text:
The judge told the graduates how he and his family fled Laos after the Vietnam War with nothing but "the clothes on (their) backs." After escaping their country, they spent four years in a cramped, impoverished refugee camp in Thailand, "hunting mice and rats" to survive.
He said women were raped, and refugees were frequently beaten by cruel, merciless guards. "Somehow we survived, persevered that ordeal," Lo recalled.
When Lo and his family came to the U.S. in 1979, he didn't speak any English, and felt "stupid, ashamed and out of place" because he had the knowledge and skill level of a preschool student.
"I had no ambition to be the smartest student or the highest achiever in class," Lo said. "I just wanted to be a regular student."
With hard work and dedication, however, Lo mastered the English language and succeeded academically. He eventually went on to earn a bachelor's degree from UC Davis and a doctorate from UCLA School of Law.
After leaving school, Lo worked as a managing partner of a Merced law firm, and also opened his own practice.
"However gloomy the situations you may face in the years ahead, keep getting up each morning with a smile. The sun will rise on you again, just like it did for me and the Hmong people," Lo told the graduates.
Kristina Johnson, chief financial officer of Enduring Hydro LLC, was the keynote speaker for Saturday's ceremony.
"I'm supposed to impart upon you all sorts of life lessons," Johnson said. "But, frankly, I think there's a lot we can learn from the graduates of UC Merced. You define persistence.
"Many of you are also the first generation in your family to go to university, and you'll be entering the workforce in an economy that's just coming out of one of its lowest points.
"You are solving problems that are important to society, and that is the role of scientists and engineers," Johnson continued. "You're proving that you understand something that lots of folks don't, which is, big things don't just happen, you have to make them happen. And that takes hard work, discipline and, above all, it takes commitment."
Johnson, who served as undersecretary at the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C., recalled when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease at 22.
Early diagnosis and cancer therapy treatments gave her a shot at a normal life with a disease that, in the 1970s, was considered terminal. Some doctors gave her two years to live, she said.
"As soon as I heard there was a chance, I knew I was going to live. I just knew it," she said. "As I discovered, being positive is a powerful tool and, like your diploma, it can crack open any door. If you combine it with perseverance, and you keep pushing, you can open that door."
"You're graduating into a world where bad things can happen to good people," she said. "And when they do, commit to staying positive. When you find yourself in those dark moments, remember what Martin Luther King (Jr.) said: 'Only when it is dark enough can we see the stars.' "
Johnson closed by reminding graduates that the future depends on them. "More than any new government policy, more than any new technology, it's young people like you who give all of us hope for the future. It's you and all that you are about to do."
Ashley Osormia, 23, who received a degree in developmental biology, shared Saturday's ceremony with extended family.
"This is very exciting," she said. "My whole family is here. I even have extended family that came from El Salvador to share this moment with me."
She plans to return to San Fernando and apply for internships in the Los Angeles area.
Bryan Sagara, 22, also will be returning home.
"These four years went by really fast," said Sagara, of Alameda. "Everyone tells you that your college years are going to fly by, but you don't believe it until you actually see it happen.
"I made a lot of friends that became family. I'll miss them, the campus and even the cows."
Similarly, Anna Maria Burachek, 21, a human biology major, reflected on friendships. "I met most of my friends during my freshman year, and we just stuck together," she said. "We've created lasting memories, so it's a little hard having to split up, but it's also a very exciting time."
Burachek will return to Sacramento, study for the MCAT and later apply to medical school.
Tina Kuang, 22, one of three physics majors, is the first person to graduate from the UC Berkeley-UC Merced Cal Teach Credential program, a collaboration that aims to produce more teachers in the San Joaquin Valley. She completed her undergraduate studies in 3 1/2 years at UC Merced and is finishing her last semester at UC Berkeley, from where she will obtain her teaching credential.
"To be able to start at the newest UC and finish up at the oldest UC was a really great experience," she said. "And it made me appreciate my time at Merced even more because you get to compare both institutions, and you see that by going to a smaller campus, you really do get to interact a lot more with your professors."
Her goal is to teach physics or math at a high school or collegiate level.
UC Merced's Drew Glaser smiles as she receives her hood from Kara McCloskey in recognition of Glaser's Ph.D. in biological engineering Saturday at the university. efunez@modbee.com
Around 1,100 students graduated from UC Merced in 2014, surpassing last year's total. vpatton@mercedsunstar.com
Friends, families and fellow students gathered on the lawn of UC Merced's South Bowl amphitheater to celebrate the commencement of the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences Saturday (05-17-14) at UC Merced. efunez@modbee.com
San Fernando's Andrew Siordia dons a cap he decorated with an enlarged view of a nanotube during the 2014 commencement ceremony held Saturday (05-17-14) at the campus's South Bowl amphitheater. Siordia received his bachelor's degree in material sciences engineering and has studied nano technologies. efunez@modbee.com
UC Merced school of engineering and natural sciences graduate Eddy Yu (center) cheers for a fellow classmate while fellow graduates Bryan Sagara (left) and Sean Yun (right) also cheer on the graduates during the 2014 commencement ceremony held Saturday (05-17-14) at the campus's South Bowl amphitheater. efunez@modbee.com
Lodi's Esther Aguilar moves her tassle from one side of her cap to the other, signaling her graduation during the 2014 commencement ceremony held Saturday (05-17-14) at the campus's South Bowl amphitheater. efunez@modbee.com
UC Merced Chancellor Dorothy Leland, left, and Merced Superior Court Judge Paul C. Lo, right, make their way to the stage at the beginning of UC Merced's 2014 commencement on Sunday (5-18-2014). vpatton@mercedsunstar.com


No matter which National Team or player is your favorite; soccerloco has the authentic jersey to show your support 24/7. We've got the latest World Cup jerseys with hero printing available so you can cheer on your National Team or player all tournament long. From Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar to Chicharito, Ozil and more, we've got you covered.
Get your gear at soccerloco.com with low flat rate shipping & easy returns.


text:
Leeds United transfer rumours: £8m bid planned, Whites suffer Holding blow, Greenwood loan
The very latest transfer round-up concerning Leeds United, including an update on Michael Olise, a blow in the Whites' pursuit of Rob Holding and interest in Sam Greenwood
Bobby Vincent
Olise has been heavily linked with a January switch to Elland Road (Image: Getty Images)
Leeds United were comfortably beaten on Sunday evening by Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The performance against their long-time rivals could be a slight concern for Marcelo Bielsa, who may be targeting the upcoming January transfer window as an opportunity to improve his squad.
The Whites can sign and sell players once the window officially opens at midnight on January 4. In light of this, we have rounded up the very latest transfer stories and rumours that concern Leeds with the window just days away from opening.
Whites ready to pay £8m fee for Olise
Leeds and Liverpool are willing to pay £8m for Reading youngster Michael Olise in January, according to a report from Football Insider.
Olise has been in fine form for the Royals this season so far - and the Championship club are now resigned to losing the 19-year-old.
Reading are still keen to extend Olise's deal and increase the release clause in his contract, but are now expecting to lose the highly-rated teenage prospect when the January window opens.
Premier League sides Arsenal, Wolves and Crystal Palace are also interested, but it's the Whites and the Reds who lead the way as things stand.
Whites suffer Holding blow
Reported Leeds target Rob Holding is expected to sign a new contract with Arsenal, according to Football Insider.
Marcelo Bielsa video underlines why Leeds United fans' pain will not be lost on him
Jamie Carragher pleads with Marcelo Bielsa to make Leeds United change after Man United defeat
Holding has been targeted by the Whites as a potential loan signing due to their defensive injury woes, but the 25-year-old looks set to stay at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners centre-back had been identified as an option for Bielsa due to his wealth of Premier League experience and he was considered as someone who could easily adapt to the Argentine's style of play.
However, Holding is keen to stay put with Mikel Arteta's struggling side and cement his place in the first-team, the report states.
Cardiff want Greenwood loan
Championship outfit Cardiff City are interested in taking Leeds striker Sam Greenwood on loan in January, according to WalesOnline.
The Bluebirds are one of several Championship clubs, including Sheffield Wednesday and Bournemouth, who are interested in signing the Arsenal youngster.
Greenwood moved to Elland Road from the Emirates over the summer and has emerged as one of the club's finest young talents, with six goals in seven outings for the U23s. Cardiff are yet to act on their interest, but the Welsh capital is seen as a potentially good fit for the 18-year-old.
Sam Greenwood

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
<resources>
    <string name="app_name">Calculadora do Mal</string>
</resources>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This past month I had the incredible opportunity to work internationally again, capturing some amazing stories in the Canary Islands. It was a completely last minute endeavor, and a trip that had a monumental impact on my life.
Flying into Lanzarote, I had no idea what to expect. I knew Graciosa was a supposed mixture of fishing and tourism, an island with a population of 200, and part of the Canary Island chain. After a little research, I found these islands on a map, off the coast of Morocco. The ferry ride to Graciosa was choppy, adding to the sense of unknown and adventure. But once on the island, it became clear that this was a wondrous opportunity. No paved streets, vintage Landrover cruisers as the main form of transportation, abundant stucco buildings, and a fair share of random sandstorms.
Instead of writing out everything about that week, I hope the images will take the role of telling this story. It was an absolute blast meeting and working with Logan & Bonita, Eduardo & Miriam, and Hector & Laura.


text:
Q: Receiving JSON data in Java Object I want to store replies data :
replies : {
  "kind": "Listing",
  "data": "Foobar"
}

and I have created the following object structure to store the above JSON in Java:
class Replies {
  private String kind;
  private String data;
}

But the problem is, there are some cases (when data fields are null values) in which the replies object returns:
replies : ""

When this happens, it throws error because it cannot store String in replies object. What should I do to counter this issue?
Edit: Maybe my wording of the question a little confusing. My question boils down to: How can I create class Replies to not only receive Replies object (when the object is nonempty) but also String (when the object is empty)?

A: class Replies {

private String kind;
private String data;

Replies(String data,String kind){
    this.data=data;
    this.kind=kind;
}

Replies(String kind){
    this.kind=kind;
}

}

and in onCreate()
 Replies replies;

if(data==null){

 replies = new Replies(kind);

 }else{

   replies = new Replies(data,kind);
  }

A: You can check for the length of the JSON obtained (replies), and for example, if its length is greater than 4 chars, then it must has data, and do your code then, otherwise, It's less than or equals 4 chars, then it means that the JSON is having very short length, which would be an indicator not to use that JSON.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
In our essay we are going to write about the life of Essay
Show hint
Correct! Wrong!
Hello answer
In our essay we are going to write about the life of the famous freedom fighter, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and find out some similarities and differences between him and the Indian resistance fighter Mahatma Gandhi.Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on the 18th July 1918 in South Africa. His father gave him the name Rolihlahla, which means troublemaker. The name Nelson was given to him on his first day at the Methodist school. His father died when he was nine.
Afterwards his mother sent him to the regent of his tribe, the Thembu tribe. They raised him like their own child. Mandela then went on to spend the rest of his childhood with them, away from his mother in a different village. In his 20s he was a member of the African National Congress where he was leader of its Youth League. They made a defiance against the South African government with non-violent manners. In 1962 he was locked away for five years, due to political offenses.
After two years he was sentenced to a lifetime imprisonment. In 1990 the South African president Frederik Willem de Klerk released him. After his release he became the first black president of South Africa from 1994 until 1998. On the 5. December 2013, he died at the age of 95 years because of a lung infection. If you ask people what they know about Nelson Mandela, almost everyone will say, that he fought for the freedom of South Africa and the rights of black people, or that he spent 27 years in prison. If you think of freedom fighters, immediately the name Gandhi comes into your mind. We thought their stories to be very similar in many ways. So, we asked us this question: Was Nelson Mandela the South African Mahatma Gandhi? Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi were comparable in many aspects. Both were freedom fighters and stood up for supressed people. But how similar were their philosophies and their actions?Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi studied law, Gandhi in London and Mandela in Johannesburg at the University of Witwatersrand. Gandhi even worked as a legal advisor in South Africa for some time. There he supported the Indian immigrants who were discriminated by the Apartheid system. Already then, he stuck to his non-violence ideology. Furthermore, both had the fortune to grow up in political and prestigious families. Mandela was sent to a Royal family of the Thembu people at the age of nine. They raised him, and he gained all the benefits of a royal child. Gandhi on the other hand had a father that worked for the government. In some aspects, Gandhi actually was a role model for Mandela. His non-violence marches became a model for the campaigns of the Youth League. The two of them, despised violence against the human body and gained a lot of respect through that. Furthermore, they both were very smart and could pre-estimate consequences of actions, and therefore plan their moves very carefully in advance. Another trait they had in common was patience. They always waited for the right moment to act, so they and others, didn't have to suffer unnecessarily. Despite all that, Gandhi was imprisoned multiple times for his non-violence protests, in India and South Africa. On Robben Island, Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, due to his political actions against the Apartheid regime. It's exceptional how, after all those years in prison, he didn't hate white people. In his book he mentions I knew that people expected me to harbor anger toward whites. But I had none. In prison, my anger toward whites decreased, but my hatred for the system grew. This shows how forgiving Mandela was, but the same can be said for Gandhi. They both were committed to fighting against prejudice systems. Their actions and commitment inspired million others to follow them in their fight against the system. They both united masses of people to stand together against the enemy. Both Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi were great leaders and role models for people. They both shaped the future of their respective country in a big way. Even if they had many similarities, there were some important differences. As we know, Mahatma Gandhi wanted everything to be non-violent. However, Nelson Mandela thought that the only solution to stop the Apartheid is with force. Though he didn't want to use violence, he felt he had no other choice. He once said: I do not deny that I planned sabotage. I did not plan it in a spirit of recklessness nor because I have any love of violence. I planned it as a result of a calm and sober assessment of the political situation that had arisen after many years of tyranny, exploitation and oppression of my people by the whites. During his time in prison he got many offers for freedom. The South African President P W Botha offered it to him in 1985 but his daughter, Zinzi Mandela had to announce his rejection because in return the ANC would have had to demobilize. This was the last thing he would have wanted to do, therefore he rather stayed in prison. That shows how convinced he was to use armed struggle. In Prison, Mandela stayed very strong and never thought of something like a hunger strike, which Gandhi on the other hand supported, even if he was treated very badly. For me, hunger strikes were altogether too passive. We who were already suffering were threatening our health, even courting death. I have always favoured a more active, militant style of protest such as work strikes, go-slow strikes, or refusing to clean up; actions that punished the authorities, not ourselves. States Mandela in his book.Mandela was very respectful to the white people and said that the whites are fellow South Africans. His vision was that coloured and white people could live together peacefully. Gandhi was for an independent India, hence he wanted the British to leave the country. Another difference between Gandhi and Mandela is that Mandela was politically active. After his years in prison, he was elected to be the first black president of South Africa. Gandhi was only a little active in politics. He never participated in a presidential election and was mostly influencing politics with his protests.There is no doubt, both Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela have many similarities. The two of them hated violence against humans, they tried to do as least harm as possible. Both were great minds and a father figure to many people. They were patient, generous and very forgiving. But as we read more and more about the two, we came to the conclusion, that even though their aim was going in the same direction, their approaches to their problems were very different. Gandhi was only little involved in politics, while Mandela even went on to become President. Gandhi's aim was an India independent of the British empire. At the same time Mandela's dream was a South Africa with whites and coloured as fellow South Africans. Additionally, Mandela found many methods of Gandhi to be too passive. He preferred a more active and direct method, that would punish authorities. About non-violent protests he said: For me, nonviolence was not a moral principle but a strategy" For Gandhi on the other side, non-violence was the only option. A famous quote of him reads: There are many causes I would die for. There is not a single cause I would kill for. Both Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela are great personalities, from whom we can learn a lot. Without them the world now would be totally different. They taught us, that to achieve peace, you don't have to fight a war, simply talking to the enemy and forgiving them is much wiser.


text:
Report: Bill Gates, Soros Profit from Jailing Illegals
April 18, 2014 /1 Comment/in Featured, News /by AARON KLEIN
Photo Credit: WND
Billionaires George Soros and Bill Gates – both supporters of immigration reform – are investors in a controversial private prison firm that houses detained illegal aliens.
Soros and Gates are shareholders in GEO Group Inc., which operates prisons under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
GEO has been represented by the lobby firm headed by Tony Podesta, the brother of White House counselor and Center for American Progress founder John Podesta.
GEO, the world's largest operator of private prisons and detention centers, was known as the Wackenhut Corrections Corporation. It has faced a string of negative publicity following numerous deadly events in its prisons and accusations of inmate abuse and poor conditions.
Among its 59 U.S. prison facilities is the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Wash.
Tags: Bill Gates, George Soros
https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.png 0 0 Joe Miller https://joemiller.us/wp-content/uploads/logotext.png Joe Miller2014-04-18 02:48:582014-04-18 02:48:58Report: Bill Gates, Soros Profit from Jailing Illegals
Barack Obama, George Soros and the Religious Left
MoveOn.org viciously attacks Rep. Paul Ryan
DNC Literally in Hock to SEIU
Democratic sugar daddy George Soros gives $1 million to Obama super PAC
Issa: IRS Probe Will Continue Despite White House Roadblocks Brain Surgery Patient's Obamacare Plan Denies Meds, Drops Doctors (+v...


text:
Q: Where can I find sample solutions for Windows 10 Universal Applications? With the release of Windows 10 comes the ability to create Universal Applications that will run on multiple types of devices (mobile, desktop etc) using the same code and a single binary.
Has Microsoft (or anyone else) produced a repository of sample applications specifically for Universal Apps on Windows 10?

A: I have managed to find this repository that contains a number of sample solutions.
https://github.com/Microsoft/Windows-universal-samples

A: The repository https://github.com/Microsoft/Windows-universal-samples is a great place to find samples for Windows 10.
Also, if you are interested in watching some tutorials about Windows 10, there are a lot of great videos at https://channel9.msdn.com/Series/A-Developers-Guide-to-Windows-10

A: In addition to the links previously specified, Microsoft has some E2E (End to End) implementations; this link to their GitHub repository should yield the existing 4 samples, and any future repositories added with the prefix 'Windows-AppSample'.
As you mentioned in your follow-up, they have discrete feature samples in their universal samples repository.

*

*Complete sample applications

*Sample feature implementations


Relaxation is the central quality owners look for in their backyard oasis, but determining when swimming pool repair is needed for Clearwater owners can be a grey area. Some people have a minimalist attitude, thinking as long as there's water, and it looks clean, everything is fine. Others do not know what to think of certain characteristics of their pool, so they ignore them or worry without taking action.
You're probably here to educate yourself so that you do not fall under any of these categories; you want to be sure you're on top of things and prevent a worse situation. Perfect! We're here to tell you exactly when you need swimming pool repair at your Clearwater residence.
The lining is an often damaged area under the water. It can rip and result in a leak or have water build up under it. Water building up under the lining can be identified by a deformed surface with bubble-like pockets. A leak is more obvious in above-ground pools, as the water level will drop at a noticeable rate. Below-ground is a bit more challenging to diagnose. This is because water can be held between the concrete surface and the lining without leaking into the ground. Cracks in the concrete can mean that it is leaking, but the best way to determine if there is a problem is to call our swimming pool repair technicians in Clearwater to have us inspect it carefully.
Problems you can't see up close are a little more difficult to diagnose. Pumps and filters are essential machines that can run into snags; for example, your pump can develop an air leak and filters can become clogged. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do without the help of a Clearwater swimming pool repair technician. Especially because pressure tests and inspections of the filter and plumbing lines are necessary in these cases. You can familiarize yourself with the normal conditions of your oasis in order to tell when something is off. A noisy pump can indicate a number of problems (although, you should be aware that the pump makes some noise while operating), and an abnormal filter psi can be the sign of issues, as well.
There are all different kinds of accessories you may have such as underwater lights, diving board, a slide, a heater, and a railing. Diving boards and railings can become loose or damaged, and can threaten the edge or the lining. A heater can have problems with its energy source, usually propane, gas or solar-powered.
Details on these fixtures vary with the design and their position, so give our swimming pool repair in Clearwater a call at (727) 531-0473 or fill out our online form for a free consultation.


I was born & raised in Michigan to parents who where strong believers in the Bible and Jesus Christ. At a very young age I became a follower of Jesus. As a child I also grew to love music and eventually became a musician. I received my education in music and teaching at Muskegon Community College, Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, and Michigan State University. I was privileged to teach K-12 music at a small, private school in Michigan. Then I taught for 30 years combined as professor of music and music department chairman at two Bible colleges: Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music, Calvary Bible College, Kansas City, MO. In addition, I was heavily involved in church music leadership in Michigan and Missouri. In 2010, my wife and I were led by the God to move to a new area of work and service. We moved to Guadalajara, Mexico to teach, help people, make friends, and share our love of Jesus and the Bible with our neighbors.
I grew up in a home of seven children. My parents taught me about Jesus, and I committed my life to Him as a young child. I married my high school sweetheart, Paul, and we decided to serve God together in ministry. Paul taught music at Bible colleges for 30 years. During this time we raised our three children and were also involved in music in the church. When we moved to Kansas City, for Paul to teach at Calvary Bible College, God moved me along into children's ministry and then into teaching English as a Second Language. It was through this ministry that God gave us a love for the people of Mexico, and eventually He called us to GO to Mexico. Now we're here and loving where God has sent us. Our call is to help the people by teaching English and music, and to love the people through hospitality, friendship, and studying the Bible. Our desire is that they discover the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ through scripture.
My ministry focus is teaching, music, administration, mentoring, growing friendships with people, telling people about Jesus and the Bible, and helping followers of Jesus form small, reproducing home groups.
My wife and I live and serve in a middle to middle-upper class neighborhood in Guadalajara. Our neighbors and friends are educated, successful, professionals with families. They have unique needs and issues in their lives and families. The people are very warm, friendly, helpful and family-centric. My desire is to reach out and help the people in this socioeconomic group and to show them a genuine solution for their problems & a true purpose for their lives.
My wife and I have made and continue to make friends in our neighborhood through various means. Pray that God will allow us to show our love for them, to help meet their needs, and to introduce them to the Bible and a life-changing relationship with Jesus.


After a person passes away, their estate is accounted for and distributed among their family, friends, and even creditors, all according to a special court process known as probate. During the probate process, the executor works in tandem with the court to ensure that the deceased's last wishes are granted in regards to their property and possessions. If no will or executor is available, the probate court selects a person it considers the most fitting to carry out matters.
While most states use the Uniform Probate Code (UPC) to carry out probate matters, Texas does not. Instead they use a similar protocol that governs what documents are required, what information must be included, and when everything must be filed. Below is a breakdown of the process in three categories: getting things in order, distributing the estate and closing the estate.
The first thing to do is appoint an executor to protect the deceased's will. The next step is to file an application for probate. The executor will need to notify the deceased's heirs, beneficiaries and creditors. Finally, a witness will need to validate the will and important court-required documents will need to be filed.
The executor will need to get an estate ID number from the IRS and notify the welfare or state department of the deceased's death. They will also take inventory of the assets and prepare for and file the deceased's income tax returns. Finally, they will need to notify creditors to pay off any debts.
Once creditors are paid off, the executor will need to notify loved ones to let them know about the last estate hearing. They will then step in the probate process and get approval to distribute assets to family and friends. After all assets are distributed, the executor must request to be relieved of their probate responsibilities.
At the Law Office of Kathryn Marteeny, we understand how complex the probate process can be. If you need assistance estate planning, contact our Houston probate lawyers today.
Call (713) 936-2300 or contact us online for an initial consultation.


Amazon.com: Play Set – Board game – Fantastic book -. – Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide.
Find Cheap Car Rental Deals in Orlando, FL | CarRentals.com – Compare and book cheap Orlando car rentals with CarRentals.com. Rent a car in Orlando, Florida and find the best discounts and deals today.
Looking for car rentals in Orlando? Search prices for Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise and Hertz. Save 35% or more. Latest prices: Economy £10/day. Compact £.


text:
ENGLISH WITH MR. BUSH
EN 10/11 New Media
EN 10/11 CW/Comp
New Forms of Expression
Parody / Satire
Extended Metaphors
Psych 11
Eng 11
EN10 NM / CR
Blogs / Diary
Viral Marketing Campaign
Graphic Novel Study
Podcast Play
TKAM
ENG 10 - LC
Short Stories - Balance
Bias and Point of View
Symbol and Extended Metaphor
A Midsummer's Night Dream
Com 11/12
Grad Transition
Eng 11/12
Theme Project
Comp Cultures 11
Aboriginal Australian
Com 11
Compare and Contrast Paragraph
Songs / Poetry
Writing 12
Examples of student work
Provincial Exam
Eng 10H
Student Examples
Student-created genre tropes
Romance
Usually a damsel in distress type of female character, she meets the "perfect guy" and they get together. Something bad always happens, so they break up, but they always end up back together in the end. The characters are always attractive. The girl is usually kind of nerdy or shy but the guy is usually pretty popular or outgoing (ex. he is a football player and she is a science nerd). With high school romances there is usually a grad/prom storyline. The girl is often struggling at work or doesn't like her job.
Robots, usually bad robots, the future, aliens, space, spaceships, lasers, other planets, black holes, evil governments, something bad for humans.
Royal Family, Magic (wizards/witches), Romance, Knights, Curse, Magical creatures (werewolves, vampires, dragons, etc.), Pirates, Conflicts, Betrayed, Sword fights, Hero/heroine, Good vs. Evil, Quest/Adventures, Other Worlds, Unknown Royal, Side kick, Damsel in Distress
Protagonist almost always a teenager (readers age), Usually a romantic interest, Pretty straight forward, Story starts quickly, Everyday language and talk, Families and parents play a larger role in storyline, Usually some type of moral, Rebellion against parents and society is a common theme, Usually have a "best friend", Typical "teenagers" living in middle class America without a defined ethnicity, Sometimes in a dystopian future
The setting is located in the past, Underdog, Often a myth, legend, Battles, Clash of cultures, Quest of freedom, Overcoming conditions, Royalty, authority
Chronological order, About a person's life, They lead up to a specific something the person is known for, There is often a conflict or something salacious, They can be very long, They are often empowering and not super sad, They are often unrealistically remarkable , The audience is often for adults, They are usually already famous, Non-fiction
Misunderstood protagonist, Protagonist doesn't follow orders, Protagonist is loose canon, Case up that seems normal but become much more personal or larger, Multiple suspects " Red Herrings", Two intertwined mysteries, Typically mysterious woman who either has minimal importance to the plot or is captured, Lose of someone close ( Partner, family member), Protagonist takes a dark turn at some point, compromising to solve the case, Whiskey and Cigars, Betrayal and deception, "Gritty'
Extension of already existing (and usually famous) work, Cross-overs from different stories, Cross-overs with other fanfiction stories, Killing beloved character for shock, Adding a dark or edgy spin on a children's story, Body swap, meaning one character is in another characters body, A backstory added to a original story character that did not exist in the original story, Turing straight characters gay, Taking a character from the original story and making them a different gender, Hypothetical casting, When characters read their own fanfiction (i.e. actual episodes of Supernatural), Inserting the author into the story
Story Examples
http://henrycavill.org/en/blog/interviews/item/410-henry-cavill-interview-for-gq
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/oct/24/neil-degrasse-tyson-national-geographic-channel-startalk
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/oct/10/jamie-vardy-leicester-city-england-lithuania-euro-2016
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/23/shape-things-come


text:
Cuba está programada para competir nos Jogos Pan-Americanos de 2023 em Santiago, Chile, de 20 de outubro a 5 de novembro de 2023. Será a 19ª aparição de Cuba nos Jogos Pan-Americanos, tendo participado de todas as edições desde a estreia dos Jogos, em 1951.

Atletas
Abaixo está a lista do número de atletas (por gênero) participando dos jogos por esporte/disciplina.

Canoagem

Velocidade
Cuba classificou um total de 14 canoístas de velocidade (sete homens e sete mulheres).

Masculino

Feminino

Ciclismo

Cuba classificou uma ciclista de estrada através do Campeonato do Caribe.

Estrada
Feminino

Esgrima

Cuba classificou uma equipe 4 esgrimistas (três homens e uma mulher) através do Campeonato Pan-Americano de Esgrima de 2022 em Assunção, Paraguai.

Individual

Equipe

Judô

Cuba classificou dois judocas (um homem e uma mulher) após vencerem suas categorias nos Jogos Pan-Americanos Júnior de 2021.

Masculino

Feminino

Lutas

Cuba classificou sete lutadores (Livre masculino: 74 kg e 86 kg), (Greco-romana: 97 kg), (Livre feminino: 50 kg e 68 kg) através do Campeonato Pan-Americano de Lutas de 2022 realizado em Acapulco, México. Cuba também classificou nove lutadores (Livre masculino: 57 kg e 97 kg), (Greco-romana: 67 kg, 77 kg , 87 kg e 97 kg), (Livre feminino: 53 kg, 57 kg e 76 kg) após vencer os Jogos Pan-Americanos Júnior de 2021.

Masculino

Feminino

Pentatlo moderno

Cuba classificou cinco pentatletas (três homens e duas mulheres).

Softbol

Cuba classificou uma equipe feminina (de 18 atletas) em virtude de sua campanha no Campeonato Pan-Americano de 2022.

Sumário

Tiro com arco

Cuba classificou dois arqueiros durante o Campeonato Pan-Americano de 2022.

Masculino

Feminino

Tiro esportivo

Cuba classificou um total de 14 atiradores esportivos no Campeonato das Américas de Tiro de 2022.

Masculino
Pistola e carabina

Masculino
Espingarda

Feminino
Pistola e carabina

Voleibol

Quadra

Masculino

Cuba classificou uma equipe masculina (de 12 atletas) após vencer a Copa Pan-Americana de Voleibol Masculino de 2022.

Sumário

Ver também
Cuba nos Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2024

Países nos Jogos Pan-Americanos de 2023
2023

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Airmec provide facilities maintenance professionals across the UK with a single point of contact for cost-effective air hygiene and water treatment solutions. These essential services help you fulfill your site management responsibilities, ensuring your staff, clients and customers are provided with a safe, productive, high quality environment.
Airmec (H2O) Limited specialises in the treatment of air and water in the built environment. Through a process of surveying and testing, current conditions are ASSESSED and a cost effective treatment package is prepared. This is implemented through a PLANNED maintenance package that ensures all risks are appropriately MANAGED. This methodology allows the correct ENGINEERED process to be adopted in all cases.
Essential Air and Water Services are provided to ensure that clients are fully compliant with the latest approved codes of practice from the HSE and are using best practice, such as British Standard in their premises.
As long-established specialists in air and water safety, we are often asked to comment on compliance issues, changes in the regulations and best practice for managing risk.
organism that thrives in warm environments.


text:
Q: Truncate float so as to have only two decimals C++
I would like to cout float f = 2.3333, but only with two decimals. How do I do that?
I remember something like this, but it doesn't work:
cout << f:2 << endl;

A: Using stream manipulators fixed and setprecision:
#include <iomanip>

float f = 2.3333;
std::cout << std::setprecision(2) << std::fixed << f;

A: I managed to solve it without iomanip:
cout << (((int)f*100) % 100)/100;


text:
Either We Destroy the Republican Party or It Will Destroy Us
Posted on March 21, 2020 March 21, 2020 by Curator Bot
Taggedimmigration, israel, jewish, liberal, liberalism, libertarian, political
THERE'S NO QUESTION that American bastions of power — business, courts, intelligence services, media, ivy league universities — are firmly in the grip of Jewish oligarchs and the 10-15% of upper middle class professionals that form their second estate.
Conservatives, with the exception of a few Israel-hawks and economic libertarians, are absent in this demographic. What they all have in common is seething animosity towards the traditional family, nation-states, White people, working people and Western civilization, which in the eyes of top billionaires are barriers to profits and potential means of resistance to their master plan, and for the lower tier of the new aristocracy, stains of retrograde bigotry and intolerance that must be shattered to usher in the era of the new cosmopolitan overman.
Michael Lind calls these people the "liberaltarians," upper class people who adhere to extreme, activist forms of social liberalism combined with rapacious capitalism. The convergence is stark. "Socialist" left academics at the Jacobin and their libertarian right equivalents at the Cato Institute have the exact same views and rationalizations on questions of sexuality, family values, religion, immigration, drugs, globalism, crime and race. Their consensus is highly unpopular even across racial lines in America and would never survive democratic scrutiny, but ordinary people are not allowed to participate in academia, non-profit foundations or media. All we have is a few elective branches of the state.
Which is why every two and four years, America's silenced majority expresses what they think is a veto of the abyss these unelected forces are foisting us into, usually in the form of delivering Congress and/or the Executive office to the Republican Party. Republicans have won 8 out of the last 13 presidential races since 1968.
During Newt Gingrich's 1994 "Revolution," Republicans drew up a "Contract with America" that promised a radical overhaul in Washington to combat corruption, as well as increase popular participation and transparency in government affairs in the interest of creating a counter-balance to elitism. This was paired with a plan to crack down on out-of-control Black crime and fight abuses of "Great Society" programs, a form of "socialism" that is uniquely American in that White working people pay almost as much in taxes as Europeans, but are often excluded from reaping the benefits of social programs due to the absurdly low means threshold for participating.
The end result was that the GOP was able to solidify a national White voting base, including for the first time ever the South, making a once competitive congressional kingmaker solidly red and giving the GOP total control of Congress for the first time since 1954.
What did the Republicans do with their mandate in '94? There were one or two modest achievements, but they mostly spent two years inviting libertarian think-tanks and corporate lobbies to draw up predictable legislation: pollute the environment, cut Medicare, defund schools and give Wall Street and multi-nationals the savings through tax-cuts untethered to productive investment. The people responded: Bill Clinton, a neo-liberal himself, batted away some of their shittier proposals and was re-elected in 1996. The GOP's congressional presence was crushed in 1998.
The Republicans have staged many dramatic comebacks since then, promising in dog whistles, or in Trump's case, explicit terms, to fight the ever more virulent racial attacks on Whites by the Democratic party. Every time voters forgive or forget their last term, they are given the power to do something about it, and like clockwork you get the exact same legislative agenda they've had for 40 years.
Even if we were to give the GOP the benefit of the doubt and pretend they are not just a corrupt mouthpiece for billionaires and Zionists, its core ideology makes it useless and dangerous.
According to the institutional philosophy of the Republican Party, state power is in and of itself immoral. GOP deregulation sprees transfer more power away from the government, where we have some degree of say, and into the hands of private plutocratic interests who can't be voted out but have grown to exert more and more power over our every day lives. Homosexuality, feminism, globalization, immigration and other elite impositions rapidly advance under Trump just like they did under Reagan. The minoritarian impulse to terrorize the majority and force it to assimilate to its eccentricities has always existed — just ask the Jews — what has changed in the neoliberal era is the waning of state power and its reluctance to satisfy the will of the people when other nodes of social, economic and cultural power are captured by anti-social forces and unilaterally decide that normal people no longer have a place in America.
This obviously upsets the people, which then leads to "anarcho-tyranny," an ironic combination of social disintegration protected by ideologically selective, heavily abusive intelligence services and police — knights in the service of oligarchy.
The lack of a will to govern on the part of Republicans elected to government posts guarantees that their voters lose every cultural, social and economic war in the short-term, and are governed by people who hate them in the long-term. All nine Supreme Court Justices are graduates of two "private" ivy leagues: Harvard, a school that is only 10% White male Gentile (with homosexuals over-represented in this segment) and forces students to take lessons on hating White people , or Yale, which is identical in all regards. Whether "conservative" or "liberal," what kind of ideological principles can the public expect present and future judges to have when elite-to-power pipelines teach them to despise the values, traditions and very existence of the people they rule? The GOP's worldview is a fraud to circumvent popular approval, perpetuated in the interest of replacing the White majority which would never vote for its own dispossession otherwise.
It is the hallmark of madness for America's majority to continue expecting a party that does not believe in governing to ever do anything to defend its desperate voters, solidified as a bloc behind them out of fear that the other party might be worse. Trump was elected to stop immigration and deport the […]
As Predicted, We Are in Bush v. Gore Territory
Jews and Revolutions
The AFP Report – Glen Allen
Siri, Whose Lives Matter?
The IE Expansion Getting Settled
The Secularization Debate
Antifascist Beer Ban is a "New Tool" against Patriotic Skinheads in Germany
Oregon pot lab owner, with aid of White Nationalist lawyer, sues antifa for defamation
America's Greatest Problem: The Negro
Poland Drops Case against Reporter Who Filmed National Socialists


text:
LAA+ NEWS
LAA+ Networks
About A+
We Are A+
Become A+
A+U
The backbone of Louisiana A+ Schools is our team of Fellows, a cohort of over 60 master educators including National Board Certified Teachers, Arts Specialists, Professional Teaching Artists, School Principals, Arts Organization Administrators, and School District Supervisors. Fellows provide ongoing, year-round professional development in arts integration to LAA+ Schools. Read testimonials about our training.
Henry Price - Shreveport
Mr. Henry E. Price has a B. S. Degree and a M. A. Degree in Art Education. He has more than 30 additional hours from various universities around the country. Several years ago he was selected to join a group of scholars from around the country to travel to the Italian Revera to study the Italian culture and Arts Integration. Mr. Price works with the George Rodrigue Blue Dog Foundation of the Arts as a founding fellow as part of the Louisiana A+ Initiative in the implementation of total school arts integration across the state of Louisiana. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the LAA+, as President of the Board of Directors of the Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC) and since 1995, he has worked as Supervisor of Art (K-12), for Caddo Parish Public Schools. Prior to the job of Supervisor of Art, he was the Assistant Principal at Caddo Magnet High School in Shreveport, LA for 15 years. Additionally, he is a visual artist who works primarily in acrylics. Some of his honors include: Recipient of the 2014 Southeastern Regional Art Supervisor of the Year Award presented by the National Art Education Association in San Diego, CA, Recipient of the 2014 Lt. Governor's Award for Art Education for the state of Louisiana, Selected to travel to Italy in March 2010 to participate in Arts Integration Through Experiential Reflection by George Mason University and Recipient of the 2002 Governor's Award for Art Education for the state of Louisiana.
Shelly Byron - Lafayette
As an employee of Vermilion Parish School District, Shelly is a first grade teacher at Cecil Picard Elementary. In addition to her teaching experience, she has developed and led Professional Learning Communities and District Professional Development in Vermilion Parish. Shelly was nominated for the Louisiana Association of Educators' Teacher Image Award for 2017 and 2018. Shelly was also a member of the Louisiana Department of Education 2018 Teacher of the Year Interview Committee where she served as a panelist in selecting the 2018 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year. Her teaching opportunities included first grade at James A. Herod Elementary in Vermilion Parish where she served as the Lead Teacher of her grade level. She also taught first, second, and third grades at Alice Boucher Elementary in Lafayette Parish where she served on the Arts Integration Committee. Shelly also has a background in Dance and has taught the art of dance in a technical and school setting. She was a dance instructor and choreographer at Liz A. Trahan Dance Studio in Cecilia, LA for five years. She also taught Creative Movement for an Enrichment Program at Live Oak Elementary in Lafayette Parish. Shelly earned her Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Janet Wolfe - Shreveport
In February of 1994 Janet began her Visual Arts Teaching Career for Caddo Parish students at an alternative school named Bethune Middle where she held her post for eight years. The past sixteen years have been spent at Claiborne Fundamental Magnet Elementary where she works with all kindergarten through fifth grade students each year. Mrs. Wolfe has been honored with the title of 2010 Louisiana Art Educator, and 2017 Southeastern Region Elementary Art Educator of the year. In 2018 she was Louisiana's choice for National Elementary Art Educator. Janet has also been asked to judge numerous student juried art exhibitions outside of her parish through her years of teaching. She is an active arts volunteer for the local Arts council in Shreveport, LA during events such as their main fundraising Gala "Christmas in the Sky" and the Students Showcase festival, :Artbreak" Being a Professional Development junkie, Janet attends as many arts workshops, state Conferences, National Conventions and Aplus activities as her time allows. Mrs. Wolfe has attended as a participant as well as a presenter for many of the above mentioned workshops including presenting Paper Pulp painting in North Carolina at their 20th arts integration Celebration and during in-services scheduled for the local art educators. She also participates in the annual Art Educator Exhibition and in juried exhibitions in other parishes and states. Janet started her University training at the University of Southwestern Louisiana which is currently named the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She then finished and received 2 degrees, one in the Arts and the second in Art Education at the Louisiana State University in Shreveport.
Kelley Hobson - Shreveport
Kelley Hobson currently teaches fourth grade reading and language arts at South Highlands Elementary Magnet School in Shreveport. She has been teaching since 2000 in Caddo Parish and has experience teaching first, third, and fourth grade. Kelley moved to South Highlands Elementary Magnet in 2002 and completed her National Board Certification in 2009. While teaching third grade at South Highlands, Kelley was named Teacher of the Year and awarded State Educator of Distinction. Kelley was also selected by a BESE member and the State Superintendent to serve on the Louisiana State Standards Review Board Committee. She also presently serves on the Leadership Team and as a Teacher Leader at South Highlands. At the parish level, Kelley has served on a task force to create ELA curriculum guides for educators and as a mentor for new teachers. During a Caddo Parish principal's meeting, she also presented how to enhance the current curriculum through arts integrated techniques and using technology in the classroom. Kelley graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Louisiana Tech University in 1999 and a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from Louisiana Tech University in 2017.
Lisa Breaux - Lafayette
Lisa Mann Breaux is a Dance Specialist teaching students of all ages and a wide variety of mental and physical disabilities. She has taught at the Jill Listi Dance Studio in Lafayette, LA for 10 years. A National certified dance instructor of Dance Masters of America in Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Acrobatics, she also served on their National Board of Directors for a two year term and has been invited to teach Tap at their National Convention in Los Angeles, CA. Lisa volunteers with many organizations and currently sits on several Community Boards in Lafayette, LA. She is a licensed Speech, Language and Hearing Specialist having worked in the Lafayette Parish School System for several years. She is also the owner and operator of Acadiana Sign Gypsies, which highlights personal and business occasions/events. Lisa graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a BA in 1977, and continued with graduate work for several years.
Vanessa Knott - Lafayette
Vanessa Knott is currently an Instructional Strategist at Carencro High School. She has been employed with Lafayette Parish School Systems for 23 years. Ten of those years were spent teaching English at LJ Alleman Middle School Arts Academy. Vanessa has also served as a master teacher for Visual Thinking Strategies where she was able to work with educators providing professional development in facilitating discussion of art that promotes critical thinking, language, and art viewing skills. She has served as the Art Liaison for Carencro Middle School and LJ Alleman where she worked closely with Acadiana Center for the Arts Education program to ensure students were given every opportunity available to be exposed to art in the core curriculum. Vanessa has been awarded multiple grants through Louisiana Education Foundation which centered around arts in English. She has been awarded Teacher of the Year for Carencro Middle School in 1995 and LJ Arts Academy in 2005. Vanessa has a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education 1-8 from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Louisiana State University in Shreveport, and a Reading Specialist Certification.
Mary S. Johnson - Baton Rouge
Mary S. Johnson is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She has served as an Elementary Music Teacher in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System for 14 years. During her teaching career, she has been awarded "Music Teacher of the Year" from the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra for East Baton Rouge Parish and has attained numerous awards for her community involvement and service in East Baton Rouge Parish. Ms. Johnson has participated as an instructor for the EBR Elementary Music Camp (an annual camp to encourage excellence in honor music students) and adjudicated for Arts Festivals. Presently, Ms. Johnson is a Board Member and Chair of the Education Committee for Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and continues to heighten the musical abilities of her students at The Dufrocq School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Tiffany Jackson - Monroe
Tiffany Jackson is the coordinator for Master of Arts in Teaching and Secondary programs and instructor of instructional methods in the School of Education at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She joined the university's faculty in 2011 as the professional development coordinator of the Master of Arts in Teaching program. In 2015, she was promoted to the position of Project Director of the program's newly funded, multi-million dollar, Transition to Teaching grant which she co-authored. In 2013, Tiffany was awarded the Best Practices Award for Excellence in Education by Generation Ready, the national educational consulting firm and has had the opportunity to share her educational expertise nationally and internationally. Most notably, she was invited to present a breakout session on professional learning at Jim Knight's Annual Teaching Learning and Coaching Conference. Additionally, her presentations on teacher mentoring and reciprocal reading instruction were published in the Hawaiian International Conference on Education conference proceedings. In addition to her position at the university, Tiffany also volunteers to serve the educational community both locally and nationally. She serves as a trustee in the Twin City Arts Foundation, is the president-elect for the Northeast Louisiana Reading Council, is a member of Corwin Publishers Alternative Certification Advisory Board, and is the regional director and training and professional learning committee chair for the National Association of Alternative Certification. Tiffany has over 20 years of teaching experience in PK-12 and post-secondary schools. She has served as a child development center director, elementary school teacher and administrator, and middle school English teacher and literacy coach. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Elementary Education and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership. Mrs. Jackson is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at Grambling State University as she pursues her Doctorate of Education.
Emily Boykin - Baton Rouge
Emily Boykin received her M.Ed. + 30 from Centenary College and spent the last 18 years of her 32 year teaching career in Shreveport, LA at South Highlands Elementary Academic and Performing Arts Magnet. Her years as the drama teacher helped her see, first hand, the value of arts in a child's education. Emily was an Academic Event Planner for South Highlands, being called upon frequently for her expertise. She helped plan and facilitate a two year LASIP Math Project for Caddo teachers, she was a presenter for the Louisiana State Mathematics Teachers Conference, and a Japan Fulbright Memorial Scholarship Recipient. She also planned and facilitated numerous workshops throughout her career for Caddo Parish Staff Development. In 2009, she became the first Education Director of the R.W. Norton Art Gallery in Shreveport, and for the next 7 years she and her Education Staff created an extensive program for pre - K through high school students incorporating the visual arts along with music and drama into the museum experiences. She had the opportunity to participate in two Arts Integration Conferences at the Kennedy Center as well as trips to visit with education directors in museums in Los Angeles, Denver, and Charlotte. In 2016, Emily moved to Baton Rouge and became the Arts Specialist for Parkview Elementary. Her week consists of collaborating with Pre - K through 5th grade teachers to incorporate The Arts into the curriculum to add depth and meaning for the 630 students she teaches. Being an LAA+Fellow has given Emily the opportunity to continue growing in her knowledge and abilities as it reinforces and validates her vision for students and teachers across the state.
Julia Smith - Shreveport
Julia Smith, a current 5th grade Math teacher has worked in Caddo Parish public schools for over 29 years. She is a National Board Certified Teacher and is highly qualified in both regular and special elementary education. As a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, Julia works along other teachers to provide support to local schools and teachers through philanthropic activities. She recently presented at the Louisiana Association for Teachers of Mathematics conference on the value of Arts Integration and provided participants with ideas on how to get started in their classroom. Julia holds a Bachelor's degree in regular and special elementary education and has worked in both fields throughout her career.
Angie Roussel - Reserve
Angie Roussel is a certified high school math teacher who has been teaching for 27 years. Angie currently teaches Algebra II and Advanced Math at Lutcher High School in St. James Parish School District. Prior to this position, Angie was a teacher at Riverside Academy, one of the first schools to join LAA+, where she developed a passion for the LAA+ philosophy of education. While at Riverside Academy, Angie was the department head and math mentor teacher for grades pre-k through grade 12. She has served as a LAA+ fellow, as a math content specialist, since the fall of 2013. Angie has a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from Nicholls State University and a type B teaching certification in mathematics for the state of Louisiana.
Rebecca Holmes - Luling
As an employee of St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools, Rebecca serves as the district Master Teacher of Music. Her responsibilities include music content and curriculum development, music content instructional coaching, and district professional development for enrichment content teachers. Additionally, she has initiated the district's first orchestral strings programs. Rebecca was chosen by the National Association for Music Education to work with a team designing orchestral strings lessons featuring the use of primary resources from the Library of Congress- a project that will be shared with teachers nationwide the summer of 2018. In her sixteen year career, Rebecca has served in several districts in and around the New Orleans area. Her teaching opportunities have included instruction of traditional elementary general music, keyboard, classroom ukulele, classroom guitar, middle school vocal music, and orchestral strings. She has been awarded a district curriculum grant from Music and the Brain which established a K-2 keyboard curriculum component in St. John the Baptist Parish. Personal string instrument grants have included a gift of sixty ukuleles from Kala Brand Music, Co., thirty guitars from Little Kids Rock, and orchestral string instruments from VH-1 Save the Music. Rebecca is a cellist who performs regularly using the instrument's versatility to explore a variety of genres. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Loyola University New Orleans.
Sonia Fields Gutierrez - Madisonville
Sonia Fields Gutierrez has spent her entire career as an educator, first serving as an elementary educator, where she primarily taught kindergarten. She has also fulfilled the role of Professional Development Presenter for Catapult Learning. She currently serves as Assistant Superintendent for St. Helena Parish School District, where she has been instrumental in developing partnerships for the Early Childhood Community Network, professional development programs including New Teacher Induction, developing PK-12th grade pacing guides aligned to tier I curriculum, and securing funding through competitive grants including a $1.5 million School Improvement Grant and a $1 million Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy grant. Sonia received a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, a master's degree in Elementary Education from Loyola University, New Orleans, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Southeastern Louisiana University. She currently holds an Educational Leader Level 2 certificate in Louisiana. She also has two children, Carmelo Jr. and Mia, with her husband Carmelo.
Paul Boudreaux - Lafayette
Paul Boudreaux is a high school science and Pharmacology teacher at Lafayette High School. Having taught Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, he is also a Teacher Leader for Lafayette Parish. In 2013, he became a National Certified instructor for Dance Masters of America in Tap. A member of the Dixie Dance Masters chapter of DMA, he has taught many students the art of Tap Dance. He is currently on staff teaching Advanced Tap for Scott Academy of Dance and has choreographed several winning numbers for their competition team. He has also been in several stage productions including Sugar. Some Like It Hot and Miss Saigon and was recently heard tapping and singing to raise money for local charities. His combined passion for science and dance has led him to join LAA+ as a fellow in 2014 where he has shared many tap and arts integrated science lessons with teachers across Louisiana and Arkansas. Paul received his bachelor's degree in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and in Secondary Education from University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He is currently working towards a master's degree in Education Curriculum and Instruction in Gifted Education.
Mary Harris - Shreveport
Mary Harris has served in education for 30 years and currently serves as the Principal of South Highlands Elementary School and as a Fellow for Louisiana A+ Schools. Degrees and certifications include Elementary Education, Masters in Counseling, Education Specialist, Educational Leadership, Reading Specialist, and National Board Certification. Mary has been awarded local, state, and national awards that include National Milken Family Foundation Award, Caddo Parish Teacher of the Year, Louisiana Regional Teacher of the Year, LSU Distinguished Educator Award, Joyce/Revenna Exemplary Teacher Award, the Louisiana Art and Culture Award, and served on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Mary is married to Keith Harris, a retired Battalion Fire Chief for the city of Shreveport and current Fire Chief for Caddo Parish. They have three children and three grandchildren.
Sharon Parker - Shreveport
Sharon Parker is a teacher of fifth grade gifted ELA students at South Highlands Elementary Magnet School in Shreveport. She has taught in Caddo Parish for twenty-one years, including thirteen years in her current position at South Highlands. At South Highlands, Sharon is Student Council co-sponsor and a member of the leadership team. Sharon is a former South Highlands Teacher of the Year and was one of three elementary Teacher of the Year finalists for Caddo Parish in 2016. She is an active member of the Alpha Kappa chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary organization for educators. Through this organization, Sharon helps support students in need, college students who are education majors, and educators in Caddo Parish. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from Louisiana Tech University and a Master of Education degree with gifted certification from Louisiana State University in Shreveport.
Cissy Whipp - Lafayette
Mary Francis "Cissy" Whipp has been working as a performer, choreographer and dance educator for over 30 years. In addition to being a LAA+ Fellow, she works full time as a Dance Specialist at J. W. James Elementary Arts and Technology Academy where she has worked since it opened in 2002. In 1999 she joined the John F. Kennedy Center's roster of Teaching Artists and presents workshops nationally for teachers on integrating dance into the curriculum. She is the author of two professional development workshops for the Kennedy Center: "Exploring Ecosystems Through Movement" and "Exploring Symbols of Culture through Movement and Writing- West African Textile Art." She founded Louisiana's first professional modern dance company, Moving South Dance, Inc., touring for several years with Young Audiences of New Orleans and performing in France and Belgium with La Compagnie Louisianaise. She has taught for university dance programs at American University, George Washington University, Potsdam State University of New York, and at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Ms. Whipp has served on Louisiana Department of Education committees for developing arts assessment standards, for the revision of the state arts content standards and benchmarks, and for the development of the state curriculum for the arts. She received her BFA in Choreographic Design from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and her MA in Performing Arts: Dance from the American University in Washington, DC. Ms. Whipp has been honored with the Acadiana Arts Award for outstanding contributions to the arts in Acadiana; featured in a public television documentary, "Listen Up! Conversations on Creativity"; and received the Dance Educator of the Year Award for Louisiana. Ms. Whipp continues to choreograph and perform as an independent artist, working collaboratively with a variety of musicians, actors, poets, and dancers.
Sherry Barron - Baton Rouge
Sherry Barron, Founder and Artistic Director of The Academy for Cultivating Creative Arts LLC, The Baton Rouge Homeschool Choirs, West Feliciana Parish Children's Chorus, and 30+ years has maintained a private piano studio. As a National Board Certified Music Educator, Sherry has worked as the Music Specialist for the Elementary Schools in West Feliciana Parish for 15 years. With a passion to share the beautiful art of music through a variety of means, Sherry's professional organizations include: Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra (BRSO) Education Committee Chair and Executive Board Member, Curriculum Coordinator/Foundations Teacher for Kids' Orchestra, President of the Red Stick Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, Ex-Officio Board Member of Louisiana Music Educator's Association, Music Teacher's National Association, Baton Rouge Music Teacher Association. She served as co-writer of the LA State Music Curriculum Guide (2007) and the LA State Textbook Adoption Committee (2011). Accomplishments include BRSO Music Teacher of the Year (2005) for integrating music with academic curriculum, Bains Lower Teacher of the Year (2006), and an Honorary Commission as an Educational Leader and Mentor for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council (2005). She presents at various workshops and served as a panelist for the Cecil J. Picard Educator's Excellence Symposium. Presented as Keynote speaker at Learning in the Country, in which 300+ educators participated in a daylong teachers workshop. She presented at the LA State Librarian Conference with her topic, Music Makes You Smarter- You Can Book It! Before her education career, Sherry was the Co-Producer for the television/radio broadcast of Kid's Jamboree, an International Christian Ministry for children. Mrs. Barron holds a Bachelor of Vocal Music Education from Louisiana State University and attended Southeastern Louisiana University with a concentration in piano performance and also holds certification in Music/Early and Middle Childhood from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Jay Ward - Shreveport
Jeremy Ward is originally from Lake Providence, La. He Currently lives in the Shreveport/ Bossier area where he teaches drama for the Talented Arts Program in Bossier Parish. He previously worked as the teen coordinator for the Boys & Girls Club of Central LA. Jeremy also works as an actor, writer, and director that goes by the stage name Jay Ward. He has written several plays and has appeared in several films. He earned a B.S. in Speech Communication and Theatre from Jackson State University.
Bernard McPherson - Hammond
Bernard McPherson is a fifth-year educator who currently serves as the principal of St. Helena Arts & Technology Academy in Greensburg, LA. During his first year of teaching, he was awarded the honor of St. Helena Parish School District's Elementary Teacher of the Year. Subsequent to this time, Bernard served in the capacity of art integration specialist. In this role, he supported teachers with integrating the arts into their respective content areas. Prior to entering education, Bernard performed in various operatic and musical productions throughout the nation and abroad. A music educator at heart, Bernard continues to train choirs and individuals within his community. He has been commissioned at high school graduations, professional development seminars, and college campuses as a keynote and motivational speaker. Bernard holds a Bachelor of Music degree in music education and a Master of Music degree in vocal performance.
Rosemary Grimm - Arcadia
LAA+ Fellow since 2015, Rosemary Grimm has been an educator in Louisiana for 14 years and has experience teaching third through sixth grade. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education. She earned a M.Ed. in Educational Technology Leadership from Lamar University, conducting action research on the effectiveness of interactive whiteboards in the English Language Arts classroom. She is a certified Educational Technology Leader. Grimm has served as a Louisiana Teacher Leader, Arts Advocate, and Arts Implementation Coordinator for Turnaround Arts in Washington, DC. Grimm began her career as an educator for Claiborne Parish Schools. While working in Claiborne Parish, she served as a Louisiana Teacher Leader providing district wide professional development on curriculum alignment and the Common Core State Standards. She is currently a fifth grade English Language Arts teacher at Princeton Elementary School in Bossier Parish. At Princeton Elementary, Grimm launched the school's first Destination Imagination Fine Arts Team, a STEAM program that teaches 21st century skills and principles. She serves on the Bossier Parish i3 Art Expo Committee and Bossier Parish ELA Guidebook Support Team. In 2018, Grimm was named Louisiana Elementary Teacher of the Year. Since becoming Louisiana's Elementary Teacher of the Year, she has spoken on the importance of arts integration at several events including the Aioli Dinner Supper Club fundraising benefit, several Bossier Parish School Board meetings, and prospective educators at LSUS.
Melissa Shaw - Shreveport
Melissa Shaw is a Fourth Grade Science and Social Studies Teacher at South Highlands Elementary Magnet. For 17 years, she has taught First, Second, and Fourth graders in Caddo Parish, Louisiana. Melissa volunteers her afternoons to teach third, fourth, and fifth graders the joys and challenges of Robotics. In addition to serving as their Robotics Coach, Melissa is also South Highlands' Science and Social Studies Fair Director and has served as Grade Level Chair. She has successfully planned school-wide events such as South Highlands' celebration for the 200th Anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner and co-chaired events such as the 2017 Solar Eclipse Viewing Extravaganza. Melissa has always enjoyed writing grants and has been the recipient of classroom grants targeting reading, classroom technology, phonics/gender bias, and home/community involvement. Melissa has served her school district as Co-Chair of New Teacher Orientation, Science District Team Leaders, Language Arts Textbook Adoption Committee, and Social Studies Curriculum Standards Focus Group. Melissa is an active member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international organization of women educators dedicated to educational excellence. Melissa received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Louisiana State University – Shreveport. She earned her Master of Education with certifications in School Administration and Supervision from Centenary College. Melissa has accumulated an additional 30+ graduate hours with a focus on reading instruction and educational technology. Melissa was awarded her National Board Certification in 2006 and joined the Louisiana A+ Fellows in 2016. She was named Caddo Parish Teacher of the Year in 2019.
Jenny Burnham - West Monroe
Jenny Burnham has been the Curator of Education and Public Programs at the Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, Louisiana, since 2011, and has worked in childcare since 2004. Since becoming the Curator of Education and Public Programs, she has served as juror for the Art from the G.U.T. student exhibition, featuring student art from Louisiana Tech University, Grambling State University, and the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She has also served as juror for the Ouachita Parish Talented Art exhibition, as well as a booth judge for Art Break, an annual student arts festival held in Shreveport, Louisiana, for students in Caddo and Bossier Parish schools. While at the Masur Museum of Art, Burnham has helped to initiate community programs run by the Masur Museum of Art such as Variety, a family friendly event featuring activities geared towards both children and adults, and pARTy 318, an event featuring visual art, music, and entertainment to bring the community together to celebrate the arts. She has also initiated relationships with the Cognitive Development Center in Monroe, making art readily accessible to those with learning disabilities, while also using art as a therapy tool. She also works closely with schools and community centers throughout Northeast Louisiana to bring art to students who may not receive art education in school. She is passionate about the arts, and wishes to see the art community grow in Monroe, as well as across the state. Burnham been a member and volunteer of KEDM, an NPR affiliate, since 2010, as well as a supporter of the Downtown Arts Alliance and the Monroe Symphony Orchestra in Monroe, Louisiana. Burnham received her BFA in Photography from Louisiana Tech University in 2009, and has been a Louisiana A+ Schools Fellow since early 2015.
Sandy LaBry - Lafayette
Sandy LaBry is a veteran educator who has designed professional development in arts integration for Lafayette Parish educators and teaching artists in collaboration with the Kennedy Center's Partners in Education program as well as the Lincoln Center and the Smithsonian Institute. With educational and supervisory experience in English, World Languages and Visual Arts, she is a Founding Fellow with LAA+.
Tiffany Jeansonne - Walker
Tiffany Jeansonne is a second grade math, science, and social studies teacher at Rollins Place Elementary in Zachary, LA. She has taught in the Zachary Community School District since 2003. Tiffany received the honor of Rollins Place's Teacher of the Year this school year. She earned her National Board Certification in 2007. Tiffany serves on many school committees, including leadership, AdvancEd, technology, and arts, as well as mentors Louisiana State University preservice teachers and new teachers to her school. She is a National Geographic educator, a Seesaw ambassador, and writes math, science, and social studies curriculum. She is in her second year as an LAA+ Fellow and enjoys integrating the arts into her classroom, as well as helping other teachers integrate the arts into theirs. Tiffany graduated from LSU with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education in December 2002.
Kristy Gilpin - Zachary
Kristy Gilpin has taught 2nd and 3rd grade in Louisiana schools for the last thirteen years. She is currently a 2nd grade teacher at Rollins Place Elementary in Zachary, LA. Kristy and her students were the national winners of the Disney Planet Challenge award in 2012 for their work to bring awareness to the community of the crisis effecting the Louisiana wetlands. Kristy is a National Board Certified teacher and frequent grant winner. She is a Nat Geo Certified Educator and Seesaw Ambassador. Both of these distinctions give her an opportunity to work with teachers and pursue her passions for using technology in education and developing students who are global citizens. Kristy has presented at conferences around the country on gifted education, science and social studies content, and most recently on integrating arts with content standards. She worked on a team that developed a summer reading program focused on research which highlighted the need for reading engagement during the summer months. Kristy has worked with teachers to develop curriculum in the areas of social studies, language arts, reading and science, being sure to integrate technology and arts standards. Kristy sits on multiple committees at her school and has been instrumental in creating and organizing STEAM programs, science and art summer camps and raising funds for professional development for fellow teachers. Kristy earned a Bachelors Degree from Louisiana State University in 2005, a Masters Degree and reading specialist certification from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2006 and is currently pursuing a certification in school librarianship through Louisiana State University.
Cindy Lassalle - Lafayette
Cindy Lassalle received her undergraduate degree in Art and English Education, graduate degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Gifted, and became a National Board Certified Teacher in Adolescence Science in 2003. She began her visual art teaching by creating a co-curricular art program she designed for North Lewis Elementary School, while also teaching art at Epiphany Day School in New Iberia. Over the years she has taught art in public and private schools, high school English, gifted students K-6, technology classes for teachers, and bookmaking, altered books and arts integration strands at the Lagniappe Educators Conference. She also taught at an Art and Science Summer Camp for the Acadiana Center for the Arts, along with facilitating bookmaking strands for four years at the University of Connecticut Confratute Educator's Conference and Institute She was a K- 5 art teacher at the Episcopal School of Acadiana and has taught there for 14 years.
Joshua Chambers - Bossier
Joshua holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Louisiana Tech University and a Bachelor of Arts from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. He began teaching for the Talented Arts Program after serving as a museum educator for two art museums in North Louisiana. He actively engages in the local and regional arts community by serving on the board of directors of the Bossier Arts Council and providing workshops and other services throughout the region. Maintaining an active career as a gallery artist, Joshua's work has been published in New American Paintings, Creative Quarterly, and Studio Visit Magazine. Chambers work can be found in Graphite Galleries in New Orleans, Ann Connelly Fine Art in Baton Rouge, and The Agora Borealis in Shreveport. His works are in the permanent collections of the Masur Museum of Art in Louisiana, the Lessedra Gallery in Bulgaria, and numerous private collections.
Melanie Alexander - Baton Rouge
Melanie Woods Alexander is an elementary music specialist at Rollins Place Elementary School in Zachary, LA. She has taught for twelve years in the Zachary Community School District. Melanie is a part of her school's arts integration team, school improvement team, and the Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) team. She often helps classroom teachers with planning and implementing arts integrated lessons in their classrooms and frequently co-teaches lessons with them as well. Melanie holds both a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and a Master of Music degree from Louisiana State University. She is also a National Board Certified Teacher in Early/Middle Childhood Music and a member of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.
Brandie McNabb - Zachary
Brandie McNabb is a second grade English Language Arts teacher completing her sixteenth year of teaching at Rollins Place Elementary within the Zachary Community School System. Mrs. McNabb is a past Teacher of the Year, the 2014-2016 president of the Louisiana Reading Association, and a 2016 finalist for the Norman Saurage Dream Teachers Award for community service. She recently earned her re-certification as a National Board-Certified Teacher. Mrs. McNabb has presented at local, state, regional, and national conferences including the Zachary Reading Council, yearly Louisiana Reading Association State Conferences, the annual International Literacy Association National Conference, and National Council Teachers of English Conference. She recently published an article in the International Literacy Association's journal, Literacy Today, on arts integration in the ELA classroom. In 2017, Mrs. McNabb earned her Master's in Curriculum and Instruction with a Reading Specialist Certification.
Kelly Stomps - Mandeville
Kelly Stomps teaches classroom music and strings at Woodlake Elementary School in St. Tammany Parish. During her seventeen years of service, Ms. Stomps has received many awards including Educator of Distinction from the Louisiana Parent Teacher Association, Louisiana Citizenship Educator Award from the Veteran of Foreign Wars, and the New Orleans Saints and Chevron "Teacher of the Week". In 2016, Ms. Stomps was named the Louisiana Teacher of the Year, and in 2017 she was honored as a Louisianan of the Year by Louisiana Life Magazine. Ms. Stomps is the president and a founding member of the Red Stick Orff Chapter, and she is an associate organization representative for the Louisiana Music Educators Association. In addition, Ms. Stomps has served on the Educator Effectiveness Committee for the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). In 2016, she chaired the Louisiana Department of Education's (LDOE) Music Education Working Group which reviewed the state of music education in Louisiana and made recommendations to BESE. She is currently serving on the LDOE's Interest and Opportunities Working Group which is focused on "whole child" education in Louisiana. Ms. Stomps is a passionate advocate for arts education. She has spoken and made presentations for teachers, parents, policy makers, and community members throughout the state. Ms. Stomps has also served as a contributing writer for the Times-Picayune in addition to her blogging about education in Louisiana. Ms. Stomps has received a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Music from Louisiana State University. Additionally, she has training in the Level One and Level Two Orff-Schulwerk approach to teaching music.
Shelia Ward - West Lake
Shelia Ward was invited to join Louisiana A Plus Schools as a fellow in 2018. She has been teaching for thirteen years and currently works as a 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Cambridge teacher of mathematics at Lake Charles Charter Academy. As lead teacher, Ward also facilitates classes that help prepare teachers at her school for their content level Praxis examinations and leads professional development sessions for the other math teachers at her school. Ward was nominated by her school for middle school teacher of the year. Her previous teaching positions were in Calcasieu and Cameron parishes. Ward received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and her Master of Arts in Educational Technology from McNeese State University, and her add-on certification in gifted education from Northwestern State University.
Rhonda Glass - Shreveport
Rhonda Glass has worked as the Caddo Parish Talented Art Coordinator since its inception in 2002. Prior to that, she served in the same capacity in the East Baton Rouge school system - initiating the program in both school districts. Her experience in the classroom includes teaching Talented Visual Art, art in grades K - 12, Kindergarten, and the core subject areas of science, social studies, and English. While teaching at Forest Hill Elementary School in Shreveport, she was selected as one of three finalists for the Caddo Elementary teacher of the year. Rhonda's interest in the arts in her community has driven her to volunteer as a docent at Meadows Museum on the Centenary College campus and to act as administrator for the Youth Symphony, an outreach of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. Rhonda served on the Louisiana Department of Education committee to develop the current Talented Theatre evaluation tool and she is listed on the roster of Talented Visual Art evaluators for Louisiana. Rhonda holds a B. A in Art Education, an M. A. in Fine Arts, and an MEd. in Educational Leadership.
Tara Armand - Shreveport
Tara Hooper has over ten years of experience in education. She began her teaching career as a third grade teacher and has experience teaching kindergarten, second grade, preschool, and first grade. She holds a bachelor's degree in Education and is certified to teach kindergarten through eighth grade. In 1999, Tara was awarded Teacher of the Year for Bossier Elementary in Bossier Parish. Tara earned her National Board Certification in 2014 in the content area of literacy including reading and language arts. In 2015, she was recognized as an Educator of Distinction by the state of Louisiana. In addition, she received the honor of being named Teacher of the Year for South Highlands Elementary Magnet in Caddo Parish. In 2016, Tara was chosen by the Caddo Parish Professional Development Staff to serve as a mentor for new teachers in Caddo Parish. During this time, she also served on her school's leadership committee where she provided professional development for teachers and principals in Caddo Parish. Tara attained her master's degree in Educational Leadership from Louisiana Tech University in the spring of 2017 and she is currently teaching first grade at South Highlands Elementary Magnet.
Louisiana A+ Schools is a public non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
© 2019 by Louisiana A+ Schools


Posted by Kris Lindahl on Wednesday, April 10th, 2019 at 9:37am.
More than half the world's population had migrated to cities by the year 2007, a turning point in world history. By 2030, based on United Nations estimates, two-thirds of the world will call a city home. Cities are, by their very nature, energy hogs. The need to supply apartment dwellers and office workers with their future needs involves new kinds of energy and services at all levels. Electricity and water consumption, of course, are the first to come to mind, but transportation, waste removal, building and development, green space and air quality, food supply and recreational facilities are also overwhelming concerns for city planners. It's not just energy consumpion, but lifestyle needs and the work environment that must be addressed.
The study awarded points for such things as energy use from sustainable sources that include hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind and biomass, along with inverse points for a decreasing dependence on carbon-emitting fuel sources. Points were deducted for high levels of CO2 emissions. Transportation was factored in, with consideration given to the availability of EV charging stations, as well as how well cities supply public transportation needs, and how attuned the population is to walking, bicycling and such concepts as ride-sharing.
West Coast cities, notably San Francisco, Seattle, Oakland, CA, and San Diego garnered the top four slots, with Boston ranking number five. Minneapolis edged out Boulder, CO, for sixth place, followed by Eugene, OR, Washington, DC, and Hayward, CA to round out the top ten.
Interestingly, while states like California and Colorado have mandated green energy initiatives and, in some cases, held companies responsible financially for not meeting goals, the Minneapolis rating was based largely on points earned for low CO2 emissions and a high concentration of EV charging stations. While the city generates some of its energy through solar and wind, there is no applicable reliance on geothermal or hydroelectric. Seattle, on the other hand, is more than 80 percent hydro-powered, and another four percent wind-powered. Only seven percent of its needs are supplied by nuclear, coal and gas, combined. Minneapolis does have a highly effective and well-used public transportation system.
Minneapolis, despite its winter weather, boasts high walking and bike scores. The rating is attributable perhaps to the concentration of residential units in the downtown core, and the location of parks, trails and recreational destinations near residential and business centers. The city's downtown Skywalk network, open spaces and mixed use developments are conducive to lowered reliance on personal vehicles. In addition, a functional light rail and bus system addresses transportation needs. More than 50,000 residents now live within the central business district.
Minneapolis is also a green leader in building and development circles. Even though the city didn't make the list of metropolitan areas with a high percentage of LEED-certified building, Minneapolis has the first major office building to be constructed of renewable materials in the past 100 years. Built as part of the T3 Project initiated by Hines, the global real estate investment, development and management firm.
T3 stands for "Timber, Transit and Technology" and is designed to show that vintage style can be efficiently modern and green at the same time. The building, completed in November 2016, is a multi-story, multi-use building in the city's North Loop as part of a Hines three-phase plan. Built entirely of renewable resources—wood—the building is LEED gold-certified and features 12,000 square feet of retail space on ground level, as well as expansive amenity spaces including a fitness center, social networking and collaborative work areas, 100 bike parking stalls and a rooftop patio. Small business are also on the ban-wagon with solar power electrical generation.
Structural timbers and floor decking are all wood. The construction materials provide enhanced acoustics and the building features large windows to supply abundant natural light to the interiors. The T3 building is situated near Target Field Station, the light rail transportation hub that serves Metro Blue and Green lines as well as Northstar Commuter Rail. It also offers access to the city's downtown Skywalk, and it's close to Target Field, the home of the Minnesota Twins.
T3 represents a collaboration between Hines and the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust, a partnership which also developed the nearby Dock Street Flats Apartments. A third 100,000 square-foot parcel is available for future development. Subsequent T3 commercial projects have been planned in Atlanta and in Chicago. Both will be larger than the Minneapolis building.
According to information supplied by Hines, the wood construction that characterizes T3 has the potential to reduce pollution by the equivalent of 996 vehicles removed from the road for a year, and it takes just 15 minutes for renewable-growth forests in the U.S. and Canada to grow the amount of wood needed for the building.
As Minneapolis and commercial buildings in Itasca County continue to expand, there will no doubt be even more innovative development plans on the drawing board.