21 New Jersey Students Awarded College Scholarships by ETS
21 New Jersey Students Awarded College Scholarships by ETS
This year’s awards bring total to $500,000.
PRINCETON, N.J., July 17, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — For the fourth year in a row, employees of Educational Testing Service (ETS) are recognizing aspiring and accomplished students from 11 counties across New Jersey with educational scholarships totaling nearly $64,000 yesterday. This year’s effort brings the total amount of college scholarship awards for 150 New Jersey students to $500,000 since the program began.
Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120110/DC33419LOGO
The scholarships were awarded during ceremonies at ETS’s corporate headquarters last evening. The scholarships are provided through donations from staff and distributed as part of the ETS Employees’ Community Action Fund (ECAF). The scholarship recipients were chosen from 11 New Jersey counties, including eight students from Mercer County.
The winners of the 2014 ETS ECAF scholarships are:
Kaitlin L. Abrams, Westfield Senior High School, Colgate University
Molly Berger, Toms River High School North, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Daquane D. Bland-Bennett, Asbury Park High School, West Virginia Wesleyan College
Thelma Teresa Carrera, Hamilton North High School, The College of New Jersey
Brooke A. Chretien, Cedar Creek High School, American University
Hellen M. Estrella, Trenton Central High School, Denison University
Jordan A. Fleming, Lawrence High School, Louisiana State University-Baton Rouge
Dalis M. Graham, Lawrence High School, Towson University
Aliya C. Grooms, Trenton Central High School, Spelman College
Kayla Hutchison, Wildwood Catholic High School, Atlantic Cape Community College
Vincent Patrick Mattia, Whippany Park High School, Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Devashri Nirav Parikh, Clifton High School, Ramapo College of New Jersey
Dannys Ramirez, Trenton Central High School, Rider University
Jessica P. Ramsin, South Hunterdon Regional High School, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Amber R. Richardson, Oakcrest High School, University of Iowa
Kerice K. Robinson, Trenton Central High School, Seton Hall University
Jeanel Sunga, Toms River High School North, St. John’s University-New York
Kimberly M. Theobald, James Caldwell High School, Stonehill College
Imani Walker, Trenton Central High School, New Jersey City University
Jahlisa L. Wall-Prunty, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, Montclair State University
Linda Yarfi, Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy, Kean University
The students maintained high grades and excelled in honors and Advanced Placement® classes, many while volunteering in their communities, working, or both. They did this while facing significant life challenges such as homelessness, poverty, physical illness, depression and limited resources because of family-related health or employment issues.
“These students are the picture of bravery and perseverance in the face of adversity and have unstoppable spirits and a drive to succeed,” said Walt MacDonald, President and CEO of ETS. “And, they are as talented and bright as they are resilient. On behalf of the ETS employees who made these scholarships possible, I wish each of them great success in the years ahead.”
The 2014 scholarship recipients intend to major in forensic science; communications; athletic training; biology; engineering; nursing, pre-law; art and music; business; biochemistry, dentistry; marketing; computer science; and others.
In the past, the ECAF has funded the construction of a house for Habitat for Humanity® in Trenton, N.J., and an education resource center near ETS headquarters in Lawrenceville, N.J.
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
CONTACT: Tom Ewing, [email protected], 1-609-683-2803
MEX I AM – live it to believe it: A Festival Showcasing The Cultural Greatness Of Mexico
MEX I AM – live it to believe it: A Festival Showcasing The Cultural Greatness Of Mexico
Presented by the Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco, Conaculta
and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
July 31 – August 5
SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco, Conaculta and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts are pleased to introduce MEX I AM: live it to believe it a first-of-its-kind festival showcasing the best of Mexico with a multidisciplinary array of inspiring leaders from the performing arts and academia. The celebratory weekend of music, dance, theater and ideas will run from July 31 to August 3 at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, and August 4- 5 at The Contemporary Jewish Museum, in San Francisco, CA.
Inspired by the past, yet reaching towards the future, MEX I AM will explore the best of contemporary Mexican culture, arts and ideas. Over the course of six days, the multidisciplinary festival will feature some of the most innovative Mexican performers from various genres and disciplines from opera to Latin jazz and from ballet to folk dance and more. MEX I AM will also feature Ideas: North & South of the Border a line-up of scientists, humanists and game changers that personify Mexico’s innovative spirit and leadership.
Schedule:
July 31
7:00 – 8:00pm – Dance Gala with Elisa Carillo
8:30 – 9:30pm — Opera Gala with Alfredo Daza
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater
August 1
5:00 – 7:00pm – Ideas: Norte y Sur de la Frontera
8:00 – 9:00pm – Tambuco
9:30 – 10:30pm – Héctor Infanzón
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater
August 2
2:00 – 3:00pm – Monologue: Juana in a Million
8:00 – 9:00pm – Natalia Lafourcade
9:30 – 10:30pm – Murcof + Simon Geilfus
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater
August 3
5:00 – 7:00pm – 60 Years of Ballet Folklórico de Amalia Hernández
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater
August 4
5:00pm – Film Screening of A kiss to this land, directed by Daniel Goldberg Lerner
7:30pm – Concert by the Humboldt Quartet of the UNAM
The Contemporary Jewish Museum
August 5
Forever Now! will be on display in the Yud Gallery of The Contemporary Jewish Museum from August 5 through August 12. Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat, Sun, 11-5 / Thursday 11-8 / Wednesdays closed
TICKETS
Available online at ybca.org/mex-i-am
Contact:
Abia Oliva
[email protected]
(415) 354-1736
From Here To Outer Space: 2015 Toyota Sienna Inspires Unexpected Adventures
From Here To Outer Space: 2015 Toyota Sienna Inspires Unexpected Adventures
Automaker Puts Redesigned Model in the Hands of Creative Parents for First-ever
Online Reveal of a Toyota Vehicle
TORRANCE, Calif., July 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — A toddler rockets into space. A family’s imagination runs wild. A father begins a curious conversation. With a little creativity, some CGI effects and a bit of ironic humor, the redesigned 2015 Toyota Sienna is the star of the show. For the first time, Toyota is revealing a new vehicle completely online, introducing the 2015 Sienna van today through the eyes of three creative, social media-savvy parents. In a series of custom videos, these parents bring to life the everyday and sometimes unexpected adventures possible in and around the Sienna.
Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3gwTQYlODs
Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7NvP1QyHuo
Creative parents have lit up the Internet with modern takes on kids’ antics, family experiences and the world around them. To show how the spirit of the 2015 Sienna inspires real families in their daily lives, Toyota enlisted parents from the “Action Movie Kid,” “Eh Bee Family,” and “Convos with My 2-Year-Old” to spend time in the new Sienna “Swagger Wagon” and create their own unexpected adventures.
“Today’s parents are embracing their life stage and those relatable family moments that make us laugh and feel connected,” said Jack Hollis, vice president of Toyota Division marketing at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “The 2015 Toyota Sienna seizes that same spirit of fun, everyday experiences with family and fits into the modern family dynamic. That is why Toyota chose to introduce the newest ‘Swagger Wagon’ to the world through a creative lens.”
The 2015 Sienna offers something for everyone with a more upscale interior, better handling and family-focused, smart technology. The available Driver Easy Speak feature uses the vehicle’s built-in microphone to amplify the driver’s voice through the rear speakers so parents don’t have to shout to passengers in the back. The available Dual-View, Blu-Ray rear seat entertainment system makes the Sienna a kid-favorite destination. More soft touch materials throughout and an optional black leather interior help families embrace the minivan lifestyle.
View all the Sienna reveal content from the Toyota-sponsored families on the Toyota YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsOvRYzJPCwV0hCNXbTUbZeLNhw3mkjuH.
Sienna is One of the Family
To showcase the updated Swagger Wagon, Toyota partnered with creative parents and invited them to debut the Sienna’s new features and functionality using their own brands of imaginative storytelling.
The “Eh Bee” family of Andres, Rosanna, Gabriela and Roberto post six-second Vine videos that have earned them social media fame. The snappy mix of family dynamics, humor and wholesome parodies poke fun at modern parenthood. When the Eh Bee Family tried out the Sienna, they created funny moments about falling in love with “Sienna” and an over-eagerness to take it on a road trip.
“We loved goofing off in the Sienna and exploring the funny ways family vehicles fit into our daily lives,” said dad Andres. “Our videos embrace all the hilarity that comes with being a family in today’s world, and the Sienna fit right into those stories.”
Dreamworks after-effects artist Daniel “Hashi” Hashimoto transforms home videos of his son, James, into the viral YouTube sensation “Action Movie Kid.” Special effects allow James to perform virtual stunts like jumping over hot lava and wielding a working lightsaber. The adventures only got better when Hashi used the Sienna to virtually take his son into space and underwater.
“Working with the Sienna inspired me to imagine how James might look at everyday driving adventures and share that fun perspective with other parents,” said Hashi. “As a dad, I love watching my son explore his world, and the Sienna gave us a new avenue to check out.”
“Convos with My 2-Year-Old” took the Internet by storm when dad Matthew Clarke re-enacted conversations with his two-year-old daughter Coco, replacing her in videos with a grown man. The series documents chats about cookies, princess dolls and the ever-present desire to press the elevator button. Clarke and creative partner David Milchard reimagined the current format for a series of three videos titled “Conversations with My Sienna,” bringing the absurd tone to the minivan experience.
“It’s amazing how many people love the random conversations I have with my daughter, so it was fun to bring that sense of humor to the Sienna,” Clarke said. “Being a parent has made me much more observant of the little details in life and this campaign made me realize how much a vehicle is really an extension of the family.”
In addition to the reveal video series, the Sienna marketing campaign will center on social video content featuring the redesigned model as it rolls through the streets and cul-de-sacs of America.
Getting Inside the New Sienna
Even more parents will have the opportunity to meet the 2015 Sienna when it goes on display for the first time at Artscape in Baltimore. The free arts festival will be held July 18-20 and will host a collection of artists, exhibitions, outdoor sculpture, children’s entertainers and street theater. Visitors will be able to take in all of the vehicle’s newest features, including:
- An optional 4.2-inch, color multi-information display can put turn-by-turn directions right in the driver’s instrument panel for the best viewing.
- Available LED daytime running lights and headlights contribute to the redesigned front grill.
- Capacitive switches on the optional 7-inch touchscreen allow users to swipe items on and off. It’s also customizable to place selected features on the home screen, such as music channels, available Driver Easy Speak and optional navigation.
- An optional pull-down, conversation mirror lets the driver check on passengers without turning around.
- Available black leather interior with white contrast stitching.
- Gauges in the instrument panel have a new, modern look.
Safety remains a top priority for families, and the 2015 Sienna brings features to help provide peace-of-mind. With eight airbags, the 2015 Sienna has the most airbags in its class. The available panoramic backup camera now comes standard and has virtual guidelines to help navigate the driveway with greater confidence. It’s also easier to securely install children’s car seats with four LATCH locations.
For more information about the 2015 Toyota Sienna, visit www.toyota.com/swaggerwagon.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world’s top automaker and creator of the Prius, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, we’ve built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants and directly employ more than 40,000 people. Our 1,800 North American dealerships sold more than 2.5 million cars and trucks in 2013 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment. As part of this commitment, we share the company’s extensive know-how garnered from building great cars and trucks to help community organizations and other nonprofits expand their ability to do good. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
Media Contacts:
Rebecca Lee
Golin for Toyota
[email protected]
(213) 438-8827
Sona Iliffe-Moon
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
[email protected]
(310) 468-6721
Craig Taguchi
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
[email protected]
(310) 468-3282
Summer safety tips
WASHINGTON, July 17, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — With warm weather comes more opportunities to explore new places, spend time outdoors, and share quality time with friends and family.
Swimming, walking or having a picnic are just some of the many things you can do together during the summer.
To enjoy these activities safely and accident-free, make sure to keep these tips in mind:
Water safety
- Supervise your kids, as well as other children, when playing or swimming in the ocean, lakes, rivers or pools.
- Only use life jackets certified by the U.S. Coast Guard.
- Avoid swimming in rough or deep water.
- Respect “No Swimming” signs.
- To prevent choking, make sure children do not eat or chew gum in the water.
- If your home has a swimming pool, install a protective fence around it. Be sure to place a cover on the pool when it’s not in use.
- Take cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes to help people who are drowning or choking.
Protection against sun and heat
- To avoid dehydration or heat exhaustion, make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Avoid beverages that contain alcohol, caffeine or too much sugar.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Also wear sunglasses and a hat that covers your face and ears.
- Apply sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or higher a half an hour before any sun exposure. Reapply several times a day, or according to the product directions.
- Keep your lips hydrated with a lip balm that contains sunscreen.
- Avoid direct sun exposure when ultraviolet (UV) rays are at their strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Try to spend the majority of your time protected by cool, shady areas.
Food safety
- If you’re camping or you plan to do any outdoor cooking, use a cooler with ice to keep your food refrigerated. Make sure to keep the cooling temperature (PDF) at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before handling any food.
- To avoid cross contamination, separate raw meat from other food, and place meat on its own plate or tray.
- Make sure meats are cooked and served at an internal temperature (PDF) of 140 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
- Immediately refrigerate or freeze any leftovers. Don’t leave perishable foods out in the open for more than two hours.
- To avoid getting food poisoning, follow these tips for eating safely at fairs and festivals.
For more information about food safety contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854.
To learn more about health issues, see USA.gov and GobiernoUSA.gov, the U.S. Government’s official web portals in English and Spanish, and part of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).