Tag: American Essence

In the Business of Trust: Tech Entrepreneur and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Keith Krach Shares the Secret to Good Leadership

Keith Krach, former undersecretary of state and current billionaire entrepreneur, first started working at his father’s Ohio mechanics shop when he was 12. As he worked alongside his father, those valuable lessons his father imparted became the principles by which Krach has conducted business, from the time he was the youngest vice president of GM…


How A Navy Veteran Is Overcoming Her Traumatic Brain Injury to Advocate for Fellow Vets

Amanda Burrill has practically lived several lifetimes in one. She has worked as a rescue swimmer in the Navy, as a model and actress, as a Cordon Bleu-trained chef, as a sports copy editor for the New York Post, as an on-air host for the Travel Channel, and as a sponsored triathlete and marathon runner….


A Unique Program at Hillsdale College Nurtures a New Generation of Public Servants, Based on America’s Founding Principles

“Father of the Constitution” and fourth President of the United States James Madison once stated, “A well-instructed people alone can be permanently a free people.” And a well-instructed people is exactly what Dr. Matthew Spalding envisioned when he took the helm as Dean of the Steve and Amy Van Andel Graduate School of Government. Here,…


Hiking, Star-Gazing, Canoeing: Visit Buffalo National River in Arkansas for an Action-Packed Outdoor Adventure

Winding down the mountain and through the rugged landscape of dense forest scattered with enormous rock formations, the road flattens out at the tiny, outdoor town of Ponca, Arkansas. With a population of fewer than 120 people, a post office, and a couple of wilderness outfitting stores, Ponca is the middle of nature-nowhere for the…


A Tour of Fonthill Castle, the Home of a 19th-Century Archaeologist Full of Eclectic Wonders

While from a distance Fonthill Castle does much to evoke its European counterparts—with its imposing, bulky countenance, its heavenward towers and spires, its parapets and chimneys—inside, and at its heart, it’s an altogether different creature. If the castles of yore across the Atlantic were meant to protect and deter, this is every bit the opposite:…


The Amazing History Behind Balboa Park, San Diego’s Ode to the Spanish Colonial Architectural Style

“The magic garden has taken the place of the desert. He who saw the land three years ago and sees it again today, would think that some modern Aladdin had come this way and rubbed his lamp, or that Merlin had waved his magic wand and caused the Dream City to spring up.” —National Magazine,…


Book Recommender: ‘Benjamin Butler,’ the Story of the Civil War’s Most Misunderstood General

Few today remember Benjamin Butler. Those that do generally consider him an incompetent Union general during the American Civil War, or as “Spoons” Butler, enriching himself through stealing silver from Confederate sympathizers while he was military governor of New Orleans. “Benjamin Franklin Butler: A Noisy, Fearless Life,” by Elizabeth D. Leonard, is a new and…


Book Recommender: ‘Old Abe” Unveils What You Don’t Know About Abraham Lincoln

In all the commemorative and even demonizing books written about 16th president Abraham Lincoln since his assassination 157 years ago, none show us his towering, 6-foot-4-inch frame squatting. But John Cribb’s 2020 novel, “Old Abe,” opens with, “He squatted, … whittling on a pine stick.” It is a picture of an average American man passing…


Fun and Educational Activities to Nurture Your Little Ones’ Love for Our ‘Old Glory’

Wonder. Awe. Pride. Love of country and love of my countrymen. These are the emotions that sweep over me when I see our flag flying, or when I hear the National Anthem that our flag inspired. The flag was intended to be a universal emblem to unite Americans, and it has a rich history, which…


How One Teacher is Using Geocaching to Inspire A Love for Nature and Geography in Kids

What child, or adult for that matter, doesn’t love the thought of going on a treasure hunt? Did you know that there are real-world treasure hunts that you and your family can participate in no matter where you are traveling or where you live? Well, that is exactly what geocaching is! With summer upon us,…