Does your child love to tell stories? Kids ages 8 to 18 who want to test their storytelling and writing ability can enter the St. Louis County Library's "Write Stuff' contest and win cash prizes. To topic is family road trips, and who doesn't have a funny story about that?

(And if your child doesn't, they can make one up! In other words, both fiction and non-fiction stories are accepted.)

The contest, part of the library system's Art @ Your Library series of events, challenges participants to write an original story beginning with this sentence, “It started out like any other family road trip...”

Entries can be truthful, fictional, funny, sad, serious, sarcastic or anything, so long as the writing is original and completed by the entrant. Winners will be chosen from three groups: ages 8-10, ages 11-14, and ages 15-18.

When it comes to education, I have a lot of – and some would say too many – opinions.

I don’t believe in homework – at least not the ridiculous amount that so many elementary-age children are given every night, often to the detriment of quality family time, extracurricular activities, and some nights even sleep.  

I’m not a fan of the current trend towards full-day kindergarten, and the belief that we have to force our children to be “smarter faster” if they’re ever going to succeed in the adult world.

I often wonder if all the rules and schedules and bells and detentions in our schools are really preparing our kids for their future – or just teaching them to fall in line and do as their told and never truly learn to think for themselves.

Most importantly, I believe that our children need more time to play, and that the current trend to limit recess time to accommodate extra academics is both misguided and irresponsible.

And while I know I’m in the minority when it comes to many of my opinions, it turns out that even the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agrees with me on that last one.

French President Francois Hollande made headlines recently when he proposed a total ban on homework as part of his effort to reform France’s educational system. In related news, I am now officially moving to the land of crusty baguettes and smelly cheese.

Explore the amazing world of nanotechnology, an emerging research area that may soon impact every aspect of our lives. In this talk, which is geared to ages 16 and older, nano-researchers will show how materials have different properties at the nanoscale and discuss how these materials can be used to improve our everyday lives.

Free. 7 p.m. in May Hall at the Saint Louis Science Center. More information: www.slsc.org

Eight thousand miles from St. Louis, in a Ugandan village, Charles, an intelligent teen who graduated top of his class, was facing a life of poverty and desperation.

His family had little money to feed the six hungry mouths in his home, let alone send Charles to a university to continue his education to provide for his loved ones. 

Fontbonne University is hosting Annette Harrison, storyteller and Read from the Start facilitator, for “READ from the START: Books come Alive!” on Tuesday, June 19. All parents and early childhood educators are welcome to attend this interactive workshop. Learn to make books come alive for your own children or students.

Bullying tops the headlines these days just about anywhere you look. In the wake of our attentiveness is a mountain of information available to parents should their child become a victim. At the top of most help lists is contact with the teacher or school. What happens, then, when it’s the teacher doing the bullying?