Happy Wednesday!  It’s pretty easy to hug a farmer in North Dakota – farms take up nearly 90% of the state.  And speaking of hug-worthy things, today’s nice news is about cool electives, helpful hands, and a European cruise.  Read on.

When I was in high school, my favorite elective was shop class because I got to weld a totally sweet Snoopy sculpture.  Now students can take robotics, guitar, and even library assistantship. (Grand Forks Herald)

We know what it takes to recover from a natural disaster, which is why a handful of North Dakotans are headed to California to help with the wildfire cleanup. (KVRR)

An 8^th grader in Cavalier wrote an essay so nice he’s taking his entire family on a river cruise through the Netherlands and Belgium. (Cavalier County Extra)