Stuff YOU Should Know
National Parks Service Adds New Underground Railroad Sites In 1998, Congress passed legislation that created the National Parks Service’s Network to Freedom program. This is a system of 700 historic sites in 39 states and Washington, D.C., that commemorates the freedom seekers and allies who were part of the Underground Railroad. In March 2022, the […]
Rebuilding Notre Dame
A team of designers is turning to their history books to figure out the best way to rebuild the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. The building caught fire in 2019. A French group called Carpenters Without Borders has argued that the medieval cathedral should be repaired and restored using medieval materials and […]
YOU DECIDE: Should Ohio Postpone its Primary Elections?
Every ten years, state legislatures must evaluate the census population data to see if their state’s congressional district maps must be changed. Information about population growth and loss comes directly from the Census. If the population increases or decreases enough to change the number of congressional members assigned to each state, the districts must be […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Winds of Change Depending on where you live or travel in the United States, you’ve probably seen tall, windmill-like structures dotting the horizon. These wind turbines use the wind’s renewable energy to generate electricity. But how much energy do they actually produce? In general, natural gas is still the number-one source of electricity generation in […]
Earth Day 2022: Invest in Our Planet
April 22, 2022, is the forty-second worldwide observance of Earth Day. This year’s theme is Invest in Our Planet, which encourages business, government, and individuals to work together to combat climate change. Do you know how Earth Day started? Do you know how you can participate in this year’s observance? Here, btw takes a closer […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Judge Jackson Confirmed to Supreme Court On April 7, 2022, the Senate voted to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. Three Republicans and all of the Senate Democrats voted to accept Jackson’s appointment. The announcement of her confirmation was met with applause in the Senate chamber. Judge Jackson is the first […]
NFL to Hire More Diverse Coaches
Lately, more and more attention has been paid to achieving equity in women’s and men’s sports. In February 2022, the U.S. national women’s soccer team settled their equal pay lawsuit and received $22 million in back pay. In March 2022, the antiperspirant company Degree launched a nationwide promotion to encourage awareness of the NCAA Women’s […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Kere Wins Architecture’s Highest Prize Have you ever heard of the Pritzker Prize? It’s the highest award in all of architecture–in fact, many people call it the “Nobel Prize” of architecture. It honors a living architect for significant achievement, and it carries with it an award of $100,000 and a bronze medallion. This year, the […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Actor Makes History at Oscars On Sunday night March 27, 2022, Troy Kotsur won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work on the film CODA. Kotsur is the second deaf actor to receive an Oscar for acting. Marlee Matlin first achieved this in 1986 when she won for her performance in Children […]
Remembering Madeleine Albright
Dr. Madeleine Albright, the first female U.S. Secretary of State, passed away from cancer on March 23, 2022, in Washington, D.C. She was 84 years old. Here, btw reflects on Albright’s incredible life and legacy. Albright’s Early Life and Early Career Madeleine Albright was born Marie Jana Korbelova in Czechoslovakia in May 1937. She was […]