A Better Way to Talk About Faith

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/12/a-better-way-to-talk-about-faith

David Bornstein

The New York Times

12 June 2012

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) brings together college students from different faiths so that they develop respect and appreciation for each other and different traditions. IFYC also cultivates interfaith leaders and organizes campus-based campaigns called Better Together. Some students have received push back from their faith communities, but students and faculty have reported the campaigns for interfaith engagement leads to positive outcomes of increasing tolerance on campuses. The organization has trained students who have run campaigns on 106 campuses.

A Racial Gap in Attitudes Toward Hospice Care

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/health/a-racial-gap-in-attitudes-toward-hospice-care.html

Sarah Varney

The New York Times

21 August 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

Despite years of change, African Americans feel ostracized from the medical care community that is dominated mainly by white people, especially when it comes to hospices. Some are trying to remove the stigma of hospice care as well as make health care systems more fair.

Building Social Skills, Alone at a Computer

https://medium.com/bright/building-social-skills-alone-at-a-computer-2c100a502ecc

Ellen Lee

Bright Magazine

18 May 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

Critics in today's world often say that computers and technology are impeding the social skills of the very young. But Zoo U, a computer game for children, helps kids develop the skills they need such as empathy, impulse control, and communication.

Could adorable tiny tech backpacks save the honeybees?

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/0825/Could-adorable-tiny-tech-backpacks-save-the-honeybees

Jessica Mendoza

Christian Science Monitor

25 August 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

Concerned with colony collapse syndrome in honey bees worldwide, scientists, farmers and tech companies teamed up in Australia to create a micro-sensor that collects data on the bee's environment.

Helping Where Help Is Wanted

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/10/helping-where-help-is-wanted

Tina Rosenberg

The New York Times

10 January 2012

Text / 800-1500 Words

Vacant positions exist in many employment sectors, including in education and in hospitals. ReServe is a program that joins retired professionals to part-time paid positions in non-profits to perform duties. A controversy has emerged that suggests these positions should be paid at a professional-rate salary.

How Cincinnati Revitalized Police-Community Relations

http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/policing-police-how-cincinnati-police-community-relations

John Hockenberry

The Takeaway

25 June 2014

Podcast / 5-15 Minutes

After a policeman shot and killed a teenage African American, a community in Cincinnati blamed law enforcement for racial profiling and riots expanded throughout the city. With the help of the Department of Justice as a mediator, Cincinnati made policy changes. The city now has an African American Police Association that brings police officers in communication with representatives of communities.

How Conservative, Tough-On-Crime Utah Reined In Police Militarization

http://www.buzzfeed.com/evanmcsan/how-conservative-tough-on-crime-utah-reined-in-police-milita

Evan McMorris-Santoro

Buzzfeed

1 September 2014

Text / 800-1500 Words

The militarization of police forces in cases such as Ferguson, Missouri’s riots has led the state of Utah to question what can be done to prevent such an overuse of force from happening. Utah expanded upon a law passed by Democratic legislature in Maryland, which Utah’s ACLU reworked with some libertarians, to require the police to provide data about SWAT team usage. Utah’s success demonstrates that demilitarization bills passed with bipartisan support are not impossible.

Improving Economic Diversity at the Better Colleges

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/05/improving-economic-diversity-at-the-better-colleges

Peg Tyre

The New York Times

5 February 2014

Text / 1500-3000 Words

Students with low-income that attend public schools can find themselves locked in a system that prevents them from getting into the best colleges, from being unable to afford tuition, to not having the ambition, to not knowing a school that would welcome them. Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA targets high-performing low-income students. The college provides outreach to high school students in poor communities, financial aid to low-income families, summer workshops, and on-site advising and academic support.

How a Radical New Teaching Method Could Unleash a Generation of Geniuses

http://www.wired.com/2013/10/free-thinkers

Joshua Davis

Wired

15 October 2013

Text / Over 3000 Words

Around the world, a new way of teaching and learning is gaining traction – and seeing results. Rooted in educational theory from the likes of Socrates, Piaget, and Montessori, this method is led by students’ curiosity and ability to learn and grow independently; essentially, the students control their own learning. Such methods make success more attainable in places like Matamoros, Mexico, who has seen exceptional improvement from students who experience learning this way.

Former Black Panther Launches Oakland Urban Farm to Give Ex-Prisoners a Fresh Start

http://civileats.com/2015/09/09/former-black-panther-launches-oakland-urban-farm-to-give-ex-prisoners-a-fresh-start

Sarah Henry

Civil Eats

9 September 2015

Text / 800-1500 Words

After incarceration, Black men and women have a difficult time re-integrating into society without financial and educational resources. A former Black Panther activist has created the non-profit Oakland &the World Enterprises to offer an urban farm as a prisoner re-entry program and community center. The Oakland project supports self-sufficiency, self-determination, and empowerment for Black people.