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Erase All Kittens (EAK) is an educational technology startup founded by two women with first hand experience working in the male-dominated field of coding. In an effort to bring more women into the field, the female-led team has launched a new “Mario” style game, specifically designed for girls between the ages of 8 and 12. Co-Founders, Dee Saigal and Leonie Van Der Linde, understand the importance of exposing the world of coding, and its possibilities, to girls when they are young. According to TechCrunch, “EAK says its research shows that some 55% of its players are girls, and 95% want to learn more about coding after playing the game.” “Players edit the code that governs the game environment, building and fixing levels as they play in order to save kittens in a fantasy internet universe,” Saigal says. She continues to explain that the game places a huge emphasis on creativity, and the players can see instant results as they make their way through the game by editing the code and exploring various solutions for their characters. Saigal says, “When I was younger I wanted to be a games designer. I loved coming up with ideas for games but coding had always seemed like an impossible task. We weren’t taught coding at school, and I couldn’t see anyone who looked like me making games, so I didn’t think it was something I could do.” In making a game that blends learning and storytelling, Saigal and Van Der Linde hope that coding will be seen by young girls as a problem-solving language with real world possibilities.  Since launching the new game, Erase All Kittens has raised $1 million and plans to continue expanding access to their platform in schools and other learning environments around the world.

Sapir Berman, 26, refereed a soccer match after coming out publicly as a woman, making her Israel’s first openly transgender soccer referee. She blew the whistle to begin the Hapoel Haifa vs. Beitar Jerusalem match. "This is the first step in a long and wonderful journey. Sapir, we are proud to do it with you," the Israel Football Association tweeted as she took the field. One fan held up a sign that read “Sapir Berman, super woman.” Berman has worked as a soccer referee for several years in Israel’s Premier League and said she has received the support of family, fans, officials, and players. Berman said that being involved in such a male-dominated profession made her hesitate when considering going public. Then, about six months ago, “I decided to come out and to show who I am, first of all to myself, for my soul,” she said with a smile on her face. A British soccer referee, Lucy Clark, came out as transgender in 2018. She said, “overwhlemingly, it’s been a positive experience.” Israel is considered one of the world’s most progressive countries when it comes to LGBTQ rights, despite it being portrayed as a society with religious oppression. For Berman, the soccer community has been very supportive. Many players are already addressing her as a woman. “It shows me there’s a change in society,” she said.

Kyra Peralte, a mother of two from Montclair, New Jersey, began keeping a diary last year to help cope with the effects of the pandemic. She then dropped her journal in the mail and sent it to a stranger. Peralte wrote about the struggles of balancing work, marriage and motherhood while also dealing with a global pandemic. She found writing to be helpful and wanted to know how other women were doing during such a trying time. “I wanted an interaction that felt human, and it feels very human to read someone else’s writing,” said Peralte. She created a global community through “The Traveling Diary.” After one year, seven notebooks had circled the globe, from Canada to South Africa and beyond. Peralte found her first pen pal through a Zoom conference for entrepreneurs. She piqued the interest of a woman from North Carolina when she mentioned the diary. From there, women around the world began signing up to share their stories. “Everyone approaches the blank pages in their own personal way,” Peralte said. One contributor said that it was fascinating to know that others were in the same moment in time but living such different experiences. Another woman from Australia wrote, “Working with the setbacks. Not against them. Patience and gratitude. It’s a dance. Life is moving and we can stomp our feet in rejection, or we can gracefully embrace the mess, tidying as we go.” The group of women met for the first time recently, virtually. “It has really evolved into a community,” said Peralte, who often hosts Zoom meetings so the women can get to know each other more. Some women have even become close friends. Peralte hopes her idea affects all the people involved as much as it has her.

There is no denying that 2020 was a catastrophic year where many faced suffering, loss, and sacrifice. Upon reflection however, there are quite a few Americans that say they have found a silver lining. In fact, according to a poll of 2,005 Americans conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Eyes of Hope, 7 out of 10 participants revealed that the events of 2020 made them a better person. The poll was created to explore how people are dealing with the impacts and aftermath of the pandemic. The results of the poll are heartwarming. 74% said 2020 made them more aware of the needs of others. Further, 87% of those polled have donated a portion of their paycheck to those in need since March 2020 – even though 3 in 5 have also experienced financial difficulties at some point during this turbulent year. 41% said that 2020 sparked a renewal of neighborly love, with 38% saying they have helped take out their neighbors’ trash and 31% saying they have walked their neighbor’s dog. Unsurprisingly, 72% of these individuals also revealed that, in a year that focused on health and well-being, they are more aware and caring about others in this respect as well. “It’s been incredibly meaningful to see how the challenges of the last year have caused us to care even more for each other,” said Pat McNeil, a spokesperson for VSP Eyes of Hope. “This study validates what we’ve been hearing from our employees and charitable partners: people are looking to better the lives of others and their communities because they envision a greater purpose after such a devastating year." Though 2020 came with its fair share of trials and tribulations, people are also choosing to see the good - the ways they have changed for the better, hopefully leading us into a new era of widespread consideration and compassion.

Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Government, a new project to demine 7 million square meters of land is now underway. Included in the land being cleared is the world’s largest contiguous wildlife area. The landmines were laid 4 decades ago during the Zimbabwe Liberation War by the Rhodesian Army and their removal will help to protect some of the world’s most endangered species, including elephants, pangolins, and lions that all live within the wildlife corridor that spans South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. The Dutch Organization APOPO (Anti-Personnel Landmines Detection Production Development) has begun working with Zimbabwean Government to clear the densely packed minefield which includes the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. It is projected that the efforts to clear this land will support the re-opening of eco-tourism opportunities in Zimbabwe. The U.S. Government’s grant allows APOPO to protect the animals in the Sengwe Wildlife Corridor as well as the surrounding human populations and their livestock. APOPO hopes to declare Zimbabwe landmine free by 2025. APOPO is known around the world for training African giant pouched rats to detect landlines over the last 20 years. In Zimbabwe however they are utilizing manual deminers to tackle this densely packed minefield. The Dutch organization has already cleared over 45,000 square meters and estimates it will destroy close to 15,300 landmines. Thousands of people live in incredibly close proximity to these landmines and have limited access to water, grazing areas for livestock, and roads for travel and trade. The clearing of this broad area will not only bring about habitable land for Zimbabwe’s poorest communities, but also help to protect some of the world’s most beloved species and provide Zimbabwe with ample economic opportunity.

In 2020, many New England Patriots fans were bitter when Rob Gronkowski, their beloved star tight end, spurned retirement to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Some fans expressed resentment as “Gronk” joined forces with former Patriots legend Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. So, one must wonder if Gronkowski is trying to recapture the hearts of New England youth with his most recent philanthropic endeavor: a $1.2 million renovation of a Boston playground. The football-spiking icon teamed up with his organization, the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation, to upgrade the Charlesbank Playground on the Charles River Esplanade. Gronkowski will work with the Esplanade Association—the nonprofit dedicated to maintaining the area—to bring in new climbing structures and other equipment to the playground. The partnership between Gronkowski and the playground will exceed the renovation itself. The future Hall of Famer’s foundation has agreed to pay for all maintenance costs in the first 10 years after the project is completed. Per the Gronk Nation website, the Youth Foundation is “dedicated to inspiring youth to reach their maximum potential through sports, education, community and fitness.” The upgrades to the playground will be made in accordance with these core values.  According to CBS News, Gronkowski emphasized in a news conference that “the concept of this playground will be to motivate kids to be outdoors, get fit and have fun. I hope this playground inspires the next generation of athletes.” Gronkowksi’s generosity carries historical weight. Michael Nichols, the executive director of the Esplanade Association, confirmed that the donation stands as one of the largest ever made to a Massachusetts state park. Yes, Gronkowski may be spiking footballs elsewhere. But Massachusetts politicians are using the playground donation as an opportunity cement his place in New England sports lore. State representative Jay Livingstone and state senator Sal DiDomenico submitted legislation advocating for a new moniker for the playground: “Gronk Playground.” "No matter where I go, or where I live, I will always have a special connection to New England and the people who live here," Gronkowski told reporters.

Joshua Nelson, a senior at St. Charles West High School, was one of five students to be awarded the Presidents Scholarship at Southeast Missouri State University, an award for which 288 people applied. The scholarship is valued at $43,000 and will pay for Nelson’s room and board for four years. While many students in his position would have saved the money that they had put aside for college to spend on themselves, Nelson had a different plan. The 18-year-old decided to donate the $1000 in his college fund to another student in need. With this money, Nelson created the Joshua Nelson Leaders in Action Scholarship, which aims “to help multicultural students who are showing leadership, community service and just have great qualities in and out of the classroom." "I feel like it's important to be involved in your community and leaving a legacy," Nelson said. Nelson hopes that his donation will pave a path for more donations from local businesses and others so that his new scholarship can help as many students as possible. "I think he's an inspiration to some of the other people at the school especially students of color," Harmony Hudson, a classmate of Nelson. "I don't even think he realizes that he's doing that much for everyone else as well." During his time in high school, Nelson was the president of his schools Multicultural Achievement Council, and was a member of various organizations like the National Honor Society, the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Black Student Union. Nelson says that his dream is for the Joshua Nelson Leaders in Action Scholarship to be funded for years to come.  

Mike Wimmer from North Carolina has always been a curious and intelligent kid, and with the time he had during the pandemic, he decided that nothing could be better than getting his diploma from Concord Academy High School in the same year that he gets his associates degree from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. "With COVID, of course being locked in, I figured out, hey, might as well take some more classes, right? So I actually did four years of school in one," said the 12-year-old. "I just did it at a much faster pace. I did my junior and senior year of high school along with my first two years of college for my associate’s degree at the same time. Using dual enrollment classes at both places also. It was kind of a, hey, if I take a few more classes I can get an associate’s degree. Why not?" If doing four years of classes in just 12 months isn’t impressive enough, he will also be valedictorian of his high school with a 5.45 GPA, and will leave college with a 4.0. Despite being significantly younger than his classmates, Mike gets along well with the older kids, and was even elected to his Homecoming Court last year. Mike calls himself a “math and science guy,” and has been interested in robotics since he first received an iPad at the age of 18-months. He was inspired to create his own startup called Reflect Social which simplifies home smart technology with the goal of helping others. While he is academically ahead of almost everyone his age, Mike wants people to know that he is still a kid, and loves playing basketball and building Legos. "A lot of people think I've given up my childhood or somehow lost it," Wimmer said, "and I say to them that I'm having the time of my life."

Nathan Herber was diagnosed with stage four T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2018 at just four years old. He had to leave his school in Rochester, Minnesota to take part in aggressive cancer treatment at a nearby Mayo Clinic. Following nearly two and a half years of treatment, online school, and a period of time that left Nathan on life support, he is finally able to attend school again and see his classmates. Over 300 of Nathan’s peers welcomed him back, lining the school parking lot and waving to him on his final day of treatment. “I’m gonna be happy, because I might be able to see my friends from all the classes that I had last time,” said Nathan. Nathan’s mother, Becky Herber, said she hopes her son’s story can resonate with other children who are waiting to return to in-person classes. “Our hope for everybody returning to school this year is to never give up,” she said. “To know that this isn’t forever. That there will be an end, and things will be normal again.” Nathan was diagnosed just a few weeks after celebrating his fourth birthday at Disney World. "We thought things were pretty awesome ... you know, not a care in the world," Nathan's father, Andy Herber, told Fox News. The family found a large mass on Nathan’s chest and their life was turned upside down. The parents were told that this battle would be a “marathon, not a sprint.” "The oncologist said that his immune system won't be able to handle fighting off any of the infections, so we pulled him entirely from school," Andy Herber said. On the days Nathan Herber wasn't in school, his brother would place a stuffed monkey in his chair "to hold his spot," he added. Nathan took his last dose of chemotherapy on March 25 and is ecstatic to return to school full-time this fall.

John Hinkle Jr., of Peoria, Illinois, honored his late father, John Hinkle Sr., by bowling a perfect game using a ball that contained his father’s ashes. Hinkle Sr. was an avid bowler, but had never achieved the perfect score of 300. His son wanted to ensure that happened. "I was shaking. I had tears in my eyes the last couple balls," the 38-year-old said. "I just knew what it meant to my dad and my brother to do this." Hinkle Jr. dropped to the ground, overcome, as his twin brother embraced him during the emotional winning moment. "I started crying more when he approached me because we did what we said we would do," said Hinkle Jr. "Words can’t express how I was feeling. It’s still so surreal. I watch the video and still can’t believe it happened," Hinkle Jr. said in a message. Hinkle Jr. said his family has been bowling for a long time. "Bowling has been in our family for years and it’s something we all loved to do," he said. Their father passed in 2016, and their mother just two years prior. The brothers considered quitting bowling, but they wanted to continue to honor their parents’ legacy. Hinkle Jr. first mentioned putting his father’s ashes in a bowling ball in 2017, but it took over a year to find someone willing to do it. His childhood friend, who had just opened up a pro shop, agreed to do it. She sealed the ashes in the thumb hole on the first try. Hinkle Jr. is playing in the upcoming Tournament of Champions, the last tournament he played in with his father. He will retire the ball containing his father’s ashes after the tournament.