Pros

1. Resume – If there’s a certain skill or asset that you want to brush up on, you can look for a volunteer opportunity that has the skill or asset to help you. Your resume will look good if you have that extra experience and skills.
2. Make a Difference – What better way but to help an organization that needs help? 
3. Networking – If you spend enough time with the organization, you can network with other people within the organization and see if you can get either a paid position or new volunteer work you might like. 
4. Social Media – If you have like LinkedIn, the organization or people you work with may leave you a good review, and other people will see how hard a worker you are. 

Cons

1. Boredom – The work may not involve enough tasks, and it could lead to boredom and nothing to do.
2. Skills – The skills that you’re learning in your volunteer work may not help later on.
3. Time Consuming – Your volunteer work could be time consuming and may not be interesting to you.
4. Teamwork – If you’re working with a team in your volunteer work, you may find that not everyone is interested in the work.

It really depends on what volunteering work you’ll be doing and if it will help you with your work in the future or even with your resume. However, if neither of those things apply to you, it could be that you’re volunteering just for fun and to have whatever experience you may want. Besides volunteering on-site, you can also volunteer virtually. You can go to VolunteerMatch and find what organizations may need help.

There are a lot of benefits to volunteering if you’re planning to do it, but there are also some downsides. I’ve volunteered at a few organizations prior to NHEG and NHEG has helped me the most. I’m not working on-site, but I am helping virtually in whatever way I can. 

Websites Used:

• NHEG
• VolunteerMatch
• 6 Benefits of Community Service 
• Working and Volunteering: Pros and Cons
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Volunteering

The post Is Volunteering Worth The Time? first appeared on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post Is Volunteering Worth The Time? appeared first on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

Homeschooling is starting for many places during the Covid-19 pandemic. The kids probably have a Nintendo Switch; are you worried that they’ll be playing and not learning? Well, there are some video games that can help kids learn by having fun throughout the pandemic and homeschooling. Here are a few: 

1. MathLand – This is a game for kids and adults in which you’ll learn easy math, all the way up to solving complex problems. There are a lot of levels to choose from, and MathLand is inexpensive for someone who is saving money.
2. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training – There’s math, puzzle, word scramble, reading, etc. Anyone could play this game as Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training tests your skills and challenges your brain. The game is a bit pricey, but it has a lot more to do than MathLand.
3. Hiragana Pixel Party – This is an enjoyable game if your kids like to learn Japanese hiragana. It only involves learning Japanese (nothing else) and doesn’t teach the user words or phrases, just the characters and saying them out loud. 
4. Snipperclips – It has shapes and encourages solving puzzles through imagination. It’s one of the best puzzle games, and it has different levels for kids to solve. 
5. Layton’s Mystery Journey – This is more for the older kids who play the Nintendo Switch. Hence the title – you have to solve a mystery and use critical thinking to figure out what to do. It’s a long game but quite fun if you like solving mysteries. It’s the same price as Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training, but worth it as it also has DLC, which is another add-on. 
6. Calculation Castle – The game isn’t pricey, and kids will learn easy to hard math addition on the Switch. It looks like a fun game for kids and has different levels for entertainment and learning. 

Nowadays families are homeschooling their kids because of the pandemic, and a lot of schools are heading into virtual. The Nintendo Switch is a fun console with plenty of games, and there are games to teach kids whether they are young or older. If you’re homeschooling your kids, the Nintendo Switch is a way to take a break for at least an hour and then go back into homeschooling. There are parental controls so a parent can adjust the Nintendo Switch to his/her liking. 

The games aren’t too pricey and affordable if you’re looking for a particular game. Not all the games have more than 1-player playable, it’s mostly for just 1-player with the learning games. The games could last quite long and could be used as a learning tool during homeschool at this time. The Nintendo Switch is a distraction, but with the right games, you can have fun with it and not care about what’s going on. 

There’s the original Nintendo Switch or the Nintendo Switch Lite version. Check out which console you want and see what’s the appropriate one for the kids to be learning and to have fun later on. Enjoy the Nintendo Switch while homeschooling, practically almost everyone has it nowadays. 

Websites Used: 

Code With Mike

Nintendo Switch

The post Nintendo Switch Games For Learning first appeared on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post Nintendo Switch Games For Learning appeared first on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

• Culture

tar Trek is technically about living in space and meeting new civilizations “to seek out new life and civilizations” (James T. Kirk). The characters encounter different cultures, and even before landing on their planet, they have to learn what the customs are. For instance:

• Greetings – hand salute (Vulcuns, humans)
• Language – Kardasi, English, Klingon
• Race – Cardassian, Humans, Bajorans, Klingons

Just like in the show, in real life we have different cultures that we have to abide by. In school, we will learn the basic language, like Spanish, Chinese, or Japanese. We even learn the basic greetings: buenos dias (Spanish), Nihao (Chinese), konnichiwa (Japanese). Lastly, we learn about the foods, history, etc. of the people who speak Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese. 

The episodes that teach about culture will sometimes let the viewers see how to meet and greet someone they don’t know for the first time.

1. Education

Besides culture, there are even some real-life topics on the TV series that kids could learn about if they watch enough Star Trek episodes: 

• Military time
• Military ranks
• History/Astronomy

On Star Trek, the time is stated in military time. Someone might say 0900 hours, which means 9:00am. It took me a while to understand the military time as I was also a kid while watching the show, and even to this day I sometimes make mistakes. However, if you’re interested in military topics, this is something worth learning as it coincides with real life.

The military ranks in Star Trek are different from real life, of course, but kids could understand the concepts—for example, what’s the highest rank in Star Trek—and they might even ask, what the highest rank is in the army in real life. 

Lastly, history and astronomy! Not a lot of kids like learning history or astronomy. However, if they see an episode of Star Trek that involves history, astronomy and the past, classes may become interesting to them. 

Who doesn’t like to learn about Amelia Earheart? Or who doesn’t like knowing about the history of space? We learn a lot about the planets above us; Star Trek might be able to get the kids into this topic as well. 

Star Trek is an interesting sci-fi show that has a lot of themes besides being educational. There are different cultures and subjects kids can learn in real life that could get them interested in school. I think watching Star Trek is a way to get a kid to get into something as there are a lot of Trekkies (fans of the Star Trek show) out there who love the show. So, Star Trek could be good for kids and for adults.  

The post Education on Star Trek first appeared on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post Education on Star Trek appeared first on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

Here are some of the differences:

Charter Schools

1. May use a lottery system if the charter school is popular and hard to get into for the
   student.
2. Smaller class sizes.
3. Transportation is arranged by the students.
4. Private board

Public Schools

1. They must accept every child in its district.
2. Larger class sizes.
3. Education standards set by the state education board.
4. Transportation provided by school within designated area.

If you want to know more, check out Public vs Private Vs Charter.

What is the same in charter vs public schools?

1. They are both free
2. Cannot discriminate students.
3. Both school systems are considered public.

If you want to know more, check out Charter Vs Public Comparison.

Online Charter School

• San Diego – diploma, one-on-one attention, individualized program, accreditation, online classes, respected education. (California)
• The Delta Academy – online model, attend evening sessions once a week, teachers availability face-to-face, tech lounge, flexibility, etc. (Nevada)
• Ohio Connections Academy – free, certified teachers and coaches, online multimedia, accessible everywhere. (Ohio)
• Buckeye Online School For Success – tuition free, grades K-12, 100% online. (Ohio)

Are they clearly different or are they the same?

I think it depends on what charter school you want to attend online or even physical. The ones I checked are in California, Nevada and Ohio and have different requirements for the students to be able to learn online. Moreover, it depends on the individual state to have Teachers Certified Or Not by the education commission. Charter schools are run by nonprofits (What Are Charter Schools?) and are funded by the federal government with the amount depending on how many students are enrolled.

Charter schools at the end are like ‘traditional’ schools, and they differ from one another like any other school does, depending on their sizes, number of students and state regulations. If I were looking for either a public or charter school, I may go for charter school for my kid because it has fewer students. It’s up to you, however, to choose what school is good for your children.

Websites Used In Article:

• Public vs Private vs Charter
• Charter Vs Public
• Comparison
• San Diego
• The Delta Academy
• Ohio Connections Academy
• Buckeye Online School For Success
• Teachers Certified Or Not
• What Are Charter Schools

The post Why Charter School? first appeared on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post Why Charter School? appeared first on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

Benefits of Sports for Students

What are the benefits of sports?

1. Health
2. Social Skills
3. Teamwork
4. Learning – This one isn’t on the list at the link provided, but I put it in because you’ll learn the different moves in the sport you’ll be playing. For example, in tennis, you’ll be able to learn the skill called “drop shot” and you can improve it over time.

The Best Sports For Kids

What are the best sports for kids? How do you know if tennis is the right sport for a child’s age?  The article above suggests sports for kids from under age five to teens. For instance, kids who are introverted or independent could play:

1. Track and field
2. Tennis
3. Martial arts
4. Golf
5. Horseback riding
6. Dance

The article is true about introverted or independent personalities, as I am introverted and I did play tennis in college. Reading the article might help some parents or kids decide on what they may want to do for extracurricular activity.

Choosing The Right Sport

Parents should be able to see if a sport is good or not for their child. I believe researching the sport would be a good idea.

1. Ask, is your child an extrovert or introvert?
2. Work out the costs and logistics.
3. Be supportive and have fun.
4. Identify what sport your child likes.
5. Encourage your child to participate.

These are just some ideas from the article that a parent or guardian should be able to do if a child wants to participate in a sporting activity. Don’t discourage the child and try to encourage him or her that the sport he or she has chosen is a good fit.

Easiest Sports

If you’re a beginner, this article will suggest some of the easiest sports to play. Here are examples:

1. Soccer
2. Golf
3. Bowling
4. Basketball
5. Volleyball

I played soccer in physical education class and it is quite easy if you understand the game, but I never liked the sport and soccer wasn’t my thing. Go down the list and see what other people might think of the sport and if it’s the right one for you.  It’s up to the child what he/she wants to play for an extracurricular activity. Taking up a sport is a great idea if the child has nothing to do at home and to be able to improve skills such as teamwork, socialization and learning. If they learn sports like tennis or basketball at a young age, children might even want to be an elite tennis player like Serena Williams or basketball player like Kevin Durant. Encourage the kids to play sports and don’t let them be discouraged if they fail.

Websites Used In Article:

• Benefits of Sports for Students
• The Best Sports For Kids
• Choosing The Right Sport
• Easiest Sports

The post Choosing The Right Sport first appeared on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post Choosing The Right Sport appeared first on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

What is Pokemon TCG? TCG is short for trading card game. The game became quite popular in the late 90s. I was still a kid in elementary school, but during that time, I remember the game being introduced when Pokemon began airing on television.

Pokemon TCG is a two-player game but it can also be a battle between four players. It involves a 60-card deck; imagine a 52-card deck but with Pokemon cards. It’s a strategic and critical thinking game that involves getting the right cards in your deck to beat your opponents, and it may seem very complex  if one doesn’t know how to play.

The Pokemon TCG Teaches Education

1. Math – Kids will learn basic math while adding or subtracting the health points of their Pokemon during the game.
2. Reading – There are going to be some hard words on the Pokemon cards and kids might have trouble pronouncing them at first.
3. Cognitive Skills –  There needs to be a total of 60 cards in a deck and kids have to learn getting the right cards in your deck to beat your opponents.
4. Competition – Kids will learn that they can’t win the game all the time and that they have to accept that winning isn’t everything.
5. Researching – researching a specific card online.
6. Selling – selling cards to a player or online like amazon.

Pokemon TCG for Adults

It’s harder for adults to find peers who play the card game of Pokemon. Here are some tips and advice for adults:

1. Look for a store that sells Pokemon trading cards and see if they host a tournament for adults.
2. Invite your friends who play Pokemon TCG, and if you don’t have any friends who play, introduce them to the game.
3. You can go online and install the Pokemon TCG for the computer to play with someone online: Pokemon TCG Online

Top Issues With Pokemon TCG

1. There aren’t many kids or adults that plays the game.
2. Stealing: This issue is not included in the above link, but when  Pokemon became a popular hit, there was a lot of stealing in school when kids brought their cards in hoping to trade or battle.
3. Older cards are worthless because the game has been updated over many years now.
4. Limitation: Certain cards are forbidden in a tournament like the old sets.

Is it easy for anyone to play the game? I think Pokemon TCG is easier to play than Magic the Gathering, Yu-gi-oh or many other card games. Pokemon TCG is still strategic and requires critical thinking, but Pokemon is more fun to play, I think. Learning to play it will take a few days. I started playing the game because I saw some of my classmates playing the game in school. I was watching them play and a few days later, I bought some cards and began collecting since I watch the anime. I wasn’t really good at the game, and I just collect the cards.

Anyone can play the card game; it isn’t just for kids. It’s more of a learning tool for kids as they can try and read hard words, do basic math, and practice strategic & critical thinking. Not only that but they can do research on a certain card if they want to trade or even start selling at a young age. The game is helpful to kids who are interested in Pokemon, while for adults, it’s a way of either having fun or trying to gain profit from certain cards.

Websites Used In The Article:

• The Pokemon Trading Card Game Teaches Children Many Skills
• Pokemon TCG Online Game Installer
• Pokemon TCG for Adults: How To Find People To Play With
• Top 5 Issues With The Pokemon Trading Card Game
• Learn To Play The Pokemon Trading Card Game

The post Pokemon TCG first appeared on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post Pokemon TCG appeared first on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

Reasons Why You May Like Spring

1. Flowers – It’s that time of year again when flowers will bloom and you can get out and see them by hiking a trail or visiting a park.
2. Spring cleaning – Parents are usually the ones telling children that it’s time for “spring cleaning” because the weather is best during spring. It’s not too hot and not too cold, so it’s just perfect for cleaning.
3. Sunset is later – Where I am from, the sun doesn’t set until 7:45PM during the spring season. You can do anything you want from when you wake up in the morning until sunset.
4. Easter – Easter is a great holiday for kids and it lands during the spring season. Easter is a time for bunnies and chocolates and it is a nice holiday for spending more time with family.

Reasons Why You May Hate Spring

1. Spring break – Students in high school or college may go to popular tourist spots for spring break. Spring break is usually around the beginning of April, meaning those tourist spots  will get busy at that time. There will be a lot of partying and heavy drinkers, so be careful during that week.
2. Spring cleaning – It’s that time of year again when you have to clean your house or apartment but you don’t want to. It’s a nightmare sometimes but you have to do it anyway with the spring cleaning, so, why not just get it over with?
3. Time change – The month of April is when we turn the clocks back for daylight saving time. You’re already used to the time; why change it again if your sleep is going to be ruined for a few days?
4. Winter is over – You loved winter where winter has , when there are loads of snow in the mountains and you can go skiing or build a snowman with friends. Whereas in Spring, there’s barely any fun other than waiting for spring break or going to the movies, etc.

What is the meaning of spring for you? These are just a few  examples of why you might love spring or hate spring.  “Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.” -Victor Hugo (Quote)

For me, the weather of spring is like this quote by Victor Hugo. I have good and bad memories of spring but winter is my favorite season.  Spring will always come upon us. Depending on what is your favorite season, spring would be there. Spring is filled with nature or overflowing with tourists, depending on how you see it. At least spring is only three months long, meaning summer will come soon.

Websites Used In This Article:

• 10 Reasons Why Spring is the Best Season
• 20 Reasons People Hate Spring
• Goodreads.com

The post What is Spring to Me first appeared on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post What is Spring to Me appeared first on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

Advice for parents or guardians:

1. Give rules – set a time limit for kids to be on the computer.
2. Place the computer where you can see what they’re looking at.
3. Look into what chat room the kids will be using.
4. Browse the chat room ahead of time.

Parents and guardians should always look out for what their kids are doing on the computer. For children, there are also some safety tips:

1. Carefully chose what nickname you want – nothing too near your rear name. For instance, if your name is Kathryn, use something like Bethany or Lisa. Just make up a name if you don’t want anyone in the chat room to know your identity.
2. Don’t give out sensitive information – email, address, school, etc.
3. If you don’t know much about computers, you can always ask a parent or guardian to help you with logging into the chat room.
4. Don’t hurt others if you don’t want to be hurt back.

Here are some helpful websites where children can go before heading into the chat room:

1. Children in the Chatroom
2. Safety Tips
3. Internet Safety

Websites for parents:

1. How Chatrooms Work
2. 4 Dangers of the Internet

Electronics are now becoming an everyday thing for kids of every age. Parents can’t stop kids on being on the computer or phone whenever they’re not in plain sight. All parents can do is give advice to kids to protect their safety. Try not to be too obvious  about snooping around; ideally, kids should always talk to an adult or guardian before heading into the chat room because you can’t ever  know who is on the other side. If the adult still has concerns about the chat rooms, he/she can go and check the chat rooms that the kids want to go to.

Websites Used For The Article:

• Children in the Chatroom
• Chat Room Safety Tips
• Internet Safety
• New Boston Internet Safety
• How Chatrooms Work
• 4 Dangers of the Internet

The post Safety For Kids Heading Into Chat Rooms first appeared on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post Safety For Kids Heading Into Chat Rooms appeared first on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post Teaching Harry Potter In School first appeared on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post Teaching Harry Potter In School appeared first on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

Safety tips for children:

1. Learn how and when to call 911.
2. Learn the difference between “OKAY” and “NOT OKAY.”
3. If you get kidnapped, use force in any way possible to get away.
4. Avoid taking shortcuts when you are out walking.
5. Run to safety if you’re scared by someone.

Here you can find more tips for children: https://www.allprodad.com/26-tips-to-keep-your-kids-safe-from-abduction/

But don’t be worried only for the safety of your children. Make sure to be safe yourself!

According to an article published by Insider Monkey, the top four worst states for human trafficking are:

1. California – 705 cases in 2017
2. Texas – 433 cases
3. Florida – 329 cases
4. Ohio – 191 cases

For more information, check out these links:

• https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/12-top-states-for-human-trafficking-in-2018-628765/
• https://humantraffickinghotline.org/states
• https://www.state.gov/policy-issues/human-trafficking/

Why do those states have so many human trafficking victims?

1. California is a sanctuary state. San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco are labeled as the top cities for human trafficking in California by the FBI. http://www.capoliticalreview.com/capoliticalnewsandviews/california-1-in-human-trafficking-cases-sanctuary-state-the-cause/
2. Texas is a hot spot for transporting victims from one place to another. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2017/07/25/texas-is-hot-spot-for-human-trafficking-
3. Florida is a hot spot as it is a booming tourist industry. https://www.wpbf.com/article/human-trafficking-florida-the-facts-need-to-know/30729739
4. Ohio has several factors affecting human trafficking: five major highways, strip clubs, farmland, and a large translent and immigrant population. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2017/07/25/texas-is-hot-spot-for-human-trafficking-

Here is a list of what characteristics human traffickers prefer in their victims:

1. Female
2. Child
3. Coming from a marginalized population
4. Coming from poverty
5. Growing up in an abusive home
6. Runaway
7. Little or no education

How can you protect yourself if you fall in one of those categories? You can’t really! You can’t change the fact that you’re a female or that you come from a marginalized population. What you can do is be aware of your surroundings and be prepared to protect yourself and the people dear to you!

Here are some helpful tips on how to spot a trafficker:

1. Be aware of how traffickers recruit people.
2. Traffickers makes false promises of a better life.
3. Beware of befriending a person who showers you with gifts and affection.
4. Do not make decisions under the influence.
5. Listen to the intuitive voice in your head.
6. Do internet searches and background checks.

You can learn more of helpful tips at this website: https://www.more.com/lifestyle/protect-yourself-and-children-becoming-victims-human-trafficking

If you’re traveling somewhere by yourself, with family or friends, always look around you to check for suspicious activity.

Victims of human trafficking are usually:

• Frightened, ashamed or nervous
• Avoiding eye contact
• Under control of a companion
• Unable to move freely
• Unsure of their destination

They might also have:

• Visible scars, wounds or bruises
• Few or no personal belongings

You can even try to stop a human trafficking situation if your instincts tell you that the person requires immediate help, but be aware of your safety first! Try not to do anything too rashly that will get you into trouble or even hurt yourself.

Check out this website for more helpful tips and ideas: https://www.dressember.org/blog/traveltips.

Countries and law enforcement are trying to stop human trafficking everywhere.

To be safe, try not to travel in large groups of people and be aware of your and your kids’ surroundings. The three states with the most cases of human trafficking are California, Texas and Florida, so be extra cautious when traveling in those places.

If a situation arises where it will be safe for you and the victim, try to stop the trafficker; otherwise call 911 and wait for the law enforcement to arrive. For safety, especially when alone, carry pepper spray. And remember, always be safe!

Helpful Websites:

• 26 Tips To Keep Your Kids Safe From Abduction
  https://www.allprodad.com/26-tips-to-keep-your-kids-safe-from-abduction/
• 12 Top States for Human Trafficking In 2018
  https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/12-top-states-for-human-trafficking-in-2018-628765/
• California #1 In Human Trafficking Cases-Sanctuary State The Cause!
  http://www.capoliticalreview.com/capoliticalnewsandviews/california-1-in-human-trafficking-cases-sanctuary-state-the-cause/
• Protect Yourself and Children from Becoming Victims of Human Trafficking
  https://www.more.com/lifestyle/protect-yourself-and-children-becoming-victims-human-trafficking
• Spot Trafficking During Your Holiday Travels
  https://www.dressember.org/blog/traveltips
• Texas is hot spot for human trafficking
  https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2017/07/25/texas-is-hot-spot-for-human-trafficking-

The post The Importance of Safety II – Human Trafficking first appeared on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..

The post The Importance of Safety II – Human Trafficking appeared first on New Heights Educational Group, Inc..