Citizen Vermonters!
Only one in three Americans (36 percent) can pass a citizenship test, according to a recent survey conducted by the Woodrow Wilson Foundation—and Vermont was the only state that was able to pass as a group. Just 27 percent of those surveyed under 45 were capable of demonstrating a basic understanding of U.S. history. The poll emphasizes that the memorization-based teaching methods that are common throughout the country have not been effective in producing informed and engaged citizens. Read the full report here and this Burlington Free Press article.
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High score on school breakfast
Vermont has significantly improved in providing children with access to the most important meal of the day, according to the annual School Breakfast Scorecard. The state ranked third on annual school breakfast participation, with almost 70 percent of low-income students able to start the day with a healthy breakfast last year. This marks a change from the 2016-2017 school year, when the state ranked ninth. The improvement is said to be correlated with the high number of schools that moved breakfast after the bell, making attendance easier for all students.
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When in disaster – look to an average Twitter user
When it comes to natural disasters, it doesn’t matter how many Twitter followers you have, according to a new study. The study found that “average” Twitter users – defined as users with 100-200 followers – tend to send Tweets more frequently and with more useful information during natural disasters than their more popular counterparts. Read the full study here and Science Daily’s report here.
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Town wins water taste test
Next time you’re in Hinesburg, take a minute to stop and taste the water – no, really. Local water enthusiasts may recall that back in 2018,Hinesburg’s water won the Vermont Rural Water Association’s System Taste-off and secured itself a spot in the 2019 Great American Water Taste Test. Although Hinesburg did not place in the coveted competition, residents can nonetheless pride themselves on ranking among the top 50 water systems in the U.S.
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State does not do so well
But while Hinesburg’s water may be competition-worthy, Vermont’s overall drinking water infrastructure earned itself a C- on the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2019 infrastructure report card. Wastewater and stormwater infrastructures were close behind, each earning a D+. Read Vermont’s full report card here and the Associated Press report here.
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Study highlights Vermont approach to child protection
A new study in The Children and Youth Services Review examines issues related to the child protection system. The authors cite Vermont as an early adopter of laws that mandate courts to consider and/or develop accommodations for parents with disabilities.The authors suggest states consider Vermonts’ approach as a model for improving the child protection system.
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Abortion rates in Vermont
This past Thursday, the Vermont House passed legislation (H.37) which, according to VTDigger, “may provide the strongest reproductive rights in the country.” But how common are abortions in Vermont? According to the CDC’s 2015 Abortion Surveillance Summary, published in November 2018, 1,121 Vermonters reported having an abortion in 2015. Of these abortions, 71.7% (906) occurred prior to eight weeks of gestation and 0.7% (9) occurred after 21 weeks of gestation. Read the CDC’s full report here.
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Less hunting, more “shooting”
Vermonters are putting down their hunting traps and picking up their cameras, according to a new report from the Vermont Wildlife Coalition. The report found that despite campaigns by the Department of Fish and Wildlife to promote trapping, hunting, and fishing, license sales for these activities are on the decline while participation in wildlife viewing, birding, and photography is on the rise. The full report, which also addresses topics such as funding and conservation efforts, can be foundhere, and a press release from the VWC can be found on VTDigger.
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Vermont’s aid-in-dying law examined in study
A recent study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine identified experiences faced by medical professionals when providing medical aid-in-dying. Along with navigating Act 39 protocol and prescribing medication, the study found that providers engaged in counseling, end-of-life planning, and professional education around aid-in-dying. Read the full report here.
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Genetic differences in turtle species
A study testing the efficacy of microsatellite profiling compares turtle species in Vermont and Illinois. According to the findings, Spiny Softshell turtles from Vermont and Smooth Softshell turtles from Illinois share no common alleles despite both Spiny and Smooth Illinois varieties sharing the genetic information. This points to distinct genetic differences between these populations as a result of their environments.
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New Books & Art
Vermont cartoonist James Sturm of White River Junction explores parenthood, divorce, and the 2016 election in his new graphic novel Off Season.
The Vermont Folklife Center has a new podcast drawing on their vast audio archives. Episodes feature a series of interviews with drag queens, stories from deer camp and a series of love stories. Check it out here.
In her most recent novel, Love, Inc.: Dating Apps, the Big White Wedding, and Chasing the Happily Neverafter, Middlebury College professor Laurie Essig explores the relationship between capitalism and modern romance.
Six Vermont textile artists have been spotlighted in Montpelier’s T.W. Wood Gallery in a new exhibit, “Close to the Cloth.”The featured pieces showcase a variety of different techniques to produce textile art, including weaving, hooking, felting, and conceptual fabric sculpting. The exhibit will be on display until March 29th.