by Dana Wineland O’Rourke, Contributing Writer Few things excited me more in first grade than seeing the record player stand wheeled to the front of our classroom. My love of music began early and watching the teacher raise the lid …
by Dana Wineland O’Rourke, Contributing Writer Few things excited me more in first grade than seeing the record player stand wheeled to the front of our classroom. My love of music began early and watching the teacher raise the lid …
by Margot Callahan, Contributing Writer We adopted our boy when he was three. He had come from neglect and abuse from his bio family, and a foster care system that didn’t treat him much better, having five placements, including one …
by Margot Callahan, Contributing Writer When I was 17 years old, I didn’t consider myself particularly attractive because that wasn’t really talked about in our family. Plus, I went to Catholic school, and the blue uniform didn’t make anyone all …
Luminari’s Lesson Plans and Videos: A Growing Impact In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, as schools around the world shuttered and students transitioned to remote learning, the team at Luminari found themselves facing a unique challenge. How could …
by Beth Dolinar, Contributing Writer We said goodbye to our beloved Smoothie last month, taking the aged Sheltie for his last ride before he went to sleep for the last time. I started that sentence with “we” because, although Smoothie …
by Dana Wineland O’Rourke, Contributing Writer “Come and listen to my story…” If you started to sing those words, chances are you grew up in a house with one television, no remote control, and only a few channels. For anyone …
by Beth Dolinar, contributing writer The electric bill for June was bad—bad enough to cause me to turn off the air conditioning. Many of us have been sweating through the hottest summer on record. Just keeping the AC at a …
Our 2024 Teen Ambassadors shared their favorite moments and reflections from their I Want to be an Ambassador experiences, highlighting the camp’s impact on their lives. From engaging with diplomats and business leaders to developing essential skills in communication and …
by Margot Callahan, Contributing Writer “Uh, yeah, Margot, it’s Jake, we’re out of corn.” Jake, when he calls me, always begins by saying, “Uh, yeah, Margot, it’s Jake,” even though he knows his number comes up on my phone as …
by Dana Wineland O’Rouke, contributing writer “Honey, wake up and come to bed.” My husband Tim whispered as he tapped my shoulder. “I’m waiting up for Danny,” I mumbled, as I repositioned myself on the couch. “He’s not home yet.” …
