劉茂珍獲選為三名首屆波士頓駐市藝術家之一

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES SELECTION OF THREE ARTISTS FOR BOSTON'S ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM

劉茂珍（右二）獲選為波士頓市首屆駐市藝術家，她的個人網站為http://www.shawpong.com 波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Martin Walsh）今（23）日與波市藝術文化辦公室聯袂宣佈，首屆波士頓市駐市藝術家人選。 該項目共有110人申請，華裔藝術家劉茂珍（Shaw Pong Liu）是獲選的三人之一。 來自加州，曾與波士頓亞美社區發展協會（ACDC）等多個坊間非牟利團體合作，善於結合藝術與社會使命的劉茂珍，將在擔任波士頓的駐市藝術家期間，與波士頓警察局，作曲家，音樂家等合作，創作“聆聽時間（Time to Listen）項目。 在獲選為波士頓駐市藝術家之前，劉茂珍在”波士頓創造“，波士頓文化計畫項目中擔任誌記民族文化藝術家，也在波士頓地區做個人表演，包括在lliuminus 節，Times Two音樂會系列等活動中，彈奏她自己創作的曲目。 BOSTON - Tuesday, February 23, 2016  - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and his Office of Arts and Culture today announced the selection of three artists for the City of Boston's first artist-in-residence program, Boston AIR. "I would like to congratulate the chosen artists on this accomplishment and thank them for helping us to integrate the arts in our core city services," said Mayor Walsh. "Boston AIR is just one of the many ways we're working to invigorate Boston's cultural scene and support local artists whose innovation and creativity can benefit the people of Boston." 劉茂珍。（轉載自她的個人網站） The City received over 111 submissions from Boston-area artists in response to a Request for Qualifications. A jury of seven arts professionals, as well as MassArt and City representatives, made their selection in order to create a cohort of artists with a mix of artistic disciplines and experiences, as well as evidence of work in socially engaged practices who demonstrated potential, and who have a connection to the City of Boston. The artist cohort represented a wide variety of disciplines, including dance, film, street art, and social engagement. Over the fall, the artists expanded their own civic and social practice at workshops, alongside a group of liaisons from city agencies, including: Public Works, Property and Construction Management, Parks and Recreation, Veterans' Services, Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Education, Policy, Neighborhood Development, Women's Advancement, Elderly Commission, and the Boston Police Department. "Boston AIR is one of the many ways Mayor Walsh has shown his commitment to the arts, within the framework of Boston Creates," said Julie Burros, Chief of Arts and Culture. "We look forward to continuing to build strong partnerships and cross sector collaborations that will benefit Boston residents in this way." All ten artists presented strong, competitive proposals which thoughtfullyexplored the talents, strengths, and challenges in Boston. For this first year of Boston AIR, the City is funding three artist proposals. The selected artists will be awarded $20,000 stipends for six-month residencies with a city department to develop creative approaches that can be incorporated into the work of the city. Below are the selected artists: L'Merchie Frazier Partnering with the Office of Women's Advancement and Office of Recovery Services presentation video link + proposal link + past work When Women Succeed: The Quilted Path is a multi-disciplinary and public fiber art project. Ms. Frazier will collaborate with the Office of Women's Advancement and Office of Recovery Services to increase resources and awareness of women who are recovering from substance abuse. A visual artist, performance artist, educator, and activist, Ms. Frazier is the Director of Education at the Museum of African American History in Boston and an artist in the African American Master Artist-in- Residence Program at Northeastern University. L'Merchie Frazier's project builds upon the mission of the Office of Women's Advancement, the newly formed Office of Recovery Services, and Mayor Walsh's vision for a thriving, healthy, and innovative Boston. Through workshops, her multi-disciplinary civic practice will focus on deepening relationships between the City and the recovery community. Georgie Friedman Partnering with the Department of Neighborhood Development and Parks and Recreation Department presentation video link + proposal link + past work ALTERING THE CITY: VIDEO LANDSCAPE is a proposal for a large-scale, site-specific installation that will project video of natural elements on to existing architecture. The proposal was developed in partnership with the Department of Neighborhood Development (DND). To further the City's mission of creating vibrant and equitable neighborhoods, Ms. Friedman and DND will work on site selection with a particular focus on areas in need of revitalization. Georgie Friedman is an interdisciplinary artist whose projects include large-scale video installations, single and multi-channel videos, and several photographic series. The City of Boston has many foreclosed, in-limbo or vacant properties, such as lots and buildings. Boston's Department of Neighborhood Development wants to revitalize these properties through its Main Streets business-district program and by transferring the properties to the Parks and Recreation Department. Via the Boston AIR program, Ms. Friedman's project creates a bridge between municipal government and community organizations interested in improving their neighborhoods with public art. Shaw Pong Liu   Partnering with the Boston Police Department presentation video link + proposal link + past work   In collaboration with the Boston Police Department, Teen Empowerment, and the Urbano Project, musician and composer Shaw Pong Liu will prototype ways that music can support healing and dialogue about gun violence and race between the police and the community. Shaw Pong Liu's proposal Time to Listen will experiment with ways that collaborative music-making can create a different kind of time, connection, and space for healing and dialogue around the difficult topics of gun violence, race, and law enforcement practices. With Boston AIR and a police department recognized as a national leader in proactive community engagement, there is a unique opportunity to model innovative approaches to police-community dialogue on gun violence and race. The Boston AIR project is largely funded by an Our Town grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Our Town grant program supports creative placemaking projects that help transform communities into lively, beautiful, and resilient places with the arts at their core. Since the program's inception in 2011 and including these projects, NEA has awarded 325 Our Town grants totaling nearly $26 million.  About Boston Creates Boston Creates is the City's cultural planning process. When completed, the plan will identify priorities and strategies for how to strengthen the city by leveraging and growing the creative capital of its residents, communities and organizations. For more information, please visit www.cityofboston.gov/arts, or follow@ArtsinBoston and  @PublicArtBoston, #BostonCreates on Twitter.

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON PLAN TO CLOSE THE PRISON AT GUANTANAMO BAY

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

ON PLAN TO CLOSE THE PRISON AT GUANTANAMO BAY

Roosevelt Room

10:30 A.M. EST

     THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  In our fight against terrorists like al Qaeda and ISIL, we are using every element of our national power -- our military; intelligence; diplomacy; homeland security; law enforcement, federal, state and local; as well as the example of our ideals as a country that’s committed to universal values, including rule of law and human rights.  In this fight, we learn and we work to constantly improve.  When we find something that works, we keep on doing it.  When it becomes clear that something is not working as intended -- when it does not advance our security -- we have to change course.

     For many years, it’s been clear that the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay does not advance our national security -- it undermines it.  This is not just my opinion.  This is the opinion of experts, this is the opinion of many in our military.  It’s counterproductive to our fight against terrorists, because they use it as propaganda in their efforts to recruit.  It drains military resources, with nearly $450 million spent last year alone to keep it running, and more than $200 million in additional costs needed to keep it open going forward for less than 100 detainees.  Guantanamo harms our partnerships with allies and other countries whose cooperation we need against terrorism.  When I talk to other world leaders, they bring up the fact that Guantanamo is not resolved. 

     Moreover, keeping this facility open is contrary to our values.  It undermines our standing in the world.  It is viewed as a stain on our broader record of upholding the highest standards of rule of law.  As Americans, we pride ourselves on being a beacon to other nations, a model of the rule of law.  But 15 years after 9/11 -- 15 years after the worst terrorist attack in American history -- we’re still having to defend the existence of a facility and a process where not a single verdict has been reached in those attacks -- not a single one.

     When I first ran for President, it was widely recognized that this facility needed to close.  This was not just my opinion.  This was not some radical, far-left view.  There was bipartisan support to close it.  My predecessor, President Bush, to his credit, said he wanted to close it.  It was one of the few things that I and my Republican opponent, Senator John McCain, agreed on. 

And so, in one of my first acts as President, I took action to begin closing it.  And because we had bipartisan support, I wanted to make sure that we did it right.  I indicated that we would need to take our time to do it in a systematic way, and that we had examined all the options. 

And unfortunately, during that period where we were putting the pieces in place to close it, what had previously been bipartisan support suddenly became a partisan issue.  Suddenly, many you previously had said it should be closed backed off because they were worried about the politics.  The public was scared into thinking that, well, if we close it, somehow we’ll be less safe.  And since that time, Congress has repeatedly imposed restrictions aimed at preventing us from closing this facility.   

     Now, despite the politics, we’ve made progress.  Of the nearly 800 detainees once held at Guantanamo, more than 85 percent have already been transferred to other countries.  More than 500 of these transfers, by the way, occurred under President Bush.  Since I took office, we’ve so far transferred 147 more, each under new, significant restrictions to keep them from returning to the battlefield.  And as a result of these actions, today, just 91 detainees remain -- less than 100. 

     Today, the Defense Department, thanks to very hard work by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, as well as his team, working in concert with the Office of Management and Budget, today, the Department is submitting to Congress our plan for finally closing the facility at Guantanamo once and for all.  It’s a plan that reflects the hard work of my entire national security team, so I especially want to thank Ash and his team at DOD.  This plan has my full support.  It reflects our best thinking on how to best go after terrorists and deal with those who we may capture, and it is a strategy with four main elements. 

First, we’ll continue to securely and responsibly transfer to other countries the 35 detainees -- out of the 91 -- that have already been approved for transfer.  Keep in mind, this process involves extensive and careful coordination across our federal government to ensure that our national security interests are met when an individual is transferred to another country.  So, for example, we insist that foreign countries institute strong security measures.  And as we move forward, that means that we will have around 60 -- and potentially even fewer -- detainees remaining.

Second, we’ll accelerate the periodic reviews of remaining detainees to determine whether their continued detention is necessary.  Our review board, which includes representatives from across government, will continue to look at all relevant information, including current intelligence.  And if certain detainees no longer pose a continuing significant threat, they may be eligible for transfer to another country as well.

Number three, we’ll continue to use all legal tools to deal with the remaining detainees still held under law of war detention.  Currently, 10 detainees are in some stage of the military commissions process -- a process that we worked hard to reform in my first year in office with bipartisan support from Congress.  But I have to say, with respect to these commissions, they are very costly, they have resulted in years of litigation without a resolution.  We’re therefore outlining additional changes to improve these commissions, which would require congressional action, and we will be consulting with them in the near future on that issue. 

I also want to point out that, in contrast to the commission process, our Article 3 federal courts have proven to have an outstanding record of convicting some of the most hardened terrorists.  These prosecutions allow for the gathering of intelligence against terrorist groups.  It proves that we can both prosecute terrorists and protect the American people.  So think about it -- terrorists like Richard Reid, the shoe bomber; Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who tried to blow up an airplane over Detroit; Faisal Shahzad, who put a car bomb in Times Square; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who bombed the Boston Marathon -- they were all convicted in our Article III courts and are now behind bars, here in the United States.

So we can capture terrorists, protect the American people, and when done right, we can try them and put them in our maximum security prisons, and it works just fine.  And in this sense, the plan we’re putting forward today isn’t just about closing the facility at Guantanamo.  It’s not just about dealing with the current group of detainees, which is a complex piece of business because of the manner in which they were originally apprehended and what happened.  This is about closing a chapter in our history.  It reflects the lessons that we’ve learned since 9/11 --lessons that need to guide our nation going forward. 

So even as we use military commissions to close out the cases of some current detainees -- which, given the unique circumstances of their cases make it difficult for them to be tried in Article 3 courts -- this type of use of military commissions should not set a precedent for the future.  As they have been in past wars, military commissions will continue to be an option when individuals are detained during battle.  But our preferred option, the most effective option for dealing with individuals detained outside military theaters, must be our strong, proven federal courts.

     Fourth, and finally, we’re going to work with Congress to find a secure location in the United States to hold remaining detainees.  These are detainees who are subject to military commissions, but it also includes those who cannot yet be transferred to other countries or who we’ve determined must continue to be detained because they pose a continuing significant threat to the United States. 

     We are not identifying a specific facility today in this plan.  We are outlining what options look like.  As Congress has imposed restrictions that currently prevent the transfer of detainees to the United States, we recognize that this is going to be a challenge.  And we’re going to keep making the case to Congress that we can do this is a responsible and secure way, taking into account the lessons and great record of our maximum-security prisons.

     And let me point out, the plan we’re submitting today is not only the right thing to do for our security, it will also save money.  The Defense Department estimates that this plan, compared to keeping Guantanamo open, would lower costs by up to $85 million a year.  Over 10 years, it would generate savings of more than $300 million.  Over 20 years, the savings would be up to $1.7 billion.  In other words, we can ensure our security, uphold our highest values around the world, and save American taxpayers a lot of money in the process.

     So in closing, I want to say I am very clear-eyed about the hurdles to finally closing Guantanamo.  The politics of this are tough.  I think a lot of the American public are worried about terrorism, and in their mind the notion of having terrorists held in the United States rather than in some distant place can be scary.  But part of my message to the American people here is we’re already holding a bunch of really dangerous terrorists here in the United States because we threw the book at them.  And there have been no incidents.  We’ve managed it just fine. 

     And in Congress, I recognize, in part because of some of the fears of the public that have been fanned oftentimes by misinformation, there continues to be a fair amount of opposition to doing closing Guantanamo.  If it were easy, it would have happened years ago -- as I wanted, as I have been working to try to get done.  But there remains bipartisan support for closing it.  And given the stakes involved for our security, this plan deserves a fair hearing.  Even in an election year, we should be able to have an open, honest, good-faith dialogue about how to best ensure our national security.  And the fact that I’m no longer running, Joe is no longer running, we’re not on the ballot -- it gives us the capacity to not have to worry about the politics. 

Let us do what is right for America.  Let us go ahead and close this chapter, and do it right, do it carefully, do it in a way that makes sure we’re safe, but gives the next President and, more importantly, future generations, the ability to apply the lessons we’ve learned in the fight against terrorism and doing it in a way that doesn’t raise some of the problems that Guantanamo has raised.

     I really think there’s an opportunity here for progress.  I believe we’ve got an obligation to try.  President Bush said he wanted to close Guantanamo despite everything that he had invested in it.  I give him credit for that.  There was an honest assessment on his part about what needed to happen.  But he didn’t get it done and it was passed to me.  I’ve been working for seven years now to get this thing closed.  As President, I have spent countless hours dealing with this -- I do not exaggerate about that.  Our closest allies have raised it with me continually.  They often raise specific cases of detainees repeatedly. 

I don’t want to pass this problem on to the next President, whoever it is.  And if, as a nation, we don’t deal with this now, when will we deal with it?  Are we going to let this linger on for another 15 years, another 20 years, another 30 years?  If we don’t do what’s required now, I think future generations are going to look back and ask why we failed to act when the right course, the right side of history, and of justice, and our best American traditions was clear. 

     So, again, I want to thank Secretary Carter.  You and your team did an outstanding job, and you’ve shown great leadership on this issue.  With this plan, we have the opportunity, finally, to eliminate a terrorist propaganda tool, strengthen relationships with allies and partners, enhance our national security, and, most importantly, uphold the values that define us as Americans.  I’m absolutely committed to closing the detention facility at Guantanamo.  I’m going to continue to make the case for doing so for as long as I hold this office.  But this is a good moment for everybody to step back, take a look at the facts, take a look at the views of those who have been most committed to fighting terrorism and understand this stuff -- our operatives, our intelligence officials, our military.  Let’s go ahead and get this thing done.

     Thanks very much, everybody.

LAW CRIMINALIZING FENTANYL TRAFFICKING TAKES EFFECT TUESDAY

LAW CRIMINALIZING FENTANYL TRAFFICKING TAKES EFFECT TUESDAY

New Law Authorizes Incarceration in State Prison Up to 20 Years for Those Convicted of Fentanyl Trafficking

BOSTON – A new law criminalizing the trafficking of the deadly drug fentanyl will go into effect tomorrow, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. AG Healey authored the legislation which will help law enforcement get the drug off of the streets and out of the hands of those struggling with addiction.

The new law creates the crime of trafficking in fentanyl for amounts greater than 10 grams with punishment of up to 20 years in state prison. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is estimated to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin.

 “Fentanyl is claiming the lives of people across our state. This new law gives law enforcement the tools they need to prosecute those who traffic this dangerous drug,” said AG Healey. “More and more, law enforcement is finding heroin laced with this powerful synthetic opioid or being sold in its pure form. This new law will help us combat trafficking and help keep communities safe.”

Predatory drug traffickers frequently mix fentanyl with heroin, often without the knowledge of the buyer. It can be deadly even in very low doses.

Recently, Massachusetts law enforcement has seen a significant increase in overdoses and deaths from the use of fentanyl. According to the National Forensic Laboratory Information System, state and local laboratories reported 3,344 fentanyl submissions in 2014, up from 942 in 2013.

Until now, drug traffickers could only be charged with the lesser crimes of manufacturing, distributing or possessing fentanyl, regardless of the quantity of the drug they were caught with.

With the support of law enforcement and those in the recovery community, AG Healey and House Judiciary Chairman John Fernandes (D-Milford) filed the bill and it was signed into law by Gov. Charles Baker in November 2015. AG Healey testified before the Judiciary Committee urging members to advance the legislation in September 2015.

“This dangerous synthetic drug is killing people across our Commonwealth, in cities and suburbs alike. With this legislation we are giving another tool to those who are battling to keep the opioid epidemic in the Commonwealth under control,” said Rep. Fernandes. “I was proud to work with Attorney General Maura Healey on this issue and I am grateful to Governor Baker, House Speaker DeLeo, Senate President Rosenberg and to my other colleagues in both the House and Senate for acting with urgency to close the dangerous loophole that prevented prosecutors and law enforcement from appropriately charging the drug traffickers who are putting this lethal drug on our streets.”

Shortly before taking office, AG Healey announced the formation of an internal task force to aggressively combat the heroin and prescription drug abuse crisis in Massachusetts. AG Healey has vowed to use a multi-faceted approach to educate prescribers, pursue illegal drug traffickers and pill mills, and expand access to recovery and treatment programs.

臺美高教攜手合作 布朗大學推動「薈聚臺灣」研究計畫

臺美高教攜手合作　布朗大學推動「薈聚臺灣」研究計畫

中華民國(臺灣)教育部與布朗大學於2016年2月簽署合作備忘錄，雙方將合作推動「薈聚臺灣 (Nexus Taiwan)」研究計畫。教育部由駐波士頓教育組黃薳玉組長代表與布朗大學副校長Richard Locke簽署。布朗大學將是美國新英格蘭地區繼波士頓大學後，第二所與教育部合作臺灣研究計畫的美國頂尖大學。

布朗大學「薈聚臺灣」計畫將聯合該校美國研究系及歷史系等臺灣研究領域學者，由美國研究系Robert Lee副教授擔任計畫主持人，合作項目包括：開設以臺灣為主的課程，加強現有課程中有關臺灣的教學，及辦理臺灣相關的國際研討會等。課程設計將與臺灣高教機構合作教學，臺美師生將利用高科技進行虛擬互動及課堂討論；部分課程更規劃赴臺灣進行海外實地教學。有關國際研討會部分，布朗大學目前已開始籌劃今年4月的首場國際研討會：「重新定位臺灣與美國─從福爾摩沙時期到今日（Repositioning Taiwan and the United States, from Formosa to the Present）」，預計邀請臺灣及美國從事臺灣研究領域的專家學者共襄盛舉，分享研究成果，互相交流。

駐波士頓教育組組長黃薳玉表示，這次合作延續過往教育部與布朗大學合作聘任臺灣華語教師計畫的良好合作關係，擴大合作規模與範疇，是整合布朗大學內臺灣研究資源，強化臺灣研究能量的計畫。除深化教育部與布朗大學的合作關係，更將促進布朗大學師生，以及新英格蘭地區居民對臺灣文化、歷史等各層面有更深層的認識。希望這個計畫成為臺灣高教機構與布朗大學合作的樞紐，透過與布朗大學更全面的合作，創造更多雙方高教合作的機會，帶動更多布朗學生到臺灣留遊學，也吸引臺灣學生到布朗大學進修與研究，形成良善的合作模式。

布朗大學的「薈聚臺灣」是美國新英格蘭地區第二所與教育部合作臺灣研究計畫的高教機構。自2006年起，波士頓大學即與教育部合作臺灣研究講座計畫，除開設5門與臺灣相關課程，更辦理臺灣論壇、中文教學活動及創建臺灣數位典藏庫等計畫。教育部為提升臺灣研究的能見度，自2003年開始與海外大學合作臺灣研究計畫，開設臺灣相關課程。目前教育部與世界各地36所一流大學機構合作臺灣研究計畫，在美國則有12所合作大學。

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA TEAMS UP WITH PBS AND WGBH BOSTON TO LAUNCH FIFTH ANNUAL NATIONWIDE HEALTHY RECIPE CHALLENGE

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA TEAMS UP WITH

PBS AND WGBH BOSTON TO LAUNCH FIFTH ANNUAL

NATIONWIDE HEALTHY RECIPE CHALLENGE

The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge Invites Kids to Create Healthy Lunch Recipes

for a Chance to Win a Trip to Washington, D.C. and Attend the

Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House

First Lady Michelle Obama is teaming up with PBS flagship station WGBH Boston, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to host the fifth annual Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” to promote cooking and healthy eating among youth. Teaching kids to cook is a great way to ensure they learn healthy habits early in life. Research shows that children who help with cooking and meal preparation are more likely to consume fruits and vegetables, and they are more aware of the importance of making healthier food choices.

“The Kids’ “State Dinner” is one of my favorite events to host at the White House, and I am thrilled to announce the fifth annual Healthy Lunchtime Challenge,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “Every year, I am amazed by the healthy, delicious dishes that kids across the country create, and I am excited to see what kids cook up this year!”

WGBH Boston joins the First Lady to present the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” in an effort to raise national awareness about the importance of healthy cooking and eating. To make the challenge possible for kids and their families across America, support is being provided to WGBH by Newman’s Own Foundation.

“Supporting the healthy development of children is at the core of our work in public media, so we are very pleased to once again partner on this important effort with the First Lady,” said WGBH Executive in Charge Brigid Sullivan. 

The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” invites kids, ages 8-12, in collaboration with a parent or guardian, to create an original lunch recipe that is healthy, affordable, and tasty, which their parent or guardian can submit at pbs.org/lunchtimechallenge. In support of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative to help kids and families lead healthier lives, entrants are encouraged to reference ChooseMyPlate.gov to ensure recipes meet the USDA’s recommended nutrition guidelines. Entries should represent each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy. In addition, in celebration of the MyPlate, MyState initiative, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge is putting a spotlight on homegrown pride across the country and encouraging entries to include local ingredients grown in the entrant’s state, territory, or community.

Kids from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands) are invited to create a recipe.  One winner from each and a parent or guardian will win the opportunity to be flown to Washington D.C., courtesy of United Airlines, and the opportunity to attend the Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House, where a selection of the winning healthy recipes will be served. Kids will also have the opportunity to learn from television personality and member of thePresident’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition Rachael Ray.

“My Yum-o! organization and I are so happy to be a part of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge and Kids’ “State Dinner” and can’t wait to meet all the winners this summer at the White House,” said Rachael Ray.

“Since the First Lady began hosting this challenge in 2012, it has been wonderful to see so many young people embracing the principles of MyPlate and using their creativity to come up with such delicious, nutritious recipes. This year, kids have a chance to not only show off their culinary skills, but also their local pride by featuring ingredients that are locally grown and produced,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “By showcasing local foods through ‘MyPlate, MyState,’ this year’s challenge provides children an opportunity to see how the bounty of American agriculture provides the nutritious food they need to learn and grow.”

“It’s wonderful to see our students setting an example for their classmates – and for adults - on the critical role healthy eating plays in academic success. I love to see the excitement and enthusiasm that these young chefs bring to this competition as they dream up fresh, new lunch recipes that are both nutritious and delicious,” said John B. King, Jr., Acting Education Secretary.

The winning recipes will be chosen by a panel of judges that includes: Let’s Move! Executive Director Debra Eschmeyer, representatives of the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Editor-in-Chief of Rachael Ray Every Day Magazine Lauren Purcell, an Executive Chef from United Airlines, previous Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winners, and Founder of Cooking Up Big Dreams Tanya Steel. The winning recipes will be featured in a downloadable, printable free e-cookbook that includes a nutritional analysis and photos of the winning chefs, and their recipes and will be available on the contest website:pbs.org/lunchtimechallenge, as well as on letsmove.gov, USDA.gov, and Ed.gov.

Parents and guardians can submit their child’s recipe from February 22 through April 4 online atpbs.org/lunchtimechallenge. Winners will be notified in June, and the White House Kids’ “State Dinner” will take place in the summer of 2016. Accommodations for the winning families will be provided by The Westin Georgetown. For contest rules and complete details including how to enter by mail, visitpbs.org/lunchtimechallenge.

中華專協與四會合作猜燈謎慶元宵迎猴年

所有圖片：謝開明、陳梅菁攝

紐英崙中華專業人員協會（NEACP）與4個友好組織合作，2月20日在貝德福（Bedford）鎮竹葉青（Bamboo Bedford）餐廳舉辦2016年元宵節燈謎餐會 ，慶祝猴年新春，近80人歡聚一堂。

            中華專協新任會長蔡明機，駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪，波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文等人一一致詞，妙語如珠的歡迎到會眾人。

            郭大文致詞時說明，台灣南部在2月6日時不幸遭逢6.4級大地震，不但唯冠金龍大廈倒塌，逾100人死亡，整個低區的農林水牧及學校，都災情慘重，希望熱心僑胞慷慨解囊，協助政府濟助災民。

        聚餐後的主要餘興節目是由專協才子袁尚賢主持的猜燈謎。題目全由袁尚賢藉在點明了的“斷章取義，歪打正著，牽強附會，切記犯面，力求典雅”等原則中草擬而成。

            在陳玫菁，彭淑敏協助下，袁尚賢一一拿出謎題，從“消磨一夜”，“三三兩兩”，“綠下藍上”，到“子女都是鄉巴佬”等等，題面五花八門，出席眾人猜得十分投入，有些謎題，經過好幾個人努力後，才被猜中，有些謎題，一拿出，就馬上被人猜中。猜完題後總結，大部分人都只猜對一，二題，魏禹嫻及李務熙這對年輕夫婦卻共猜中七題，引發一片讚許聲。

            中華專協董事長王世輝接著主持新年送好禮活動，正好是猴年出生的謝開明，以及魏禹嫻、李務熙這三人，沾本命年福氣，各得一張美國鑄幣局印製的猴年利市封。5名雞年出生的出席者也沾喜氣，領得一份雞年利是封。

            參與同辦猴年新春聚餐同樂會的機構，包括紐英崙成功大學校友會，紐英崙玉山科技協會，新英格蘭大波士頓台灣商會 ，波士頓建中校友會。

            在會中，玉山科協前會長康麗雪感謝專協以及熱心個人的協助，說明“老鷹想飛”這部紀錄片將於2月27 日來到波士頓放映，導演也將應邀出席。