The Heat Is On, Revisited: The Rivers Run Dry

It's been a hot one out there. Summer, that is. Record breaking in many ways, as I wrote about in my July 11th post "The Heat Is On: Sizzling & Sweltering this Summer."

Since then, the heat has continued. I'm fascinating by the number of articles I've run across that have revealed true "hidden treasures" that have literally surfaced in the drought conditions we have seen. Riverbeds have been hit hard in the drought, and items that were down at the bottom have essentially found their way to the top...not by being dislodged or floating there, but by the drought-stricken rivers falling to record low water-levels. As these have dropped, finds have been founds and made visible. Everything from prehistoric remains, historic insfrastructures, and wartime wreckage. 

The Danube River has been hit particularly hard and many items have been found in its riverbed and along the now-visiable riverbanks. Historical finds include:

• Ice Age Woolly Mammoth remains near Ryahovo, Bulgaria iinclude a lower jaw, tusks, and possibly a rib. 
• Elements of Constantine’s Bridge have been exposed in Bulgaria. This was a Roman bridge opened in AD 328.
• World War II German ships near Prahovo, Serbia. This area in particular could also contain some wartime ammunition that has yet to to be detonated, so that area is being treated with extreme caution.
• WWII Wehremacht motorcycle and other military artifacts and wartime debris near Budapest, Hungary. Again, with the potential for munitions, that area is being treated with caution.
• World War II shipwreck near Mohács, Hungary has resurfaced.
• The Fulton cargo shipwreck near Opatovac, Croatia has a now-visible hull showing from this coal-carrying ship that sank in 1937.

But, the Danube River is not alone in its findings of hidden relics. Here are some other surfaced appearances:

• “Hunger stone” in the Elbe River, near Pirna-Oberposta, Germany (near the Czech border). This historic carved stone has dates going back to 1707 from other droughts, when exposed due to low water levels. These served as both warnings and historical stories of other times when poor harvests, shipping/transport issues, and hunger and famine were an issue to due drought conditions.
• Remains of Nero's bridge in Rome are exposed by the Tiber River in Italy, dating back to 39 AD
• Similar low-water inscriptions appeared in the Rhine River, near Leverkusen, Germany. One showed a low-level date of 1959.
• Lake Brenets, which borders Switzerland and France and is a big sight for tourism, had near-nonexistent water on the exposed lake bottom due to water levels dropping from the nearby River Doubs.
• 
  The “Spanish Stonehenge” (Guadalperal Dolmen) in the Valdecañas Reservoir, Spain resurfaced again, thanks to the overly-dry conditions. This prehistoric megalithic monument which typically is submerged once again became visible. 
  

As with any find like this, these are historical artifacts. It is not a collectors' paradise. Stability problems coincide when water levels are so low such as unstable banks, contaminated sediment, protected archaeological material, and unexploded munitions. These are finds that should be reported to local authorities so they can safely examine the heritage and history of these items.

While the droughts have exposed some amazing historical finds, they also reveal the force of our changing climate. Riverbeds are meant to carry water, and drought has disrupted and impacted the water needs of these communities. River ecosystems are not operating as needed--nor are shipping systems and local water supplies for drinking and more. The reappearance of  "hunger stones" show us this isn't the first time that area has been in crisis. The dry conditions also raise the risk and highlight the fire danger that we also have seen in France and Spain this summer. 

All of this is a reminder to that preparation, shared care, water conservation, and healthier landscapes can make a meaningful difference. These drying riverbed appearances serve as a warning and an alert system. These discoveries are an invitation to pay attention to the world we live in, and they offer a chance to learn from the past while thinking more carefully about how we protect water, landscapes, and one another in the future.

Map from https://edulearningss.wordpress.com/2026/01/23/europe-rivers-map-with-names-for-education-use/; other images from https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/08/10/historic-drought-rivers-reveal-hunger-stones-warships-and-mammoth-remains and https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/31/climate/shrinking-rivers-reveal-past-relics-in-europe and https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2gp3zmkpmo

Summer You, School You

'Tis that season: the school year is coming... or perhaps for you, it's even already here and has begun.

The transition time for teachers from "Summer You" to "School You" can be a little bumpy. It's hard to let go of one, and then move into the other. (Especially if summertime is your thrive time of feeling alive through the gift of time.)

"Summer You" knows how to breathe and decompress, reading entire book chapters at end without interruption, basking in the pool. "Summer You" loves late sunsets, patio-sitting, day-tripping, and vacation-jaunting. "Summer You" adores the "real time" of being in the moment, not living in the "scheduled time" of the school year.

But "School You" has its own perks: loving and being energized by work. Making a difference. Connecting with colleagues. Capitalizing on the creativity that comes from an inspired lesson plan, feeling that flash of brilliance. Being lit up from the joy of engaged students and their electric current of learning, all a part of what put us in this career to begin with.

But work comes with work, busy-ness, and sometimes weightiness: planning lessons, answering questions, writing emails, updating paperwork, tweaking slides, assessing students, and definitely being "on" for everyone! Including our families or our kids and maybe even making time for our own friends.

August comes like clockwork, with a collision when "Summer You" and "School You" comes crashing together. "Summer You" is still sun-kissed and hopeful, relaxed and fresh. "School You" is sharpening pencils and multi-tasking with too many open computer tabs and brain compartments. You are feeling the wistful melancholy of "Summer You" slowly slipping away, all too soon. You really, really liked her and don't want to see her go!

If only there was a way to merge the two, bringing "Summer You" into the school year, perhaps even creating the most sustainable version of you?!

Probably starts with boundaries. Making time for weekend and after work fun. We have all probably learned the hard way that no one gets points for working 24-7, being exhausted, or burnt out. No one wins from that... including our students. I remember my workaholic days in the early years of my career! Sleep, laughter, the outdoors, and time for the people in our lives that matter are restorative. Same for stepping away from the computer, carving out some down time, and not checking every chore off the list in one fell swoop. Laundry can be very, very patient and doesn't all need to get done "today." We all need breathing room and pockets of "summer" in our lives... even in the middle of winter! That comes by the way of our own "me" time with activities we enjoy. Likewise "we" time with our families building in group fun and relaxation.

Add in, there is no denying that we live in the land of AI now. It's a huge productivity tool that can carry some of the weight. Can it do everything? No! Nor should it! We need to be human, and relationships in particular need empathy, creativity, time, nurturing, and humanity. But AI can save time working as our personal assistant, buying us energy when it helps us differentiate material for our students, create project rubrics or slide shows, or streamline mental loads. 

Along those lines, our lives are more tech-centric than ever before. The gravitational pull to our phones, iPads, computers, TVs, and more is strong! I circle back to my long-time love-hate relationships with devices. They are an amazing in all they can do... and equally amazing in the level of "time-suck" they can bring. Often, when talking with teachers or parents about how students/kids are using technology, I ask: are they "creating" or "consuming?" Are they active or passive? It's a good question for all of us. It's especially a good one to ask as the educational pendulum continues to swing back and forth between the "to tech or not to tech" question in classrooms. 

I landed on these questions, and I think they serve as a good reminder during this quest for "Sustainable Me." Points to ponder when I am thinking about creating (or redesigning) meaningful and engaging activities for my students. (I think they also will serve me well when I find myself going down the rabbit hole of tech-consumption wasted time, whether it's doomscrolling social media or mindlessly playing that silly phone game when I need to decompress!)

• Does this activity ask students to create: code, design, compose, build?
• Does it help them connect: collaborate, give feedback, see perspectives beyond their own?
• Does it invite them to contemplate: reflect, question, think about thinking?

Perhaps all of this helps create a preservation plan that leads its way to "Sustainable You." A mix of the best of both worlds. A hybrid where "Summer You" and "School You" peacefully co-exist, maximizing potential and harnessing inspiration & innovation. A way to maintain your well-deserved, vital energy for the school year ahead. May we all find our very own sustainable selves! Have a great school year ahead.

Images created using the EduGem "Career Caricature" prompt: https://www.edugems.ai/gem/career-caricature and then compiled in www.canva.com

AI Acrostic Back-to-School Teacher Poster Fun

Here's a fun AI back-to-school teacher prompt that I've been enjoying playing with for both myself and friends. Created by LaNedra Johnson, her prompt is on her Facebook page "Canva Creations for Teachers." LaNedra's Facebook pages is decorated with a ton of colorful creations from teachers sharing their posters. It has definitely inspired me to play around with it too. You can play around with the level of photo realism and cartoony" caricatures you'd like. (The photo realistic ones are scarily spot on!!) I've adapted the prompt several times, making a few for my family, my fun bunch, and my partners in crime.

To find the full prompt, go to LaNedra's original prompt post here, then you can cut and paste into your favorite AI Platform. Then go forth and have fun!

Image created in Perplexity.ai, using & adapting the prompt found here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ZgiAWobsC/

Corny, But True: Making Fuel at the Grocery Store

Summertime and the living is easy. Picnics, BBQs, cookouts, fresh fruits and vegetables. Summer comes with a lot of edible perks. Corn on the cob--yummy!

My most recent trip to the grocery store showed me another, when I was greeted with this bin, right next to to the table of corn I was grabbing for that night's dinner. Typically we shuck our corn at home, but this had me at "turning corn husks into renewable energy," and left me wanting to learn more.

What I discovered is that I've apparently been living under a rock and this technology has been around for about a decade. While I'm not the primary grocery shopper in my house, I will say I am 100% sure this circular waste collection piece hasn't been in the shopping marker that long. The corn husks and stalks are called "corn stover" and they are one of the many agricultural parts that make up biofuel. Reusing this agricultural waste is one of many ways to get there.

When you think of summer time and picnicking and you think of the vegetable waste alone, what a brilliant idea to have grocery stores starting to insert themselves in the process. 

Reminds me of my composting days (before the neighborhood rodents started using our french drain in the backyard like the sewers of Paris!)

Of course, there are many proponents who urge you not to do this in the store due to moisture loss and other reasons, so you do you. But I love it when circular economy is put to use.

To learn more about corn waste as a biofuel, check out this video or go toWashington State University's May 2025 article "Scientists Discover a New Way to Convert Corn Waste into Low-Cost Sugar for Biofuel."

Video from https://youtu.be/-AbjfwIhrV0?si=0E3TPGFY-VG_hpVZ, Pics from my camera.

Starry Night in the Dark Sky

Jane Taylor's simple rhyme from 1806 still hold true here, now 220 years later. There's nothing like a sparkling star-filled sky above, especially here in the summer. Of course, how much are any of us seeing in our neighborhoods given the light pollution we all encounter.

But imagine what all we would see in deep dark sky. DarkSky International is dedicated to helping you find that. On their website they have over 270 certified Dark Sky Places in 22 countries listed, ready and waiting for you to help you see the stars and all that nighttime nature that thrives under dark skies.

Makes you want to go out stargazing. Find the darkest place you can, or check out a Dark Sky Places to find a Dark Sky Sanctuary, Reserve, Park, Community, or Urban Night Sky Place near you. 

Twinkle Twinkle Image from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txQOWkxTz-A, Protect the Night Image created using Perplexity.ai with this prompt: Use this website to create an infographic about the importance of dark sky locations that are free of light pollution: https://darksky.org/

Eco-Hero Connects Webinar: Ocean Conservation: Protecting Marine Ecosystems

Not all heroes wear a cape. When they are eco heroes, they sometimes wear swim gear and take part in webinars.

That's what is ahead from Action for Nature next Saturday, August 1st, 2026 at 2 pm Eastern time (11 AM Pacific Time). They are hosting the "Eco-Hero Connects Webinar: Ocean Conservation: Protecting Marine Ecosystems." Four of the recipients of Action For Nature's Young Eco-Hero Award will be gathered together as part of an global panel speaking together about their individual journeys of ocean advocacy. In that discussion, they'll also talk about some of the ways we all can take action to protect our marine ecosytstems.

The webinar speakers include:

• Jade Bothma, 2020 Eco-Hero from South Africa who founded Oceano Reddentes ("the ocean revives"). Together with her team of volunteers they have gotten rid of 8,000+ pounds of waste from the beaches of Cape Town. They use the found-plastic to form "eco-bricks" to use as sustainable building materials for housing.

• Elijah Richardson, 2024 Eco-Hero of Australia who is active in many conservation organizations: Coral Watch, Neuralfin Shark ID, and Tangaroa Blue. You can check out his many associations through his LinkTree page.

• Cash Daniels, 2022 Eco-Hero from the USA is the founder of Wild Earth Defenders. Cash is known as "The Conservation Kid," and he has been a long-time advocate for waterways and taking action for our planet.

• Sean Russell, 2009 Eco-Hero from the USA is the Director of Youth Engagement at EarthEcho International (GenSea) and the Founder and Director of the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit. These organizations encourage our youth to start their own marine conservation projects.

To register and take part in this webinar showcasing these 4 young leaders, check out Action for Nature.

Image from https://actionfornature.org/events/2026/8/1/eco-hero-connects-webinar-ocean-conservation-protecting-marine-ecosystems

Bird Spying

For Father's Day, my crew got their dad a smart bird feeder. There are several brands out there: Bird Buddy,Birdify, Chirp Cam, Kiwibit, Birdkiss....just to name a few.

If you aren't sure what a smart bird feeder is, it is somewhat like a regular bird feeder, but on steroids. It typically has a solar panel which powers the camera feature. They typically also are tied to an app which alerts you to the fact that you have a feathered friends at the feeder. Many have both video recording and AI elements to help you both monitor and identify your chirping visitors.

I've got to say--since having ours up in the yard the last few weeks, it completely makes me smile to get these chirpy, little notifications. Our app saves ten second videos of our little feeding flyers, identifying the birds if it can. (Sometimes, based on the length of time or the angle, it'll get marked as "unidentified bird.") 

We have had visits from House Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, House Finches, Blue Grosbeaks, American Goldfinches, Northern Cardinals, Eastern Bluebirds, and even a Willow Flycatcher, Carolina Chickadee, Brown-headed Cowbird, and a Morning Dove or two. I get downright giddy when we get a notification that a brand new-to-us bird has stopped by for a visit. 

This bird spying that I've been doing has been a secret win to my summer these past few weeks. I get a little dopamine hit when my phone alerts me that our bird café is busy getting visitors. One day I got 200 notifications--my phone was literally blowing up! Given that, I turned off the notifications for a few days. While I could go into the app and see it whenever I wanted, it wasn't the same. My notifications are now back on again.

In talking with some friends of mine who have their own smart feeders in their yards, the addiction is real. (As is that "you become a birder in your 50s" stereotype.) But apparently what also can be real is the squirrel invasion that follows. Our feeder has a baffle so squirrels have been kept at bay from it. [However, don't get me started on the teething squirrels done to our new Polywood chairs. That's apparently another thing that can be real. That and car hoses and a myriad of other things that squirrels can destroy.... But I digress.]

Part of summer is for basking in the great outdoors and soaking up all sorts of nature adventures. Bird spying is now newly added to my summer joy list. Thanks to our new smart feeder, I’ve got a front‑row seat to all of this happening just beyond my back door.

Images & videos from our back yard, either our Kiwibit camera or my own.

The Heat Is On: Sizzling & Sweltering this Summer

The end of June found Europe sweating, with over the top, record breaking temperatures.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, the following countries all had areas that broke records, many of them for 3 consecutive days during the span of time between June 21--28, 2026: Germany, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, France, and Spain. Not only is extreme heat a serious health danger, but the fact that temperatures don't give way during overnight is a huge problem. The lack of cooling starts us all off "behind the 8 ball." Bodies do not have a chance to recover, putting heat stress on top of heat stress in a cumulative manner.

Using Perplexity.AI and the World Meteorological Organization's June 29, 2026 article , I crafted this simplified graphic and using the following conversion from Celcius to Fahrenheit as: F = (C × 9/5) + 32. Given that, 40°C is approximately 104°F and 42°C ≈ 108°F.

Meanwhile, "across the pond," the following week we had DC, Maryland, Philadelphia, & Boston, among the major areas that had to postpone their 4th of July celebrations based on extreme temperatures with triple-digit heat indexes. A "heat dome" high pressure system trapped humidity from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic States. Power grids in many US locations were pushed to their limits. My 5 pm July 3rd weather was listed at 99°F with a "feels like" temperature of 110°F... well past the height of the heat of the day.

Climate Scientist Katharine Hayhoe, whom I adore, called it for what it is--a direct effect from climate change which has been impacted by fossil fuel pollution. Be sure to click the "see more" to read her entire post with coordinating links: 

It's not "just summer" when it comes to record breaking heat of this extreme.

A great resource for Grades 6-12 teachers is OER Project: Teach Climate Change, a collection of free lesson plans. I know it's summer, but this is when we teachers do our percolating, especially when we have climate news happening around us to the point where it may impact our vacations and our patriotic holidays. There are a multitude of other resources also available at OER for history, science, geography and more. 

We need to take note and educate ourselves that this heat wave is not just a quirk of nature with these sizzling, sweltering days. It's a health concern for our entire planet. We need to go forward, not with despair, but with informed, collective action using the science and common connections. Through these, we take small steps to caring for each other and our shared home.

Graphic created using Perplexity.AI and data obtained from https://wmo.int/media/news/record-breaking-heat-spreads-through-europe; Katharine Hayhoe's Facebook post from https://www.facebook.com/20531316728/posts/10154009990506729/

Stars, Stripes, and Sustainable Strides

July 4th, 2026 marks a memorable day: 

America's 250th birthday. 

We've all seen the snippets coming our way regarding this semiquincentennial birthday & American anniversary: patriotic parades ahead, firework events, festivals & celebrations.... and even down to sales galore at all the stores, with decor red ♥️, white 🤍, and blue 💙, and discount signs everywhere!  

I've been around long enough to lightly remember the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial. "Lightly" because I was not quite 7 years old. And now here we are.... 50 years later. 😱 If 50 is a lot, what about 1/4 of a millennium?!

Yes, 250 years is a big deal! 

Imagining back to 1776 and the era of quills, cannons, and candlelight, we've come a long way, baby! Can you imagine our forefathers even trying to fathom televisions, computers or live-streamed shows on smartphones? Then think about all that goes with all of that: from microchips to electricity to Google (or Amazon or Best Buy) to drones to satellites to AI. They wouldn't even be able to wrap their head around a fraction of all that. 

250 years of inventions and innovations have carried us far! A LOT has changed since that very first Independence Day.

Since the very beginning, we have been a nation that "shoots for the stars ⭐️." In 1776, that looked like freedom and the birth of a nation. It was centered around ordinary people breaking free from a king (or other ruler), with the idea of equality and voting for folks to shape their own future. From its inception, democracy has counted on the dynamic balance of the the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the government. 

From there, our country soared by the way of life-changing innovations: railroads and telegraphs, light bulbs and airplanes, radios and televisions, rockets and moon landings, computers and the internet. Each invention launched us into a brighter, shinier future of possibility. 

Much like the stripes on our national flag, with each decade we see the stripes of history and the timeline of change progressing us forward. Advances in agriculture, transportation, energy, production, communication, and more moved us forward in a multitude of ways. 

Not surprisingly, along with these new solutions came some environmental and social issues that needed to be solved. Air/water/land pollution, overcrowded cities, climate challenges, and other issues became the next problems to solve. Yet again, we made strides to solve those new problems. A sweeping stripe of environmental stewardship took place with the first Earth Day in 1970 and other environmental and health protections getting put into practice, policy, and law. We see these layering stripes of progress, advancement, enlightenment, and future success sometimes layered with the dark stripes of history where we aren't always proud of our past choices. This right here is in part the philosophy backing why I became a teacher: we need to learn from our past mistakes in history in order to not repeat it. 

So as we go forward with our democracy, our nation, and all the inevitable inventions and innovations ahead, we need to make sure our future strides are sustainable ones. I tell my students all the time: we are problem solvers. So it is part of our jobs as American citizens, global citizens, digital citizens and decision makers, and future changemakers to factor in forward thinking as we go. Maybe that is in the future of hybrid or electric cars. Perhaps it is in alternative energy such as wind, solar, hydropower, or geothermal. Maybe our throwaway-culture will grab hold of a model more focused around circular design to reuse and reinvest materials. Perhaps communities could be designed with the climate in mind to help create flood-resistant cities and build in protections to help offset our warming planet in areas that are prone to heat-waves and droughts.

I'm a big proponent of small acts making a big impact. As we think about new shining star innovations as we continue to move forward in the stripes of the future, let's factor in those sustainable strides. In doing so, we can truly celebrate the longevity of our history and the distance we have traveled as a nation. Likewise, we can proudly take on an inspiring future. In doing so, it will set the precedent for our kids to watch our country grow stronger each step of the way, where one day they will take on that same challenge as adults! Let's create a fireworks-worthy celebration as we craft the best possible answer to the question: Where do we want our country to be in 50, 100, 250 years from now?

For more information about America's 250th birthday, click the first link above or go to: https://america250.org/

Images from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:America250_flag.svg, 1976 image (A float during the American Bicentennial Grand Parade in Washington, D.C. Photo via National Archives) from https://www.reuters.com/pictures/how-america-celebrated-its-200th-birthday-1976-2026-06-03/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

1776 first 4th graphic created using Perplexity.com and using this prompt: "Create a graphic image of what the 1st 4th of July might have looked like in 1776, showing the simplicity of the times. Include stars in the sky, and make sure to show the flag at the time." American Innovation graphic created using Perplexity.com and the following prompt: "Make an interesting graphic showing the progress of time with these inventions, with stars in a flag blue sky: railroads and telegraphs, light bulbs and airplanes, radios and televisions, rockets and moon landings, computers and the internet." The future "Circle City" graphic created on Perplexity.com using the bulk of the next-to-last paragraph. The Independence Day/4th of July banner created at canva.com

Hopescrolling Over Doomscrolling

I've been pretty agitated about my social media algorithms lately. Particularly my Facebook account, which has been my preferred go-to social media platform. My FB thread seems to have every third post some advertisement that I'm completely not interested in. It seems like serious changes have happened, and my unscientific survey of my friends reveals they think the same. 

Add in the heaviness of the world these days, via politics, economics, nightly news, and medical updates from friends and family, social media isn't bringing me the same curated joy that it once was. My Facebook brain breaks have definitely become an exercise in doomscrolling these days. I'm not a fan--like  I said, the world is heavy enough. I don't need more doom and gloom.

It was in a recent doomscrolling moment that I ran across this post at 1 Million Women on Facebook. The caption really spoke to me. "Hopescroll." Yes! We need more hopescrolling. 

What I didn't realize is that hopescrolling, just like doomscrolling, is indeed a verb, at least in this smart phone, hand-help-computer era. Apparently it's been around for a couple of years. From UrbanDictionary.com, it is the distinct opposite of it's negative scrolling counterpart:

So where, oh where, can we find more of this? 

• Look up what you can find under the following hashtags: #Hopescrolling or #GoodNews

• This Healthline article has a few great ideas including how to best curate your social media feed with positive or inspirational accounts based on your interests, whether they are foodie-centric, carry travel vibes, or flower-filled gardens.

• Make more mindful choices--unsubscribing accounts that don't fill you up, set time limits, etc. 

• I have started a gratitude journal using the Orca Journaling app. Maybe that's where my #hopescrolling is best to start!

• Concepts like Nat Geo's 33 Changemakers and Jane Goodall Day also apply in the #hopescrolling department!

• Some Facebook pages that might serve as hopescrolling for you include:
• The Hope Scrolling private group
• The Nature Conservancy FB page
• Power of Positivity FB Page
• EarthDay.org's FB Page
• Any of the 10 listed in this Becoming Minimalist article: "10 Facebook Pages to Encourage Simplicity in Life"

We definitely need more messages of hope, good news, and inspiration in the world. Anyone have some great ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Images from https://www.facebook.com/20531316728/posts/10154009990506729/ and http://hopescrolling.urbanup.com/17895640

From Freedom to Future: Juneteenth, Father's Day, and the Obama Presidential Center

What do fathers, freedom, financial planners, and forward thinking spaces like Obama's Presidential Center have in common?

They all are tied to this weekend ahead, at least here in our house. Simultaneously, they all point to the same big question: What will we leave behind?

Here at home, my husband and I started the weekend with a Zoom call with our financial planner. This has become a relatively regular occurrence every month or two. Looking at longevity, legacy, and long-term care ultimately has us staring at that “someday” end date. 

We all have one, and no one gets out of this life without landing on one. Of course, we all hope it's later versus sooner. Add in the reality of parenting near-adult kids, and Father’s Day starts to feel a little different too. Aging, watching medical concerns trickle into our friend groups, and quietly wondering how on earth we got here so soon!

Then add in all the news of our first African American President, Barack Obama, unveiling his beautiful Presidential Center. More than a library, this community-centered campus includes outdoor green spaces for learning, playing, organizing, and creating together. It's a place to learn about civic engagement and democracy, serving as a place to honor the stories of those behind us as well as a springboard to build and imagine a future greater than the world in which we live. As I watched the speeches and unveiling, I felt the hope and optimism of building a collectively great place. That for me completely memorializes the power of our 250 years here in America.

It also highlights the vision and importance of Juneteenth, and feels powerful that the Center's opening was on June 18th. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 when the last group of enslaved Black people were finally told they were free in Galveston, Texas. This happened more than 2 years after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation that put an end to slavery on January 1, 1963. Juneteenth became an official national holiday in 2021. It is seen as the "second Independence Day," celebrating freedom, equality, resilience, and social justice.

This weekend invites us to reflect on legacy in different ways. As we pay tribute to the history of Juneteenth, honor our dads and grandfathers here on Father’s Day, and celebrate the Obama Presidential Center and its focus to the future, we can feel the swirling power of "legacy." It feels living. It feels like a verb. It certainly feels like a hope for what's to come next.

We feel the stories of our own family histories as we celebrate our fathers, the stories of our country's history, and the stories we hope to build going forward. Much like the community gardens that are a part of the Obama Center, legacy is a place to go together. A place to grow together. It is through history and community that we do indeed grow. Perhaps that is the truest meaning of "legacy."

To all who celebrate:

• May Juneteenth be a day of remembrance, history, and renewed commitment to freedom; 
• May your Father’s Day be filled with gratitude, stories, and time together; 
• And may the Obama Presidential Center stand for a vision of hope, serving as an inspiring gathering place to many... keeping us learning, leading, and leaving a better world behind.

Images from https://www.businessbackpacker.com/how-to-build-your-personal-legacy-and-share-it-with-the-world/, https://www.instagram.com/p/DZvTQMpkxzj/, https://justicerevival.org/juneteenth-anti-racism-christian-prayer-reflections/, https://wesleychoice.org/12-interesting-facts-about-fathers-day/

Inspiring Heros: Nat Geo's 33 Changemakers

They had me at Harrison Ford. 

So I dug a little deeper and I was enraptured and captured by all 33 of National Geographic's "33 Changemakers" for 2026.

I love every way about how Nat Geo celebrates these environmental stewards, inspiring inovators, and bold thinkers. These people who have a commitment to the greater good of our planet and our people. They serve as leaders who model responsibility, perserverance and the power of activism and human impact. 

On National Geographic's Facebook Page, they shared some video shorts of each of these changemakers, speaking about what speaks to them. Here's the one that grabbed me and left me searching for more: 

To meet each and every one of this year's visionaries, go to their 33 Changemakers site and click to read about these remarkable people. (From there too, you can click a link to take a peek at the 2025 list as well.) From ocean advocates to climate technologists to explorers, defenders, pioneers, innovators, and more...who are from Hollywood indigenous tribes, and other global corners... these 33 leaders are passionate in their stewardship. Every one is worth clicking on to read their bios, then clicking in more to check out their deeper story.

For more video shorts and other videos about these innovators, go to Nat Geo's Channel and their 33 Changemakers links. 

Here is an overview of NatGeo's inaugural 33 Changemaker introduction last year.

Image from https://www.instagram.com/p/DV-_TYxlvvi/, Videos  from: https://youtu.be/79kLkjGR3JU?si=eZo4xs2mC10N7MmR (from the National Geographic 33 Changemakers of 2025) and https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1H5isyFN5R/

Are We Running Out of Clean Water?

The first line in this TED-ED video is: "From space, our planet appears to be more ocean than earth." 

We were reminded of this with some of the amazing pictures that came out from Artemis II's mission on April 1st to 11th, 2026.

Yet, water scarcity is real for many people globally. Accessibility of this water is our biggest issue, for where it is located versus where it is needed.

Watch TED-ED's "Are We Running Out of Clean Water" to learn more. Additionally, use the TED-ED's resources for both quizzing yourself and your students as well as their lesson prompts and plan.

Video from https://ed.ted.com/lessons/are-we-running-out-of-clean-water-balsher-singh-sidhu, image from https://www.facebook.com/nytimes/posts/nasa-shared-a-view-of-earth-on-friday-as-captured-by-reid-wiseman-the-artemis-ii/1337205921595201/

Eco-Anxiety: A Message from Our Future Selves

I had to chuckle when I first started watching author Heather White's November 8th, 2025 TED Talk on Eco-Anxiety: A Message from Our Future Selves. She referenced Michael J. Fox & the 1980s movie Back to the Future. I think the chuckling came from both my own fascination (my kids call it "obsession") with the '80s. It also came from recently seeing the on-stage production of Back to the Future: The Musical and loving it. (Backstory: this ways my requested Christmas gift. See also: my previous point.)

Of course, she also had me at environmental sustainability.

Thinking ahead to the future we want, is certainly a good way to help build the world we want! Let's go forward with a time-traveling mentality. 

For more about Heather White, check out the following: 

Her website.

Books by Heather White:

• 60 Days to a Greener Life: Ease Eco-anxiety Through Joyful Daily Action (2024)
  
• Eco-Anxiety: Saving Our Sanity, Our Kids, and Our Future (2024)
  
• One Green Thing: Discover Your Hidden Power to Help Save the Planet (2022)
  

Previous posts about Heather White's books:

• One Green Thing: Top Take Aways from the Book (5-17-2023)
  
• Heather White's "Think Like An Awesome Ancestor" TED Talk on Eco-Anxiety (2-11-2023)
  
• One Green Thing: Find Out Your Service Superpower (1-23-2023
  

Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8bc6Ese4oQ, Images from https://www.amazon.com/Eco-Anxiety-Saving-Sanity-Kids-Future/dp/0785291326/ref=books_amazonstores_desktop_mfs_aufs_ap_sc_dsk_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=OIciv&content-id=amzn1.sym.9c9a049f-252a-49d9-a8c2-e300a1663200&pf_rd_p=9c9a049f-252a-49d9-a8c2-e300a1663200&pf_rd_r=139-4919241-6074336&pd_rd_wg=HKFxA&pd_rd_r=5e46a386-4857-47a7-a1d1-b9f69f148e14 and https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=563488706023864&set=a.213086551064083

"Culpability" by Bruce Holsinger

I'm a reader, and I typically have one book on my Kindle, an audio book for when I'm in the car or doing chores, and sometimes even a real book to read by the pool or when tech reading devices won't suffice.

So, it's no surprise that I happened upon Bruce Holsinger’s Culpability. A 2025 release, this book is about what happens with the family who owns an AI-powered car that is involved in a crash. It is very current conceptually, and it easily drew me in from the AI/tech standpoint alone. The book had elements of artificial intelligence in many places (more than just this car), and it definitely aroused (purposely, for sure) the questions of ethics and responsibility. "Computational morality." Culpability... you could say.

Given the fact that the settings for the story are in and around the Chesapeake Bay and DC area, where I am from, there was an added pull to the book for me. A fairly quick read, it draws you in, in many ways. Elements that would have been seen as science-fiction a decade or two ago (ex: self driving cars, drones, heavy tech-saturation in everyday life), it feels a lot more like every day 2026. Especially when you are reading the book as someone who uses Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, Alexa, Siri, a Roomba, and so on.

The book gives you a lot to think about in this burgeoning world of tech innovation and AI. Especially when it comes to responsibility. Namely, who IS responsible and where exactly is that line? Not to mention, with some of these new systems, "smart devices," and "intelligent machines" out there, it somewhat begs the question of "how safe is safe enough?"

All of this makes it "not quite a beach read!" But a good read, indeed.

It left me thinking about AI policies (both for schools [given I'm a teacher] and for life, especially with our teens and preteens--but adults as well). It made me think about the iGeneration over the last 19 years with all of this tech at our disposal and what is it doing to our social side of life, our anxiety levels, our distractability, our cultural fiber. We are nearly at 2 decades of this human experiment since the iPhone's inception in 2007. I know my life is more distracted for sure! We all are enmeshed in this tech lifestyle, surrounded by these devices and systems, often putting the cart before the horse. Dependent on them yet not fully understanding the depth and breadth of how they fully impact us or how reliant we are on them. 

All of which, as with many things in life, showcases that life is not black or white... but the gray that lies between.

The last two years I've been teaching my 4th and 5th graders about machine learning and how it works. How it is reliant on the data sets that are used to train them, and how the way it works is solely dependent on the data that trains them. And there in lies the problem because we don't often have a full disclosure on what exactly the training sources are/were... and we don't know the level of bias that could be built in. 

Ethics and morality are a whole next-level conversation! My adult daughter has told me she's very glad she grew up and went to school in an era after AI. 

Culpability is a good read that definitely leaves you thinking a lot about the world in which we live. It left me thinking about the quote that often comes with AI these days: "Today's AI is the worst you will ever experience." Why? Because it is always growing, advancing, and improving--for better or for worse. AI certainly is faster and far more advanced now than the November 2022 release of ChatGPT. AI also is frequently now included and built into existing platforms (both in and out of education) and that inclusion has exploded. No one sees that stopping anytime soon. 

So....what are the governing policies going to be? What are the implications? The ramifications if anything goes wrong? Are we working with ethics, morality, and responsibility as we are building up and improving these systems (and inventing new ones). What is the culpability of all parties involved? All good questions to ask!

Images from https://www.amazon.com/Culpability-Novel-Bruce-Holsinger/dp/1954118961, https://itchronicles.com/artificial-intelligence/where-is-ai-used-today/, and https://techvidvan.com/tutorials/artificial-intelligence-applications/

Social Media's Big Tobacco Moment

I've seen "it" slated as "Social Media's 'Big Tobacco' Moment" in at least a half dozen locations.

What is the "it?" The "it" is the fact that social media court cases are starting to loudly prove that yes, social media is an addiction, and it can cause harm to kids. 

Two landmark trials have been in the news in the past six weeks. Earlier this year on March 24th Meta (parent company to Facebook) was ordered by a jury in New Mexico to pay $375 million due to violating state consumer protection laws, viewing both the Facebook and Instagram platforms to be "a breeding ground for predators." The very next day, March 25th, a lawsuit in California sided with a 20-year-old female who was suing Meta & Google (who owns YouTube), awarding her $6 million for causing years of mental health issues. The endless scrolling, algorithms, and purposeful addictive nature created by social media companies were ruled to be the blame for endangering children. And while tech companies are appealing these verdicts, multiple additional lawsuits are cropping up. The very loud message: tech companies knew the dangers in these devices, platforms, and programs... and sold them to our kids anyway.

So the table is turning when it comes to technology, apps, doomscrolling, and more. 

For those who don't get the "Big Tobacco Moment" reference, here's the backstory. Smoking, which long goes back in our historic timeline, really became glamorized throughout society from the 1920s to 1960s. Seemingly everyone smoked. Despite growing scientific studies over time that this is not a healthy habit, smoking had been pitched as "It's all on the person, and it is a personal choice." Awareness and science began leaning more heavily to "The product is the problem, and we need to pitch the product as such." Tobacco companies put a lot of money into advertising and debunking these claims. The tide slowly began turning in 1965 when a Congressional ruling stated that cigarette packages need mandatory warning labels. Then, TV and radio ads were banned in 1970. But despite all of this, smoking continued to be a large part of global culture, with people viewing it as "cool," relaxing, and socially acceptable, regardless of what science had to say. 

Things significantly began changing in 1994 when several cigarette company CEOs came before Congress to say that nicotine was not addictive nor dangerous to your health (despite scientific evidence proving otherwise). The downfalls continued to come with multiple lawsuits. In 1998 there was a Master Settlement Agreement for over $206 billion, covering 46 states and making it the largest settlement in US history. This loudly emphasized that yes, smoking causes serious health risks, diseases, and cancer. This led to a 2-3 decade decline in smoking, where now in 2025 less than 10% of American adults smoke. Clearly the pendulum has swung and a majority of Americans now outwardly see the perils of this habit.

Which now takes us back to "Social Media's Big Tobacco Moment." With the first iPhone coming out in 2007, we are now nearly 2 decades into this "social experiment" of allowing handheld mini-computers into our daily lives. Not just adults, but kids and teens too. Throw in iPads, tablets, and ready-to-use laptops at every age, where are we now? Many of us (grownups and kids alike) are completely sucked into our devices:

• autoplaying the next video,
• scrolling scrolling down the suggested path created by stronger and more stringent algorithms than even a decade ago,
• fearing the loss of our "streaks"which brings us repeatedly back every day,
• riding the comparison mentality, stuck in social media with FOMO (fear of missing out),
• neglecting those around us while being addicted to what our online friends have to say,

Then insert AI in here, which makes everything even more complicated, addicted, and fuzzy as to where the blended line separating reality and "fake news" actually exists. All of which leads to an overwhelming state of loneliness and disconnectedness despited the moniker of "social" media.

And none of these features came by accident. Designers and programmers built these devices to act exacty in this way: holding our focus, bringing money to the company through our hijacked attention, and profiting off our clicks. 

And I must admit: I fall just as victim to it as all the rest! I am no better than any of the rest of us. Despit my "tech teacher, book reading" self! It makes us feel weak for getting sucked into the vortex and having no self control. And I'm an adult. What about our kids and our teens and our young adults?

But maybe... just maybe... it's all in the addictive nature of the dopamine-hitting design versus our own willpower. Just like the addictive nature of tobacco. Souds like it's not a fair fight. How are we ever to win? Perhaps though more guardrails that tech companies clearly need to help protect us all, old and small.

What that means is that we all need to both become informed citizens, and then start behaving like them. Advocate for safer design and legislation--especially those that protect our kids. That might look like taking action, signing petitions, or voicing your concerns to your community.

Additionally, we the parents, educators, and consumers all need to step up and fight the addictive nature and parent both ourselves and our children. This can also do include:

• Turning off all non-essential notifications to help us become less connected to our devices.
• Eliminating "tech-grazing time" by building in more boundaries in our homes and schools. This could look like "no-phone-zones" or windows of time where we don't use tech. (For example: before bedtime, right when we get up, less multi-tasking on multiple devices).
• Removing the apps on our phones that suck us in the quickest: games, social media, and other ones that get our most addictive attention. We need to break our own bad habits.
• Carefully curating your feed. Make it a space of inspiration, not gloomy news or topics that lend toward depression or anxiety, pulling you deeper into doomscrolling.
• Building in time limits on your kids devices, and creating opportunities where you "tech together" then play or learn together in no-tech ways too. 

The pull is hard. But it's not just us. The game IS rigged. And now by way of social media's 'Big Tobacco Moment," courts, doctors, researchers, educators, parents, and even some platform designers are saying what maybe we have already felt for a long time: The problems isn't just us or our willpower. The product is flawed by designed to keep us stuck. 

So it's up to all citizens to keep up the noise, the lawsuits, the conversations, the advocating for better guardrails, and the protection of our kids. It's also our role as parents and educators to really speak about how these tools work our brains, hearts, and emotions. Tech is a tool... but it isn't our everything or even a fraction of what is important. People are. That is certainly worth fighting for.

Images from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/march-30-social-medias-big-tobacco-moment-newslitproject-xf2ac/ and https://highschool.latimes.com/news/a-big-tobacco-moment-for-big-tech-the-cost-of-addictive-design/ and Time Magazine cover screenshot from https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/sellingsmoke/page/big-tobacco--big-lawsuits and https://www.thetimes.com/business/companies-markets/article/social-media-addiction-lawsuit-tiktok-meta-mark-zuckerberg-5q2mbkmsn