Posted: 02 Jan 2010 05:53 AM PST

RACINE — There are things living in the basement of Walden III High School.

These creatures aren't scary or dangerous, though — they're fish and plants in a new sustainable ecosystem habitat recently installed in the school.

The habitat is an aquaponics system, which means fish and plants grow together in one integrated and soil-free environment designed to produce edible fresh and organic fish and vegetables year-round.

At Walden, 300 bluegills live in a tank on the bottom of the system. Water is filtered from the tank to two plant beds above it currently filled with grass and watercress.

The fish water serves as a natural fertilizer for the plants and is recirculated throughout the system, which is about 7 feet high altogether and at least 6 feet long, according to Brian Torner, a biology teacher at Walden.

Students will eventually try to grow vegetables and in about a year, when the bluegills are full grown, will look into donating the fish to food pantries or local grocery stores, Torner said.

The system was built last summer through a green stimulus grant from the Racine County Workforce Development Center, Torner said.

Aside from the system's food benefits, it also provides an additional teaching tool, said Torner, who has used the fish tank and plant system in his biology classes for lessons about ecosystems.

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So.....these skinny 10 stone climbers ? - BikeRadar.com

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 08:02 AM PST

Yes it's power to weight- with emphasis on weight

I'm 16 stone, very strong and muscular, with a bit of excess fat

My wife is 10 stone, and left me for dead cycling up crawleyside bank on the c2c last year- she rode all the way up and I got off and pushed

But on a sprint, or even a 10 mile TT with a couple of small hills, I'd win easily.

I need to get down to 13/14 stone to compete with her on hills

Similarly, if Wiggins hadn't lost the 6kgs, he'd have suffered on the climbs in Le Tour and not made the top 15

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Shannon White works with color - Courier-Journal

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 08:16 AM PST

Shannon White knows how to dress for success. And with that expertise and a collection of used suits from friends and family, she began the Louisville chapter of Dress for Success in 2000.

[ Click here to view full-size photos ]

This worldwide organization provides professional clothing as well as advice for disadvantaged women wanting to advance their careers.

Shannon's business wardrobe today still consists of suits accented by her special flair.

"I am known for my elaborate and enthusiastic accessories," says Shannon. "I'm a big fan of color and just try to have fun with my accessories."

As chief financial director for the John Yarmuth for Congress organization, Shannon added his campaign colors of orange and blue to her wardrobe, bringing her zeal for fun fashions into the office.

She loves shoes and does much shopping at the Zappos outlet in Shepherdsville.

"I take frequent trips to Zappos Warehouse. You never know what you'll find there."

Macy's is her choice for suits, and she also shops at Von Maur as well as Target.

Shannon's Seneca Gardens home is a continuation of her personal style: comfortable with pops of color. Mixed among the greens and golds of her living room are family remembrances and her children's works of art.

SHANNON WHITE

Age: 37

Hometown: Cincinnati

Education: Bachelor of arts in English, bachelor of science in biology from the University of Kentucky.

At home: Husband Bruce, 11-year-old twin sons Patrick and William, cat Snickers and dog Sadie.

Career path: Shannon began her career in medical sales. After she took time off to raise her sons, she created Dress for Success Louisville. She is now the chief financial director for the John Yarmuth for Congress campaign.

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Four Springfield teachers reach a career high - MontgomeryNews.com

Posted: 02 Jan 2010 04:35 AM PST

Newly board-certified teachers in the School District of Springfield Township are, from left, Joyce Huff, Lori Pinelli, Rosemarie Becker and Debbie Smith. Staff photo by BOB RAINES

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By Amanda Glensky
Staff Writer

Four teachers from the Springfield Township School District have met what are viewed as the highest teaching standards in the country, an intense process they said made them focus and reflect on how they teach and how they impact their students.

As of 2009, middle school librarian Rosemarie Becker, fifth-grade teacher Lori Pinelli and high school biology teacher Deborah Smith are now National Board Certified Teachers.

Enfield first-grade teacher Joyce Huff earned recertification in 2009. She was first National Board certified in 2000, making her the first teacher in the district and one of the first in the state to earn the honor, she said.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which developed this certification, is a nongovernmental organization that works to "advance the quality of teaching and learning," according to its Web site.

The Springfield teachers said the process, which takes from about one to three years to complete, required completion of portfolios, assessments, measuring student success and critiquing videos of themselves teaching.

The teachers said it was an involved process, but worth the end result because it made them better at what they do.

"It was a very reflective process in which I had to think about what I do with students and how effective I am," said Becker, certified in library media, K-12. "I have made changes in some of my teaching practices and have created some new practices based on the work that I did. So, I think the process was very positive."

Becker, who has been at the middle school for 17 years and a school librarian for 20, said the requirements challenged her in the areas of technology, literature and library administration to measure the result on student learning of what she does.

"I love my job and I want to be vibrant and effective in it. Working on National Board Certification was simply a challenge I wanted to take," she said.

Pinelli, certified in early adolescent math, said the process required her to think about "evidence of learning" in the classroom. She had to look past a student's grades and figure out how she could fill the gap between the grade and 100 percent, she said.

"It does make you a better teacher as you grow throughout the process," said Pinelli, who came to the middle school in 2003. "It was tough — it was very stressful — but, I think there were a lot of positive things to come out of it."

The teachers also said the chance to work with their colleagues both within and outside of Springfield was rewarding.

Deborah Smith teaches anatomy and physiology, honors and academic biology, AP biology and environmental science at the high school, where she has been working for 19 years.

Huff, who has been a teacher in Springfield for 20 years, is National Board Certified as an early childhood generalist, meaning she can teach all subjects to students from 3 to 8 years old.

To earn recertification, she had to prove she has grown as a teacher and made a difference in the profession and to her students, she said.

If teachers do not submit enough documentation, they cannot receive the credentials, she said.

"It's an honor, and it's also a way for me to prove that I am a true professional. This means a lot to me," she said. "It's a chance for me to reflect on how I teach, too. I have to analyze what I do and answer to myself why I do it and how I can do it better."

The teachers will be recognized at the next school board meeting on Jan. 5.

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