Beginning this school year, pre-kindergarten classes at the largest school district in Texas, the Houston Independent School District, will be extended from three to seven hours. Education officials believe that children who are able to spend more time in a constructive school environment during their formative years will have greater future academic success. Parents who work full-time may also appreciate the extended day.

The Pennsylvania Treasury Department has launched the Hospital Enhancement Loan Program (HELP) to give small hospitals an edge in securing low-cost financing to upgrade facilities or purchase advanced medical equipment. By grouping hospitals together for one simultaneous bond issuance and ensuring that they secure necessary letters of credit, medical centers operating on thin margins can share upfront bond costs and bank fees, as well as save administrative resources through the use of standardized documents. Medical centers striving to improve patient care in medically underserved areas or where a significant percentage is uninsured are eligible for the program.

This October, Santa Fe, New Mexico, is poised to offer its second annual week-long event focusing on community-inspired design. Design Week spotlights local craftspeople who integrate environmental responsibility into their work in architecture, urban planning, and interior design, with the goal of encouraging partnerships between the design community and the community at large. The event, sponsored by the city's economic division, will include speakers, demonstrations, films, competitions, and classes across the city.

The Maine Youth Suicide Prevention Program (MYSPP) has received plaudits for its recent efforts to ensure that fewer young people take their own lives. A 2002 federal grant gave 12 Maine high schools financial support to develop high-school-specific prevention programs. These programs included strengthening relationships between schools and social services agencies; specialized training of trusted adults in leadership positions, such as sports coaches or guidance counselors; and instruction for all students and staff on the signs of students in distress. Although there has yet to be a comprehensive study on the MYSPP's achievements, preliminary findings show that it has led to a significant increase in self- and peer-reported student problems, resulting in immediate counseling.

Since the city requires large-scale public projects to devote 1% of construction costs to art purchases, the Denver Sheriff's Department has proposed that the new justice center feature inmates' artwork. Under the idea, inmates would submit their proposals, which might include hand-painted tiles or murals, to an evaluation panel for review. If accepted, the proceeds would be used to pay child support, restitution, and court costs.

The University of Northern Iowa's MyEntreNet, a business accelerator program, seeks to encourage the growth and stability of the state's rural communities. Based on the premise that fostering entrepreneurship is the best way to make a long-term investment in rural Iowa, MyEntreNet helps businesses gain capital, support networks, and technical and marketing assistance. Web classes, customized services, and professionals that respond to questions within 48 hours combine to help these entrepreneurs compete with their urban counterparts.

Lakeside High School wants to ensure that its at-risk freshmen do not follow the path of the 17% of Georgia's ninth-graders that were held back last year. A new mentoring program targeting these struggling "freshmores" involves pairing educators with eighth graders who scored in the lowest 25th percentile on state assessment tests. Mentors help to shepherd students through the transitional year, giving them encouragement and helping to prevent them from dropping out.

Several experimental initiatives across the country are seeking to exploit tides and waves to produce a constant source of renewable energy. In Oregon, scientists, private investors, and state and local planners are designing floating generators to capture the electricity produced by the ocean. In San Francisco, officials are launching a pilot program to install giant turbines under the Golden Gate Bridge that could power more than 35,000 homes.

California has dramatically reversed the declining presence of arts programs in its schools by infusing over half a billion dollars to revive visual and performing arts courses. The one-time grant will be supplemented by an annual grant of $105 million. Arts boosters want to ensure that the money will be used for not just good tubas, but great teachers.