(07-Jun) -- With her 9:25.28 personal best performance at last Saturday's Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., University of Colorado redshirt senior Emma Coburn joined an elite club. Her mark made her America's fourth-fastest steeplechaser ever --just the fifth to break 9:30-- and cemented her status as the favorite to win the USA Olympic Trials on the same Hayward Field track later this month.

"My PR prior to this was only 9:37," a delighted Coburn told reporters after her race. She continued: "To run 9:25, I was really pleased with that. I felt really relaxed the whole time, too, so I'm confident that I can repeat that performance again in a couple of weeks."

Coburn, 21, the 2011 NCAA and USA open champion, is skipping her 2012 collegiate track season, both indoors and out, to focus on preparing for the Trials and the Olympic Games under coach Mark Wetmore. She is taking a similar path to Colorado alum Jenny Simpson who won the Olympic Trials in 2008 while she was still competing for her college team. Simpson, however, won the NCAA title the same year before going on to win the Trials, and finishing ninth in the Beijing Olympic final in a then American record 9:22.26.

When asked by a reporter last Saturday, Simpson agreed that her Prefontaine performance had moved her into a different category as an athlete: someone who could hope to make an impact on the world stage in the next few years.

"I think so," Coburn replied. "This spring has gone well so far. I'm redshirting the collegiate season to try and get ready for the Trials. It's the first time in college I've been able to put a good base of training in, because in the summer we're racing and I don't have a good base for cross country. Then cross country racing, indoor racing and outdoor racing. So, I've been really happy with how my training has gone thus far."

Coburn, from Crested Butte, Colo., had an exhausting year in 2011. At this point last year she had already raced ten times before winning both the NCAA and USA open titles last June. To stay sharp, she also raced twice in Europe before competing in the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, where she finished 13th in the final. With just a short time to recover, she competed for Colorado during the cross country season where she finished 20th in the NCAA Championships last November.

This season, Coburn is running on fresh legs with just two races in the books so far. She opened her season at the USATF High Performance Meet at Occidental College last month, running a personal best 4:09.42.

"At Oxy I ran 4:09, and I felt that got me at a new level with my 1500 time, so I'm pleased that my steeple time equates to my 1500 time," Coburn said. "Now I feel like I have two respectable times, maybe not on a world scale but on a U.S. scale. I'm jumping two levels, so I'm happy with that. There's still room for improvement to be able to run 9:15 with the top women in the world, or 9:05 with the top women in the world. That's still a few years in the making, but this is a good step and me and my coaches are really pleased."

America's other best steeplechase pros --Bridget Franek, Delilah Dicrescenzo, Sara Hall, and Stephanie Garcia-- are not running at Coburn's level. Franek, last year's runner-up at the national championships and a good bet to make the Olympic team, has only broken 9:35 once, and Dicrescenzo has never broken 9:40. Hall, last year's Pan Am Games gold medalist who competed in the same Prefontaine race as Coburn, finished 28 seconds behind her. Garcia's best time this season is 9:49.64.

But Coburn feels that her University of Colorado teammate, Shalaya Kipp, who has run 9:43.09 this season, should not be overlooked for an Olympic team berth.

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(RRW) Athletics: Coburn Raises Her Game In Bid for First Olympic Berth

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Online Education-Take Quiz - Video

NEW YORK and SALT LAKE CITY, June 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --McGraw-Hill Education and Western Governors University (WGU) today announced a landmark agreement to establish a "pay-for-performance" model in which McGraw-Hill will receive variable compensation for those WGU students who use MHE technology and services for a particular course and pass.

Through the partnership, McGraw-Hill Education will provide e-books and access to industry-leading adaptive learning tools including McGraw-Hill LearnSmart to Western Governors University's (WGU) online courses. Under this new pricing structure, the university will pay a significantly discounted flat fee for McGraw-Hill's course materials. In addition, WGU will pay McGraw-Hill a premium for each student who uses the materials and passes the course (a passing grade at WGU is equivalent to a letter grade of "B" or better). Through this new pay-for-performance model, universities and learning companies share in the accountability for student success and students gain access to premium educational materials while keeping costs low.

"With more student loan than credit card debt in the United States, McGraw-Hill Education has an opportunity to be a part of the solution. Through this first-of-its-kind pay-for-performance agreement with Western Governors University, McGraw-Hill Education will be compensated for our digital technologies, services, and content based upon the performance of the students," said Brian Kibby, president, McGraw-Hill Higher Education. "This landmark agreement works to achieve two of the most pressing objectives in higher education: improving student performance and lowering costs."

The new business model supports WGU's philosophy of providing a mentor-guided, competency-based education that allows students to advance when they demonstrate mastery of all course competencies rather than accumulating credit hours by spending time in class. For each degree program, required knowledge and skills, called competencies, are defined in collaboration with education and industry experts, and assessments are developed to measure these competencies. WGU has drawn national attention for this innovative, competency-based approach to learning, which offers affordable, high quality education. Tuition at the private, nonprofit university is about $6,000 per 12-month year and has only increased by $200 in the past 6 years.

"Western Governors University is known for its innovative approach to solving the problems that persist in our higher education system," said Tom Malek, senior vice president of Learning Solutions and Services at McGraw-Hill Higher Education. "We believe in making radical changes when they can benefit our nation which is why we've partnered with WGU on this pay-for-performance program. We know that our curriculum and smart study tools like LearnSmart work when you have the commitment of the university and a willingness to try new business models that are designed to enhance performance."

"This partnership with McGraw-Hill Education is consistent with our goals at WGUto find innovative ways to reduce the cost and improve the quality of higher education," said WGU President Dr. Robert Mendenhall. "In addition, it helps support our objective of reinforcing accountability among our partners as well as our students."

About McGraw-Hill Education

McGraw-Hill Education is a content, software and services-based education company that draws on its more than 100 years of educational expertise to offer solutions, which improve learning outcomes around the world. McGraw-Hill is the adaptive education technology leader with the vision for creating a highly personalized learning experience that prepares students of all ages for the world that awaits. The company has offices acrossNorth America,India,China,Europe, theMiddle EastandSouth America, and makes its learning solutions available in more than 65 languages. For additional information, visit http://www.mheducation.com.

About Western Governors University

WGU is the only university in the U.S. offering online, competency-based degree programs. WGU offers more than 50 degree programs in business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. Since its inception in 1997, WGU has grown into a national institution, serving more than 32,000 students. WGU is self-sustaining on tuition of approximately $6,000 per 12-month year for most of its programs.

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McGraw-Hill Education Establishes First-Ever "Pay-for-Performance" Business Model In Partnership With Western ...

DULUTH, Ga., June 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI), an IACET approved, nationally accredited, online training institution dedicated exclusively to the child care and education workforce, is proud to announce the addition of ADM103: Basic Transportation and Field Trip Safety for Child Care Centers to the online child care training course catalog.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111019/MM90221LOGO )

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for persons age 5 through 29 years of age according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but most deaths and injuries are preventable if caregivers apply proper, recommended safety practices. Basic Transportation and Field Trip Safety for Child Care Centers presents recommended practices and policies for safe, developmentally appropriate transport of young children to and from child care centers and/or field trips. Topics include staff training and support; recommended vehicle types and maintenance routines; child passenger restraint systems; operating procedures and practices; safe loading and unloading procedures; field trip safety, and more.

"It is imperative that all providers be well trained in transportation safety procedures, and many states now mandate such training for all center staff," says Maria C. Taylor, President and CEO of CCEI. "ADM103 provides the latest research-based recommendations and promotes a solid understanding of how providers can implement a complete transportation plan that ensures safety and security to the greatest extent possible."

ADM103 is a two-hour, beginner level course and is available for purchase through online enrollment on the CCEI website. There is no additional cost to current individual or center-based subscription account holders.

About CCEI ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) provides quality, affordable professional development programs for continuing education. Over 100 English and Spanish child care training courses are available to meet annual licensing and Head Start training requirements online, in addition to online certificate programs, such as the Online Child Development Associate (CDA), Online Director's Certificate options, Online Early Childhood Credential, and several others. CCEI is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council, approved by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training to award IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs), and authorized under the Nonpublic Postsecondary Educational Institutions Act of 1990, license number 837.

For more information on CCEI, visit http://www.cceionline.edu or call 1.800.499.9907.

ChildCare Education Institute, LLC 3059 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Duluth, GA 30097 1.800.499.9907

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Transportation and Field Trip Safety Online Training

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Military service members, veterans, and their families and survivors need unique guidance and support to maintain their long-term financial health. Today, Citi joined with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN) to announce the launch of CredAbility ReConnect, a free online financial education and counseling program specifically designed to help these communities resolve financial difficulties and build economic security. The program, supported by a grant from Citi Community Development, was developed by CredAbility, a national nonprofit credit counseling organization, in collaboration with each of these established veterans service organizations.

Recent data shows that members of the armed forces, veterans and their families face particular financial difficulties. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans who have served on active duty since September 2001 was 12.1 percent in 2011, compared to the national unemployment rate of 8.9 percent that same year. According to Debt.org, more than 25 percent of military families that have credit card debt carry a balance of more than $10,000, and a third of military families report they have trouble paying monthly bills. Also, 2011 data from CredAbility of veterans who went through credit counseling shows that veterans ages 29 or younger have average monthly expenses that exceed their net income by $880 as well as average credit card debt of $7,234.

CredAbility ReConnect addresses these financial challenges with a set of online tools, education and counseling. Individuals and families served by IAVA, TAPS, and MSCCN will be able to access custom versions of the online program, free of charge, tailored to the unique needs of the veterans, families and survivors they serve. Members of the armed forces, veterans and their families not affiliated with these organizations can access CredAbility ReConnect at http://www.CredAbility.org/recon.

CredAbility ReConnect covers:

Free one-on-one credit counseling with a CredAbility certified counselor is also available by telephone at 888-808-7285.

A serious need exists for a targeted set of financial assistance services like CredAbility ReConnect, said Mechel Glass, Vice President of Community Outreach for CredAbility and a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. Young veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan might want to create a plan to make regular deposits to an emergency savings account and pay down debt. And active duty servicemembers might want to create a financial support plan for spouses and children during times of deployment or transfer, or in the event of a loss that leaves them financially vulnerable. CredAbility ReConnect will provide the education and counseling to show them how to accomplish these personal finance goals.

Every member of the armed forces has sacrificed a great deal in service to their country, and in addition to the challenges of military service, many face tremendous financial pressures as well, said Suni Harford, Citis Regional Head of Markets for North America. These brave men and women receive extensive military training, but far too few of them receive any kind of formal financial education. CredAbility ReConnect was developed to help these deserving men and women build financial capability and achieve long-term economic security for themselves and their families.

Citi is an established leader in the national effort to support veterans and active-duty servicemembers, including those in the Guard and Reserve, and CredAbility ReConnect is the latest initiative in a coordinated, firm-wide effort in this area. In May, Citi launched Citi Salutes, a one-stop resource that consolidates all of Citis programs, products and partnerships that support the greater veterans community. Later this month, Citi will be helping to lead the second annual Veterans on Wall Street conference and job fair in New York, an initiative co-founded by Citi to develop career opportunities in the financial services industry for veterans.

About Citi

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Citi and CredAbility Join with IAVA, TAPS, and MSCCN to Launch Online Financial Education and Counseling Program for ...

A new pilates program at the Davis Family YMCA in Boardman is helping stroke survivors regain strength, mobility and quality of life.

Local veteran Dave Burns is benefitting from the program.

Burns spent 14 years in the Air Force, flying F-15's during Operation Just Cause in Panama, and Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield in the Middle East. He then flew commercial airlines for Delta.But in August 2010, he was hit with a stroke.

"It wiped out the whole left side of my body," said Burns."I'm blind, everything, over this way,I can't move my arm,I couldn't move my leg."

Pilates instructor Doretta Hegg knew the Reformers pilates benches could help Burns. She researched the machines and convinced the YMCA to buy a few.

"At firstI was a little skeptical, but when you can't move, you'll try anything," said Burns.

During the last 18 months of physical therapy, Burns has regained strength and some motion on his left side. Hegg explained just how this painfulprocess took place.

"Shoring in the shoulder to get those muscles that sling the arm in stronger, getting his leg stronger so he can go from sitting to standing," said Hegg.

Burnssaid some days are tougher than others, but he always feels better after the hour-long sessions three times a week.

"If there's a silver lining to a stroke, she's it," said Burns. "Because she was as good for me emotionally as she was with these machines, because she's a wonderful person."

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Pilates Program Helps Stroke Victims Recover

By Judy Kirkwood

Im doing Pilates machines workouts by the process of elimination. Ive tried and given up just about everything else. For the last year, my friends words have echoed in my guilt chamber: Just pay the money and do Pilates machines classes. They work!

I had to agree, considering that my friend and her husband, whom Id known for years, no longer had their familiar pudgy guts. But my hesitation was because of the money, as it is an expensive workout, and also because of my complete ignorance of the machines, which look like variations on an obstetrics table and other torturous appliances. However, Ive found the machines provide great strengthening workouts THAT I CAN DO ON MY BACK! What could be better than that?

A quick rundown on Pilates. The methodology is credited to Joseph Pilates. In an internment camp in England during World War I with other German nationals, he created a system of resistance exercises using springs and hospital beds to help those who were confined and bedridden to increase their strength. After the war, his methods were adapted as part of a modern dance curriculum. Because many of the exercises are performed in reclining or sitting positions, and most are low impact and only partially weight bearing, Pilates is so safe it can be used as physical therapy to recover from injuries.

The main piece of equipment we use in my Pilates class at Lents Pilates in Delray Beach, Florida is the Reformer. Its a sliding, padded platform with springs and ropes that can be adjusted to create resistance-based exercises using your own body weight. You lie down with your shoulders against padding and your feet on a bar and push up and down in different positions to strengthen different muscles. One of my favorites is when we put down the bar and put in a small platform for horizontal jumping, like on a trampoline, but youre lying down. Other machines include the Pilates Tower, Cadillac, Chair, and Barrel. Its kind of like learning to be your own marionette. It is super important to be trained on the machines before taking a group class. Also, the group classes should be small enough that the teacher can keep a close eye on everyones alignment, which is key. My trainer, certified Pilates instructor Amalia Massey, had a year and a half of training, including anatomy and foundational movement classes, before teaching me. In addition, she is a triathlete and could definitely do "Dancing With the Stars" with no stamina whatsoever. Some certified Pilates instructors have only a few weeks of training, so be sure and check them out before committing to $75 per hour and up sessions. I had three privates before joining a class. Otherwise I would not have known what I was doing on the machines. Amalias instructions Keep your tail down while pushing, and other tips helped me focus on my core when moving weights with my legs or arms. The machines give you feedback on moving symmetrically, Amalia points out.

One of the things that Amalia told me when I was struggling with balance was instead of worrying about falling and breaking your hip as you get older, prevent the fall. No one else had ever pointed that out. In other words, if you have good balance, you are far less likely to fall. I was focusing on taking calcium and getting bone scans, which are potentially helpful. But most helpful is not to fall at all. In just a month, my balance is so much better I bought a pair of 5-inch platform shoes that I have actually worn to Target for 15 minutes. So far, so good. Although I have realized I dont need to be 6 feet tall. I just need to maximize the spaces between my vertebrae and tuck in my tummy and butt, with the help of Pilates. Contributing writer Judy Kirkwood is getting balanced in Delray Beach.

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ThirdAge Health Close-up: Pilates

Hafiz Adzha won the 25m rapid fire individual title yesterday. Pic by Goh Thean Howe

Hafiz edged reigning Sea Games champion Ha Minh Thanh of Vietnam 25-24 in the shoot-off in the final for the individual title while Macaus Chio Hong Chi took bronze.

Compatriot Hazli Izwan Amir Hasan had actually finished third but competition rules specify that one country can only earn one medal in each event.

Hafiz, together with Hazli and Khalel Abdullah, posted a combined 1,727 total to win the team gold followed by Vietnam (1,705) and Macau (1,588).

The victory over the Sea Games champion today (yesterday) gives me a huge boost ahead of next years Myanmar edition. Minh Thanh gave me anxious moments as he kept on putting the pressure on me, said Hafiz, who finished at last years Indonesia Sea Games, yesterday.

However, he cracked under pressure and I won the title by one shot. Vietnam protested but the jury, upon checking the targets, did not change the result.

Wishu Awaluddin then followed up with wins in the junior and team events.

RESULTS (Malaysia unless stated) Men's 25m rapid fire pistol individual: 1 Hafiz Adzha, 2 Ha Minh Tranh (Vie), 3 Chio Hong Chi (Mac); Team: 1 Malaysia 1,729, 2 Vietnam 1,705, 3 Macau 1,588.

Juniors 25m rapid fire pistol individual: 1 Mohd Wisnu Awaluddinn 558, 2 Lu My Long (Vie) 542; Team: 1 Malaysia 1,542, 2 Vietnam 1,615.

50m rifle prone individual: 1 Lin Aung (Mya) 694.7, 2 Phung Le Huyen (Vie) 689.2, 3 Mohd Shahril Sahak 687.8; Team: 1 Myanmar 1,759, 2 Vietnam 1,756,

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SHOOTING / SEASA CHAMPIONSHIPS: Hafiz guns down Sea Games champ

6 June 2012 Last updated at 19:32 ET By Viv Marsh BBC News

On an overcast morning in Hanoi, the queue stretches several hundred metres. Women dressed in traditional ao dai; schoolchildren in uniform jostling one another; grim-faced old men standing in silence; a few self-conscious Western tourists.

They are all waiting to see Vietnam's figurehead and Communist revolutionary leader, Ho Chi Minh - even though he has been dead for 43 years.

For the visitor, the enduring image of Ho Chi Minh may be the one he never wanted - the long shuffle through security checks around his mausoleum, culminating in a few seconds' hushed walk past his embalmed body. He himself wished to be cremated.

What would have been the late president's 122nd birthday this year, on 19 May, was marked by an exhibition of Ho Chi Minh documents in the province of Thai Nguyen and the launch of a translated biography, endorsed by the ruling Communist Party, entitled Ho Chi Minh - an Immortal Saint.

The 16-chapter book chronicling the late president's life and career was written by Thai social activist Suprida Phanomjong, the son of a former Thai prime minister, who is said to have had close connections to Ho Chi Minh.

State website VietNam News said the author had been "touched to see how the Vietnamese people worshipped the president".

The book's Vietnamese-language launch - six years after it first appeared in Thai - was attended by a leading Vietnamese propaganda official, Nguyen An Tiem.

The state-backed Voice of Vietnam website said the publication was "expected to help raise public awareness of Ho Chi Minh Thought and his moral examples", thus contributing towards "studying and following Ho Chi Minh's Moral Example campaign".

"The fact that he lived a fairly abstemious life and that he was devoted to the cause of his country, all those things are meant to be virtues that all Communists share," says Sophie Quinn-Judge, a scholar and biographer of Ho Chi Minh.

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Uncle Ho's legacy lives on in Vietnam

Yoga is a fantastic form of exercise for gaining flexibility, and it is terrific for toning muscles. Certain foods are supreme to eat before participating in yoga. In addition, there are certain things one should avoid to be healthy from the inside out. If you are looking to enhance the benefits of yoga, try these eating tips.

Foods that those who practice yoga should avoid

Gwen Lawrence, a celeb yoga instructor, suggests eating properly so that one is healthy on both the inside and the out. She suggest that those who participate in yoga avoid the following things:

Foods that are white in color, such as those made with white flour, rice and pasta.

Foods that are processed, such as canned and frozen foods.

Foods that contain chemicals, such as food coloring (including tartrazine or cochineal) and MSG.

Lawrence also suggest that one not eat between the hours of 8 pm and 8 am, telling us that breakfast means "break the fast." In addition, she advises that those who want to be healthy avoid sugar.

Six superb snacks to eat before yoga

The following foods are excellent to eat before yoga:

Almonds: They will help supply you with energy and keep you from becoming hungry during yoga.

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Eating Tips for Those Who Practice Yoga