Golden Apple is a leading Illinois’ based nonprofit committed to recognizing outstanding educators across the state. Last year, Peoria local and principal of Charles A. Lindbergh Middle School, Susan Malahy was awarded the 2019 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership.

The Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership recognizes a performance in school leadership that creates a consistent and positive impact in the school where the award winner is based. Malahy was given the award for promoting a culture of acceptance and inclusion of all students and educators in the school.

Susan Malahy has been the principal of Charles A. Lindbergh Middle School for nearly six years now. She worked to increase professional development for teachers, which helped further connect with their students.

Every year, U.S. News & World Report ranks the best online programs in the country. More than 1,600 programs were ranked in total, which encompass Bachelor’s programs as well as seven different fields of graduate programs, including nursing, computer information technology, criminal justice, education, business (non-MBA), MBA and engineering.

Today Illinois programs made impressive rankings in more ways than one. Out of 353 colleges, the University of Illinois-Chicago came in third for the best Bachelor’s program, moving up from fifth place last year.

In addition, Illinois was ranked number 1 in the graduate nursing category. Rush University, also located in Chicago, had the best ranking out of 183 colleges.

The meat alternative trend has been on a steady increase, and it has the potential to substantially cut carbon emissions. Gaining momentum and popularity, meat alternatives, like the Impossible Burger, could shape a meatless future. A future where the human diet consists of less meat is potentially vital to the overall health and conservation of the environment.

According to the Sierra Club, 27.0 kilograms of CO₂ are emitted for every one kilogram of beef consumed. Also, Beef cattle are responsible for a quarter of the emissions from American agriculture. The UN released a statement last August noting if humans universally ate less meat, worldwide emissions could potentially decrease as much as eight gigatons annually. Soy beans, one of the main ingredients of meatless meats, may be one of many answers to combat meat-related CO₂ emissions.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has been named one of the Top 20 Coolest Schools of 2019 by Sierra Magazine, the national magazine of the Sierra Club, which celebrates environmentally friendly colleges across the country.

Sierra Magazine praised a variety of eco-conscious student groups at UIUC, who play a large part in lessening the campus’s environmental footprint.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has started off the school year on a high note: its online nurse educator master’s program has been ranked first in Illinois and fifth in the nation for affordability, according to Affordable Schools, a site that ranks low-cost, high-quality degree programs.

To compile its list, Affordable Schools considered more than just the average cost of attendance. The rankings also took into account the program’s student-to-faculty ratio and its national standing as determined by U.S. News and World Report. Affordable Schools praised SIUE’s opportunities for hands-on learning and its individualized coursework, as well as its focus on preparing students to sit for the National League for Nursing Certified Nurse Educator examination after they graduate. Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois, joined SIUE in the top 15.