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en-N This user can read and write at a native level in English. This template is deprecated; please use {{user language|en|N}}. fr-2 Cette personne peut contribuer avec un niveau intermédiaire de français. This template is deprecated; please use {{user language|fr|2}}. es-1 Este usuario puede contribuir con un nivel básico de español. This template is deprecated; please use {{user language|es|1}}.

About Me

I am more active at Wikipedia. I am new to the Wiki. I sail. I am a parent, a spouse, and a scientist. Here are my areas of expertise:

• PhD in Chemical Physics -- thesis on Quantum Chemistry
• Basic Knot-tying
• Sailing (10 years day-sailing on the Chesapeake)

I have been working on

• Wikijunior Solar System -- Some fact-checking, but mostly making it easier to read for 8 to 11 year-olds.

About Wikijunior

• Wikijunior Main Page Says "the Beck Foundation approached the Wikimedia Foundation" (slight details), and that "The website that is accessible to kids will not be identical to the website accessible to contributors. That will avoid having kids who are just trying to do their homework get caught up in flame wars, personal attacks, and other assorted nonsense (you know exactly what I mean). " This would be a GREAT idea. So far, there is no division between "working area" and "fit to be seen by kids" area.

• About the Proposal, which was prepared by Danny Wool. He has a Grants Q&A page.
• Announcement of Wikijunior grant from Beck Foundation
• Angela confirms that the The John and Frances Beck Foundation of Chicago has funded this project

The John and Frances Beck Foundation

from http://becklit.org/beck.php, as of October 052005

About The Beck Foundation

The purpose of the Beck Foundation is to initiate and support projects that effectively promote literacy and learning among children youth, and adults. To accomplish this purpose, the Foundation provides financial assistance to registered not for profit cultural, educational, religious institutions, and individuals who use the Educational Practices Booklets of the International Bureau of Education for teacher training and for those who provide free downloadable reading material.

We are interested in exploring projects that are capable of efficiently reaching thousands of school age children and their teachers through the use of technology and non-traditional learning settings.

John and Frances Beck

John and Frances Beck had long careers in the field of teacher education. Their lifelong efforts were devoted to assisting teachers, tutors, and parents in the field of reading and language development. Their Foundation reflects those efforts by providing, through the internet, free, downloadable learning material: stories, books, and lesson plans, suitable for children and students from preschool through grade 9.

Contacting the Beck Foundation

from http://thebeckfoundation.org, which now seems to be defunct. According to Google's July 202005 cache, it used to say

The Beck Foundation
C/O Catherine M. Ryan
Bank of America
231 S. LaSalle St.
Chicago, IL 60697
beckfoundation@thebeckfoundation.org

Some Details of the Project

• A name is chosen and then announced
• A logo is created
• A character is suggested
  • and created -- voting is still going on (2005-08-28)

Experimentation

I am experimenting with new templates in my sandbox

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