What enriches community life in Vermont? Who’s at risk or marginalized and what’s being done about it? How do Vermonters cope and thrive? 

• Nga Willey: Xusana Davis Fighting for Me! - Xusana Davis was appointed Vermont’s first Director of Racial Equity by Governor Phil Scott. “The director of racial equity, and the five-member Racial Equity Advisory Panel, which the director oversees, were established by lawmakers and the governor [in 2019] to help identify and address systemic racism in Vermont state government.” (Landen, 2019, January 21) Ms. […]
• Dannielle Dupoise: Children of Incarcerated Vermonters: How Can We Help? - Parental incarceration is a prominent issue not just nationwide but in the small state of Vermont, as well. Muller (2015) stated,  “In 2005, it was estimated that more than 2.5 million children in the U.S. had a parent in prison.” According to the Lamoille Restorative Center (2016), “On any given day, an estimated 2,000 Vermont children […]
• Sydney Johnston: Mental Health in Vermont First Responders  -   In recent years discussing mental health has become more normalized. The reality of not being okay has gone from being perceived as a coward for having such thoughts and emotions, to being considered brave for sharing and reaching out. While mental health has become more widely accepted overall, for First Responders stigma continues. Whether as […]
• Samantha Morse: “Breaking Addiction’s Hold: One Vermonter’s Journey” -   Illicit drug use has become an epidemic in Vermont. According to Chen and Cimaglio (2016, January), “Because non-prescription opioids, primarily heroin, are widely available in Vermont and are inexpensive, the decrease in non-medical pain opioids has been replaced by a dramatic increase in Vermonters who use and are addicted to heroin as demonstrated by […]
• Alissa Rich: “The Mental Challenge of Weight Loss: How RiseVT Can Help You Achieve Success” - When most people think about weight loss, they immediately think of diet and exercise.  The mistake with that perception is that it ignores the underlying causes that may be the reason for obesity in the first place. An article in The British Journal of Health Psychology described perfectly why weight loss is such a struggle: “The behavioral analysis […]
• Lauren Cornelius: “Silent Partners: Northern Vermont’s Migrant Farm Workers” - For centuries agriculture has been at the heart of Vermont’s heritage, culture, and economics.  Some farms have been passed down from generation to generation since the late 1700s, but modern day farmers increasingly are having a difficult time finding laborers to perform the essential tasks to keep the industry afloat.  Many migrant and seasonal farmworkers […]
• Tabitha Clews: “PTSD and Our Veterans” - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a serious diagnosis that affects many American soldiers. PTSD by definition is ‘a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event’ (Mayo Clinic, 2015). War is a terrifying event and the things that our men and women see while fighting for our country can be devastating. Here in […]
• Cheri Leete: “Volunteer Emergency Medical Services in Vermont” - Emergency medical services or EMS are close to home for me: I work in a hospital emergency department, I have been married to a fire fighter, and many of my friends are fire fighters and EMTs or paramedics. I’ve seen up close and first-hand the commitment, pride, and sacrifice — as well as the joy and […]
• Joanna Emmons: “Promoting Positive Body Image in Young Women” -  It is not easy on a teenage girl in this day and age. The media overall and magazines in particular put so much pressure on girls by creating an unrealistic body image, which causes girls to become dissatisfied with their own bodies. “Body dissatisfaction is the discrepancy between the real perception of one’s own body and one’s […]
• Emily Leva: “Listen Up: The Relationship Between Young Vermonters and Vermont Public Radio” - When it first aired in 1975, many thought that Vermont Public Radio (VPR) wouldn’t last. Thankfully it not only has lasted, it also has proved a valuable resource in teaching the adolescents and young adults of Vermont many social skills. As VPR host Bob Kinzel explains on their website, “As a state-wide resource, VPR is […]
• Victoria Fitzgerald: “The Stink About Ink: Social Attitudes Toward Tattoos” - Tattooing is a $1.65 Billion dollar a year industry in the United States and 45 million (or 14%) of all Americans have at least one tattoo (StatisticBrain, 2012).  That percentage increases to 36% for the 18-25 year-old age group and 40% for the 26-40 year-old age group (StatisticBrain, 2012).   With so many Americans today getting […]
• Alicia Keesler: “Don’t Cry Over Raw Milk” - Despite Vermont’s promotion of locally grown and distributed food, raw milk continues to be a controversial item. What are the laws and regulations surrounding raw milk? How do they impact farmers and consumers? Resolving this controversy could be the key to a healthier, more socially conscious Vermont. Milk has been a part of people’s lives since perhaps as far […]
• Kim England: “Hunger, Stigma, and Truth Through Experience” - Lev Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist who developed sociocultural theory – the idea that everyday interactions within our respective cultures will affect our psychological development. For example, I live in Barre, and something I see often is the degradation of people who receive state assistance by those who don’t. This relates to public perception and how […]
• Kerry Max Labrecque: “SAD in Vermont” - This article explores Seasonal Affective Disorder (also known as SAD) and the impact it has on Vermonters.  It compares the results of my field research to current statistics, while relating the experiences of a Vermonter living with SAD.  Various methods for treatment are explored, including light therapy and cognitive therapy.   (Mayo Clinic , 2013) Seasonal […]