SOUTH EUCLID -- Readers who recall the 1960s: Do you remember the TV program called “Get Smart”? I always liked the double meaning of the phrase. Of course, the agent was named “Smart.” How clever is that as a last name? And “get” -- needless to say -- means catch, acquire.
Without infringing on copyright, I think we all could get smart and smarter this summer, inspired by students in our midst who are achievers.
We can get smarter about recycling, caring for our health and cultivating positive relationships in our community.
Why settle for what you already know -- or think you know -- when you are just a few clicks away from getting smarter?
Recycle right: The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District is offering free online webinars to teach Cuyahoga County residents how to “recycle right.” Residents will learn best practices for recycling in Cuyahoga County and what they can do to make a meaningful difference in their community.
Ask any questions about curbside recycling and discuss what, where, how and when to recycle other items you need to part with.
The first Recycle Right webinar aired in June, and more are upcoming and will continue through the summer. Though open to all county residents, registration is required through Zoom Meetings. Mark your calendar:
• Tuesday, July 7 webinar -- Noon
• Tuesday, July 16 webinar - 10 a.m.
• Thursday, July 23 webinar -- 6 p.m.
The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District helps residents of Cuyahoga County reduce, reuse and recycle at home, at work and in our communities. It is a leading resource in the county for information, expertise and programs that support sustainable materials management and reduction of the environmental impact of waste.
Visit www.CuyahogaRecycles.org or call 216-443-3749 to learn how to recycle in your community and discover other recycling and disposal options.
Applause: Miami University students who are ranked in the top 20 percent of undergraduate students within each division for second semester 2019-20 have been named to the dean’s list recognizing academic excellence. Miami has nearly 19,000 students and strives to maintain a sense of personal attention to student growth.
At least 15 of these talented, accomplished students on the dean’s list are from our Hillcrest area. From zip code 44121: Tim Carlin, Frank Fissel and Austin DePaulo. From 44124: Ariel Cahn; Alek Fleisher; Autumn Rivers, Gigi Vollmer, Caleb Zwick. From 44040, Gates Mills: Nick Maher, Marielle Majer, Alec Muskara and Camron Rashidi. From 44143: Ben Jevnikar, Michael Fink and Alex Stahler.
Kylee Ley of Highland Heights was on the Spring 2020 dean’s list at Cedarville University in Southwest Ohio for earning at least a 3.5 out of 4.0 grade point average and carrying a minimum of 12 semester hours. Cedarville is a Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,380 undergraduate, graduate and online students over 150 areas of focus.
Congratulations, scholars!
Water! You may know that our bodies consist of nearly 60 percent water, and a drop in our levels affects all body systems. Let me be mother hen for a moment: Stay active, but please don’t overdo. If one is dehydrated, blood volume drops. The heart has to push to deliver sufficient blood.
Signs of dehydration could include dry mouth, unusually quick heartbeat, dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue, even headache. Over time, other health consequences can be severe.
Stay safely hydrated, and keep an eye on your loved ones as the mercury rises. A newsletter from Tufts University inspired me to share this with you -- along with my dog Robin’s brief-yet-smart and appreciative sips from her water bowl.
Eat smarter? The international Tzu Chi movement encourages one, two or three vegetarian meals during the time period of June 23 to Aug. 22 for those desiring to make this change, even in the form of a pledge.
Of course, never make a change to your diet without your healthcare professionals' input.
Tzu Chi encourages a greener lifestyle in every form of consumption, as well as outreach to those in need and compassionate understanding. Perhaps caring for our earth and using its resources prudently can distinguish smart from smarter choices.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation Cleveland Service Center is at 1076 Ford Road in Highland Heights. Phone: 440-646-9292. The Tzu Chi website: https://tzuchi.us/vvm
A budding writer: When Mayfield High School graduate Christina Rufo took her first news writing class in the fall of 2017, she knew she was in the right place. Since then, she has worked through lunch breaks and study halls perfecting her craft. Whether finishing news stories as chief editor of both her high school newspaper, The Paw Print, or her school yearbook, she savors the power of the written word.
And she is the winner of the Society of Professional Journalists Cleveland chapter’s annual Philip W. Porter Scholarship in recognition of her past accomplishment and future aptitude. The award is named for the long-time Plain Dealer editor who was one of the co-founders of the Cleveland SPJ chapter.
The Highland Heights resident intends to begin West Virginia University in the fall to major in written/broadcast journalism. She will receive a $1,000 college scholarship during each of the four years of undergraduate study.
“My dream goal would be to work as a broadcast journalist or investigative reporter of a leading news organization, or write and travel for a national newspaper,” Rufo wrote in her application. “I want to pursue a career that will keep people informed, and I want to be the one to help reveal information the public needs to know.”
In other words, she wants us to know, and to grow.
Sun Messages is a community-column dedicated to positive news and highlights of our seven-city Hillcrest area. Keep me in the loop. Write to mariashinestewart@gmail.com
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