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

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December 2018 • Phoenix Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

e m o C e r e H olidays! the H

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! Ep ic Chess Bat tle! What is food insecurity? pages 10 & 11

Spotlight: InSight Lands on Mars News Highlights page 5

NEWS

ART CONTEST

EVENTS

Electric Desert!

A nimals & Habitat

Holiday S hows

& more news kids can use Scoops pages 7, 12, 14 & 16

from ASU Sustainability Pages 2 & 3

Family fun calendar! Page 15

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December 2018

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December 2018

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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 the Scoop!

Nights Are Electric, Glowing at DBG by Reporter Jessica Rodriguez, Arizona Desert Elementary Imagine a garden with the beauty of the Sonoran Desert and a light and sound experience. Each year more than 450,000 people visit the Desert Botanical Garden annually. The garden features more than 50,000 plants. Lauren Warren, assistant director of exhibits for the Desert Botanical Garden, says,” Soon we will celebrate our 80th anniversary. This year the Garden will celebrate the 40th anniversary of our holiday event, Las Noches de las Luminarias.” According to Warren, this year visitors to Luminarias will get to experience the Garden’s newest exhibition, Electric Desert, a light and sound experience. Electric Desert was created by Klip Collective, an art shop based in Philadelphia. They are led

by creative director, Ricardo Rivera. According to Warren, he developed a way to project videos on to specific objects, a technique called projection mapping. Warren says, “ Klip Collective and their team visited the Garden several times while working on the exhibit, which took more than a year to plan and develop. Electric Desert will be on display until May 12, 2019. Warren says, “You can also experience Electric Desert alongside our traditional holiday event, Las Noches de las Luminarias throughout the month of December.” You can also follow the Garden on social media to see videos of the exhibit and learn more about the Garden. For more information, visit dbg.org or call 480-941-1225. Adviser: Karen Golden

Groups Work Together to Save the Vaquita by Reporter Asha Matheth BASIS Chandler Illustration: Asha Matheth

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is a small porpoise with black marks around the eyes and mouth. They are usually light gray colored, with white underbellies. They live in shallow waters in the Gulf of California, Mexico. There are only about 30 of them left! The main reason for this is that they keep getting caught in fishing nets meant to catch a fish called the totoaba. The marine mammal is the most endangered marine mammal today.

The totoaba is a fish known for its bladder, which helps the fish maintain its buoyancy. People want their bladders, because they are well known for medicines and soups, and are illegally sold for thousands of dollars. Miles of fishing nets called gill nets are used to catch these fish. Unfortunately, the vaquita are getting caught in these nets, too. The CIRVA, or International Committee for the recovery of the vaquita, a team of scientists established by the government of Mexico, the marine mammal center, and the U.S. government are working together to save the vaquita. The vaquita could go extinct if these nets are not removed. The Marine Mammal Center is working with gillnet removal and raising awareness about this porpoise. Illegal fishing and prohibition of gillnet fishing is being enforced to help these mammals survive in their natural habitat.

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News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids Science Girls Have Adventures in New Graphic Novel by Reporter Evelyn Malone Arizona Virtual Academy “Sanity & Tallulah” is a wonderful new graphic novel written and illustrated by Molly Brooks. Brooks is an illustrator for many comics. Her comics have been seen on ESPN sports news, The Globe, and many others. She got the idea for this story from a friend. Sanity and Tallulah are best friends. They have normal lives until Sanity bioengineers an I’m-pretty-sure-it’s-illegal-butit’s-impossibly-cute three-headed cat. One night the cat got out and started wreaking havoc on the space ship. Sanity and Tallulah couldn’t leave everything to the authorities, so they start investigating. I really like this novel. I love the idea of science detectives and three-headed cats all in the same story. It’s funny, has a good plot, and some incredibly cute kittens! It is the perfect book to read on a road trip or in your spare time. I would rate this book an eight out of ten. A little more action and it would have been a perfect score. MORE SCOOPS, page 12 ➧

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December 2018

Spend Your Holiday With Us...

in ADVENTURELAND! Safari Tram Ride, Australian Boat Ride, Kids Carousel, Wildlife Skyride, Flying Scooters, Family Roller Coaster, Zip Line, Circular Swings & Log Flume Ride thru Aquarium PLUS Shows!

Aquarium

•

Zoo

•

Safari Park

•

Dragon World

•

Adventure Land

These Deer are Home for the Holidays!

ith Christmas on the minds of many Valley children these days, it’s the perfect time to talk about the many species of deer visitors can see and learn about at the Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium! The first is the smallest and most primitive species of deer—the Reeve’s muntjac deer (Muntiacus reevesi). Muntjac’s are also referred to as barking deer after the dog-like call they make when frightened. These shy animals originate in Southeast China and Taiwan. At full size, the males stand only about 16 to 18 inches at the shoulder—certainly not large enough to pull Santa’s sleigh! The next species, called an axis deer (Axis axis), is one that more closely resembles what people think of when they think of a deer. These animals from India and Sri Lanka are much larger than muntjacs.

For example, the antlers on a male axis deer dwarf those on its smaller cousin. Unlike other species of deer, the axis will retain its white spots throughout its life. Visitors to Wildlife World can view our large herd from above while cruising along on the Skyride, or they can meet and feed some of our younger deer in the children’s petting zoo! Finally, the last and most unusual species of deer has fang-like teeth! Imagine a deer with tusks. Sound crazy? It’s not. There’s actually a species with 2- to 4-inch-long teeth called a Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis). As their name implies, water deer are found along marshes and rivers in North Central China. They are quite shy, and unlike other species, males do not grow antlers. Instead, they use their long front teeth for defense and to spar with other males. Water deer are so unusual only three or four other zoos in North America house this species!

For more information: 623-935-WILD (9453) or visit us on facebook, Instagram or Twitter @zoowildlife, and wildlifeworld.com

nd Adventure La

Now Open!

! Tons of Rides

e l i m S

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Mining Experience

Deer Powered Help Santa unscramble the names of his famous reindeer.

______ CRANED _ _ _ _ _ _ LOHUD PR _ _ _ _ _ _ _ INEZTLB _ _ _ _ _ _ _ RED ASH _ _ _ _ _ _ TEMCO _____ RACENPR _ _ _ _ _ _ _ IV NEX _____ D ICUP _____ NO ND ER

Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park is located at 16501 W. Northern Ave., Litchﬁeld Park, AZ (SE corner of State Route 303 and Northern Ave.) We’re open seven days a week, 365 days a year, including all holidays. Zoo exhibits are open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last zoo admission is at 4:30 p.m.) Aquarium exhibits are open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Daytime admission includes access to the zoo, aquarium and safari park.

Wild

December 2018 •

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Let’s Go... VALLEY METRO! Ride Valley Metro to Exciting Places with Friends, Family & Heroes! Our Valley has many great places to visit. Using Valley Metro to get there makes for a fantastic experience. This year’s winter break would be an excellent time to plan one of those adventures with your family. Valley Metro’s transit system operates local city bus routes, neighborhood circulators, 26 miles of light rail train service and more. We travel around Phoenix and all the surrounding cities. Plan a trip to the zoo, a museum, library, movie theater, or an activity center. The list is nearly endless. Once you make your destination decision the ﬁrst thing to do is check the transit routes to the location. You can do that by calling us at 602-253-5000 or checking online at valleymetro.org or looking in the Transit Book you picked up at your local library. Ready to go? Get to the bus stop or light rail station at least 5 minutes

Valley Metro's

Cool Transit STUFF Art Contest Results

Be a Super Hero for Planet Earth and use transit to get around town! before the bus or train is scheduled. Have your fare ready. Step aboard and enjoy your trip. When you’re ready to head back, it is typically a transit trip in reverse but be sure to plan that before you leave.

We are very excited to announce the winners of the contest, and they are:

Valley Metro recently held its 14th Annual Cool Transit STUFF 3rd Grade Art Contest. The contest judges had a tough time Top 12 Winners choosing the winners from 372 amazing designs of very Lauren L. Sienna M. talented 3rd graders throughout Maricopa County. Cheyenne Traditional Hale Elementary School, Mesa School, Scottsdale Praxton Y. Aldo G. Sun Valley Academy, Phoenix Reyes Maria Ruiz Leadership BASIS Chandler Primary South, Chandler Miria S. Academy, Phoenix BASIS Mesa, Mesa Sophia K. Vista Del Sur Accelerated Kairui D. Academy CTA-Independence, Chandler

Nina P., Best of Show

Catalina L. Reyes Maria Ruiz Leadership Academy, Phoenix

Anya N. BASIS Scottsdale Primary East, Scottsdale Sofia M. St. Theresa Catholic School, Phoenix Lexi L. Lexis Preparatory School, Scottsdale

Ava C. Franklin West Elementary, Mesa

Honorable Mention Winners Tessa V., Phoenix Christian School, Phoenix

Loreetta O. St. Theresa Catholic School, Phoenix Estella G. St. Theresa Catholic School, Phoenix

Michelle P. SS. Simon & Jude Catholic School, Phoenix

To view Valley Metro’s 2019 Transit Education calendar go to valleymetro.org

Go to BearEssentialNews.com and enter to win a free 2019 calendar!

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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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BEAR 40 YEARS

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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 10

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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!

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BEAR 40 YEARS

Page 11

“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.

Lucky Winners!

BEAR 40 YEARS •

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December 2018

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 7

Celebrating Christmas by Reporters Daisy Ruiz & Miliana Valenzuela Arizona Desert Elementary Why do we celebrate Christmas and use certain colors? Are there other names for Christmas? According to Wikipedia, Christmas is celebrated for the birth of Jesus Christ. It is observed primarily on Dec. 25. It is a religious and cultural celebration for billions of people around the world. Christmas is also called Noel, Nativity, Xmas and Yule. Decorations for Christmas are usually red and green. The practice of putting up special decorations for Christmas has a long history. In the 15th century in London, it was usual to see every house and all of the parish churches decorated with holm, ivy, bays and other greenery. The heart-shaped ivy was said to symbolize the coming to the earth of Jesus. Christmas is celebrated around the world, even by non-Christians. They celebrate with gift giving, decorations, lighting and Christmas trees. Countries in which Christmas is not a formal public holiday include Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (except for Hong Kong and Macau), Turkey, Israel and Thailand, just to name a few. An exchange of gifts is one of the aspects of the modern Christmas. It is a most profitable time of year for retailers and businesses throughout the world. On Christmas, people exchange gifts in the Christian tradition based on Saint Nicholas.

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Adviser: Karen Golden

‘Ear Day’ Is a Memorable Event by Reporter Elijah D’Addabbo, Superstition Springs Elementary A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine is such an amazing place! I took my sisters and mom to a fun day, ear day, with A.T. Still University students. When we arrived we got awesome yellow T-shirts, A.T. University backpacks and other cool swag!!! We got into a huge group picture after all the kids registered, and then we were put into small groups. My group leader’s name was Jan. She was really nice. She is from Illinois and is studying to become audiologist. An audiologist studies the function of the ear. I wear hearing aides because I am hard of hearing, but there were all types of kids participants in the camp with different kinds of hearing loss. We rotated through different rooms and each room was really fun!

MORE EAR DAY, page 14 ➧

Volume 40 • Issue 4

Editor & Publisher

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This Top Girl Scout Cookie Boss Is Definitely One Smart Cookie! Maddie Dunlap is a Junior in Troop 1892, and she is quite the Girl Scout Cookie entrepreneur. She was a top cookie seller for 2018, with 4,874 boxes sold! Maddie’s cool, calm demeanor does not dim her bright business sense. She is one smart cookie! “She’s been told that she’s not a pushy salesperson. She’s kind,” explains her mom, Tiffany. Her mom has always insisted that Maddie count back change on her own, without a calculator or parental help. Maddie’s mom thinks that impresses cookie customers, too. Girl Scout Cookie sales are no small feat—Maddie thinks big. She tells people that a case is $60, and she reports that a lot of people will buy the whole case.

Maddie's careful calculations make sense as she reports that math and science are her favorite subjects in school. While she comes from a family in law enforcement (her parents and oldest brother are police officers, and another sibling is studying criminal justice), Maddie plans to go into medicine. She says she would like to become an OB-GYN doctor—that’s a doctor who specializes in women’s health. Girl Scouts has helped her to meet new people and to be respectful, Maddie says. She and the other Juniors in her troop visit a senior center to read to the residents, help them with tasks like doing their nails, and simply provide good company. Maddie en joys sweet success d Girl Scout uring Cookie sea son.

Going to different Girl Scout Camps and going on trips to California with her troop are her favorite Girl Scouts memories, says Maddie. They went to Disneyland on one trip, and went surfing another time. When she is not in school, this fifth-grader also likes participating in gymnastics and dirt bike riding. Smart, active and doing her part to help others, this Girl Scout sounds a little like a super hero. And what do you know, next year, Girl Scouts and DC Super Hero Girls are teaming up to inspire and reward cookie entrepreneurs. In 2019, participants in the Girl Scout Cookie Program will have a chance to win a trip to Warner Bros. Studios by entering the Cookie Pro contest. Girls can also get a special Cookie Pro patch. There are many rewards in the cookie program, but the most important benefit for girls is to lead, learn and succeed! Girl Scouts learn to unleash their inner G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) as they gain confidence and learn new skills. So, what are you waiting for? Join today at girlscoutsaz.org/join.

Join a Troop, Start a Troop or Volunteer! Visit www.girlscoutsaz.org, email join@girlscoutsaz.org or call 602-452-7040. EVERY GIRL can become a Girl Scout! Find out more at girlscoutsaz.org/join

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December 2018

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School Holds Annual Turkey Trot by Reporter Alyssa Gutierrez Apache Elementary On Nov. 16 at Apache Elementary, we had our annual Turkey Trot. Every grade, kinder–eighth grade, participates. Different grades run different distances. Kindergarten through fourth grade runs around the third and fourth grade playground, the soccer field and the softball field one time. Then fiftheighth grade runs around them twice. In each grade the first three girls and first three boys get medals. We also get popsicle sticks for the first 15 finishers to put into a class bin. The class with the most popsicle sticks is the winning class. The upper grades get a trophy or plaque to keep in their classroom for the remainder of the year. Grades K–4 win an extra PE class. After running the Turkey Trot everybody gets a popsicle and then hangs out until it’s time to go back to class. We all enjoy spending a little time outside together before we have our Fall Break. Adviser: Tara Woodward

Sixth-grade Turkey Trot medalists pictured above, fifth-grade boys medalists at right

More Ear Day

Continued from page 12

We did tie-dye, ran a really fun obstacle course, and there were a couple of awesome inflatable slides, fresh popcorn, a picture booth and more! My mom was able to gather information from organizations that have news about hearing loss. I almost forgot the scrumptious lunch we had! Did I say everything was free? Hearing loss may have its disadvantages, but with university and community love and support it makes kids like us enjoy our lives just a little bit more, even though we cannot hear well and for some not at all. Thank you A.T. Still University for a day to remember!

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Holiday Performances

2018–19 CALENDAR

ome families see certain shows each year as part of their annual holiday tradition. Some families may see a performance for the very first time as a special way to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company. No matter which category your family falls into, make this holiday season meaningful, memorable and magical with a spectacular show or fun activity that you and your family can savor together. There are a lot of options on the holiday menu at Arizona Broadway Theatre. Enjoy a Christmas classic with ABT’s production of “Miracle on 34th Street.” Based on the beloved film, “Miracle on 34th Street” tells the tale of a last-minute Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Santa. This replacement Kris Kringle may or may not be THE Santa Claus. Filled with humor, spectacle, and treasured songs like “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” this heart-warming musical is a must-see for the family this holiday season. “Miracle on 34th Street” runs through Dec. 29. For more information, visit azbroadway.org. Another classic, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” is also at ABT Dec. 7–22. All of your favorite Peanuts characters will come to life in this stage production of this sentimental seasonal story. When Charlie Brown complains about the overwhelming materialism that he sees during the Christmas season, Lucy prompts him to become director of the school Christmas pageant. Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang need Linus to remind them of the real meaning of Christmas. Schroeder’s jazzy music, Snoopy’s antics and the holiday message will delight audiences of all ages. For more information, visit azbroadway.org. The Great Arizona Puppet Theatre will make you jolly with its show, “The Night Before Christmas.” This joyful celebration of Christmas includes multiple stories, lots of music and an amazing array of puppets. If you have seen this show before, get ready for some new stories this year that will make this family-friendly show better than ever! This show is recommended for ages 3–12. It runs Dec. 5–23, with a special event on Dec. 16 that includes the Annual Christmas Party. Tickets and reservations are required for the party. For more information, visit azpuppets.org. If you are dazzled and delighted by holiday light displays, head over to the Arizona State Fairgrounds to check out the largest light and lantern festival in North America. Lights of the World will brighten the downtown Phoenix skies through Feb. 3, 2019. Admission includes free carnival rides. Kids 3 & under are admitted free. Feel like a world traveler while you soak in the sights and sounds of different countries around the world, then go for a whirl on a fun carnival ride at Lights of the World. For more information, go to lightsoftheworldus.com.

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For farm family fun and an incredible holiday light show, head to the farm. Vertuccio Farms in Mesa will host Christmas Farm Lights through Jan. 11. This inaugural Christmas Farm Lights celebration will turn the farm into a winter wonderland with over 2 million lights courtesy of Dazzling Lights AZ. Go wild for the millions of lights on view at the Phoenix Zoo now through Jan. 13. There will be glittering lights galore at the annual ZooLights event, and families will find a few new surprises, too. Animal viewing is limited during ZooLights, but you can meet a real reindeer, glide over to the Stingray Bay, ride the Polar Slide, or catch a show at the 4-D Theater. ZooLights happens nightly from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. For more information, visit phoenixzoo.org. If you are looking for a story with laughs and heart, check out “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the Musical” at East Valley Children’s Theatre. Based on the best-selling book by Barbara Robinson, the play tells about a couple’s struggle to put on a Christmas pageant at their church. They get more than they bargained for when the play is taken over by the Herdman kids—possibly the worst juvenile delinquents in history. Will the story of the Holy Night be ruined by these holy terrors? Find out at the Nesbitt/Elliot Playhouse/Mesa Arts Center until Dec. 9. For more information, visit evct.org. There are few things that evoke the holidays like fluttering snowflakes and a sparkling Sugar Plum Fairy! The music of “The Nutcracker” will have visions dancing in your head, but you can see them brilliantly brought to life by the dancers of Ballet Arizona with music by the Phoenix Symphony. See the Nutcracker Prince battle larger-than-life mice and visit an enchanting world of swirling sweets and more! “The Nutcracker” is at Symphony Hall in December. For more information, visit balletarizona.org. All aboard the Winter Wonderland Express as it takes its annual excursion to a snow-filled Enchanted Island Amusement Park on Dec. 15 and 16 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This holiday train ride takes you to Enchanted Island with Christmas decorations and filled with snow! Take pictures in the giant snow globe, play in the snow or even go sledding. Visit Santa from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and enjoy hot cocoa and candy canes. For more information, visit www.enchantedisland.com. Enjoy Holidays at the Zoo at Wildlife World Zoo through Jan. 2. See the largest collection of exotic animals in Arizona, with more than 600 avian, terrestrial and aquatic species. Check out the 100-foot-high Vertigo Swing, roller coaster, Soaring Eagle Zip Line and the Flying Scooter, too. Zoo exhibits are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aquarium exhibits are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.wildlifeworld.com. Whether you plan to gear up for the season or relax for the holidays, the perfect way to celebrate is by enjoying a holiday performance or event with friends and family! For more information on all of these activities, find contact information on page 15 in this issue. Enter the coloring contest for your chance to win tickets to a holiday performance or special event.

Happy Holidays!

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December 2018

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Continued from page 14

Look for ‘Trouble in Zombie-Town’ by Reporter Holden Woodward Apache Elementary You should definitely read this book, “Trouble in Zombie-Town” by Mark Cherverton, because there are exciting and mysterious twists and plenty of action. This is book one of the Mystery of Herobrine, A Gameknight999 Adventure series based on Minecraft. There are many zombie towns underground. It is filled with lots of zombies! There are also HP fountains like healing fountains for them to fill their HP to full health. If their HP goes completely empty, then they die. Each town has its own leader. The leader rules the town until another zombie beats it in battle. Herobrine is a virus in Minecraft and can create monster bosses to destroy the main character, Gameknight999. If I could change places with one character it would be Herobrine because he has special powers and wields an ender sword and armor. He found one of the zombie towns and almost killed six zombies, but instead he made them into one of his monster bosses. His zombie was the biggest, strongest and deadliest ever. His name is Xa-Tul. He was made of pure evil and hatred and sent out to destroy Gameknight999 and anything in his path.

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Scien-Tastic! O

Did You Know?

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 Ala e, roadway in Anchorag uck Extreme damage to a str t tha earthquakes, has yielded Other mountains, like e uak thq ear itude 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