Being stressed and anxious, feelings many can relate to, can be taxing and put a damper on one's motivation and happiness. But there is an answer to dealing with life's stressors, and that is by cultivating a mindfulness practice. The Garden State Woman Education Foundation (GSWEF) spoke with best-selling author, Nora D'Ecclesis, about her new book...

Centenary Stage Company's Young Audience Series announces their Summer Festival of Shows which will run from August 5-14 in the Little Theatre located at 400 Jefferson St, Hackettstown, NJ. Shows include I Do! I Do! I Do! I Do!, A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking, and Two for Four. I Do! I Do! I Do! I Do! is a musical about soul mates nav...

Mary Dixon Lebeau, a freelance writer and former reporter and newspaper columnist, is deeply connected with New Jersey's oceanside. The Jersey Shore is the place where her parents met and where she herself was raised. Her experiences, memories, and love for her childhood home has led Lebeau to share its unique and little-known wonders with others i...

A major decision was made by the United States Supreme Court on June 24, 2022. One that marks a very significant and historical event that drastically impacts the rights and lives of women. The overturning of Roe v. Wade has caused not only conflict concerning women's rights, but serious changes to the healthcare system and medical research. T...

The Community Chest of Eastern Bergen County recently announced Franci Steinberg as the new president of the Board of Managers. Steinberg previously served as vice president and has been a member of the Community Chest's Board of Managers since 2014, as well as a member of the Executive Committee since 2018. Franci Steinberg holds notable accomplis...

Beaming heat in the afternoons and tranquil breezes in the evening. The sun remains, lingering in the sky past 5pm. Summer is finally here, providing us a few months of rest and relaxation after a long school year. Now that we have some extra time on our hands, there are endless ways we can spend it productively while having some fun. Relaxing, spe...

As we celebrate our national holiday, Independence Day, many women are confused. We have been taught that we are responsible for our health and hygiene, yet laws are being enacted that are detrimental to women's health. It seems that five people on the Supreme Court have taken responsibility for women's health. Ironically four of them are men....

Why are symbols important? They are visible forms of an idea. In business we recognize logos and trademarks. In the Christian religion it is the Cross. These are common examples of symbols. They are easily identified and understood. The Stars and Stripes as a symbol is more complicated. Its meaning as a symbol may vary depending upon...

The Zonta Club of Morris Town will honor Isabel Y. Lin as the 2022 Young Women in Public Affairs Recipient.  The event will take place at 6:00pm-8:00pm Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at Florham Park, New Jersey.  For further details, ticket information, and to RSVP click here:  https://zontamorristown.com/e...

The Garden State Woman Education Foundation (GSWEF) was able to speak with Danny Ruderman, America's leading college counselor. We had a few questions and received great advice on the college decision-making process. How do you define a "good college"? Danny defines a "good college" as one in which a student can thrive, not just academically, but p...

Jack Killion, Founder of Street-Smart Entrepreneurs, was passionate about education and life-long learning. Holding a degree in mechanical engineering from Yale University and a Master of Science degree in Industrial Management from MIT, for more than twenty years he interviewed candidates applying to MIT, hoping to find an opportunity to...

A source of empowerment for women and Italians, and leading as an entrepreneurial businesswoman, Rosanna Imbriano began her non-profit organization, Sempre Avanti, with the primary goal of supporting the Italian community. Imbriano was born in Italy and used her pride and admiration for her country and culture to build a platform where Italian indi...

The Garden State Woman Education Foundation (GSWEF) is an organization that pushes and aids young women to take charge of their futures. We see the significance of young girls taking control from an early age. By providing a platform for young girls to learn, plan, and think about their future careers and life goals, GSWEF supports and encourages young woman to be independent and successful achievers. Since 1998, GSWEF has catered to women with services aimed to support women in business, finance, and health. To further help young women thrive in life beyond school, GSWEF provides them with sensible information and advice, hosts career-related events, and provides academic scholarships that will aid them in their journey to success.

Recollections – by Judy

It is quite possible that you have a memory of a grandparent that made an impression on you. I recently received a copy of A Grandparents Love by Jackie Corley. Since I am a newly-minted grandmother, I consumed this collection of quotes in one sitting.  I found myself smiling, laughing and agreeing with the content.  Jackie Corley is a prolific communicator and her research, collection and presentation is insightful.  She brought back memories of my paternal grandmother, Bertha Odessa Chapman (we share the same middle name). My father never got an argument when he took us to visit her. After welcoming hugs, the cookie jar and glasses of milk appeared on the kitchen table. When I think of her, I think of cookies – real, homemade ones. My grandfather was around but do not remember much contact with him.  I have few thoughts about my maternal grandmother because she abandoned her 3 girls (my mom was the oldest).  That grandfather did not create any fond memories. However, with my marriage, I acquired Gramma Suzy, a widowed invalid who had remarried.  She was amazing. From her wheelchair, she was in charge.  We would drive 3 hours to visit her in Scotia, NY and she would always say we were late. “The food is getting cold.”  When my parents sold everything in Roseland and moved to Florida “to be near the grandchildren” I did not get it. Now I understand the gravitational pull that grandchildren have, and I realize what a smart move that was.  A cover quote by Margaret  Mead has stayed with me:

“In the presence of grandparent and grandchild, past and future merge in the present.”

Since 1970, students from East Asia have outscored their U.S. counterparts on every international student comparative test. Every test over 50 years; no exceptions. “Why is this always true?” asked Dr. Cornelius Grove. Now he has answers.

“I approached this as an interculturalist and an educator. I wanted to uncover the historical and cultural factors behind East Asian students’ repeated successes,” Dr. Grove explains.

Immersing himself in hundreds of research reports concerning East Asian children’s learning advantages, Dr. Grove resurfaced with two principal reasons for their academic prowess. The first is that they are raised at home in such a way that they arrive at school with a drive to learn academically. The second is that during their most impressionable years (preschool–grade 5), they are taught by means of lessons that are knowledge-centered, not teacher-centered.

“Please take my son and give him an education”.

 This desperate plea by a widowed young mother from Tibet who had fled from her village  to Beijing, China in an effort to make enough money as a street peddler of Tibetan jewelry to educate her son was a real life experience of journalist and filmmaker, Jocelyn Ford. It became the motivation for her powerful documentary, Nowhere To Call Home.

The young boy is now a high school student in the United States, his mother lives in Beijing.

This is the trailer:

(Eastern Bergen County, New Jersey; September 24, 2020) -- As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact and affect peoples' lives and our elections, the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley (LWVNV) wants citizens to know how to participate in the upcoming 2020 General Election.  With a lot of misinformation circulating about this election, the LWVNV encourages voters to fact check information and seek out reliable resources.  This election offers multiple options for casting a ballot.  The League is working to ensure voters get accurate, nonpartisan, and trusted election information.

"This year, people need to be diligent and educate themselves about the voting process and exercise their right to vote.  Between now and the General Election on November 3, the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley plans to provide ongoing, updated Voters Service information to the public," said Joyce Luhrs, Vice President of Marketing, League of Women Voters of Northern Valley.

The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley celebrates Women’s Equality Day on August 26, 2020 and the advancements made towards achieving political, economic, and social equality.  The date commemorates the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the 19th constitutional Amendment, granting women the right to vote in the United States.  During February of this year, Leagues nationwide also celebrated the organization's centennial birthday.

The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley, a chapter of the League of Women Voters (LWV), is a non-partisan, grassroots civic organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy.  The LWV was an outgrowth of the 19th Amendment passed in 1920 giving women the right to vote.  Today, the LWV operates at the state and local levels through more than 700 state and local Leagues in all 50 states and in Washington D.C., the Virgin Islands and Hong Kong. 

Her first historical novel -  Freedom Dues – is a well-researched, authentic period piece. Set in 1729 England, the story line describes individuals forced to face the grueling hardships of indentured servitude.  Although the characters are figments of her imagination, the narrative of the culture at the time is very authentic.

How does a young woman- having left her mother country of Vietnam when she was five years old – chart a career to become the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Chief Operations Officer (COO) at Workforce Software, a leading global provider of cloud-based workforce management solutions. The company creates business plans to make work easy for customers by digitalizing time sheets, scheduling and leave management which can be time consuming for enterprise businesses.
In order to appreciate her tremendous fortitude, one can assume that she was not only intelligent and determined, but also had the unique ability to seize opportunity when she saw it. Seeing opportunity rather than obstacles is always vital to success.