Rural Leader Magazine April 2018

R

URAL L EADER APRIL 2018

M AG A Z I N E

Be apart of something bigger than yourself.—

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Contents

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com

6 Childhood Vaccine Rates Increase But More Parents Also are Refusing

15 These Health Benefits of Salt Might Surprise You

8 Forward-thinking Programs Get Kids to Eat Better

16 Entrepreneurs in Unexpected Places: How one Midwest city Promotes Diverse Local Innovation

10 Raising Beef to Higher Standards 12 Tips for Overcoming Obstacles to be Your Best Self 13 How to Inspire Your Teen to Expand Their Horizons and Find Their Passion 12 From cancer nurse to cancer patient: One woman’s story

17 Dominate Spring: Five Easy Steps to Wake up Your Lawn 19 Stemming the leak: 4 ways to Encourage STEM in your Middle Schooler 20 How to Be ‘money smart’ in a Digital World 22 How Retailers can Build Trust and Relevance in Their Communities

Contact Us Rural Leader Magazine, LLC 400 West Peachtree Street Suite #4-529 Atlanta, Georgia 30308 info@ruralleadermagazine.com 1-877-281-6505 Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English, or other languages, is prohibited without written consent.

Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief editor@ruralleadermagazine.com

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Tell us what you think about our publications, if you have a great idea for a story, or to just share. We may print your comments in Rural Leader Magazine. By sending us your comments, you’re giving permission to call you for an interview.

Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number so we can reach you. Write to us at info@ RuralLeaderMagazine.com—

www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com

Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Inside this issue, there are a number of great articles about leadership best practices, building positive self-esteem and productivity! We hope you enjoy this issue.

As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google +, and LinkedIn. Thanks again for your continual support!

Sincerely,

Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

What you do matters.

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Childhood Vaccine Rates Increase But More Parents Also are Refusing Childhood and adolescent vaccination is considered by many to be one of the greatest public health accomplishments of the 20th century, but based on the results of a new study by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), there is still more work to do to ensure children and teens are protected against the diseases vaccines were developed to eradicate.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield: Health of America Report shows childhood vaccination rates climbed 12 percent among young commercially insured members.

Data shows 69 percent of young BCBS members born in 2010 were up-to-date on their CDC-recommended vaccinations by the age of 2 years and 3 months compared to 77 percent of children born in 2013.

The study also found that the rate of documented vaccine refusal - in other words, doctors charting parental refusal of vaccines for their children - went up by nearly 70 percent for children born in 2013 compared to those born in 2010 (4.2 percent versus 2.5 percent, respectively).

The result of vaccine refusal can be dangerous, not only for the child who is vulnerable to diseases like measles and diphtheria, but for the community at large.

It played itself out in Minnesota last year, when a measles outbreak in the Twin Cities exceeded the total number of cases reported in the entire U.S. the year before.

Health officials didn’t have to look far for the cause. Spread of the highly infectious disease started in the state’s Somali-American community.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the vaccination rate among Somali-American children dropped from the high 80s to a low of 42 percent last year in response to the anti-vaccine movement’s targeting efforts, fueling the outbreak. But the disease wasn’t confined to the Somali community. It spread throughout the Minnesota public school system as well, infecting non-vaccinated children.

The disease is nothing to take lightly. At the low end, it causes fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat and a rash, but it can be deadly, spawning pneumonia, blindness and even encephalitis. One especially alarming complication lurks in the brain for years after a person has recovered and mysteriously reawakens, causing seizures, coma and death. No one who has contracted that complication has survived.

Low uptake of HPV vaccine It’s not just childhood vaccines that parents are refusing. According to the BCBSA report, only 29 percent of adolescents received a first dose of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine before their 13th birthday.

The HPV vaccine rates lag far behind other adolescent vaccines, meningococcal and Tdap, which have rates of 72 percent and 82 percent, respectively.

And that’s a problem. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31,500 people die every year from cancers caused by HPV. It’s a heartbreaking statistic, especially because the American Cancer Institute estimates that, if all teens were vaccinated against

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HPV, cervical cancer would be eliminated within one generation.

What parents can do The key to protecting children and teens from diseases like measles, rubella and HPV is vaccination, according to the CDC. Talk to your child’s doctor about the safety and benefits of vaccination, if you have any doubt.

Vaccinate your children according to the CDC-recommended Seven-Vaccine series: Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (DTaP), Heamophilus Influenza (Hib), Hepatitis B (Hep B) Polio (IPV), and Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR).

Vaccinate your adolescent against HPV, Meningitis and DTaP. For more information, or to download the Health of America report, visit www.bcbs.com/ healthofamerica.

ABOUT BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD ASSOCIATION The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans. BCBSA provides health care insights through The Health of America Report series and the national BCBS Health Index. For more information on BCBSA and its member companies, please visit BCBS.com. We also encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out our blog.—BPT

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Forward-thinking Programs Get Kids to Eat Better They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But for millions of low-income children across the country, the low-cost or free lunch they get at school is the most nutritious, most filling meal they will eat.

In 2016, over 30 million kids across the U.S. received low-cost or free lunches at their school. With such a wide-ranging impact, school meal programs play a huge role in the well-being of our nation’s young people.

According to Wilder Research, nearly one in six children in the state of Minnesota live in food-insecure households. Many of these kids rely on school lunch to get the nutrients they need. To make sure these needs are met, one school district in the state has been blending nutrition with trends in popular culture to create a dynamic program that is getting kids excited about healthy food while also creating better eating habits.

Jr. Iron Chef Question: In an urban school district, how can the idea behind a popular television show be used to raise awareness of healthy meal options?

In essence, this is what happened when Miguel Lopez, a seventh-grader at Anwatin Middle School, along with seven other teams and 16 other students, competed alongside eight professional chefs in one of Minneapolis Public Schools’ “Jr. Iron Chef ” competitions.

Modeled after the popular television show, where teams compete to create the most appetizing dish, this three-year-old program was designed in cooperation with Cargill to teach students about good nutrition and meal preparation. Students from across the district were invited to compete - just as popular celebrity chefs on TV do - in live cooking competitions.

“This night was not so much about the competition, but about what these students have learned about how to prepare good meals on their own,” said Minneapolis Public Schools’ Director of Culinary and Wellness Services, Bertrand Weber. “We wanted to apply the Iron Chef concept to help improve our students’ health and well-being. Yes, it was a cool night, but the hope is that they will go home and do this for themselves and their families versus choosing less healthy meal options.”

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While the Jr. Iron Chef competition was getting students all over the district revved up, Cargill and Minneapolis Public Schools were weaving another popular culinary trend into the district’s nutrition and wellness programs: food trucks.

Nutrition on wheels Parked outside the venue where Jr. Iron Chef was held was a shiny, new food truck purchased with a recent $75,000 grant from Cargill to Minneapolis Public Schools. This is the school district’s second food truck. The first one hit the road in 2013 and became so popular that it quickly exceeded capacity.

The trucks are staffed by the school district’s nutrition and culinary staff, to bring nutritious meals to students, especially when school is not in session.

The trucks also appear at district-run wellness seminars and cooking demonstrations.

“The value of these food trucks has been recognized by Minneapolis Public Schools and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),” said Cargill Vice President of Corporate Responsibility Michelle Grogg. “It’s been a successful strategy that community and state partners have found to improve their capacity to reach food-insecure children when school is in and out of session.”

In the summer of 2017, Minneapolis Public Schools served approximately 400,000 free meals and snacks to Minneapolis youth. This coming summer, Minneapolis Public Schools’ two food trucks will operate at a total of eight summer feeding sites in conjunction with community youth and physical activity programming.

A new example As school lunch plays such an important role for millions of urban, low-income students, the importance of steering these kids toward eating more nutritious, wholesome meals cannot be overstated.

Though it can be hard to get kids excited about fruits and vegetables, the creative and forward-thinking programs put on by the Minneapolis Public Schools point in a fun, and promising, direction.

“It’s great to see two popular trends in food being applied to the nutritional needs of our students,” says Grogg. “We hope it doesn’t stop here and we hope other communities around Minnesota and the U.S. learn from our successes.”—BPT

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Raising Beef to Higher Standards Beef. It’s what’s for dinner! One of the most memorable ad campaigns in recent history turns 25 this year, but the beef industry is a whole different rodeo than it was when the ads first turned our thoughts to grilling.

Cattle ranching, cowboys, cattle drives - they’re a slice of Americana and an indelible part of our culture. But who are today’s ranchers? They are some of the greatest stewards of our earth - more focused on sustainability, the environment and ethical beef production than ever before.

Today’s ranchers, feeders and packers help consumers feel good choosing beef for dinner. Not only is it nutritious and delicious, but it’s better for the environment, too.

“U.S. beef is the most sustainable on the planet,” says Bill Thoni, vice president of cattle procurement for Cargill Protein. “Ranchers are environmentalists - stewards of our water, soil and grasslands. They are leaders at feeding, breeding, raising and caring for animals in ways that reduce stress on all resources the land, the water and the animals themselves.”

The beef industry is raising beef to higher standards, and it shows. Here’s why you should feel confident putting beef on the table for your family’s next meal: Grazing and sustainability. According to the USDA, the vast majority of cattle ranches are family operations, often going back generations. Ranchers today know that they must always be looking for ways to be more sustainable and good for the environment, or that legacy won’t continue. Grazing keeps carbon locked in the soil, helping to ensure the grasslands and pastures will be around for the next generation of ranchers.

Higher quality meat. Beef has always been nutritious, but today’s beef takes it up a notch. One of the reasons is improved animal nutrition. It’s an ultra-precise science that measures nutrients down

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to the parts per million, ensuring that the cattle are getting what they need to be healthy. The USDA certifies cuts as Prime, Choice and Select, so you know exactly what you’re serving your family.

Wildlife habitat. Ranching provides habitat for many species, not just cows and calves. One powerful example is Central Florida’s largest ranch, also one of the largest ranches in the U.S., boasting some 300,000 acres. But it’s not all just cows and grasslands. There are wetlands, woodlands and citrus groves, too.

Along with providing grass for cows and calves to graze, the ranch is home to one of Florida’s largest rookeries for the endangered Florida wood stork.

There’s even a full-time wildlife biologist on staff to tend to the 300 species that call it home.

Not your father’s feedyard. Like ranches, feedyards are often run by families, and in recent years, they have made great progress in animal welfare and reducing environmental impact. Advances at the feedyard help ensure cattle are healthy - software monitors the animals’ health and veterinarians tend to them, so you can be sure you’re getting wholesome cuts of meat from healthy, well-cared-for cattle.

Environmental focus. Ranchers and farmers are committed to using more sustainable feed, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient runoff into the rivers and streams, and maximizing water conservation.

Next time you’re at the meat case, you can feel confident the beef you’re buying is delicious, nutritious, high-quality meat raised with the environment in mind. It’s about doing well by doing right by the animals, the land and the community so you can feel better than ever about saying: Beef. It’s what’s for dinner!

Learn more at https://www.cargill.com/sustainability/sustainable-beef.—

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Tips for Overcoming Obstacles to be Your Best Self Everyone faces their own journey in life. This journey will likely have hurdles of many kinds. These hurdles can knock you down, but with the right mindset and attitude, they can never keep you down.

In fact, they can actually make you stronger.

Chelsee Nabritt has been overcoming hurdles since birth. Born two months early, she remained in the hospital due to heart issues and seizures. Nabritt also suffered with respiratory distress syndrome and was on a heart monitor for one year after birth.

Her parents thought she was out of the woods when she was released from the hospital and she seemed healthy for many years. Then when she turned 7, she began experiencing severe nose bleeds regularly.

“My mom was terrified and took me to the hospital where I was diagnosed with platelet storage pool disorder,” Nabritt says. “It’s among the rarest of rare bleeding disorders, but part of a larger group of over three million people in the U.S. who have bleeding disorders ranging from the rare ones like mine to hemophilia and von Willebrand disease. What we share in common is our blood doesn’t clot normally, which can result in spontaneous bleeding into muscles and joints, and extended bleeding after an injury or surgery. It can even be fatal.”

Nabritt has always remained positive. Along with her healthcare team, she has learned to manage her condition. At age 7, she began attending Hemophilia of Georgia’s Camp Wannaklot, where she met other kids with bleeding disorders for the first time, including only one of two individuals she knows of with platelet storage pool disorder. This helped her realize she’s not alone.

Whatever journey you are on, you will face unexpected hurdles. Staying positive and keeping your head high is important. Nabritt shares some of her life rules for overcoming obstacles and becoming the best person you can be.

Choose to be happy. “With a better understanding of my chronic disease, I made a choice. I chose to be happy and live my life without barriers. Had I chosen darkness over light, or let negative thoughts overshadow the positive ones, I’d only be hurting myself and those who love me,” says Nabritt.

Give the gift of time to others. “The greatest gift you can give someone is your time,” Nabritt says. “I remember how older kids helped me better understand how to live my best life regardless of my bleeding disorder, and I decided to do the same.

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“At 18, I was old enough to transition from being a camper to a camp counselor at Camp Wannaklot.

And when the National Hemophilia Foundation issued a call for membership to its National Youth Leadership Institute (NYLI), I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve used my NYLI platform to lead workshops for young community members on public speaking and advocating with legislators, and to share my own experience.”

Pursue your passion pragmatically. Nabritt says, “You owe it to yourself to pursue your passion, but as you follow your heart, you have to use your head and work hard. Right now, my dream is to one day pursue public office so I can create policies that enable people with bleeding disorders to live healthy, productive lives. I’m taking it step-by-step and that includes finishing my sociology degree before pursuing a dual master’s.”

The grass is green enough where you are. “There have been times I’ve envied people without bleeding disorders. But I quickly realized that I had no way of knowing if these people lived better lives than me, nor should I waste any more time thinking about it. I always strive to reach for the stars, but I also know it’s important to keep my feet on the ground and do the best I can, where I am, with what I have.”

Using the community’s symbol-the red tie-plus advocacy and passion to advance her cause. 2018 is a very big year for Nabritt. She’s graduating from college and working with NHF to mark its 70th anniversary by serving on the planning committee for its 70th Bleeding Disorders Conference in October.

Nabritt also is using her leadership and advocacy skills to promote NHF’s Red Tie Campaign. The campaign aims to help galvanize a bipartisan Congressional majority to act decisively to protect access to affordable, quality healthcare for not only people with bleeding disorders, but all 150 million Americans with chronic conditions.

“I’m urging everyone to get involved by visiting www.RedTieCampaign.org to make a donation, show us their best red tie style using NHF’s virtual photo booth, and then share their photos with #RedTieCampaign. To protect our access to healthcare, we must work together, now,” says Nabritt. “As John Lewis once said, ‘If not us, then who? If not now, then when?’”—

How to Inspire Your Teen to Expand Their Horizons and Find Their Passion

With mounting pressures and expectations, the high school years can feel overwhelming - for students and parents alike. Teens grapple with questions like: Which colleges should I apply to? What should I choose as a major? What do I really want to do with my life? What if I don’t have a clue?

As a parent you naturally want to give advice and steer them in the right direction, but you also know it’s a tricky balance. It’s their life, after all, as they’ll often remind you.

So how can you help? Encourage them to explore different interests, with no strings attached. Look for activities beyond the usual choices. Research extracurricular programs at your school, in your community, even overseas so they can see the breadth of what’s out there. Expose them to a range of possibilities and see what they pick.

Does your teen already have a clear focus? Look for innovative programs that allow them to dig even deeper in real-world settings. Or maybe your son or daughter is shy or stuck in a rut and needs a gentle nudge to try something new? It’s amazing how a change of scenery can inspire students and tap hidden talents. Over time they’ll gravitate toward one thing or another, and the journey will be rich with self-discovery.

From local to global, there are many valuable paths that help spark new interests while building

self-knowledge, confidence and 21st century skills along the way.

Global clubs and activities spark interest in the world at largeMost high schools offer a range of extracurricular opportunities to get involved in a topic of interest or try out something new, from sports and theater to robotics and debate. Many offer programs with an international theme as well. After-school language clubs provide a chance to practice conversational skills in a relaxed environment while joining in cooking and other cultural activities. And bonding with other language enthusiasts inspires many to want to travel to experience different cultures firsthand! Larger high schools offer more languages, from French, Spanish and German to Mandarin, Arabic and Japanese, while teens with more limited offerings can often find regional programs a bus ride away.

Model UN is another valuable program that teaches students about the world around them, and builds confidence as well as leadership and communication skills. A new activity picked up on a whim may turn into a lifetime source of joy or even a career. If options are limited at school, branch out. Urge your teen to get involved in the local community, meet new people, and bond with others who share similar interests. They’ll see what’s out there in the bigger world while demonstrating to colleges and employers that they’re engaged beyond the standard classroom GetRuralLeaderMag.com | APRIL 2018 13

requirements.

Service programs help teens gain valuable perspectiveWhen teens offer their time and talent to nonprofits and worthy causes, they gain more than just real-world experience for their college resumes.

They gain maturity, perspective, practical skills and a greater appreciation for what they’ve got. Volunteering can be customized to one’s own interests, whether it means walking dogs at an animal shelter or building a website for an environmental group.

Adventurous students can take it one step further by participating in service programs abroad. Whether working to raise social awareness, lending a hand with environmental and conservation project, or mentoring underprivileged youth, teens grow exponentially during a summer far away from their usual routine.

Study abroad transforms the way a teen looks at fields of study - and lifeStudying abroad is not just for college. More and more high school students are making the leap overseas for summer programs or for a semester or gap year. As many students, parents and guidance counselors have discovered, this is an opportune time to develop valuable lifelong skills, learn a new language and discover career interests in a way that is not possible in an everyday classroom environment. Perhaps the ultimate opportunity 14 RuralLeaderMag.com | APRIL 2018

for personal growth, studying abroad also expands communication skills and helps students understand different cultures and ways of living.

Not sure study abroad has crossed your teen’s mind? Surf the web together for resources and get on mailing lists for brochures. CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), a nonprofit that operates high school study abroad programs in more than 30 global destinations, is a good place to start.

Transported to a world far different from their own, teens find themselves fully immersed in a new topic and a foreign culture. Programs range from three weeks in the summer to a full semester or academic year.

Planning ahead is key. By involving a teacher or counselor in the discussion early on, you’ll ensure a smooth transition to and from the study abroad experience. It also gives you more time to plan finances and research scholarships to make the opportunity possible. Do your research sooner rather than later: Organizations like CIEE offer scholarships based on merit and financial considerations, but be sure to check the application deadlines so you don’t miss out.

To learn more about CIEE’s Global Navigator High School Study Abroad program and available scholarships, visit ciee.org/globalnavigators.—BPT

These Health Benefits of Salt Might Surprise You World Salt Awareness Week is being celebrated this year from March 12 to 18 and is the perfect opportunity to recognize all the many benefits of salt.

Salt, or sodium chloride, is essential for life. In fact, no mineral is more essential to human survival than sodium because it allows nerves to send and receive electrical impulses, helps your muscles stay strong and keeps your cells and brain functioning. However, sodium chloride (salt) is a nutrient that the body cannot produce, and therefore it must be consumed.

The other component of salt, chloride, is also essential to survival and good health. It preserves acid-base balance in the body, aids potassium absorption, improves the ability of the blood to move harmful carbon dioxide from tissues out to the lungs and most importantly, supplies the crucial stomach acids required to break down and digest the foods we eat.

Because the level of salt consumption is so stable, it is an ideal medium to fortify with other essential nutrients such as iodine. Iodized salt was first produced in the U.S. in 1924 and is now used by 75 percent of the world’s population to protect against intellectual disability due to Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD). Iodine is an essential element in healthy human life, enabling the function of thyroid glands to produce needed hormones for proper metabolism.

When children in the womb don’t get enough iodine

from their mother, fetal brain development may be impaired. Iodized salt remains one of the greatest public health success stories.

Salt is also essential in hospital IV saline, which is standard therapy and the fastest way to deliver fluids and medications throughout the body. This saline drip doesn’t just keep patients hydrated, it delivers a 0.9 percent solution of salt. Without this saline drip, patients can end up with low levels of sodium in the blood, resulting in a condition known as hyponatremia. This serious condition can lead to seizures, coma, permanent brain damage, respiratory arrest and death, and it is why the shortage of saline in hospitals is of such critical importance.

Salt is also a vital component of hydration. After exercise, it is critical to replace both water and salt lost through perspiration. That is why all athletes make sure they are consuming sufficient salt during and after a workout.

The average American eats about 3,400 mg per day of sodium, according to The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and this may be on the low side of the safe range. A 2014 study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, tested sodium consumption in more than 100,000 people in 17 countries. The study found that the healthy range for sodium consumption was between 3,000 and 6,000 mg per day.

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Seniors can be especially susceptible to the dangers of low-salt diets. In 2013 a task force of 12 professional medical, nursing and nutritional organizations assembled by the Pioneer Network published the “New Dining Practice Standards.” Their report concluded that low-salt diets were contributing to malnutrition and weight loss among a significant percentage of seniors in assisted living facilities. Lowsalt diets can also cause seniors to suffer from mild

hyponatremia, an electrolyte imbalance in the blood that can lead directly to walking impairment, attention deficits and a much higher frequency of falls.

Salt is the flavor of life, and this year we should all recognize its many benefits while we celebrate World Salt Awareness Week. To learn more visit www. worldsaltawarenessweek.org.—BPT

Entrepreneurs in Unexpected Places: How one Midwest city Promotes Diverse Local Innovation In September of 2017, thousands of people from around the world congregated in an unlikely place: Wausau, Wisconsin.

This diverse crowd was gathered for the first International Wisconsin Ginseng Festival. While many may be surprised that such an event would be held in the middle of Wisconsin’s rolling hills and scenic lakes, it is locally a $50 million industry with a long history. In the mid-1970s Hmong immigrants, primarily from Vietnam, brought their entrepreneurial skills and revitalized the local ginseng industry.

Welcomed by a friendly community that continues to foster an entrepreneurial spirit, Hsu’s Ginseng, now under the leadership of the original founder’s son Will Hsu, has grown to be the largest integrated ginseng growing and retailing operation in the U.S. Wausau’s industrious self-starters and newcomers grew a multimillion-dollar industry, and the region continues to incubate entrepreneurs across a diverse array of business sectors.

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Local innovation. Wausau, ranked recently by ZipRecruiter as a Top 10 Job Market for 2018, has a track record of successful public-private development partnerships and hosts a thriving incubator - the Wausau Entrepreneurial and Education Center - to help local entrepreneurs get started and help established businesses grow. For instance, Wausau-based Resilient Technologies, now a business of Bridgestone Americas, was approached by the U.S. government to develop puncture-resistant tires. In an effort to make military vehicles more safe, they used strong local manufacturing ties to develop a first-of-its-kind non-pneumatic tire in Wausau’s incubator. Bridgestone is now looking for ways to apply the technology to its consumer and commercial portfolio, and develop next-generation tires that offer extended mobility.

“A lot of people don’t know these types of projects are happening here, but the city of Wausau is a great Continued on page 18

Dominate Spring: Five Easy Steps to Wake up Your Lawn

There are a lot of things people miss during the winter - flip-flops, shorts and warm sunshine. But one of the things homeowners miss the most is the sight of green grass.

For months their lawns go into hibernation and disappear under a blanket of snow. Once the temperature starts to rise and the days start getting longer, many are eager to get outside and restore their lawns to their former glory.

But in order to get a lush green lawn that is the envy of your block, it’s crucial to get to work at the beginning of spring. The lawn experts at Lowe’s have shared five key steps you can take right now to ensure you have a beautiful and healthy yard all year long.

1. Tune up your equipment. Before you start work on your lawn, you want to make sure your mower is ready for the season. This means changing out the oil, tightening up any loose bolts or fasteners and starting the season with fresh spark plugs. You should also make sure the air filter is clean, and don’t forget to have your blade sharpened. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

2. Evaluate your lawn. Once all the snow has melted, set aside some time to walk over your lawn. Take note of any dead spots, snow mold or raw patches of earth that need reseeding. Bring a rake with you to clean up dead leaves or break up any thatched areas

that may have formed over the winter.

3. Take care of snow mold. If you find a spot of snow mold and other types of lawn fungus that are common in early spring, take a rake and gently break up the matted grass so it can dry. Oftentimes, this will be enough to dry out the mold and get the grass in the area growing again. However, depending on the extent of the damage, you might have to patch or reseed the area.

4. Reseed where needed. For the bare spots as well as areas of your lawn that are looking a little thin, overseeding is a great way to return it to its full, lush state. Spread grass seed over the area you want to patch, add some fertilizer and about a half inch of topsoil and gently rake the mixture in with the grass and soil. Thoroughly water these patches every day until the seeds begin to germinate.

5. Plant while it’s still cool. The cooler temperatures in spring are ideal for roots to take hold before the hot summer weather arrives. This is why spring is the best time to seed your lawn. Also, if you’ve been thinking of planting any shrubs or trees, you should do it before it gets too warm.

The smell of fresh-cut grass is almost upon us!

Lowe’s has all of the products and services you need to get your lawn ready for spring.—BPT

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Entreprenuers, continued from page 16 partner and the city provides our team with a wonderful place to call home,” says Louis Stark, operations manager, Resilient Technologies, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations.

The availability of an experienced workforce that can develop these specialized tires for the U.S. military is the same workforce that has made an impact on other areas of Wausau’s economy.

Entrepreneurial workforce. Sometimes entrepreneurial opportunities spring from unusual skills.

Some residents in Wausau have deep connections to artistic traditions, including sewing. Bob Jacquart, chief executive officer of Stormy Kromer, makers of iconic hats and rugged outerwear, says he now relies on the sewing skills of Wausau’s residents to create one of the Midwest’s most storied brands.

Stormy Kromer’s operations in Wausau have been successful, outpacing production in the company’s headquarters in Ironwood, Michigan.

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as skilled workers in Wausau,” says Jacquart. “Our business found exactly what it needed and the support from leaders was exceptional.”

Incubating community. The local economic conditions and support environment that allowed these Wausau-based companies to thrive are the very conditions that led Time Magazine to label Wausau a “middle-class paradise” last year.

A combination of affordability, welcoming atmosphere and economic diversity is attracting young people, new industries and incubating unlikely entrepreneurs. Aiming to make the most out of these trends, the city is responding in kind. New growth and development hit record levels in 2017 across diverse sectors of growing businesses in Wausau.

The city’s warm attitude toward entrepreneurs and diversity further complement its traditional economic base in metals manufacturing, building materials, insurance, informational technology and health care.

To learn more about how the city of Wausau is attracting entrepreneurs and gaining an international reputation, visit www.wausome.com.—BPT

Stemming the leak: 4 ways to Encourage STEM in your Middle Schooler

Even though many Americans understand the importance of STEM education, children in the U.S. continue to lose interest in science, technology, engineering and math subjects at young ages.

Not surprisingly, 44 percent of U.S. adults say they felt more excited about science when they were kids, reports the State of Science Index, a global study commissioned by 3M examining the general population’s attitudes toward science. Maintaining students’ interest in science during the middle school years is crucial to increasing the likelihood they’ll pursue STEM careers. That’s important, since studies show our nation will need to produce an additional one million STEM workers between 2012 and 2022 alone.

That said, we’re still not on track to meet demand, partly because students continue to lose interest.

What’s the answer? Creating a rich culture of STEM education in schools requires professional development, suggests Cindy Moss, vice president of global STEM initiatives for curriculum developer Discovery Education. She points to research showing teachers need 80 hours of cumulative targeted professional development before effectively teaching STEM-promoting classes.

“Many educators in our country believe we need to accelerate our approach to STEM education,” Moss says. “There are three to four million STEM job openings in the U.S. right now, and companies can’t

find American workers with the skills they need. Fifty percent of everybody’s jobs right now are STEM, and they’re predicting that in the next 10 years about 75 percent of all jobs will involve STEM.” What can parents and educators do to foster more interest? Consider the following: * Find role models. If a child doesn’t know anyone working in STEM, he or she may be unable to imagine a career in such roles. Introduce him or her to people actively working in such fields, then encourage discussion and/or job shadowing. Teachers might bring in speakers who can answer candid questions about the rewards and challenges in their fields - including significant demand and attractive pay scales. * Seek achievement opportunities. Introducing children to engaging events like the annual Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge may spark their sense of competition and passion for STEM. The annual contest, which is accepting submissions until April 19, invites innovators in grades five through eight to develop one- to two-minute videos describing their ideas for creative solutions to tackle everyday problems. The top 10 finalists receive a summer mentorship with a 3M scientist, and the winner will receive $25,000. Last year’s winner, Gitanjali Rao, developed a device that measures lead levels in drinking water, inspired by the recent water Continued on page 21 GetRuralLeaderMag.com | APRIL 2018 19

How to Be ‘money smart’ in a Digital World Modern digital technology has replaced landlines, television antennas, VCRs, CDs and many other things that were once part of our daily lives - and the next thing to go may well be cash.

A few years ago, the idea that we would no longer use cash would have seemed outlandish, but it’s happening right before our eyes. A 2016 Gallup poll found only 24 percent of Americans made all or most of their purchases with cash, compared to 36 percent five years ago. Plus, according to a recent U.S. Bank Cash Behavior Survey, more consumers say they prefer the use of digital apps to make payments versus cash.

Digital payments, specifically person-to-person (P2P) payment technologies, have made it fast, safe and convenient to send and receive money from a mobile device. Where once people exchanged cash, they are increasingly sending money to one another via P2P technology services like Zelle(R), which connects the nation’s leading financial institutions to enable consumers to send fast payments to friends, family and people they trust.

If you haven’t already joined the 100K consumers, on average a day, who are signing up to use P2P payments, the experts at Early Warning Services, the network operator of Zelle(R) - offer three ways to be 20 RuralLeaderMag.com | APRIL 2018

“Money Smart” in a Digital World: * Speed - When rent is due, or someone’s birthday is coming up, time and money are critical! Don’t send money that will take days to get to someone or could get lost/stolen at the post office. With Zelle you can safely send money, typically within minutes when both parties are already registered. * Simplicity - Using Zelle makes it easy to send money to friends and family with a bank account in the U.S. - whether you’re using your banking app on your phone or the online banking portal on your laptop, you can pay friends back or request money from family wherever you are and without ever looking for an ATM. * Safety - Make sure you only send money to people you know and trust, and make sure you type in their phone number or email address accurately when you send funds. By only sending money to people you’re already familiar with, you help to mitigate your chances of falling victim to scams.

Are the days of wrinkly dollar bills and trips to the ATM over? Maybe, maybe not - but as more people switch to mobile payments, the convenience, security and ease will revolutionize the way people exchange money.—BPT

Stemming the Leak, continued from page 19 crisis in Flint, Michigan. *Keep participating. Reducing involvement in your child’s daily academics once he or she enters middle school may backfire. One study shows middle schoolers maintain a more positive attitude toward science when their parents continue to display interest. The Rao family, for example, frequently visits museums and holds game nights focusing on problem solving. “We encourage our children to communicate their ideas clearly and concisely and understand real-world issues,” notes Bharathi Rao, Gitanjali’s mother. “We hope we can instill the value of compassion while helping them understand they have the power to create change.” * Discourage snap decisions. During adolescence, Moss notes, kids struggling to figure out who they are can easily form inaccurate perceptions of their academic weaknesses. Reassure your child one challenging assignment or bad grade need not rule out a future career. “Kids often make up their minds by

sixth grade whether they’re capable of doing science and math,” says Moss. “We have definitive evidence that by age 6, girls have already started to internalize negative stereotypes that science and math are not for girls.” In reality, she notes, understanding science and math simply requires more thinking for some people than others; it’s not a skill based on gender.

According to State of Science Index findings, 96 percent of U.S. parents want their kids to know more about science. It’s critical for us to maintain interest during the middle school years, and according to Moss it’s our responsibility to help children see the possibilities.

“Kids in fifth through eighth grade have a whole lot of empathy and really do want to make the world a better place,” she says. “They have the power, but we need to instill confidence and give them the tools and encouragement to pursue STEM.”—

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How Retailers can Build Trust and Relevance in Their Communities Over the past decade, technology has reshaped the retail industry in profound ways. Ninety-six percent of Americans are now shopping online, according to a recent study from CPC Strategy. Which means today’s business leaders face increasing pressure to keep retail spaces relevant and engaging for customers.

One solution to captivating today’s consumer is a simple one: Build meaningful connections with local communities, says Etienne Veber, president of Field Trip Factory, a firm that helps design, schedule and promote interactive learning experiences within retail environments.

“Technology provides greater convenience and lower prices,” Veber says, “but it is not a replacement for human interactions.”

The increasing lack of human connections in our daily lives represents a unique opportunity for retailers to thrive in today’s environment, he says, by identifying their core values and concerns, and then expressing them through meaningful learning experiences and a deeper sense of community.

“We learn by doing, and retail environments can be incredibly powerful as teaching platforms,” Veber says.

The value of purpose. When companies express a sense of purpose to their customers, it has a profound effect on the confidence in the brand. Eightyfive percent of companies with a strong sense of purpose say they are backed by their communities, because they are seen as “good and helpful corporate 22 RuralLeaderMag.com | APRIL 2018

citizens,” according to a survey by Deloitte.

Furthermore, 89 percent of firms with a purpose say clients and customers trust the quality of their products and services - versus the 66 percent of firms that do not have this sense of purpose.

As a way to demonstrate its commitment to its local communities, multi-format food retailer Giant Eagle, Inc. developed an interactive program that connects with local school children. “Be A Smart Shopper” helps young students and their families learn about making healthy food choices.

Over the years, it has been a very effective way for Giant Eagle’s retail Team Members to uphold the company’s common purpose to improve people’s everyday lives and well-being in a community-centered way, and so far more than 600,000 families have been reached across Pennsylvania and Ohio. Educators love the program because it supplements the classroom curriculum and gets their students really engaged. Ninety-five percent of them are planning to come back with their students next year!

“Our Be A Smart Shopper program is an important part of how we fulfill our commitments to education and health and wellness,” says Giant Eagle CEO Laura Karet. “Through the program, our retail Team Members are able to meaningfully impact how the children in our communities think about the foods they eat, and encourage involvement from the children in family meal planning.”

Expressing purpose in the retail space. A retailer can build trust and loyalty by expressing

their values in innovative ways. Their stores are more than places to shop. They can build opportunities right in the towns and cities in which they serve.

Host in-store classes and events: Business leaders, store managers and longtime employees, with their industry knowledge, are community gurus. With that mindset, what better way to connect with the community than to open the doors for an on-site event?

Things like hands-on demonstrations, seminars, consultations and even heading up an ongoing club are all engaging ways to share knowledge and help people solve their most common pain points.

Champion local causes: Transform company values and industry knowledge into a community asset, and direct resources to solve problems in the community. Reaching out to local nonprofits, being a major sponsor to make a local event even bigger and better, or paying employees for their time to volunteer are all ways a brand can build a meaningful community presence.

Find a partner: Most businesses do not have the in-house expertise to organize, plan and publicize in-house events and initiatives, which is why some turn to a trusted partner for expertise in that field.

For example, as Giant Eagle planned its Be A Smart Shopper Program, Field Trip Factory took the lead with the curriculum (with input from educators), and created the online tool that makes it easy for teachers to discover the program and sign up their class for an event. Each participating store can easily set its availability on the Field Trip Factory platform and these educational events take place without disrupting their day-to-day business activities.

Today’s retail climate is a uniquely challenging one, due to the rise in technology. To learn more about finding opportunities to engage with customers and communities, visit fieldtripfactory.com.— BPTs

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