MATTNOYES.NET - OUT AND ABOUT

FEBRUARY 26, 2008 - CHICKERING SCHOOL, DOVER, MA

The fifth grade and I had a terrific visit together in Dover, and I think you can tell by the video that this was a friendly, personable and energetic group! We covered a ton of topics, and even watched video of the Perfect Storm! I especially enjoyed meeting a number of the students afterward, when they stayed to introduce themselves - great to meet EVERYONE at the Chickering School!

FEBRUARY 12, 2008 - PATON SCHOOL, SHREWSBURY, MA

This gang was energized and ready to talk weather from the get go! Would you believe that they were already cheering like this BEFORE I even counted them down?! I think we have a group of naturals who were ready to show their energy and enthusiasm for the Paton School, for Shrewsbury, and for being TV Weather Superstars!!! Thanks for a great afternoon, second grade!!

FEBRUARY 11, 2008 - GREENMONT AVENUE SCHOOL, DRACUT, MA

It's become an annual trip to the Greenmont Ave School, where the third graders welcomed me not only with big smiles and loud cheers, but also with a fantastic song about the water cycle - how creative! To top it all off, the students and teachers were kind enough to give me a book of their own acrostic poems as a keepsake to take back with me!

FEBRUARY 4, 2008 - MARLBOROUGH INTERMEDIATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MARLBOROUGH, MA

400 of Marlborough's brightest packed the auditorium at the Intermediate Elementary School as we started the week off with a healthy helping of weather and science. The fifth grade took in some video of two real-life tornadoes, and the very different methods of preparing for them as they approached. The students' questions were fantastic, and ranged from why lightning doesn't cause damage to larger areas when it strikes (it is, after all, FIVE TIMES hotter than the surface of the sun!) to why different forecasts from various TV stations or other media outlets can be so different from each other.

FEBRUARY 1, 2008 - ST. JOSEPH'S SCHOOL, HAVERHILL, MA

I didn't have to travel far for this visit - in my hometown of Haverhill, with the wonderful fourth, fifth and sixth grade students at St. Joseph's School. It was "Patriots Day" at the school - all of the kids had donned their Pats gear for the last day of school before the Big Game. You can tell the kids were fired up for our time together, and as soon as we finished, the sleet (NOT HAIL, as the kids can tell you now!) started to pelt Lafayette Square. It was special pleasure to have Father Dennis Nason as part of the group, from All Saints Parish, which St. Joseph's is a part of.

JANUARY 31, 2008 - CALVIN COOLIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SHREWSBURY, MA

This was my second year in a row to see the second graders at the Coolidge School and, once again, the students were a joy! You can tell by the video that this group was excited and involved in learning about the weather, not to mention they took a special liking to my "lightning ball" that we use to demonstrate static electricity and make lightning right there in the cafeteria! No worries...no kiddos were harmed in the production of lightning today!! :) Thanks to all the kids and teachers for having me out to see you!

JANUARY 30, 2008 - NECN/AMERICAN RED CROSS "CELEBRATE THE GIFT OF LIFE" NEW ENGLAND BLOOD DRIVE - 800-GIVE-LIFE CALL CENTER

The fourth annual NECN/American Red Cross "Celebrate the Gift of Life" Blood Drive was an amazing success. Some nearly 2700 units of blood were donated throughout New England over the course of the day, far exceeding our goal of 2008 pints. When we consider that each unit can be split to help up to three people, that means the generosity of our donors potentially bettered or saved the lives of over 8,000 individuals here in New England in one day alone. Simply astounding. But there were those behind the scenes faces who weren't pictured on television or seen in our donor rooms, but without whom the day would never have been successful, and those are the operators at the 800-GIVE-LIFE call center, who directed New Englanders to their nearest donor center for days leading up to the event, and on the day itself. This video was shot at the end of the day in the call center - a very genuine and heartfelt thank you to all of the Red Cross operators, staff, nurses, organizers and donors who made the day the wonderful victory that it was.