The tragedy of Monday’s tornado in Oklahoma may be halfway across the country, but there are still ways we can help locally.

Jordan Scott, communications director for the American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter, said the organization is accepting donations for relief efforts. People can text REDCROSS to 9099 to make an automatic $10 donation, or can visit redcross.org to make a donation.

Scott said there are no plans yet to send teams from Northern California over to Oklahoma for relief efforts, but that it usually takes 24 to 48 hours for them to receive requests.

“Our volunteers know it may happen and to be ready,” Scott said. “We’ve got the experience and the expertise here.”

Volunteers from the area have helped out through other disasters, including the 2011 tornado in Joplin, Mo., and Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

By Micah Timen, CPA and Finance Enrichment Teacher
My Learning Springboard... Read More

Children as young as 3 years old know when they are not sure about a decision, and can use that uncertainty to guide decision making, according to new research from the Center for Mind and Brain at the University of California, Davis.

"There is behavioral evidence that they can do this, but the literature has assumed that until late preschool, children cannot introspect and make a decision based on that introspection," said Simona Ghetti, professor of psychology at UC Davis and co-author of the study with graduate student Kristen Lyons, now an assistant professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

The findings are published online by the journal Child Development and will appear in print in an upcoming issue... Read More