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C.O.O.L.ᵀᴹ Time Capsule: This Month in the World — July Written by: Tzu Hsin (Kitty) Huang Every July, music fills the mountains of northern Norway as people gather to celebrate one of Europe's most unique cultural festivals—the Riddu Riđđu Festival. At first glance, it may look like a festival filled with music, dancing, colorful clothing, and delicious food. But Riddu Riđđu is much more than a celebration. It tells the story of a people whose culture has survived thousands

C.O.O.L.™ Time Capsule: This Month in History — July Written by: Vickie Liou How much money do you think it costs for a country to fight a war? The answer is A LOT. During World War I (1914–1918), countries spent enormous amounts of money on soldiers, weapons, ships, airplanes, food, and supplies. The bills became so huge that countries like Britain and France borrowed billions of dollars from banks in the United States just to keep fighting. When the war finally ended, the f

C.O.O.L.ᵀᴹ Time Capsule: This Month in the World — June Written by: Heather McDonald Juneteenth (Image credit: AlonzoDesign on iStock) Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. Often referred to as "Emancipation Day," "Freedom Day," or "Jubilee Day," it is a cornerstone of African American history and culture. For many years, this pivotal holiday was overlooked in mainstream education, but it stands today as a vital symb

SR1's 14th Annual Free Summer Camp Brings Together Select K–12 Students from Across the Region — and the Energy Is Undeniable MEDIA INVITATION — You Are Welcome to Visit Camp in Session! Location: Millsaps College, Jackson, Mississippi To schedule your visit: Tamba Humphrey | thumphrey@sr1tech.org | www.sr1tech.org JACKSON, Miss. -- Walk onto the campus of historic Millsaps College right now and you will find something remarkable: more than 150 of Central Mississippi's m

C.O.O.L.™ Time Capsule: This Month in History — June Written by: Tamba Humphrey Who Are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the First Peoples of Australia. Aboriginal peoples lived across mainland Australia and Tasmania, while Torres Strait Islander peoples lived on islands between Australia and Papua New Guinea. These groups developed hundreds of languages, cultures, traditions, and ways of life over tens of th

Ridgeland, MS – Over the past four weeks, scholars in SR1’s C.O.O.L.™ Zone program explored storytelling, animation, and computer programming through Scratch-based courses designed for both elementary and secondary scholars.

C.O.O.L.™ Time Capsule: This Month in History — May Written by: Tamba Humphrey What is the Itaipu Dam? The Itaipu Dam is one of the most famous hydroelectric dams in the entire world. Hydroelectric dams work like giant power plants by using flowing water to spin turbines that generate electricity for homes, schools, and businesses. When the Itaipu Dam officially launched, it became the third-largest hydroelectric dam on Earth. People everywhere were amazed by its enormous

C.O.O.L.ᵀᴹ Time Capsule: This Month in the World — May Written by: Yudenia Tiza The true meaning of Cinco de Mayo Every year on May 5th, people celebrate Cinco de Mayo, which means “Fifth of May” in Spanish. Cinco de Mayo commemorates, or honors and remembers, the Battle of Puebla, which took place in Mexico on May 5, 1862. On that day, the Mexican army surprised everyone by defeating the French army, which was one of the strongest (most powerful) in the world at the time. Ac

C.O.O.L. ™ Time Capsule: This Month in History — April Written by: Shravya Chepa On April 26, 1986, one of the most catastrophic nuclear accidents in history occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant located near Pripyat, Ukrainian SSR, what is now Ukraine. A sudden explosion in one of the plant’s reactors released massive amounts of radioactive material into the environment, affecting millions of people across the Soviet Union, Europe and beyond. Figure 1: The location

C.O.O.L. ᵀᴹ Time Capsule: This Month in the World — April Written by: Supraja Nair Songkran, the Thai New Year festival, is one of Thailand’s most important celebrations. Many people recognize it through images of crowded streets, water guns, and people splashing each other. That’s true, but it’s only part of the story. At its core, Songkran is about starting fresh, spending time with family, and showing respect. (Image credit: hwannaa) A New Year Rooted in Tradition Songkra

C.O.O.L. ™ Time Capsule: This Month in History — March Written by: Tamba Humphrey Researched by: Christian Humphrey-Powe In March 1976 , the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa ( hoh-KOO-leh-ah) made history by successfully sailing from Hawaiʻi to Tahiti using only traditional navigation techniques. This incredible journey proved that ancient Polynesian explorers were capable of navigating thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean long before modern technology existed.

C.O.O.L. ᵀᴹ Time Capsule: This Month in the World — March Written by: Ishita Janwale Image Caption: People celebrating Holi on the streets Holi, often called the “Festival of Colors,” is one of the most vibrant and joyful celebrations in Hindu culture. Marking the arrival of spring, Holi symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, the renewal of life, and the strengthening of social bonds. Celebrated with enthusiasm across India and in many parts of the world, the festival bri

C.O.O.L. ™ Time Capsule: This Month in History — February Written by: Dominique Triplett On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela walked out of Groot Drakenstein Prison (formerly known as Victor Verster Prison) in South Africa after spending 27 years behind bars. His release marked a historic turning point—not only for South Africa, but for the entire world. Mandela had been imprisoned for his role in fighting apartheid, a system of racial segregation that had shaped South Af

C.O.O.L.TM Time Capsule: This Month in the World Written by Tzu Hsin (Kitty) Huang A New Year That Doesn’t Follow the Sun When most of the world celebrates New Year’s Day on January 1, Lunar New Year waits. Instead of following the Sun, it follows the Moon. More than 3,000 years ago, ancient communities in East Asia looked up at the night sky to understand time. They noticed that the Moon’s phases followed a steady rhythm—new moon, full moon, then back again. By tracking this

C.O.O.L. ᵀᴹ Time Capsule: This Month in History — January Written by: Vickie Liou On January 3, 2019, China made history by becoming the first country to successfully land a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon—a place no spacecraft had ever safely landed before. Figure 1. The location of China on the world map. (Image created with MapChart) Why had no one done this until then? It starts with a simple fact about the Moon. Did you know that we only ever see one side of the

Ridgeland, MS — This summer, SR1 scholars took flight — both literally and figuratively — through the SR1 Community Oriented Opportunities for Learning (C.O.O.L.™) Zone pre-college programs. The initiative is designed to strengthen a cradle-to-career pipeline for rural central Mississippi youth. Recent research shows that students who visit college campuses are up to twice as likely to attend college (and eventually graduate) compared to those who do not. This insight is espe

Forest, MS – A Forest High School senior will be packing her bags and heading to Mississippi State University to begin her college...

Forest, MS – The Forest High School Bearcats Football Program received a donation from a local non-profit. The team was awarded $500...

Ridgeland, MS – August 28, 2025 – SR1 proudly celebrates the outstanding achievement of Quinton Simpson, a 16-year-old student in the SR1...

Ridgeland, MS – August 18,2025 - SR1 proudly announces the graduation of five student participants from the SR1 C.O.O.L.™ Zone – Learn...