The circus saved Ildiko Trien’s life. As a child in Soviet-era Romania, Trien lived in the shadow of fear. Her father had been imprisoned in the gulags, forced labor camps during Stalin’s “reign of terror” that were notorious for their brutality. Her family lost their home and any sense of stability, left to navigate a…

Braden River Middle School students had the opportunity April 7-9 to trade classroom coursework for a real world civics experience as they traveled to Tallahassee. From hearing the echoes of legislators’ voices inside the State Capitol to sitting in the seats of senators, their lessons were vivid. Jacqueline Llamas and Michele McClellan teach civics at…

I have to admit, I was eager to join the vampires in a jig when they started hitting the ‘Rocky Road to Dublin’, and I was tapping my feet to the other rebel songs that he put into the spotlight. It turns out, Coogler is a big fan of these tunes and had some great…

In a world where textbook-worthy events are unfolding in real time, my generation, Gen Z, is failing to learn about or engage with them. Weakened by education gaps lingering from pandemic education and social media overuse, our attention spans and subconscious biases conspire to block real and necessary knowledge from penetrating. And when it comes…

I have been a writer for over 25 years. During this time, I’ve been a writer, editor and copyeditor. I’ve written articles, books and curriculum. I’ve worked behind the scenes to help others strengthen their writing and get their messages out. I love writing, and I love helping others write effectively. I’ve recently had several…

Peter Cattaneo’s film “The Penguin Lessons” — based on Tom Michell’s 2015 memoir of the same name — portrays a heartwarming narrative of a man and his penguin. But the film fails to do justice to the violent events of its political backdrop: Argentina’s Dirty War. The movie begins as Michell (Steve Coogan), an English teacher, arrives…

Reducing peoples from the past to simple caricatures won’t help us answer the hard questions. (Matt Kennedy | Netflix) Kim Coates, center, portrays Brigham Young in an episode of “American Primeval.” By Janiece Johnson | Special to The Tribune | Feb. 16, 2025, 1:00 p.m. Heroes are in short supply in the Western hellscape painted…

No-one does mild-mannered, gently acerbic cinema for the matinee crowd quite like the British, and the new Steve Coogan movie, The Penguin Lessons, is a no exception. Based on an unusual real-life story, it’s a shamelessly corny heart-warmer, despite its outwardly grumpy protagonist and veneer of political engagement. Fast Facts about The Penguin Lessons What:…

It’s the most popular movie in America, and especially this time of year. And one man has the inside scoop. “I finally decided last year that I had to use all of the great material I learned from the screenwriter and tell the real story of the movie. Fans of A Christmas Story will be…

There have been umpteen books on leadership across all levels, yet the ones that do stand out are those grounded in the real world and deeply relatable, entwined with personal experiences and lessons. One such book is Building Blocks: Lessons on Leadership I’ve Learnt on My Journey by Sriprakash Nadadhur Sridharan. While his name may…