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Notre Dame Academy Graduates 71st Class | Fifty-six Percent of Graduates Prepared to Pursue STEM-Related Fields

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LOS ANGELES, June 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Notre Dame Academy (NDA) celebrated its 71st class of graduates on June 1, a group of 65 young women – scholars, artists, dancers, athletes, and thespians – who have realized remarkable new milestones.

While the school has long achieved 100 percent college acceptance, for the first time in NDA history, more than half of the graduating class – 56 percent – will enter college with a STEM-related major. Of the 55 seniors who declared a major, 31 plan to pursue careers in traditionally male-dominated fields such as engineering, science, medicine, and architecture. An additional 11 students, or 20 percent, plan to explore business and entrepreneurship.

“It’s exciting to see so many students jumping into engineering fields,” said De’Jah Carver, academic and college counseling director. “Our girls are intelligent and – just as important – are motivated to consider ‘What is a way I could use engineering to help people worldwide? How can I be a blessing to my community?’ We need as many people as possible working on ways to improve our world and women will lead the charge to help communities.”

The trend reflects NDA’s concerted effort to encourage participation in STEM classes, not only to expose students to a wider array of related career options, but also to prepare them for higher-level science courses. Those efforts are yielding quantifiable results. About 30 percent of NDA students took two science classes concurrently last year. Participation in the school’s nationally ranked rocketry program grew by 147 percent, while involvement in the robotics team doubled. NDA’s signature disruptive innovation curriculum – now recognized by the UC system – grew by 171 percent. This year, the College Board awarded NDA the prestigious AP Platinum with Access status, underscoring the school’s dedication to providing all students with access to rigorous coursework, regardless of background or circumstance. Only six percent of all eligible schools earned this exemplary recognition.

“Our student body represents a rich tapestry of cultures, backgrounds, families, and experiences, with a quarter of our students being the first generation to attend college,” said Lilliam Paetzold, president and head of school. “The Access award is a testament to our belief that every girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her dreams and reach her full potential; this begins in our classrooms.”

The diversity of the college acceptance list demonstrates these efforts as well. Members of the Class of 2024 were accepted – many of them early – to nearly 125 different colleges and universities representing a wide range of UCs, Ivies, Jesuit, liberal arts, and state schools nationwide. Further, they earned more than $15.2 million in college scholarships.

“Achieving these milestones illustrates our efforts to live up to our mission statement even as the world around us changes,” said Gary Ho, NDA academic and college counselor. “We’re working to empower young women to consider fields that have traditionally been male dominated. Our students are well prepared academically, but our students know they don’t just go to a school, they belong to a community. The girls support each other both in class and in between. Those bonds – that connectedness – enable them to build teamwork and life skills, weather challenges, and grow not just as a student, but as a person.”

Notre Dame Academy is an independent Catholic school established by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1949 to educate young women in grades six through 12. The exceptionally diverse community includes families from more than 40 zip codes throughout Los Angeles. For more information, visit ndasla.org.

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SOURCE Notre Dame Academy Schools of Los Angeles

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LEAP Group Relaunches HumanView, a Growth Intelligence System Built to Explain Why Customers Behave the Way They Do

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October 24, 2026

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Reimagined from the ground up, HumanView pairs statistical modeling with expert analysts to turn millions of real-world customer signals into business decisions

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEAP Group today announced the relaunch of HumanView, its growth intelligence service. The new version has been rebuilt from the ground up and now has a dedicated home at leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

HumanView analyzes what customers say and do across social platforms, e-commerce sites, review platforms, search behavior and user-generated content, including signals from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Walmart+ that general AI tools cannot always access. Because the data reflects unprompted, real-world behavior, it avoids the response bias built into surveys and focus groups.

The service works in three layers. HumanView captures signals at scale, decodes millions of records through validated statistical models such as regression, correlation and clustering, and then relies on experienced analysts to interpret the patterns. Clients receive clear, human-validated insights instead of another dashboard.

“Machines find the patterns. Humans find the point,” said Alan Gilleo, CEO at LEAP Group. “The first version of HumanView showed us how much customers reveal when nobody is asking them questions. This version is built to explain why they act the way they do, and to put those answers in front of everyone making decisions, from product to service to marketing.”

HumanView focuses on three areas:

Growth Intelligence: customer motivations and how people perceive a brand and its competitors

Market and Category Intelligence: product pain points, service friction, unmet needs and competitive gaps

Audience Intelligence: new segments, positioning opportunities and gaps in the market

Every model is designed and validated by data scientists and benchmarked before it informs a recommendation.

To learn more about HumanView, visit leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

About LEAP Group
LEAP Group is a boutique marketing agency holding company with offices in Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Chicago. Guided by the belief that brands should “Market Less. Matter More.,” LEAP gives clients access to specialized experts across its entire network. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.

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SOURCE LEAP Group

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STEPHEN A. SMITH ADDRESSES WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTENDANCE, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HBCUs AND PROTECTING CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN BLACK EDUCATION

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October 24, 2026

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NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stephen A. Smith, media mogul, New York Times bestselling author, and proud 1991 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is addressing the public discussion surrounding his decision to attend a White House dinner with President Donald Trump, emphasizing his commitment to the long-term financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For Smith, the decision was rooted in a commitment to institutions that have educated generations of Black leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

“I will always advocate for HBCUs and the students whose futures depend on them,” Smith said. “My reason for attending the White House dinner was to discuss the challenges these institutions face in securing long-term funding and to make the case that corporate America must continue to invest in them.”

Smith acknowledged federal support through the FUTURE Act while expressing concern that political tensions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could discourage private companies from supporting HBCUs. He maintains that these institutions deserve sustained corporate partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and public investment.

“If we truly believe in free-market capitalism, businesses should be able to support educational institutions and charitable causes without fear of criticism or repercussions,” Smith said. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to this country. They deserve sustained public and private investment.”

Ashley Christopher, Esq., Founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, recognized Smith’s advocacy and decision to engage with the administration.

“Stephen A. Smith has been a powerful advocate for HBCUs, using his platform and influence to shine a national spotlight on our institutions,” expressed Christopher, “His continued support of HBCU Week helps advance our mission of connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities, and we are proud to have him as our ambassador.”

Since Smith became an HBCU Week Ambassador in 2019, the initiative has facilitated more than 15,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and raised and awarded more than $150 million in scholarships, according to the HBCU Week Foundation.

As public discussion continues, Smith is emphasizing the importance of ensuring HBCUs have the resources and partnerships needed to educate future generations and expand opportunities for students.

CLICK HERE to watch Smith’s full response to his White House visit.

MEDIA CONTACT:

media@mrsasinc.com

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SOURCE Straight Shooter Media

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Advantex Announces Completion of Financing and Extension of Maturity Date of Previously Issued Debentures

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October 24, 2026

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TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2026 /CNW/ — Advantex Marketing International Inc. (CSE: ADX) (“Advantex”), a leader in the merchant cash advance and loyalty marketing products for merchants, today announced the completion of a $250,000 secured debt financing. Advantex issued a $250,000 non-convertible debenture which bears an interest rate at 12% per annum and matures December 15, 2027. The proceeds raised from this issuance of the Debenture will be used for working capital purposes.

Advantex has also extended the maturity of its existing $700,000 in 12% secured debentures from October 10, 2026 to December 15, 2027.

About Advantex Marketing International Inc.

Advantex provides working capital to merchants. Advantex also provides specialized marketing programs that enable members of Aeroplan to earn Aeroplan points at participating merchants.

Advantex shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol ADX. For more information go to Advantex’s profile on www.sedar.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the future business and operations of Advantex. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The business and operations of Advantex described herein is dependent on a number of factors and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ material include, but are not limited to, changes in Advantex’s economic and competitive conditions including but not limited to the industry sectors in which Advantex operates.

The statements in this news release are made of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and Advantex undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Advantex Marketing International Inc.

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