Education

Colorado Springs – September 18, 2026 -- GiGi's Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers will open its 64th location on Saturday, September 26, bringing free educational, therapeutic, career-development and social programs to individuals with Down syndrome and their families across the Pikes Peak region.

The grand opening celebration runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2360 Montebello Square Dr, Suite A, in Colorado Springs. Founder and Chief Belief Officer Nancy Gianni and her daughter, GiGi Gianni, will attend to mark the milestone.

A group of local parents built the Playhouse from scratch

The Colorado Springs location began with families searching for resources after a Down syndrome diagnosis. Startup Lead Katie Stoddard found GiGi's Playhouse online shortly after her daughter Margo was born but discovered no location existed near her family, prompting a group of local parents to form a startup committee.

Mount Airy, GA – September 17, 2026 -- The Lutzie 43 Foundation will hold a Safe Driving Summit at Habersham Central High School on Tuesday, September 22, running from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 2059 St. Hwy 197 S. in Mount Airy, GA. Sponsored by Bulldog Kia, the event targets distracted, impaired and unsafe driving among high school students.

Mike Lutzenkirchen opens with his son's story

Executive Director Mike Lutzenkirchen will deliver the keynote, recounting the death of his son Philip Lutzenkirchen, a former Auburn University football standout killed in a single-vehicle crash in 2014. Lutzenkirchen said the goal is to have students adopt the foundation's '43 Key Seconds' safe driving routine, calling the combination of Philip's story and firsthand accounts from law enforcement, trucking and healthcare partners 'an eye-opening experience.'

Washington – September 17, 2026 -- GED Testing Service will mark National GED Day on September 16, honoring adults who earned a high school equivalency credential and the millions still working toward one.

More than 30 million U.S. adults lack a high school diploma

The GED program offers those adults a route into college, workforce training, military service, and jobs in healthcare, manufacturing, skilled trades, and technology, according to GED Testing Service.

One graduate turned her GED into a healthcare career

Iris earned her GED and now works as a Medical Assistant at a fertility clinic. She plans to become a Phlebotomy Technician next, with a longer-term goal of becoming a nurse. "My GED helped me take the first step toward the career I wanted," Iris said. "It was challenging and rewarding at the same time. My advice is to keep trying because it's never too late to invest in your education and build a better future."

New York – September 15, 2026 -- Healing New York will present the Second Round Foundation with its Game Changers for Children Award at the 2026 Fall Gala on November 19, honoring the group's youth-focused education and mentorship work.

The gala takes place at New York Historical on November 19

The event runs from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM at New York Historical, located at 170 Central Park West. Healing New York, incorporated in 1875 as the nation's first child protection agency, uses the annual gala to recognize individuals and organizations advancing child and family wellbeing.

Koblenz – September 15, 2026 -- Florian Sondershausen traded ten-to-fifteen-hour shifts in a Michelin-starred kitchen for full-time trading on global financial markets, eventually co-founding Haag Sondershausen Consulting GmbH to teach others what he learned along the way.

Sondershausen started earning money outside traditional jobs early: at 13 he bought Yu-Gi-Oh! cards cheaply and resold them on eBay, later working as a professional online gamer. Those digital ventures gave him an early feel for markets outside the classroom.

Health problems forced him out of the kitchen

Long shifts in fine dining eventually triggered heart arrhythmia, pushing Sondershausen to look for an alternative career. After his restaurant earned a Michelin star -- the professional goal he had set for himself -- he quit and turned his attention fully to trading.

Phoenix – September 15, 2026 -- University of Phoenix recognized 32,416 students on its July 2026 President's and Dean's Lists, honoring adult learners who balanced coursework with jobs and family obligations.

President's List required a perfect 4.0 GPA

Of the honorees, 9,496 students earned President's List status by achieving a 4.0 grade point average, while 22,920 students were named to the Dean's Lists for high academic standing in their programs.

A Reddit giveaway drew 787 student submissions

As part of the recognition, University of Phoenix invited eligible students to join its subreddit and describe what mattered most about their educational journey. The giveaway generated 787 eligible entries, and 30 participants received University of Phoenix swag boxes.

Bryn Mawr -- As the world marks the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, Harcum College is spotlighting how it has kept the memory of one victim, Kevin D. Marlo, alive through a campus theatre and a scholarship fund that has raised more than $1.5 million.

Marlo, a passionate actor connected to the Harcum community, died in the September 11 attacks. In the years after his death, his family worked with the college to restore and rename its Little Theatre in his honor, creating the Kevin D. Marlo Theatre on Harcum's Bryn Mawr campus near Philadelphia.

Quincy, Ill. – September 15, 2026 -- Choosing a child's first dance class involves more than matching a birthday to an age bracket, according to insights from Dance Expert Cindy Vancil-Haxel of Vancil Performing Arts Center in Quincy, Illinois, featured in a HelloNation article.

The piece explains that a child's introduction to dance can shape how they feel about movement and learning in a studio setting. While age helps guide class placement, interests, maturity, comfort with groups, and readiness to follow instructions matter just as much.

Children often show movement and music preferences before ever entering a studio

Some kids gravitate toward structured activities, while others prefer imaginative movement or high-energy music. Recognizing these preferences can help parents pick a beginner class that feels engaging rather than intimidating.

Gleisdorf – September 13, 2026 -- Artificial intelligence can now solve homework, write full essays, and answer complex questions within seconds, prompting education economist Ludger Wößmann to warn that children risk losing the motivation to build knowledge on their own.

Basic literacy and math remain non-negotiable, expert says

Wößmann argues that reading, writing, and arithmetic are becoming more important, not less, in the AI era. Without solid language skills, a child cannot judge the quality of an AI-generated text. Without foundational knowledge, they cannot critically evaluate an AI's answer or even know which questions to ask.

Dearborn, Michigan – September 13, 2026 -- The Henry Ford will open Artemis Adventure with LEGO® Bricks on October 18 at its Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, giving visitors a hands-on space exploration exhibit that runs through January 3. Members get an exclusive preview on October 17, one day before the public opening.

The interactive exhibition, inspired by NASA's Artemis missions, lets guests build and test their own designs using LEGO bricks. Visitors can construct lunar landers, race rovers over rugged terrain, and design habitats for future Moon and Mars missions.

Large-scale LEGO sculptures recreate real NASA spacecraft

The exhibition features large-scale LEGO sculptures of the Orion spacecraft, International Space Station, Space Launch System, Lunar Gateway, Apollo Lunar Module and Mars habitats. A full-scale Axiom Space Suit photo station lets visitors picture themselves as part of future missions.