Seven-year-old Ben O’Reilly is deaf and has other special needs. His aide said he felt isolated at school until an act of kindness from his fellow classmates started a wave. Steve Hartman has the story in “On the Road.”.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/deaf-student-alone-until-school-stepped-up-special-way/
Category Archives: education
Chicago medical school students learn where they’re headed next on Match Day
**Aspiring Doctors Celebrate Match Day, Unveiling Their Residency Futures**
CHICAGO (WLS) — It’s a day aspiring doctors wait years for: Match Day. On Friday, envelopes held their futures, revealing where graduating medical students will train as residents for the next three to seven years of their lives.
Match Day happens simultaneously at medical schools across the country, and locally, students from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and the University of Illinois Chicago discovered their residency placements.
Nearly 200 students from Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine also found out which residency programs they will join in their chosen specialties, with balloons dropping to mark the exciting moment.
“It’s a dream I had my whole life. So, this is kind of crazy; it’s happening. I get to have my whole life chosen for me,” said Lauryn Pausley, who matched at the University of Illinois Chicago.
Pausing to take in the excitement, Lizzy Tutu shared, “I’m going to Cook County, the county, I’m very excited — family medicine all the way.” She matched at Cook County Health.
The energy in the room was palpable, heightened by the inspiring presence of many first-generation medical students.
“For me, it started when I was a little girl. I always knew I wanted to be a doctor,” said Lauryn Pausley, who matched in internal medicine. As the first doctor in her family, this achievement is especially significant.
“It feels empowering, especially in the world we’re in, especially as a Black woman, going to be a Black doctor, for our health and for our community. We are incredibly proud of her,” said Leslie Walker, Lauryn’s mother.
Another inspiring story comes from Alexis Hernandez, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) student who matched at Boston Medical Center. Born in Mexico and a first-generation college and medical student, Hernandez is eager to make his two daughters—and a third child on the way—proud.
“I want to provide a life for them different than what I or my wife ever had,” Hernandez said. Originally from the East Coast, he is ecstatic to have matched in Boston, where he will soon work in one of the busiest emergency rooms in the country.
“It’s life-changing for all of us. My parents came here when I was 5 years old, growing up with Deferred Action. Going to medical school, it’s been rough. But I think it’s allowed me to relate to my patients in a way that many other people can’t. So, I think emergency medicine is perfect, where I can actually treat my patients how I wish I was treated when I was going through all this,” Hernandez added.
After years of hard work and dedication, Match Day marks the beginning of the next chapter as these students become physicians.
“This is a culmination of all of that. That’s what this energy is—the energy with their village: mom and dad, siblings, significant others. We’re celebrating all of this. All those years come to this,” said James Mendez, senior associate dean of Student Affairs at Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine.
“No matter what comes in life, you can do it. Yeah, a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of crying, stressing out for four years, but it’s worth it in the end,” Hernandez said.
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*ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click [here](#) to watch.*
https://abc7chicago.com/post/med-school-students-learn-2026-match-day-results-uic-northwestern/18742634/
Mitch Albom’s Haiti orphanage, a small oasis for children inside a gang-controlled city
In Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s gang-controlled capital, there is an orphanage dedicated to taking in the most at-risk children.
This vital sanctuary is run by bestselling author Mitch Albom and his wife, Janine. Their work provides hope and safety for vulnerable kids in an incredibly challenging environment.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/mitch-albom-haiti-orphanage-60-minutes-video-2026-03-15/
Court clears way for Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments in classrooms
A federal appeals court has cleared the way for a Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms.
CBS News national reporter Kati Weis has the details.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/court-clears-way-louisiana-law-ten-commandments-classrooms/
CBS’s Bari Weiss pulls out of UCLA lecture
UCLA has canceled an upcoming lecture featuring CBS News chief Bari Weiss. Weiss was scheduled to give the annual Daniel Pearl Memorial lecture on Feb. 27, about “The Future of Journalism.” But according to the university, the program will not move forward as scheduled, after Weiss’ team withdrew from the event. A source familiar with the UCLA program said the lecture was canceled due to security concerns from Weiss, despite the public university offering to obtain additional security for the event, the source said. The Daniel Pearl Memorial lecture series honors the late journalist and is considered the capstone of the university’s Burkle Center for International Relations. Previous speakers include journalists Jake Tapper, Anderson Cooper and Bob Woodward. According to the source, several employees at both the Burkle Center and the International Institute expressed opposition to Weiss speaking on campus. The university was also expecting a large number of students to protest the event. Neither Weiss nor CBS immediately responded to a request for comment. Weiss founded the media company, The Free Press, which was purchased in October by Paramount, CBS’ parent company. Following the $150 million purchase, Weiss was installed as editor-in-chief of CBS News. Two months after taking on the new role, Weiss made the widely panned decision to pull a “60 Minutes” episode that examined the alleged abuse of deportees sent from the U. S. to an El Salvador prison. The decision earned Weiss heavy criticism and accusations that the move was politically motivated.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2026-02-18/cbss-bari-weiss-pulls-out-of-ucla-lecture
YOU make the difference in the annual Catholic Appeal
“This annual effort puts faith into action by supporting all the parishes, schools, and communities all across our state and beyond,” he wrote.
Jacqueline LaPan Edgerton is executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation of South Carolina and the acting head of the Office of Stewardship and Mission Advancement, which spearheads the appeal. She explained that CASC “provides financial support for ministry and outreach support programs throughout the state.”
“We cannot know who Jesus Christ is, or follow his way, or discern his will if we are not well-versed in the Scriptures that contain the prophecies and promises of his arrival,” Bishop Fabre said in his pastoral letter. “Our parishes should be vibrant places where the Word of God is regularly read and studied,” the bishop wrote.
Knowledge of God and his creations is at the root of Catholic beliefs: to know, love, and serve Jesus is paramount to fostering a holy and productive relationship with our brothers and sisters. In giving of ourselves, we come to know the God who came to save us.
We are further encouraged to invite others, including friends and family, to join in and share our faith through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) and help them prepare for reception into the Catholic faith.
Retreats, speaking events, and other diocesan programs further encourage learning and living the Gospel, alongside CASC giving to programs and ministries that help further the faith through good works.
All of these initiatives are encapsulated in the three overarching projects of the appeal: Givers of His Love, Teachers of His Children, and Servants of His People (see sidebar).
### This Year’s Goal: $5.5 Million
The goal for CASC this year is raised to $5.5 million, a 10% increase over the past several years. A number of factors led to the need to increase the goal, including the growth of parish communities, an increase in the number of seminarians under formation, and continued expansion of diocesan ministries and programs.
The diocese consists of about 250,000 Catholics in nearly 100,000 households. It is served by 113 diocesan, 46 religious, and 22 missionary priests in 96 parishes and 20 missions. There are also 32 diocesan schools, 16 campus ministries, and 85 youth ministry programs across the state, plus eight offices for Catholic Charities of South Carolina.
The Diocese of Charleston is unique in that it encompasses an entire state.
“As we continue to welcome so many new seminarians, open the doors of Catholic education to more families, and expand our ministerial outreach across the state, the need for your support has never been greater,” the bishop wrote.
### Supporting Catholic Education
Shaileen Riginos, associate superintendent for the Office of Catholic Schools, expressed gratitude for the support received from CASC.
“The Catholic Appeal of S.C. has a profound impact on Catholic education throughout our diocese, strengthening our ability to form young disciples of Christ,” Riginos said.
“Through tuition assistance, the appeal enables Catholic families to provide their children with a faith-centered education rooted in Gospel values. Additionally, the appeal empowers our schools to address critical needs from science labs and facility upgrades to curriculum resources and technology, allowing each school to fulfill its strategic mission in service to its unique community.”
By answering Christ’s call to carry forth his mission and be good stewards, supporters of the Catholic Appeal of South Carolina are lighting the way for our Church to remain ever-present across the Palmetto State.
As we read in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.”
“I am overjoyed with the success of last year’s Catholic Appeal of South Carolina, and I am encouraged to see that there are so many families that are on fire with zeal for the Catholic faith,” Bishop Fabre said.
“Our diocese is experiencing exponential growth in our vocations, in building Catholic schools, and in our visible presence in society. Please join together to continue what the great saints have dedicated their lives to building. God bless you and thank you for your participation in this year’s appeal.”
Every gift makes a difference. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of others and in our Church family.
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## GOALS OF OUR APPEAL
### GIVERS OF HIS LOVE
This facet includes Multi-Ethnic Ministries, catechetical and evangelization programs, communications, Youth and Child Protection Services, and Family Life ministries, along with parish outreach programs that focus on the homeless and those experiencing food insecurity.
### TEACHERS OF HIS CHILDREN
CASC supports increased access to affordable, Christ-centered education through grants to Catholic schools and tuition assistance. The appeal also dedicates funds to over 20 college campus ministries across South Carolina, as well as FOCUS missionaries, chaplains, and campus ministers.
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## GIVING OPTIONS
– A one-time gift
– A pledge payable over 10 months
– An automatically recurring gift that continues until you elect otherwise
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## DONATE
Visit [charlestondiocese.org/catholic-appeal](https://charlestondiocese.org/catholic-appeal) or fill out the envelope in your parish pew.
Thank you for your generosity and commitment to the Catholic Appeal of South Carolina!
https://themiscellany.org/you-make-difference-annual-catholic-appeal
Body of missing CPS teacher recovered from Lake Michigan
The body of a Chicago Public Schools teacher who had been missing for more than a week was pulled from Lake Michigan on Monday, authorities confirmed.
Police recovered the body of a woman from the water in the 3100 block of South Lake Shore Drive on Chicago’s South Side just before noon, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and school officials. The woman, identified as 53-year-old Linda Brown, was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:53 p.m.
Brown was a special education teacher at Robert Healy Elementary School in Bridgeport. She had been missing since January 3, Chicago police said. Since her disappearance, family and friends had issued public pleas for her safe return and organized their own search efforts, according to multiple reports.
In the initial missing persons alert, police stated that Brown was last seen near the 4500 block of South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Days later, the alert was updated to say she was sighted in the 3500 block of South Lake Park Avenue, approximately half a mile from where her body was ultimately found.
Police noted Brown may have been in need of immediate medical attention at the time. On Monday, they updated the alert again to confirm that Brown had been located but did not provide additional details.
Robert Healy Elementary Principal Erin Kamradt informed the school community of Brown’s passing in an email. “Our thoughts are with her family during this difficult time,” Kamradt wrote. “We know that this loss will raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school, especially our students.”
The school is collaborating with the Chicago Public Schools crisis management unit to offer grief counseling and support to students and staff. Additionally, the campus’ school-based mental health professionals will be available for students needing ongoing assistance.
“We are deeply saddened by this loss,” Kamradt said. “We will do everything we can to help our school community heal.”
Attempts to reach Brown’s family were unsuccessful as of the time of the report. An autopsy has been scheduled for Tuesday.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/missing-cps-teacher-lake-michigan/
Australia’s top universities say Horizon association is ‘a strategic necessity’
Despite the EU being Australia’s largest foreign research funder, granting €1. 8 billion between 2015 and 2024, the country has never been an associate member of Europe’s Framework Programmes for research and innovation. That could change if exploratory talks launched in September bear fruit. The prize for Australia’s universities was spelled out in a Horizon Europe Capability Statement released on.
https://sciencebusiness.net/news/r-d-funding/international-news/australias-top-universities-say-horizon-association-strategic-necessity
AI code means more critical thinking, not less
Secure Code Warrior empowers development teams by enhancing their skills to protect companies against potential cybersecurity threats.
By upskilling developers, organizations can build more secure software and reduce vulnerabilities from the ground up.
Connect with Matias on LinkedIn to learn more about how Secure Code Warrior can help your team stay protected in today’s evolving cybersecurity landscape.
https://stackoverflow.blog/2025/11/11/ai-code-means-more-critical-thinking-not-less/
Nurses at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital take young patients trick-or-treating
The Halloween spirit was thriving at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Southwest Miami-Dade.
The hospital’s nurses and young patients enjoyed a fun-filled day of dressing up, embracing the festive atmosphere together.
From colorful costumes to cheerful decorations, the celebration brought smiles and laughter throughout the hospital, creating memorable moments for everyone involved.
https://wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/nurses-at-nicklaus-childrens-hospital-take-young-patients-trick-or-treating/