At first glance, the intentional community in Evanston, Ill., is not discernable from any other community in the area. The houses have either two or three stories, and the neighbors all seem friendly. However, closer interaction reveals the deep, personal ties between members of Reba Place Fellowship.

While seasoned politicians resort to kissing babies or begging for corporate contributions to gain a national audience, a 15-year-old simply wrote 434 powerful words. Those words propelled her to a coveted speaking spot during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul at 6:30 p.m. today.

John Colbert, an Indianapolis father of 10, says it's time parents take charge. "Kids walk over their parents, but I blame that on the parents. The parents aren't being parents.

A graduation party at the Zionsville home of former Colt quarterback Jack Trudeau ignited a debate over the role parents should play in their childrens' celebrations. Two young people offer their views. Be adamant, and be honest, Ariana Gainer and Izaak Hayes say.

What would you do if you were a part of the dadas, a group of people who others make fun of because of your poofy hair? In the book Zahrah the Windseeker, the main character, Zahrah, has to face this ridicule.

Tim Bell stands in front of a crowd of squirming elementary students. He sticks five candles into a cake, lights three and declares it fit for a 21st birthday. Even an audience that can barely spell the word "computer" knows that 21 candles belong on the cake. But Bell, an associate professor of computer science and software engineering at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, is not talking about simple arithmetic. On this particular Saturday morning, he is at Butler University to explain binary code and other scientific computer concepts to kids during a one-hour presentation.