Exploring Life and Career is an introductory, comprehensive text of short, easy-to-follow lessons that are designed to help young teens learn about themselves and develop personal success skills. Included are topics such as interactions with others, health issues such as vaping, food and clothing, and career options. Age-appropriate social issues, particularly those involved with technology and sustainability, are addressed. All 16 national Career Clusters are summarized with the other work-related content. The eighth edition includes a new chapter on money management, updated information on the new dietary guidelines for Americans, modern technologies, implementation of inclusive language, and enhanced online teacher resources formatted for Google Classroom.
Martha Dunn-Strohecker, PhD, Marblehead, MA. Martha was a faculty member in Gerontology at North Shore Community College. She also served as a consultant in management and diversity training. Martha has taught at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. Her extensive career has combined family and consumer sciences (FCS), community nutrition, and public service.
Among her numerous honors, Dr. Dunn-Strohecker received Ohio State University's highest award, the Centennial Award, and also Ohio State's Outstanding Leadership Recognition for her services to families. Further she has been listed in
Who's Who of American Women and received volunteer service awards from Goodwill Industries and the American Red Cross.
Deborah Tunstall Tippett, PhD, Durham, NC. Dr. Tippet's background includes 12 years as a family and consumer sciences teacher at the middle school level and as a teacher educator at both the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and at Meredith College. Dr. Tippet served as a professor and Department Head of the Human Environmental Sciences Department at Meredith College.
Dr. Tippet has published research and presented workshops and courses on middle school family and consumers sciences. She has also presented to a variety of groups both nationally and internationally on the topic of working with the millennial generation and has been cited in over 300 newspapers on this research. She recently received her certification from Gallup as a Strengths Based Educator.
Dr. Tippet served as a national officer of the Family and Consumer Sciences Education Association, the Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society, and the US/International Federation of Home Economics. She has won such awards as honorary membership on North Carolina's FCCLA, the Professional of the Year of the North Carolina Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, the Presidential Award for Outstanding Service at Meredith College, and the Excellence in Teaching Award at Meredith College. As a public school teacher, she was recognized as the local, county, and regional teacher of the year. Dr. Tippet is also listed in
Who's Who in Education and
Who's Who of American Women.
Carmen Pedersen, PhD, Winder, Georgia. Dr. Pedersen's background includes 11 years of teaching at the secondary and higher education levels. She is currently a middle school family and consumer sciences teacher and is a Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) adviser in Georgia.
Dr. Pedersen has studied, created, and presented at state, national, and international workshops about family and consumer sciences curriculum. She has researched and presented workshops aimed at preparing new teachers to work in the field. Dr. Pedersen has also supervised and taught undergraduate students and student teachers preparing for their professional careers.
Dr. Pedersen serves as an officer for the Georgia Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, a member of the Board of Directors for Georgia FCCLA, and the Director of the Young Professionals Network for the U.S./International Federation of Home Economics.
