Rural Leader Magazine 2019

MAY 2019

"The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership." —Harvey Firestone

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Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com

About Us

Launched in March 2014, Rural Leader

Magazine, LLC is a digital publication with a mission to highlight every day people doing extraordinary things in business, education, music, community, art, sports, and leadership nationally and abroad.

Rural Leader Magazine honors exemplary individuals on a variety of levels, such as the 20 under 20 Honors, 40 under 40 Honors, Best Small Town Restaurant, Small Town America’s 100 Most Influential People, the Scholars of Collegiate Distinction, Fifty under Fifty, and the Eagle Elite Club.— Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English, or other languages, is prohibited without written consent.

Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief editor@ruralleadermag.com Contact Us info@ruralleadermag.com editor@ruralleadermag.com

Contents

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD

7 Five Ways to Make Your Graduate Feel Great This Season 8 How to Make Employee Engagement a Daily Habit 10 Agriculture insight: Major Players Nurture Innovation by Supporting Startups 11 The Future of Commercial Trucking: Your Favorite Goods Now Delivered Using Alternative Fuel 13 Grow Your own Food in Small Spaces

15 Half of Americans are ‘C’ Students at Best When it Comes to Understanding Finances 16 Inspiring Children and Young Adults to Try Computer Science 18 Smart Ways to Help Students Gain Confidence in Learning 21 How to Honor the Important Women in Your Life This Mother’s Day 23 Spring cleaning: How to make money on the things you no longer want

Tell us what you think about our publications, if you have a great idea for a story, or to just share. We may print your comments in Rural Leader Magazine. By sending us your comments, you’re giving permission to call you for an interview. Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number so we can reach you. Write to us at info@RuralLeaderMag.com— SUPPORT OUR VISION

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Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Inside this issue, there are a number of great articles about leadership best practices, building positive self-esteem and productivity! We hope you enjoy this issue.

As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google +, and LinkedIn. Thanks again for your continual support!

Sincerely,

Photo Courtesy of TieFotos

Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

What you do matters.

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Five Ways to Make Your Graduate Feel Great This Season In keeping with tradition this time of year, parents across America are getting ready to celebrate the graduation achievements of their children, nieces, nephews and other friends and relatives.

Many will be moving forward from preschool, elementary school or middle school. A whopping 3.3 million will graduate from high school. And at the college level, students are expected to have earned an impressive one million associate’s degrees; 1.9 million bachelor’s degrees; 780,000 master’s degrees and 182,000 doctor’s degrees over the 2018-19 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Because these milestones are such an important part of life, your graduate will want to preserve memories of friends, accomplishments and key experiences gathered along the way. If you’re a proud parent helping your student celebrate this transition into the next phase of life, here are some ways to make it feel extra special. * Share the great news. Even if you’re not planning a huge event, you can still show pride in your grad’s achievement by mailing out personalized announcements that include graduation photos. Friends and family will appreciate hearing that your student has passed a milestone and moved on to the next stage of life. And the photo will give them a tangible memento they can display and keep. *Plan a personalized grad party. Honor your graduate’s individuality by creating customized signs, banners, tableware, balloons, favors, candy, a cake and/or other party gear that features their name, image, hobbies, school colors and logos, etc. You might even spring for a life-sized standalone cut-out

of the guest of honor. Many personalized products can be easily created at the self-service Kodak Picture Kiosks available at most CVS and Target stores across the nation. In fact, most can be completed and returned on the same day they’re ordered. *Serve up your grad’s favorites. In American culture, love is often expressed through food. Whether your celebration will consist of a big party or a small, private family affair, putting your grad’s favorite food and drink on the menu will show him or her you care. Of course, that’s made easy now that graduation parties feature such a wide range of cuisines; consider ordering take-out from your grad’s favorite BBQ restaurant or having your local supermarket handcraft beautiful sushi platters to serve to guests. *Make a personalized playlist. Compile and record a selection of your grad’s favorite music to play at his or her celebration party. Sprinkle in other songs that may bring a smile; consider childhood favorites, tunes with sentimental lyrics, school fight songs and/ or music associated with band, orchestra, theater or dance performances. *Commemorate friendships through photo gifts.

Your grad and his or her classmates will treasure their school memories well into the future if you custom-create gifts featuring their favorite photos.

Digital photos can be brought to better light, and create more smiles, when they’re turned into functional items like keepsake boxes, calendars, mugs and magnets on KodakMoments.com.

Your child will remember his graduation celebration for years to come if you personalize every element. Start planning the details now so you can be ready by the end of the school year.—

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How to Make Employee Engagement a Daily Habit One of the latest business buzzwords this year is EX, or the employee experience. Organizations are beginning to realize that they need to create a positive employee experience in the same way they have focused on the customer experience. In this ever-tightening job market, it’s mission critical to keep employees happy, fulfilled and challenged. Only then can they keep their customers happy. Focusing on EX means evaluating an employee’s entire life cycle with the company, from before they even apply for a job to beyond their last day. It’s so critical that Forbes even dubbed 2018 the Year of the Employee Experience.

What is the EX, exactly? EX is not just about what it’s like to work day-to-day in the office, and it’s not about benefits, half-day Fridays, sleeping pods, beer fridges in the break room and other fun perks, though those things do enter into it. But EX is deeper and more meaningful than that. It’s about truly 8 RuralLeaderMag.com | May 2019

engaging employees. Employee engagement (EE) and EX are intertwined so closely they can be called one and the same.

The problem with EE: There’s a disconnect. In a recent study, Dale Carnegie found that 70 percent of top executives believe that employee engagement has a strong impact on financial performance. In a similar study, Deloitte found that 85 percent of company leaders say EE is an important strategic priority, but Dale Carnegie found that just 31 percent of frontline employees and managers strongly agreed that their company is actually making engagement a top priority.

Clearly, there’s a disconnect between what execs are saying and what employees are feeling. That’s because there’s a piece left out of this puzzle: the employees’ managers.

The key to aligning executive priorities with what

employees are experiencing lies in the management chain. Managers need to be enabled and empowered to engage their teams on a daily basis. It means getting managers the training they need to engage their teams, by making it a strategic priority and creating a culture of engagement. Dale Carnegie programs teach the skills managers need and can help organizations do the right things to increase overall employee engagement.

Ways to increase employee engagement. Focus on getting managers and supervisors the skills they need. Immediate supervisors and managers are on the front lines of employee engagement. Leaders at all levels need to understand that the way they interact with their employees and direct reports matters to the company’s bottom line. Open a dialogue with managers about EE, and listen to what they’re saying about what works and what doesn’t, and if they’re frustrated, give them the tools and training necessary for change. Get CEO buy-in. If your CEO does not have employee engagement on his or her priority list, the effort is doomed to fail. Make sure the CEO has the facts on employee engagement, and the knowl-

edge that it needs to start at the top. EE needs to be treated like any other strategic priority.Align policies with EE. You need employee-supportive policies and procedures, such as a standard performance evaluation policy. But it also means changing policies that are barriers to engagement. Are there processes and procedures working at cross-purpose with engagement efforts? If so, change them. How are your rewards and recognition programs designed? What do you reward and recognize? Are they making your employees feel valued? It requires going through your policies with a critical eye, and the willingness to change what’s not working.

Employee engagement needs to be on the top of the priority list for top executives, managers and supervisors, and that’s no easy task. But in this ever-tightening job market, with greener grass just a click away on a job seeker’s app, keeping all of your employees happy, engaged and fulfilled is the key to your company’s competitive advantage.—

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Agriculture insight: Major Players Nurture Innovation by Supporting Startups

Environmental pressures like drought confront growers across the globe, and they can exacerbate the many other demands growers face. The challenges are intertwined, coming from every direction, including profitability requirements, food-supply-chain demands and nutrient shortages.

“Across the industry, growers will have adapt to deal with those growing pressures,” says Colin Steen, who heads up operations for Syngenta Ventures, one of the world’s first venture capital groups dedicated to agriculture.

Members of the research and development group at the organization identified Sound Agriculture as a promising new startup based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. Their mission: to create a suite of products that mitigate drought stress, decrease fertilizer needs and increase crop yields.

“Sound Agriculture was looking at a common problem from a new angle,” Steen says. “They were discovering new products that could be tools for enhancing yield and resilience. We invested in them last year and have been very pleased with their progress.”

Investing for long-term results: Today, Sound Agriculture is one of more than 15 companies in Syngenta Ventures’ portfolio. There’s no one-size-fitsall formula for the ideal investment. It’s more about casting a broad net and finding companies that share the vision for making growers’ farms more sustainable and more profitable, which is viewed as a longterm partnership.

AgriMetis - a Syngenta Ventures’ portfolio company in Maryland - which develops natural products to protect crops from weeds, diseases and insects, is another example. “AgriMetis needed a little help developing its testing capabilities and our R&D group 10 RuralLeaderMag.com | May 2019

stepped in,” Steen says.

He collaborates with a team of seven professionals in the U.S. and Europe. Their talents, he says, reflect three pillars of a successful venture ag-focused group.

First, the group must understand what’s happening on the farm. “That’s the key. We have to understand the stresses growers face so we can look ahead for solutions,” he says.

Second, technical expertise is essential. “The driving force for many companies we evaluate is novel technology,” Steen says. “The best way to build relationships is to speak the same language.”

Finally, Steen says that a good venture capital team must be savvy enough to make commitments and decisions that play over a long time period, often more than 5 years. Making good decisions today requires understanding future challenges.

The future of ag technology: “The ag-technology sector has completely changed and thrived in just the past 10 years,” Steen says.

Satellite imagery and drones, for example, felt like the stuff of sci-fi novels just a decade ago, but now they’re common sights in ag offices and fields across the world. One portfolio company, Phytech, draws on spatial imaging, hyperlocal climate information and agronomic modeling to help farmers improve their profitability.

“Helping to develop successful companies directly impacts the agriculture industry,” Steen says. “Our core mission is to help create new tools to make growers more profitable. For us, it’s all about the collaboration to maximize that success.”

For more information, visit www.syngentaventures.com.—

The Future of Commercial Trucking: Your Favorite Goods Now Delivered Using Alternative Fuel Think about it: The food you purchased at the grocery store and cook for dinner tonight might have come from other locations around the world. Your clothes bought online might come from a manufacturing plant across the country. That package sitting outside in your entryway when you get home from work could have traveled coast-to-coast before arriving at your door.

Thanks to the trucking industry, you are able to purchase and use the things you want and need. In fact, the trucking industry is the lifeblood of the U.S. economy, with about 71 percent of all the freight tonnage moved in the U.S. being done so on trucks, according to the American Trucking Associations.

As the industry saying goes: If you bought it - a truck probably brought it.

To move 10.5 billion tons of freight annually requires over 3.6 million heavy-duty Class 8 trucks and over 3.5 million truck drivers. It also takes almost 39 billion gallons of diesel fuel to move all of that freight, according to the association.

However, the trucking industry is changing with the times. With a forward-thinking mindset, transportation leaders and proactive companies are embracing the trend of using alternative-fuel vehicles such as electric vehicles in commercial transportation.

You probably have heard of electric cars for personal use, and maybe you even own one yourself.

These types of vehicles are designed to use a battery instead of traditional fuels, which helps eliminate

tailpipe emissions.

Larger commercial vehicles like trucks and buses may also benefit from this electric technology. The switch to electricity is slowly changing commercial transportation. In the future, you might receive your food, goods and packages - either directly or indirectly - by a commercial electric truck or van rather than diesel-powered or gasoline-fueled vehicles.

While currently in limited availability, electric trucks are starting to take root in some of the larger trucking fleets.

Consider Penske Truck Leasing for example, which operates and maintains a truck fleet of more than 311,000 vehicles in North America. The company recently announced it was adding small, medium and large electric trucks to its overall fleet mix. And, it is also building out commercial electric vehicle charging stations at select California locations as a start.

Penske is an industry leader in transportation and in the areas of operating and maintaining fleets of traditionally fueled vehicles as well as alternative-fueled vehicles, which includes natural gas, propane, electric and diesel-electric hybrids.

Early introductions from truck manufacturers and large fleets like Penske are helping to re-shape the future of mobility in commercial transportation. The goods you use today that are shipped via traditional diesel trucks may one day be shipped using alternative fuels such as electricity.— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | May 2019 11

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Grow Your own Food in Small Spaces Big Taste in Half the Space: Tips to Garden Great in Small Areas When it comes to cooking and eating the freshest vegetables and herbs, we recommend growing your own. Make the most of your harvest this year by selecting plants that will thrive in your space. Container gardening is a great option, perfect for those who want to plant on patio or deck spaces. You can use containers to grow favorite herbs and vegetables, so you can harvest fresh flavors right outside your door.

Whether you have a condo patio, a high-rise rooftop, a quaint sunny corner of your yard or even a window box, the experts at Burpee Plants know anyone can be a successful gardener no matter their level of experience or space available. Here are top suggestions for plants perfect for small spaces that bring the performance and flavor: Confetti Pepper: Petite peppers pack a lot of punch in a little 2-ounce size that can be eaten fresh at any stage, from green to ruby red. The eye-catching leaves are beautiful, too. Kids especially enjoy watching the fruit change colors over time and snacking on the bountiful harvest.

Atlas Tomato: If you want a big slicing tomato for sandwiches or a stacked caprese salad, the Atlas Tomato is for you. This container-friendly beefsteak tomato is disease resistant, which means healthy plants all season, and features impressive, extra-large

tomatoes that are as fun to grow as they are to eat.

Jungle Parrot Pepper: Named for its adorable, beak-like shape, this pepper is perfect for patio containers. It ripens to a beautiful, rich red that adds a pop of color to your space. Enjoy this sweet and delicious pepper fresh from the vine, displayed as a table centerpiece, sliced for a sauté or as stuffed appetizers.

Merry Mint Fresh Flavors Herbs: Add healthy flavor to all types of cooking by planting your own herbs. Merry Mint and other favorite flavors can be snipped as needed for salads, marinades, garnishing and more. From parsley and basil to sage and thyme, herbs are easy to care for - both indoors and outdoors - and easily expand your recipe possibilities.

Discover more garden inspiration, DIY projects and new recipes, like this Fauxjito, by visiting burpeehomegardens.com: The Fauxjito: Ingredients: Merry Mint from your herb garden, Still water, Sparkling water, Glass carafe Directions: Chop and muddle a few sprigs of Merry Mint and add to the carafe. Next, fill carafe full with one-third still water and then two-thirds sparkling water. Pour into glasses and enjoy!—

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Half of Americans are ‘C’ Students at Best When it Comes to Understanding Finances Transforming Knowledge into Action Bridges the Gap from Financial Literacy to Financial Wellness When it comes to education, we instinctively understand the link between performance and opportunity - a college graduate is likely to have more job opportunities than someone who didn’t finish high school. Similarly, the high school valedictorian may be courted by more colleges and universities than a poorly performing student. In fact, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that higher levels of literacy and more advanced education tend to correlate to positive outcomes in wage growth and job opportunities. Because we know the importance of education, we push ourselves and our children to learn and grow, in the hopes of better opportunities in the future.

But when it comes to financial literacy and financial wellness, we seem to lose sight of the connection, contenting ourselves with barely passing grades. In fact, more than half of Americans say they’d earn a “C” or lower if tested on their financial literacy, according to a new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Prudential Financial.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) take responsibility for their own grade, according to the survey. Why don’t we change our behaviors and work to improve our knowledge of a topic we know to be so critical to our lives?

Information overload may be at fault. While the survey shows nearly half of American adults (46%) spend more than two hours on social media each week, fewer than one in five (17%) spend that much time managing their finances. In addition, two-thirds of Americans (66%) say the list of things they need to learn to successfully manage their finances keeps on growing, not shrinking.

“The financial industry as a whole needs to drive home the importance of financial education to help clear a path toward financial wellness,” said Caroline Feeney, head of Individual Solutions at Prudential.

“It’s important for us to help Americans understand how to manage day-to-day finances, achieve import-

ant financial goals and protect against future financial risks.”

Previous data from Prudential’s Financial Wellness Census shows more than a quarter of Americans (29%) have a skewed sense of their financial health, with many optimistic about their financial future despite objective measures showing them falling behind in achieving their financial goals. In fact, the Census data showed less than half of Americans are on track to meet their goals, including planning for retirement.

The challenge, then, is how to translate retirement uncertainty and financial insecurity into actions that help build financial wellness before and into retirement. That’s where financial literacy programs and professional financial advice can play a key role.

Today, people can access advice along the spectrum, from self-directed methods to hybrid advisors who serve as coaches to full-service, high-touch advice. “Our lifelong personal financial wellness journeys often require a combination of smart solutions, good advice and guidance about appropriate investment tools or products,” says Feeney.

Planning is critical to meeting financial goals (whether it’s buying a car or a house, paying for college or planning for retirement), so it’s important to find the method that works best for you. Life stage and personal preference will play a role in determining your path to financial wellness, but financial education, professional guidance and access to the right products and investments at the right stage of the journey are key components of the financial wellness journey. — Note: The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Newark, NJ. 1020393-00001-00

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Inspiring Children and Young Adults to Try Computer Science Math, science, history and ... coding? For today’s students, learning how to code is becoming just as important as learning how to read. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says computer science is the fastest growing profession within the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) field. They also project that, by 2020, there will be 1.4 million computer science-related jobs available and only 400,000 computer science graduates with the skills to apply for those jobs.

Historically, access to computer science education and skills training has been absent in the curriculum for many underrepresented and underserved communities, despite research showing that exposure to these subjects at a young age makes students more likely to pursue computer science in college. The new childhood-to-career program, Amazon Future Engineer, is working to change that in a four-step process to ensure access for all students and inspire more than 10 million kids to explore computer science.

K-8: Amazon Future Engineer recognizes that it’s never too early to introduce computer science to students and begin fostering an interest in the field.

The program has after-school computer science workshops, coding camps hosted at schools and various locations, and online computer science courses like Coding with Kids and Code.org’s Hour of Code: Dance Party - all designed to encourage students to explore computer science.

“Without Amazon Future Engineer funding this coding camp, my son would not have had such a wonderful opportunity because I simply could not afford it,” explained Kelly Garcia, whose son Pierce attended a Coding with Kids camp in Seattle, Washington.

High school: The vast majority of public elementary and high schools, particularly in low-income communities, do not offer computer science classes.

Each year, Amazon Future Engineer provides 2,000 schools across the country (totaling about 100,000 students) with Intro to Computer Science and AP Computer Science classes through trusted curriculum providers. All students participating in this program also receive a free membership to AWS Educate, which provides them with free access to computing power in the AWS Cloud for their coding projects, and content to learn about cloud computing.

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Jennifer Tulipano, a teacher who is using the course in her classroom at Monsignor Scanlan High School in the Bronx says, “It’s exciting to see the significant increase in my students’ creativity, logical thinking skills and confidence levels, since learning to code, and there is no doubt in my mind that we have paved the way for them to head down very successful career paths in the field of computer science.

I truly believe our students, particularly our female students, have been empowered by the computer science courses being offered to us through Amazon Future Engineer.”

College scholarship: As students head off to college, Amazon Future Engineer continues to offer new resources to support their continued education in the field. The program provides 100 students from underrepresented and underserved communities committed to studying computer science in college with a $40,000 college scholarship - $10,000 per year.

For many students, this financial aid is the catalyst that allows them to pursue post-secondary education and a career in computer science. “This scholarship is very important because it means when I go to college, I won’t have to constantly worry about money,” said scholarship recipient Leo Jean Baptiste, from Orange High School in Orange, New Jersey.

Internship: Amazon Future Engineer also offers the 100 scholarship recipients a guaranteed, paid summer internship after their first year of college.

Interns partner closely with a technical mentor and manager, as well as their fellow interns, to innovate and create on behalf of Amazon customers.

“As an Amazon Future Engineer intern, I not only witnessed but was immersed in what it’s like to be a software development engineer,” explained Nari Johnson, a sophomore at Harvard University studying computer science. “I left my internship feeling more confident in my ability to transform a vision for a service or product into reality. As a woman in computer science, Amazon’s commitment to diversity and early computer science education has been especially meaningful to me.”

Students, teachers, school administrators, and parents can learn more and apply at www.amazonfutureengineer.com.—

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Smart Ways to Help Students Gain Confidence in Learning Building the confidence to try, experiment and keep going even when things get hard is a critical part of the educational process. Confidence comes more naturally to some students than others, yet new research shows that confidence levels today impact learning outcomes for students.

Three-quarters of teachers say anxiety and lack of confidence hinder learning among their students, according to the Confidence in Learning Poll conducted by Harris Insights and Analytics on behalf of LEGO Education. Two-thirds of parents agree their children are not more confident than their peers or themselves at that age.

This is impacting students’ education in many ways, particularly in the important STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics). The poll found fewer than one in five students is “very confident” when it comes to learning STEAM, while only one in three teachers says their students are more confident in STEAM subjects compared to five years ago.

As we think about preparing students for the future workforce, 65% of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in new jobs that don’t yet exist, according to the World Economic Forum. This makes confidence in STEAM 18 RuralLeaderMag.com | May 2019

especially important as we prepare kids for unknown needs.

Building confidence: Consider the middle-school years as an important time to grow and maintain confidence levels among students. A time of tremendous physical change, kids are also dealing with new academic and social pressures, too. The good news is both parents and educators can take basic steps to help boost confidence in learning to help middle-school kids at home and at school.

With confidence such a key component of learning success, how can parents and educators keep levels high so that students not only succeed at learning, but also find joy in it? The key is hands-on learning.

A whopping 97 percent of teachers in the U.S. say that hands-on learning builds confidence among their students, though that doesn’t have to be limited to the classroom. Here are simple ways to help middle-schoolers gain confidence in themselves and their education: Hands-on learning at home: Adults who incorporate hands-on learning can make a big impact, with 87 percent of students reporting that when they learn via hands-on projects, they tend to remember the topics for longer. At home, invite kids into the kitchen to cook together, talking about measurements and

reactions of cooking ingredients before enjoying a meal as a family. Another idea: Have them help out as you use tools to work on your car, discussing the problem, brainstorming the potential solutions and fixing it together.

Hands-on learning at school: When projects come to life, kids can learn through collaboration and exploration, which can help improve processing and retention. The new LEGO Education SPIKE Prime, bringing together familiar LEGO bricks with digital programming, lets students learn essential 21st-century skills through a hands-on approach. The kit includes guides for 32 different creations, though the possibilities are limitless. “We believe deeply in the value of hands-on learning experiences to build curiosity and confidence, spur development, bring more joy to learning and spark imagination - and that’s

exactly what SPIKE Prime offers,” said Esben Stark Jørgensen, president of LEGO Education.

Ask questions through open discussions: Having open, engaging and nonjudgmental conversations with middle-school kids is important to breaking down barriers. Let them lead the conversation, but if it stalls out, take the lead by asking questions about how they think and feel. Remember, no answer or thought is a bad one. It’s also important, as an adult, to show vulnerability. If you can show you’re OK being comfortable with success or failure, it helps them gain confidence that it’s OK to feel that way, too.

To learn more about confidence-building, educational opportunities and LEGO Education SPIKE Prime, visit LEGOeducation.com/SPIKEprime.— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | May 2019 19

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How to Honor the Important Women in Your Life This Mother’s Day This Mother’s Day, take the opportunity to honor not only your mother, but all the important women in your life who have provided care and love when you needed it the most. Think about the women who have supported, nurtured and cheered you on. Now it’s your chance to show them how much they mean to you by making them feel special.

Here are some ways to show the women in your life how much you appreciate them.

The mother of your children: Whether she’s been raising the kids for years, she’s a brand new mom or is expecting your family’s first child, the woman you’re creating a family with deserves all the love you can give her. If your kids are old enough, involve them in picking out a fun gift you know she will love. Gift selections are organized by category on 1-800-Flowers.com for lots of great ideas, beyond gorgeous traditional flower bouquets. Consider a delicious fruit or gourmet food basket, or an indulgent spa or bath gift set with a plush robe. This special gift will leave a long-lasting impression, well after Mother’s Day has come and gone.

She’s been like a mother to you: She might be your stepmom, grandmother, aunt, a former teacher or a beloved family friend, but you think of her on Mother’s Day because she’s always been there for you.

She’s provided a shoulder to cry on and been your cheerleader when you needed encouragement. You can find many gifts that you can personalize with a sentimental message just for her, for a meaningful keepsake that she’ll always treasure.

She’s a great pet mom: She takes such good care of her fur babies - always making sure they’re well fed and pampered, playing with them, showering them with affection and taking them to the vet when need-

ed. Show her how much you appreciate the time and effort she spends caring for her animal companions with an adorable a-DOG-able flower arrangement that looks like a cute pooch, or a Fabulous Feline arrangement that resembles an adorable kitty.

Your mom: To make the ultimate statement of gratitude and appreciation for your mother, browse amazing luxury gifts on 1-800-Flowers.com, ranging from gorgeous rose bouquets or the Mother’s Embrace Bouquet to a delectable Full Bloom Sweet Treats Gift Basket. Why not go all in with your siblings to get your mother something truly special?

Or if you’re thinking about jewelry, you can order a personalized Family Circle Necklace engraved with her children’s names for a beautiful, memorable gift.

If you can’t afford to splurge big this year, you can still find great gifts, from beautiful flower arrangements and delectable gourmet treats to so much more on 1-800-Flowers.com that range from $25-$35 on up. You can save big with an exclusive collection of gifts if you order for early delivery.

If you’ve waited until the last minute, don’t worry!

There are plenty of options for same-day flower delivery from local florists across the country on Mother’s Day, May 12. These gift options include our Local Artisan Collection, which features 16 truly original bouquets from 11 talented florists from across the country.

For the important women in your life, it’s never been easier to find the right gift to show how much she means to you. With both online and phone ordering available, you can make just the right selection this year.—

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Spring cleaning: How to make money on the things you no longer want American households are sitting on goldmines.

Experts estimate there’s almost a trillion dollars worth of unused items in our homes. Rather than letting those things gather dust, people are digging into their closets, garages and basements to make money back on unused items.

Many are engaging in recommerce by selling their used stuff through the internet or in-person auctions.

In fact, half of Americans plan to resell their gently used goods to support their income this year, according to OfferUp’s Spring Cleaning & Recommerce survey. And two-thirds of Americans would consider selling gently used items online to free up space in their home.

If you want to make some money clearing out things you no longer want or use, consider these smart tips: Have a yard sale: Reach out to your city to learn about any yard sale regulations, then set up shop at your house to sell to people in your community.

Make sure to mark items with a reasonable price and promote your sale to bargain hunters that’ll search through your treasures. This is also a wonderful way to meet new neighbors.

Sell online: You can reach a much broader audience and potentially get more money for things like electronics, toys, clothes and vehicles using an app like OfferUp. Simply snap a picture on your phone, add a brief description and set a price. Safety is always a priority when selling online and meeting people in-person, and OfferUp works with police departments across the country to designate safer

places to meet, which you can find in the app or by going to SafeTradeSpots.com. The app also offers nationwide shipping that allows you to reach more buyers for smaller items.

Tap into consignment: Consignment stores have been a staple for reselling for a while, but be advised that it could take the store some time to sell your items, and the store can take as much as a 50 percent cut on your merchandise for managing the transaction. On the plus side, consignment stores may be able to sell your items for a higher price than you’d be able to sell them for online, and it can be more convenient to let a consignment store sell for you instead of going through the trouble of listing the items yourself.

Post in a neighborhood forum: You can also try posting in your local neighborhood classifieds or on social media. While websites like Nextdoor tend to be more popular for people listing free items, you can offer a discount to your neighbors and plan on quicker sales since it’s easier to arrange pick-ups and drop-offs when everyone is less than a quarter-mile from each other.

Donate: For things you don’t end up repurposing or selling, donate them to a local charity. Many nonprofits accept a variety of items in good condition for resale or auction. There are a number of different organizations accepting donations, and depending on what you donate, you can get a receipt for a tax write-off that can hopefully get you a larger refund the following year.—

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