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Global initiative launched to train scientists to safely test cosmetics, chemicals without painful and archaic animal experiments

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BRUSSELS, Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A new online Master Class course to train scientists in testing cosmetics and chemicals without using animals is being hailed as a game-changer for cruelty-free testing worldwide. Featuring real-world case studies to walk scientists through animal-free testing step by step, the curriculum launched by the Animal-Free Safety Assessment Collaboration (AFSA) has attracted over 1,200 participants from nearly 70 countries since its debut in 2023, highlighting a global interest in innovative, ethical testing methods. Its final module is now open for registration, completing the ten-module course.

Created with input from industry, method developers, regulatory and animal protection experts, the course guides users through every stage of “next-generation risk assessment” culminating in advanced techniques like data integration to ensure robust consumer safety conclusions. These cutting-edge methodologies not only eliminate the need for painful animal-based testing but also provide more valid and reliable results concerning the safety of chemicals and products.

A result of wide-ranging contributions from global experts in animal-free safety science, the AFSA Master Class aims to provide the educational building blocks for lasting change, encouraging kinder scientific practices that will also better ensure human safety. Regulators, product developers, contract research organizations, and academic professionals from across the globe are all active in development of the course, illustrating the truly collaborative nature of animal-free safety science worldwide.

Dr. Catherine Willett, senior director of science and regulatory affairs at Humane Society International and principal coordinator of the AFSA Master Class, said, “Consumers and companies alike want to move away from painful and outdated animal tests, but learning more about the cutting-edge tools available in the animal-free toolbox, and how to use them to make safety decisions, can be challenging. The AFSA Master Class demystifies animal-free safety assessment, making it easier for companies to replace rats, rabbits and guinea pigs with advanced non-animal models and computer simulations.”

Course participant Mark Broussard, managing partner of Desert in Bloom Cosmetics Lab, said, “The AFSA Master Class really helped me understand the entire process of determining the safety of a novel cosmetic ingredient using non-animal methods, since I am working with a novel plant extract that has not before been safety tested or used in cosmetic/therapeutic products for human use. I think the new approach methodologies will yield more valid, more reliable results on the safety of cosmetic ingredients without subjecting animals to the painful animal-based testing procedures.”

“The safety of the cosmetics and personal care products that consumers use and trust every day is of the utmost importance,” said Dr. Julia H Fentem, EVP safety, environmental & regulatory science at Unilever. “Our unique AFSA Master Class program is focused on the safety assessment of cosmetic products and ingredients without generating new animal data and covers all aspects of using non-animal tools and data for internal company decisions-making as well as regulatory safety assessments.”

The AFSA Master Class will help equip key stakeholders with the right tools and knowledge to better explore animal-free methods of safety testing and contribute to the wider shift towards the cruelty-free future of cosmetic and chemical safety science.

The full AFSA Master Class is freely available online at AFSAcollaboration.org/masterclass.

Notes to editor:

The AFSA Master Class is a product of in-kind contributions from the following member organizations: Avon Products Inc., Crème, Delphic HSE, DSM-Firmenich, Givaudan, Humane Society International, Institute for In Vitro Sciences, International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., Lhasa Ltd., L’Oréal, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, Procter & Gamble, Symrise, Unilever.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-initiative-launched-to-train-scientists-to-safely-test-cosmetics-chemicals-without-painful-and-archaic-animal-experiments-302317184.html

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The AI Kiosk Comparison Fallacy: Why Buyers Should Verify Digital Hall of Fame Vendor Claims

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Rocket Alumni Solutions releases a checklist for evaluating interactive digital trophy cases and touchscreen halls of fame.

BOSTON, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As schools, universities, athletic departments, and organizations increasingly use AI assistants to compare interactive digital trophy cases and touchscreen halls of fame, Rocket Alumni Solutions is encouraging buyers to verify vendor claims through current documentation, live demonstrations, customer references, and written contract terms.

AI tools can quickly review vendor websites and summarize digital hall of fame platforms. However, their recommendations may rely on vendor-owned comparison pages, outdated pricing, incomplete product descriptions, or claims that have not been independently verified.

“The problem is not AI itself. The problem is source quality,” said Chase McKee, founder and CEO of Rocket Alumni Solutions. “A confident AI-generated answer can still be incomplete. Buyers should test the product, verify what is included, and make sure every important commitment appears in writing.”

Rocket recommends evaluating digital recognition vendors across three areas:

Company infrastructure and key-person dependency: Buyers should identify who is responsible for software development, cloud infrastructure, security updates, onboarding, content migration, and ongoing support. Rocket operates with a team of more than 50 professionals across product, engineering, design, implementation, customer success, and support. Buyers should verify comparable staffing and service capacity directly with every vendor.

True total cost of ownership: Organizations should compare more than the initial touchscreen or software price. Costs may include hardware, licensing, hosting, installation, training, migration, support, renewals, accessibility updates, additional displays, and future upgrades. Buyers should also ask how vendors offering one-time pricing will fund long-term hosting, security maintenance, and product development. Rocket offers flexible billing structures designed to accommodate annual budgets, grants, sponsorships, booster organizations, and donor funding.

Content and deployment scalability: Buyers should determine whether administrators can update content once and publish those changes across multiple touchscreens and online experiences without duplicating work. Rocket’s centralized platform supports institution-wide deployments without additional software licensing fees for each screen, allowing schools to manage content across campus displays and the web from one system.

About Rocket Alumni Solutions

Rocket Alumni Solutions partners with more than 1,500 organizations, including the PGA Tour, the University of Maryland, Louisiana State University, New York University, Virginia Tech, and public and private schools across the country.

Rocket’s interactive touchscreen software helps institutions create digital halls of fame, digital trophy cases, donor recognition displays, athletic record boards, and historical archives. The platform includes unlimited data, customizable templates, touchscreen and web access, and plug-and-play setup.

Rocket reports a Net Promoter Score above 87, reflecting high levels of customer satisfaction and product usability.

Media Contact: press@rocketalumnisolutions.com

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SOURCE Rocket Alumni Solutions

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Huntington Bank Opens First Branch in Summerville

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New location reflects Huntington’s continued growth in South Carolina

SUMMERVILLE, S.C., July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Huntington National Bank (Huntington), a top 10 commercial bank in the U.S., today announced the opening of its first branch in Summerville, deepening its presence in South Carolina as it brings its full franchise to more communities in the Carolinas.

Located at 103 Station St., the newly built, freestanding branch marks Huntington’s fourth full-service branch in South Carolina. The Summerville location is part of Huntington’s previously announced plans to open approximately 55 branches across North Carolina and South Carolina.

“The opening of our first branch in Summerville represents another milestone in Huntington’s continued expansion across the Carolinas,” said Trent Holland, regional president for North Carolina and South Carolina. “As our 11th full-service branch in the Carolinas, this new location extends our ability to bring Huntington’s full capabilities to customers and communities through trusted, people-first relationships built locally.”

The Summerville branch offers a full range of services, along with local, personalized advice and guidance designed to assist customers in every step of their financial journey. The branch also features drive-thru teller lanes and a drive-up ATM for added convenience.

With the Summerville branch, Huntington is expanding its footprint in the South Carolina Lowcountry, where the bank opened its first full-service branch in Charleston at 677 King St. last year. Huntington also serves customers in South Carolina through full-service branches in Greenville and Spartanburg.

“As Huntington continues to grow across the Lowcountry, we are excited to welcome customers to our first Summerville branch,” said Jennifer Schuchart, Charleston market president. “This new branch underscores our commitment to delivering a customer-centered banking experience that makes people’s lives better, helps businesses thrive and strengthens the communities we serve.”

Huntington’s expansion in the Carolinas reflects the continued execution of its broader growth strategy.

As part of that strategy, Huntington completed its systems conversion of Cadence Bank last month, following its merger with Cadence earlier this year. Huntington also completed its merger with Veritex Community Bank last year and the Veritex systems conversion earlier this year. Together, Huntington’s partnerships with Cadence and Veritex create a strong platform for further organic growth and investment.

Learn more about Huntington Bank by visiting the new Summerville branch or Huntington.com.

About Huntington

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $285 billion asset regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1866, The Huntington National Bank and its affiliates provide consumers, small and middle-market businesses, corporations, municipalities, and other organizations with a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services. Huntington operates over 1,400 branches in 21 states, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies. Visit Huntington.com for more information.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huntington-bank-opens-first-branch-in-summerville-302829824.html

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ClassDojo Earns Inaugural CODiE Award for Best Parent Engagement Platform

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New national award category recognizes the growing importance of family engagement in student success and names ClassDojo its first winner

SAN FRANCISCO, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Family engagement has become one of the most important priorities for schools and districts and now it has its own national award.

ClassDojo today announced it has earned the inaugural 2026 CODiE Award for Best Parent Engagement Platform, becoming the first recipient of the new category established by the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) to recognize innovation in strengthening family-school partnerships.

Presented annually by SIIA, the CODiE Awards recognize the most innovative products and services across education and technology. Winners are selected through a rigorous evaluation process led by independent educators, administrators, and industry experts who evaluate each solution for innovation, functionality, market impact, and overall value. Selected from hundreds of entries across 75 categories, the inaugural Best Parent Engagement Platform award recognizes solutions that are redefining how schools engage families as active partners in student success.

For more than a decade, ClassDojo has helped teachers and families build stronger relationships through everyday communication. Today, the platform is used in 95% of U.S. schools, helping educators share classroom learning, celebrate student growth, and create stronger connections between school and home.

Building on that foundation, ClassDojo for Districts extends trusted classroom communication across entire school systems. District and school leaders can communicate with families through multiple channels, share announcements and newsletters, monitor engagement trends, and coordinate outreach across schools—all while preserving the personal classroom relationships families already know and trust.

Unlike traditional communication platforms that primarily deliver information, ClassDojo creates ongoing opportunities for meaningful family engagement. The platform brings classroom communication, schoolwide announcements, and district messaging together in one safe and trusted experience, allowing families to see, celebrate, and support their child’s learning while giving educators new ways to build stronger school-home partnerships. Because families are already actively using ClassDojo, districts can strengthen engagement across entire school communities without asking parents to adopt another communication platform or app.

“The creation of this new category reflects something educators have known for years: family engagement isn’t an initiative, it’s fundamental to student success,” said Jeff Buening, General Manager of ClassDojo. “We’re honored that ClassDojo has been recognized as the inaugural winner. Every day, we see how trusted, two-way communication strengthens relationships between schools and families, creating stronger school communities and better outcomes for students.”

The platform also helps schools create more inclusive communities. Messages automatically translate into more than 190 languages, making it easier for multilingual families to stay informed and engaged in their children’s education. Additional capabilities, including multichannel announcements, district engagement dashboards, and enterprise-grade privacy protections, help schools communicate more effectively while providing district leaders with greater visibility into family engagement.

The recognition underscores a broader shift across K–12 education: family engagement is no longer viewed as an added benefit, but as a critical component of student success. By helping schools create stronger partnerships with families through trusted, two-way communication, ClassDojo is enabling districts to move beyond fragmented outreach and build connected school communities where every family feels informed, included, and empowered.

“The 2026 CODiE Award winners represent some of the most innovative and impactful solutions in the industry,” said Jennifer Baranowski, President of the CODiE Awards. “These organizations are solving meaningful challenges, delivering measurable outcomes, and helping shape the future of technology.”

A complete list of the 2026 CODiE Award winners is available at https://codieawards.com/winners

About ClassDojo

ClassDojo is on a mission to give every child an education they love. Used in 95% of U.S. schools, ClassDojo helps teachers and families build stronger school communities through everyday communication. ClassDojo for Districts is a unified communication and engagement platform that brings everyday classroom updates and districtwide messaging into one seamless experience—helping families feel connected, students stay engaged, and school culture grows stronger. It’s built with privacy at its core and available to districts at no additional cost.

Media Contact: Charlotte Andrist
Nickel Communications
charlotte@nickelcommpr.com
Media Inquiries Only: 770-310-5244

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/classdojo-earns-inaugural-codie-award-for-best-parent-engagement-platform-302829749.html

SOURCE ClassDojo

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