A 13-year-old from Kansas just won the national spelling bee, inspiring kids everywhere to study those spelling words a litte harder. Her big win is just one of the many awards that will be coming students' way over the next couple of weeks, as schools all over the area hold special awards-day ceremonies and kids get all sorts of certificates to bring home.

It's a good pat on the back after a long year of hard work. But how do you keep that excitement going over the summer? One way is to read with your kids. Every library has a summer reading program you can sign up for, check out the news at the Greensboro and Forsyth county libraries. For a little more reward, log on to Reading is Fundamental's Reading Challenge, which lasts until June 30.

Once you get started on all those new books, let us know your favorites. Check out this month's contest to win a family pack of tickets to Carowinds, where we're asking what your favorite children's books are. We'll take the suggestions and compile them in an article for our back to school issue.

Reading isn't the only thing to do with your kids over the summer. Our online exclusive has lots of good educational activities to do with your kids over the summer.

You're still feeling nauseous, you're running after preschoolers and your feet are already starting to swell. And now they're saying you have to find time to exercise while pregnant? It sounds almost impossible, but it might just be worth trying to fit it into your schedule. Exercising while pregnant has been known to be beneficial to moms, reducing the risk of gestational diabetes and helping the body tolerate labor and deliveray and all the millions of changes the body goes through. But now research shows that it also helps the baby's heart start out more healthy.

Luckily, it might be easier than you think to get in some good exercise during the summer. Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise while pregnant, the water keeps your body bouyant, so there's no undue stress on your joints and you don't have to worry about trying to keep your balance, something especially good during the third trimester!

Prenatal yoga is also a good form of exercise. Check out a class near you at Greensboro's Family Yoga or Sunrise Yoga in Winston-Salem.

Just remember, you're not exercising to lose weight! And check with your doctor before starting any exercise regimen.

The media is reporting today on research that shows kids who aren't vaccinated against whooping cough are 23 percent more likely to get the disease. And add to that the cases of whooping cough are rising, due in part to the fact that more parents are refusing vaccines for their kids. Whooping cough isn't alone, there's also been a rise in measles cases recently.

The vaccine debate is a controversial one. There are many reasons parents refuse vaccinations for their kids, including religious reasons, but the one that's made the news most often is the feared link between vaccines and the rise in autism. There is no scientific evidence to prove the link between vaccines and autism. In fact, the CDC reports evidence that disproves mercury in vaccines causes autism, and there is no definitive answer to what really causes autism. But researchers are continually making strides in finding the cause, as seen in this recent report on finding a genetic reason why autism affects boys more than girs.

In the meantime, the most you can do for your kids is to educate yourself. Check out the fact sheet from the CDC on vaccines, which includes a schedule and the benefits. For a view from the advocacy side, PAVE (People Advocating Vaccine Education) has a good site that provides resources for North Carolina parents looking for information on exemptions and other news.

It's the unofficial kick off to the summer, and it looks like we're going to have beautiful weather to get out there and enjoy it.

Even though most pools don't open for their full summer hours until school's out in June, a few around the area will be open this weekend. Winston-Salem city pools will have three open, City Lake Park in High Point and Bur-Mil Park in Greensboro are also open for Memorial Day weekend.

If you're heading to the pool, remember to always keeping an eye on those kids. Drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death in kids 1-14. Check out KidsHealth.org for some great water safety tips. We also have what you need to know about sunscreen and personal watercraft safety right here on PiedmontParent.com.

Swimming, baseball games and maybe even playing some golf are just a few of the things we'll be doing this weekend. But no matter what activity you choose, everyone will be eating! Make your holiday-weekend cookout extra special and fun for the kids with these ideas in "Thrill of the Grill."

*** Update ***

This just came in Thurs. afternoon from the Guilford County Health Department:

Recent reports of air quality concerns at Oak Ridge Elementary School have concerned public health officials.  We are mobilizing our resources to analyze and address the problem.  Our plan is to determine an exact culprit, correct it, and then monitor to make sure the problem does not return.   We aim to accomplish this while lessening panic or fear.

Local officials are creating an action plan based on science, facts, and best-practice.  At this point we are looking at everything from engineering reports to case studies in order to assure a thorough and accurate response to any findings.  We will examine and investigate medical information, consultant reports, and anecdotal information in an attempt to quickly drill down to the root of the problems. 

Recognizing that effective communication with the public during this situation is vital to protect the community's health, we will maintain constant dialogue with those who are affected, and will address community based concerns in the public domain.

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Wednesday night, parents and school officials met at Oak Ridge Elementary School for a public meeting on what's going on with the search for what's making the kids sick. Since the school was remodeled in 2005, kids have been experiencing symptoms of dizziness, fatigue and headaches. This matches up with the symptoms associated with toxic mold. But Superintendent Mo Green has stated he can't make a decision to close the school until something definitive turns up in the investigation, and even after thousands of dollars and plenty of hours, the health department hasn't found a specific cause.

Of course, it might not be mold causing the sickness, there are plenty of other possibilities, including the building materials. In a story not completely unrelated, yesterday the EPA ruled they found toxins in Chinese drywall, giving proof that homes were making people sick in Florida and 12 other states.

And we've all heard of radon, the fact that it causes cancer and abides in many of our homes. Luckily it's usually not toxic levels, and there are ways to test radon levels in your home.

It's enough to scare any parent. The air we breathe is polluted, whether we're outside or inside! Luckily many of these issues, including toxic model and radon pollution, are relatively rare. And it doesn't affect everyone at the same level of intensity. We all do what we can to keep our kids safe, and I'm sure every parent in the Triad will be monitoring the investigation at Oak Ridge closely, not only to see what happens with these kids but to make sure it won't happen at other schools in the future.