Local Opportunities

1. UF Smathers Libraries are taking study breaks to a whole new level

https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-smathers-libraries-are-taking-study-breaks-to-a-whole/article_88141184-3f02-11ea-b0b4-8fd828e84bd7.html

• The Smathers Libraries Wellness Committee is looking for solutions to reduce student stress levels. They are adding massage chairs, bike pedal desks, and various other technologies to allow students to work more efficiently. 
• The problem presented in the story is student burnout and concerns about mental health, and finding a way to help students through stressful times during midterms and finals. 
• Any student has this problem. It can be incredibly stressful to study for four or more finals at the same time and these are all small solutions that can help us cope through it.

2. Cold night shelter programs will open again for the next three nights

https://www.alligator.org/news/cold-night-shelter-programs-will-open-again-for-the-next/article_e88edd16-3fbe-11ea-bef9-5f7fb3130d63.html

• The City of Gainesville is funding a cold night program for the homeless through the St. Francis House. They will be providing shelter on nights where it reaches below 45 degrees. There are 35 bed spaces, laundry services, meals, as well as case management services. 
• The problem being presented is the weather and the detrimental effects it can have for those people that do not have a home and have to sleep on the streets. 
• Any homeless person is someone that is being affected. 

3. Ranking schools doesn’t close achievement gap in Alachua County, experts say

https://www.alligator.org/news/ranking-schools-doesn-t-close-achievement-gap-in-alachua-county/article_b3e65070-3e7f-11ea-85b4-9b1663b4adc5.html

• Student performance grade at a local elementary school has dropped and the former principal sent out a letter where one line read "black, economically disadvantaged students need to make improvements in reading and math" by pointing an accusatory finger, led to some parents outrage. 
• The success gap between white and black students is shown to be growing in Florida and that is something that is legislature fault. Not enough resources are being provided to close this gap, such as teacher bonuses when it comes to students success. 
• Students and teachers in Alachua County are the ones being affected in this story. 

4. Satchel’s Pizza donates to Grace Marketplace

https://www.alligator.org/news/satchel-s-pizza-donates-to-grace-marketplace/article_e95ba228-3ed9-11ea-9b28-7fa56ae22f1f.html

• Alachua County announced that it would be reducing funding for Grace Marketplace, a homeless shelter. Satchel's, a popular pizza restaurant, has decided to award 12,000 dollars to the shelter in order to makeup for the lack of funds. 
• The problem is homelessness in Gainesville and the lack of initiative and funding to bring an end to it. 
• Grace Marketplace and the homeless community are the main groups that are being affected. 

5. UF plants tree with world’s top agricultural university at Florida Arbor Day ceremony

https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-plants-tree-with-world-s-top-agricultural-university-at/article_06797c1c-3904-11ea-b228-6b286103f83b.html

• UF's president, Kent Fuchs, participated in a global initiative to plant trees with Wageningen executive board president, Louise Fresco. This is an initiative that Fresco began, described to represent where Wageningen University has strong ties. The university is in the Netherlands but has always had strong ties with UF and worked together in agricultural sciences. 
• The problem being presented is an ecological one as well as a way to tighten relationships with both institutions.
• The people being affected are all the institutions that Fresco has done this ceremony with in order to encourage strong international ties.