>>> in today's class of 2020 series, we're following a group of students from their first day of kindergarten to their high school graduation. i love this. >> the kids are celebrating their first big milestone. graduation from elementary school . >> get ready for tissue. we have been there the whole way watching them grow and learn through the laughter and sometimes through the tears. [ music playing ] >> what is the hardest thing we have to do here is say good-bye to our 5th graders and that time has now come. >> today is your first day of -- >> kindergarten. >> of kindergarten, right. and to the republic. >> david is my leader. great first day of kindergarten. >> david harris . >> i sort of feel like mixed emotions right now. i'm so happy that i'm going on. it's just weird. >> i am 7 years old and my name is dillon and i'm in first grade. going on to second grade, by the way. >> in the future, i would like to be a pilot and achieve my goal by studying and working hard. >> i want to be a lego designer . >> what do you want to be when you grow up. >> a fireman. >> what do you want to be when you grow up. >> i guess an inventor. >> an inventor. >> what do you think we need to invent. >> an ice pack you don't have to cool in the fringe. >> well, you know, they have those already. >> that sucks. >> i am six years old. my name is zenzele. >> what do you think your classroom is going to look like? >> big. >> you were in my bedroom for the class of 2020 . standing right there. >> it was the first day of kindergarten and lauren's mom gave her a matching pendant to make her first day in school a little easier. >> lauren, hi, how are you? >> i remember i walked into the room and i had my blue heart necklace on and so did my mom and we both gave them a kiss. >> i truly believe that the class of 2020 bond will really keep us connected through the years. >> class of 2020 rocks. >>> they have grown up so much, so fast. time is flying. your own daughter moving on to high school . >> it really goes fast. it really does. >> more of our class of 2020 online at today.com. >> that's terrific. we'll be back in a moment but first, this is "today" on nbc. >>> coming up, hoda has a guest host, dean cain will
Saturday, 29 June 2013
Video: Class of 2020 kids graduate from elementary school
Video: Class of 2020 students reflect on 9/11
>>> now to our class of 2020 series, following a group of children from their first day of kindergarten to high school graduation. it's start of the new school year and kids just started fourth grade. >> along with challenging new subjects they'll be hearing a lot about a day in history that happened before most of them were born. "today" national correspondent natalie morales talked to the kids about the tenth anniversary of september 11th and what it means to them. >> i can't believe you guys are going into the fourth grade. >> reporter: the end of summer is near. one last chance for a play date before school starts. jordan, lauren , and eileen look forward to their first day of school, they will be surrounded by reminders of a past and day too young to remember but old enough to know that it will never be forgotten. >> pictures are beyond belief. >> it felt like there was an explosion of some kind here at the pentagon. >> somerset county airport confirmed the crash of a large plane north of that airport. >> reporter: on september 11th , 2001 , lauren 's mom was already 11 months pregnant. >> makes me think what kind of world am i bringing my world into in. >> reporter: lauren was born two months after the attacks. >> i remember cutting out the headlines as you do for their baby book and it was all about al qaeda and i kept thinking i've got to find a good positive headline to put in her bay be i book and there wasn't one. so i thought, it is what it is. this is, you know, this is the day she'll remember. >> oh, my god! >> reporter: as lauren and their classmates grew up they learned more about the day that changed history. >> and i asked them who osama bin laden was, and they said the guy who planned an attack on the twin towers . >> they told me that bad people could go into planes and kill the pilot and sort of purposely steer the plane toward the building. and it collapsed were in 2007 lauren 's parents took her to the place where the world trade center once towered over manhattan. >> we went and visited ground zero . and we explained what happened. >> i think she felt the intensity of it. >> most of the people were all sad and they were laying flowers down. >> i think about our class of 20 20 a 20 and the year that a lot of them were born, around 9/11. >> reporter: while that was not part of the lesson the principal says it has changed the way teachers and students look at the world in the classroom. >> they're more tuned into the issues that are global and the families are, at least, and it really has even -- even the school and our community has really turned its eye on how -- what role do we have in the world. >> reporter: last may lauren and her classmates were watching television when president obama closed another chapter in this story of 9/11. >> the united states has conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden , the leader of al qaeda . >> reporter: for the kids what happened next was thrilling and confusing. >> they celebrated that somebody died, they were like, oh, yay, he died. but to celebrate that somebody died. >> i was a little bit at the same time i wasn't. >> welcome to your fout grade year. >> reporter: "today" jordan and his classmates are back in school ready to tackle new challenges in english and math and science, but they don't need a history lesson to know that september 11th changed their lives even before they were born. >> not that it's stuck in my head but i know about it. >> whenever you see it, you know. >> it's all around, yeah. >> what a weekend we are all preparing for. so interesting, ten years have passed but i think for all of us americans, it's still that emotional connection. it still feels raw in a way, particularly when we see these kids who were born around this hard time in our country but also all the stories that kids who have lost parents on 9/11. it's good to remember but it's difficult to remember. >> uplifting. i spoke with a man who lost his wife in the pentagon. and we are in it together. and around this time you're able to hug, you're able to touch a friend, and it reminds you of the things that are so important. at this time when we have such an environment, it reminds us that we are in it together. my dad was in the army for 30 years. this is our country. we have to stick together. we shouldn't look at tragedy for that to remind us, but it does. and i think that's the most important thing at this point. >> it does. even if you do shed a tear or you feel that pang, you know, nearly 2,000 people that passed away , they deserve our tears and our remembrance. >> fourth graders, you know that there are good children out there and that's our future. we're living for them.
Giveaway: Enter To Win A Case Of KIND Snack Bars!
KIND is “a brand of all natural whole nut and fruit bars made from ingredients you can see and pronounce and it’s also a movement that gives new purpose to snacking.” KIND was “founded on the principle of holistic kindness, and [they] pride themselves on creating new paths that avoid false compromises.” They “choose healthy and tasty, convenient and wholesome, economically sustainable and socially impactful.” Each bar delivers “all-natural nutrients like fiber, protein, calcium and iron” and also good taste!
KIND has recently come out with two new snack bar flavors: “Maple Glazed Pecan and Sea Salt” and “Dark Chocolate Chili Almond.” To celebrate, Blisstree has partnered up with them for this giveaway to offer FIVE lucky readers the chance to win a case of 12 bars of their new flavors!
Be KIND to yourself and enter to win today!
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STEP 1: LIKE Blisstree on Facebook
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This sweepstakes ends on July 8, 2013 at 11:59 P.M. EDT. Good luck!
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Earn Trupanion’s Pet-Friendly Workplace Seal of Approval
Our Pet-Friendly Workplace Seal of ApprovalTrupanion has announced its Pet-Friendly Workplace Seal of Approval contest in conjunction with national Take Your Dog to Work Day, June 21, 2013.
The contest will celebrate best practices in pet-friendly work environments and honor participating businesses that exhibit an exemplary pet-friendly environment, create and uphold pet-friendly work policies, and that support pet causes. Five finalists will be selected to receive the Trupanion Pet-Friendly Workplace Seal of Approval along with goody bags including toys, treats and resources for each office pet. From the finalists, one company will be selected to win a grand prize of $5,000.
A recent survey by the American Pet Products Association offered that 73 percent of pet-friendly businesses said pets created a more productive work environment.
“As a workplace that has been pet-friendly since the very beginning, Trupanion has consistently seen increased employee morale and retention,” said Dr. Kerri Marshall, Chief Veterinary Officer at Seattle-based Trupanion. “We look forward to celebrating other pet-friendly companies around the country with our Pet-Friendly Workplace Seal of Approval and hope to encourage even more companies to follow suit.”
Contest rules and entry details are available at trupanion.com/pets-in-the-workplace. Entrants will also be able to upload photos that provide a visual representation of the workplace detailed in the entry form. Nominations will be accepted between June 21, 2013 – national Take Your Dog to Work Day – and Aug. 31, 2013. Winners will be announced Sept. 16, 2013.
“Trupanion is dedicated to building a strong pet community both inside and outside the office,” said Darryl Rawlings, Trupanion Founder and CEO. “We value the contribution pets make to the workplace and want to honor those businesses that not only allow but encourage pets.”
Evening Cool-Down: An Apple A Day…
5 things you didn’t know about apples (HuffPost Healthy Living)
A woman’s breast implant explodes after 4 hours of laying on her stomach (The Stir)
3 guilt-free steps to help you satisfy your sugar craving without going overboard (Intent)
A summer squash pancake recipe that doubles as a skin protector (YouBeauty)
Naturally beautifying beverages (Divine Caroline)
Awesome scenes from the Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA & Prop 8 (The Frisky)
Image / HuffPost Healthy Living
Survey Results: Learning More About Pets in the Workplace
To coincide with Take Your Dog to Work Day on Friday, June 21, Trupanion launched a survey to see how people really felt about pets in the workplace. Is a pet-friendly workplace (like Trupanion, for example, which encourages all 250 employees to bring their dogs and cats to work) really something pet owners are looking for, or is that a perception we have because of our environment? This is what we found out:
Of the 134 respondents, 97% owned at least one pet and 66% worked in an office that was not currently pet-friendly. But a whopping 86% said they think more highly of a company if it is a pet-friendly company and 43% said a pet-friendly workplace is a factor in choosing where they would like to work.“I would take a pay cut to leave my current employer of 10 years to go and work for a pet friendly company,” said one respondent. “My dog is my best friend and being able to spend all day with my dog would be extremely valuable to me.” Iris and Butters Sit in on a Meeting69% of respondents noted that the best benefits of having their pet at work are stress relief, socialization for the pet, and simply having their pet by their side all day. 37% said that the daily exercise they get from their pets was another benefit.“I find that our clients come in with a smile as they are greeted at the door by my dog and no one seems to leave without stopping to give him tummy rubs on the way out,” said one respondent. “It’s great for morale too.”While the majority of respondents highly praised pets in the workplace, there was a selection of people who weren’t so supportive. Respondents noted that the distraction pets present in the workplace was the biggest drawback, followed by the potential for allergies suffered by co-workers.“As a pet owner who loves her pet and all the pets I get to meet, I find it extremely disrespectful and inappropriate for us to forget that some people are uncomfortable around our pets or have allergies to them,” noted one respondent. “The workplace is not a place for our pets to be. I love sharing my rabbit with others, but I also want to respect their feelings and needs as well.”This is a valid concern, and one we address here at the Trupanion office in our Pet Policy. It’s expected that all employees will respect co-workers and talk constructively through any issues that come up. An escalation process is also in place to handle incidents that cannot be resolved.It may seem unbelievable, but we do have employees with pet allergies in our office, and we respect them and make accommodations that help them manage their symptoms. But we also know that we may be discouraging talent from joining our team because of our environment. We take that risk, because we see the incredible benefit pets bring – including high employee satisfaction and retention, increased company morale, and less overall stress.Have a question about our pets in the workplace? Check out Trupanion.com/pets-in-the-workplace or email us at petsatwork@trupanion.com.10 Rainbow Recipes
Today is a beautiful day for Gay rights. Let’s celebrate with some rainbow recipes…
A procedural ruling reinstated a trial judge’s order to allow some gay marriages in California and the Supreme Court finally struck down section 3 of DOMA–that’s the section that embarrassingly defined marriage as a union between a hetero boy-girl couple and not just two people in love.
While the right for gay people to marry still isn’t in the constitution, big enough steps were made that we deserve a treat.
Check out these 10 recipes for rainbow foods for us to enjoy and bigots to choke on:
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