Mentor shift: When the student becomes the expert operator

Most kids use their Wii remotes to race cars or battle bad guys while playing games on their TV. C’erra Rhodes uses hers to teach other middle school-age girls how to solder metal. The 13-year-old created a “Wiimote” as a project through Computers4Kids in Charlottesville, an organization that teaches tech skills to middle and high […]

Against the wind: The family who trains together…pains together?

For me, parenting is often about managing my own expectations. I get all fired up about some idealized vision I concoct, then struggle with the way the reality is inevitably messier, louder, smellier, whinier…more real. Have you ever seen the site pinterestfail.com? It showcases pictures of beautifully photographed, adorable projects side-by-side with user-submitted photos of […]

Sound the alarm: What you need to know about fire safety

In the wake of the January Keswick fire that took the lives of a woman and her two children in mid-January, Charlottesville Fire Department Batallion Chief Rich Jones said CFD’s goal is never to have another fire death in the area. It’s a lofty aim, he admitted, but through education and preparedness, it could be […]

A room of one’s own: Outfitting baby’s first bedroom

We love the nursery of local photographer Andrea Hubbell’s son, Clyde. With an eye for design, she’s kept the room awash in soothing neutrals with vibrant accents and plenty of mid-century modern inspiration throughout. “The foundation of the room is white, gray, and wood,” Hubbell said. “That allows the bright colors that pop every now […]