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Labor Day weekend is upon us, and back-to-school season is in full swing. As teachers and students head back to the classroom, they’re up against a lot of challenges: funding uncertainty, book bans, the threat of school shootings, and more. But in the midst of those heartbreaking realities, people are showing up to help.
Today’s Goodnewsletter is dedicated to all things good education news — educators doing good, students taking action, adults committed to never stop learning, and more. Enjoy!
Arts & Music
Photo: Courtesy of California Area School District
A superintendent 3D prints violins in her office so every student has the opportunity to join the orchestra
Dr. Laura Jacob, superintendent of the California Area School District in Coal Center, Pennsylvania, has 30 3D printers in her office that she uses to print violins for low-income students.
More than 70% of students in Jacobs’ district are low-income, meaning “100% of our kids receive a free breakfast and free lunch every single day.” It also means rental fees for orchestra instruments, like violins, are out of the question.
Each violin costs just $50 to make, and they are now offered free to any student who wants one, thanks to grant funding. They sound a little different than traditional wood violins, but are perfect for beginners to learn on. She’s also working on more instrument designs, like the cello.
Why is this good news?No student should be held back from participating in the arts because they can’t afford it. For schools, violins can cost $500 to $2,000 each, often representing hundreds of dollars in rental fees per family each school year, which is prohibitively expensive for many families.
A med student in California launched a “little free podiatry practice” to help homeless people get back on their feet — literally
On TikTok, Steffi Casimir details her life in medical school, as well as one very unique extracurricular: Taking care of homeless people’s feet.
Studying to be a foot and ankle surgeon, it’s not far off from the work she will be doing once she graduates — and it’s an often overlooked, critical part of helping people experiencing homelessness.
In fact, she shared in a video, “Foot problems are one of the most common reasons homeless people end up in the ER. Providing free care … gives them relief, dignity, and a chance to walk forward with less suffering.”
Volunteering with a local church’s “mobile response unit,” Casimir sets up a makeshift “office” under a tent in a parking lot, with folding chairs and a table full of supplies to provide a variety of care services for folks in need.
I’ve yet to meet a person who didn’t have an educator they really connected with — either in grade school or later on in life. For me, it was my first-grade teacher, Mrs. McManus, and in high school, Mr. Wiegand, who inspired my love for journalism and publishing!
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