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In Ohio, one man's quest to get more voters to agree to disagree

Simon Montlake

November 10, 2022 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Ohio

To spark civil discussions about divisive topics, Dinner and a Fight gatherings use the five-chair method, in which participants choose a chair that represents how much they agree with a statement made on a particular issue. The occupants of the chairs then give short "opening statements" on their opinion to kick off the dialogue. Attendees say the process has helped them better understand the perspectives of those they disagree with.

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Why cities are experimenting with giving people cash payments

Simon Montlake

April 02, 2021 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chelsea, Massachusetts

Chelsea, Massachusetts, is supplementing its traditional welfare system with a guaranteed income. Cash payments will be provided to recipients who can spend them without any restrictions. Similar universal basic income programs across the country have shown significant positive outcomes that boosted incomes, as well as physical and mental health.

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Want to end state lockdowns? Send in the coronavirus detectives.

Simon Montlake

April 21, 2020 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Massachusetts

As a method known as contact tracing, in which disease detectives track and monitor the interactions and movements of known infected people, has been hailed as a success in countries like South Korea, the United States has begun to employ the technique as it considers reopening parts of the economy. Relying heavily on widespread testing, contact tracing is already being used in Massachusetts, where an organization called Partners for Health trained 300 volunteers as contact tracers.

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An imaginative space that helps kids believe in stories – and themselves

Simon Montlake

July 29, 2019 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: England, Rotherham

Grimm & Co.'s Apothecary to the Magical is boosting child literacy skills in a former steel and coal town with a large low-income population. By offering an imaginative space and free writing workshops, the nonprofit hopes to transform the town of Rotherham in England into a "storytelling capitol" and give "young people the narrative tools to reshape their world."

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How Tulsa's bold experiment is bringing families closer to stability

Simon Montlake

January 02, 2019 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Tulsa, Oklahoma

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, philanthropist George Kaiser has invested heavily in Educare, a year-round early learning program, and wraparound services, such as prison-diversion and family-based programs, with the belief that early child development can break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and address the opportunity gap before it widens. The Christian Science Monitor is following three mothers with children enrolled in Educare to show how the experiment in philanthropy is playing out on the ground.

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Home visits for new moms offer a more robust social safety net in Tulsa

Simon Montlake

November 26, 2018 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Tulsa, Oklahoma

The Birth Through Eight Strategy in Tulsa, Oklahoma offers social services, such as in-home postpartum visits, as a way to bridge the gap often created by the city’s social and racial divide. Not only does this impact the health of the family as a whole, but also serves as an educational opportunity for many of those involved.

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Trailer parks face rising rents. This one's residents found a way out.

Simon Montlake

October 26, 2018 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Hudson, Massachusetts

ROC USA, a New Hampshire nonprofit, has helped almost 15,000 mobile homes become part of cooperative ownership setups across the country. The need for this is clear. Many mobile home residents do not own the land on which their homes reside, meaning they are at the whim of owners or outside investors. By coming together as a neighborhood and pitching in for collective ownership of a mobile home park, residents take control of their fate and their finances.

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For Chinese high-schoolers, there's value to living and learning in Iowa

Simon Montlake

October 04, 2018 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Iowa

In the past decade, an increasing number of Chinese students have enrolled in American public schools in smaller towns, including in Clinton, Iowa. The trend serves as an important exchange program for both parties and fills the empty seats in towns where populations continue to decline.

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Where busing works

Simon Montlake

February 25, 2017 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Hartford, Connecticut

As tensions over race and education continue to be compounded by growing economic inequality and political rhetoric, one school in Connecticut bridges an otherwise widening divide. Schools like R.J. Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts - once the poorest and one of the most racially segregated schools in the state - are inspiring voluntary desegregation by offering successful magnet programs and busing students safely and efficiently across neighborhoods. The successful demonstration of integration in Kinsella is serving as a positive model for other schools around the nation.

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Did free college save this city?

Simon Montlake

December 17, 2016 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Kalamazoo, Michigan

In 2005, anonymous donors announced they would cover college tuition for most students in all future Kalamazoo, Michigan classes: "Other cities declare themselves open for business or tourism. Kalamazoo wants you to know that it’s funding knowledge." While the culture around college has changed dramatically since the program's inception and more students are attending college, the program hasn't come without challenges: many get to college but don't necessarily have the preparation to make it to graduation. As other cities start similar programs, Kalamazoo's long-standing initiative offers important lessons.

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