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Tennis legend Andre Agassi is trying to teach kids to read in a new, very fascinating way.

He may have retired from tennis nearly a decade ago, but his passion for education remains strong as ever.

Tennis legend Andre Agassi spent his 21-year career schooling opponents on the court.

In that span, he and his unstoppable backhand shot took home 60 titles — eight of them Grand Slams. It's no wonder he's considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

Andre Agassi during the 1988 U.S. Open Tennis Championship. Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images.


In 1994, he created the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education.

Since its beginning, the group — which began as the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation — has raised more than $180 million to put toward educational endeavors, opening the Las Vegas-based charter school Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in 2001.

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In an interview with People magazine, Agassi explains that his passion for education came from his own lack of one. When he was 13, he was pulled from regular school and sent to a tennis academy. While he found massive success on the court, he couldn't help but wonder what his life would have been like had he not.

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"I didn't have a choice in my life," he told People. "I just focused on tennis. And the thought of what would have happened had I not succeeded was kind of overwhelming."

Agassi during a tour of his foundation's school in 2010. Photo by Sam Morris/Getty Images.

Understanding the basics of language at an early age is key in preparing students for long-term success.

Educators around the world agree: Early years in a child's development are crucial to eventual mastering of language skills. At a young age, children's brains are more sponge-like than ever, making it so important to make the most of the brain's unique ability to develop new skills during this time.

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What we're seeing is that startling number of kids across the country can't read at grade level. And that's why the Agassi Foundation's latest endeavor has them looking to a unique solution to this all-too-common problem by making the most of early brain development.

GIF via Square Panda.

Agassi teamed up with Square Panda, a startup that makes innovative, multi-sensory tablet workstations for students.

Square Panda was founded by Las Vegas entrepreneur Tom Boeckle, who points to his own childhood dyslexia as his passion fuel, inspiring his goal of creating something to save other children from the same embarrassment and frustration he experienced as a child.

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The company's core product is the Panda Playset, and Agassi says he believes it will revolutionize how kids learn to read, telling USA Today, "This is a perfect way to lead a kid into those early years of development that gives them a chance at a much better education."

Here's the Playset interface in action. GIF via Square Panda.

The Playset is what's called an "adaptive system," meaning that it tailors itself to the child.

It grows with the child, helping them learn how to differentiate letters and learn the mechanics of creating words through a multi-sensory experience. It's really cool.

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As various studies have illustrated the benefits of multi-sensory learning — especially during early brain development and especially when it comes to language skills — it seems like there's quite a bit of science to back the Playset's core premise.

Another look at the Playset in action. GIF via Square Panda.

Will this partnership be the education-redefining innovation Agassi hopes? We'll have to wait and see.

In the meantime, it's great to see that there are people seeking out new ways to teach the pillars of education.

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Dogs are naturally driven by a sense of purpose and a need for belonging, which are all part of their instinctual pack behavior. When a dog has a job to do, it taps into its needs for structure, purpose, and the feeling of contributing to its pack, which in a domestic setting translates to its human family.

But let’s be honest: In a traditional domestic setting, dogs have fewer chores they can do as they would on a farm or as part of a rescue unit. A doggy mom in Vancouver Island, Canada had fun with her dog’s purposeful uselessness by sharing the 5 “chores” her pitbull-Lab mix does around the house.

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Remember when "goat yoga" was all the rage? And then "cow cuddling" and "turkey cuddling" made everyone's bucket lists?

Now we can add "nuzzling with naughty sheep" to the mix, but with a fancy Scottish twist.

Less than an hour from Glasgow, Scotland, the Cameron House resort sits on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, looking as if it were plucked straight out of a fairy tale. Sprawling green grounds, gorgeous lake views and a four-story castled mansion greet guests as their "home away from home" (only better), and a perusal of the reviews show guests raving about the 5-star resort's elegance, beauty and exceptional service.

I mean, just look at this place:

drone view of cameron house grounds and lakeCameron House sit on Lake Lochmond in Scotland.Cameron House


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Just think of Elvis. He might have been a universal sex symbol for a time, but it also wasn’t long before his pompadour became passé. Same goes for Paul Newman’s rugged manliness, David Cassidy’s babyface, Tom Selleck’s mustache. Indeed, for everything a season.

Which brings us to the 90s. The age of beach blonde surfer boys (real surfing skills not required, but a plus). Of flannel, lots of flannel, and super chiseled bodies. Let’s not forget this was the dawning of the term “metrosexual,” and also the time period that brought us that Calvin Klein ad with Mark Wahlburg.

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A Eurasian crow.

A family from Denmark has created a touching video montage documenting their unique friendship with a wild Eurasian crow. This crow, affectionately named Russell, has become an honorary member of their household, forming special bonds with each family member, including the pets.

However, the crow's relationship with their son, 2-year-old Otto, is truly extraordinary. “They could spend hours just playing,” Otto’s mother, Laerke Luna, says in a video shared by The Dodo. "When Otto is outside, he will never leave Otto’s side.”

Russell, the free-spirited crow, ventures away from the family's home from time to time, but never for too long. He always comes back and announces his return by tapping on the door, swooping in to lounge on the sofa, or awaiting Otto's return from school atop their roof.

“When we are inside, he will sit inside the window because he wants Otto to go outside with him,” Laerke said.

The family’s relationship with Russell didn’t come out of nowhere. When Russell was a young bird, he had health problems so the family took him and nursed the bird back to health. Eventually, they witnessed his first attempts to fly.

Recently, Russell became friends with another family member, their second child, Hedwig. Although he does get a little annoyed with the bird’s frequent attempts to nab his pacifier.

Even though it’s rare for humans to strike up such a close bond with a crow, according to research, it’s not that surprising. Audubon says that crows are “some of the smartest animals in the world” with an intelligence “on par with chimpanzees.” They are also very social and family-oriented, so no wonder Russell loves Otto and his family.

Crow Named Russell Waits For His Favorite Kid To Get Home From School | The Dodo


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The inconsistency in product dispensing can leave you wondering if the dishes are even getting cleaned, causing some to toss the detergent pod into the bottom of the dishwasher. It would seem that placing the detergent at the bottom would allow for it to actually reach your dirty dishes. But Melissa Pateras, a domestic expert, explains that doing it that way isn't doing what you think it's doing.

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