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JULY 2023 THE
COMMUNITY CONSCIENCE Welcome to Kindergarten! Mrs. Washington Knows How to Make Learning Fun!
football for Montana State University’s Wildcats, but she was a Division I college athlete, having played soccer for Cal State Fullerton in California. She recently moved to Montana from warm California and is still adjusting to our much colder temperatures. “Winters here are intimidating,” she says. “But I can do it. I love it.” Mrs. Washington decided to become a teacher when she was young. “I had a ton of great teachers growing up,” she tells us. “However, my mom was a teacher and seeing how much she loved being in the classroom my entire life convinced me that that’s what I wanted to do, too.” In her early years, she would arrive at school very early with her mom, spend the entire day learning, playing, and interacting with students and teachers, then stayed long after the final bell while her mom worked. She loved it. “Kindergarten is amazing because you see such growth in each child from their first day of kindergarten to their last,” Mrs. Washington says. “It’s extremely rewarding. Not to mention, the kids love you so much.’ When Mrs. Washington isn’t in the classroom, she loves getting outdoors and exploring. “Montana is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, and I love going on walks and hikes,” she says. “The one thing I do miss about California is having the sunshine and actually being warm. Here, the sun can shine and it can still be freezing cold.”
Public schools are the backbone of our communities in Montana. Despite ranking 31st in per pupil funding, Montana public schools rank first in the graduation rate at 94%. I would not be able to serve the people of this community without having benefited from the support my community placed in our public school in Columbia Falls, Montana. The people who make this significant difference in our public schools are the teachers — and are often taken for granted. At Foust Law Office, we want to recognize these hardworking professionals. Although our teachers rank 34th in average pay, Montana students regularly achieve well above the national average. We are excited to begin by acknowledging the hard work of educators in Belgrade’s elementary schools.
Taylor, your love for teaching and your students is infectious! Thank you for sharing your passion and giving us a sneak peek into the life of a kindergarten teacher! We appreciate you — thank you for all you do!
Taylor Washington, a kindergarten teacher here in the Bozeman area, has the best outlook on her job — she loves it! “If you’re ever feeling down, just come into my classroom,” she says. “The kids will cheer you right up!” Mrs. Washington loves waking up every day to spend the day with her students while embracing learning, positive reinforcement, and core fundamentals to get them ready for their educational adventure. If you’re a sports fan, Mrs. Washington is a super cool teacher to have in your kindergarten years. Not only did her husband play
– Lucas Foust
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Our Roads Are Becoming More Dangerous!
Protect Your Family From Road Rage Shootings Imagine this: You’re zooming down the interstate with your family, about halfway to your road trip destination. The windows are down, and you’re singing along to one of your favorite songs on the radio. It’s the perfect summer afternoon. Then, another car appears behind you and starts riding your bumper. doubled, with over 550 people being shot and 141 killed. And the violence continues — in April 2023, two fathers in Florida opened fire on each other’s cars, leaving a 5-year-old and 14-year- old wounded.
The Gas Fueling the Road Rage Fire Why are road rage shootings rising? Experts blame lingering anxiety from the COVID-19 pandemic, stress over the economy, political division, increased gun sales, and the fact that many Americans keep guns in their cars.
The vehicle won’t stop tailgating, so you tap your brakes, hoping to startle them into leaving you be. It doesn’t work. Instead, the car revs its engine, and a hand emerges from the driver’s side window. BAM! Your back windshield shatters, and your family starts screaming. This situation might sound dramatic, but it’s happening more than ever on American roadways. In 2019, 225 people were shot in road rage incidents across the country, resulting in 67 deaths. In 2022, both of those numbers had
steps to take to win and get compensation for your injuries.
Protect Yourself From Angry Drivers First and foremost, don’t be an angry driver yourself! Avoid driving when you’re upset, keep your car comfortable to prevent yourself from feeling irritable, and pick a strategy to calm yourself down (like a mantra or breathing exercise). If an angry driver targets you , stay calm, move away from them, and don’t respond to their behavior. The second you feel scared or unsafe, call 911.
Legal Recourse for Road Rage Victims
Should You Quit? If you or someone you know falls victim to a road rage incident, you can seek justice in court. After you get medical attention, call a personal injury attorney. They’ll tell you whether you have a case, what type of case it is (civil, criminal, or both), and what
When to Walk Away From a Friendship or Commitment
More Guidance on Quitting To learn more about paring down your life, check out the podcast “The Real Question.” As we write this, it’s in the middle of a season called “Should I Quit?” In each episode, host Vanessa Zoltan meets with a different guest and talks through whether they should quit a specific thing in their life — whether it’s a yoga subscription, a city, a choir, or the habit of telling a white lie — and how to do it gracefully.
It’s time to reframe quitting. Most of us think of leaving a commitment as a shameful, weak thing to do — but if you’re stressed and overwhelmed, it can actually be a mental health boost! That doesn’t just apply to walking out on a job. You should also consider quitting other things that weigh your life down. Maybe you’re in a book club that bores you or a friendship that feels like a chore. Quitting could reduce your stress and free up your personal time. The Right Time to Quit Consider these questions if you’re staring down the barrel of a commitment and aren’t sure whether this is the moment to walk away. 1. Do you dread spending time on this thing/with this person? 2. Does the commitment cause you stress or leave you in a bad mood? 3. Could you spend your time more happily and productively on something else? 4. Could someone else easily take over your role if you leave? If you answered “yes” to any of our questions, it may be time to quit — as long as doing so doesn’t put you or anyone else in physical, mental, or financial danger. Not convinced? Consider the philosophy of organizer Marie Kondo. Does this friendship, volunteer opportunity, or club spark joy? If not, thank it for its service and move on.
You can also pick up a copy of “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown. The philosophy of essentialism is about “challenging the core assumptions of ‘we can have it all’ and ‘I have to do everything’ and replacing them with the pursuit of ‘the right thing, in the right way, at the right time.’” McKeown’s book is packed with valuable lessons for anyone who struggles to say no or walk away.
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TAKE A BREAK
If you follow politics, then you may have heard the name “Constance Baker Motley” on the news or read it in the newspaper. Motley isn’t a current political figure (she passed away in 2005), but she inspired two of the most powerful women in Washington, D.C., today — Vice President Kamala Harris and newly minted U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts calls Constance Baker Motley the “Judiciary’s Unsung Rights Hero.” She was a key lawyer in the fight for civil rights in America and represented some of the biggest names in the movement, including Martin Luther King Jr! Motley’s potential was obvious from a young age. She grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, near Yale University, but her immigrant parents couldn’t afford to send her to college. Fortunately, her poise and intelligence caught the eye of a good Samaritan who offered to pay her way through school. On her way to the dorms, train station officials forced Motley to board the “Colored” car — and as the story goes, a civil rights hero was born. The humiliation of stepping into a “lesser” car for the first time was a defining moment in Motley’s life. To prove she deserved better, she went on to attend Columbia Law School, graduated in 1946, and accomplished more in a few decades than most of us achieve in a lifetime. Here’s a short list of her feats. The Inspiring Story of Constance Baker Motley MLK’s Supreme Court Lawyer
Barbecue Concert
Fishing Fourth Independence Larkspur
Park Pool Shade Stargazing Travel Vacation
This versatile summer chicken recipe is packed with warm flavors to keep your tastebuds on alert. It’s perfect for family BBQ nights or as a protein for meal prepping! Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com SAZON GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS
Constance Baker Motley was …
• The first Black woman to argue a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court • The winner of 9 out of 10 Supreme Court cases • Chief counsel and eventually the principal trial attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund • The first Black woman to become a federal judge • The lawyer who filed the original complaint in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka , which led to the integration of public schools • The first Black woman to serve on the New York State Senate
Ingredients
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder • 1/2 tsp oregano • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional) • 1/2 tsp salt • Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 tsp cumin • 1 tsp ground coriander • 1 tsp turmeric
That list is just the iceberg tip of Motley’s legacy! To learn more about her story, visit your local library and check out the 2022 biography “Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality” by Tomiko Brown-Nagin.
Directions
1. In a large bowl, add chicken, olive oil, cumin, coriander, turmeric, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper (if desired), salt, and pepper. Toss together to coat chicken; let it marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 2. Preheat grill to 400 F. Grill chicken thighs for 6–8 minutes per side or until fully cooked and an internal thermometer reads 165 F. 3. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm, then chop into bite-size pieces to use in salads, tacos, bowls, and more!
406-587-3720 • 3
Foust Law Office
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www.lucasfoustlaw.com 406-587-3720 Fax: 406-879-4400
3390 South 30th Avenue Bozeman, MT 59718
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
One of the Coolest Kindergarten Teachers Around
The Scary Truth About Road Rage Shootings
2
Does Quitting = Healing?
3
Sazon Grilled Chicken Thighs
Meet Martin Luther King Jr.’s Lawyer
3 Creative Ways to Grow Food Indoors
4
MOVE YOUR VEGGIES INDOORS! Get the Benefits of Gardening Without the Sweat
Create a mushroom-growing compost bin. You only need six things to grow
Gardening is incredibly satisfying — but in the summer, you may wonder whether the fresh produce is worth suffering through the heat, the humidity, and a stiff back. If so, try moving your garden indoors! Inside, you can get the same mental and physical benefits without the sweat. Here are three creative ways to grow food indoors. Grow your lettuce hydroponically. Lettuce is one of the quickest and easiest crops to grow inside because it thrives in relatively low light. You can buy a lettuce-growing kit for less than $100 at Walmart or off Amazon and either start the sprouts from seed in a moist growing medium (environmental journalist Katherine Gallagher recommends rockwool, lightweight clay aggregate, coconut fiber, or perlite) or purchase plant starts at your local nursery. Within a month, your lettuce leaves will be ready to eat!
mushrooms: a wooden tray, compost, mushroom spawn, a heating pad, a thermometer, and a spray bottle. Fill the tray with compost and a pinch of spawn, keep the compost at a toasty 70 degrees F with the heating pad for three weeks, and moisten it with sprays of water regularly until mushrooms appear. Go to Better Homes & Gardens for an online guide, or purchase a mushroom kit or terrarium. The more time, patience, and creativity you put into your indoor garden, the more it will reward you. To dig deeper (pun intended), pick up a copy of “Indoor Kitchen Gardening: Turn Your Home Into a Year-Round Vegetable Garden” by Elizabeth Millard or check out The Provident Prepper’s “Indoor Gardening” playlist on YouTube.
Plant peas or carrots under grow lights. Many people assume fruiting plants like peas and carrots are impossible to grow indoors. But with powerful grow lights, almost any plant can flourish! Try planting seeds or starts in pots and sunning them with fluorescent shop lights. The plants will take longer to mature than outdoors, but you’ll get there in the end. Other fruiting plants, like peppers and tomatoes, require hand pollination to thrive inside.
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