American Honda Cars and Trucks Continue Strong Balanced Sales in May

June 1, 2017

More than 33,000 2017 Honda Accords were sold in May for a gain of 5 percent over the same period last year, helping Honda to new sales gains for the month

TORRANCE, California, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today reported total May sales of 148,414 Honda and Acura vehicles, an increase of 0.9 percent over May 2016. Honda Division rose 0.7 percent on sales of 134,475 units, with trucks up 5.6 percent on sales of 63,650, and cars down 3.4 percent on sales of 70,825. Acura Division sales were up 2.8 percent in May, on sales of 13,939 vehicles, with trucks increasing 7.8 percent on sales of 9,456, and cars down 6.4 percent on sales of 4,483 units.

Honda
Honda is the only full-line brand experiencing sales growth thus far in 2017, with good reason: Civic and Accord are #1 and 2 in car sales for the year, with each exceeding 31,000 units in May, while HR-V and CR-V are off to a record start on the truck side. HR-V set a new all-time monthly record in May. Civic, Accord and CR-V again topped 30,000 units in May – seeking to top a combined annual total surpassing a million units for the 5^th straight year. The Honda Clarity Fuel Cell is exceeding expectations as it opens new ground in the emerging fuel cell vehicle market.

Sales of the 10^th generation Honda Civic have now exceeded 500,000 units in just the 19 months since the current model went on sale in November 2015. With more than 31,000 sales in May, Civic continues as the best-selling passenger car in America on a retail basis thus far in 2017.
Accord posted a stellar month, bucking the light truck trend with an increase of 5.0 percent on sales of 33,547 to lead Honda car sales in May.
HR-V celebrated taking sales leadership in the subcompact SUV segment by setting a new all-time sales record in May, with a gain of 29 percent on sales of 9,533 units.
CR-V gained 9.6 percent for the month on sales of 32,186, further cementing its SUV sales leadership in 2017.

“Honda is challenging convention demonstrating sales strength on both sides of the aisle in 2017, with Civic and Accord leading retail car sales while HR-V and CR-V set new records,” said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division. “Things are about to get even more exciting with the Civic Si now on sale, and the upcoming Type R providing evidence that the market still hungers for exciting, yet affordable cars.”

Acura
Acura continues to show renewed momentum in the second quarter as TLX—the brand’s best selling sedan—gained ground again in May after a record-setting April. Sales of Acura’s sporty RDX also surged in May, joined by strong sales of MDX to push Acura trucks ahead of last year. Overall, the Acura division showed an increase of 2.8 percent on sales of 13,939 vehicles.

TLX gained 8.4 percent in May on sales of 3,508 units, creating momentum for the refreshed 2018 TLX hitting dealer showrooms across the U.S. today.
RDX enjoyed another strong month in a very competitive segment, rising 12.8 percent on sales of 5,149 in May.
MDX sales were up 2.4 percent in May with 4,307 units sold, just as the company began dual sourcing production for the MDX at the company’s East Liberty Plant in Ohio.
Acura trucks were up 7.8 percent overall on sales of 9,456 units.

“With a perfect sense of timing, the redesigned 2018 Acura TLX starts sales today just as the outgoing TLX is enjoying some of its best months,” said Jon Ikeda, vice president & general manager of the Acura division. “Coupled with the recently launched MDX Sport Hybrid, the Acura brand is building renewed energy through the brand’s distinctive performance direction.”

	American Honda Vehicle Sales for May 2017
		Month-to-Date				Year-to-Date
		May 2017	May 2016	DSR** % Change	MoM % Change	May 2017	May 2016	DSR** % Change	YoY % Change
	American Honda Total	148,414	147,108	-3.1%	0.9%	652,093	653,640	-0.2%	-0.2%
	Total Car Sales	75,308	78,081	-7.4%	-3.6%	318,341	346,000	-8.0%	-8.0%
	Total Truck Sales	73,106	69,027	1.7%	5.9%	333,752	307,640	8.5%	8.5%
	Honda Total Car Sales	70,825	73,294	-7.2%	-3.4%	297,765	321,938	-7.5%	-7.5%
	Honda Total Truck Sales	63,650	60,253	1.4%	5.6%	294,495	264,060	11.5%	11.5%
	Acura Total Car Sales	4,483	4,787	-10.1%	-6.4%	20,576	24,062	-14.5%	-14.5%
	Acura Total Truck Sales	9,456	8,774	3.5%	7.8%	39,257	43,580	-9.9%	-9.9%
	Total Domestic Car Sales	61,776	72,355	-18.0%	-14.6%	258,196	323,840	-20.3%	-20.3%
	Honda Division	57,375	67,696	-18.6%	-15.2%	238,101	300,395	-20.7%	-20.7%
	Acura Division	4,401	4,659	-9.3%	-5.5%	20,095	23,445	-14.3%	-14.3%
	Total Domestic Truck Sales	73,106	69,027	1.7%	5.9%	333,752	307,640	8.5%	8.5%
	Honda Division	63,650	60,253	1.4%	5.6%	294,495	264,060	11.5%	11.5%
	Acura Division	9,456	8,774	3.5%	7.8%	39,257	43,580	-9.9%	-9.9%
	Total Import Car Sales	13,532	5,726	126.9%	136.3%	60,145	22,160	171.4%	171.4%
	Honda Division	13,450	5,598	130.7%	140.3%	59,664	21,543	177.0%	177.0%
	Acura Division	82	128	-38.5%	-35.9%	481	617	-22.0%	-22.0%
	Total Import Truck Sales	0	0	0.0%	0.0%	0	0	0.0%	0.0%
	Honda Division	0	0	0.0%	0.0%	0	0	0.0%	0.0%
	Acura Division	0	0	0.0%	0.0%	0	0	0.0%	0.0%
MODEL BREAKOUT BY DIVISION
	Honda Division Total	134,475	133,547	-3.3%	0.7%	592,260	585,998	1.1%	1.1%
	* ACCORD	33,547	31,949	0.8%	5.0%	130,300	140,548	-7.3%	-7.3%
	* CIVIC	31,989	35,396	-13.2%	-9.6%	144,854	158,030	-8.3%	-8.3%
	CLARITY FCV	119	0	0.0%	0.0%	245	0	0.0%	0.0%
	CR-Z	65	234	-73.3%	-72.2%	486	970	-49.9%	-49.9%
	* FIT	5,105	5,706	-14.1%	-10.5%	21,878	22,351	-2.1%	-2.1%
	INSIGHT	0	9	-100.0%	-100.0%	2	39	-94.9%	-94.9%

	CROSSTOUR	0	42	-100.0%	-100.0%	3	680	-99.6%	-99.6%
	* CR-V	32,186	29,359	5.2%	9.6%	158,914	129,460	22.8%	22.8%
	HR-V	9,533	7,392	23.8%	29.0%	37,756	29,876	26.4%	26.4%
	ODYSSEY	8,999	12,212	-29.3%	-26.3%	37,010	52,698	-29.8%	-29.8%
	PILOT	9,976	11,248	-14.9%	-11.3%	44,946	51,344	-12.5%	-12.5%
	RIDGELINE	2,956	0	0.0%	0.0%	15,866	2	793,200.0%	793,200.0%

	*** Memo: Accord FHEV	1,976	15	12,546.4%	13,073.3%	9,184	234	3,824.8%	3,824.8%
	Memo: Civic Hybrid	4	83	-95.4%	-95.2%	51	645	-92.1%	-92.1%
	Acura Division Total	13,939	13,561	-1.3%	2.8%	59,833	67,642	-11.5%	-11.5%
	ILX	870	1,424	-41.3%	-38.9%	3,958	7,344	-46.1%	-46.1%
	NSX	23	0	0.0%	0.0%	247	0	0.0%	0.0%
	RLX / RL	82	127	-38.0%	-35.4%	481	614	-21.7%	-21.7%
	TLX	3,508	3,235	4.1%	8.4%	15,890	16,101	-1.3%	-1.3%
	TSX	0	1	-100.0%	-100.0%	0	3	-100.0%	-100.0%

	MDX	4,307	4,208	-1.7%	2.4%	19,315	20,897	-7.6%	-7.6%
	RDX	5,149	4,566	8.3%	12.8%	19,942	22,683	-12.1%	-12.1%

	*** Memo: ILX Hybrid	0	0	0.0%	0.0%	0	1	-100.0%	-100.0%
	Memo: RLX Hybrid	14	18	-25.3%	-22.2%	104	86	20.9%	20.9%
	Memo: MDX Hybrid	148	0	0.0%	0.0%	205	0	0.0%	0.0%
	Selling Days	25	24			126	126
	**** Hybrid	2,230	359	496.3%	521.2%	10,279	1,975	420.5%	420.5%

	* Honda and Acura vehicles are made of domestic & global sourced parts
	** Daily Selling Rate
	*** Memo line items are included in the respective model total
	**** Hybrid includes FHEV, PHEV, CR-Z, Civic Hybrid, Insight, ILX Hybrid, RLX Hybrid, RLX Sport Hybrid, MDX Sport Hybrid and NSX

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SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Cargill expands its global protein business into Colombia with acquisition of Pollos El Bucanero

June 1, 2017

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CALI, Colombia, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Cargill has acquired Colombian-based Pollos El Bucanero S.A. (Bucanero Chicken), one of Colombia’s leading producers of chicken and processed meats products.

The acquisition marks Cargill’s first introduction of its global protein business into Colombia. Pollos El Bucanero has more than 30 years of experience and its products are the preferred choice of food service companies and retailers in multiple regions of Colombia. The company works with more than 170 farms across the country to deliver high-quality protein options to its customers.

Jorge Ivan Duque will serve as general manager of Cargill’s Pollos Bucanero business. He has spent the past 12 years working in the poultry sector in Central America and Colombia. Pollos El Bucanero will operate as part of Cargill Protein Latin America, which includes businesses in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

“Cargill is starting a new stage in Colombia, under the Bucanero brand, which is recognized and preferred by millions of customers across the country,” said Duque. “Just like Cargill, this is a family business. We are confident that this will be a smooth integration and will lead to numerous benefits for our employees, customers and communities.”

“We are thrilled to expand our operations in Latin America by bringing our protein business to Colombia,” said Xavier Vargas, president of Cargill Protein Latin America. “As we enter this market, we bring the experience gained from working in protein across four continents for more than 50 years. This global presence, and our extensive work in other regions of Latin America, provides us a wealth of expertise in quality standards and an understanding of cultural taste differences. We look forward to delivering on the preferences of Colombian consumers and enriching their protein options.”

Bucanero has 5,000 employees, which will bring the number that Cargill employs in Latin America to 35,000 across approximately 200 sites in 14 countries.

About Cargill
Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 150,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

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SOURCE Cargill

Mazda Reports May Sales

June 1, 2017

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Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com.

IRVINE, Calif., June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported May U.S. sales of 26,047 vehicles, representing a decrease of 7.9 percent versus May of last year. Year-to-date sales through May are up 0.1 percent versus last year, with 119,282 vehicles sold.

Key May sales notes:

The Mazda CX-5 posted its best-ever May, with 11,819 vehicles sold, marking an increase of 18.9 percent year-over-year (YOY). This number includes a mix of remaining 2016.5 models and the all-new 2017 CX-5, which went on sale at the end of March.
Momentum around the Mazda MX-5 continues, with the roadster posting a YOY increase of 22.6 percent in the month of May. Total sales, which includes both the MX-5 soft top and MX-5 RF, reached 1,226 vehicles sold in the month of May.
Sales of the seven-passenger Mazda CX-9 rose 221.8 percent YOY with 1,982 vehicles sold in the month of May.
Total sales of Mazda’s CX crossover SUV line, including the CX-3, CX-5 and CX-9, were up 26.5 percent YOY with 15,338 vehicles sold in the month of May. Among CX buyers, Mazda customers continue to choose the AWD option, with 61 percent of CX-line vehicles sold in May being equipped with i-ACTIV All-Wheel Drive.

Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) reported May sales of 4,209 vehicles, up 15 percent versus May of last year.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through more than 600 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com/Newsroom.

	Month-To-Date				Year-To-Date

	May	May	%	% MTD	May	May	%	% YTD
	2017	2016	Change	DSR	2017	2016	Change	DSR

Mazda2	–	–	N/A	N/A	–	3	(100.0)%	(100.0)%
Mazda3	6,775	10,103	(32.9)%	(35.6)%	33,361	42,958	(22.3)%	(23.6)%
Mazda5	–	37	(100.0)%	(100.0)%	6	296	(98.0)%	(98.0)%
Mazda6	2,708	5,018	(46.0)%	(48.2)%	15,649	19,230	(18.6)%	(19.9)%
MX-5 Miata	1,226	1,000	22.6%	17.7%	5,927	4,495	31.9%	29.8%
CX-3	1,537	1,570	(2.1)%	(6.0)%	6,398	7,991	(19.9)%	(21.2)%
CX-5	11,819	9,942	18.9%	14.1%	47,527	42,375	12.2%	10.4%
CX-9	1,982	616	221.8%	208.9%	10,414	1,777	486.0%	476.7%

Total Vehicles

CARS	10,709	16,158	(33.7)%	(36.4)%	54,943	66,982	(18.0)%	(19.3)%
TRUCKS	15,338	12,128	26.5%	21.4%	64,339	52,143	23.4%	21.4%

TOTAL	26,047	28,286	(7.9)%	(11.6)%	119,282	119,124	0.1%	(1.5)%


Selling Days	25	24			126	124

SOURCE Mazda North American Operations

Report: States Should Focus on Score Validity When Using Automated Scoring for Assessments of Spoken English Proficiency

June 1, 2017

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PRINCETON, New Jersey, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — A new report from Educational Testing Service (ETS), urges states, districts and schools to focus on score validity as they move to automate scoring of speaking proficiency for the growing numbers of K-12 English learners. The authors offer recommendations for the most effective approaches to produce meaningful scores.

The report – Approaches to Automated Scoring of Speaking for K-12 English Language Proficiency Assessments – is a guide for states and districts that are considering the use of automated scoring of speaking for K-12 English learners. It reviews the main considerations about design (components of state-of-the-art automated speech scoring systems, speaking tasks they have been applied to) and implementation (test delivery, score reporting, and costs) and makes recommendations to help states determine a path forward. The report is the fifth in a series concerning English language proficiency (ELP) assessments and English learners produced by ETS Research & Development.

“There are a number of considerations that states need to balance,” says lead author Keelan Evanini. “They need to think about key measurement issues like validity, reliability and fairness, and of course there are practical considerations related to usability and efficiency. But above all, it is essential that the test is based on a meaningful representation of student’s speaking skill.”

The authors write that speaking remains uniquely challenging to score, but can provide essential information about students’ language proficiency. Automated scoring systems can ease the burden of scoring, but care must be taken to implement an automated scoring system that is appropriate to the skills being assessed.

The most effective automated speech scoring systems provide broad coverage of the speaking construct, including pronunciation, fluency, intonation, vocabulary, and grammar. Depending on the nature of the speaking task, they can produce scores that match those of human scorers, and where the variation between automated and human scores is not greater than that between two human scorers. The authors remind us that automated scoring systems are not yet fully mature for most task types that elicit spontaneous speech, because their ability to assess the content of the spoken response is still developing.

“The need to assess spontaneous speech effectively is important because current ELP standards, which are written to correspond with Career and College Readiness (CCR) standards, often emphasize aspects of language proficiency that are required to express higher order skills involving critical thinking,” explains co-author Kenji Hakuta. “These aspects of speaking proficiency are best assessed via tasks that elicit spontaneous speech and match the target language of the classroom. Therefore it is crucial to find a balance between these constraints when designing tasks to be included in an ELP assessment that employs automated scoring.”

One key decision that states need to make when considering to use automated scoring systems is whether they will be used as the sole scoring mechanism for a speaking assessment (fully automated) or together with human rating (hybrid approach). The authors recommend a hybrid approach for most assessments in order to ensure full construct coverage.

“In hybrid approaches, the practical benefits of automated scoring with respect to cost savings and score turnaround are not as striking as they are in the fully automated model,” says co-author Maurice Cogan Hauck, “but the automated scoring technology does considerably reduce the amount of human labor needed. Furthermore, some studies have shown that the combination of human and automated scores can result in more reliable scores than using either human or automated scores alone. A hybrid approach also helps ensure that speaking scores are valid for their intended purpose.”

In addition to providing schematics for developing an automated speech scoring system, the authors provide recommendations on pilot testing, sample size, and length of development prior to implementation. With the use of automated speech scoring come requirements for common test delivery platforms (desktop computers or tablets) and standardized processes for capturing high-quality digital recordings of student speech samples. The report also reviews both up-front and recurring costs for implementation.

Recommendations for States Considering Automated Scoring

Given the considerable advances in automated scoring technology, as well as the large and growing number of K-12 EL students who need to be assessed, now is an opportune time to consider the potential of using automated scoring to assess the speech of K-12 EL students. The authors make the following recommendations:

validity of the assessment should be the first and foremost consideration
automated scoring needs to be considered during the test design phase so that the test can include speaking tasks that elicit evidence of the targeted knowledge, skills, and abilities in a way that is compatible with state-of-the-art automated scoring capabilities.
to provide full construct coverage for a given set of ELP standards, a hybrid approach, in which responses to some tasks are scored by human raters and responses to other tasks are score by an automated system, is likely to be optimal.
states should consider not only the most obvious benefits such as cost savings and increased score turnaround time, but also some less readily apparent benefits, e.g. more reliable scores using the hybrid approach, the possibility of providing detailed information about a student’s speaking proficiency in real time to teachers and students for use as formative feedback, and providing additional benefits for learning and ongoing monitoring of student progress.

“As the state of the art in the fields of automated speech recognition and automated speech scoring continues to advance, the ability of the automated speech scoring systems to provide a valid assessment of K-12 EL speaking proficiency across a wide variety of task types is expected to continue to increase. Therefore potential users of the technology should routinely reevaluate decisions about the appropriateness of automated speech scoring for a given assessment,” the report concludes.

Copies of the report may be downloaded free of charge from the Wiley Online Library http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ets2.12147/abstract.

Download other papers in the series:

About ETS
At ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and postsecondary education, and by conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually — including the TOEFL® and TOEIC® tests, the GRE® tests and the Praxis Series® assessments — in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. www.ets.org

Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/175902/educational_testing_service_logo.jpg

SOURCE Educational Testing Service

Colgate And The American Dental Association Partner To Inspire Hispanic Families Nationwide To Create More Smiles By Sharing Them In Real Life And Online During Oral Health Month, June 2017

June 1, 2017

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NEW YORK, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Today, the Colgate-Palmolive Company and the American Dental Association (ADA) announce their continued collaboration in support of Colgate’s annual Oral Health Month program with the “Share More Time, Share More Smiles” campaign. Now through June 30, 2017, the awareness effort encourages families to share more time, moments and smiles together on social media using #TimeToSmile. Colgate will donate $1 for every image or video liked, shared or posted using #TimeToSmile to the ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile® program*, which provides free oral health care, education, screening and treatment to underserved children.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/518240/Colgate_Palmolive_Infographic.jpg

Hispanic adults in the U.S. consistently report more untreated cavities than non-Hispanic adults¹, while children nationwide miss millions of hours of school due to dental disease. Dedicated to the belief that everyone deserves a future they can smile about, Colgate-Palmolive has also created sharable Facebook content to provide information to U.S. Hispanic families about proper oral care, to ultimately improve oral health outcomes.

“Colgate is committed to improving children’s oral health around the world,” said Carla Kelly, general manager, U.S. Multicultural Marketing, Colgate-Palmolive. “‘Share More Time, Share More Smiles’ gives us the opportunity to make this happen. As a platform that engages with the entire Hispanic family, we can give parents the tools to adopt healthier oral care habits and encourage more generations of healthy smiles.”

At a grassroots level, beloved TV personality and mother of two Karla Martinez will meet and greet shoppers on Saturday, June 3, 2017 at two Fiesta Mart stores in Houston, TX and share oral health tips in Spanish. The Colgate’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures® mobile dental van will be also on site to provide free dental screenings and oral health education to children ages three to 12 years old. Colgate products with the ADA Seal of Acceptance will also be provided free of charge to attendees.

“Healthy habits that start in childhood last a lifetime,” said ADA President Dr. Gary Roberts. “Leading by example — brushing for two minutes, twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and visiting a dentist regularly — teaches kids about the importance of dental health and creates fun family memories along the way.”

“Share More Time, Share More Smiles” provides bilingual oral health education materials including infographics, children’s activity sheets and other oral care resources on Colgate.com/Sonrisas. Bilingual videos, articles and downloadable family activities will also be available on the ADA’s site MouthHealthy.org/OralHealthMonth and via social media on Twitter @SonrisaColgate (in Spanish) and on the American Dental Association’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channels.

To learn more about the Colgate and ADA collaboration please visit Colgate.com/Sonrisas.

*Between June 1, 2017 and June 30, 2017, Colgate-Palmolive will donate $1.00 to the ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile program, with a minimum donation of $10,000 and a maximum donation of $40,000, for each share/like of the video content or picture that is shared on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Google+ with #TimetoSmile. No purchase required.

About Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on oral care, personal care, home care and pet nutrition. Colgate-Palmolive sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world, under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, Elmex, Tom’s of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet. For more information about Colgate-Palmolive’s global business, visit the Company’s website at www.Colgate.com. To learn more about Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures®, Colgate’s global oral health education program, please visit http://www.colgatebsbf.com.

About the American Dental Association

The not-for-profit ADA is the nation’s largest dental association, representing 161,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public’s health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA’s state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) is the ADA’s monthly flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit ADA.org. For more information on oral health, including prevention, care and treatment of dental disease, visit the ADA’s consumer website MouthHealthy.org.

About Give Kids A Smile^®

The ADA Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile program is one of the world’s largest oral health charitable programs. Launched nationally by the American Dental Association in 2003, Give Kids A Smile is an access-to-care endeavor designed to encourage parents, health professionals, and policymakers to address the year-round need for oral health care and education for all children. Each year the Give Kids A Smile program supports approximately 10,000 dentists, 30,000 dental team members, and other community volunteers in providing free oral health care services including exams, fluoride treatments, sealants, fillings, crowns, and extractions, to more than 350,000 children from low-income families across the country. To find out more about Give Kids A Smile, visit www.ADAFoundation.org/GKAS.

¹ National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2013: With Special Feature on Prescription Drugs. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2014 and US Department of Health and Human Services. Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health; 2000.

SOURCE Colgate-Palmolive

Yogome closes investment round of $6.6 million from Seaya Ventures and becomes a global leader in the EdTech sector.

June 1, 2017

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MEXICO CITY, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Yogome, a leader in digital education, closed its Series A round with an investment of USD 6.6M from the Spanish fund Seaya Ventures (investor of Cabify and SinDelantal). Additionally, under the leadership of Seaya Ventures, Variv Capital and Endeavor Catalyst had a stake in this round of investment.

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Yogome is an innovative digital education platform with a collection of games for kids ages 6-11 endorsed by the Play2Prevent Lab at Yale University. 95% of its subscribers come from the United States, Latin America and Southeast Asia, and has a presence in more than 50 countries.

The funding brings Yogome’s total funding to $10 million raised to date. Founded by Mexicans Manolo Diaz and Alberto Colin, Yogome is the first 100% Mexican startup that raises a Series A round outside the fintech industry and the largest round for an EdTech company in Mexico.

“As an entrepreneur, you look for investors that fall in love with your vision from day 1, and that is what we saw in Michael and Seaya’s team since the start. Our objective is to become a global leader, and we are innovating every day in order to achieve that goal. We are in a high-growth space, and we are convinced that with the investment of Seaya Ventures, a global fund with a track record of scaling businesses, we have the key elements that we need to reach our goals.” said Manolo Diaz.

The funds obtained from this round will allow Yogome to reach 1 million subscribers and to continue its geographical expansion to China, Korea and Japan.

Michael Kleindl, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Seaya Ventures, now a member of Yogome’s Board, said: “Manolo Diaz and his team have built a superb platform for kids edutainment. Yogome has positioned itself to become a global leader in this fast-growing market worldwide. We are extremely happy to have the opportunity to join Manolo and Yogome on this great challenge and look forward to supporting the company with our operational expertise in fast growing, internationally expanding businesses.”

Yogome – Yogome creates learning experiences through a fun and engaging game-based curriculum as well as captivating characters. More than 1,000 mini games and six different apps comprise Yogome’s personalized learning platform certified by Yale’s Play2Prevent Lab. New content is added to the platform every month in eight different subjects for grades kindergarten through fifth, available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese. Based in Mexico and the United States, Yogome develops its products for users in 50 different countries and is committed to helping all children learn and prepare for their future.
Website: www.yogome.com

Seaya Ventures – SEAYA VENTURES is a Spanish venture fund, founded in Madrid in 2013, that invests in early and growth stage Internet and technology-enabled businesses in Spain and Latin America. With more than €140M assets under management and offices in Madrid and Mexico City, Seaya transforms early and growth stage companies into category leaders at every level, helping them with their international expansion and creating lasting value. Seaya Ventures has invested in 15 companies so far: Ticketea, Restaurantes.com, Plenummedia, SinDelantal Mexico, Cabify, Comparaguru, Clintu, Percentil, Miora, Pippa&Jean, Spotahome, Hundredrooms, Glovo, Clicars and Yogome.
Website: www.seayaventures.com

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SOURCE Yogome, Inc

AAFP Survey: Too Many Men Ignore Doctors’ Orders

June 1, 2017

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LEAWOOD, Kan., June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — American men are not listening to their doctors. Despite an increase in chronic conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, up to half of men seeking a doctor’s care don’t follow their physicians’ recommendations, according to a physician survey by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The survey asked family physicians what percentage of their male patients followed through on specific recommendations: filling a prescription, taking a prescription as directed or keeping their follow-up appointments. Results showed that more than nine out of 10 physician respondents reported up to half of their male patients failed to follow those recommendations.

“This is a distressing finding, since the incidence of chronic conditions in men has increased,” said John Meigs, Jr., MD, president of the AAFP, comparing the most recent data from the 2012 and 2013 National Ambulatory Medical Surveys. “We saw concerning increases in high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes in just one year. These conditions respond well to chronic care management, and your family physician can provide the treatment you need.”

The National Ambulatory Medical Survey showed that, in one year:

The incidence of high blood pressure among men grew from three in 10 (32.7 percent) to closer to four in 10 (36 percent).
The percentage of men who were diagnosed with high cholesterol jumped from slightly more than two in 10 (23.6 percent) to nearly three in 10 (28.5 percent).
Diabetes rose by two percentage points — from 14.1 percent to 16.6 percent.

Despite those increases, many men don’t follow up with filling or taking their prescriptions as directed, according to the AAFP survey of members:

Two out of 10 (22 percent) of doctors said up to half of their male patients did not fill a prescription.
Nearly a third (32 percent) of doctors said up to half their male patients did not take a prescription as directed.
More than four out of 10 doctors (42 percent) said up to half of their male patients failed to follow up with a regular or routine test when ordered for their condition.
Nearly one in four doctors said up to half of their male patients failed to show up for a follow-up visit.

“People may not take these conditions seriously because they don’t have any noticeable symptoms, and that’s a big mistake,” said Meigs. “High blood pressure and high cholesterol have been called ‘silent killers’ for a reason. If they aren’t controlled, they can lead to heart attack, stroke or kidney disease. In addition to these complications, uncontrolled diabetes also can cause blindness, nerve damage, and loss of limbs.

“So it’s vital that men see their doctors, get preventive care and follow instructions for any chronic diseases they may have.”

Meigs pointed to the AAFP’s consumer web site, familydoctor.org, as a good source of information about chronic illness. The site includes a men’s guide to preventive health care and information about healthy diets and weight control.

“Knowing more about your health will help you understand the importance of maintaining your relationship with a family physician,” said Meigs. “By actively participating with their health care team, men will feel good and have better overall health over time.”

About the American Academy of Family Physicians
Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 129,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.

Family physicians conduct approximately one in five office visits — that’s 192 million visits annually or 48 percent more than the next most visited medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.

To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP’s positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer website, www.FamilyDoctor.org.

SOURCE American Academy of Family Physicians

Ismael Cala will be part of the panel at Amazon’s 4th Independent Authors Literary Award event

June 1, 2017

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MIAMI, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Ismael Cala will be part of the panel for Amazon’s 4^th Independent Authors Literary Award, which will be open to the public this July 1 to August 31.

Amazon has released the details on the initiative, through which independent Hispanic authors may publish their unique work through the service Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).

Ismael Cala, best-selling author, conference speaker, communicator and ambassador of the competition in the United States and Latin America in recent years, will be joined on the panel by Blanca Miosi, a best-selling author in Latin America, and Jordi Sierra i Fabra, a recognized Spanish author.

“It is an honor to be part of the panel this year in Amazon’s Independent Authors Competition. For two consecutive years, I have been closely tied to the event as the ambassador for the United States and Latin America, and now as a member of the panel. The competition is a great opportunity to promote literary talent in the Spanish language. To participate is to win,” explained Ismael Cala.

Between July 1 and August 31, authors can upload their work to the Amazon KDP service (https://kdp.amazon.com) for global distribution, both in digital and printed format.

To participate, the works must be unique, in Spanish, and exclusive to Amazon in printed and digital format. The terms and conditions of the competition can be found at: www.amazon.com/premioliterario

Participating books will be evaluated based on several criteria, such as creativity, originality, commercial viability, and quality of the writing. Five finalist books will be chosen, and from those the winning book will be selected. The author will have the chance to be published in hard copy, digitally and on audiobook by Amazon Publishing y Audible, and translated into English, and published digitally, in hard copy and audio by AmazonCrossing.

ABOUT ISMAEL CALA

Life strategist and human development guru, best-selling author and international conference speaker. For more than five years, he hosted the show CALA, at prime time on CNN en Español.

He is currently an official collaborator on the program “Awaken America,” for the Univisión chain, and he writes a weekly column for more than 50 publications in Latin America and the United States. “The New York Times” has called him “the Latin Larry King.”

Author of the best sellers “Despierta con Cala [Awaken with Cala],” “La vida es una piñata [Life is a piñata],” “El analfabeto emocional [The emotional illiterate],” “El poder de escuchar [The power of listening],” “Un buen hijo de P… [A real son of a B…],” and “El secreto del bamboo [The secret of bamboo],” Cala was born in Santiago de Cuba (1969) and has a degree in Art History from Universidad de Oriente. He is coauthor of the book “Beat the curve,” with Brian Tracy. He graduated from the School of Communication at the University of York in Toronto, and has a Seneca diploma in Television Production.

He has worked with grand masters such as Deepak Chopra and John C. Maxwell, and has trained with coaches such as Tony Robbins and Miguel Ruiz. Cala belongs to a group of collaborating professors at Atlantis University and Next University and is the head of Cala Enterprises Corporation. Visit: http://www.ismaelcala.com/

SOURCE Cala Enterprises Corporation

(Español) Pablo Soria de Lachica analiza los primeros 100 días de Donald Trump como presidente

May 31, 2017

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Pablo-Soria-de-Lachica-logo Logo — http://pablosoriadelachicanews.com (PRNewsfoto/Pablo Soria de Lachica)

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Fresh Bellies Is Rewriting The Rules Of Baby Food And Fostering A New Generation Of Adventurous Eaters

May 31, 2017

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SCARSDALE, N.Y., May 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The $2 billion dollar U.S. baby food industry is driven primarily by a growth in organic baby food products. Interestingly, even with this growth in organic options, there has still been a rise in unhealthy eating habits and childhood obesity. One out of every three kids ages 2-19 is obese and nearly 20% of kids ages 2-4 are picky eaters. Experts now believe there is a direct correlation between picky eating and the unhealthy habits that lead to health issues.

Dr. Mary Versfelt, a pediatrician and former clinical professor at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in New York, explains that for years bland, flavorless purees were recommended as the ideal first foods for babies, contributing unintentionally to creating a generation of picky eaters. “Today, we know that eating is a learned behavior, and we begin to train our palates the very moment we take our first bite. We are not born disliking broccoli or having an aversion to kale,” she added.

For decades, parents and baby food brands have masked vegetables in children’s meals. At the heart of this approach is the notion that children have an innate resistance to vegetables and will only eat them if baked into desserts or mixed with fruit. Under this premise, kids are taught to have a preference for the sweet foods that are used to trick them and not for the foods that are good for them. From an industry perspective, little has been done to shape infant nutritional preferences and encourage healthier choices.

Fresh Bellies is filling this void with its holistic approach to baby food. Made with organic ingredients, the company created a line of fresh, preservative-free and tastefully seasoned baby food that accentuates bold flavors and never masks its vegetables with sweet fruit. Fresh Bellies innovates the space with ingredients like cauliflower, bell peppers, and Swiss chard, and seasons with herbs and spices like garlic, without turning to added sugar or salt. At its core, Fresh Bellies’ disruptive mission is training baby palates to become accustomed to a variety of flavors, colors and textures from the very first bite.

“Picky eaters are made, not born,” says Saskia Sorrosa, Founder of Fresh Bellies and mom of two. “If we broaden children’s horizons and train them to be curious, healthy eaters, we can change the prospects of future generations and their relationship to food.” According to Sorrosa, “The baby food space has yet to address unmasked veggies and savory flavors as the path to raising a new generation of adventurous eaters.”

Fresh Bellies’ signature packaging is another product differentiator. Its PVC and BPA-free containers are clear, making it easy for parents to see what they are buying and for babies to see what they are eating. Sorrosa partnered with a leading design agency to develop custom packaging that is practical and speaks to the company’s overall mission of encouraging healthy eating and developing fine motor skills. Sorrosa made a conscious decision to deviate from the pouch, an industry standard in the baby food aisle, and instead each Fresh Bellies cup features a custom lid with a nestled spoon for on–the-go convenience.

“The full sensory experience of a spoonful of real food cannot be matched,” added Dr. Versfelt. “Babies need adequate nutrition for their physical and cognitive development, from preventing childhood obesity and diabetes to creating a healthier foundation for their adult palates.”

Sorrosa began selling her products at local farmers’ markets in Westchester County, New York near her home in 2015. Since then, Fresh Bellies has enjoyed solid distribution across the New York tristate area with major retailers in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey carrying the product. Fresh Bellies looks to expand its distribution nationally in 2017.

About Fresh Bellies
Founded in 2015, Fresh Bellies is creating a new generation of healthful, adventurous eaters starting with a baby’s very first bite. The line of organic baby food is the first and only brand that doesn’t mask its vegetables with fruit and uses herbs and spices to develop flavors and open up a baby’s palate. Please visit www.freshbellies.com for product information, a list of locations, and the company’ blog and opinion pieces on topics ranging from food, to parenting and child development.

Media Contact
Gracia Larrain
305.205.5270
[email protected]

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SOURCE Fresh Bellies