Education & Career

United States – October 19, 2026 -- Parents and school administrators are being urged to take three steps against social media-related school violence threats after a so-called "National Day of School Violence" spread online this week.

The threats reportedly started on TikTok, though that has not been definitively established. Posts about them spread quickly, worrying families across the country and forcing some schools to close for the day. The Organization for Social Media Safety says it worked through the week to make sure schools were aware and took precautions. The day passed without incident.

Rochester, N.Y. – October 19, 2026 -- Families comparing schools in the Rochester area have a new data point: The Harley School has been named the #1 Best Private High School and the #1 Best Private K-12 School in both Monroe County and the Rochester area on Niche's 2027 Best Schools list.

Harley's STEM programs rank #2 on Niche's list

Niche also ranked Harley #2 for Best High School STEM Programs. According to the school, that is the highest ranking for any private school in the area.

Niche builds rankings from report cards and real reviews

Niche is an online platform for searching for schools and colleges. It publishes its rankings annually, drawing on a comprehensive K-12 report card along with real reviews, user data and surveys. Families use the database to find the right school for their children.

Ypsilanti – October 19, 2026 -- Eastern Michigan University is offering eligible students a $4,000 scholarship to join its Marching Band, and students do not need to major in music to qualify.

The scholarship pays $1,000 a year for four years

The award is open to all students who meet the marching band requirements, whatever their academic major. Only about 40% of band members are music majors. Students from disciplines across the university make up the rest.

J. Nick Smith, associate director of bands and director of Athletic Bands, said the scholarship helps attract more students and rewards them for the countless hours they put into the activity. EMU President Brendan Kelly, a two-time alum, said the college experience is about "finding and building community."

Atlanta – October 19, 2026 -- Students across the United States can apply for $3,000 scholarships to fund technical education and training, with an application deadline of Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Schneider Electric and SKILLED Nation, an organization that expands access to training for high-demand skilled careers, are adding $100,000 in scholarships to the Schneider Electric SKILLED Scholarship Program.

Scholarships cover training for building and energy careers

The program is now in its fourth year. Schneider Electric has put more than $300,000 into it so far. The money helps pay for postsecondary education and training in building automation, energy management, HVAC, electrical systems, facilities engineering and maintenance, green building and sustainability, security and related technical fields.

Belleville – October 16, 2026 -- Third, fourth and fifth graders in Illinois American Water's service area can submit artwork to the "Water Keeps Life Flowing" contest through Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, with up to 10 winners earning classroom prize packs worth roughly $100.

Entries open Oct. 16 and close Nov. 13

Students are asked to capture what high-quality water service means to them. Submissions opened Oct. 16, 2026, one day after the U.S. Water Alliance's Imagine a Day Without Water observance on Oct. 15.

Brian Eisenloeffel, President of Illinois American Water, said the annual contest brings art and science together. He listed drinking, cooking, gardening, public health, local businesses and firefighting among the everyday uses of water.

Grand Rapids – – October 16, 2026 -- Students who earn an associate degree at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) will be guaranteed admission to Western Michigan University (WMU) and an annual scholarship of $1,000 to $4,500 if they are eligible, under a new partnership called the Bronco Bound Guarantee.

Leaders from both schools will formalize the agreement at a signing ceremony at 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at GRCC's Applied Technology Center, Secchia Piazza, on the main campus in Grand Rapids.

Admission, fee waiver and scholarship money are built in

Qualifying GRCC students will have their WMU application fee waived and will be considered for scholarships automatically. Eligible students are guaranteed the annual award of $1,000 to $4,500.

Frederick, Md. – October 15, 2026 -- Frederick County parents of neurodivergent children now have a new link to specialized tutoring: the Parent Resource Center and LINKZ have partnered to connect local families with educational resources and support.

Downtown hub meets specialized tutoring

The Parent Resource Center, located in downtown Frederick, serves as a hub for parents of neurodivergent learners. It connects families with community partners, resources, events and support.

LINKZ offers personalized educational services. These include specialized tutoring for students with learning differences, dyslexia and ADHD, plus executive functioning support and other academic services.

East Meadow – October 15, 2026 -- Twelve children's dinosaur drawings will stand as handcrafted 3D light sculptures at Eisenhower Park when the LuminoCity Holiday Lights Festival opens on November 11, 2026. The sculptures stay on display through January 3, 2027.

LuminoCity Festival announced the winners of Lumi's Utopia 2026, run in partnership with the Long Island Children's Museum (LICM) and with support from WE ART Education. The 12 winning designs were picked from 362 entries, collected through on-site workshops at LICM and online submissions. That is more than three times the number of submissions the program received in 2025.

This year's theme asked kids to invent a dinosaur with personality

The 2026 theme was Dino Friends. Children created an original dinosaur character, and the winners range from age 4 to age 13.

Santa Cruz – October 12, 2026 -- Children in Montessori classrooms pour their own water, sweep floors and prepare snacks. According to Montessori education expert Madelynn Van Den Heuvel of Santa Cruz, California, that routine is how the method builds independence. She shared the approach in a HelloNation article.

Child-sized classrooms let students finish tasks on their own

Van Den Heuvel explains that Montessori classrooms are furnished with tools, furniture and materials designed for children's size and abilities. Tasks such as pouring water or sweeping may look minor to adults. For children, completing them brings a real sense of accomplishment and responsibility.

Hong Kong – October 12, 2026 -- ugee has launched ugee maker, a moderated, kid-friendly 3D printing community for families and beginners, and anyone who signs up for an account is entered into a $1,000 prize giveaway.

The platform targets what ugee describes as a gap in the market. Beginners currently choose between technical communities with little safety guidance for young users and family-friendly platforms that require buying a specific brand's hardware. ugee maker offers a third option for parents, kids and newcomers.

Every official model is pre-tested for reliable printing

Failed prints caused by faulty files are a major source of frustration for novices. ugee says each official file is pre-tested and validated to print reliably on virtually all consumer-grade 3D printers. All designs come in universal STL format.