Bear Essential News Dec 2018, Tucson Edition by Bear Essential News

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2018–’19 Academic Resource Guide

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See pages 18–20

December 2018 • Tucson Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

In This Picture: Find a candle, the grade A+, a snowflake, a heart, a musical note, a holiday cookie, a mitten, a holiday stocking, a candy cane and the word WINTER.

FEATURE

NEWS

Food for EVERY Body! Earthquakes What is food insecurity? pages 12 & 13

Shake, rattle & roll Scien-Tastic! page 2

ART CONTEST

NEWS

Ep ic Chess Bat tle!

Spotlight: InSight Lands on Mars News Highlights page 5

Honor Flight

& more news kids can use Scoops pages 7, 8, 10 & 16

A nimals & Habitat

from ASU Sustainability Pages 10 & 11

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December 2018

Scien-Tastic! O

Did You Know?

A monthly science feature sponsored by

Shake, Rattle and Roll!

Photo credit: Josh Bie

rma

That’s how some mountains were made. Tecin the world. You can watch it in real time here tonic plates grind against each other which can (https://puna.geo.arizona.edu/tuc_lp.html) cause the Earth’s crust to shake so violently that Now back to the mountains. Dr. Susan Beck at buildings topple, dishes rattle, and huge boulders the U of A is a seismologist. She studied seismoloroll around like marbles. gy, and therefore earthThis grinding, or slip, quakes, because of is called an earthquake her curiosity about how and it happens somemountains are made. where on the planet as We call our local much as 50,000 times mountains sky islands each year. Only about because they rise 100 quakes are intense out of grasslands as enough to cause damage. islands rise from the Little was understood ocean. about earthquakes until These mountains the emergence of seismolwere formed over milogy at the beginning of the lions of years by earth20th century. Seismology, quakes that pushed which involves the scienup the mountains tific study of all aspects of relative to the valleys. ska e, Ala roadway in Anchorag uck Extreme damage to a str t tha earthquakes, has yielded Other mountains, like e uak thq itude ear caused by a 7.0 magn answers to long-standing the Himalaya Mounon November 30. questions as to why and tains in Tibet and the how earthquakes occur. Andean Mountains in South America are formed The energy that is released by the movement as one tectonic plate goes under another plate of the tectonic plates is called seismic energy and causing the top one to rise far above the (then) is measured on the logarithmic magnitude scale. ocean floor. You can sometimes find fossil shells at (see below) An earthquake generally needs to the top of some of our highest mountains. Dr. Beck reach 5.0 before it causes sustainable damage. has studied our mountains for more than 20 years There is a seismic recording station in the to learn about quakes, their causes and effects on Catalina Mountains that documents seismic activity the planet.

Activity: Measuring Magnitude magnitude level

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News Highlights

InSight Lands on Mars!

First President Bush Dies at 94 George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st president of the United States, died on Nov. 30. He was 94. Bush had a long career of public service. He served in World War II, was a congressman, diplomat, CIA director, vice president for Ronald Reagan, and was president from 1989 to 1993. His son George W. Bush served as the 43rd president. Bush’s casket arrived in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 3 to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. A memorial service is planned at the Washington National Cathedral on Dec. 5, then Bush will return to Texas for another funeral service. Bush will be buried at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas. Bush was born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts. He enlisted in the Navy at 18, and became the youngest Navy pilot at the time. Bush was shot down in the Pacific during World War II, and later received the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action. Bush married Barbara Pierce in 1945. They had six children. After graduating from Yale University, Bush moved to Texas and worked in the oil industry. He served as a congressman from Texas before becoming Ambassador to the United Nations, an envoy to

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Have you ever wondered whether there are quakes or temblors on Mars? What about how the planet formed? Scientists intend to answer those questions and more. The InSight lander touched down at the end of November after a sevenmonth journey to the Red Planet. According to NASA, InSight will give the Red Planet its first thorough checkup since the planet formed 4.5 billion years ago. It will study Mars’ crust, mantle and core. One goal is to determine how rocky planets are formed and how they have evolved. InSight will study the interior of Mars to try to determine the thickness and China, and director of the CIA. He served as vice president to Reagan from 1981 to 1989. He ran for president and served one term. Many changes in the world happened during his presidency. Bush saw the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and was commander in chief for the first Iraq War, Desert Storm. During his term, Bush called on the county to return to traditional values and be “a kinder and gentler nation.” He also brought the phrase “thousand points of light” into the national conversation, calling on Americans to volunteer.

American Falls Short in Epic Chess Dual

photo courtesy of FIDE

LONDON—The two top chess players on the planet a point, and draws (ties) give each player a half point. duked it out at the World Chess Championship in The first player to 6.5 points is declared the World November, an event that’s now held every two years. Chess Champion. For 2018, it was REIGNING champion Magnus Game 1 ended in a draw, setting the tone for the Carlsen, 27, from Norway against second-ranked championship. In fact, each time these chess experts Fabiano Caruana, 26, from the United States. played over the next 20 days, the game ended in a If Caruana pulled off the upset, he would have draw. By the end of the regulation games, the players been the first American to were tied at 6 points apiece. In 132 years of be the World Chess Federachess championships, tion Champion since Bobby this had never hapFischer took the title in 1972! pened! Both players are in their So this epic chess prime—playing this board match went to a series game at incredibly high of tiebreakers. The first levels. Interestingly, when four being “rapid” games, Caruana earned the title of grandmaster in 2007, at age limiting each player to 25 14 years, 11 months and 20 minutes per game. The days, he was the youngest first to 2.5 or more points American to earn that title. wins the championship. American Caruana and Norwegian Carlsen played But since then, there have Unforunately for to 12 straight draws (ties) before playing a tie-breaker. Caruana, the reigning been even younger Americans chess champ is also the top-ranked player in the world to earn the title of grandmaster! for rapid play. Carlsen had no problem winning the first The championship started on Nov. 9—the first of tiebreakers and eventually taking the title. 12 regular games. The winner of each game receives

InSight Fact Box: • Launched from California on May 5, 2018 • Landed on Mars on Nov. 26 • Mission duration: 709 Sols (Mars days) or 728 Earth days • InSight’s robotic arm is more than 5 feet 9 inches long • InSight weighs 794 pounds

structure of the planet’s crust, how warm the interior of the planet is, and whether the core of the planet is liquid or solid. InSight also is working to determine how powerful and frequent internal SEISMIC activity is on Mars and how often meteorites impact the planet’s surface. One of the coolest features on the lander is the Instrument Deployment Arm—a robotic arm that carefully places scientific instruments on Mars. One of those instruments is the heat flow probe, which will burrow 16 feet into the ground! The successful landing on Mars took years of preparation and mathematical calculations. NASA has been making a lot of headlines lately with successful missions, which highlights what engineers and scientists can achieve. Elizabeth Barrett, science system engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is in charge of deploying and operating InSight’s instruments. “I liken it to playing that claw game at a carnival, but you’re doing it with a really, really valuable prize, and you’re doing it blindfolded, where you can only take occasional pictures, and then you’re doing it via remote control on another planet,” Barrett said at a news conference after the successful InSight landing.

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Get a Sense of Place at Children’s Museum by Reporters Taryn and Milo Smith, Canyon View Elementary The Tucson Children’s Museum has built a new exhibit called Sense of Place. It is a fun and educational area, with interactive models of well-known areas in Tucson for kids to play on and explore. These include replicas of Sabino Canyon, Colossal Cave, A Mountain, and the “Greetings from Tucson” mural. Building the Sense of Place exhibit took about 4 months, however, planning the exhibit took about eight months. It cost about $200,000. We spoke with executive director Michael Luria and lead discovery guide Ellie Mark. They told us that the goal of the exhibit is to be fun and educational, and it is! We recommend you check it out. The Sense of Place exhibit is located on the left side when you walk in the door. According to the official website, their Fall hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. They will be closed on Christmas Day. If you would like to visit the Children’s Museum, admission is $9 for everyone over 12 months. Children under 12 months get in free. However, on the third day of each month, admission for adults and children over 12 months is $3. For more information, check out the website at www.childrensmuseumtucson.org.

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News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids World Class Chess Took Her to Spain by Reporter Sophia Peng Wilson K–8

Honor Flight Helps Veterans Visit DC Monuments by Reporter Amelia Finley, Wilson K–8 After interviewing Thom Mansur recently, I learned so much about a marvelous program that honors veterans from World War ll, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Honor Flight is a program that takes approximately 25 veterans and their chaperones to see the World War ll Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, and other memorials in our country’s capital, Washington, D.C. Every veteran must have a chaperone with them at all times. The group travels around Washington, D.C., in a bus. The bus can hold a total of 55 people. There is also a team leader and a medic that accompanies them throughout the trip. The chaperone needs to pay

December 2018 •

for their airfare, but the veteran’s flight is free. It is paid for through the Honor Flight Program donations. Some of the veterans are in their 90s! They can only take flights during the spring and fall, because it’s too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer months for travel. The next flight is in March of 2019. In my opinion, this is a wonderful idea to honor these veterans and take them to see the many memorials in Washington D.C. If you would like to donate to this amazing program, go to www.honorflightaz.org. Your donation will help these veterans take a flight to see these memorials honoring their service to our country!

Adviser: Jeanmarie Himes

Track Santa, Here’s How! by Reporter Noelle Reene, Tucson Country Day School Have you ever wondered how to track Santa? Well here are some suggestions as to how. First, you can have a parent download an app on their phone called Santa Tracker. Make sure to ask an adult to download it on their phone, because only parents are allowed to have the app. You can track Santa starting on Christmas Eve. You or a parent can also call Santa on another app to talk to him. Search for Santa Caller in the apps, and many apps will come up. On this app, you can call and tell him what you want for Christmas. Parents can also call to report your behavior, so be good for goodness sake! Good luck tracking Santa!

Adviser: Sarah McKeown

Have you ever traveled from Tucson, Arizona, United States of America all the way to Santiago de Compostela, Spain… just to go to a chess tournament? Well, um…. not just any chess tournament; the highest level chess tournament in the world for children under 12 years old! This tournament is called the 2018 World Cadet Chess Championships, and I had the chance to go as one of about 70 representatives for Team USA! The tournament was held Nov. 4–15 this year in Spain. It was held at one of Santiago’s finest cultural centers. Students from all over the world competed in 11 rounds of chess. The ages ranged from 6–12 years old. More than 700 hundred children from all over the world competed in this tournament. I competed for over a week. We played chess every day. The pairings were posted the night before the next round began. I had been preparing for this tournament for several months. During the tournament, I also prepared with the help of my two coaches online. One coach lives in Iran and the other lives in Phoenix. I met many new friends from the United States. We exchanged gifts with opponents from other countries. My favorite gift I received was a small fabric pouch with MORE CHESS, page 8 ➧

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More Chess

Continued from page 7

Argentinian coins in it from an opponent who lives in Argentina. I gave my opponents a cactus pen and a cactus pencil pouch to represent Tucson, Arizona. At the closing ceremony there was a magician who performed magic tricks for all of us. There was also a music group who played and danced along to their music, too! The winners of the team awards were China (1st), India (2nd), and the United States (3rd). The United States received one gold medal, one silver medal, and two bronze medals in total for the individual awards. It was an exciting tournament that I’ll remember forever. The experience will help me in the 2019 tournament in Beijing, China!

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My Trip to Maui by Reporter Gianna Kokoskie Rattlesnake Ridge Elementary

Greetings from the Aloha state! I am very excited to share my trip with the Arizona Men’s Basketball Team! As we got on the plane, we all took our seats. I found out my favorite player, Justin Coleman, was sitting right in front of me. The first flight to Los Angeles was about one hour long, and the second flight to Maui was six hours long. When we landed in Maui, we were welcomed with a necklace of flowers called a lei. On Saturday, it was Coach Sean Miller’s birthday, so we bought him a cake and sang Happy Birthday to him. Before the first game against Iowa State, I high-fived the players as they came out of the locker room. During the game Wilbur, the UA mascot, tossed T-shirts into the crowd. I caught one. During halftime there was a hula-hoop contest. I went on the court and I could hear everyone cheering for me. I won the contest! MORE MAUI, page 10 ➧

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Making teachers smile! Each month Dr. JAW Orthodontists honors our teachers for their commitment, hard work and dedication by sponsoring the Teacher of the Month column in Bear Essential News.

Third Grade’s a Charm for This Teacher

iffany Thompson teaches third grade at Agua Caliente Elementary. She says it was her own third-grade teacher who inspired her. “I always thought that it would be neat to be a teacher when I was a kid,” says Thompson. She says her students might be surprised to learn that school was not easy for her, but she has fond memories of third grade. “I loved my third-grade teacher, Mr. Hepler. He just made learning fun,” she says. “He’s really the teacher I aspire to be (and the reason) why I wanted to teach third grade,” explains Thompson. Plus, she adds, “I feel like I laugh a lot in class. That’s why I love my job—this age group is such a fun grade.” Thompson is a Tucson native who attended school in the Tanque Verde District (but not at the school where she now works). She has two daughters, and says that “taking time to volunteer in (her daughter’s) classroom was really what cemented” her desire to become a teacher. Student Lilah writes that at the beginning of school, “I was scared of the new year. I asked around about Miss Thompson, and all I heard was good things.” Lilah explains that her teacher knows her students and encourages them. “To me, this is what a great teacher looks like.”

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Thompson says that she likes to have students play get-toknow-you type games at the start of the school year. In addition, she sends out a letter introducing herself so that students will know a little about her, too. She lets students know that they should just try their best at any task. When it comes to tests and assessments, she tries to remind them, “they know this!” “I love my job, and the students are what make it great,” Thompson says, and adds, “I would not be able to teach without the support of my daughters, husband, teammates and coworkers!”

Fun Facts: Row, row, row!: Thompson likes to work out, especially on the rowing machine. She has done a rowing half marathon. Not old enough to be president: In a recent classroom discussion about presidents, Thompson says students were surprised when she told them no one in the room was old enough to be elected president—not even her! The constitution states that to be eligible one must be at least 35.

Teacher name: _______________________ School: _____________________________ Your name: __________________________ Grade: ______ Phone: _________________ email: ______________________________ Why is your teacher great? ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________

Send your nomination to Bear Essential/Teacher of the Month 2525 E. Broadway #102 • Tucson, AZ 85716 or submit by email to renee@bearessentialnews.com or at bearessentialnews.com under TEACHERS tab

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Continued from page 8

OSIRIS-REx Arrives at Asteroid by Reporter Ruby Amick, Homeschool On Dec. 3, the OSIRIS-REx went into orbit around the asteroid Bennu, 241,000 to 209 million miles away from Earth (depending on its orbit). OSIRISREx is a spacecraft created to gather the largest sample of solid outer space material since the Apollo missions from 1969–1972, when the moon rocks were brought to Earth. For now, it will be scanning and mapping the entire surface of Bennu, which is 500 meters in diameter. The engineers’ planned method to make contact with the asteroid is called Tacsam. It will be a touch and go kind of mission, with only five seconds to collect samples with a vaccuum like arm. The team hopes to get at least 60 grams (a little more than 2 ounces) of pristine asteroid material to study. The University of Arizona has partnered with NASA on this seven-year project and put in a great deal of research and planning, and has provided 150 students to help work on this mission. The UofA has been part of major NASA planetary explorations, including missions like HiRISE and Pluto New Horizons; it was also the first public university awarded a principal investigatorled mission, the Phoenix Mars mission. For the next month OSIRIS-REx will perform flybys of Bennu’s north pole, south pole and equator. Then for the next 18 months researchers will survey the asteroid, looking for possible landing spots. The sample is scheduled to be retrieved in July 2020 and will hopefully return to Earth on Sept. 24, 2023, landing somewhere in Utah’s desert. OSIRIS-REx is two years into its sevenyear journey. It will be the first mission to retrieve a sample from an asteroid.

NASA believes the asteroid is a time capsule from the early solar system, rich with organic compounds that may have helped seed life on Earth. Keara Burke is a UofA student majoring in systems engineering and math; she plays an important role in this NASA mission. Her job is to examine surface images of the asteriod, then count every rock on Bennu and determine its size in efforts to find the perfect spot to collect the sample from. Burke says she had no special math or computer classes prior to college, and she encourages young people not to be afraid to try something new when they start at a university. “You can come to college and not be sure what you want to do and still get to this point, you just have to be willing to seek out those opportunities,” she says. When asked how he felt about the successful arrival of the spacecraft to Bennu on Dec. 3, Dante Lauretta, principal investigator for OSIRIS-REx replied, “It’s like Christmas came early!”

More Maui

Continued from page 8

After a hard and stressful game, Arizona ended up winning. I was relieved. We celebrated during dinner and I was told that I was on television waving my red poster that said “Go Wildcats!” I was so happy I made it on television. Unfortunately, the UofA lost the next two games in the Maui Invitational. They were 1–3 in the tournament. I went zip lining for the first time, went to the beach and the Lahaina Luau. Nothing tops traveling and cheering for the Wildcats! I am looking forward to a great season this year! MORE SCOOPS, page 16 ➧

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December 2018

HUNGER FUELS OTHER ILLS

hen you share a delicious meal with your family this holiday season, will you be grateful to dad for smoking the turkey? Will you thank your mom for making your favorite dish? Will you be one of the many kids in Arizona who is happy to have enough food this mealtime? Last year, an estimated 1 in 8 people in the United States were food INSECURE, including more than 12 million children. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) deﬁnes food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. That means folks may miss entire meals or end up eating food that is not very nutritious. In Arizona, the percentage of people who are food insecure are much higher, according to St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance. Almost 1 in 5 adults experience food insecurity, and it’s even worse for kids! “About 25 percent of children in Arizona are food insecure…(or) not sure where their next meal will come from,” says Jerry Brown, director of public relations for St. Mary’s Food Bank. Brown explains that kids in bigger cities tend to do better, but in rural areas, especially on reservations, many more children have challenges getting enough healthy food. Nearly half of all kids in Apache and Navajo counties are food insecure, says ! ay D Brown. r ee nt lu ily Vo Community

gardening on

a Fam

Lorelyn Medina/ShutterStock.com

Food for EVERY Body! Food not only nourishes us, it connects us and can express our heritage. But many people aren’t getting the food they need.

December 2018

According to the USDA, households with children have higher rates of food insecurity than households without children. When kids don’t eat properly and don’t have access to healthy food, it can cause problems physically. Studies show that food insecurity in children leads to ailments such as anemia, diabetes and obesity. Food insecurity can affect kids academically and socially, too. “There are studies of students that show that kids who don’t eat properly, don’t eat breakfast or don’t have dinner the night before, (have trouble concentrating) and tend to act up in school, as well,” notes Brown. “Part of a success story of a student…is doing what they need to do in school, not worrying about their stomach growling.” more Maddy collected

PROTEINS

MINERALS

FAT

CARBS

VITAMINS

WATER

HELPING THE COMMUNITY St. Mary’s Food Bank distributes food to homeless shelters, food pantries and other non-proﬁt agencies in 13 counties across central and northern Arizona, in addition to serving the Phoenix area. The organization, with the help of the community, made it possible for thousands of families to have good reason to celebrate this past Thanksgiving. “We made sure 11,600 families got turkeys for Thanksgiving,” says Brown, who adds, “about 9,000 turkeys were donated.” Some of those donations came from families and kids! “We had a 9-year-old girl who decided to collect. By the time she was done, she collected over 300 turkeys,” says Brown. Maddy Neckels heard about the need for turkeys, and created a ﬂyer to do her own turkey drive. Maddy had a goal to collect 100 turkey for St. Mary’s Food Bank. But when word got out, U.S. Foods donated 93 turkeys to Maddy’s cause. Others donated in her name, so she far exceeded her original goal. Her proud father, Jarrod Neckels, told a local TV station that idea was all Maddy’s. “Sometimes you may underestimate what (kids) can think of on their own,” he says. Maddy’s mom read a story online about the number of turkeys St. Mary’s needed, and Maddy took the Butterball and ran with it! Brown notes that this is just one example of things kids can do to help others in their community. “They can hold a food drive at school, or even in their neighborhood,” he says. Everyone can step up to help, even those who sometimes need themselves, Brown says. “In the Washington School District, over 90 percent of kids qualify for the free or reduced lunch program, but they did a food drive, (they were) willing to help, as well,” says Brown. One high school raised $20,000 for the food bank, he reports.

than 300 turkey

WHAT TO DONATE

If you or your family is able to donate money to your local food bank, it is a wonderful, generous gift to give this time of year. If you can donate food, there are certain items that are always appreciated. Brown recommends food donations of peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, and canned meals like ravioli, chili and stews. Canned meal donations can help ensure that a family has a meal when they otherwise might not. So start a food drive, drop off a food donation, or talk to your family about ways that you can help to make mealtime more secure for another Arizona family!

FOOD BANKS GIVE FRESH FOOD, TOO!

•

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Page 13

Arizona has the ﬁfth-worst childhood hunger rate in the nation and it’s worse in more rural areas, Cable shares. But the problem of food insecurity isn’t solved just with emergency food boxes—it’s much more complicated. “Poverty brings with it so many challenges. We have lack of economic opportunity, social isolation, diet-related disease. And we know that all of these are challenges that come when we talk about hunger,” she explains. So CFB workers and volunteers are striving to “serve people in a way that they can meet these challenges. So we know this is big work.”

GROWING IT YOURSELF! Learning about good NUTRITION and even growing some of your own food really helps. Maddy made a difference and Community and school gardens are also key so can you! programs of the CFB. While gardening in our hot climate isn’t easy, you’re producing food in a more sustainable way, and fresher is better! The CFB partners with local schools to help with their gardens. It offers family volunteer days at its Nuestra Tierra Learning Garden. At CFB’s Las Milpitas Community Farm, people living nearby can sign up for free plots to learn about gardening and to grow their own food—seeds included!

“Tell Boomer about some of your favorite holiday foods and why they’re special to you and your family!” Kids who enter can win a

lk to make can buy in bu llars! Food banks ur donated do the most of yo

Boomer Bear 40th Anniversary Canvas Tote Bag

for their grocery shopping. While the canned fruits and vegetables that you donate are essential and can last months on a shelf, food 1. ______________________________________________ banks are finding innovative ways to provide fresh fruits and vegetables My so people can have healthier, more sustainable food. e Why it’s special: ________________________________ Favorit On Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons, the a d Holi y Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona at 3003 S. Foods 2. ___________________________________________ Country Club Rd. holds farmers markets where people can Are... buy fresh, locally grown produce with their Arizona SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) cards. And to Why it’s special: ___________________________________ encourage them to get enough just-picked produce, the food bank doubles each person’s buying power up to $20. Name: _____________________________________ Another program it has INITIATED takes excess produce of Mexican farmers, large amounts of things like fresh tomatoes, Address: ___________________________________ and trucks it into Arizona. Instead of ending up being dumped in a landfill, this good, nutritious fresh food is distributed to people who need it and to other food banks so it can go further! City: ___________________________ State: ______ Once you get away from Arizona cities, even finding places to buy food can be a challenge. “In the rural areas, we have Parent’s Email : ______________________________ food deserts here—grocery stores are not always easy to find,” explains Norma Cable, public relations and marketing person Send your entry to Bear Essential News/Tote Bag for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona (CFB). 2525 E. Broadway Blvd. #102 • Tucson, AZ 86716

Kids help to plant seeds for the garden.

Lucky Winners!

Page 12

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December 2018

HUNGER FUELS OTHER ILLS

gardening on

a Fam

Lorelyn Medina/ShutterStock.com

Food for EVERY Body! Food not only nourishes us, it connects us and can express our heritage. But many people aren’t getting the food they need.

December 2018

PROTEINS

MINERALS

FAT

CARBS

VITAMINS

WATER

than 300 turkey

WHAT TO DONATE

FOOD BANKS GIVE FRESH FOOD, TOO!

•

BEAR 40 YEARS

Page 13

“Tell Boomer about some of your favorite holiday foods and why they’re special to you and your family!” Kids who enter can win a

lk to make can buy in bu llars! Food banks ur donated do the most of yo

Boomer Bear 40th Anniversary Canvas Tote Bag

Kids help to plant seeds for the garden.

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December 2018

Top 10 Toy Buying Tips! The holidays are a fun time of year for giving and sharing toys. New toys are fun when enjoyed in a safe way.

hen you go shopping for toys for your favorite kids, use this guide to help find safe toys and avoid safety hazards. Buy age appropriate toys. Toys marketed to 6 and above may contain small parts that pose choking hazards for younger children. Before your child plays with a toy for the first time, see if small parts fit through a toilet paper roll— indicating they pose a chocking hazard. Safety Labels — Read labels carefully Packaging Material — Properly dispose of all plastic bags and packing material. Magnets — Be cautious about toys containing button batteries or magnets. Swallowed magnets can cause serious internal damage by bunching together. Keep away from young children and monitor older children when they are playing with toys with magnets. Helmets — Be sure to include a CPSC certified helmet with bikes, skateboards, scooters or other riding equipment. Noise — If the toy is too loud for you, it could be loud enough to damage your child’s hearing. Turn off the sound, remove the batteries or return the toy. Slimes — Some slimes contain high levels of toxic boron. Consider making safe alternatives without borax, or monitor kids at all times and call Poison Control if any is ingested. Hatching Toys — Toys with break apart packaging can result in chocking hazards for small children. Monitor when the packaging is being broken and dispose of the pieces. Balloons — Never let a child under 3 play with balloons, and monitor any child under 8, as balloons are the #1 chocking hazard for children. Make Up — As makeup lacks necessary safety standards we recommend you avoid make up for children, or at a minimum avoid any make up with talc in it which can be a source of asbestos. Smart Toys — Sites, apps, games and smart toys might be collecting private data from your child, and some could be hacked posing a safety risk. Consider running these without connections to the internet, evaluate privacy policies when you first start them and monitor use.

For more information, go to toysafetytips.org (U.S. PIRG Safety Report)

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December 2018

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 7

Go Nutty with Nuts! Pecans! by Reporter Lizzy Barrett, Ocotillo Ridge Elementary The Sahuarita Pecan Festival is a nutty place and it is worth the visit. I went to the festival in Sahuarita on Nov. 10. This annual event happens every fall. This year was the 10th annual festival! I interviewed Bruce Caris, the COO and executive vice president of the Green Valley Pecan Company. Deborah Walden Ralls started the pecan festival in November 2009, because pecans are harvested from early November to late December. This festival was started to bring the community together and to celebrate pecans. Last year, the Green Valley Pecan Company donated over $100,000 to the community. Pecan nuts are native to North America. There are about 17,000 to 20,000 pecans planted in Arizona. In fact, the Green Valley Pecan Company produces enough pecans to circle the Earth twice! Pecans have both protein and dietary fiber. A healthy serving is 15–20 per day. Pecans have vitamins A, E, and B, and they help prevent major illnesses such as heart attacks and strokes. Pecans have unsaturated fat that help lower bad cholesterol levels. Pecan farming is very mechanized. Workers use shakers to get the nuts out of the trees and crushers to separate the shells from the nuts. The festival had many fun activities. There was so much to see! The horse wagon ride took me around the orchard while a soil scientist talked about what pecan nuts are. Pecan trees can live a long time. Many of the trees are over 50 years old and may live to over 100 years old! There were food vendors, tractor displays and shows. I watched how pecans are removed from their shells. Later, I went to the children’s section. There were bounce houses, a tightrope, a petting zoo and more. There was so much to see and do, it was impossible to get bored! The pecan festival is awesome!

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December 2018

2018– 2019

Academic Advantage Guide

ne of the most important decisions you will make as a parent is deciding on your child’s education. You know your child better than anyone else. You know their strengths, weaknesses, personality and what interests them most. Deciding on what type of school will work best is sometimes the frustrating part. There are so many types of schools now. Public, magnet, charter, private, virtual and homeschool—so many choices can make choosing the right school a difficult and stressful process. So check out Bear’s Academic Advantage Guide and consider these helpful steps from the U.S. Department of Education as you choose a new school that will bring out the best in your child! Write down five things that are most important to you as you consider the choice of a school. As you go through the selection process, you may want to add to and revise your list. 1. ______________________________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________________________ 3. ____________________________________________________________ 4. ___________________________________________________________ 5. ____________________________________________________

1. What do you want a school to do for your child? Come up with a list of your child’s needs, strengths, learning style as well as what the family needs. Does your student tend to do better in a more structured or a less structured environment? Does your child need more challenging work or more individual attention? Does he or she have any special learning needs? And for the family, there are transportation, timing and financial aspects that must be considered! Will you walk your child to school? Is there a bus that provides transportation? Does the school require uniforms? Are there extra fees for sports or after school programs? Does the school provide before and after care to fit around your work schedule? Are meals provided or does your child need to bring their own lunch and snacks? 2. Research the schools. Go to their websites, find public school report cards, make phone calls and go to parent fairs or open houses. Consider things like the style of teaching and the curriculum, enrichment opportunities, extracurricular activities, how this school compares to others with state testing results, learn about their policies on discipline and safety. Visit helpful websites such as greatschools.net or use resources on the U.S. Department of Education website at www2.ed.gov/nclb/choice.

3. Visit and observe schools! Contact the top schools on your list and sched-

ule a visit to tour the facilities with the principal to see how things operate. At open houses you can find out what staff, parents and students think about the school. Are the staff and teachers friendly and helpful? Is the school clean and modern? Are there art projects or trophies in the hallways and classrooms of previous accomplishments?

4. Apply to the school(s) you choose. Consider applying to more than one school in case your child isn’t admitted to your top choice. You’ll want to begin the process as early as possible so you don’t miss any deadlines and can enroll your child without encountering any problems. Some schools may have more rigorous admissions processes than others. For families looking for the best school for their kids, the search can get trickier if they have more than one school-age child. Officials recommend narrowing the field by researching schools according to your child and your child's needs. Then, if possible, visit the promising schools and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Visit the U.S. Department of Education for helpful ideas. www2.ed.gov/nclb/choice

2018–2019

December 2018 •

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Academic Advantage Guide

BEAR 40 YEARS

• Pursue excellence in Christian education • Foster Christ-Centered relationships • Endeavor to meet the unique learning needs of every student For more info, see our ad, page 18

THE GREGORY SCHOOL

hether you are choosing your child’s preschool, elementary, middle or high school, parents have some decisions to make. It is a good idea to research a school by checking their website, find public school report cards, ask for a tour and attend an open house if they have one available. You can also use helpful resources like greatschools. net,or visit the U.S. Department of Education for helpful ideas. www2.ed.gov/nclb/choice.

ANSHEI ISRAEL’S ESTER B. FELDMAN PRESCHOOL/KINDERGARTEN 5550 E. 5th St. (at Craycroft) • Tucson 745-5550 Grades 14 months to 6 years old Year Round Jewish Pre-K and K Teacher/Student Ratio: 1–6 PkDir@caiaz.org www.caiaz.org

Offering: science, music, art, PE movement, story time, Spanish, math, language arts, visits by specialists, and parenting classes; nurturing environment; secure facility with park-like shaded playground. Also offered: A free weekly Parent/Tot class open to the public.

CATALINA FOOTHILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT cfsd16.org Families living in the district with children who will be five years old prior to Sept. 1, 2019, are invited to attend a “Show and Tell” in January at one of CFSD’s elementary schools to learn about kindergarten, which is offered as a half-day program, with a tuition-based full-day option. For families outside the district interested in enrolling students at any grade level, CFSD is accepting applications through Jan. 31 under the state’s open enrollment program. Information about open houses and tours at each school, as well as applications are available online at CFSD’s website, cfsd16.org. Families with children entering grades K-5 are invited to apply to enroll their children in Catalina Foothills School District’s Spanish Immersion Program at Ventana Vista Elementary School for the 2019-2020 school year. To learn more about the program click on the Academics tab on the Ventana Vista website at http://vves.cfsd16.org/ Also, for the Mandarin Immersion Program at Sunrise Drive Elementary School click on the Academics tab on the Sunrise Drive Elementary website at http://sdes.cfsd16.org/

DESERT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 9415 E. Wrightstown Rd. • Tucson 795-7161 www.DesertChristian.org

In partnership with Christian families, DCS is committed to providing an educational experience, centered on the foundation of a Biblical Christian Worldview. At DCS, it is our mission to:

3231 N. Craycroft • Tucson, 85712 327-6395 Grades 5-12 Teacher/Student Ratio: 1–10 admission@gregoryschool.org www.gregoryschool.org

The Gregory School Difference is modeled by our students and their opportunity to experience their education through a combination of unique programs and interconnected learning spaces. The 6 Cs (Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Community, and Compassion) are intentionally woven into our daily curriculum providing students with a deep understanding of the skills required for their future success. Our students experience their education through our unique programs and learning spaces. We are the only AZ member of the MIT Fab Lab Network. Students can find their passion by engaging in regular Exploration Courses designed to connect subjects and hands-on learning. Individualized academic plans and college counseling are a key benefit at The Gregory School. OPEN HOUSE: January 27, 1:00 p.m.

Continued on page 20 ➧

Tucson Country Day School Where Every Student Is a Champion!

Voted “Best Charter School” • K–8 and Private Preschool/Prekindergarten programs on a 10-acre campus • Outstanding, Caring, Dedicated Teachers • Small class sizes (1:22 K-5, 1:26 6-8)

Enrolling

NOW!

Curriculum includes: Art, PE, Spanish, ASL, Technology Band, Orchestra, General Music and Choir After-School Programs include: Sports, Drama, Garden Club, Jump Rope, Karate, KidzArt and More!

TCDS Early Childhood Program is the WINNER of the Macaroni Kid East Tucson Gold Daisy Award!

Free Full-Day Kindergarten Program offers high academic and social expectations with a focus on learning through exploration and inquiry. We develop strong social skills through our eight Champion traits.

A Champion is:

Collaborative Honorable Academic Motivated Persistent Inquisitive Optimistic Nurturing

FREE K-8 Public Charter School

TCDCharterSchool.com • 520-296-0883 9239 E. Wrightstown Road

2018–2019

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December 2018

Academic Advantage Guide Continued from page 19

TUCSON J EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM 3800 E. River Rd. • Tucson, 85718 299-3000 Grades Preschool jriddle@tucsonjcc.org www.tucsonjcc.org

The Tucson J provides an enriching, multi-faceted early childhood education program for children from six weeks of age through pre-kindergarten. The program provides a safe, childcentered, environment where each child will explore their world through discovery of self, community and the environment. Each child is encouraged to create their own experiences at an individual developmental level through self-directed and teacher-facilitated activities and interactions. Open Mondays through Thursdays.

SATORI SCHOOL

3801 N. 1st Ave. • Tucson, 85719 887-4003 Ages 2 Years – 8th grade Teacher/Student Ratio: 1–8 office@satorischool.org www.satorischool.org Open House: January 12, from 10–11 a.m. Call to RSVP. Satori serves a diverse population of children age 2 1/2 through 8th grade in our private and charter campuses with an emphasis on community, creativity and critical thinking. Our approach allows us to meet the intellectual, emotional, behavioral and social needs of creative and inquisitive children in an engaging environment that values individuality, creativity and diversity.

TUCSON COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

9239 E. Wrightstown Rd. • Tucson, 85715 296-0883 Grades Preschool–8 Teacher/Student Ratio: 1–22 ckappler@tcdcharterschool.com tcdcharterschool.com At Tucson Country Day School, every student is a Champion and every Champion is a leader. We offer a robust program focused on both academic and social excellence. Students receive a well-rounded educational experience that includes a strong academic program, gifted and accelerated classes, physical education, art, general music, band, orchestra, choir, Spanish, technology, and after school clubs and sports. The President of the Arizona Charter School Association calls us “One of the highest performing schools in Tucson.”

TUCSON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT tucsonunified.org

Tucson Unified School District’s Magnet Programs are the original public school choice option, providing families with ways to meet the individual learning styles and interests of their children. Tucson Unified School District has a comprehensive magnet school program that offers the Tucson community optimum choices for public school education. Magnet programs are an essential component of the District’s effort to support integration, increase academic achievement, increase graduation rates and increase parent engagement. Magnet themes include STEM, fine and performing arts, traditional academics, dual language, gifted and talented and Montessori. Fine, performing and communication arts schools: Carrillo Magnet School and Holladay Magnet Elementary School. Science, technology, engineering and math schools: Borton Magnet School (Systems Thinking), Booth-Fickett Math/Science Magnet School and Mansfeld Middle Magnet School. Dual Language/Spanish immersion schools: Davis Bilingual Magnet School and Roskruge Bilingual K-8 Magnet School. Visit our website www.tucsonunified.org for more information about schools and school tours.

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December 2018

December Skate Sale!

10 FREE Passes with Every Skate Purchase

5 5

For $

Bring in this coupon

Open every day of your Winter Vacation!

www.skatecountry.com 7980 E. 22nd St.

298-4409

For $

Bring in this coupon

and for $5 get admission for up to 5 skaters.

Not valid for birthday parties or day cares. Limit one coupon per week. Skate Rental Extra. Closed Christmas Day

Not valid for birthday parties or day cares. Skate Rental Extra.

Valid Dec. 21, 2018— Jan. 4, 2019 from 1–4 p.m.

Valid Only 6 to 8p.m., Dec. 26, 27, 28, 2018 or Jan. 1 thru 16, 2019

Annual Summer Camp Guide. Reserve Space Now! Don’t miss out on promoting your summer program in Arizona’s premier resource for kids and families! Bear Advertisers are Happy Campers! BearEssentialNews.com

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December 2018