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Children Who Receive Robust Academic Instruction During Preschool Are More Likely to Excel Academically

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Fairmont Schools’ Approach to Preschool Proves Effective, Making it a Sought-After Solution for Parents in Orange County and Beyond

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif., May 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Fairmont Schools’ preschool program has emerged as a sought-after solution for parents seeking a highly academic early education for their children. Numerous research studies have demonstrated that children who receive robust academic instruction during preschool are more likely to excel academically as they advance through their education. As a result, Fairmont has become a top choice for many families throughout Orange County and beyond.

 

Ready to learn more? Complete this brief form: https://bit.ly/inquire_about_Fairmont. 

Dana Vasquez, Head of School at Fairmont San Juan Capistrano – one of four Fairmont campuses that offers an Early Childhood Education program: “In light of the learning disruptions that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, parents have become increasingly concerned about providing their children with a solid foundation to support their academic and life journeys. They are looking to do everything possible to help their kids succeed and stay ahead. For many, that starts with enrolling their preschoolers in a program which has proven academic results.”

Fairmont’s preschool program emphasizes mastery of key literacy and math competencies – preparing students to become readers and writers by the time they enter kindergarten while simultaneously offering developmentally-appropriate learning experiences.

It also provides young learners with a diverse and engaging array of enrichment opportunities, designed to help them think critically, discover new interests, and develop a love of learning. Students receive weekly instruction in:

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)SpanishMusicArtPhysical education

That was particularly attractive to Kathryn Cullen, whose daughter had been at another preschool before finding their school home at Fairmont San Juan Capistrano: “Our last school had some enrichment time, but Fairmont takes it to a different level. They’re very intentional about the way they incorporate enrichment into the children’s schedule. It’s a priority – not just an afterthought. And my daughter loves it. She’ll come home and share new words she’s learning in Spanish and sing songs from her spring concert. I really appreciate this whole child approach to learning.”

For Melisa Stanwood, the fact Fairmont recognizes that each child is unique holds great significance: “As a mother of two boys, I’m grateful that each one is viewed as an individual. All kids are different and our teachers’ ability to meet them where they are means they are getting the personalized instruction they need.”

Benefits Beyond Academics

While many parents are seeking academic rigor, they aren’t willing to forgo the caring and nurturing environment that most preschools are known for. Fortunately, Fairmont’s educational approach values both academic instruction and emotional intelligence, recognizing that a child’s academic and social-emotional development are interconnected. Teachers and administrators strive to create a warm and welcoming learning environment in which children can flourish.

Meenu Rai experienced this first-hand. Her daughter went through separation anxiety when she started school last fall: “Before the school year started, we began prepping our daughter for her new adventure. We talked about how she was going to be just like her older brother – going to school in the morning and coming home in the afternoon. She understood this intellectually. But when the reality of being separated from me sunk in, she really struggled. Fortunately, her teacher and the preschool director were there to support us, giving us concrete guidance about how to support our daughter as she processed her feelings. We saw a great turnaround. And today, she enjoys school and loves her teacher and friends.”

Another priority for today’s parents is campus safety. Fairmont maintains closed campuses, has guards on duty throughout the school day, and contracts with a security expert to conduct annual evaluations of campus infrastructure protection, threat assessment, risk management, and security planning.

“In a time when many people are concerned about the landscape of education, I’m proud to be part of a school that has a proven record of bringing out the best in its students through an education that leads with solid academics – all while making sure to care for their social, emotional, developmental, and physical well-being,” said Vasquez.

Fairmont Schools offers early childhood education at four of its five Orange County campuses:

Anaheim HillsHistoric AnaheimNorth TustinSan Juan Capistrano

To see if Fairmont could be your child’s next school home, visit their preschool open house at their San Juan Capistrano campus on June 23rd from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.

About Fairmont Schools

Founded in 1953, Fairmont has grown to become Orange County’s oldest and largest secular, co-educational preschool – 12th grade private school. Voted Best Private School in Orange County for nine consecutive years, Fairmont is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and Cognia. It is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools.

For more information, visit the school’s website or contact Juanita Espinoza, Associate Head of School for Early Childhood Education, at jespinoza@fairmontschools.com. For questions about admissions, contact Betty Petersen at bpetersen@fairmontschools.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/children-who-receive-robust-academic-instruction-during-preschool-are-more-likely-to-excel-academically-301822677.html

SOURCE Fairmont Schools

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Bringing Local AI Home: UGREEN Introduces Privacy-First HomeAgent for Smarter Living

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September 5, 2026

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BERLIN, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — UGREEN, a leading global consumer technology brand, announced two new product lineups at a European launch event. The unveiling of the UGREEN HomeAgent series of agentic local AI hubs and a new MagFlow lineup marks UGREEN’s next stage of growth. Building on its established presence in digital accessories and smart storage, the company is now dedicated to a broader spectrum of intelligent consumer electronics designed to enhance everyday life.

UGREEN HomeAgent: Agentic Local AI Hub for Homes

At the center of UGREEN’s broader intelligent consumer electronics vision is UGREEN HomeAgent, a groundbreaking Agentic AI Local Hub unifying local storage, computing, and control into one device. It connects a growing ecosystem of UGREEN AIoT devices, including security cameras, smart speakers, and smart photo frames, as well as third-party devices.

UGOS Pro is UGREEN’s in-house operating system built on a Linux architecture, offering professional storage management, robust data security, easy backup and sync, and extensive expandability.

UGREEN HomeAgent is powered by the all-new UGOS Pro, combining NAS-grade storage and data management with integrated home security features, smart home capabilities, and natural voice interaction to deliver a more complete all-in-one experience.

Traditional surveillance cameras usually only document bad news, and their footage is constantly overwritten, so the moments truly worth keeping quietly disappear. That’s why UGREEN set out to redefine the home camera system, not as a surveillance tool, but as a camera for life.

“HomeAgent proactively recognizes moments that are truly worth remembering and organizes them into a personalized daily briefing for every family. Moments that might otherwise be forgotten can return. We want to help families preserve the precious time they spend together.” – Samuel Zhang, CEO of UGREEN

As an agentic local AI hub integrating on-device intelligence, local storage, AI computing and smart-home control, HomeAgent serves as the AI brain of the connected home. Designed to keep data private and local, it enables intelligent file management, proactive home monitoring, voice-driven automation and unified device control. The ecosystem includes the HomeAgent HA100 and HA100 Pro, the NVIDIA® Jetson Thor™-powered MasterAgent MA100, SynCare smart cameras, the UGREEN Smart Speaker for Uliya, and UGREEN Gallery smart frames, while remaining compatible with third-party Matter-enabled devices. Together, they deliver a private, expandable AI platform that helps users preserve memories, monitor their homes and coordinate devices through natural, context-aware interactions.

MagFlow Pro: Active Heat Dissipation and Sustained Fast Charging

Announced alongside HomeAgent, MagFlow Powerbank is the world’s first liquid-cooled Qi2 25W magnetic power bank, featuring CryoPulse™ micro-pump liquid cooling, active heat dissipation and sustained fast charging.

The launch complements UGREEN’s strong range of charging options, outlining the brand’s commitment to true-rated performance and flagship-quality power.

Availability Timeline

Pre-orders for the UGREEN HomeAgent HA100, HA100 Pro and UGREEN MasterAgent MA100 opened on September 4, 2026, via the UGREEN AIoT Official Store, and remain available until the official Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign launches on October 27, 2026. Other AIoT accessories will be introduced as part of the Kickstarter campaign beginning on October 27. During the pre-order period, customers can place a deposit starting at $50 to reserve the UGREEN HomeAgent HA100, HA100 Pro or UGREEN MasterAgent MA100 and secure 50% off with the Super Early Bird discount.

About UGREEN
UGREEN is a leading global tech brand creating innovative products that make everyday life smarter, easier, and more connected. From smart charging and productivity to smart storage and AIoT, UGREEN designs technology around the needs of modern life.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bringing-local-ai-home-ugreen-introduces-privacy-first-homeagent-for-smarter-living-302870674.html

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Iwa Robotics Unveils HAWK, CANARY and PELICAN: An Autonomous Drone Fleet Equipped to Detect, Diagnose, and Suppress Urban Wildfires

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September 5, 2026

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Robotics company pairs long-range detection, real-time fire diagnostics, and precision aerial suppression into a single dispatchable system — operated by fire departments as an autonomous aerial fleet.

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Iwa Robotics, Inc., a Los Angeles-based autonomous field systems company, today publicly introduced its three-platform drone line for wildfire and emergency response missions: HAWK, a long-endurance reconnaissance aircraft; CANARY, a sensing platform that diagnoses fires and optimizes crew engagement; and PELICAN, a self-guided aerial suppression aircraft equipped to resolve hot spots and establish fire lines with perpetual drenching. Together, the three platforms execute missions under a single operating framework the company calls its Discovery and Resolution Fleet™ (DRF), dramatically enhancing firefighting capabilities across the full lifecycle of urban wildfires.

Iwa’s aircraft are purpose-built for the challenges faced in wildland-urban interface (WUI) zones and are piloted as an autonomous fleet by fire crews in the field. Iwa’s CANARY platform provides crews with critical insights upon arrival and continues to track fire behavior and evolving threat levels. “At its core, Iwa’s platform is centered on enhancing crew safety with in-field tools to diagnose the threat and engage accordingly – this includes critical sensory data and personnel risk signals,” said Mirza Samnani, CEO of Iwa Robotics. “We are particularly excited about the crew safety tools our Canary platform brings to a unit — it’s like your dalmatian in the sky.”

Iwa’s technology was originally developed and tested alongside working fire crews and has been field-hardened by pilot teams during active missions. “From the start, our approach has been to work side by side with fire crews, learning directly from the people who know this best: field teams, drone pilots, and fire captains who understand both firefighting and drone controls inside and out. They told us what they needed. We engineered it,” said Mirza.

Iwa intends to equip fire agencies with a dedicated fleet of drones under its fleet-as-a-service model – providing the turnkey aircraft platform, requisite autonomy training, ongoing data insights, maintenance, and insurance. The approach allows agencies to add aerial detection and remote suppression capabilities without any upfront capital expenditure, training programs, or lengthy procurement cycles. The company is currently embarking on its second cross-country roadshow with field demonstrations scheduled for fire and public safety agencies across eight states. Interested outfits can request a field demonstration at roadshow@iwarobotics.ai and can receive product information through this channel.

About Iwa Robotics

Iwa Robotics, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based autonomous field systems company that operates NDAA-compliant drone fleets for wildfire response and emergency management. Its HAWK, CANARY, and PELICAN platforms work as a coordinated system to detect, diagnose, and suppress fires, delivered to public safety agencies as a managed service. Iwa’s mandate is to be above every emergency™. Learn more at www.iwarobotics.ai.

Media Contact

Nadya Merchant 
Communications
nadya@iwarobotics.ai
https://www.iwarobotics.ai/

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iwa-robotics-unveils-hawk-canary-and-pelican-an-autonomous-drone-fleet-equipped-to-detect-diagnose-and-suppress-urban-wildfires-302870710.html

SOURCE Iwa Robotics

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Real Estate Expert Pamela Z. Hill Explains Why Whidbey Island Is a Popular Destination for Vacation Homes in HelloNation

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September 5, 2026

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The article examines the factors that continue to attract buyers seeking vacation properties and a slower pace of life.

WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash., Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Why are so many buyers choosing Whidbey Island for a vacation home? A recent HelloNation article provides the answer, featuring insights from Pamela Z. Hill of Whidbey View Homes Inc in Whidbey Island, Washington. The article explores why Whidbey Island has become a popular destination for vacation homes and highlights the combination of natural beauty, accessibility, and lifestyle benefits that continue to attract buyers.

The HelloNation article explains that many people searching for a vacation property today want more than a place to visit occasionally. Buyers increasingly seek locations that offer peace, privacy, and a connection to nature throughout the year. According to the article, Whidbey Island has become appealing because it delivers these qualities while maintaining convenient access to larger cities and modern amenities.

One of the primary reasons Whidbey Island vacation homes remain in demand is the balance between seclusion and accessibility. While some vacation destinations can feel remote, the island provides practical transportation options through the Deception Pass Bridge and ferry routes connecting residents and visitors to surrounding communities. The article notes that buyers often appreciate being able to reach Seattle, Everett, and other regional destinations without sacrificing the benefits of island living.

The article also highlights the island’s natural beauty as a major factor driving interest. Waterfront views, forests, beaches, farmland, and mountain scenery create an environment that feels distinctly different from urban areas. Buyers exploring Pacific Northwest vacation homes are often drawn to Whidbey Island because its landscapes remain attractive throughout the year while offering a variety of settings depending on personal preferences.

Outdoor recreation is another key advantage discussed in the article. Residents and visitors have access to activities such as hiking, kayaking, boating, fishing, biking, and beachcombing across all seasons. The article explains that buyers frequently view outdoor recreation as an important part of the lifestyle they hope to enjoy when purchasing a second home.

The HelloNation article also points to the appeal of the island’s small communities. Towns including Langley, Coupeville, and Oak Harbor each offer their own character while maintaining the slower pace many buyers seek. Local shops, farmers’ markets, restaurants, and galleries contribute to a sense of community that differs from the atmosphere often found in larger resort destinations.

According to the article, flexibility has become another important reason buyers are drawn to the area. Some people purchase vacation homes for seasonal use, while others plan to spend extended periods on the island during retirement or while working remotely. As flexible work arrangements become more common, buyers are increasingly able to consider locations that support both relaxation and practical long-term living.

The article further explains that Whidbey Island real estate offers a wide variety of property types. Buyers can choose from waterfront homes, cottages, cabins, properties with acreage, and homes located near parks or marinas. This variety allows individuals to focus on finding the lifestyle that best matches their goals rather than adapting to a single type of vacation market.

The slower pace of daily life also remains an important attraction. The article notes that many buyers view the island as a place where they can spend more time outdoors, enjoy quieter surroundings, and feel more connected to nature. Watching wildlife, spending time near the water, and experiencing less congestion often become significant parts of the appeal.

As interest in Pacific Northwest vacation homes continues to grow, the article concludes that Whidbey Island stands out because it combines convenience, natural scenery, outdoor recreation, and welcoming small communities. These qualities continue to make the island an attractive option for buyers seeking a vacation property that supports both relaxation and long-term enjoyment.

Why Whidbey Island Has Become a Popular Destination for Vacation Homes features insights from Pamela Z. Hill, Real Estate Expert of Whidbey Island, Washington, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation

HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/real-estate-expert-pamela-z-hill-explains-why-whidbey-island-is-a-popular-destination-for-vacation-homes-in-hellonation-302870337.html

SOURCE HelloNation

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