Buzz
This compilation is designed to push back against the overwhelming negativity often found in the media. We feature 10 stories that are sure to lift your spirits and spark inspiration. And if you're in the mood for something a bit quirky with your positive vibes, don't miss our offbeat list too.
This week, we reveal the Teacher of the Year, explore an amazing fact about sun bears, dive into two Picasso-related stories, discover an Alien play, meet a pothole-fixing pothead, and celebrate an octogenarian DJ.
10. Teacher of the Year
A teacher from a remote village in Kenya has been awarded this year's prestigious Global Teacher Prize, which includes a $1 million reward courtesy of the Varkey Foundation.
Peter Tabichi was selected as the most dedicated and inspiring teacher from a pool of 10,000 nominees spanning 179 countries. He teaches math and physics at Keriko Secondary School in Pwani Village, a secluded region in Kenya’s Rift Valley. As a Franciscan friar, Tabichi donates 80 percent of his salary to support the poorest students at his school in purchasing books and supplies.
The school faces significant challenges, with over 90 percent of its students coming from low-income families. It has only one outdated computer with slow internet. Students often walk 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) to reach the school, navigating roads that are sometimes impassable during rainy seasons.
Despite these obstacles, Tabichi established a “talent nurturing club.” His students have participated in various international science competitions, even winning an award from the Royal Society of Chemistry for a project that used local plants to generate electricity.
Tabichi received his award at a ceremony in Dubai, which was hosted by actor Hugh Jackman.
9. A Furry Friend For A Furry Friend
An elderly blind golden retriever named Charlie was given his own “seeing eye dog”: a four-month-old puppy called Maverick.
In 2016, Charlie lost one of his eyes to glaucoma, and a year later, he lost his other eye. His family, Adam and Chelsea Stipe from North Carolina, decided to give their beloved pet some assistance by introducing him to Maverick this January.
At first, Charlie was hesitant to welcome the young pup into his life, but soon enough, the two became inseparable companions. Maverick now helps his older friend by fetching his toys when he misplaces them and guiding him by tugging on his leash. Their newfound bond has also revived Charlie, who now has more energy and joy in his steps.
8. Experience A Picasso For A Day
An extraordinary competition called #myprivatepicasso is offering Swiss art enthusiasts a rare opportunity: they could temporarily own a painting by the legendary artist Pablo Picasso for one day.
While it's a rare privilege to have an original Picasso displayed in your home, the lucky winner of this contest will have just that... for 24 hours. The prize is the chance to host Picasso’s Bust of Woman with Hat (Dora), a 1939 portrait of his muse, Dora Marr.
To participate, entrants must reside in Switzerland and submit an online essay describing how they would spend their day with the Picasso, including the events they would organize and how they would showcase the painting. Starting on April 2, participants will vote for their favorite entries. A panel of judges will then select the top 20, with the winner announced on April 10.
Even while it is being loaned out, the painting, valued at several million dollars, will be carefully monitored using an advanced “smart frame” that tracks its location, temperature, and surrounding conditions to ensure its safety.
7. Sun Bears Enjoy Making Faces
Scientists were thrilled to find that sun bears display a social behavior typically seen in humans and other higher primates: facial mimicry.
Sun bears, the smallest bear species on Earth, inhabit the forests of Southeast Asia. These solitary creatures spend most of their time alone in the wild. So researchers were stunned when they observed the bears mimicking each other’s faces during playful wrestling matches.
Researchers observed 22 bears at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center in Malaysia, documenting 372 playful encounters over two years. They witnessed numerous occasions where one bear made a facial expression while the other was watching, and moments later, the second bear mimicked the exact same expression.
Such behavior is commonly found in great apes and even in dogs, both of which are highly social species. This new discovery has led researchers to consider that facial mimicry might be an important communication tool widely shared among mammals.
6. Alien: The Play
A school production based on the iconic sci-fi movie Alien has received glowing reviews and caught the attention of Hollywood.
Drama teacher Perfecto Cuervo from North Bergen High School in New Jersey, a huge fan of the Alien series, decided to adapt the original film script for the stage. The play ran for two nights, on March 19 and 22, and impressed audiences with how a small, underfunded drama club managed to pull off the film’s complex sets, costumes, and special effects in their production of the sci-fi classic.
The students crafted most of the props, primarily using recycled materials. Among their most daring creations were the space jockey, the alien costume, and the recreation of the iconic chest-burster scene.
Clips from the production made their way online and even caught the attention of Hollywood. Both Alien star Sigourney Weaver and director Ridley Scott praised the drama club’s creativity and ingenuity. North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco announced that his foundation would fund additional performances of Alien: The Play.
5. The Pothole Initiative
A man from Stellarton, Nova Scotia, decided to take matters into his own hands and repair the potholes along Westville Road. In gratitude, local drivers have shown their appreciation with cash, coffee, and cannabis.
For the past few days, 22-year-old John McCue has been shoveling gravel into potholes to patch them up. He came up with the idea after reading about a car hitting a massive pothole that broke the axle right off.
Local authorities weren’t too thrilled with McCue’s initiative. Town police paid him a visit and advised him to leave the road repairs to the professionals, as he was obstructing traffic.
However, motorists have been far more appreciative. Most gave a friendly honk as they drove by, while some even stopped to offer McCue cash, coffee, or a few joints. McCue admits he’ll likely use the money to buy more weed.
4. DJ Wika In Da House
At first glance, 80-year-old Wirginia Szmyt from Poland might appear to be your typical, friendly, little old lady. But when night falls, she changes into her party outfit, slips on a pair of headphones, and takes over the turntables, performing in front of packed clubs as DJ Wika.
For the past two decades, Wika has primarily been DJ-ing for Polish retirees, showing them the revitalizing power of music. These days, she plays every Monday night at the Hula Kula Club in Warsaw, where about 1,000 people gather to enjoy her sets. A former special education teacher, Wika is a self-taught DJ whose playlists span everything from rock to disco to samba.
Wika’s life philosophy revolves around the idea that age is just a number, challenging the stereotypes of elderly people. She aims to prove that life doesn’t stop at 70.
3. The Marathon Man
A paralyzed man participated in the Los Angeles Marathon and managed to walk more than 27.7 kilometers (17.2 mi) in about 28 hours.
Thirteen years ago, Adam Gorlitsky from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was in a car accident that caused a severe spinal cord injury, leaving him unable to walk. Three years ago, he was fitted with a ReWalk Exoskeleton, a bionic device attached to the legs that allows paraplegics to stand, walk, and even climb stairs. Soon after, he took part in the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, South Carolina, becoming the first paralyzed man to complete it.
Since then, Gorlitsky has participated in more than 30 races across the country, drawing attention to his charity, “I Got Legs,” which supports individuals with walking disabilities.
Last weekend, Gorlitsky aimed for his most ambitious goal yet: a full marathon, covering 42.2 kilometers (26.2 mi). He estimated it would take him around 36 hours to finish, so he received permission from the race organizers to begin two days early.
In the end, Gorlitsky didn’t quite make it to the finish line. Due to hand and wrist pain and exhaustion, he stopped 14.5 kilometers (9 mi) short. However, he viewed the experience as a valuable lesson and is already planning to attempt another marathon.
2. Indiana Jones Strikes Again
Arthur Brand, the Dutch art investigator, has recently been in the spotlight multiple times. Last year, he made headlines for recovering a Byzantine mosaic. Earlier in 2019, we reported on his discovery of a pair of stolen seventh-century Visigoth reliefs that had been buried in someone's garden for 15 years. Now, the man known as the 'Indiana Jones of the art world' has made news again by recovering a stolen Picasso.
The painting in question is Buste de Femme (Dora Maar), a 1938 masterpiece by Picasso of his muse and lover, Dora Maar. Picasso owned the painting until his death in 1973. It was stolen in 1999 from the yacht of a Saudi sheikh.
Brand first caught wind of rumors about a 'Picasso stolen from a ship' back in 2015. He began investigating, and once he was able to identify the painting, he spread the word to those who may have unknowingly purchased it.
He was eventually contacted by representatives of an unnamed Dutch businessman who believed the purchase was legitimate. The painting, worth an estimated $28 million, is now in the hands of an insurance company that will decide its next steps.
1. Cookies For Veterans
In Colorado, Girl Scouts delivered an impressive 12,000 boxes of cookies to the patients, families, and staff at a veterans' medical facility.
The cookies were collected as part of the Hometown Heroes/Gift of Caring initiative. Customers who wanted to contribute to the Girl Scouts and support veterans without eating the cookies themselves had the option to buy boxes and donate them.
On Thursday, scouts, their families, and troop leaders made their way to the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado, where they distributed 12,000 boxes to everyone at the hospital and across its campus. The remaining boxes will be kept to ensure patients can enjoy them throughout the year, with the rest heading to other VA centers across the state.
