On International Day of the Girl, KidzToPros celebrates the girls of the world and their limitless potential! The International Day of the Girl was declared by the United Nations to bring attention to the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment. It has been celebrated annually on Oct. 11 since 2012.&nbsp;“Girls are breaking boundaries and barriers posed by stereotypes and exclusion,” the United Nations writes in recognition of the day. “As entrepreneurs, innovators and initiators of global movements, girls are creating a world that is relevant for them and future generations.”&nbsp;The United Nations has created a list of goals to achieve by 2030 as a roadmap for progress, and achieving women’s empowerment “is integral to each of the goals.”&nbsp;At KidzToPros, we believe that one of the best ways we can empower girls is to prepare them for the jobs of the future. According to the 2020 Jobs of Tomorrow report from the World Economic Forum, four of the seven fastest-growing career clusters involve computer science, data analysis, engineering and cloud computing. Hiring managers will be looking for technical skills when hiring for those jobs, so let’s give our girls a head start by helping them learn to code as early as possible.&nbsp;Even if a girl isn’t interested in a career in computer science or engineering, coding skills can be applied to other careers and other aspects of life. Coding teaches students to think in a different way and view the world more critically. It also requires an abundance of attention to detail, which many employers say is lacking in today’s jobseekers.&nbsp;The number of jobs that require some coding knowledge is expected to grow exponentially as we see more AI-powered robots and programs becoming a core part of many different industries.&nbsp;In celebration of International Day of the Girl, here are 5 ways you can empower the girls in your life to learn to code.&nbsp;<h2>1. Provide hands-on learning opportunities&nbsp;</h2>Introducing children to STEM learning can start as soon as they are toddlers playing with their first block set. The wooden blocks help encourage problem-solving skills and creative thinking — the possibilities of things to build is virtually endless.&nbsp;When the next birthday or holiday rolls around, consider buying a young girl in your life a toy that develops STEM skills. Amazon has a category devoted to STEM learning toys, which can be filtered based on age, price and ratings.&nbsp;<h2>2. Ask for help around the house&nbsp;</h2>The next time your Internet router needs reset or a wire wiggled loose on your television, consider asking your daughter to help fix it. They’ll need to practice problem-solving to complete the task, and the fact that you asked for help will build their confidence and sense of self-worth.&nbsp;Bonus: If you are a coder yourself, invite your daughter to keep you company while you finish up a few work projects. Letting her see what a job in STEM looks like will broaden her horizon.&nbsp;<h2>3. Ask your school to add coding classes or offer to lead a coding club&nbsp;</h2>Although computer science is a driving force in the U.S. economy and accounts for much of the future job growth, the subject remains marginalized in public education systems — especially in the younger grades.&nbsp;Now that most schools across the country have invested in 1:1 technology programs that provide computers for every student, the infrastructure is already in place to introduce coding in the classroom.&nbsp;KidzToPros has created ready-to-use curriculum that is teacher-trusted and easy to implement. If your school does not seem receptive to adding coding to the curriculum, you could offer to start an after-school coding club. Girls Who Code is one already existing network of clubs that allows girls to explore coding in a fun and friendly environment.&nbsp;Not only do girls learn the technical skills, but they’re also exposed to positive female role models with coding experience. Girls Who Code clubs are free to start and are targeted to girls in Grades 3-12.&nbsp;<h2>4. Spend time on the computer together&nbsp;</h2>This may seem counterintuitive to most advice that urges parents to get their kids outside and active, but the Internet can be a wonderful tool to help empower girls.&nbsp;Spend an hour or two in the evening or on weekends exploring free games and programs that teach coding in a fun and approachable way. Listed below are a few of the most popular free coding websites for kids: CodeMonkey: Move a monkey around the screen using code to fetch all the bananas stolen by a gorilla.&nbsp;The code used by the game, called Coffee Script, is in compliance with Javascript and is presented in a simple manner. The game includes 250 free challenges. ScratchJr: With this simple programming language, children can snap colorful blocks together to make characters move, run and sing. Scratch uses the same principles as any other coding language, but is fun for kids.&nbsp;Not only does ScratchJr provide a coding foundation, it allows young children to express themselves creatively. (KidzToPros offers several Scratch coding courses. An instructor will lead a small group through Scratch to improve their coding skills, creativity, reasoning and problem-solving.)&nbsp;<h2>5. Sign up for a KidzToPros Online Coding &amp; Game Design Course&nbsp;</h2>KidzToPros offers one- and two-week Online Coding &amp; Game Design programs. The project-based curriculum helps children reach proficiency in popular design and coding software. The programs prepare kids for high-demand careers by engaging them with fun and accessible projects like games, apps and robots. Courses are available for students in Grades 2-3, Grades 4-5 and Grades 6-12.&nbsp;The lineup of courses offers popular programs like Minecraft, Roblox, Python, Java, Web Design and Digital 3D modeling. The online courses are limited to 5 students each, which allows each student to receive personalized attention while also learning collaboration and teamwork skills.&nbsp;Learn more and enroll in a course today on the KidzToPros website.

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5 ways to empower girls and help them learn to code

Offer story-driven marketing services in the areas of content, design, strategy and development. Selected projects and accomplishments: Directed content strategy for Futurestay as the SaaS start-up successfully raised $11 million in Series A funding.<ul><li>• Used content (including webinars, ebooks, video, case studies, press releases, blogs &amp; more) to drive a 533% increase in organic traffic</li></ul>Served as the director of digital communications for the grassroots campaign of U.S. Congressional candidate Pat Hackett.<ul><li>• Earned media coverage from the New York Times, Newsweek, Marie Claire, NBC News, Time Magazine, among others</li><li>• 75% of voters contacted through campaign turned out to vote, compared with just 47% overall turnout</li></ul>Acted as copy lead on agile sprint testing campaigns. Used in-depth discovery work and user personas to draft, test &amp; iterate on messaging to drive growth.<ul><li>• Reduced CPC by 53% for electric vehicle rental start-up Borrow</li><li>• Achieved a CPI 33% lower than global iOS average for Morty, an app for escape room enthusiasts</li></ul>

Creative Director & Founder

education

technology

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) — A 5-year-old Columbus boy lost his battle to cancer 12 months ago, but his "Angels" are still fighting for a cure.Just before preschool, Peyton Whittington was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a disease that strikes the brain stem and renders nervous system function impossible. He died a year later.His parents, Lynn and John Whittington, still are grieving. But they are dedicating their lives to finding a cure.Lynn Whittington launched the Peyton's Angels Indiana Chapter of the Cure Starts Now in December. She has been preparing for the chapter's first event ever since — and now it's here.All proceeds will go toward finding a cure for DIPG and other pediatric brain tumors. Statistics show that fewer than 10 percent of children diagnosed with the disease will live longer than 18 months, and survival is even rarer."I look at DIPG as an intruder who broke into our lives, tortured and killed my son," Lynn Whittington said. "I'm going after this disease with everything I have."It was two years ago on Father's Day when the Whittingtons' world crumbled.Peyton was learning to ride his bike on June 15. The next day, he felt dizzy and was seeing two trees in the family's front yard where only one stands."He couldn't even stand or walk," John said. "He was acting the same as somebody who drinks too much, but the problem is it just keeps going."Peyton was bleeding in his brain and was rushed by ambulance to Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis on June 17.He fell asleep there during an MRI — the moment doctors realized how serious Peyton's illness was."The doctor burst through the doors and started shaking him," his mother said."She said he should not be sleeping. He was slipping into a coma. She said, 'We need to do something now, or we'll lose him.'"The tumor was in his brain stem and it could not be removed.As Peyton went into surgery to release the pressure, his family said goodbye to him. They did not know whether it would be for the last time.But they had another year with Peyton.The Whittingtons took a helicopter ride through the Grand Canyon. They saw the Beatles LOVE show in Las Vegas. They painted pictures with dolphins by putting paintbrushes in the animals' mouths.John Whittington said the family learned to live for the moments between MRIs, which were scheduled for every 30 days. It was the MRI that would reveal whether the tumor was growing."We knew one of the days it was not going to be good news," he said.They drove an RV through nine states so Peyton could see his country. They hiked to the top of Pike's Peak and visited beaches and his great-grandmother. Peyton met Spider-Man and took lots of airplane rides."We wanted to experience everything we could as a family," John Whittington said. "We really did live like there was no tomorrow."But tomorrow came and the tumor was growing.Peyton went through radiation therapy and chemotherapy, but he also had fun with friends and family.On June 2, 2013, Peyton's parents threw a party for him after the Miracle Ride for Riley. There was a tent set up and motorcycles rode up the hill to the Whittingtons' home southeast of the city. There was a magician, food, prizes and games.Peyton's mobility was challenged at that point, so he played checkers and Memory with his friends.As Peyton's friends left the party, they showered him with hugs and kisses."They said goodbye to him that day, but they had no idea it was forever," John Whittington said.Peyton died peacefully in his mother's arms June 4, 2013.Peyton's picture still hangs on the wall next to his twin brother Stillman's most recent school portrait."It's hard seeing Peyton stay the same age and watching his brother get older," his mother said. "We had a hard time changing that photo out."There are still times she is overcome with grief.Like when she reaches down to hold Stillman's hand and instinctively reaches for Peyton's, too. Or when she buries her face in the shirt Peyton died in, only to learn the scent has disappeared.She said there is not a day that goes by that she does not shed a tear or two.June 8 marked the one-year anniversary of the day Lynn and John Whittington buried their son.Though she usually tries to stay strong, Lynn Whittington hid in her bedroom that day. She slept, watched TV and prayed."Every time I dozed off, I dreamed of him," she said. "It's funny, in my dreams I no longer see him as disfigured from the tumor like he was in that last year. I always dream of him the way he was before. He is always smiling and full of life and energy."She said she thinks that is Peyton's way of telling her that he is happy and healed.His father misses Peyton when he sees the stack of Republic newspapers in his closet. Peyton would run upstairs with the day's edition before Lynn could throw it away.He would sit on his bed with John and look at the weather maps to see where it was warm and where it was cold.John Whittington is not the biological father to Peyton and Stillman, but he wanted to claim the twins officially as his sons after Peyton's death.On Oct. 31, he became the first father in Indiana to be allowed to adopt a son post-mortem."He has loved them since the first day he laid eyes on them," Lynn said. "He views them as his own and they only know him as their daddy."Stillman also struggles with the loss of his twin. His parents said he talks about Peyton all the time. He races toy cars with him, and he plays checkers with him by moving both pieces."He's still in his heart. They have that bond," their mother said. "Stillman recently said that Peyton is not in heaven. That he is here with us, but we just can't see him."John and Lynn Whittington have used that opportunity to teach him that like Jesus, those whom they love are both in heaven and in their hearts.Peyton never met his baby sister, Alexandria Whittington, who was born two months after his death — but he still left his mark on her. Before her birth, Peyton nicknamed her Pickle, and Lynn Whittington sometimes calls her "our little Pickle."She said Alexandria has a personality of her own, but her mother still sees Peyton in her.Peyton also made an impact on the Rockcreek Elementary School community, where he attended school. Lynn Whittington sees that when she browses Instagram and finds pictures of her son with the caption "#MCM," a hashtag that stands for Man Crush Monday.The school raised nearly $400 through Caps for a Cure, where students can bring a $1 donation and are allowed to wear a hat for the day. Cierra McCauley, who was battling cancer alongside Peyton, helped raise $800 with her dance class at Sonya's Dance Zone."It's really amazing to see the impact a preschool student has on the entire school," John Whittington said.Even after he is gone, his parents are convinced that Peyton is continuing to make a difference.John and Lynn Whittington donated Peyton's tumor for research. They have learned the tumor is still growing — news that brought them anguish during Peyton's life but joy after death.That development means scientists can watch how the tumor progresses and benefit from that information."It's hard, but if people don't make that decision, research will never advance," John Whittington said.They are also going after the cure with money.Peyton's Angels Indiana Chapter already has raised more than $17,000, with proceeds from Sunday's carnival adding to the total.There will be a silent auction for items including gift baskets and getaways.Hackman's Farm Market and Greenhouse donated plants to sell at a booth called Planting for Peyton. Right after Peyton died, people across the country bought plants and on a certain day planted them in memory of him. They would send pictures to Lynn of their gardens.John Whittington said the chapter is not asking anyone to turn over a blank check. They have done their research on The Cure Starts Now and believe in its mission.While most money from cancer awareness organizations is allocated to cancers with more victims, The Cure Starts Now focuses on pediatric brain cancer.DIPG is one of the most resistant of all cancers to chemotherapy treatments. It affects primarily children, whose treatment has in the past led to innovations in other forms of cancer."Put together, these obstacles offer researchers a chance to revolutionize cancer research and prevention," according to the foundation.The Cure Starts Now, with the help of Peyton's Angels Indiana Chapter, is searching for the home run cure."We really have turned this into a passion," Lynn Whittington said. "Hopefully one day we'll stop, but only if we find a cure."

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Honoring their angel: Boy's parents fight for cure for cancer

• Developed relationships and built trust with school and health leaders as a beat reporter.• Delivered daily news content while also working on in-depth investigative pieces.• Studied complex issues in health and education and distilled the information into interesting and informative articles.

Education & Health Reporter

health

nonprofit

A single ripe tomato sits on the windowsill of Rosemary Poe’s ground-floor apartment.&nbsp;To most people, the fruit only represents the summer bounty still to come. But to Rosemary, the tomato is a symbol of the choice and possibility she has found since she came into the care of ADEC.&nbsp;Rosemary was skeptical when she first came into contact with someone from ADEC in 1984. She remembers cowering in the corner of a room in a home owned by Jill, who was a group leader for ADEC at the time.&nbsp;“I didn’t know what to do,” Rosemary recalled. “I was scared and I thought I was in trouble.” It was a police officer who dropped Rosemary off at Jill’s apartment, rescuing her from an abusive home. Her father had been abusing her – emotionally, physically and sexually – since her childhood.&nbsp;Even when Rosemary was injured from helping her dad with scrapping work – moving heavy machinery and stripping it down with a sledgehammer – he would not take Rosemary to see a doctor.&nbsp;Once, when Rosemary attempted suicide to escape the abuse, her father made her suffer through the overdose by herself.&nbsp;“Dad was hurting me in every way he could, through every abuse there was,” she said. “He kept me locked in that house. It was like a prison. He told me that I could never come back home if I ever left.”&nbsp;But once the police intervened, Jill and others at ADEC worked tirelessly to make sure Rosemary knew she was finally safe and free. ADEC petitioned to be Rosemary’s legal guardian and has protected her and acted as her advocate for more than 30 years.&nbsp;Rosemary was one of the first individuals to be served by ADEC’s corporate guardianship program, which serves more than 60 individuals by helping them with personal decisions, advocating for them and protecting them.&nbsp;“Without ADEC, I would still be in the same hellhole I was born into,” she said. “I’m happy now.”&nbsp;She’s happy because she can finally grow her own tomatoes on the patio of her apartment – something she only dreamed about for many years. ADEC helped make that possible by connecting Rosemary with the care and resources she needs and deserves. She’s happy when she crochets colorful blankets at home or meets with friends every Tuesday to knit and talk. And she is happy because no one is trying to hurt her or steal her money any more.&nbsp;It’s a very real fear for Rosemary and others with disabilities. Studies show that they are four to ten times more likely to be abused than those without disabilities. That is part of the reason ADEC’s guardianship program is so important – in its 30-year history, the program has rescued dozens of individuals from situations similar to Rosemary’s. Yet the program is one of a few administered through ADEC that receives no federal or state funding. Additionally, about 15 percent of the individuals who receive guardianship services receive no other services from ADEC.&nbsp;Still, ADEC remains committed to making sure each guardianship client finds A Life of Their Own, Dignity, Employment and Community – the four core values that guide everything ADEC does. And that means a lot to people like Rosemary. Each week, Tobi Weirich, Rosemary’s guardian advocate, visits her in her apartment to make sure she is receiving the medical care she needs, her home is safe and clean and her finances are being properly handled.&nbsp;“I don’t have anybody beating me up anymore, or anybody trying to hurt me,” Rosemary said. “Plus I get to go to the doctor when I’m sick. It feels so good to make my own decisions.”&nbsp;Rosemary said she hopes that by sharing her story, she may be able to reach and help someone who is experiencing abuse like she did during her childhood.

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ADEC’s guardianship program protects people with disabilities from abuse

Managed a department of 4 FTE specialists to to handle internal and external communications for the nonprofit that serves more than 1,200 individuals with disabilities.• Led the “65 Stories for 65 Years” storytelling campaign that reached more than 1.3 million users on Facebook (including Justin Timberlake).• Increased self-referrals to services by 16% by clarifying messaging around program offerings and benefits.

Communications Director

disability

An article I wrote about a family's experience with Down syndrome was named the top feature article of the year in the Kentucky Press Association's Excellence in Newspapers contest.

On July 19, 2013, Josh Kimble and a team of supporters arrived at the Kentucky Capitol after a 96-mile walk from his home in Radcliff. He made the trek to raise awareness and demonstrate the capabilities of those with disabilities.

Best Feature Article

T.J. Kimble was sitting at the railroad crossing he drove over every day on his way home.&nbsp;He was ready to stop his car on the tracks there were no crossing gates, so it would look accidental. But as he heard the blast of the horn, he cried out, "Lord, please send someone who can understand what's going on inside of me and help me get better."&nbsp;The outburst surprised him so much he missed the train. Eighteen years later, he's alive and well- a fact he attributes mostly to his son, Joshua, who was born two years after the incident.&nbsp;He's sure Josh, now 15, was sent to help him understand what was going on inside of him and help him get better.&nbsp;Josh was born with Down syndrome. In the hospital, TJ. and his wife were told of all the things Josh wouldn't be able to do, but Josh showed the world what he could do.&nbsp;"My friend Joshua had a disability more severe than mine, but yet still finds ways to live beyond his own disability," T.J. said. "The older he became, the more he inspired me to live beyond my own depression. I began to realize my son Joshua's Down syndrome had turned my depression upside down."&nbsp;On July 19, TJ., Josh and a group of supporters will arrive at the steps of the Capitol after a 96-mile walk from Radcliff to raise funds and awareness to empower others with disabilities.&nbsp;When T.J. was 6, he lost control of his bicycle and ran it into a moving car. Knocked unconscious, he awoke in a pool of blood bigger than he was. He said the compound skull fracture that resulted was the start to a lifetime of challenges.&nbsp;The complications began in first grade when he was moved to a special education classroom and was never put on the track for a high school diploma.&nbsp;"I had struggled all my life," he said. "I now know that was, in large part, due to my head injury."&nbsp;TJ.'s father was killed in a hit-and-run car accident in Dallas when he was 10. The stepfather who later became part of his life was nothing like his biological father, he said.&nbsp;"My stepfather was very abusive," he said. "I've had a loaded gun - he and his drug-dealing and drug-taking friends, they pointed a loaded gun at my left temple and cocked it."&nbsp;But he lived to tell about it. T.J. also lived to tell about the time he got into a particularly bad fight with his stepfather, which resulted in him having his head slammed against concrete multiple times.&nbsp;"I couldn't take it anymore," he said. "I remember thinking, 'Whatever normal is, this isn't it. I think I'm just going to leave here.""&nbsp;He jumped a fence and never returned to that house, despite being home less for almost a year. T.J. wandered from trash bins to a campground to a trailer park when it got really cold.&nbsp;"I just remember one day I got down on my hands and knees and I prayed," he said. “I remember, 26 years ago, I prayed: 'God, if you're out there and you're really real and you care about somebody like me, then send somebody to tell me about your love."&nbsp;Not long after, a woman showed up to the trailer he was staying in and asked him if he would like to go to church with her and her husband. "That was one of the miracles that happened," T.J. said.&nbsp;T.J. later moved in with the family that invited him to church and eventually went to school to become a minister. He met a woman named Liz, and they've now been married for 20 years.&nbsp;Despite the stability and security he found in his church and his wife, T.J. still didn't feel right.&nbsp;"I realized that something was still very wrong inside of me," he said. "I was clinically depressed, and I didn't realize it. I can't put into words the intensity and the gravity of the pain I felt.”&nbsp;He remembers three distinct instances in which he tried to end his life, including the railroad incident. The suicidal tendencies stopped when Josh was born in 1997.&nbsp;"I began to feel the barriers and layers of insulation break down around me," T.J. said. "I began to feel these acts make me feel alive again."&nbsp;The little acts of love Josh displayed inspired T.J. to overcome his own disability, the clinical depression. He's working on a book, to be titled "The Joshua Factor Story," to compile the many ways Josh has touched not only his life, but others' too.&nbsp;"It just became infectious," he said. "I found myself in a place of whole- ness, and I was like, 'Wow, I want to help other people. I want to help them discover this.'"T.J. went to school to become a clinician, a time when he began to understand what happened in his own life.&nbsp;For two years now, T.J. has operated a practice, Your Best Life Now Counseling, from Lifeline Assembly of God in Radcliff. T.J. employs a faith-based counseling approach.&nbsp;Mostly, he counsels families with children with disabilities. He helps them see beyond the disability.

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Son helps father learn to live with disability

• Reported on education legislation from Kentucky's capitol with articles detailing the impact on teachers, students and taxpayers.&nbsp;• Filed dozens of open records requests and earned the trust of internal sources to expose a pattern of wrongful terminations by a state-funded university.&nbsp;• Monitored and engaged with members of the community through online channels to ensure the newspaper delivered relevant content.

Articles

Articles

5 ways to empower girls and help them learn to code

Honoring their angel: Boy's parents fight for cure for cancer

ADEC’s guardianship program protects people with disabilities from abuse

Son helps father learn to live with disability