The Henkel company is sponsoring a contest to improve school fitness.
One elementary, one middle school, and one high school in the United States will win $10,000 each to improve youth fitness. The money is to be spent to improve the health and fitness equipment in physical education programs, resources and services available to students.
Educators, children, parents and community members can nominate a school by answering the question "What would your school do with $10,000 to help improve youth fitness?" at (www.HenkelHelps.com).
Based on the applications received, Henkel will select 15 schools, five at the elementary, middle and high school levels respectively, as finalists by Oct. 31. Finalists will be selected based on the relevance, originality and inspiration of all of the nominations received. Once the finalists have been announced, the 15 schools will receive a free flip video camera to create a brief video that brings to life the health and fitness issues facing their school and their plan for making the most of the $10,000 prize.
The three winning schools will be determined by a public voting process that encourages schools, communities and families to rally support for their school to improve youth health and fitness. Voting to determine the winning schools will run from Oct. 31 to Nov. 20, with the winners announced on Nov. 30.
Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit will also offer a $5,000 sweepstakes for a deserving family that is dedicated to improving their health and fitness habits, but lacks the resources to do so.
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Photo exhibit shows American Indians
FARGO A new exhibit at North Dakota State University features portraits of Sioux tribal members captured by renowned North Dakota photographer Frank Fiske.
"People of Standing Rock," displayed in the President's Gallery in NDSU's Old Main in Fargo, features 30 detailed images of men and women, young and old, taken between 1890 and 1920 on Standing Rock Reservation. Among the photographs are Sioux Chief Rain-In-The-Face, who fought Red Cloud Wars and Little Bighorn; Sitting Bull's nephew, One Bull; police officer Joe No Heart; and American Indians sitting among Catholic priests on a mission trip.
The images, selected from a collection of 6,560 negatives, provide vivid details of how Sioux members looked and dressed, capturing natural adornments. Many of Fiske's images can also be viewed online at (www.digitalhorizonsonline.org).
The President's Gallery is located on the first floor of Old Main. The exhibit is free and open to the public 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. It is expected to remain open for a few months, as a closing date has not been set. Staff members of the Memorial Union Gallery developed and installed the display.
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New York girls raise money for Minot
According to a Minot State University press release, the nieces of Minot State University art professor Bill Harbort are giving the proceeds of their lemonade stand to the Minot flood relief effort.
Sophia and Sara Bottema live in Mahopac, N.Y. Harbort lives in Minot, and although he isn't in the flood plain, he knows many who are.
So Sara and Sophia did what many resourceful, young entrepreneurs do best. They opened a business to raise money for Minot's flood recovery.
"We love our cousins, so I really wanted to help them," Sophia, 6, said.
"We decided to help and do a lemonade stand because we did it in the fall and earned a lot of money," Sara, 8, added.
Last fall's lemonade stand raised money for the Humane Society.
The girls and their mother, Nancy, made a sign, "scavenged through the cupboards" and set up shop for two days near a local park selling lemonade and Girl Scout cookies for 50 cents.
"People could give more if they wanted," Sophia said.
"It was me, my mom and Sophia," Sara said. "Some people gave the amount they were supposed to give, but they were nice."
Nancy commented that customer reception was surprising.
"A lot of people hadn't heard about the flood, but the girls would tell everyone, so people were generous," she said.
At the end of the run, grandma and grandpa chipped in and mom and dad matched funds, so the money sent to Uncle Bill totaled $400. He purchased gift cards and distributed them to friends, one of whom bought an industrial-sized fan to dry his home and plans to share it with others, making those little cups of lemonade go even further.
The family has moved on to collecting box tops for the Minot schools damaged in the flood, with intentions of approaching Mahopac's PTA in the fall and organizing a community box top drive for the Minot Public School system.
"We just hope everybody in Minot is safe and that they have a fun summer," Sara said.
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New program opens at MSU
John Lemons, director of Studies of Community and Environment, is leading a new major program at Minot State University, studies in community and environment. He assumed his duties Aug. 1.
The program, a comprehensive bachelor of arts program, offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of human interactions with the environment. The program will include experiential learning projects involving students, faculty and community members.
"The SCE program's initiation demonstrates a commitment by MSU and the state of North Dakota to address urgent problems of how to live sustainably," Lemons said. "According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of environmental scientists and specialists is expected to increase by 28 percent between 2008 and 2018 much faster than the average for all occupations."
Lemons received his bachelor's degree in zoology from California State University, Long Beach. He completed his master's and doctoral degrees in zoology and physiology at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
For information about the program, contact Lemons at 858-4142 or send e-mail to (john.lemons@minotstateu.edu).