Florida votes to increase outdated minimum wage to $15
Voters in Florida tossed their outdated $8.56 per hour minimum wage in this election as the state became the eighth in the country to adopt a $15 minimum wage. Like many other states, Florida will introduce the raise slowly, upping it to $10 next year and raising it by $1 each year until it reaches Read More...
Do fireflies glow in space? These 2nd graders launched a rocket to find out
In 2015, a second grade class in Indiana curiously asked whether fireflies would still glow if sent into space. After doing some research, their teacher, Maggie Samudio, figured out that for just half the cost of the school’s football uniforms, they could actually send a rocket to space and find Read More...
Prop 17 restores voting rights for 50,000 paroled citizens in California
50,000 more Californians were welcomed back into the democratic process this election as the state celebrates the passing of Prop 17. The proposition, which passed with support from 59 percent of voters, will allow paroled citizens convicted of felonies to vote. Previously, those convicted of Read More...
This one factor boosts community college student transfer rates
The average American college student graduates from a four-year university with $29,200 of debt, so it’s no surprise that more high school students are choosing to complete the beginning of their college education at a more affordable community college before transferring to a four-year Read More...
November 5, 2020
Today we welcome artist, educator, and founder of Lost Art of Love Letters Sondra Weiss to talk about the value of putting pen to paper to express love and gratitude. Sondra is the creative mind behind our new collaborative Thankful Thursdays initiative. Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Read More...
November 5, 2020
Today we welcome artist, educator, and founder of Lost Art of Love Letters Sondra Weiss to talk about the value of putting pen to paper to express love and gratitude. Sondra is the creative mind behind our new collaborative Thankful Thursdays initiative. Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Read More...
November 5, 2020
Today we welcome artist, educator, and founder of Lost Art of Love Letters Sondra Weiss to talk about the value of putting pen to paper to express love and gratitude. Sondra is the creative mind behind our new collaborative Thankful Thursdays initiative. Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Read More...
November 5, 2020
Today we welcome artist, educator, and founder of Lost Art of Love Letters Sondra Weiss to talk about the value of putting pen to paper to express love and gratitude. Sondra is the creative mind behind our new collaborative Thankful Thursdays initiative. Listen to The Optimist Daily Update with Read More...
Thankful Thursdays: Who makes you laugh and feel at peace?
Research has shown that gratitude promotes new relationships, improves mental and physical health, and boosts self-esteem. Although many of us think about what we are grateful for around the holidays, all too often we let this practice slip during the rest of the year. This is why The Optimist Read More...
This self-watering soil hydrates plants all by itself
Researchers from the University of Texas have designed a self-watering soil that could provide plants with the on-demand hydration they need, even in dry climates. It may sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, the new soil uses moisture-absorbing gels to capture water from the air. This water Read More...