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America votes for top hero dog

By Kristi King

WASHINGTON – There are heroes among us and some of them have four legs.

The 2014 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards is down to eight finalists.

The contestants represent service dogs and therapy dogs. Some do search and rescue or law enforcement work. Others were abused and abandoned but now they’re success stories making a difference in people’s lives.

  • Search and Rescue Dogs: Bretagne’s deployments include the World Trade Center following the Sept. 11 terror attacks and Hurricane Rita in 2005. Bretagne retired in 2008 but now serves as a search and rescue dog ambassador visiting elementary schools where she helps first graders learn to read.
  • Therapy Dogs: Susie was beaten so badly by a previous owner he knocked out her teeth, broke her jaw, and set her on fire, which burned off her ears. Now Susie is a certified therapy dog spreading love at schools, hospitals, and churches.
  • Arson Dogs: Kai was found wandering the streets, was picked up by animal control, given up by her original family and now is a shelter success story working as an accelerant detection canine in San Antonio. Kai also does school demonstrations to teach children about fire prevention and safety.
  • Service Dogs: JJ Krawczyk gives early warning to parents and teachers when 5-year-old KK is about to have a medical emergency that can range from mild to life threatening. KK has a rare disorder called Mastocytosis. JJ can detect Mastocytosis related flare ups using her nose.
  • Guide/Hearing Dogs: Xxon serves as a wingman for Michael Malarsie, who is retired from the Air Force and lost his eyesight in an explosion in Afghanistan. “Because of Xxon, I’m part of society again. He’s my hero every day, and I can’t imagine life without him,” Malarsie says.
  • Military Dogs: Chaney served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan finding improvised explosive devices. Now he helps train service dogs for children with autism and disabled veterans who may be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.
  • Emerging Hero Dogs: Xena the Warrior Puppy is known for amazing transformations. Found abused and emaciated before being adopted, she bounced back quickly and has transformed an isolated 8-year-old with autism into a chatterbox who sings to his puppy constantly.
  • Law Enforcement Dogs: Kota’s raw dedication and determination was especially evident when she continued pursuing a burglary suspect after falling 8 feet from an upstairs crawl space and severely breaking her elbow and upper front leg.

For winning their categories, these hero dogs are awarded $1,500 for a charity chosen from the contest’s list of charity partners. The top winner receives another $5,000 for their charity partner. American’s top Hero Dog will be named Saturday, Sept. 27.

To learn more about the dogs or to vote by Sept. 15, visit HeroDogAwards.org.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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