Gretchen Eichenberg

Oklahoma Magazine •

Bell-to-Bell Cell Ban

When each day starts within any Oklahoma public school this year, the only ringing that will be heard is the school bell, thanks to Senate Bill 139, which passed before the start of the 2025-26 school year. From the first bell at the start of the day until the dismissal bell, personal electronic devices – cell phones, smart watches, smart headphones, laptops, tablets and smart glasses – are prohibited. It’s a step lawmakers and school administrators are taking to keep students on track in th...
Oklahoma Magazine •

Future In Session

Oklahoma’s higher education landscape is in the midst of a quiet transformation, driven by shifting workforce demands, advanced artificial intelligence technology and a renewed focus on innovation. Colleges and universities statewide are rethinking how they educate students, strategically partnering with businesses and preparing their graduates for an uncertain future. We explore just a few ways they’re swiftly adapting – whether that’s embracing the perks of skills-based learning or fostering e...
Fox News •

Blind mother of 5 graduates from college with honors alongside her guide dog

When a Tennessee mother of five received her college degree on May 9, she couldn’t see her family cheering in the audience – because she is completely blind.Even so, as Amanda Juetten, 47, crossed the stage to accept her degree – magna cum laude – from Tennessee Tech University, she was more certain than ever about her path forward."I’m totally blind," Juetten told Fox News Digital in an interview. "So I’ve got my guide dog by my side.
Oklahoma Magazine •

A Journey of Discovery

Enhanced travel experiences. Social opportunities. Personal enrichment and satisfaction. Greater opportunities for connection. Staving off memory loss and cognitive decline. These are just a few pros of learning a second language at an older age – and you can do it right here in Oklahoma. “Learning a language is more than just learning words,” says Tina Peña, associate professor of Spanish at Tulsa Community College. “It’s about connection – connecting with people, connecting with cultures. I...
Fox News •

Massachusetts library will accept unique alternative to overdue book fees: 'People are struggling'

Lost a library book? It doesn’t have to be a cat-tastrophe. At least not during the month of March in Worcester, Massachusetts. A library there will scratch certain fees off a book borrower’s record in exchange for a picture of the person's cat — or any cat, for that matter. The goal is to encourage people to read and visit the library, even if they owe money for a lost or damaged book. "People are str
Fox News •

Tennessee professor reveals story of her late husband, a Holocaust survivor, amid today's antisemitism

As reports of antisemitism on American college campuses continue to swirl since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel, one piano professor at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee, has been finding her own way through the issue. She's spent her career working to educate and inform students — through music and thoughtful conversation — as she promotes a better understanding of the history of the Jewish people. She works to counter antisemitism as well.
Fox News •

Pennsylvania school district welcomes 17 sets of twins all set to graduate in 2036: 'Unique situation'

Kindergarten teachers in a Pennsylvania school district are seeing double this year — as 17 sets of twins entered the school. And they're all members of the graduating class of 2036. "There's usually a couple [of] sets here and there, which is not that abnormal," Morgan Weiser, mother of Ridge Park Elementary twins Mia and Logan, told Fox News Digital. "But to have 17 sets in the incoming kindergarten grade for our district is kind of wild."
Fox News •

Arizona students raise nearly $10K for heart surgery for teacher's wife: 'Made me cry'

A group of Arizona high school seniors came to the aid of a beloved teacher by raising nearly $10,000 to help cover the cost of his wife’s crucial heart surgery. "We just need more kind acts, no matter how small it is or how large it is," Parker Bond, 18, a 2023 graduate of Arcadia High School in Phoenix, told Fox News Digital. "A teacher like Mr. Guy — who gave so much to us when he was down in a situation like this — was able to receive back because of his kindness and all he did for us," Bo
Fox News •

North Carolina campus security officer goes viral for hugging graduating seniors before commencement

A college campus security guard is gaining national attention after the release of a video that shows her emotional "congratulations" and "goodbye" hugs to High Point University’s class of 2023. "It was just an amazing moment," Valerie Baxter, 63, of High Point, North Carolina, told Fox News Digital. "The minute the first student came over to hug me, my heart got so full and I could not cut off the tears. And then they all started coming over."
Fox News •

Louisiana high school senior who received 125 college offers, $9M in scholarships, thanks God for his success

Sixteen-year-old scholar Dennis Maliq Barnes has been offered a record-breaking 125 college acceptances and more than $9 million in scholarships – which may be more than any other college-bound senior in U.S. history. "This whole experience that I'm having right now has given me a sense of gratitude for everything that I do," Barnes, a senior at the International High School of New Orleans (IHSNO), told Fox News Digital. "I give all the glory to God because he played a huge role in everything
Fox News •

Teacher goes viral for sharing her 3rd graders' hilarious 'tattle form' responses: 'Making fart noises'

An elementary school teacher who shares her young students' daily grievances is going viral after compiling the hilarious tales that land in her "Tattle Box" each day. "Kids are going to tell you every little thing that’s going on," Jillian Magee, 30, a third-grade teacher in the Washington D.C. area, told Fox News Digital. "They would interrupt me mid-sentence in the middle of class with very random tattles on other students." ARKANSAS STUDENT DRESSES AS HER 2ND-GRADE TEACHER FOR SCHOOL ‘SUP
Wacoan® | Waco’s Magazine™ •

Innovations in Education

Innovation. It’s what drives the success and growth of any business, any industry. In education, innovation may be more critical than any other industry. After all, its product — students — will be the leaders and thinkers of tomorrow. From offering advanced degrees in high school and money-back guarantees for college tuition to empowering students to run high-profile STEM projects and conducting groundbreaking research on student engagement, five local institutions are on the cutting edge of ed
Wacoan® | Waco’s Magazine™ •

Teamwork. Creativity. Leadership.

Julian Nicholson, a high school junior, first got involved in theater at Waco High School two years ago. As a freshman he played a small role as an actor in “Antigone,” which was something he had never tried before. “Being an actor was a fun and unique experience, but I discovered it wasn’t for me,” Nicholson said. “I still wanted to be a part of the program.” Soon afterward the troupe started working on the musical “Tarzan,” and Nicholson took on a different role, this time as a technician.