Mister Rogers goes autotune with ‘Garden of Your Mind’

June 11, 2012 By 12 Comments

This is an AWESOME video from the PBS Studios featuring the late, great Mister Rogers being remixed. In the four days it’s been on Youtube it’s received over 3 million hits!

For those of you in my age group who grew up with Mister Rogers – the grandfather of children’s educational programming – this should definitely make you smile. If you like it, I’d appreciate you sharing this post, but I’d much rather you make a donation to your local PBS station so they can keep bringing us wonderful things like this.

Don’t forget you can also take your kids to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood online! There’s an awesome interactive web site with games, songs, videos and coloring pages!

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Dick’s Sporting Goods’ PACE program offers free concussion screenings to schools

August 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

With team sports back on the fields for the new school year, it’s important to be educated on how to prevent and treat sports-related injuries.

There were 3.8 million sports-and-recreation-related concussions last year. It’s one of the reasons Dick’s Sporting Goods has created PACE (Protecting Athletes through Concussion Education). This year, PACE is partnering with retired halfback Jerome “The Bus” Bettis to offer post-concussion screenings to 3,335 eligible middle and high schools.

Eligible schools will be equipped with ImPACT (Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) software, along with a 12-month subscription, providing these schools the ability to baseline-test up to 1 million students throughout the country.

“Taking a baseline test regularly when teams do physicals is a critical step,” Bettis wrote in a media statement. “This way, everyone has the information they need, on and off the field.”

Here’s more info about the program:

To submit your school for the program, Click here. You can also help fund this program from now through Sept. 12 by purchasing a pair of athletic shoes from Dick’s Sporting Goods. $1 of each pair will go toward PACE. Dick’s will also donate $1 to the program if you spread the word about it on Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare.

Here’s a hilarious of Bettis getting the word out:

I don’t know how far you’ll get sticking your head through a shoebox at a Dick’s location, but you can get the word out on PACE by connecting through Dick’s on Facebook , following @dicks on Twitter or following Dick’s on Foursquare. Dick’s will donate $1 just for you sharing info on the program by using the hasthtag #DSGPACE on twitter or for checking into a Dick’s location on Foursquare or Facebook Places.

These injuries are not easy to get over, so I support any positive effort to protect our kids’ noggins while they’re out on the field. So help me get the word out!

This opportunity was provided to me as an influencer on Klout. I was given information on PACE and a gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods as a Klout perk, but was not required to publish or share information on Dick’s Sporting Goods or the PACE program. All opinions are 100% mine unless attributed otherwise.

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Back-to-school news: I’m tutoring again!

August 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

This very personal, heartfelt and sincere life story is sponsored by TinyPrints through Global Influence. I will be compensated for my time, but all opinions are mine.

Two years ago, I started tutoring an at-risk student in reading. If you knew me back then, you know it was one of the most stressful, but rewarding, moments in my life.

But sadly, and likely due to the faltering economy, the tutoring agency I worked with couldn’t place me last school year. I really began to miss hanging out at the library, sharing stories, finding innovative ways to work one-on-one with a person, and believing in someone who really needed it.

Dahlia Swirls design from TinyPrints

So, when I got phone calls and emails from the agency requesting I work with a few students this year, I was ecstatic. I’m going to be tutoring in reading and a little bit of Mathematics this year, and I really can’t wait to get back to doing one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had. I don’t want to jinx anything, so I’m just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping things work out so I can get back to helping these kids out.

I’m single and the only child I claim has four legs, fur and a waggly tail, so I love having this chance at helping someone out. You’d be amazed how many kids out there spent their earliest years without opening a picture book, watching educational programming, or being read to at bedtime. Sometimes it can be hard for teachers alone to fill these gaps.

Possible Bewitched reference? (from Tiny Prints)

One of the best things we can do for kids is let them be themselves. TinyPrints has a number of personalized notebooks, planners, notepads and cards for back-to-school shopping. It’s a great way to let your child’s individuality shine through, not to mention a great way to keep them from misplacing their school supplies!

There are also lots of things for teachers and tutors to use, including stylish notecards, stickers and labels.

Great for any teacher or tutor who wants to send a note home to the parents, or just as a thank-you.

I hope whatever you do over the next nine or ten months, that you have something in your life that brings you excitement, curiosity and education… no matter how old you are.

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Awesome childhood read: Leo the Late Bloomer

June 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

One of my favorite stories from childhood is Leo The Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus.

In this beautifully illustrated story, Leo, an adorable little tiger cub, can’t seem to keep up with all his peers. He can’t read or write or draw or eat nicely. And his dad is all worried that Leo is never going to be able to do anything other than be a loser.

But Leo’s mom assures Leo’s dad that Leo is just a late bloomer, and that with plenty of patience, Leo’s gonna bloom.

And one day, just out of nowhere, Leo just bloomed. And he can do all this stuff even more awesomely than his friends. And he can talk. And his first sentence is, “I made it.”

Watch an animated adaptation of it here:

I’m not sure if my copy of Leo The Late Bloomer made it through all the moves we’ve made in the past 30 years, but I do know the last time I saw the book, I (and possibly my brothers) had scribbled all over it. Usually the books I love the most have my mark on them somehow.

It’s a great story; share it with your kids if you’ve got ‘em.

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Get a free week at the School of Rock!

October 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

One can never stress the importance of music education. Those involved in music learn self-discipline, self esteem skills, teamwork and do better in their studies.

I’m happy to announce the School of Rock is offering a FREE WEEK of classes through Oct. 31 at participating locations throughout the country.

School of Rock is the national leader in music education, and has been teaching kids how to amaze audiences for more than ten years. School of Rock offers lessons in guitar, bass, vocals, drums and keyboards for kids ages 7-18. No experience is required to become a student; the school’s mission is to inspire kids to rock on stage and in life.

The Free Week includes one private trial lesson (30-45 minutes) and one Rock 101 group class (90 minutes). To redeem, call (866) 371-0557 and use code SORBLOG, OR complete the online form and enter SORBLOG in the Questions/Comments field, and the school will contact you directly.

The free week must be completed by Oct. 31. Offer is subject to location and availability.



This is one thing I’m proud to share with you guys – music is so important to life and to learning!


Disclosure: This posting opportunity was provided to me by One2One Network. All opinions are mine. I have not been compensated for my post, but I will be entered to win a gift card or a Yamaha PAC012 Electric Guitar for my work.

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