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Columbus Day - By Chuck Stilwell

I have always been interested in history. The history of our own country has particularly been of personal interest since some of my forefathers came over on the Mayflower and three presidents of the United States were close ancestors of our family. In a time of national despondency and discontent, we tend to forget the determined intentionality of those heroes who have gone before us. They had vision and courage to attempt the impossible to reach the incredible. Recently I have been reading about Christopher Columbus. He was from a poor weaver’s family in Genoa and he and his brother, Bartholomew, were expected to carry on the weaver’s trade. Yet, they both had another vision. Whenever possible they went to the docks to see the sailing vessels and dream of sailing. The seeds of imagination grew in their minds and hearts. Bartholomew left the weaver’s trade and became a map maker for the sea captains, gaining much knowledge about the seas. Christopher joined him for a while and lear
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School is under way! Protect your children - by Chuck Stilwell

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School is under way! Protect your children. We live in an unprecedented time of change. At the same time there are so many disturbing trends taking place that directly affect children. A great number of young parents are unaware of certain dangers to their children. You already know how I feel about reinstituting responsible phonics which helps the student think better, read and spell better, and helps establish order in their lives. Here are some things that we have researched only a little and are alarmed at what is happening in our society and with our children. 1. In recent years, especially, I have witnessed the effects of the fruit-loop types of cereals and noticed due to all added colorings and no real benefit nutritionally, that within 10 minutes the child becomes almost uncontrollably hyper-active. Such unhealthy foods, sodas and other drinks add to the problems. The kids become diagnosed as ADHD, when a simple change in diet and home order can usually take care of the p
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July 4th, Independence Day 2023 by Chuck Stilwell

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Two-hundred and forty-seven years ago, our founding Fathers made a bold declaration that would make America the brightest beacon of freedom the world has ever known. Their vision came at a great price, and it is this sacred moment in our nation’s history that we—the heirs of their sacrifice—are so privileged to celebrate on Independence Day. (A recent quote from Kevin Roberts, President of The Heritage Foundation). The declaration of Independence stated 27 grievances to a candid world, proclaiming the reasons for dissolving the allegiance of 13 colonies to the rule of a tyrannical British King George III. The brave men and the women that supported them were willing to give their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor in support of an experiment of the American dream to govern themselves with a representative government with the consent of the people rather than the dictates of a king. The cry of the American Revolution was heard around the world, “No other king, but Jesus
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"The World into Which I was Born was a World of Hero Soldiers and Patriotism - by Chuck Stilwell"

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The World into which I was born was a world of hero soldiers and patriotism. On December 7, 1941, in a devastating surprise attack, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, a U.S. naval base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Just before 8 a.m. on that Sunday morning, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes descended on the base, and destroyed or severely damaged at least 19 American naval vessels, including eight battleships, and over 300 planes. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians. At least another 1,000 people were wounded that day. My cousin, Jim Stilwell, had shore duty or shore leave at the time and so escaped the tragedy of the sinking of the USS Arizona to which he was assigned. Of the 2400 known dead during the strike, 1177 of them died on the USS Arizona, many of whom are still encased in the vessel, which is now a United States Memorial site. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan. The attack on our
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Part 1 of 3: Your Brain Uses Lots of Energy, Thoughts from Chuck

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Your Brain uses lots of energy. Our brains weigh about 3 pounds. That’s about 2% of our total body weight! However, it also uses about 20% of the body’s energy and oxygen intake. That means that to have good learning skills, we need to get plenty of sleep on a regular basis and breathe deeply. Exercise can help us both breathe and sleep better. Sodas and junk food keep the brain from using the energy it needs every day. Start today to take care of your brain. Check online for information on foods that are healthy for your child and yourself. Remember, you are your family’s most important example and mentor. I was tutoring a young boy at Stilwell’s Learning Center a few days ago who couldn’t concentrate or move as quickly as he should. His breakfast and lunch were not the best. It didn’t seem to me he had eaten enough protein to perform well. The next day he reported that he ate oatmeal with fresh fruit and that lunch was much better, too. Guess what! He did amazingly well and was
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Post Labor Day Blog - Thoughts from Chuck Stilwell

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Labor Day weekend was a great opportunity for us all to take a break and get refueled with renewed energy and direction. Recently, my home has expanded with a family of five who have been like family to us over the years. This past weekend we hiked one day 5.5 miles up Ramsey Canyon and down into the beautiful pools in the fast-flowing stream. It was a refreshing change for us all. The kids went swimming in the creek pools. On Labor Day itself, we went to Bisbee and experienced a fantastic breakfast at the Bisbee Breakfast Club. I hinted that it would be great to go back there on my birthday. I will talk to my son and daughter-in-law and grandchildren about that! Bisbee, though a tourist trap for those wanting to shop, was just the same a great way to spend a relaxing day. Labor Day weekend was also a time to reflect on some of the history of our country, prompted by discussions we had particularly about how non-educated we have become in this country. Much of it centered around the
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Back to School Blog with NEW School Funding Information

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A new school year has begun, and parents and students alike are hopeful they will have a better experience than during the last few years. What will make the difference? Today as never before, parents and grandparents need to take the responsibility in the education of their children. In Arizona, families now can choose from traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online academies, homeschooling, and micro schools due to the new expansive provision signed by Governor Ducey, according to a news release on July 7, 2022. Arizona families who participate would receive more than $6,500 per year per child for private school, homeschooling, micro schools, tutoring, or any other kinds of educational service that helps meet the needs of their students outside the traditional public school system. As parents and grandparents, we need to take responsibility for what is being taught to our youth. We pay taxes for the government schools in our
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