Lisa Desatnik
Community Spotlight: The Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project
The Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project of Northern Kentucky University provides an opportunity for students to participate in experiential philanthropy through a wide variety of courses each year.
Residents of the Cincinnati Ronald McDonald House, a nonprofit organization that provides shelter in Cincinnati for families such as Leah and her mother who are living hundreds of miles away from their home for Leah’s treatment. The Cincinnati Ronald McDonald House was recently selected as one nonprofit organization to benefit from a $2,000 grant by Northern Kentucky University students as a part of the NKU Mayerson Student Philanthropy Project.
The Mayerson project is designed to use a “learn by giving” approach in the college classroom. Every semester select university courses are named Mayerson courses, are given a sum of money, and are asked to evaluate nonprofits and then invest in those they think will make the most effective use of the funds (typically, $1,000 per nonprofit).
Cincinnati Student Competing In National Science Contest
Way to go Alex Kelley, 5th grader at Aldersgate Christian Academy! Rebecca Kelley’s son needs your vote. He is the only Cincinnati student competing in a national science contest for a prize of $10,000 to his school.
How did he get this far? He submitted a 16-page paper on his gravity experiment that tested his hypothesis: that a 
bubble wrap layer would absorb the force of impact of an egg hitting asphalt when used with a parachute.
“The bubble wrap layer will absorb the force of impact when the egg hits the asphalt. The parachute slowed the descent of the egg onto the asphalt. The bubble wrap and the parachute will protect the egg,” he wrote.
Alex listed these REAL LIFE APPLICATIONS for the PHYSICS PRINCIPLES he applied:
- An air bag in a car increases the time it takes a person to potentially fly forward.
- When a sports player wears padding, the person is increasing the time and decreasing the force if someone were to tackle them. The padding absorbs the force.
- Shock absorbers on vehicles keep us from bouncing up and down.
- Shipping with bubble wrap protect the mail.
- Playgrounds now use shredded rubber tires instead of mulch, since it is safer
- A parachutist bending his or her knees reduces shock.
Alex’s video:
To vote for Alex, please click here.
Twitter CEO Dick Costollo Inspires With Commencement Speech
This time of year I get so much inspiration from reading commencement speeches. Words of wisdom shared with graduating seniors are words from which we can all benefit.
Dick Costolo, Twitter CEO, had this advice to share at the University of Michigan
“When you’re doing what you love to do, you become resilient because that is the habit you create for yourself. You create a habit of taking chances on yourself 
and making bold choices in service to doing what you love. If on the other hand, you do what you think is expected of you, or what you are supposed to do, and things go poorly or chaos ensues as it surely will, you will look for external sources for what to do next because that will be the habit you’ve created. You’ll be standing there frozen on the stage of your own life. If you are just filling a role, you will be blindsided…What I implore you to do is that if you make courageous decisions and bet on yourself and put yourself out there, that you will have an impact as a result of what you do and you don’t need to know now what that will be or how it will happen because no one ever does.“
Here is the full speech:
Five Year Old Raises Money For Oklahoma Tornado Victims
Five year old Aiden Thacker has been attending The Kinder Garden School in West Chester
since he was a toddler, and director Trudi Simpson told me he has always been an empathetic little boy. Still, what a special surprise when he walked into her office out of the blue one day recently and told her he wanted to raise money for the families who lost everything in the Oklahoma tornado.
“What could I say? Of course I wanted to support him,” Trudi said. “I suggested that he make a sign and write a letter to the KGS families and he responded immediately. He got his whole class involved.”
This is what his note read: “My name is Aiden. I want to help all the people of the tornado. They need food, clothes, toys and money for their homes. So, please help.”
Aiden’s goal is to raise $500 to donate to Matthew 25 Ministries which will go directly to aid the victims of the May 20 tornado. And he has already exceeded that goal with the help of family, neighbors and classmates.
Aiden’s sign he made to display at his school
The Kinder Garden School will hold a ceremony so Aiden can present the money to a representative of Matthew 25 Ministries on June 7.
“We are all so proud of Aiden and his philanthropic spirit,” Trudi said. “He is such a loving boy and for him to be so enthusiastic about helping others shows just what a future leader looks like.”
Northern Kentucky Music Hall Of Fame Inductees To Be Honored
Behringer-Crawford Museum
A guitarist from King Crimson. The owner of an allegedly haunted country music nightclub. The man who wrote “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”. What do these people have in common? They are a part of Northern Kentucky’s rich musical heritage that will be showcased at Behringer-Crawford Museum’s upcoming exhibit, “Northern Kentucky Music Legends” opening at 4 p.m. on June 2, 2013.
“Northern Kentucky Music Legends” highlights artists from Northern Kentucky who have spent more than 20 years sharing their love of music with the public. Some have become internationally known, while others have made their impact locally. This exhibit celebrates the people and places that continue to cultivate the region’s profound connection with music.
Bobby Mackey
The exhibit is a partnership between BCM, the newly formed Northern Kentucky Music Legend committee, and local musicians, high school band directors, music promoters and producers, with the goal of increasing understanding and awareness of local music.
Rosemary Clooney
The exhibit will kick off at from 4 to 7 p.m, Sunday, June 2, with a ceremony honoring the Hall-of-Fame inaugural inductees: Adrian Belew, Bob Braun, Rosemary Clooney, Mike Connor, Skeeter Davis, Haven Gillespie, Bobby Mackey, Steve Mendell, Kenny Price, Michael Reilly, Charles Tharp, Gary Winter, and the band Strange Brew. A reception and tour of the exhibit will follow the induction ceremony. (Cost is $5 to attend the ceremony.)
I wrote an earlier post about Bobby Mackey and his legacy to our region. Here is a link.
Through the summer, BCM will host additional events associated with the exhibit. On July 11, inductees Strange Brew and special guests New Lime will perform as part of the Music@BCM concert series. On August 4, inductees will join together for an “Open Mic Concert” showcasing the talents that make them legends. And on August 25, local high school students will perform at “Future Music Legends Take the Stage.”
For more information about these events, the exhibit, or the museum, please contact BCM at (859) 491-4003 or info@bcmuseum.org.
Behringer-Crawford Museum is supported in part by our members; the City of Covington, Kenton County Fiscal Court, Kentucky Arts Council, ArtsWave, and The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Hail, Jr. US Bank Foundation.
