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Coalition launches to eliminate exclusionary public school boundary lines in all 50 states by 2030

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Led by yes. every kid., more than two dozen organizations commit to ending public school discrimination based on address

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, yes. every kid. announced the launch of the No More Lines Coalition, a group of 28 nonpartisan education groups committed to ending discriminatory public school district boundary lines. These school boundaries are based on a student’s ZIP code and, de facto, a family’s wealth based on their home value. The coalition has set a goal of ending this restrictive practice in all 50 states by 2030.

Public schools will only be truly public when we remove the barriers to accessing them, no matter where families live.

Rooted in redlining practices of the 1930s to 1960s, public school students are assigned to a school based on where they live. These school boundary lines continue to reinforce racial and economic divisions and prevent families from accessing the public school that best meets their children’s needs. This issue is critical, as about 82% of American K-12 students attend public school today. Many states still have a policy in which a child attending any school is a criminal statute.

“Sorting kids into schools based only on their address is discriminatory based on family wealth, promotes segregation, and ensures that low-income kids across the country will continue to have the fewest school options that work for them. It’s educational redlining, plain and simple, and we are better, as a nation, than using these lines to dole out educational opportunity. They need to go,” said Derrell Bradford, yes. every kid. board member and 50CAN president. “By giving families the option to access the public school that meets their kids’ needs – and not sending them to jail for doing so – we will remove significant barriers to every child getting the personalized education that helps them become the best version of themselves.”

In all 50 states, a child’s address is still the primary factor used to determine which public school a child is granted access to. In 24 states, parents and guardians can still be jailed for crossing school or district boundary lines, with districts often hiring private investigators to follow parents to ensure that they meet the residency requirements. These policies and practices are an immoral use of taxpayer resources and disproportionately criminalize people of color and those from working-class backgrounds.

Open enrollment policies empower students to enroll in public schools – for free – outside of their residentially assigned schools. A key facet of No More Lines policies, open enrollment can be a powerful tool in ensuring that a child’s opportunity is not limited by their address.

In 2023, six states made progress in removing public school barriers – Idaho, West Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, Arkansas, and Nebraska. Open enrollment policies have broad public support: in a 2023 YouGov poll, more than two-thirds of respondents supported ending residential school assignment, and the majority believe that open enrollment would strengthen education.

“Every day, children are denied access to a public school that works for them simply because they do not live in the right neighborhoods,” said yes. every kid. Chief Operating Officer Erica Jedynak. “Just like public libraries, pools or parks, public schools will only be truly public when we remove the barriers to accessing them, no matter where families live. The No More Lines Coalition will do exactly that.”

“Families deserve access to a great education for their children, regardless of their income or home address. When I enrolled my children in a safer school district with better resources using my father’s address, I was arrested and put in jail,” said Kelley Williams-Bolar, a parent who was punished for trying to get her children a better-fit education. “Enrolling your child in a public school should never be deemed a crime, and I’m proud that the No More Lines Coalition will work to ensure that no other families experience the injustice that we faced.”

The guiding principles for the Coalition’s work, along with committed members, include opening public school access for all students, ending address discrimination, ensuring that public education is free, and unbundling education and the housing market. More on how the Coalition will expand access to a great education for all students can be found here.

The No More Lines Coalition
50CAN
A for Arizona
Alaska Policy Forum
Association of American Educators
Americans for Prosperity
Available to All
Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy
Children’s Scholarship Fund
Commonwealth Foundation
Democrats for Education Reform (DFER)
Defense of Freedom Institute
EdChoice
Excellent Education for Everyone (E3)
Families Empowered
Foundation for Economic Education
Frontier Institute
Inclusive Strategies
Independent Women’s Forum
The James Madison Institute
Jersey 1st
Maine Policy Institute
Mountain States Policy Center
Ready Colorado
Reason Foundation
School Choice Ohio
Southwest Public Policy Institute
State Policy Network
yes. every kid.

About yes. every kid.

yes. every kid. supports policies that respect the dignity of every student, welcome innovative ideas, and foster a diversity of approaches to learning. yes. every kid. will support and build coalitions to advance new conversations and bold visions by bringing together differing voices and perspectives to revolutionize the K-12 education experience. 

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Real-World Study of Over 185,000 Users Finds Engagement with UpLife Digital Mental Health App Yields Significant Reductions in Depression and Anxiety

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Five-year evaluation shows a clear “dose–response” link between deeper engagement with UpLife’s CBT-based ‘Journeys’ programs and greater depression and anxiety symptom improvement

LEESBURG, Va., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — UpLife Inc, a digital mental health and self-therapy platform, today announced a set of research findings from a large real-world evaluation of its app, showing that people who engaged with the platform reported statistically significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety over time. The evaluation drew on five years of real-world data from an engaged user base of more than 185,000 people across the United States and 197 other countries worldwide.

“These results reflect what we hear from users every day, now backed by data at real-world scale. What stands out is the dose–response signal where the people who lean into the work by completing their Journeys and doing the exercises are the ones who get the most out of it.” Jeff Musa, CEO, UpLife

The research analysis examined anonymized data collected between 2021 and 2026 using three validated clinical outcome measures: the PHQ-9 (depression), the GAD-7 (anxiety), and the WHO-5 (well-being). Among UpLife users who completed assessments at baseline and follow-up, depression and anxiety scores decreased significantly over time.

In the fully adjusted analysis, average depression scores (PHQ-9) fell by approximately 3.7 points; moving the typical UpLife user from the “moderately severe” range toward the “moderate” range. Anxiety scores (GAD-7) showed comparable significant reductions over time.

A clear dose–response relationship

One of the study’s central findings was a consistent dose–response pattern regarding the relationship between engagement and outcomes. Users who completed UpLife’s CBT-based ‘Journeys’ experienced a reduction in their symptoms. The study also found that the completion of additional Journeys were associated with a further measurable decrease in their assessment scores, even after accounting for subscription type and other factors. Notably, depth of engagement with therapeutic content was a stronger predictor of improvement than simply the amount of time spent in the app.

“These results reflect what we hear from users every day, now backed by data at real-world scale. What stands out most is the dose–response signal where the people who lean into the work by completing their Journeys and doing the exercises are the ones who get the most out of it. That tells us our job is to keep building an experience that helps people stay engaged, because engagement is where the clinical value lives.” — Jeff Musa, Chief Executive Officer, UpLife

Built on cognitive behavioral therapy

UpLife delivers evidence-based psychological education and interventions grounded in the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) through five core features: structured Journeys, a Daily Plan, a Mood Tracker, journaling, and an AI assistant (“Lila”) that recommends relevant content from the platform. The app does not provide AI-generated therapy; its assistant only directs users to content that has been created, curated, and reviewed by clinicians.

For clinicians, UpLife also offers a HIPAA-compliant therapist portal that supports a Blended Care model, allowing providers to extend therapeutic support between sessions through structured digital programs, progress tracking, and shared assessments.

The platform has also been extensively used in humanitarian settings. Through UpLife’s Ukraine Humanitarian Gift Program, tens of thousands of users in Ukraine have received full, free access to a localized version of the app through UpLife’s Ukraine Humanitarian Gift Program.

About the evaluation

The study used an observational pre–post design based on real-world data and was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. As an observational evaluation without a control group, it demonstrates associations between app engagement and symptom improvement rather than establishing causation, and well-being scores (WHO-5) did not change significantly over the study period. The findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that CBT-based digital interventions can be associated with meaningful symptom reduction, while underscoring the central role of sustained user engagement.

About UpLife

Founded in 2019, UpLife is a digital mental health and self-guided therapy platform that is designed to help people improve their emotional well-being, build healthier thinking patterns, and develop positive daily habits through structured, evidence-based psychological programs. UpLife also provides a secure, HIPAA-compliant portal to help therapists and health systems to extend care beyond the through a Blended Care Therapy model. Learn more at www.uplifecare.com.

Media Contact

Matt Landry, UpLife, 1 617-699-7205, matt@thesecondrow.net, https://www.uplifecare.com/ 

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TruHeight Joins Nordstrom and JCPenney Marketplaces as Wellness Brands Reshape the Department Store

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Family nutrition brand’s newest retail partnerships reflect a broader shift: health and wellness products are becoming a staple of platforms once reserved for fashion and apparel

LAS VEGAS, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TruHeight, the family nutrition brand, today announced it is joining the Nordstrom Marketplace and the JCPenney Marketplace, bringing its lineup of clean-label vitamins, gummies, protein shakes, and everyday nutrition products to two of America’s most iconic department store names.

The partnerships place TruHeight at the center of one of retail’s most notable shifts. Department stores and fashion-first marketplaces, long defined by clothing, shoes, and accessories, are rapidly expanding into health and wellness as consumers increasingly treat wellness as part of their everyday lifestyle rather than a separate shopping trip. For a generation of shoppers, the same platforms where they buy back-to-school outfits and activewear are becoming destinations for the products that fuel those activities.

“Five years ago, you wouldn’t expect to find a family nutrition brand next to denim and sneakers,” said Justin Rapoport, Co-CEO of TruHeight. “Today, wellness is part of how families shop for everything. Nordstrom and JCPenney recognize that, and we’re proud to bring family nutrition to their marketplaces.”

The move extends a period of rapid retail growth for TruHeight, which launched in 5,000 CVS stores nationwide in June following its national debut at Target earlier this year, and is also available at iHerb and on Amazon. With the addition of Nordstrom and JCPenney, TruHeight’s products will reach shoppers across drug, mass, e-commerce, and department store channels.

“Every retailer we add is a signal of the trust families place in our brand,” said Eden Stelmach, Co-Founder of TruHeight. “Department stores are where families have shopped together for generations. Meeting them there with simple, clean nutrition products is a natural next step.”

TruHeight products will be available on the Nordstrom and JCPenney marketplaces in the coming weeks, joining the brand’s existing availability at CVS, Target, iHerb, Amazon, and truheightvitamins.com.

About TruHeight
TruHeight is a family nutrition brand offering clean-label vitamins, gummies, protein shakes, and everyday nutrition products for kids, teens, and active families. Founded with a commitment to simple ingredients and convenient formats, TruHeight products are available at major retailers nationwide and online at truheightvitamins.com.

Media Contact
TruHeight Vitamins
Kim Brown
419189@email4pr.com
4704265920
truheightvitamins.com

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TrendyMinds Founder Trevor Yager Returns as CEO to Lead Agency’s Next Phase of Growth

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Veteran agency leader returns to accelerate TrendyMinds’ AI capabilities and advance the firm’s evolution as a strategic partner helping organizations drive growth, strengthen reputation, and navigate transformation.

INDIANAPOLIS, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Trevor Yager has returned as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TrendyMinds, the Indianapolis-based agency he founded in 1995, while continuing to serve as Chairman. In this dual role, Yager has resumed direct involvement in day-to-day leadership, working alongside account and delivery teams on client work in addition to setting the agency’s strategic direction. As CEO, he is leading the company’s next phase of growth by advancing the firm’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities while strengthening its position as a strategic partner to organizations navigating growth and change.

Yager previously transitioned from CEO to Chairman as part of a planned leadership evolution that reflected both the agency’s maturity and his own exploration of future ownership opportunities. As AI has accelerated the pace of change across the industry, reshaping how organizations operate and compete, he made the decision to step back into the CEO role and lead TrendyMinds through its next chapter directly.

“Moving into the Chairman role was the right decision at the time because the Board, including myself, believed TrendyMinds needed to demonstrate it could thrive beyond its founder,” said Yager. “But after more than 30 years of leading through every major technology shift, I believe artificial intelligence represents one of the greatest opportunities our industry has ever seen. The environment shifted fast enough that it made sense for me to step back in and lead it personally, continuing to build the capabilities our clients will need and position the agency for what’s next.”

Beginning in 2019, TrendyMinds became increasingly intentional about optimizing the artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation capabilities already embedded within the technologies used across the agency. Following a comprehensive assessment of AI-enabled tools and workflows, the agency integrated AI across strategy, research, creative development, marketing operations, and internal business processes while establishing governance, security, and data protection standards to support responsible implementation.

By transforming its own business first, TrendyMinds refined its methodologies, validated new approaches, and built the operational discipline that now informs how it evaluates AI opportunities with clients. Today, TrendyMinds continues to expand its internal AI capabilities through a dedicated team of AI transformation specialists, developing proprietary workflows, audience intelligence tools, and implementation frameworks. Drawing on that experience, the agency helps clients responsibly evaluate and implement AI in ways that align with their business objectives, regulatory requirements, and governance standards.

That experience also enables TrendyMinds to support clients developing innovative AI technologies, including a leading healthcare AI innovator. By combining firsthand AI transformation experience with strategic consulting, communications, and market positioning expertise, the agency helps organizations communicate complex technologies, build trust with stakeholders, and accelerate market adoption.

Founded as a traditional marketing agency more than 30 years ago, TrendyMinds has continually evolved alongside the changing needs of its clients, bringing together strategic consulting, integrated marketing, communications, creative, thought leadership, media relations, digital strategy and development, research, analytics, and emerging technologies.

About TrendyMinds

TrendyMinds is the Agency of Preference®, a multidisciplinary consulting partner helping organizations accelerate growth, strengthen and protect reputation, and navigate transformation. Founded in Indianapolis in 1995, the firm has spent more than 30 years uniting strategic consulting, communications, marketing, creative, technology, and data-driven insight into a single integrated practice built to solve complex business challenges.

Learn more at TrendyMinds.com.

Media Contact:
Claire Gregory
419095@email4pr.com | 317.902.6973

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