Good Morning! 🌞

Make sure to check out the article below about the future of flying! Do you think that we will all own “flying cars” in the future? I’ve been fascinated with this question since I was a child and it is very cool to see starting to become a reality!

Innovation

Future of Flying

Early this year we did an article about how the future with flying cars is almost here.

The “flying car” we featured was the Ryse Recon eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing). While the acronym “eVTOL” is not the most exiting, the technology itself is very cool.

Another eVTOL maker, Jetson ONE, recently released a video showing off some formation flying with the aerial vehicles. They are very cool.

Culture

School Dogs Boost Students' Academics and Mental Health

To help reduce anxiety and promote learning, several elementary schools in Michigan have enlisted service dogs, and students are already seeing improvements in their academics, according to WXMI-TV 17.

In September, Priority Health, a Michigan health insurance provider, launched the Priority Pups program, placing goldendoodles in two school districts with plans for further expansion. These dogs visit different classrooms daily, providing comfort and support.

Research shows that the presence of trained dogs reduces children's stress, encourages a positive attitude toward learning, and improves interactions between classmates. This initiative is especially timely, as a 2023 report from Mental Health America revealed that many young people in Michigan with clinical depression did not receive mental health treatment.

Shelby, a student at North Godwin Elementary School, has directly benefited from the program. Diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome, autism, and ADHD, Shelby struggles with her emotions at school. Her mother, Laurie Uhl, described the difference the goldendoodle Meeka has made.

“When Shelby has a meltdown, Meeka’s presence immediately calms her down,” Uhl explained.

The program’s success is due in part to Canines for Change, founded in 2005 by Dr. Nikki Brown, a school psychologist for the Lansing School District. Dr. Brown noticed significant improvements in skills and behavior when she brought her Corgi to work with special education students. She then partnered with another trainer to offer service dogs for children with special needs.

Sports

The First Woman Ever to Win British F4 Race

Abbi Pulling became the first female driver to win a race in the British Formula 4 Championship by securing victory at Brands Hatch. Starting in pole position, the 21-year-old finished 5.5 seconds ahead in the second race of the weekend, placing her in the championship's top 10.

This win adds to Pulling's impressive start to the year, having won three of the first four F1 Academy races, putting her at the top of the 2024 standings. Pulling, a British driver, competes for Rodin Motorsport in both F1 Academy and the British F4 Championship, while also serving as an Alpine junior since 2022.

Born in Lincolnshire on March 21, 2003, Pulling's father, Andy, was a former motorbike endurance racer and welding business owner. Pulling began karting competitively in 2013 with the Trent Valley Kart Club and LGM Series, later moving to the Super One Series and Kartmasters British GP. She ended her karting career by winning the British Championship in 2017 and 2018.

In 2018, Pulling transitioned to car racing with a two-year stint in Ginettas, competing in the Ginetta Junior Championship and the Ginetta GT5 Challenge, achieving notable results at Donington Park. In 2020, she moved to single-seaters, joining British F4 with JHR Developments, finishing sixth in the standings with four podiums, outperforming future F3 and F2 drivers Christian Mansell, Matias Zagazeta, and Rafael Villagomez.

However, in 2021, Pulling's sophomore British F4 season was cut short due to funding issues. Despite three podiums in the first six weekends, she had to quit the series. Fortunately, she was placed on the reserve list for the W Series, which saved her career when she got a spot at Silverstone, replacing Gosia Rdest, and finished eighth.

Pulling competed in the final two weekends of the W Series season, finishing seventh at Zandvoort and securing her place in the 2022 season with strong performances in Austin. In 2022, she finished fourth in the W Series standings with two podiums and joined the Alpine Affiliate program, becoming one of the first women to drive an F1 car in Saudi Arabia.

In 2023, Pulling joined the Alpine academy full-time and debuted in the F1 Academy after the W Series entered administration.

Mind Stretchers

❓️ 

A barrel of water weighs 20 pounds.
What must you add to it to make it weigh 12 pounds?

Answer to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers:
Death after life!

Jennye Smith and Linda Runatz both got the correct answer in the same minute!

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected]

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.