Education
Great minds lead to great solutions. Our education section features solutions and innovations directed at strengthening educational systems around the world.
With parades cancelled, New Orleans transformed houses into floats
One of the most iconic components of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebrations is the beautifully-decorated floats that partake in over 50 parades throughout the city. As the pandemic put celebrations on hold this year, Mardi Gras float fanatics found a new way to celebrate safely: by turning their Read More...
How Safe Families keeps kids out of the foster care system
Oftentimes kids wind up in foster care systems because their parents lack a basic support system that would allow them to meet their children’s basic needs. To prevent children from ever having to go through the trauma of being separated from their biological parents, an organization called Safe Read More...
Forgotten conch shell in museum identified as oldest known wind instrument
Archaeologists discovered a treasure hiding in plain sight after a 17,000-year-old conch shell that lay forgotten for more than 80 years in a museum collection has been identified as the oldest known wind instrument of its type. During a recent inventory of items at the Muséum de Toulouse in Read More...
Cultivating school gardens encourages children to eat more vegetables
Many of our eating habits are formed as young children and these become increasingly more difficult to change as we get older. It turns out that cultivating school gardens can increase the daily vegetable intake of elementary school children by offering an opportunity to educate them about Read More...
10 brain-boosting hobbies to fill your spare time
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Picking up new hobbies has helped us combat boredom, de-stress, and stay connected to loved ones. Recreational activities like baking, painting, and yoga have mental and physical health benefits. Many are even great for boosting memory, concentration, and Read More...
This program in Austin aims to undo racism in the music industry
The Covid-19 pandemic has deeply affected many industries, but perhaps none has the weight of it so great as the music industry. Live music events and venues were some of the first to be shut down with the first wave of lockdowns and will be the last to open and function regularly once things Read More...
Former Navy man reunited with the wallet he lost in Antarctica in 1967
This isn’t necessarily a solutions-oriented story, but it will surely put a smile on your face. 53 years ago, Navy meteorologist Paul Grisham was shipped out to Antarctica to work as a weather forecaster for a science station and airport on Ross Island. He worked there for 13 months before Read More...
Special camera captures world’s highest-resolution images of snowflakes
The snowflake is known for its infinite beauty, with science long having established that no two snowflakes are alike. Photographers have managed to capture close-up images of this miracle of nature for well over a century, but recently, visionary inventor Nathan Myhrvold built a camera with a Read More...
Celebrate Black History Month with these great reads
Earlier this week we shared some tips for reading more this year. If you’re looking for page turners that also honor Black History Month, look no further! We’ve got a list of great Black History Month reads from novels to nonfiction and everything in between. The Warmth of Other Suns by Read More...
4 ways to support your child’s mental health during the pandemic
Parents and families with school-aged children continue to face trying circumstances due to the pandemic. Where in-person schooling is not available, parents and guardians can struggle with their child’s restricted environment and may feel unequipped to support their learning and social Read More...