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World

Muppet Helpers

September 27, 2018

When Hanadi was 4, a bomb destroyed her school. Soon after, her family fled their home, in Syria, to live as refugees in nearby Lebanon. Hanadi enrolled in school there but was scared to go. Her experience is not unusual.…

United States

8 Questions for Sonia Sotomayor

September 21, 2018

Sonia Sotomayor is the first Latina U.S. Supreme Court justice. She spoke to TFK’s Kio Herrera about her childhood, her career, and her new book. 1. What inspired you to write The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor? I wanted to…

Community

Fish for Lunch

September 14, 2018

Salmon burgers, salmon mac-and-cheese, and king salmon corn dogs are served in schools in Sitka, Alaska. In Sitka, it’s easy to hook kids on fish. Fresh and locally sourced, the fish tastes great. Thanks to the Fish to Schools program,…

Media Literacy

Making Sense of the Media

August 31, 2018

Students at Capital Preparatory Magnet School, in Hartford, Connecticut, are watching a video of a basketball drill. “Keep track of how many passes the players dressed in white make,” Marcus Stallworth, a media-literacy educator, tells them. Many of the kids…

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Technology

France Makes the Call

August 1, 2018

French children 15 and under will no longer be allowed to bring smart devices to school. Lawmakers in France voted July 31 to ban cell phones, tablets, and other Internet-connected devices from school grounds. The ban will start in September. …

TFK Library

Alexander Hamilton

July 31, 2018

Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757—July 12, 1804) is one of America’s most influential Founding Fathers. In his short life, he served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, was the first U.S. secretary of the treasury, and established…

United States

A New Supreme Court Nominee

July 11, 2018

President Donald Trump has nominated Brett Kavanaugh to be the next person appointed to the United States Supreme Court. If confirmed, Kavanaugh will replace Justice Anthony Kennedy. Kennedy announced his retirement from the Supreme Court on June 27. Trump announced…

Arts

Bridging the Arts Gap

June 14, 2018

Jayden Hairston was frustrated. More than anything in the world, he wanted to learn how to sing. His elementary school in Yonkers—just north of New York City—didn’t offer the music instruction he needed. So he begged his parents to sign…

TFK Library

Sonia Sotomayor

June 12, 2018

Sonia Sotomayor (June 25, 1954—present) made history when she became the first Hispanic U.S. Supreme Court justice. She assumed the role on August 8, 2009. Sonia Sotomayor was born in the Bronx, a borough of New York City. Her…

Video

World

Live from Kakuma

June 7, 2018

A tent is up. The stage is set. Speakers have polished their presentations. It’s all part of the preparation for TEDxKakumaCamp, which takes place Saturday, June 9, in a schoolyard at Kakuma refugee camp, in Kenya. The conference is the…

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portrait of Jacob Riis

TFK Library

Jacob Riis

June 7, 2018

Jacob Riis (May 3, 1849—May 26, 1914) was a photojournalist who documented the lives of poor New Yorkers in the 1890s. He published the photographs in his book How the Other Half Lives. The pictures shocked Americans and inspired a…

Arts

8 Questions for Amanda Gorman

April 27, 2018

In 2017, Amanda Gorman, then 19, was named the first National Youth Poet Laureate. She spoke with TFK’s Brian McGrath about how poetry can give voice to a new generation of leaders. Has poetry always been a part of your…

Community

Inspiring Educators

April 20, 2018

This year, Teacher Appreciation Week runs from May 7 to 11. To celebrate, TFK asked five successful people to write about one of their most memorable and inspiring teachers. Bill Gates Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates uses his wealth to help…

World

Kids of Kakuma

April 11, 2018

KAKUMA, Kenya — Wild animals roamed at night, but Rose Peter and the 19 other children she was with still managed to sleep in the bush. In daylight, they walked. “One week,” Rose tells me when I ask how long…

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Spanish

Environment

Kid Heroes for the Planet

April 5, 2018

You don’t have to be a superhero to help the environment. Even small, simple actions can add up to big change. People around the world will celebrate Earth Day on April 22. But anyone—including kids—can work to help the Earth…

Community

A Show of Hands

March 16, 2018

Alice Paul Tapper was on a fourth-grade field trip last year when she noticed something that bothered her. The girls were standing in the back of the room, listening politely as the guide spoke. The boys crowded together in the…

United States

The Kid in Charge

February 26, 2018

Many kids have been bullied. Fifth grader Dom Peters decided to do something about it. He ran for office. On January 8, Dom, 11, was sworn in as Oregon’s first Kid Governor, at the State Capitol, in Salem. Fifth graders…

History

Justice for All

February 16, 2018

On September 4, 1957, 14-year-old Carlotta Walls and eight other black teenagers approached Little Rock Central High School, in Arkansas. It was supposed to be their first day of school, but angry protesters threatened the students, and Arkansas National Guardsmen…

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Symphony for a Broken Orchestra

Arts

Making Music Again

February 16, 2018

A project to repair damaged instruments is bringing music back to public schools. In December, 400 musicians, young and old, marched onto the stage of the 23rd Street Armory, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One hauled out a cello with dangling strings.…