Student Group Travel to Washington DC Is Educational and Affordable

Because of today’s state of the economy, schools throughout the country are slashing budgets. As a result, many school programs are either cutting school trips altogether or only allowing trips that are inexpensive and/or close to home. Teachers are being asked to sharpen their pencils to find destinations that are both affordable and educational.

Enter Washington DC and the surrounding areas of Virginia and Maryland. Student group travel to the Washington DC area is not only educational, but economical as well. You as a teacher can give your students a real and vivid life education on American government, its three branches and how a bill is created or defeated. Or they can study American history, natural history, the world wars and more at the many outstanding Smithsonian museums as well as the surrounding historical sites, memorials and monuments. Furthermore, many of the architectural landmarks in the nation’s capitol commemorate important chapters in American history. Here’s the best part though. The only thing more impressive than the sheer diversity of museums in Washington DC is that most of them are free!

Want to add a special touch to your class trip? Then you and your class should include the surrounding areas around Washington DC, including Fairfax County, Virginia and Greenbelt, Maryland, on your itinerary.

Mount Vernon, the home of George and Martha Washington, is situated along the Potomac River just 16 miles south of Washington DC in Fairfax County, Virginia. For more than 40 years, George Washington, our first President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of the American forces during the Revolutionary War, called this home. Today, students can visit the mansion, plantation, George Washington’s tomb, a working blacksmith shop and a pioneer farmer site. A class trip to this historical site gives students both an emotional and physical connection to life in the late 1700’s.

If your student group desires to study science, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland demonstrates the innovative and exciting work in Earth science, astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science, communication and technology development. Students can browse the unique, informative exhibits, learn about climate change, climb inside a Gemini space capsule, view photographs taken from the Hubble Space Telescope, or participate in one of the monthly model rocket launches. Student tour groups gain a deeper level of insight into space exploration, the universe and high tech devices while visiting the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Overall, a teacher who really wants to make the most of this type of class trip can start his/her lesson plan weeks in advance and cater it to the trip itself. Then, while on the trip, the teacher can point out important landmarks, monuments, etc. that were previously covered in the lesson plan, thus creating direct experiences that brings the classroom to life. A class trip to Washington DC, including the surrounding areas of Virginia and Maryland, is truly both educational and affordable. You as a teacher will create memories within your students that will last a lifetime.

Top 5 Colleges in Georgia

The State of Georgia is known as the “Peach State” and is home to about 70 universities, technical colleges and colleges. It is also home to over 45 private higher learning institutions.

Among the many colleges are state supported schools, public, nonsectarian private and religious universities. The institutions grant degrees, graduate and undergraduate, in many fields.

Below is a list of the top 5 colleges and universities in the state of Georgia:

University of Georgia

Founded by the Georgia General Assembly in 1801, the University of Georgia is located in Athens which is about 60 or so miles on the northeast of Atlanta. The University of Georgia has many great programs such as in the arts and music. The University comprises of 16 different colleges. One of the 16 is Grady College that administers the well-known Peabody Awards.

The University of Georgia offers about 140 baccalaureate, 91 doctoral and 124 masters majors among its academic programs. It is ranked as the 56th university in the US by the U.S News and World Report in its “Best Colleges 2011.”

Georgia Institute of Technology

The Georgia Institute of Technology, fondly called Georgia Tech, was founded on the 13th of October 1885. It is located in downtown Atlanta which is the capital of Georgia. Georgia Tech is known for being a leader in the fields of science, economics and technology. It also offers degree courses in architecture, business and government.

Emory University

Founded in 1836 by the Methodist Church, Emory University is in Oxford which is a suburban town a few miles from Atlanta. Best known for its medicine and healthcare courses, the university which started as a college has different centers for research for studies in law, medicine, healthcare and other disciplines.

The U.S. News and World Report has ranked Emory University as the 20th best university in the US in its ratings the “Best Colleges of 2011.” The college’s programs in social psychology, midwifery, African history, public health and biomedical engineering are ranked in the top 10.

Georgia State University

Georgia State University was founded as Georgia’s “School of Commerce” in 1913. Located in downtown Atlanta, it is the second largest university in Georgia. It is well-known for its science, law and business programs. The Georgia State University is also the institution of choice for a diverse number of students from all over the State or Georgia, all other states in the US and of approximately 145 other countries.

University of West Georgia

The University of West Georgia is a public institution founded in 1906 and has a campus in Newman. It was named as one of the best colleges in the southeast. The Princeton Review has named the university as one of America’s best value. The University of West Georgia offer more than 100 programs of study and has an accreditation with the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The University of West Georgia is known to be committed to high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs.

California

All across the country there is an increasing emphasis placed on early learning. Parents in California Schools desire preparation for their children at younger ages for the academics and atmosphere of school. California Schools have implemented initiatives to ensure that preparation. The First 5 California School Readiness Initiative has garnered support from the large state since its beginning in 2002 and was granted $206 million to fund programs that help transition young children into the school system.

The First 5 Initiative of California Schools focused on early care and education, parenting and support services, health and social services, school readiness for children/school capacity, and program infrastructure, administration and evaluation. Ending in 2006, this initiative completed its purpose and was followed by other California School readiness initiatives. California Schools are invested in the idea that preschools have tremendous influence and power.

The First 5 Initiative Of California Schools has formulated a task force that also branches into other areas of student help. California Schools have earned an A on their childhood obesity report cards, owing in part to the California First 5 obesity prevention campaign. The group constructed ads targeting parents and warning of the dangers accompanying obesity. Physical education programs have become more prominent in California Schools in keeping with the struggle against obesity, particularly in young children. First 5 California is attempting to stop the obesity trend in California Schools through student, parent and community awareness.

In the hopes that children of migrant workers might receive equally well-grounded educations in California Schools, the California First 5 has undertaken the challenge of funding the California First 5 Children of Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers project, which has targeted 3 and 4 year old children since its inception in 2003. This program helps struggling families in California Schools receive educational childcare, enroll more students, find transportation and improve test scores.

In October 2005, California First 5 found that a serious percentage of students entering kindergarten lack the necessary skills to succeed in California Schools. In an effort to allow children the chance to begin on equal footing in grade school, the California First 5 has acknowledged that all previous student preparation is simply the groundwork of what must eventually be achieved. California Schools’ children who participate in early childhood programs are more successful than those children that don’t. Therefore, the California First 5 has doubled their dedication and hopes to alert more parents to the seriousness of childhood education. California First 5 encourages parents to read regularly to their children and be aware of the benefits of preschool.

California Schools recognize the geographic sprawl of their state. In order to unify and aid incoming students, progress must be made in the partnership between parents and the school systems. California First 5 works to comprehensively alert parents and makes efforts to keep them aware of urgent trends, such as the youth obesity crisis in America. As shown in the results of past initiatives, California Schools have succeeded in their agendas primarily due to parent involvement and the success of upcoming programs will continue to depend upon parental participation.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools.

History of American Samoa

American Samoa consists of several islands in the eastern portion of the Samoan archipeligo. The Samoan islands were first settled by immigrants from the Lau Islands in Fiji, approximately 3,500 years ago.

Contact with Europeans began in the early 18th century, and by the mid 19th century, Great Britain, Germany, and the United States of America, had all established trading posts and were all claiming parts of the islands. The 1899 Treaty of Berlin divided the Samoan islands between Germany, and the United States of America, and U.S. Navy subsequently established a coaling station at Pago Pago Bay.

During World War I, the German part of the islands, was captured by New Zealand and became a New Zealand protectorate. After World War I, a peaceful independence movement, the Mau movement, emerged in both the New Zealand (Western Samoa) and American parts of the islands, but was unsuccessful.

In World War II, American Samoa was an important military base, and U.S. Marines outnumbered the local population, and left a huge cultural influence.

Subsequent to World II, the U.S. Department of Interior sponsored an attempt to incorporate American Samoa into the United States. This attempt was however defeated in Congress, prinicipally due to the efforts of American Samoan chiefs. The chiefs’ efforts eventually led to the creation of local legislature which meets in the village of Fagatogo. Additionally, the Governor of the American Samoa is no longer appointed by the U.S. Navy, but is instead locally elected.

As of today, American Samoa, remains an unorganized unincorporated territory of the United States. Although technically unorganized, American Samoa is self-governing under its constitution which became effective on July 1st 1967.

3 Steps To Getting An Online High School Education

Online high school education might make it possible for you to get your diploma. After you have left school, finishing your education is hard. There are a lot of barriers you have to overcome. High school doesn’t fit well into the adult world you live in now, but you need that diploma in order to do what you want to with your life. Here are some ideas for getting your diploma using online high school education.

Step 1: Assess

Start by looking at where you are and where you want to be. If you are only a couple of classes short of the requirements for high school graduation in your school district, maybe they offer the classes over the internet, and you could finish up and graduate from your home high school.

If you need more than a couple of classes to graduate, you could earn your diploma and graduate from an online high school, taking classes to meet their graduation requirements.

Look at where you want to be, too. If you are finishing high school for your own self development, or so that you can advance in your present job, online high school education classes might be what you need. If, however, you want to go to college after you get your diploma, you might be able to find “double duty” classes that will give you both high school and college credit, so that you can enter college ahead of the game.

Step 2: Gather Information

There are four places you should look for online high school education classes: your local school district, community education in your area, local colleges and online high school education providers. Compare the requirements each program has for high school graduation, and what you would have to do to complete those requirements.

Look into ways to pay for your online high school education. If you are under 21, your local school district may be a good place to look for funding. Whether you get help from a local school district or not, you should be able to find a way to complete your high school education for free or at a low cost.

If you plan to enter college when you are done, find out what the entrance requirements are for your top three or four college choices. If they require two years of foreign language, for instance, it is much less expensive to take the classes as part of an online high school education than it is to make up the deficiency later.

Step 3:

Get started. Put together all the information you have gathered, and decide how you will go about getting an online high school education. Do the paperwork, go through the hoops and enroll in a class. You are on your way to completing your diploma through online high school education.

The Benefits of Online Educational Programs

With the current challenges facing traditional colleges and universities, which includes higher tuition, budget cuts, and course shortages, many students as well as those that love learning have switched to online educational programs. With nearly three million students currently enrolled in fully online degree programs and eight million taking at least one online course as part of their degree program, online education has clearly become one of the most popular higher education alternatives.

The continually improving reputation of online learning has also helped fuel its expansion, as initial skepticism has faltered in the face of evidence that shows that online learning can be just as effective as face-to-face education. I have taken several myself and the experience is quite unique as these programs are entirely convenient and flexible. They provide educational information that will build your business immediately. You will be surprised to know that some of these online courses are FREE! The emphasis however in taking free courses online is the personal knowledge obtained. The certificates received in some cases are however not from accredited educational institutes.

ONLINE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS VERSUS TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

All of this means that students, from working professionals to recent high school graduates, find many reasons to take all or some of their courses online. Below are some major advantages of online education:

• Variety of programs and courses: From traditional four-year universities to completely online career colleges, higher education today offers a variety of options for learners. This means that no matter what students wish to study, from cooking to rocket science, they can find online education they need. They can also earn every academic degree online, all the way from a career certificate to a doctorate.

• Lower total costs: Online educational programs can be a more affordable option than traditional colleges. Though not all online degrees have less expensive net tuition prices than traditional colleges, associated costs are almost always less expensive. There are no commuting costs, and there is also not any required course materials such as textbooks because every reading materials are made available for free online. In addition, many colleges and universities have begun to accept credits earned via free massive open online courses (MOOCs), the most recent advance in online education. Free online courses such as these can help students fulfill general education requirements at little to no cost.

• More comfortable learning environment: These days, commercials featuring online students studying in their pajamas are becoming popular in describing one of the primary benefits of online education. There are no physical class sessions. Lectures and reading materials are electronically sent to the student, who will then read them and complete assignments. Students will not have to fight traffic, find parking spaces, leave work early to go to class, or miss important family time.

• Convenience and flexibility: Online educational programs give students the opportunity to plan their study time around the rest of their day, instead of the other way around. Students can study and work when they are at their peak energy, whether that’s early morning or late at night. Course material is always accessible online and they are asynchronous, so there’s no need to schedule special trips to a library either. All of this makes online learning attractive.

• Avoid commuting: During bad weather, colleges may cancel classes. Also, a traffic situation like in Lagos where I reside may pose a serious problem for those attending traditional education. Rather than be late or miss important class sessions, students in online educational programs can always “attend” by participating on discussion boards or in chat sessions, turn in their work on time, and watch lectures or read materials. Many students also find that the amount they save on fuel costs can be substantial if they don’t have to commute to a physical campus in general, no matter what the weather conditions may be.

• Improve your technical skills: Even the most basic online educational programs requires the development of new computer skills, as students learn to navigate different learning management systems (LMS) and programs. The skills students learn to participate in their online courses translate to many professions, including creating and sharing documents, incorporating audio/video materials into your assignments, completing online training sessions, etc. All this form part of their learning too.

All these benefits highlighted above are clear reasons for the astronomical growth of e-learning. There are several e-learning institutes today offering certifications and degrees in modern topics. For those wondering whether it is a valid alternative, I say to you it is. For network marketers and those managing their businesses, online education becomes a better alternative as you will not have to leave your business to continue learning.

Income protection insurance details for You

What is income protection insurance? 

Income protection insurance pays you a regular income if you can’t work because of sickness or disability and continues until you return to paid work or you retire. Income protection insurance is also known as permanent health insurance.

The amount of income you are allowed to claim will not replace the exact amount of money you were earning before you had to stop work. You can expect to receive about a half to two-thirds of your earnings before tax from your normal job. This is because some money will be taken off for the state benefits you can claim, and also the income you get from the policy is tax free.
You can’t claim income protection payments straightaway if you fall ill or become disabled. You usually have to wait a minimum of four weeks but payments can start up to two years after you stop work. This is because you may not need the money straightaway as you may get sick pay from your employer or you may be able to claim statutory sick pay for up to 28 weeks after you stop work.
There are other types of illness insurance you can take out such as critical illness insurance. You should compare income protection insurance with other types of illness insurance before you decide whether to buy it. For more information about these

What you need to think about before you take out income protection insurance

Before you think about taking out income protection insurance, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I really need income protection insurance?

Check:

• that you don’t already get income protection insurance through work. Some employers offer this as a benefit. Your employment contract, handbook or personnel department will have details if this is the case
• whether you have some other kind of illness insurance combined with another insurance policy or with your mortgage which covers you for serious illness
• whether you have savings you can use instead of insurance. However, you need to think very carefully about whether you want to rely on savings. You may not be able to save enough to cover a long period of ill-health. And you may face another emergency, which would use up your savings and leave you with no cover for illness.

Is this the best type of illness insurance for me?

Check out all the different types of illness insurance to see which one would suit you best. For example, if you’re worried about the cost of income protection insurance, you could think about taking out critical illness insurance instead which can be a much cheaper option. However, critical illness only covers a very limited range of illnesses and for a shorter period of time than income protection insurance.
If you’re not sure which type of illness insurance would be best for you, you can help from an independent financial adviser.

Do you have enough money to pay for illness insurance?

The costs (or premiums) of payment protection insurance can be high and you may never need to use it. You won’t get any money back if you never make a claim.

What you need to know before you take out income protection insurance

You should always check the terms and conditions of any insurance policy very carefully before you sign up to make sure it meets all your needs. You will need to be sure of exactly what you can claim for, when you can claim and how much you’re likely to get.
There are rules which say the policy documents must be written in easy-to-read plain English, so you can understand what you’re signing up to.

Are there any exclusions?

Illness insurance policies don’t always cover every type of illness.
On top of this, you may not be covered for certain illnesses which either you or a member of your family has had before. These are known as pre-existing medical conditions.
Insurers will look at your family medical history and some policies will cover existing medical conditions but others will not. If your family medical history means that there will be conditions attached to you taking out the policy, your insurer should explain these to you before you sign up for the policy.
You also need to know if you will still be covered if you can do other kinds of work than your own. Some policies say you can’t make a claim if you stop being able to do your own job but can do other types of work. You should check the insurance policy to see if it says this.

How long you have to wait before the policy will pay out

With most policies you usually have to wait a minimum of four weeks after you stop work for payments to start. This is called the waiting period. Some waiting periods last up to two years. The amount of money you pay for the insurance policy (called the premiums) may be cheaper if you can wait longer before you make a claim.

How much you’ll get if you make a claim

You will need to know exactly how much you’ll get if you make a claim. The amount of your payments may be affected if you have other income such as state benefits or payments from other insurance policies.
You should also find out whether the payments will go up each year in line with the cost of living.

How the insurers have assessed your job

When they’re working out whether to cover you and how much to charge you for your policy, insurers will assess how dangerous your job is. Different insurers may assess the same job differently, so it’s important to know which category your job falls into as you could get a cheaper premium elsewhere.

What you must tell your insurer before you take out income protection insurance

You must give your insurer full details of you and your family’s medical history. If you leave anything out and then later try to make a claim, your insurer may refuse to pay out.
If you already have a pre-existing medical condition, look for an insurer that will be prepared to cover it, although you may have to pay more to take out the policy. A pre-existing medical condition is one you’ve had before.
You should also tell the insurers if you take part in any dangerous hobbies or have a lifestyle that includes smoking, heavy drinking or drug taking. If you don’t tell them about something which later affects your claim, they may refuse to pay out on the policy.
You don’t have to discuss personal or sensitive information with the person who sells you the policy. You can ask to send the information directly to the insurer’s medical officer.
If you are already in ill health, or have a dangerous job, you may not be able to get income protection insurance or you may have to pay more to take out the insurance.

How to work out the level of cover you need for income protection insurance

To work out the level of cover you need for income protection insurance:

• start with how much your take home pay currently is
• take away the amount you would get in state benefits
• take away any work related costs such as travel, food and clothing
• add on any extra expenses you might need if you become ill or disabled such as extra heating costs or the costs of medical equipment

For more help on how to work out how much cover you would need, go to the Money Advice Service website at www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk. An insurer or independent financial adviser can also help with working out these costs as some may be difficult to predict in advance.

How to buy income protection insurance

You can buy income protection insurance from:

• an independent financial adviser, who can look at all the policies on offer and choose the one best suited to you. You may have to pay for this advice
• directly from an insurance company.

If you want to buy income protection insurance directly from an insurance company, you should shop around to see who will give you the best deal. You can use a comparison website to do this. You probably won’t be able to buy the insurance online as you will need to be assessed by the company for your suitability. But you will be able to apply for a quote online or find details of insurance advisers you can speak to.

What affects the cost of income protection insurance?

The costs of taking out income protection insurance are affected by the following things:

• your age. The older you are when you take out the policy, the more you are likely to pay, as your risk of getting ill increases
• your sex. Men make slightly more claims than women, so may pay more
• your health. If you’re in good health, you will pay less to insure yourself
• your job. If you do a risky job, you will pay more for cover
• hobbies and lifestyle. If you take part in dangerous hobbies or you smoke or drink heavily, you will pay more for cover.
• the waiting period The longer you can wait before you make a claim, the cheaper your premiums will be
• whether you might be prepared to do other kinds of work than your own if you get ill. It usually costs less to take out income protection insurance if you say you will only make a claim if you are unable to do any work at all, rather than just your own job.

Cancelling your income protection policy

If you take out income protection insurance, you usually have 30 days to cancel the policy and get a full refund.
If you decide to cancel the policy after 30 days, the money you are refunded may be less than the amount you have put in. Check your policy’s terms and conditions.

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