Most kids dream of visiting a Fire Station, wearing a real fire helmet and
getting to sit in the truck. For 2 year old Maggie Rhymer, she got that and
much more.

When SWIRCA Executive Director Rhonda Zuber called Fire Chief Mike
Connelly looking for an item for their annual fundraiser, Chief Connelly
responded with “What about a ride to school on a fire truck”. Zuber gladly
accepted and thought that would be a great “item” for their annual auction.

During the auction local resident Jeff Rhymer decided this would be a
great experience for his daughter Maggie and placed the winning bid.
This morning Maggie and her parents were greeted at the Station by Chief
Connelly. Then she got a tour of the Station, tried on some firefighting gear
and got a ride to her daycare. She was accompanied on her trip by her father
Jeff and 4 Firefighters of Station #16 where upon her arrival she was greeted
by the other children at the daycare.

Maggie even brought a gift of a dozen doughnuts for the Firefighters to
say “Thank You”.

May 17, 18
Culver Family Learning Center and Glenwood Leadership Academy

A missing child is one of the most terrifying things a parent can go through. To help reduce that risk, the EVSC is partnering with New York Life Insurance Company to provide free identification cards for preschool students at Culver Family Learning Center and kindergarten and first grade students at Glenwood Leadership Academy.

Officials with New York Life Insurance Company will be at Culver Family Learning Center Thursday, May 17, from 7:30 a.m. to noon taking pictures of students and providing free identification cards. On Friday, May 18, volunteers from New York Life will be at Glenwood Leadership Academy from 8 a.m. to noon getting pictures of kindergarten and first grade students in order to provide them with free identification cards.

According to EVSC’s Coordinator of Safety and Security Gerald Summers, more than 800,000 children are reported missing every year. A child ID is a vital part to protecting and locating missing children.

This summer, the University of Evansville’s College of Engineering and Computer Science will offer three camps to introduce the exciting career possibilities in engineering and computer science.

OPTIONS for High School Girls, a residential camp in its 20th year, runs June 10-15. Students will stay on UE’s campus in a residence hall, complete hands-on projects, take classes taught by UE professors, and meet local professional women in the engineering and computer science fields. The cost is $500, which includes all accommodations, food, transportation, and other fees.

$100 scholarships for the high school camp are available through TWICE (Tri-State Women in Computing and Engineering). For more information on TWICE scholarships, please e-mail Tina Newman (tn2@evansville.edu) in UE’s College of Engineering and Computer Science with “TWICE” in the subject line.

Additionally, any student who participates in the OPTIONS for High School Girls program will be eligible to receive a scholarship to attend the University of Evansville for any major selected. The scholarship’s total value is $5,000, which will be awarded in increments of $1,250 each year if conditions (such as attendance and a minimum GPA) are met.

OPTIONS for Middle School Girls is also a residential camp, running June 17-21. The cost is $250 all-inclusive, and two $200 scholarships are available from the Warrick County Women’s Fund for girls who live and attend school in Warrick County.

“We started OPTIONS for High School Girls in 1992 — and OPTIONS for Middle School Girls in 2004 — as residential summer programs to help young women learn about the careers available in engineering and computer science where women are underrepresented,” said Phil Gerhart, dean of UE’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Today, we’re extremely grateful to the Women’s Fund of Warrick County for their generosity, which will help allow deserving and interested young women from Warrick County to experience OPTIONS.”

This year, the OPTIONS for Middle School Boys camp will be a day program, running 8 a.m.-4 p.m. June 25-29. The cost is $200 all-inclusive.

For more information on this year’s camps and to find printable applications, please visit options.evansville.edu or contact the College of Engineering and Computer Science at 812-488-2651. Registration will be accepted until all camps are full.

Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden has teamed up with local conservation partners to present Plant Conservation Day on Saturday, May 19. This event is being held in recognition of National Plant Conservation Day and will showcase many positive and crucial roles plants play in the environment. A kudzu pull by several volunteer groups at 8:30 a.m. in the Mesker Mall will kick off the event. One of the day’s highlights is a “Sky Art” photo opportunity in the kudzu patch in the Mesker Mall. The public is welcome to take part in this unique photo opportunity. Interested parties can sign up to be in the photo between 9-11 a.m. the day of the event in the Mesker Mall shelter house and the photo will be taken at 11:00 a.m. All photo participants are asked to wear a red shirt, or they may purchase a red “Plant Geek” shirt during the event. Other event highlights include demonstrations and plant interpretation by the Zoo’s Botanical Docents in the Family Garden, Rain Garden, and AMAZONIA exhibit in the Zoo. A tree planting will also take place in the Zoo at 1:30 p.m. Special thanks to the Evansville Department of Sustainability, Energy & Environmental Quality, the Vanderburgh County Soil & Water Conservation District, and the Evansville Department of Urban Forestry & Evansville Stormwater Coordinator.

Well, join WNIN for the 3rd Annual Hidden Treasures Rummage Sale and Appraising Fair. Come down to the WNIN Studios on June 9th from 8am-Noon to find deals from your neighbors, local businesses and items from the Action Auction. Just finished up your Spring cleaning or just starting, bring your items down and share!! Stop by our Appraising Area and have your treasures appraised. To get an item appraised will cost $5. See what treasures you have at the WNIN Hidden Treasures Rummage Sale and Appraising Fair.

Hidden Treasures Booth Form

Excerpts:

1) Availability

We often settle for what’s available, and what’s available isn’t always great. “Because it was there,” is an okay reason to climb a mountain, but not a very good reason to take a job or a free sample at the supermarket.

2) Ignorance

If we don’t know how to make something great, we simply won’t. If we don’t know that greatness is possible, we won’t bother attempting it. All too often, we literally do not know any better than good enough.

3) Committees

Nothing destroys a good idea faster than a mandatory consensus. The lowest common denominator is never a high standard.

4) Comfort

Why pursue greatness when you’ve already got 324 channels and a recliner? Pass the dip and forget about your grand designs.

5) Momentum

If you’ve been doing what you’re doing for years and it’s not-so-great, you are in a rut. Many people refer to these ruts as careers.

6) Passivity

There’s a difference between being agreeable and agreeing to everything. Trust the little internal voice that tells you, “this is a bad idea.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessicahagy/2012/02/28/the-six-enemies-of-greatness-and-happiness/

Update: Friday (5/18/2012) evening at the Grapes on the Grass

7:00-9:00 Second Street Band from Owensboro returns to the same lead-off slot as last year. This big band lays-down the hits of Glen Miller, Duke Ellington, and more contemporary bands. The Eville Swing Cats will perform in front of the stage and teach a few swing dance tricks to brave members of the audience.
Saturday all day
12:00-3:00 pm Jon Patton Quartet is a Newburgh based band. You will recognize its members by sight and sound. Jon Patton’s playlist ranges from light jazz, to hits from the 50’s and 60’s, to contemporary music. They are a hometown favorite.
3:00-5:00 Barbara Santora & Jazzin is a real crowd pleaser with appearances in top venues including Las Vegas. Barbara is known to “work the crowd” and even make members of the audience “instant stars.”
5:00-7:00 After Hours Jazz with Cary and Michael Gray is a mainstay on the local jazz scene. They’ve played all the top clubs. Cary is also known for her renditions of standards and show tunes. After Hours Jazz is back by popular demand.
7:00-9:00 Hoosier Daddy is new to our stage this year, but hugely popular at local and regional venues. Hoosier Daddy crosses generations with their musical mix. They’ve expanded with the arrival of Megan Dukes, who can sound like Katy Perry and other contemporary artists.

As college debt becomes an issue in the 2012 presidential election, a financial literacy program developed by the University of Southern Indiana’s Office of Student Financial Assistance is making national headlines.

The main objective of Eaglenomics, USI’s financial literacy program, is to educate students and provide them with the tools necessary for successful money management. Financial literacy benefits students, the University, and society-at-large, according to Mary Jo Harper, director of Student Financial Assistance. “It’s now a must for higher education institutions to facilitate the efforts to promote financial literacy,” she said.

“When students incur high levels of debt, the risk of dropping out of school often becomes a reality,” Harper continued. “Money issues for students become retention issues for institutions. The financial aid office can play an important role in student retention by educating students on financial management matters.”

Defaulted federal student loans cost taxpayers money. Schools with low default rates can benefit, while sanctions can prevent a school with a high percentage of defaulters from continuing to participate in federal loan and Pell Grant programs.

USI benefits from student financial literacy through lower default rates, reduction in student’s monetary issues, fewer crisis visits to the financial aid office, and increased retention.

Students benefit through reduced financial, emotional, and physical stress, better academic performance, and a sense of empowerment in money matters.

Harper was recently interviewed by Fox Business about Eaglenomics.

Stories about the new program have also appeared in these media outlets:

http://tristatehomepage.com/fulltext-news?nxd_id=498802

http://www.fox19.com/story/15893852/program-at-usi-teaches-students-about-debt?clienttype=printable

http://westside.14news.com/news/news/50932-program-usi-teaches-students-about-debt

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/college-finance/4-ways-minimize-student-loans.aspx

You can view the Eaglenomics slideshow on the USI website at http://www.usi.edu/finaid/literacy.asp.

The Office of Financial Assistance recently trademarked the name of the program.