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World of Words: Vocabulary.com Announces Fall Champions of 11th Vocabulary Bowl

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K-12 students and teachers from across the globe mastered millions of words in the Vocabulary Bowl’s most wide-reaching season yet

SAN MATEO, Calif., Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Vocabulary.com is excited to announce the winners of the Fall 2024 Vocabulary Bowl, the world’s largest academic competition celebrating excellence in vocabulary learning. More than 175,000 learners and 5,600 teachers from 1,800 schools spanning 75 countries mastered a total of 5.15 million words throughout the fall—showcasing vocabulary and literacy skills on a global stage.

This season heralded a new era of competition, with international schools, teachers and individual learners participating in their own divisions for the first time. In the U.S., schools vied for the top spots in three categories based on enrollment size: Division I (1,000 students or more), Division II (500-999 students), and Division III (up to 499 students). Teachers who inspired their students to rack up the most points were celebrated in both U.S. and international divisions.

As the results came in, it became clear which schools and learners had risen to the top.

Once again, the throne is yours: For the second consecutive season, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School clinched the title of Fall 2024 Champion, mastering a staggering 122,000 words—11,000 more than last season and nearly 50,000 ahead of runner-up Etiwanda High School. Saint Thomas Aquinas isn’t the only school with an impressive winning streak—Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy claimed first place in its division for the sixth straight season.

Welcome to the winners’ table: Congratulations are in order for Carnegie Vanguard High School, Millburn Middle School, Great Neck North Middle School and Muscatel Middle School. Each of these U.S. schools secured the top spot in their respective divisions for the first time. Millburn Middle edged out two-time divisional champion Sig Rogich Middle School in a close contest. Meanwhile, félicitations to our first-ever international school champion: École Jeannine Manual in Paris, France! This season also marked the debut of an independent learner category, with the top ten achievers representing six U.S. states and Singapore.

The Division Winners for the Fall 2024 Season are:

Division I (1,000 students or more):High School: Saint Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)Middle School: Millburn Middle School (Millburn, New Jersey)Division II (500-999 students):High School: Carnegie Vanguard High School (Houston, Texas)Middle School: Great Neck North Middle School (Great Neck, New York)Division III (up to 499 students):High School: Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy (Vacaville, California)Middle School: Muscatel Middle School (Rosemead, California)

The Division Runners Up are:

Division I (1,000 students or more):High School: Etiwanda High School (Etiwanda, California)Middle School: Sig Rogich Middle School (Las Vegas, Nevada)Division II (500-999 students):High School: Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School (Newark, New Jersey)Middle School: Oak Creek East Middle School (Oak Creek, Wisconsin)Division III (up to 499 students):High School: Moses Lake Christian Academy (Moses Lake, Washington)Middle School: Crittenden County Middle School (Marion, Kentucky)

Unlike the divisional categories, which are based on school size, the U.S., Canadian and International categories honor schools in each state, country or region that mastered the most words overall, regardless of enrollment.

The U.S. Winners are:

Crossville Middle School – Crossville, AlabamaMinto School – Minto, AlaskaSierra Verde STEM Academy – Glendale, ArizonaCentral High School – Little Rock, ArkansasEtiwanda High School – Etiwanda, CaliforniaManning School Academics & Arts – Golden, ColoradoPlainville High School – Plainville, ConnecticutUrsuline Academy – Wilmington, DelawareInspired Teaching Demo School – Washington, District of ColumbiaSaint Thomas Aquinas High School – Fort Lauderdale, FloridaJohnson County High School – Wrightsville, GeorgiaHarvest Christian Academy – Barrigada, GuamKalani High School – Honolulu, HawaiiSaint Joseph’s School – Boise, IdahoOak Lawn Community High School – Oak Lawn, IllinoisEast Central Middle School – Brookville, IndianaSacred Heart School – West Des Moines, IowaCheney Middle School – Cheney, KansasCrittenden County Middle School – Marion, KentuckyArchbishop Chapelle High School – Metairie, LouisianaWells Junior High School – Wells, MaineChesapeake Math & It PC – N High School – Laurel, MarylandDiman Regional Vocational Technical High School – Fall River, MassachusettsMayville High School – Mayville, MichiganLuverne High School – Luverne, MinnesotaJackson Academy – Jackson, MississippiSarcoxie Middle High School – Sarcoxie, MissouriLincoln County High School – Eureka, MontanaSouthwest Junior Senior High School – Bartley, NebraskaSig Rogich Middle School – Las Vegas, NevadaPelham Memorial School – Pelham, New HampshireMillburn Middle School – Millburn, New JerseySan Juan College High School – Farmington, New MexicoGreat Neck North Middle School – Great Neck, New YorkMcGee’s Crossroads Middle School – Benson, North CarolinaKindred Elementary School – Kindred, North DakotaWalnut Hills High School – Cincinnati, OhioOwasso Eighth Grade Center – Owasso, OklahomaMarist Catholic High School – Eugene, OregonDuBois Area High School – DuBois, PennsylvaniaClassical High School – Providence, Rhode IslandCatawba Ridge High School – Fort Mill, South CarolinaHarrisburg North Middle School – Sioux Falls, South DakotaFred J Page Middle School – Franklin, TennesseeArp High School – Arp, TexasJudge Memorial Catholic High School – Salt Lake City, UtahEnosburg Falls Middle High School – Enosburg Falls, VermontTrinity Christian School – Fairfax, VirginiaMoses Lake Christian Academy – Moses Lake, WashingtonJohn Adams Middle School – Charleston, West VirginiaOak Creek East Middle School – Oak Creek, WisconsinLyman Intermediate School – Lyman, Wyoming

The Canadian Provincial Winners are:

Ecole Secondaire Sainte Marguerite D’youville – St. Albert, AlbertaWest Point Grey Academy – Vancouver, British ColumbiaSussex Christian School – Sussex, New BrunswickDeninu School – Fort Resolution, Northwest TerritoriesHalifax Christian Academy – Halifax, Nova ScotiaNipigon Red Rock District High School – Red Rock, OntarioEcole Internationale Lucille-Teasdale – Brossard, QuebecMiller Comprehensive High School – Regina, Saskatchewan

The International (non-US/Canada) Winners are:

École Jeannine ManuelParis, FranceNan Hua Primary School – Jalan Lempeng, SingaporeOne Target Education – Novena, SingaporeThe Galaxy School Wadi – Gujarat, IndiaÉcole Jeannine Manuel Lille – Marcq en Baroeul, FranceShanghai SMIC Private School – Shanghai, ChinaLycée Condorcet Sydney – New South Wales, AustraliaWollongong Public School – New South Wales, AustraliaMenntaskólinn á Tröllaskaga – Ólafsfjörður, IcelandDhahran Ahliyya School – Dharan, Saudi Arabia

This season of the Vocabulary Bowl introduced a wave of exceptional newcomers, whose dedication to mastering words earned them a place among the Top Rookie Schools.

The Top Rookie Schools are:

Sig Rogich Middle School – Las Vegas, NevadaOak Creek East Middle School – Oak Creek, WisconsinFred J Page Middle School – Franklin, TennesseeWoodland Middle School – Brentwood, TennesseeNotre Dame High School – Sherman Oaks, California

“The 2024 Fall Vocabulary Bowl highlights the power of words to unite students, educators and learners from around the world,” said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning, Vocabulary.com’s parent company. “It’s inspiring to see so many individuals—whether in classrooms or learning independently—mastering words and building skills that will last a lifetime.”

What’s next?
The Vocabulary Bowl’s Spring 2025 season started on February 1, featuring the same categories for schools, teachers and individual learners from across the world. For information about eligibility and rules, visit https://www.vocabulary.com/bowl/rules.

Building literacy skills that last beyond the Bowl
The Vocabulary Bowl combines the thrill of competition with personalized learning to make building vocabulary skills exciting and accessible for all students. Using Vocabulary.com’s adaptive technology, learners master words at their own level, earning points that contribute to their schools’ success. Teachers can gamify learning by recognizing top performers, sharing results with families and celebrating team achievements. With every mastered word, students build literacy skills that go beyond the classroom—boosting confidence, fostering teamwork and laying the foundation for lifelong learning.

About Vocabulary.com
Founded in 2010, Vocabulary.com transforms vocabulary instruction, teaching students the words they need to know to achieve more in school and life. The adaptive platform personalizes learning by identifying each student’s vocabulary needs and creating individualized learning plans. With over 15,000 curated resources aligned with textbooks, novels and English language learner content, Vocabulary.com seamlessly integrates into any curriculum. Gamified features, including the Vocabulary Bowl, engage and motivate students through fun, interactive competitions. To date, 4 million learners have answered 8 billion questions and mastered 400 million words on Vocabulary.com. Vocabulary.com joined the IXL Learning family in 2020.

Press Contact
Joslyn Chesson
IXL Learning
press@ixl.com

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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/ 

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/real-world-study-of-over-185-000-users-finds-engagement-with-uplife-digital-mental-health-app-yields-significant-reductions-in-depression-and-anxiety-302829280.html

SOURCE UpLife

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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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