(NewsUSA) - How a Pennsylvania Trade School Achieved a 100% graduation and pass rate on the NOCTI state exam

As the U.S. workforce struggles to fill a massive labor gap in the skilled trades industry, the fact that many skilled tradespeople are approaching retirement age only amplifies the problem.  As older workers retire, there need to be more younger workers to replace them; workers that feel confident and ready for entry-level roles in the trades.

The Indiana County Technology Center (ICTC), located in Indiana, Pennsylvania, is filling this void of candidates in the HVAC field by teaching students with a best-in-class training approach.

DJ Mumau, HVAC instructor at ICTC, noticed the skill gaps issue when he previously worked in the industry and realized that at the age of 30, he was the youngest person amongst his coworkers.

When he joined ICTC, he faced several challenges. Student knowledge was hard to assess, personalized feedback was hard to deliver, lesson planning was time-consuming and student follow-through was unmanageable. As program enrollments grew, Mumau experienced challenges with the reach, scalability and effectiveness of course instruction. 

Recognizing the need for additional resources, Mumau researched supplemental training tools to prepare his students for HVAC roles upon graduation and landed on Interplay Learning, an online provider of training for skilled trades that includes virtual reality and 3D simulations.

“I realized it had everything I needed; I didn’t have to reinvent the wheel,” he said. “I started with a handful of seats for a few students to trial, and today, each one of my students has an Interplay account that they start using from day one through to graduation,” he said.

Mumau teaches his students in the classroom or does a lab demonstration, then assigns them an Interplay course where they can interact with the same concepts through images, videos and diagrams outside of the classroom. Students then apply what they have learned in hands-on shop sessions.
Integrating Interplay’s simulation courses into the curriculum gives students a clear and objective roadmap to practice their skills and competencies, preparing them to pass state exams and credentialing requirements, achieve multiple industry certifications, and land entry-level jobs.

On-going practice and repetition of fundamentals in a 3D environment accelerate the student’s ability to work with specialty tools and live HVAC/R equipment in the lab. 

Key successes of the program include improved student learning retention with online, supplemental HVAC courses that reinforce lectures and lab assignments, elevated lab performance, successful outcomes in state exams and increased post-grad job placements.

By supplementing classroom training, Mumau has lightened his administrative load.  He automates assignments and tracks grading and student evaluations in one place. He was also able to decrease damage to lab equipment and reduce materials costs through the use of immersive equipment simulators.

How does this investment into supplemental tools translate into measurable results?  100% of students graduated with at least one industry-recognized certification, 100% of graduates passed the state NOCTI exam with Advanced or Proficient overall scores and 81% of graduates continue in the HVAC field or post-secondary education!

“We’re not a huge town, but there’s a decent amount of companies around, and we try our best to do our part to prepare and place kids into the workforce,” says Mumau.

As other trade skills programs look to be a credible provider of qualified candidates to fill the workforce void, equipping instructors with training tools that engage students and complement classroom training is a powerful path to producing the best program outcomes.  Interplay’s easily accessible platform allows students to view, train, and practice their skills on any device, or in virtual reality. “The result is a highly trained employee who is job-ready in weeks, not years,” according to the company. 

You can learn more about Interplay Learning here.
Austin-based Interplay Learning is the industry leader in immersive training solutions for the skilled trades.  Featuring expert-led videos, hands-on 3D simulations, knowledge checks, and personalized learning paths, Interplay’s training platform is more scalable and engaging than traditional training. Leveraging advanced technologies like AI and VR, Interplay is reshaping the future of online skilled trades training, delivering highly effective learning experiences that result in better careers and better lives. 

(Kim Norris, LCFA Co-Founder) - Imagine taking a pill to battle lung cancer—no need for chemotherapy or radiation treatments. As recently as mid-November, the FDA approved a pill to specifically treat ROS1-positive lung cancer, which is one of more than a dozen types of lung cancer with an identified biomarker.

Asking your doctor for biomarker testing can lead to a definitive diagnosis, allowing for more treatment options that involve “just taking a pill.” 

Dr. Tejas Patil, Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, says biomarker testing opens the door to understanding your cancer and providing therapies that don’t require chemotherapy. 

ROS1 cancer is one of more than a dozen types of lung cancer with an identified biomarker. This is why every lung cancer patient must ask their doctor, “What is my lung cancer’s biomarker?”

“What you're telling a patient when you say you need to get biomarker testing is you need to have the genetic makeup of your tumor. You need to understand that so that we can know how to give you the most appropriate targeted treatments. And specifically for ROS1, this is important because they're pill-based treatments. These are not chemotherapy,” said Dr. Tejas Patil, Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Biomarker testing is the gateway to understanding this cancer. Several effective treatment options may become available after a definitive diagnosis through biomarker testing. In cases where the cancer has not yet spread and is in an early stage, surgery may be a viable option to remove the tumor altogether. For advanced stages, treatments in the form of oral medications have proven highly effective. 

Clinical trials are also valuable for ROS1 lung cancer patients, as they provide access to investigational drugs. Depending on the trial phase, patients may receive the experimental drug or the best standard of care that represents the current optimal treatment available. The financial burden of care within clinical trials is typically covered by the trial sponsor, offering a chance to access potentially groundbreaking treatments. 

For more information on ROS1 lung cancer, biomarker testing, and new therapies, please visit lcfamerica.org.

(NewsUSA) - Bradford’s Walk by Denis O’Neill

In this comforting narrative, Bradford, an irrepressible brown dog, delights all who join him on his daily walk through the beckoning Connecticut countryside... in a tale told in singsong rhyme.

"At the start of our walk, he's a pointer, I guess-aiming himself toward the sea. The sea is the Sound, by Long Island bound, and our walk is the ground in its lee."

Bradford bounds awake each morning and begs his owners' grown-up son to take him for a walk. From romping in the bushes to his rampant indifference to cars encountered, Bradford delights in every experience on his leisurely walk.

Bradford's Walk is a perfect poetic outing for children of all ages. Author Denis O'Neill and illustrator Cyrus Quadland combine their unique talents of storytelling and art to create this gorgeous poetry picture book. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3Q5hlb2.

For the Love of Maggie O’Die by Cle Curbo

A mystery wrapped around a love story. Woman of a certain age and head of All Bio, Maggie O’Die, sees a strange likeness to her long-missing husband in young private investigator Ryger Deacon. When a secret group places a bounty on their heads, Ryger flees and discovers unexpected answers to his past as he searches for the missing Maggie O’Die and the granddaughter heir to her vast fortune.

“Curbo hooks his readers by dishing out the clues with enough breadcrumbs to keep his audience reading until the crack of dawn,” says author M.L. Hamilton. Adds author Sheryl J. Bize-Boutte, “The unusual premise along with the brilliant use of crisp dialogue provides a taut and building tension in an edgy yet beautiful display of fiction at its best.” Purchase at https://bit.ly/45J8Wyt.

Zeke the Polka-Dotted Zebra by Angela Doyle

In this heartfelt children’s book that lights a flame of compassion and awareness, Zeke, a baby zebra who loves to play in the waterhole and nibble the sweet grass in the African savanna, suddenly notices that instead of black and white stripes, he has black and white polka dots!  The African animals have never seen such a thing. How can Zeke fit in?

When poachers capture his parents, Zeke is forced to put his fears aside. But does he have the courage to be a leader? And will anyone believe a polka-dotted zebra? This book invites young readers and those young at heart to embark on a journey of imagination and discovery. As Tim Smith of Wildside Tours and Safaris states, “It ingeniously imparts essential lessons about love, coexistence, harmony, and the profound wisdom that nature willingly shares with those seeking it.” Purchase at https://bit.ly/3N2jrGP.

I’ll Remember You by Deborah Packer

Based on true events, set on the turbulent home-front America of 1943 in the shadow of the antisemitism and racism of the time, an idealistic, proud, small-town Jewish girl travels to Miami Beach for a vacation and falls for a complex, enigmatic Jewish soldier from Brooklyn with horrific memories as a child in another war.

A conflicted, bittersweet war-time love story -- two strangers struggling with personal challenges, misunderstanding and childhood trauma in the uncertainty of war and the desperation of a country fighting for freedom and democracy abroad but experiencing deep-seated hate and intolerance at home.

The story follows the couple through the turmoil of their hurried vows up to the moment the soldier leaves on a troop ship for England, convinced he won’t be coming home.  An epilogue is set in 1994. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3SK6qWc.

(NewsUSA) - Becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^™ professional means more than just a successful career — it means joining a supportive community. CFP Board and CFP^® professionals foster this community at various stages of the CFP^® certification journey. For both current CFP^® professionals and those aspiring to be CFP^® professionals, community involvement includes the following:

Working with a mentor. Preparing for the CFP^® exam can seem overwhelming, but CFP^® professional mentors can help candidates with time management, study strategies, motivation and managing their work/life balance. CFP Board offers specific mentoring programs that line up with the exams offered in March, July and November. The program is free; all you must do is create a profile and you will be matched with a mentor.

Connecting with peers. CFP Board’s Candidate Forum offers a unique opportunity for those on the path to becoming a CFP^® professional. You can be part of an online community to engage with other candidates at all stages on the path to certification. Use the forum to ask questions, share your own tips and find support. The convenient community site includes blogs with expert perspectives about issues that affect candidates for CFP^® certification as well as educational resources and information about upcoming events such as exam dates and webinars.

Learning together. The recent CFP Board Diversity Summit featured experts on topics of diversity, equity and inclusion in financial planning, with discussions of recent research and personal stories. The Summit was designed to be a place for connection and community-building among CFP^® professionals of all backgrounds.

CFP Board also hosts Certificant Connection events — both in person and online — throughout the year to share relevant news and networking opportunities. These events provide updates on how CFP Board is strengthening the value of CFP^® certification.

Volunteering. Some CFP^® professionals serve as CFP Board Ambassadors. These CFP^® professionals, chosen for their leadership skills, passion for the importance of financial planning and commitment to CFP Board’s mission, speak to media outlets and write articles to promote CFP^® certification to the public.

Becoming a CFP^® professional is not only about helping others but also about joining a fast-growing profession that pays well and is dedicated to creating inclusive environments that support individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Your financial planning career and one-of-a-kind community awaits. Get started today.

(NewsUSA) - The United States currently leads the world in its adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and the potential for increased productivity and economic success is high. However, more work is needed to stay a step ahead of global rivals, according to experts at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a bipartisan nonprofit organization.

Unlike industrial technologies such as the steam engine, GenAI can perform a range of functions with few barriers to widespread adoption and diffusion, and deliver more than four trillion dollars into the global economy, according to a new report from SCSP.

Some examples of potential economic functions of GenAI at the government level include a chatbot assistant to enhance end-to-end IRS electronic tax filing; improved data analysis, risk modeling, and policy simulation by the Federal Reserve; and streamlining permitting and licensing by agencies such as the Departments of Commerce and Energy.

In the report, the authors explain how the U.S. could boost the economic benefits of GenAI by boosting competitiveness across three building blocks of AI leadership: Compute, Data, and People.

Computing Control. Computing chip technology is the engine that drives GenAI, and access to computing power and resources is essential to sustain GenAI leadership. Although the largest chip design companies are located in the U.S., the majority are manufactured in Taiwan, which creates vulnerability in supplies for the U.S. and its competitors. Cloud computing allows for increased computing power, and the U.S. is a global leader in this area, which also can help prevent bad actors from deploying dangerous AI models. SCSP advises the U.S. government to follow China’s example and ensure that academic researchers can access large amounts of computing resources via the cloud in order to maintain our competitive edge.

Data Driving. Detailed data are the raw material for training AI models. Data should be treated as strategic assets that must be harnessed, but used in a way that protects Americans’ rights and complies with relevant legal regimes. SCSP calls for a national strategy for strengthening the digital infrastructure, including advanced networks for nationwide data storage, processing, and transport. Legislation is needed for data privacy and also for digital trade.

People Power. People are America’s most important asset to stay competitive in GenAI and maximize the economic potential. The administrative burdens of the current immigration system may discourage highly skilled AI experts from bringing their talents the U.S., and reform is needed to smooth the path for these individuals. In addition, improvements in high-quality STEM education and pathways for reskilling and training in the U.S. are vital to optimize the productivity benefits of GenAI. Skilled AI researchers and end-users will advance innovation, create workforce opportunities, and sustain national competitiveness.  

For more information, visit scsp.ai.

(NewsUSA) - The holidays are right around the corner, and it’s time to think about stuffing those stockings. Check out this guide for details on this years can’t miss gifts from Spin Master.

-Bitzee. Bitzee is an interactive digital pet that you can actually touch! With 15 characters in each pod, Bitzee responds to swipes, tilts, shakes, and touch with sounds and reactions. Each pet starts as a baby, but like real pets, they need love and attention. Kids can feed their Bitzee, play with them, rock them to sleep, and watch them grow into adulthood and eventually a Super Bitzee! Once a Super Bitzee is unlocked kids can access outfits and games and attract their next pet. Proclaimed the next big holiday fad by Gizmodo Bitzee was also featured as a must-have item on the Today Show.

SRP $29.99

-Tech Deck. Pull off epic tricks with totally authentic fingerboards from Tech Deck. These fingerboards are engineered to replicate the feel of a real skateboard while featuring iconic graphics from the raddest skate companies in the world like Plan B, Santa Cruz, Blind and more.  Collect them all and become a pro fingerboarder.

SRP:$2.99

-Bakugan. The new Bakugan Special Attack line lets Bakugan fans brawl with new and recurring characters. Use the XL rip cord to spin or roll your Bakugan on the Gate Card and watch it transform with the iconic pop open transformations. The new collection includes Character & Special Attack Cards with new stats to level up battle play. In addition, each Bakugan features a special code to use in the Roblox game online for more ways to play and interact.

SRP: $9.99

-Hatchimals. Tiny collectibles are a perennial favorite with kids, and the Hatchimals Alive Hatchi-Nursery Playset lets kids bring these characters to life in a whole new way, with magical self-hatching eggs that are activated by water. Place the eggs in the pool, remove the pacifiers, fill the cloud with water and tilt it to pour down the rainbow slide. In seconds, four adorable Hatchimals crack through the eggs! Kids can stretch their imaginations and creativity by feeding the Hatchimals in the kitchen, playing with them in the playroom, and putting them down for naps in the bedroom.

SRP: $34.99

Rubik’s Cube. You can’t go wrong with a classic. There is a reason why the iconic Rubik’s Cube has been a top-selling toy for decades. The STEM-accredited puzzle is now available with some innovative updates, including the Rubik’s Phantom, with thermochromic tiles that temporarily reveal their colors by the heat of your touch! Players must solve the puzzle before the tiles fade back to black. Just learning how to solve the Rubik’s Cube? Try the all new Coach Cube with removable number stickers to guide novice soon to be solvers.

SRP: $12.99-$14.99

(NewsUSA) - A Winter by the Sea by Julie Klassen

Return to the Devonshire coast In this latest book in the On Devonshire Shores series with the Summers sisters, where loyalties are tested, secrets come to light, and new love emerges. When the Duke and Duchess of Kent rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage for the winter, the Summers sisters host three of the royal couple's male staff in their seaside house. But they soon realize they've invited mysterious secrets and the possibility of romance.

Meanwhile, when a publisher turns down Emily Summers’ hope to be an author, his dashing competitor considers her novel if she will write a new Sidmouth guidebook for him. Emily enlists the help of the Duke of Kent's handsome private secretary. But a surprise visitor shows up, leaving Emily torn between her past desires and her budding dreams. Purchase at https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/516356.

The Killer’s Kid by Adelene Ellenberg

After terminating a teenager-lovechild-pregnancy, Darlene Bundt, at age 36, finds herself unexpectedly “expecting.” Her problem?  Her boss, the child’s father, is a Massachusetts mobster and known killer.  Nevertheless, Darlene chooses Life, being a person of Faith.

Ruthless, corrupt, yet charming, mobster Mickey Quinn decides he will take complete control of the kid, his only child. Darlene refuses to give up her child to him and flees with him into hiding.  Will Darlene and the killer’s kid ever escape to a life of freedom?

Adelene Ellenberg’s newest suspense novel continues the story begun in Eminent Crimes: A Legal Thriller.  As an attorney, she learned that “The Law” can be either a shield or a weapon, and the weak need protection from the strong. Purchase at AdeleneEllenberg.com.

A Reaction to Messianic Missionaries by Cheryl Simani

A fresh, exciting perspective on the missionary/counter-missionary controversy. Appalled by the nefarious tactics of Christian missionaries disguised as Jews, Rabbanit Simani pens a personal letter to those misled by their wiles. She addresses the “Jews for Jesus” organization head-on and dives deep into the characters and sources for Jewish and Christian Messianic claims.

The book addresses the development of the “Messianic Jewish” movement and the “Isaiah 53 Campaign” – an aggressive effort targeting Jews with misinformation to convert them to their disguised form of Christianity. It also outlines the conflicting historical paths of Judaism and Christianity.  This is a dynamic perspective of the origins of Early Christianity, a must-read for anyone interested in who was or will be the Messiah. A perfect gift for the “truth-seekers” among family and friends, and that special rabbi. Purchase at https://bit.ly/45OLZue.

The Unexplained Benefits of Being Run Over by Naseem Rochette

Breaking doesn’t mean you’re broken.

In a pedestrian crosswalk on a quiet street, Naseem is hit and then run over three times. She hears her fate in her husband’s screams. Is he watching the mother of his children die?

Miraculously, she survives, yet she is no longer the person she was. Her “cracks”—the changes to her body and mind—initially feel impossible to accept. In learning to embrace this new, unrecognizable self, Naseem decides to celebrate the day she almost lost her life as the day she discovered her true strength—her Unbreakable Day.

In this unique memoir, equal parts heart wrenching and inspiring, Naseem lays bare the reality of personal trauma—and how we each have the power to reimagine our lives and find beauty in being both broken and unbreakable. Named Book of the Year in the Best Indie Book Award. Purchase at https://amzn.to/49nCzZh.

(NewsUSA) - Holidays are fickle things — often good, but sometimes not so good. It’s December in the quirky town of Cardigan, MD, and Rosalie Hart has been thrown several curve balls.

For one, her ex-husband has booked a semester break vacation to Dubai with their only daughter, leaving Rosalie without Annie for Christmas for the first time. And, following a renovation, Rosalie’s restaurant, the Day Lily Café, is back open for business with an expanded dining room and a chef with an inflated ego. To make matters worse, when her head waiter and best friend Glenn Breckinridge is concerned about a neighbor who hasn’t returned home, they learn he has been murdered while riding his bike on River Road. In the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle, Rosalie and Glenn pair up once again to uncover who killed Bill Rutherford on that raw wintry night.

In Killer in a Winter Wonderland, the fourth installment in bestselling author Wendy Sand Eckel’s cozy mystery series, recurring protagonist Rosalie Hart is someone you would love to meet over a signature holiday coffee in the charming fictional town of Cardigan. Yet rest assured she would soon have you telling her your personal story. Rosalie has that charm -- and instinct.  One of the great pleasures in this compelling and much-anticipated holiday-themed story is Rosalie’s passion for coaxing stories from friends, suspects, and bystanders alike.

In fact, her astute listening skills prove critical to solving the mystery as characters endearingly and terrifyingly reveal themselves. And that’s just part of Killer in a Winter Wonderland’s “can’t-put-it-down” appeal. As in the three preceding books, Eckel sprinkles the suspense with more than a dash of humor and mouth-watering menus.

Wendy Sand Eckel is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Rosalie Hart Mystery Series. Degrees in criminology and social work, followed by years of clinical practice, helped her to explore a fascination with how relationships impact motivation, desire and inhibition. Combined with her passion for words and meaning, writing mystery is her dream realized.

Amazon reviewer Robert L. Roth writes, “Each page seems to contain a stocking stuffer, whether a piece of clever dialogue, a quip, or an insight about the human condition, all leading to a satisfying ending.”

Another advance copy reviewer calls the work “delightfully devious…. coolly crafted, set in a fictional town brilliantly brought to life.”

With delectable menus, high-stakes sleuthing, and the rich atmospheric scenes only the holiday season can provide, Killer in a Winter Wonderland is a cornucopia of delicious fare, compelling new and returning characters, and a fast-paced tale that will keep readers riveted to the last page.

No need to read the first three books to thoroughly enjoy this latest addition to the Rosalie Hart Mystery Series, but you will be happy to devour every page in the series after reading this one.

To learn more, visit www.wendysandeckelauthor.com or purchase the book at: https://bit.ly/3T231lK.

(NewsUSA) - trest bodu

(NewsUSA) - With Safety Being the Number 1 Priority, the NFL Has Made Changes Even In Recent Years 

What Will the Future Bring? 

utgers on November 6, 1869, has undergone an astonishing evolution. What started as their version of Frisbee golf around 1974 has transformed into a colossal phenomenon, shaping not only the sport but also the equipment. Explore the intricate journey of football, tracing its roots to humble beginnings and witnessing its remarkable growth through the years. From Princeton and Rutgers to the modern-day spectacle, the pointspreads of this journey tell a captivating tale of football's incredible progression.

From Rudimentary Gear to Top-of-the-Line Technology

The first iteration of a football game occurred between college kids in 1869 and there were reportedly 25 players per team on the field at the same time. They wore no protective gear and the rules were a hybrid of soccer, rugby, and whatever else was agreed upon.

That was then and this is now but what we’re here to discuss is the plenty of in-between. So much has happened, and due to the unfortunate injuries that can occur in NFL matchups and elsewhere when elite athletes, equipped with monstrous power, clash in a symphony of spellbinding violence, it is incumbent upon the leagues that govern the rules and safety protocols to make every effort that the athletes are protected.

https://twitter.com/KevG163/status/1657167783073914880?s=20 

It’s not often we think of the progress that has been made, especially when we are scouring the NFL schedule to figure out which game we want to watch. However, with the advent of technology and the research done on lasting injuries, it’s as good a time as any to draw a timeline and point out when changes were made and how the sport has adapted to them.

1890s — A Navy Midshipman named Joe Reeves created the first “head harness”. It was more cosmetic than utilitarian as the soft leather did little to protect. But it was a first step, a baby step, but a step nonetheless in player equipment.

1910 — Shoulder pads up until this point were merely bags of cotton jerry-rigged on the shoulders. This was replaced by thin pads that had a more comfortable fit, albeit the protection provided was not substantially better. 

https://youtu.be/oeLooR3Xlyg?si=XgAsJD_sueA3BFLD 

1920s & 1930s — The game was still in its infancy when a more durable leather helmet was introduced with a teardrop shape that allowed a snugger fit. We also saw the first cantilever shoulder pads designed off the shoulder to absorb shock.

We should also note that the round rubber ball initially used had been slowly streamlined into the oval pigskin we see today.

https://twitter.com/LIConnection/status/1698728501384216927?s=20 

1939 — The biggest NFL news swirling during that year was that the league would make the new plastic helmets mandatory and would introduce a single-face bar.

H3: Player’s Safety Is the No. 1 Priority

Naturally, the evolution of football equipment didn’t come to a screeching halt in 1939. Advances in safety and protection continued throughout the decades. But what is the state of equipment today?

As we all know, some of the most devastating NFL injuries are the ones we can’t see. Concussions are still far too frequent as the strength and speed of the athletes have evolved to the point where a 300-pound edge rusher today has the speed of a 180-pound defensive back from yesteryear.

https://twitter.com/sigg20/status/1667331554454929409?s=20 

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE, is a progressive and fatal brain disease associated with repeated head trauma. Former players with CTE have led lives of misery and, in some cases, even led to suicide.

Space age design in the creation of everything from cleats to helmets has improved safety but there is always bigger and better on the horizon such as smart helmets that track and monitor the quantity and severity of head blows. This will alert team doctors and staff when an injury either has occurred or may have already occurred.

https://youtu.be/_uee-QHgmmc?si=ZmwqtT_kSfGaCz5x 

Even state-of-the-art censored mouthguards can track a player's heart rate, body temperature, and even hydration levels to make sure health risks are minimized.

Polymers and other space-age materials are constantly evolving and being introduced to not only bring increased safety to the players but comfort as well. Even the fields themselves continue to evolve to minimize injuries while maintaining a playable surface.

Fortunately, the NFL and lower levels of the sport are all unified in their search for increased player safety. And although we still see more injuries than we would like, at least they’re no longer wearing leather helmets.