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Joy

10 things that made us smile this week

Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy.

Squirrel and acorn man, haka, dad making pancakes with daughter

Looking for a reason to smile? Here are 10.

Need a little dose of joy? How about 10?

Welcome to this week's roundup of delights, which includes an inspiring haka, a gorgeous duet between Pink and Kelly Clarkson, the sweetest little pancake maker, the most adorable acorn people you've ever seen and more.

If you're looking for some reasons to smile, we've got you covered. Enjoy!

1. The magical world of "Becorns" taps right into our childlike wonder.


David Bird was a toy designer at LEGO before he started creating the acorn characters he dubs "Becorns." The scenes he creates by setting up Becorns and waiting for wildlife to find them are peak joy. They even have their own names and personalities! See more and learn about how the idea came about here.


2. Students greet their teachers and classmates with a back-to-school haka in New Zealand.

These Māori students from the tribe of Raukawa are showing their utmost respect to their teachers and fellow students with this traditional haka. So beautiful.

3. Pink and Kelly Clarkson met up on Clarkson's show and delivered a stunning duet of "What About Us?"

Not only is this an awesome message, but both of these singers are known for their rich, powerhouse voices, so putting them together was a stroke of brilliance. A whole album of duets, please! Read the full story here.

4. Daddy and daughter pancake day—can we make this a whole show?

It's just cuteness upon cuteness. What a sweet relationship these two have, and it's also a masterclass in encouraging language development. Good job, daddy.

5. Adele's reaction to this man holding up his late wife's picture is what it's all about.

@adeleaccess

A very special moment from Adele’s concert this past Friday ♥️ #adele #weekendswithadele #adelevegas #adelelive #someonelikeyou #whenwewereyoung

Genuine human-to-human connection. Love to see it. Read the full story here.

6. Kid snuck his family's toaster to school so he could share their stash of Pop-Tarts.

Scroll through for the whole story. What a guy. (These are the kinds of kids teachers actually adore. If only all kids were this thoughtful!)

7. Keanu Reeves surprised a small town pub with an unexpected visit.

Keanu Reeves at The Robin Hood pub

Keanu Reeves with a chef at The Robin Hood.

The Robin Hood Tring/Facebook

The staff at The Robin Hood pub in Tring, Hertfordshire, about 30 miles outside of London, got the surprise of a lifetime when Keanu Reeves walked in the door. He enjoyed a pint and some fish and chips and then, in typical Keanu style, praised the kitchen crew while shaking their hands. Read the full story here.

8. Seriously, the kid who wrote this poem deserves some kind of prize.

And the illustrations! So flippin' clever and cute.

9. The cast of "Saturday Night Life" couldn't keep it together during the "Lisa from Temecula" skit.

SNL may have its ups and downs, but there is nothing funnier than when the comedians themselves can't keep from laughing. "Lisa from Temecula" will definitely go down in cast-cracking history. Read the full story here.

10. If none of that got you smiling, this almond-obsessed ninja cat surely will.

Everyone's cat is its own brand of weird, but oh. my. goodness. "Her best friend is an almond." It's too much. What a treasure of a cat this lady landed.

Hope you enjoyed this week's roundup! To get these posts sent to your inbox each week, sign up for our newsletter, The Upworthiest, here.

Photo by Eliott Reyna on Unsplash

Gen Z is navigating a career landscape unlike any other.

True

Every adult generation has its version of a “kids these days” lament, labeling the up-and-coming generation as less resilient or hardworking compared to their own youth. But Gen Z—currently middle school age through young adulthood—is challenging that notion with their career readiness.

Take Abigail Sanders, an 18-year-old college graduate. Thanks to a dual enrollment program with her online school, she actually earned her bachelor’s degree before her high school diploma. Now she’s in medical school at Bastyr University in Washington state, on track to become a doctor by age 22.

a family of 6 at a graduation with two graduatesAll four of the Sanders kids have utilized Connections Academy to prepare for their futures.

Abigail’s twin sister, Chloe, also did dual enrollment in high school to earn her associate’s in business and is on an early college graduation path to become a vet tech.

Maeson Frymire dreams of becoming a paramedic. He got his EMT certification in high school and fought fires in New Mexico after graduation. Now he’s working towards becoming an advanced certified EMT and has carved his career path towards flight paramedicine.

Sidny Szybnski spends her summers helping run her family’s log cabin resort on Priest Lake in Idaho. She's taken business and finance courses in high school and hopes to be the third generation to run the resort after attending college.

log cabin resort on edge of forestAfter college, Sidny Szybnski hopes to run her family's resort in Priest Lake, Idaho.

Each of these learners has attended Connections Academy, tuition-free online public schools available in 29 states across the U.S., to not only get ready for college but to dive straight into college coursework and get a head start on career training as well. These students are prime examples of how Gen Zers are navigating the career prep landscape, finding their passions, figuring out their paths and making sure they’re prepared for an ever-changing job market.

Lorna Bryant, the Head of Career Education for Connections Academy’s online school program, says that Gen Z has access to a vast array of career-prep tools that previous generations didn’t have, largely thanks to the internet.

“Twenty to 30 years ago, young people largely relied on what adults told them about careers and how to get there,” Bryant tells Upworthy. “Today, teens have a lot more agency. With technology and social media, they have access to so much information about jobs, employers and training. With a tap on their phones, they can hear directly from people who are in the jobs they may be interested in. Corporate websites and social media accounts outline an organization’s mission, vision and values—which are especially important for Gen Z.”

Research shows over 75% of high schoolers want to focus on skills that will prepare them for in-demand jobs. However, not all teens know what the options are or where to find them. Having your future wide open can be overwhelming, and young people might be afraid of making a wrong choice that will impact their whole lives.

Bryant emphasizes that optimism and enthusiasm from parents can help a lot, in addition to communicating that nothing's carved in stone—kids can change paths if they find themselves on one that isn’t a good fit.

Dr. Bryant and student video meeting Dr. Bryant meeting with a student

“I think the most important thing to communicate to teens is that they have more options than ever to pursue a career,” she says. “A two- or four-year college continues to be an incredibly valuable and popular route, but the pathways to a rewarding career have changed so much in the past decade. Today, career planning conversations include options like taking college credit while still in high school or earning a career credential or certificate before high school graduation. There are other options like the ‘ships’—internships, mentorships, apprenticeships—that can connect teens to college, careers, and employers who may offer on-the-job training or even pay for employees to go to college.”

Parents can also help kids develop “durable skills”—sometimes called “soft” or “human” skills—such as communication, leadership, collaboration, empathy and grit. Bryant says durable skills are incredibly valuable because they are attractive to employers and colleges and transfer across industries and jobs. A worldwide Pearson survey found that those skills are some of the most sought after by employers.

“The good news is that teens are likely to be already developing these skills,” says Bryant. Volunteering, having a part-time job, joining or captaining a team sport can build durable skills in a way that can also be highlighted on college and job applications.

Young people are navigating a fast-changing world, and the qualities, skills and tools they need to succeed may not always be familiar to their parents and grandparents. But Gen Z is showing that when they have a good grasp of the options and opportunities, they’re ready to embark on their career paths, wherever they may lead.

Learn more about Connections Academy here and Connections’ new college and career prep initiative here.

Joy

Sorry, Labradors. After 31 years, America has a new favorite dog.

The American Kennel Club has crowned a new favorite.

via Pixabay

A sad-looking Labrador Retriever

The sweet-faced, loveable Labrador Retriever is no longer America’s favorite dog breed. The breed best known for having a heart of gold has been replaced by the smaller, more urban-friendly French Bulldog.

According to the American Kennel Club, for the past 31 years, the Labrador Retriever was America’s favorite dog, but it was eclipsed in 2022 by the Frenchie. The rankings are based on nearly 716,500 dogs newly registered in 2022, of which about 1 in 7 were Frenchies. Around 108,000 French Bulldogs were recorded in the U.S. in 2022, surpassing Labrador Retrievers by over 21,000.

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Jack Black does impression of The Rock.

I don't know what it is about impersonations that are so fascinating to people but they're often hilarious, and Jack Black impersonating The Rock does not disappoint. From the 2018 clip you can't tell what prompted the impersonation but "Screen Junkies" interviewer looks to Black and asks him about his workout routine as if he's Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

The comedian adjusts himself in his seat and doesn't break character the entire time and somehow the interviewer is able to maintain a serious face throughout the process. Kevin Hart and the actual Dwayne Johnson cannot keep it together while Black does his impression of his co-star.

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On May 28, 2014, 13-year-old Athena Orchard of Leicester, England, died of bone cancer. The disease began as a tumor in her head and eventually spread to her spine and left shoulder. After her passing, Athena's parents and six siblings were completely devastated. In the days following her death, her father, Dean, had the difficult task of going through her belongings. But the spirits of the entire Orchard family got a huge boost when he uncovered a secret message written by Athena on the backside of a full-length mirror.

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A Korean mother and her son

A recently posted story on Reddit shows a mother confidently standing up for her family after being bullied by a teacher for her culture. Reddit user Flowergardens0 posted the story to the AITA forum, where people ask whether they are wrong in a specific situation.

Over 5,600 people commented on the story, and an overwhelming majority thought the mother was right. Here’s what went down:

“I (34F) have a (5M) son who attends preschool. A few hours after I picked him up from school today, I got a phone call from his teacher,” Flowergardens0 wrote. “She made absolutely no effort to sound kind when she, in an extremely rude and annoyed tone, told me to stop packing my son such ‘disgusting and inappropriate’ lunches."

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Science

When these drones zoom in over elephants and rhinos, they stop horrible things from happening.

A shepherd watches over sheep. Watching over elephants and rhinos? Not so easy.

via The Lindbergh Foundation

Drone footage from the Aerial Shepherd.


This is a story about something really exciting.

Before I get into it, let me set the stage by explaining the terrible problem it's solving.

10 years.

That's how long it'll be until the last wild elephants and rhinoceroses are gone.

100 of them are killed every day by poachers.

Even though elephants and rhinos are legally protected, the amount of money that can be made from the ivory in their tusks is just too much for some people to resist.

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Identity

Homosexuality in the Bible: Here's what six passages say and how to interpret them.

The video does a really great job of contextualizing each reference.

Image from YouTube video.

Looking into the text of the Bible.


Matthew Vines' "God and the Gay Christian” video at the bottom of this article analyses six passages related to homosexuality in the Bible. It does a really great job of contextualizing each reference (because we all know that Scriptures out of context can cause misinterpretation at best and d-r-a-m-a at worst).

We've also broken down each reference to homosexuality in the Bible here:

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