The Lucky Cabin

It is exciting times to be involved in student leadership training!

Many schools around the workld are beginning to rethink both the way they train their student leaders and also how they harness the tremendous leadership potential of their students.

Recently, I have been involved in two very innovative training programs that are worth noting.

First, a secondary school and four of its feeder schools conducted a training program together over two days at the end of 2004 for one hundred of their student leaders. The program focused on developing essential elements such as presentations skills and teamwork skills, as well as helping students clarify their roles. Classroom teachers conducted the sessions and the local secondary school was used as a base. A further training day took place at the start of the year to give the students an opportunity to develop their roles even further.

This training model has a number of benefits. Not only does it provide terrific professional development opportunities for teachers, but also it helps ease the transition to secondary school for many students.

Another good training program was organised by the Heads of Independent Coeducational Schools in Australia. Over two hundred and twenty elected student leaders gathered for a day of leadership workshops conducted by their teachers. Working in groups the students had the opportunity to expand their horizons when they mixed with leaders from over twenty different schools. As well as honing their skills needed for their particular roles this group began to look at ways to take their leadership to another level by developing self-initiated projects.

The use of self-initiated projects is a great way to develop the leadership potential of motivated, community-minded students, which fits the profile of the majority of student leaders.

Some examples of self-initiated projects that some primary schools have developed:

1. A student-lead fund-raiser for the Tsunami disaster.

2. An awareness-raising debate about the environmental effects of pine trees following storms that resulted in many houses damaged by falling pine trees.

3. A monthly Tea, Tots n Talk session to enable parents of toddlers to meet and discuss parenting issues. Child minding and refreshments were organised by the leadership team.

4. A High Fly Club established where students organise a range of speakers to visit the school and speak to students during lunchtime.

Such projects require supervision and a level of teacher assistance if they are to be conducted well, however the feedback I am getting from schools is that students are proving themselves to be extremely capable project and people managers when given the chance.

For schools looking to extend the activities of their student leaders beyond simply fulfilling their roles, by taking on extra projects, the following tips may be useful:

1. Form a leadership team. It is essential for student leaders see themselves as part of a team rather than as just a house captain or SRC representative.

2. Challenge them to devise a project with a set timeframe. The best projects come from the students themselves however they may need some ideas. (For a list of 77 ideas for projects go to downloads on www.youngleadersprogram.com.au)

3. Alternatively, they can conduct a series of smaller projects in small teams. Some schools find breaking the leadership group into smaller teams is far more manageable.

4. Brainstorm activities then make up an action plan for students to follow. A sequenced action plan is essential to help them carry out the activities necessary to get their project happening.

5. Evaluate the effectiveness during the project and at the conclusion. Asking “what is working?” and “what do we need to improve upon?” are important questions for any project manager.

As schools look for new ways to develop student leadership potential the use of self-initiated projects is one way to make learning come alive for this capable, self-motivated cohort.

Michael Grose is the creator of the Young Leaders Program that is used extensively in Australia and Asia to train student leaders. To find out more about this program or how Michael can work with your school or district to promote student leadership visit http://www.youngleadersprogram.com.au

Carpet differences all originate from the multitude of different materials and techniques that are used in the manufacturing process like all the various constructions and fibres. For example a half moon rugs would have distinctly different qualities to a polyester carpet. The amount of time a carpet will last before it starts to look distinctly weathered depends on a variety of factors. It’s advisable to analyse the material the carpet is made from the weight of the fibres used as well as the density of the pile are all factors to be carefully considered when selecting a suitable location for a particular kind of carpet.

When the time comes for you to select a carpet for your living space its imperative that you select the right kind of carpet for the right location. The carpet manufacturing process has improved hugely since the early days in unison with technological advances - subsequently this has meant there have been significant improvements in fibre technology which has meant that that you will find it difficult to find any very low quality carpets these days. Even bottom of the rung basement bargain carpets are still much better to carpets which were manufactured a few decades ago. It would not be uncommon to see noticeably worn carpets in the majority of homes. There still are some differences between carpets people need to be aware of though, even though they are less pronounced.

More often than not carpets these days are manufactured from a whole host of new materials which were not around half a century ago like a new type of polyester which is much more durable than previous versions. The new type of polyester is called PET fibre and has fantastic properties which make it appear much more natural and give it the remarkable ability to resist stains much more effectively than other carpets. This makes them perfect for use in a school environment or indeed any environment where the carpet is likely to be exposed to a lot of wear and tear.

Of course other than the physical property of the fibres of the carpet there are other major things which need to be considered like the colour of the carpet and not least the price. This in combination with how durable the carpet is cover the main aspects of what you need to consider when you take the plunge into buying a new carpet for your home. Before improvements in technology allowed for higher grade fibre to be packed more densely together, carpets used to wear thin as they were frequently very thin and lightweight.

Having operated a successful Family Child Care in my home for over 10 years, I have had many opportunities to introduce various aspects of the Arts to young children. Being naturally musical myself, providing a musical curriculum to my kids was a simple and obvious way to enhance the daily activities of my child care and my own children as well.

Children respond to music at a very young age. Nearly everyone can remember their mother or grandmother singing nursery rhymes to them as little children. I have vivid memories of swinging outside and singing ‘Hey Diddle Diddle’ as loudly as I could just to hear the sound. With my own children I have always used music to calm and entertain them; singing softly to them in the rocker or energetically leading them in finger-plays and sing-a-longs. However you may choose to do it, singing or playing music with children gives them a beginnings of music appreciation, not to mention the special memories that are created.

My son is a wild and wholly two-year-old, and greatly affected by his environment and the sounds and sights he encounters. Getting out of control is very easy with this little boy, and it’s up to me to find ways of calming him down and quickly distracting him and hopefully changing his mood. Music affects a child’s mood, and quiet, comforting music can relax an anxious child. It’s amazing the way my son reacts to his special CDs that he knows and enjoys. Often he’ll just stop what he is doing and I’ll see him stand and look toward the stereo and just sway and sing to himself.

Children will naturally relate movement with music giving them the opportunity to explore their own creative expression. They love to act out movements to the songs such as moving around the room like different animals based on the type of sounds they hear. They can explore how their bodies move and their physical coordination begins to grow and develop as a result.

Music activities in group settings help children develop social and interactive skills by sharing the activity with the other children around them. They love to join hands and form circles while singing simple nursery rhymes and dancing around together. Friendships are made easily when children share musical activities and even the shyest child can join in and become part of the group.

Recommended Music for Young Children:

Sing Dance and Play - Genius Products

Baby’s First: Animal Songs - Various Artists)

Walt Disney Records : Children’s Favorite Songs, Vol. 1 :

Best of the IQ Builder [2001] - Bach

Children’s Songs [2001] - Genius Products

Sesame Street Platinum: All Time Favorites - Sesame Street

Baby’s First: Playtime Songs - Various Artists

Magic Mozart (Baby Genius Classical Series) - Mozart

Favorite Nursery Rhymes - Genius Products

Favorite Children’s Songs [Box] - Genius Products

Baby’s First: Nursery Rhymes - Various Artists

Toddler Favorites - Favorites Series

Night Night Classics - Ludwig van Beethoven

Sweet Dreams Lullabies [2001] - Genius Products

Introducing music to young children will provide them with a foundation to help develop language and listening skills, along with enhanced coordination and emotional development. Little children love to express themselves through music and given the opportunity, will reap the benefits of a lifetime of music appreciation.

About the Author: Sherry Frewerd is a Proud Work At Home Mother of 3 musical children. A Family Child Care Provider for 10 years, she also publishes several websites, specifically http://familyplayandlearn.com Family Play and Learn: Play and Learning Resources for Parents and Family Child Care Providers.

THE ULTIMATE PROM DRESS BUYING GUIDE

What exactly is Prom? The definition might vary depending on who you talk to. There is no official History of Prom, but there are many tales, beliefs and traditions surrounding the practice which can be shared.

For some prom is a night that girls prepare for their entire high school year, waiting for that special moment when they can shop for formal prom dresses and show off their gorgeous attire at the dance that honors their high school career.

Prom is a formal dance that can be held anywhere from a school gym to a fancy hotel. Usually a DJ is hired, and juniors and seniors are invited to spend the night dancing and celebrating (though many believe that prom night should be officially reserved for seniors).

Some girls have described their prom night as their chance to be Cinderella. This is due in part to the heavy emphasis that is placed on wearing elegant gowns and fancy hair.

Some will assert that prom is a celebration of the year and the moment marking a young adult’s transformation from high school to a life of adulthood.

Whether prom is a night to remember or just a dance, it does require a little preparation. One thing that is certain, choosing a prom gown requires a little thought and planning.

Buying Prom Dresses Online

Buying prom dresses online is one of the easiest and least time consuming ways to shop. It is also a lot of fun, because you get to check out hundreds more varieties than you would if you were shopping in a traditional store.

Online shopping also offers a wider variety of selections in one handy place. You can purchase cheap prom dresses, a designer prom dress, a discount prom dress, plus size prom dress and formal prom dresses easily just through the click of a button.

You can even shop for a designer prom dress or a discount prom dress in the same place! You can usually even find special occasion dresses (so you don’t need to shop for a graduation dress at a later date) at the same time you are shopping for prom dresses online, because they’re often sold together.

Whether you’re looking for cheap prom dresses or designer ones, there are several things you should keep in mind to ensure you pick the perfect gown.

Body Type

Body type is an important consideration when shopping for an online prom dress. In fact some might say that this is THE most important consideration when shopping. You definitely want to select a dress that matches your body type. Don’t pick a dress just because it looks good on the model displaying it on the net. Why? You probably have a different body type than she does. You should choose a gown that will play up your best features.

Consider your body. It is curvy? An hourglass shape often (characterized by a large bust, small waste and curvy hips) is one common body type. Maybe it’s boyish (straighter waist, narrow hips and smaller bust). Are you round all over? Perhaps you are pear shaped (larger on the bottom than on the top). Take a minute to check out your body and decide on the shape. Then you can choose a dress that will flatter it.

Here are some prom dress selections for different body types:

Hourglass - Hourglass figures are lucky, they usually look good in almost anything. Consider strapless or halter top dresses, those with sashes and cinched waists.

Straight - If you have a boyish figure, you’ll want to try avoiding body hugging dresses that might emphasize your squarer figure. Try an A-line dress that is slightly fitted which will help add volume and curves. Open shoulders are a good option. Consider a dress with a flared skirt.

Rounded - For rounder figured women there are many flattering dresses. Consider ones with a drop waist and low neckline. A low neckline helps enhance the bust and the drop waist lengthens your torso. An empire cut dress is also flattering because it lengthens the body and figure overall. You might try pairing this with a slightly flared skirt.

Pear Shaped - A-line dresses that are straight cut and empire waists are good selections for this body shape, because they lengthen the legs and torso, giving the appearance of balance and height.

Sizing

How do you know what size to buy? Size is actually a big problem for many women. The closer to your actual size you get the less likely you’ll need alterations. That said keep in mind that manufacturers sizes vary. You may be a size 10 normally, but that may be an 8 in some dresses and a 12 in others. So how do you know which to buy? Fortunately almost all dresses listed online will have a manufacturers sizing chart handy!! You can figure out your size by taking your bust, waist and hip measurements. Then match up your measurements with those on the chart and you’ll have your size!

What if the size you are doesn’t match the manufacturers chart? Let’s say your bust is a 38 which is a size 10 but your waist is equal to a size 6. Which do you buy? Always go with the measurement that is largest. It is easy to take away fabric when altering a dress, but not so easy to add on if you buy a size that is too small.

About The Author:
With more than 10 years professional experience, freelance writer Antigone Arthur has completed a number of informative articles providing valuable insight for consumers on such topics discount prom dresses, formal prom dresses, and plus size prom dresses.

Child anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental, emotional, and behavioral problems that commonly occur in both children and adolescents. The childhood anxiety disorder usually affects more girls than boys. Depression usually accompanies the childhood anxiety disorder in most of the children and adolescents.

Children with an anxiety disorder are usually so afraid, worried, or uneasy that they cannot function normally. Some anxiety disorders can last through out the life of the child and can greatly interfere in day to day work. There are various types of anxiety disorders which are commonly found in young children.

Anxiety disorders in children can range from a simple adjustment disorder to more difficult and debilitating disorders such as panic disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. If anxiety disorder in a child is not treated in the early stages, it can lead to missed school days or an inability to finish school, impaired relations with peers and low self-esteem.

Some of the types of anxiety disorders that can occur in a child include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and acute stress disorder. Some other types of anxiety disorder common in children include social phobia, specific phobia, adjustment disorder with anxiety, and anxiety disorder due to a general medical condition.

Anxiety is a subjective sense of worry, apprehension, fear, and distress which can occur in some strange situations that takes place occasionally. To know the symptoms of an anxiety disorder, it is important to distinguish between normal levels of anxiety and unhealthy or pathologic levels of anxiety. The symptoms of an anxiety disorder include physical sensations such as headache, nausea, and sweating and emotional sensations such as nervousness and fear.

Thinking ability, decision-making ability, perceptions of the environment, learning, and concentration of a child are baby affected in severe cases of anxiety disorders. An anxiety disorder can raise blood pressure and heart rate and also cause a multitude of bodily complaints, such as vomiting, stomach pain, ulcers, diarrhea, tingling, weakness, and shortness of breath.

For more information related to anxiety disorder in childrens, pls visit http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/childanxiety/symptoms-of-anxiety-disorders-in-children.html webpage for more details. Online version of the above article is located at http://www.natural-treatment-guide.com/childanxiety/childanxiety-intro.html

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More and more individuals are procuring real estate overseas as they view a lot of doubts in stocks and shares. Though not every investor has what it takes to acquire an overseas property, its still a good system of enhancing your cash. When buying a real estate in a different country, it’s vital to recognise where exactly to look. Individuals can obtain the needed money for European property from countries that offer property tax benefits.

Turkey is currently a terrific country to purchase. The chief reason for this is that (according to leading financial news) two-thousand & eight it is the 1st time in the last 10 years or more that property values have noise-dived. For example, prices of houses have gone down by twenty three percent in the previous quarter, and by thirty-one percent in the past 12 months. Thus with property in Europe prices falling and mortgages being more complex to get, instant cash buyers are getting pleasure from a win-win position.

Whether you are acquiring locally or abroad, time is of the essence. Just like buying stocks and other types of assets, you should know when the property abroad can actually be bought. This is important since the more time it takes to get; the more and more likely it will be that the fee of maintenance, expansions & repairs will grow. If you are looking for a great investment then why not take a look at property for sale in France.

In leasing investment property, you must have a first-rate credit level. This way, there is a good possibility of getting lenders to grant loans to buy the overseas property. Furthermore with first-class credit position, there is the likelihood that the interest rate will likely be lower.

Purchasing foreign property has the possibility to be a tremendous choice as an investment. What you are suggested to do is to make a plan starting with time frames & a strong credit position. With the whole lot in place, you ought to be able to buy the investment you would like.

When planning your baby nursery, deciding on paint colors and then preparing and painting the walls is a major part of the design process. You will want to choose paint colors that go well with the theme or design scheme that you have decided on for your baby’s nursery. The best way to do this is to take a piece of the nursery bedding to the paint store with you to pick out paint samples. You may want to bring home the samples you choose to see how they look in the room. Sometimes the room’s lighting will affect how the colors look, so doing this may save you the trouble of repainting the room if you are unhappy with the results.

If time allows, it is best to paint the nursery at least a month or two before the baby is expected. This allows time for the room to air out. You may also want to consider choosing paint that has no or low VOCs (volatile organic chemicals). These types of paints may cost more but it is worth the additional cost since they will omit little or no fumes unlike normal paints.

If you want to get creative when painting the walls, you can try faux painting techniques such as sponging and ragging. Another idea is to stencil designs on to the walls that match the theme you have picked for the room. If you have an ocean theme, fish stenciled on the wall would look really cute. You can buy all the supplies you would need for stenciling or faux painting at your local home improvement or paint supply store.

Of course, you are not limited to paint when deciding what to do with the baby nursery’s walls. Wallpapers, wallpaper borders, and murals are all great options for the nursery walls. Wallpaper and border can sometimes be found to coordinate with your chosen nursery theme. Sports, airplane, nautical, animals, Precious Moments, and Winnie the Pooh are just a few of the themes that you should easily be able to locate wallpaper or borders for.

If you want to go with a wall mural for your baby nursery, there are several routes you can take. You can purchase a mural that can be put on the wall the same way wallpaper is. You just assemble the mural piece by piece like applying wallpaper. Another option available is paint by number mural kits that you paint on yourself. If you don’t want a mural that covers the whole wall, peel and stick decals are a great option. You can often find them to match many nursery themes. The last option is to have a muralist paint the mural. This can be quite pricey though unless you or someone you know is a gifted artist and able to do it.

Whatever you decide to do with your baby room walls, remember to take into consideration what you plan to do with the rest of the room’s décor. Having walls that complement the room’s theme and design will bring the whole room together.

Hordes of gaming buffs will have learned of the caption “offshore sports betting” in recent months, though some might not be wholly sure what it suggests. A foreign gambling web site inherently works external to the legal power of any single nation or alternatively it can also mean an world wide web based sports betting site which places their master computer inside the boundaries of a state in which internet based sports betting is not currently proscribed. Succinctly therefore, it’s a gambling administration operative extraneous to the area of the bettor. Internet gaming internet sites are by and large modulated via three organizations. They are OSGA (the Offshore Gaming Association), the IGC (Interactive Gaming Council) and the Fidelity Trust Gaming Association (the FTGA).

The OSGA is an autonomous authority which oversees the current offshore sports betting business, they intend to provide betting fans an avenue to discover dependable businesses to play games of destiny with. It tries to champion wagering fan’s rights, and also they don’t charge any joining or annual expenses.

The association are a well-qualified and neutral third party agency who manifest nonpartisan points of view, indicated by your comments, nonpartisan research, phone chats, inside information and additionally dispenses industry information.

The IGC is a non-profit-making administration. The council has been designed to allow a forum for curious individuals to address problems also to progress shared worries in the multinational interactive gaming industry, to ensure reasonable and level headed professional protocols and methods that enhance client certainty in world wide web based sports betting products and utilities, and in addition to work as the industry’s global procedure consultant and it acts as a data base.

The Interactive Gaming Council have worked up a regard for advancing honesty, fairness also sincerity thanks to its scrupulous integrity standards, and in addition its allure for honorable businesses. The IGC monitors offshore gambling through using a unique 10-step working process and in addition bills gaming business concerns a payment for featuring their logo. Unhappy gamblers may, should they demand to, disclose their disagreements to the Interactive Gaming Council.

The FTGA was founded in an attempt to create a benchmark to reform the criteria of on-line sports betting sites. The Interactive Gaming Council believe that carrying on business with enterprises of honorable standing, they are able to hammer out an alliance of the most ethical and professional offshore betting companies in the world at large.

So, there are agencies that oversee the behavior of internet sports betting and which should through time serve to ease any insecurities felt by cynics. Online gaming websites are now actually dependable, beacuse personal data are no longer needed and the rewards and the odds should be exactly as uniform and reasonable as in your familiar Vegas-type stake. These internet sites eliminate traveling time, but nevertheless maintain the underlying atmosphere, but now you are enabled to bet at your own pace.

best online betting sports

When 13-year-old Bill Lefakinis first visited the famed yacht Christina O in 1959 on the Hudson River in New York City, little did he realize that a 45 year old bond was about to start with the legendary vessel.

Lefakinis, chairman of Valef Yachts, had an opportunity to visit the now-famous Aristotle Onassis yacht due to a family invitation extended to Spyros Skouras, by the owner. Skouras, chairman of 20th Century Fox, was invited to the yacht, with Winston Churchill and Maria Callas in attendance. This was heady stuff for a young lad, but it also instilled in Lefakinis a love of yachts in general and yachting in particular.

As a result, the Lefakinis love of yachting has led to his stewardship of a yacht chartering business, Valef Yachts.

He fondly relates how Valef Yachts and the Christina O share a joint tradition and history that is remarkable. The “M/Y Christina O” story actually originated in 1943 in Canada. Back then, the ship was known as the frigate Stormont, a convoy escort. Aristotle Onassis bought it in 1954, turning the frigate into the history’s most famous yacht. The Onassis concept for “Christina O” was to convert the vessel into a powerful symbol of his business empire with unique and total elegance.

Onassis’ guests on board “Christina O” were truly the world’s most famous, powerful and influential people of the time, including Sir Winston Churchill, The Aga Khan, King Farouk, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Eva Peron, Greta Garbo and countless other famous personalities. “Christina O” was also the scene of the world’s most celebrated love affair when Onassis courted Jackie Kennedy. Three years after Onassis’ death, his daughter Christina, the yacht’s namesake, donated the yacht to the Greek Government for the President to entertain visiting Heads of State. Unfortunately, the Christina O was used less often and eventually went through a long period of neglect.

Then in 1998, she was purchased by a family friend of Onassis who spent over 60 million dollars to bring it back to the original Onassis’ condition. Ironically, Bill Lefakinis and has now come full circle with the Christina O.

What’s next for Bill Lefakinis? The tireless and dynamic yacht chartering entrepreneur was very active with the 2004 Olympics in Greece and enjoyed the opportunity to showcase the Greek Islands as one of the world’s truly unique yacht charter destinations.

Geoff Caplan operates http://geoff-caplan.com and is a professional online marketing consultant and copywriter with eleven years of continuous experience. His diversified background includes search engine marketing, e-commerce strategy and online public relations. He has lectured extensively on subjects related to online marketing and has worked for some of the Web’s highest traffic brands, including eDiets and myTravelUSA.

The chances of scooping up the Euro Lottery jackpot is a remote 1 : seventy six million but the chances of acquiring a cash prize is a fairly decent 1 in twenty-four. If the jackpot is not won on a given lottery draw, it is carried over to the following lottery draw that will result in an ever increasing jack-pot value. Recent rules brought in on the 09.02.2007 limit the number of consecutive roll-overs to eleven, with the jack-pot rolled down to lower value levels in the 11th draw if the prize is not collected.

The Euromillions lottery or the Euro Lottery, as it’s commonly recognized, pools the lottery ticket revenues of the 9 partaking Euro countries delivering a sizeable Euromillions jack-pot. With the amount of countries joining the EU on the increase, this will without question will lead to more countries participating in the European lotto. A growth in the amount of people partaking in the Euro Lottery will lead to a prolonged growth of the already tremendous EURO MILLIONS jackpots.

The recent rules also initiated Euro Lotto Super Draw which come about twice yearly plus they offer jack-pots in the region of 100 million pounds. The difference with Super-Draws is that the jack-pot has to be collected during the week of the draw; as a result, if there is no lotto ticket matching, all the numbers drawn and top prize will be allotted to the lotto ticket bearer(s) on the succeeding winning prize level.

Each and every player has to choose five main numbers from one to fifty and two Lucky Star numbers from 1 to 9. During the Euromillions draw 5 main and 2 lucky-star numbers are then selected at random from two lottery draw machines containing numbered lottery balls.