devolvement of an ancient Celtic tradition; treats and food were put out to placate spirits who roamed the streets at Samhain, a sacred festival that marked the end of the year. That’s why trick-or-treaters now go door-to-door in search of candy! 
  3. Jack O’Lanterns were originally made from turnips, not pumpkins!

Trick-or-Treat: Safety Tips

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Amidst the current pandemic, many cities and towns are canceling Halloween celebrations. If you’re in an area that is allowing festivities and feel comfortable being out-and-about, follow the suggestions listed below to keep you, your family, and your community safe during celebrations:

  • The safest way to handle Halloween festivities falls in line with the best practices for COVID-19 — wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and wash hands often.
  • No loose candy; only sealed packages of sweets so that each piece of candy is individually wrapped.
  • Avoid indoor and/or close-quarters events like house parties, haunted houses, school dances, and even hayrides.
  • Consider holding a trick-or-treating event at home for your kids; create a scavenger hunt around the yard, lead them from bedroom-to-bedroom, watch movies, or carve pumpkins. 

20:20:20 in 2020: Internet Meme Debunked

Debbie Roney Smith on

If you spend any time on social media, it’s likely that you’ve seen the post below (or some variation of it) in the last few days:

This blog is sad to report that this is FAKE NEWS! The original post (click here to see Psychedelic Hillbilly’s original Facebook post) has received tens of thousands of shares on social media, and goes to show the very real danger presented by misinformation. In the United States, 20:20:20 represents 8:20 PM in military time. For most countries outside the U.S., the 24-hour clock is the standard way to tell time, so it’s likely that U.S. citizens unfamiliarity with the system explains the widespread unawareness that this chronological phenomenon will actually occur every night of 2020. Actually, since it’s a Leap Year, it will occur 366 times in 2020! 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day

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Indigenous Peoples’ Day is an opportunity to celebrate and remember the indigenous populations that protected and cultivated the lands the United States is blessed to have prior to their mass genocide and colonization. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2010, approximately 5.2 million people in the U.S. identified as Indigenous American and Alaskan Native, either alone or in combination with one or more other races. Currently, there are over 600 Native Nations in the U.S. It is an important day meant to recognize the achievements and contributions indigenous people have and continue to make to improve world issues; for example, many distinct tribes, nations, and peoples’ are working hard for environmental protection.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day has grown to an international level, and now works to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous people. The first International Day of the World’s Indigenous People was observed in Geneva in 1982 by the UN. In the U.S., the following states officially celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Alabama, Alaska, District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin! Want to learn more about Indigenous Peoples’ Day? Explore the brief list of resources below:

ToolBank: A Response to Hurricane Michael (2018)

Debbie Roney Smith on

Two years after the devastation left behind Hurricane Michael, there is a non-profit stepping forward to help areas in the immediate area recover from disasters. The non-profit works out of Atlanta, and is called ToolBank! Currently, they are working to set up a shop in Panama City. How exactly does ToolBank work to help disaster areas recover from natural disasters like Hurricane Michael? They loan out tools needed to help with cleanup projects like chainsaws, drills, hammers, and shovels – all items that are in high demand after devastating events. Sponsored by UPS and Home Depot, ToolBank plans to provide relief in a 100-mile radius of their upcoming facility in Panama City.

ToolBank Disaster Services Program Manager Bill Hess can be contacted at bill.hess@toolbank.org or visit their Facebook page HERE for more information!