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HelloNation Article Featuring Educational Toy Expert Melissa Skelton Explains Why Personalized Toys Support Early Learning

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The article examines how personalized name puzzles help toddlers build letter recognition, motor skills, and early literacy confidence.

RIDGELAND, Miss., June 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What makes certain toys more effective for early learning and toddler development than others? According to a HelloNation article, parents in Ridgeland are turning to personalized name puzzles as a reliable way to support early learning while giving children a meaningful connection to their own identity. The insights shared in a HelloNation article underline how these personalized toys offer both emotional and educational benefits during a child’s earliest years.

Parents in Ridgeland often look for products that blend fun with learning, and personalized name puzzles meet this need in a simple, familiar way. The HelloNation article explains that children naturally gravitate toward letters that form their own names because they appear in many parts of their daily lives. When toddlers handle the wooden pieces of a wooden name puzzle, they connect familiar symbols with a new and engaging activity. The article notes that this helps create a positive link between play and early learning.

Educational Toy Expert Melissa Skelton emphasizes that personalized toys can support literacy foundations through basic repetition. As explained in the article, children between the ages of two and five benefit most from the direct connection between their identity and recognizable letters. Each time a child places a letter into the wooden name puzzle, they reinforce letter recognition in a natural way. The HelloNation article points out that this type of engaged repetition may be more effective than structured drills because children stay motivated without outside pressure.

Melissa Skelton also notes that educational custom toys for children offer a wide range of learning approaches, but personalized name puzzles stand out for their emotional impact. According to the article, toddlers respond strongly when they see their name in bright colors and sturdy wooden shapes. This familiarity encourages them to practice the puzzle more often, supporting toddler development through repeated movements that strengthen fine motor skills.

The HelloNation feature explains that personalized toys serve as both educational tools and meaningful keepsakes. Parents in Ridgeland, MS often seek toys that will last, and the durability of a wooden name puzzle means it functions well beyond the toddler years. Many puzzles are made of solid wood with safe finishes, making them suitable for daily play, travel, and seasonal storage. The article notes that this combination of strength and purpose contributes to their popularity among local families.

Melissa Skelton, through the HelloNation article, further explains that educational custom toys for children help them learn through hands-on experiences. Personalized name puzzles allow children to practice gripping, pinching, twisting, and guiding pieces into the correct spots. These repetitive movements reinforce the motor coordination needed for later writing. When the activity is tied to their own name, children show greater interest, making each session more productive for early learning.

Parents in Ridgeland MS, frequently ask about the specific academic value of personalized toys. The HelloNation article responds by showing how wooden name puzzles support both memory development and phonics awareness. As children place each piece, they connect individual letters to distinct shapes and sounds. This process creates early bridges between spoken and written language. Melissa Skelton notes that this step is important because it helps children understand how letters work together to form words, an early stage of literacy.

According to HelloNation, personalized name puzzles naturally encourage consistent practice. Because the activity is non-competitive and self-paced, children build confidence as they complete the puzzle over and over. This confidence becomes a key part of toddler development. Each successful attempt strengthens letter recognition, which in turn prepares children for reading lessons in preschool or kindergarten. The article explains that these small, steady victories help form a strong learning foundation.

Melissa Skelton also remarks in the article that personalized toys support long-term growth by keeping learning relaxed. Parents often appreciate that personalized name puzzles do not require instructions or scheduled lessons. Instead, children choose when to pick up the puzzle and how long to engage with it. This freedom gives toddlers space to learn independently, which can enhance both curiosity and persistence.

Families in Ridgeland, MS, searching for educational custom toys for children can find a variety of options at local shops and markets. The HelloNation article notes that many residents explore regional craft fairs or stores specializing in educational items to find puzzles made by Mississippi-based artisans. These custom pieces often reflect local craftsmanship, offering families both a learning tool and a unique gift that carries personal significance.

As the article explains, personalized toys such as wooden name puzzles do more than entertain. They help children make sense of the letters in their world and connect language to tangible shapes. The intentional design behind personalized name puzzles supports early learning goals in a way that feels natural, engaging, and emotionally meaningful. With strong ties to identity and memory, these puzzles remain a favorite among Ridgeland parents who value both education and connection.

The article titled “Why Personalized Toys Matter: How Custom Name Gifts Help Kids Learn” in Ridgeland, MS, highlights insights from Melissa Skelton, Educational Toy Expert of Ridgeland, MS, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation

HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative “edvertising” approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.
www.hellonation.com

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SOURCE HelloNation

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Next Level Solutions Selected by Safepoint MGA to Deliver New Customer Self-Service Portal

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo., July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Next Level Solutions (NLS) today announced a new engagement with Safepoint MGA, a Tampa-based property and casualty insurance underwriter specializing in coastal regions, to develop a modern customer self-service portal designed to enhance the policyholder experience. The engagement adds to a strong first half of 2026 for NLS, marked by expanding client relationships and continued growth across the property and casualty insurance industry.

The new portal will give policyholders of Safepoint MGA’s affiliated carriers a faster, more convenient way to access their policies, documents, claims, and payments online. NLS is building the solution on a modern React and Microsoft Azure foundation, connecting directly to Safepoint’s existing systems, including Heartland and Duck Creek.

Once live, the portal will give policyholders a single, secure place to manage their coverage, from viewing policies and accessing key documents to filing and tracking claims, updating account details, and making payments. Real-time notifications will keep policyholders informed with updates on policy, billing, and claims activity.

The launch is timed ahead of peak hurricane season, so Safepoint’s policyholders will have easy-to-use self-service tools in place when they need them most, whether that’s filing a claim, checking a document, or making a payment, all without picking up the phone.

“Delivering a modern, intuitive experience for our policyholders on an aggressive timeline required more than technical expertise—it required a true partner,” said Ted Krueger, Director of Engineering at Safepoint. “The team at Next Level Solutions consistently demonstrated exceptional project management, disciplined requirements gathering, and meticulous attention to detail throughout every phase of the engagement. Their structured approach to documenting, tracking, and resolving issues significantly reduced project risk while maintaining an impressive pace of development. Together, we successfully delivered a fully functional insured portal experience that exceeded our expectations and positioned Safepoint for continued innovation in our digital customer experience.”

“Every new engagement is built on trust, and we’re grateful Safepoint chose Next Level Solutions to help advance such an important initiative,” said Chris Sawyer, CEO of Next Level Solutions. “Projects like this reflect the confidence we’re seeing from insurers who need experienced teams that can deliver modern solutions with speed, quality, and a genuine focus on helping clients succeed.”

Demand for Next Level Solutions’ expertise continues to grow as insurers invest in modern technology, stronger customer experiences, and trusted delivery partners to help them execute with confidence. That growth spans consulting, implementation, quality engineering, core system transformation, and managed services for property and casualty insurers.

About Next Level Solutions
Next Level Solutions (NLS) is a technology consulting and systems integration firm focused on the property and casualty insurance industry. Headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, with nearshore delivery hubs in Puerto Rico and Honduras, NLS helps carriers implement, stabilize, and get more from the systems their business runs on. Tech Powered. P&C Focused. Learn more at nlsnow.com.

About Safepoint Insurance
Safepoint MGA is a specialty homeowners and commercial insurance underwriter that manages Safepoint Insurance Company and two reciprocal insurance exchanges, Manatee Insurance Exchange and Cajun Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange.

Media Contact
Vicki Treptow, Sr Marketing Specialist, vicki.treptow@nlsnow.com

pr@safepointins.com

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SOURCE Next Level Solutions

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Telekom Srbija modernizes customer engagement and AI-driven marketing with SAS

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SAS Customer Intelligence 360 and SAS Viya help deliver personalized engagement, and scale AI decisioning initiatives.

CARY, N.C., July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Telekom Srbija, the leading telecommunications provider in Serbia and a major presence in Southeast and Central Europe, is redefining what it means to be a modern telecom operator with the help of SAS, a global leader in data and AI.

Telekom Srbija implemented SAS Customer Intelligence 360, SAS’ AI-powered customer engagement platform, to consolidate campaign planning, orchestration and execution into a single solution.

Telekom Srbija is using SAS Customer Intelligence 360, SAS Intelligent Decisioning and SAS® Viya® to unify campaign management, deliver personalized customer engagement, support real-time decisioning and scale AI-driven marketing.

While communication, broadband and connectivity remain a priority, Telekom Srbija has moved beyond traditional telecom services to build one of the region’s most successful content production engines, creating TV series, films and documentaries – content that is consumed by people in local markets, and globally.

But as Telekom Srbija expanded, so did the complexity of its marketing operations. Multiple teams were running independent campaigns, often resulting in inconsistent messaging and a fragmented customer experience for its more than 8 million customers.

“Previously, we had nine different teams creating campaigns, and none of them knew who was executing what or when,” said Natali Delić, Strategy and Digital Officer at Telekom Srbija. “Customers were receiving conflicting offers across channels, which diluted impact and increased costs. We needed a unified approach.”

To address this, Telekom Srbija implemented SAS Customer Intelligence 360, SAS’ AI-powered customer engagement platform, to consolidate campaign planning, orchestration and execution into a single solution.

With SAS Customer Intelligence 360, Telekom Srbija can:

Centralize campaign management across teams and channels.Eliminate overlapping messages and customer fatigue.Enable coordinated, consistent engagement at scale.Enable real-time personalization.Create a scalable foundation for AI-driven marketing.

“With SAS we’re moving from broad, segment-based campaigns to highly refined offers tailored to micro-segments, even individual customers,” said Delić.

Driving smarter, real-time decisioning
Telekom Srbija is also modernizing its decisioning capabilities, evolving from trigger-based campaigns to fully contextual, real-time engagement. By combining SAS Customer Intelligence 360 with SAS Intelligent Decisioning, the company can:

React instantly to customer behavior.Deliver relevant offers based on real-time context.Extend engagement across channels including mobile, web and self-service apps.

“Context is everything,” Delić said. “A message might feel intrusive at one moment but highly valuable at another. With SAS, we can respond in real time with the right action, at the right moment, through the right channel.”

The combination of SAS Customer Intelligence 360 and SAS Intelligent Decisioning enables real-time personalization based on customer behavior and context.

Scaling AI with a cloud-native analytics foundation
To support its continued growth and innovation, Telekom Srbija has deployed SAS Viya, a scalable, cloud-native platform unifying analytics, machine learning and AI.

“We knew we needed a platform that could bring everything together. We needed a company that shared our innovative spirit and provided the capabilities to grow and scale,” Delić said. “That’s why we chose SAS Viya.”

Since deployment, the company’s vision for AI has increased rapidly, building on the breadth of SAS Viya’s capabilities, including:

Integrating analytics, AI and machine learning in one environment.Supporting multiple programming languages and teams.Enabling exploration of large language models and AI agents.

“The possibilities with Viya keep expanding,” Delić said. “We’re now exploring how large language models and AI agents can help marketers accelerate campaign creation, improve customer engagement and automate marketing workflows.”

SAS Customer Intelligence 360 helps organizations unify customer data, orchestrate personalized customer journeys, deliver real-time engagement and measure marketing performance across channels. For more information on SAS Customer Intelligence 360, visit: SAS Customer Intelligence 360

To follow updates and insights, visit the SAS Customer Intelligence LinkedIn page: SAS Customer Intelligence 360 on LinkedIn

About SAS
SAS is a global leader in data and AI. With SAS software and industry-specific solutions, organizations transform data into trusted decisions. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2026 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial Contacts:
Angela Lipscomb
angela.lipscomb@sas.com
919-531-2525
sas.com/news

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SOURCE SAS

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US Air Force awards Leidos ISR operations support task order worth up to $717 million

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RESTON, Va., July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As global threats become more complex, contested and fast-moving, U.S. airmen need timely intelligence that is trusted and operationally relevant. Leidos (NYSE: LDOS) has been awarded a new task order by the U.S. Air Force’s Air Combat Command (ACC) Acquisition Management and Integration Center (AMIC) to continue delivering intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations support for ACC.

The task order has a total potential value of approximately $717 million if all options are exercised. It includes a one-year base period with four one-year options. Work will be performed at more than 35 locations in the United States and overseas, positioning Leidos personnel alongside U.S. Air Force mission partners at the point of need and reinforcing the company’s role as an embedded partner in day-to-day mission execution.

Leidos has supported this mission as the prime contractor since 2019. The new task order extends that partnership at a time when military leaders need accurate, timely information to assess threats and support operations across air, space, cyber and intelligence missions.

“Airmen operate in an environment where decisions often depend on the speed, quality and clarity of intelligence,” said Jason McCarthy, Leidos senior vice president, Airborne & Mission Solutions. “Since 2019, our team has worked alongside Air Combat Command to provide mission-focused ISR support, training and analysis. This next phase of work builds on that foundation with the insight and operational expertise needed to help Airmen assess threats, prepare for missions and support operations around the world.”

Under the task order, Leidos will provide subject matter expertise, intelligence analysis, threat mitigation, ISR operations support, training, and mission support services for ACC headquarters, subordinate Numbered Air Forces, centers, and wings. This work reflects Leidos’ NorthStar 2030 commitment to helping Department of War customers maintain combat-ready forces and defeat evolving global threats.

Headquartered at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia, ACC is one of the U.S. Air Force’s major commands and serves as a primary provider of combat air, space, cyber and intelligence capabilities to America’s warfighting commands. ACC AMIC provides acquisition services that support mission-focused capabilities across the command.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with approximately 50,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026. For more information, visit www.leidos.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These statements are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These statements are not guarantees of future results or occurrences. Several factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the “Risk Factors” set forth in Leidos’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Leidos does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements were made.

Media Contact:

Brandon Ver Velde
brandon.p.vervelde@leidos.com
(571) 526-6257

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SOURCE Leidos Holdings, Inc.

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