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Idea of a rapping teacher sound awkward? Actually, he's awesome.

It may sound dorky, but wait till you hear him to judge.

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Old Navy Back to School

The idea of a teacher rapping probably makes you want to cringe, right? A for effort ... and for awkward.

But Mr. Reed stunned students when he came up with an awesome rhyme-infused rap designed to get his new fourth-graders pumped for the new school year.

The music video was called "Welcome to the Fourth Grade," and his students were totally feeling it. For obvious reasons, it went viral in August 2016.

[rebelmouse-image 19529839 dam="1" original_size="1788x1094" caption="Reed in his music video, "Welcome to the Fourth Grade." Image via Mr. Reed/YouTube." expand=1]Reed in his music video, "Welcome to the Fourth Grade." Image via Mr. Reed/YouTube.

His love of rap coupled with the ridiculous amount of excitement over the video made him eager to incorporate music into school life as often as he could.

So Reed spent much of the school year encouraging kids to embrace their own creativity and musicality. Some even got together to make their own music video, which was featured on the local news.

Tomorrow, a few kids from the hood will perform their very own song on the local news. I don't care what anyone says: if you give kids the tools and the opportunities to be great, they will, every.single.time.

Posted by Mr. Dwayne Reed on Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Today, Mr. Reed is continuing to spread his inspiring message in a new video series he helped put together with teachers across the country.

The video series powered by Old Navy was created to launch its cause platform of the same name, ONward!The album features several new songs written and performed by teachers about how they take the next generation to the next level. The songs celebrate the more "awesome" aspects of school, aka reasons kids should be amped about going back.

His offering — "Welcome Back to School" — makes one cool introduction to the fifth-graders at LEARN Campbell elementary in Chicago, where Reed is headed this fall.

He first caught our attention with his viral musical approach to teaching kids. Now, thanks to the #ONward program, he and other like-minded teachers are back with an entire album.

Posted by Upworthy on Monday, July 24, 2017

Another teacher, Beth Fortune of Washington Middle School in Seattle, wrote and performed this delightful country tune with three of her students about remaining true to who you are. It's called "Be Myself."

Teachers really can make rapping and singing look cool. Well, some teachers anyway.

The first days of school should be about showing off all that individuality, not covering up or squeezing into a mold to fit in.

Embracing yourself is the best way to not just become a rock-star learner, but tomorrow's leader. So whether you can rap, spell really long words, or just rock neon green socks, remember that it's details like these that help make you unforgettable.

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ACUVUE launches a new campaign to inspire Gen Z to put down their phones and follow their vision

What will you create on your social media break? Share it at #MyVisionMySight.

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If you’ve always lived in a world with social media, it can be tough to truly understand how it affects your life. One of the best ways to grasp its impact is to take a break to see what life is like without being tethered to your phone and distracted by a constant stream of notifications.

Knowing when to disconnect is becoming increasingly important as younger people are becoming aware of the adverse effects screen time can have on their eyes. According to Eyesafe Nielsen, adults are now spending 13-plus hours a day on their digital devices, a 35% increase from 2019.1. Many of us now spend more time staring at screens on a given day than we do sleeping which can impact our eye health.

Normally, you blink around 15 times per minute, however, focusing your eyes on computer screens or other digital displays have been shown to reduce your blink rate by up to 60%.2 Reduced blinking can destabilize your eyes’ tear film, causing dry, tired eyes and blurred vision.3

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18-year-old took her college savings and bought the restaurant where she was a dishwasher

Samantha Frye, the newest owner of Rosalie's restaurant, is proving there's more than one way to invest in your future.

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There are many way to invest in your future

Eighteen year old Samantha Frye has traded college life for entrepreneurship, and she has no regrets.

Frye began working at Rosalie's Restaurant in Strasburg, Ohio at 16 as a dishwasher, working up the ranks as a kitchen prep, server, then line cook. All while working a second job, sometimes third job.

After graduating high school, Frye started college at Ohio State with plans of studying business or environmental engineering. But when she came back to work a shift at Rosalie’s for winter break, an opportunity arose—the owners had planned to sell the restaurant.
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Joy

Couple's Disney World proposal ends with a cute surprise twist that had them cracking up

The boyfriend’s laugh is incredible.

via herecomemac/TikTok

Mac proposes to their boyfriend Alex at Disney World in Florida.

There’s something undeniably romantic about proposing to someone at Disney World. The park is filled with wonder and built on the belief that big dreams can come true. That’s probably why after three and a half years of dating, Mac, 31, and their then-boyfriend, Alex, 29, got the same idea when they took a recent trip to the Magic Kingdom.

The couple arrived at the park in the morning and met with Mac's aunt and cousin. Mac’s real reason for inviting them on the trip was to film their surprise proposal. However, Mac didn’t know Alex had already told them he planned to propose during the fireworks show that night.

This put Mac’s cousin and aunt in a funny place because they had to hide two secrets.

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Family

Seth Rogen was asked a question about being childless that men never get. His answer was honest.

It's not for everybody.

Stephen McCarthy/Collision via Sportsfile/Wikimedia Commons

Seth Rogen on stage during the opening night of Collision 2019 at Enercare Center in Toronto, Canada.

Childless women in the public eye are often plagued by the question: “So, why don’t you have any children?” It’s a deeply personal question that cuts right to the bone, and there can be many answers. But, if the woman doesn’t want children and says so publicly, she is bound to face some judgment.

"[I don't] like [the pressure] that people put on me, on women—that you've failed yourself as a female because you haven't procreated. I don't think it's fair," Jennifer Aniston told Allure. "You may not have a child come out of your vagina, but that doesn't mean you aren't mothering—dogs, friends, friends' children."

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Retiring choir teacher invites all of his past students for one last glorious song

These people stopped what they were doing to send their high school teacher off with a beautiful sound.

Maggie Smith Kühn|TikTok

Retiring choir teacher invites 30 years of past students to sing

Teachers make a lasting impression on their students and that seems to be amplified when you have the same teacher for multiple years. Students that take certain classes like band and choir have more time to spend getting to know their teachers through long rehearsals, competitions and ceremonies. You build a bond with the teachers and classmates which makes goodbyes at graduation hard.

When a teacher retires, there's no coming back to visit your old teacher because you were in town and eventually you just settle for carrying them in your heart. But what happens when they call you back for one last song? You show up. Jim Stanley was retiring after teaching choir for 30 years, and instead of a typical retirement party, he decided to invite all of the alumni from the past three decades to sing one last song together.

Stanley knew his crew because they had one rehearsal together before they were due to perform with him directing the group. This mash-up of old and new alumni sound as if they've always sung together under his directorship.

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Family

Woman asks her dad who he loves more: his kids or his grandkids. His answer is touching.

"Ask your parent questions. They might be very healing."

@finding_torrie/TikTok

"Ask your parents questions. They might be very healing."

Sometimes our parents can surprise us with the most meaningful insight, heartfelt compliment or some other completely unexpected display of love. These moments might be rare to some more than others, but when they do happen, they can be profound.

A woman named Torrie just had one of those deeply impactful moments with her father, and a video telling the story of their heartwarming interaction has gone viral online.

Torrie had asked her parents who they loved more: their kids or their grandkids. Considering the well documented phenomenon of grandparents often being closer—even nicer—to their grandkids, perhaps Torrie was expecting to hear the latter. Maybe she anticipated hearing a joke about how the grandkids are less of a handful or any other number of insensitive half-jokes.

Much to her surprise, Her father gave a response that was thoughtful and comforting all at the same time.

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Pop Culture

These ridiculously comfortable socks offer the perfect blend of comfort, quality, and philanthropy

Right now, new users can use Coupon Code ‘UPWORTHY20’ for 20-percent off Bombas Women's Ankle Socks.

Editor's Note: Upworthy earns a percentage of revenue from products sold in this article.


In the grand scheme of things, socks seldom take center stage in our daily wardrobe decisions. They're usually tucked away, hidden under shoes and pants, quietly supporting us through our day. Yet, these unsung heroes make a considerable impact on our comfort, productivity, and overall well-being. Think about it - a poorly-fitted sock can turn a simple walk into an uncomfortable trek, while a high-quality, comfortable pair can feel like a warm, loving hug to your feet. In their own understated way, socks are the foundation of our daily attire.

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