Bear Essential News Feb 2019, Phoenix Edition

40 YEARS!

Bear

essential news

®

February 2019 • Phoenix Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

Sustainability Activity Book!

12-Page Pullout Section • pages 7–18

In This Picture: Find a book, an umbrella, a tortilla chip, Lincoln’s hat, a Valentine’s Day candy heart, a slice of pizza, a gemstone, an envelope, a bat and Cupid’s arrow.

FEATURE

O liver’s Com munity!

Humans & wildlife coexist pages 7 thru 18

NEWS

Shutdown Ends

Spotlight on top children’s books News Highlights page 3

NEWS

FAMILIES

Camping Is a B last!

Book Festival

& more news kids can use Scoops pages 5, 6 & 22

Meet authors & more Page 23

S aving the P lanet Valley Metro helps out Page 24

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February 2019

Teachers! Looking for a Field Trip?

A unique feature of Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium is that it’s also part amusement park! Little ones will love the train and carousel. There’s also a log ride, zip line, roller coaster, flying swings and more. (These activities cost extra.) Visitors can enjoy a variety of shows and animal encounters, too. The sea lion show runs twice a day. It’s fun and is free with admission, as are the kids petting zoo and lory parrot feeding. For an extra charge you can feed the sea lions, giraffes and stingrays.

Aquarium

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Zoo

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Safari Park

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Dragon World

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Adventure Land

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Mining Experience

New Year Surprise—a Baby Llama!

With the New Year came Wildlife World Zoo’s first newborn of 2019—an absolutely adorable chocolate-colored male llama named Bon Bon. Llamas are remarkable creatures with a long relationship with humans. Newborn llamas come into the world weighing around 20 to 30 pounds. They originated from South America, up in the highlands of the Peruvian Andes. Their cloven hooves help them to be sure-footed on a variety of surfaces and slopes.

Baby llamas are called “cria,” a Spanish word referring to young mammals that are still suckling. The young offspring of the closely related alpaca, vicuña and guanaco are also called cria. These animals are part of the camelid family. Can you guess what the other animals that belong to this family are? Llamas are surprisingly nimble right after they’re born. In fact, they are able to run with the herd the same day they’re born!

Fully grown, a male like Bon Bon can stand 6-feet tall and weigh up to 450 pounds. Females tend to be smaller. Like most llamas, Bon Bon is intelligent and curious. He explores his surroundings by nibbling or gnawing on things. They are grazers, chomping on the tops of grass after weaning.

Because of their intelligence, llamas are easily trained. Their sturdiness, even on uneven, rocky surfaces, make them a great pack animal. In fact, llamas are no longer wild animals—they have been domesticated for the past 4,000–5,000 years.

Adults can carry up to a quarter of their weight and trek 10, even 20 miles. But good luck moving them when they’ve had enough—they’ll plop right down and refuse to move another inch!

Llama fur is in two layers. It’s lightweight, warm and water repellent. The upper-coat is made up of coarser wool with a remarkably softer under-coat. Both coats are woven into fibers.

Llamas live in South, Central and North America, Europe and even Australia. About 70 percent of the population lives in Bolivia. Their lifespan is 20–25 years.

You and your friends and family can visit and even touch Bon Bon in the Wildlife World’s Petting Zoo area!

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

Fun for thely! whole fami

COLOR the Baby Llama!

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.

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e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

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News Highlights

Federal Shutdown Over for Now The longest government SHUTDOWN in U.S. history ended after 35 days. The partial government shutdown began on Dec. 22 and lasted until Jan. 25, when President Donald Trump signed a bill to temporarily fund the government through Feb. 15.

“My fellow Americans, I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and re-open the federal government,” Trump announced in a Rose Garden ceremony.

About 800,000 federal workers were affected by the Visitors learn about m ore of a Na of the dese tive Ameri partial shutdown, which happened when the president rt at Sagua can perspe ro ctive N ational Park and congress could not agree on a bill to fund the West. government. Some workers were furloughed, while others in essential jobs—such as air traffic controllers the House of Representatives have said that they will and Transportation Security Administration workers— not agree to fund a border wall. continued to work during the shutdown but did not get “If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, the govpaid. Those workers should receive back pay now that ernment will either shut down on Feb. 15, again, or I the government is operating again. will use the powers AFFORDED to me under the laws In the days before the shutdown ended, airports and the Constitution of the United States to address on the east coast experienced major delays due to a this emergency,” says Trump. shortage of staff at security checkpoints. TSA union Two Senators who do not want to see another representatives reported that workers were calling in sick shutdown happen, Republican Rob Portman from or even quitting, creating a security risk for travelers.

Ohio and Democrat Mark Warner from Virginia, have Trump is asking for $5.7 billion to build a wall or introduced bills that would ban future government physical barrier on the southern border. Democrats in shutdowns.

Festival of Books Offers Fun for Everyone!

Start making plans because the mind-expanding fun of the Tucson Festival of Books arrives early this year on the University of Arizona campus—March 2 and 3 from 10 a.m. till 5:30 p.m. for both days.

Promising fun for everyone, the GINORMOUS bookfest is a worthwhile family excursion. From famous authors and illustrators who have created unforgettable award-winning books for kids and young adults to the very hands-on Science City area to the great live entertainment including the Literary Circus and musicians and acts playing on stage—there’s tons of free things to do plus great books and tasty food to buy.

“Maybe one the most exciting things to me is that James Dean will be here, he’s the creator of Pete the Cat, and David Wiesner will also be here,” says Violet Kennedy, library coordinator for Literacy Connects and liaison for the Book Nook Activity Tent at the festival. She points out that Dean is a fantastic presenter, who will have a solo panel in the Education Building’s Kiva (Room 211) on Saturday at 1 p.m. All the cool panels and workshops for kids and teens happen in the Education Building.

Wiesner is an unbelievably gifted illustrator who

has won the Caldecott Medal—the annual award for the most outstanding American picture book—for three of his books! He’ll be on the ocean-themed panel, “Underwater Investigations: Sharks, Dolphins and Mermaids,” at 1 p.m. in Education Room 353. One of Weisner’s Caldecott-winning picture books focuses on the sea and is titled “Flotsam.”

There are dozens of panels and a few illustrator workshops for young people. For a complete list, go to http://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/?id=58. But one of the most fun to attend is “On Your Mark, Get Set, Draw: Illustrator Draw-Off.” Famed book artists Suzanne Kaufman, Juana Martinez-Neal, Zeke Pena, Booki Vivat will take audience suggestions and create visual magic. Martinez-Neal’s, “Alma and How She Got Her Name,” was just awarded as a Caldecott Honor Book!

Some of the panels like “Star Wars: May the Force Be With You,” with local author Adam Rex on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in the Kiva fill quickly, so get in line!

Street level parking is free, and there is a free book tent in the children’s area. But there are lots of books for sale and you need to pay for food and parking in the nearby parking garages.

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Top Kids Books Honored A picture book focused on life in a lighthouse and a novel about how a strongwilled girl cycles her way through life’s challenges NABBED top honors from the American Library Association (ALA) on Jan. 28.

It’s a big event called the Youth Media Awards, where top-notch children’s and young adult books and digital media receive recognition. The awards end with ALA picks for the Caldecott and Newberry medals, the most PRESTIGIOUS and oldest awards for American children’s books.

The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book of the previous year goes to “Hello Lighthouse,” illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall.

The ALA Caldecott Committee summed up her book, “masterful ink and watercolor illustrations illuminate the story of a lighthouse and the family inside.

You’ll be amazed by the artwork and the rhythmic way the story is told.

Blackall also earned the Caldecott Medal in 2016 for her book, “Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear.” What a talent!

The top annual honor for a children’s novel is the John Newbery Medal, first awarded in 1922. For 2019 the medal goes to “Merci Suárez Changes Gears,” by Meg Medina. The ALA Newbery committee describes this must-read book, “using humor and grace, Merci, a charming and plucky protagonist, cycles through life’s challenges with the support of her inter-generational family.”

The Newbery Honor Books are “The Night Diary,” by Veera Hiranandani and “The Book of Boy,” by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, illustrated by Ian Schoenherr.

See more award-winning books at: http://ala.unikron.com/about.php.

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February 2019

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National Children’s Dental Health Month!

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t’s important for children to learn good oral health care habits at an early age. Parents should teach their children the proper steps to maintain a healthy smile in order to minimize the risk of cavities and tooth decay. Maintaining good oral hygiene is beneficial to long-term oral health.

A child’s oral health care should start at infancy. Parents can swab an infant’s mouth with water to clean the gums after each feeding. Once an infant’s first tooth erupts, a small, soft-bristled toothbrush should be used to clean the tooth. It’s best to consult a pediatric dentist before you start brushing your child’s tooth with toothpaste.

Kidz Connextion recommends that at age 1 is the right time to bring your child in for their first dental visit. At age 2 parents can begin teaching them how to brush their teeth in front of a mirror. By age 6, children should be ready to brush their own teeth! Encourage your kids to brush at least two times a day for at least two minutes.

Steps for Brushing: 1. Place the toothbrush at a 45° angle along the gum line. Move the toothbrush in a back and forth motion, and repeat for each tooth.

2. Brush the inside surface of each tooth, using the same back and forth technique.

3. Brush the chewing surface of each tooth.

4. Use tip of brush to brush behind each tooth—front and back, top and bottom, and up and down strokes. Brush your tongue, too!

Steps for Flossing: 1. Pull 18 to 24 inches of dental floss from the dispenser 2. Wrap the ends of the floss around your index and middle fingers.

3. Hold the floss tightly around each tooth in a C shape; move the floss back and forth in a push-pull motion and up and down against the side of each tooth.

Information in this article was taken from a report written by Clogate.

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The Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites 1600 S. Country Club Dr. Mesa, AZ For more info call Rich Pagni at 847-922-1424

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February 2019 •

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Get the Scoop!

Camping Under the Super Moon Eclipse

by Reporter Logan Woodward, Apache Elementary

The third annual boys-only trip to Bartlett Lake was fun! When my brother and I arrived, we went down by the shore and just hung out.

There are so many things to do at the lake like boating, games, fishing, and hanging out by the campfire.

Our Gpaw came a little later with his boat, then our friends went to get their boat. When we went on the boat we jumped off the boat into the lake. (It’s kind of cold!)

The next day we fished and relaxed on the boat. Gpaw accidently broke my pole. We went and played the game Disk and Slam. It’s a game where you throw a frisbee and try to get it in a can. My dad and I were the champions. It was so FUN! We had snickertias (snickers melted inside a tortilla) and s’mores by the campfire. There was a super wolf blood moon (a lunar eclipse) on the last night of camping. It was neat watching the moon turn red and get smaller and smaller.

I slept in a tent in the back of my dad’s truck until it got too cold! Then I went into the camper. It was so much FUN camping with our friends!

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News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids Disney Heroines Take the Ice

by Reporter Brett Eymann Transitions Delta Center I entered a Bear Essential contest and won tickets to see Disney on Ice, Dare To Dream.

During the show, five Disney heroines made an appearance. In the first story Belle told the tale of Beauty and the Beast. She had to become friends with the beast to break the spell he was under in order to turn him back into a prince.

More Than Modeling Teaches Life Skills

by Reporter Sarah Schroeder, Homeschool Modeling in the fashion world can be exciting.

From magazine covers to globetrotting, these are just a few cool things you get to experience with a modeling job. But, there is more. How about building self-esteem, healthy eating, manners and etiquette, just to name a few. Those are important, too, to help models navigate successful modeling careers.

I had the pleasure of meeting Erika Mash, the founder and instructor of More Than Modeling, located in Scottsdale. This modeling school is not just about modeling classes but also teaches life skills like how to build self-confidence, how to know if

something on social media is real or not, how to write a check and pay bills, just to name a few.

I asked Mash how she got into modeling. She says that she started modeling while she was in college working towards her degree in biology.

She was told she should be a model so she worked as one as a summer job. Mash modeled for a photographer who worked for some really big magazines in London, and after college she continued her modeling career.

One thing she loved about being a model was MORE MODELING, page 6 ➧

Games, Movies Can Be Autism-Friendly

by Reporters Jayden Rodriguez & Natalia Garcia Servin Arizona Desert Elementary Michelle Rebello Tindall, Involvement and Engagement Coordinator for Dimensions in the UK, is also an Autism Ambassador and founder of Minecraft and Meltdowns (Facebook support group).

Tindall works for Dimensions in England, helping places to be more autism friendly.

“This includes GAME Belong Arenas, cinemas and libraries,” says Tindall.

The Belong Gaming Arenas are places where you can buy games and you can also book a space to play games on the most popular consoles. You can also play virtual reality games there.

“We are also working with them to create autismfriendly environments by reducing sensory inputs such as reducing light and music, clear signs, trained

staff and a guide to help people understand what it will be like before they go,” says Tindall.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition which affects how a person experiences and understands the world. It can make social situations difficult.

“Autistic people can have very literal thinking which makes it difficult to interpret unwritten or subtle social cues and body language. Autism also affects the senses, so sounds, lights, touch and smell can easily become overwhelming or confusing.

An autism-friendly environment helps to reduce sensory input and trains staff...to help make social interactions less stressful,” says Tindall.

Adviser: Karen Golden

Next was the story of Cinderella and how Prince Charming had to find whom the glass slipper belonged to after the ball. Next was the story of Rapunzel from the movie “Tangled.”

Flynn Rider was asked to be her guide and take her to see the floating lights for her birthday.

Next was the story of Princess Anna from the movie “Frozen” as she goes to stop an eternal winter in Arendelle. The island princess Moana made her Disney on Ice debut this year to show how far she goes on her quest to find her own identity.

Along with seeing Mickey Mouse and his friends, I enjoyed discovering my inner hero when I went to see the show in Phoenix. You can enter contests at bearessentialnews.com and maybe you can win a great prize, too.

REPORT FOR BEAR! Call toll free:

1-866-NEWS KID sponsors

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February 2019

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Get the Scoop!

More Modeling

Continued from page 5

Continued from page 5

traveling around the world. She has lived in England, Asia, Australia, and now America. She is in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen and loves America!

Scottsdale was her city of choice, away from busy modeling places like Los Angeles or New York.

Mash says that her modeling career was exciting and worth the experience, but she noticed that young models didn’t have the social skills to work in an adult world. A lot of them traveled without parents and only had their agents to help them. An idea came to her to help young models navigate life on the road.

On her website, future students can choose classes to teach them how to be a model for runway and photography, how get modeling jobs, healthy eating, taking care of skin, hair, and nails, along with life skills.

I asked Mash what inspired her to start More than Modeling. She says she wanted to educate kids while they’re still young so that they can be ready and prepared for the world. I asked about the most important attribute a model should possess. She says that persistence and determination are probably the two most important attributes.

I learned so much about the modeling world and made a new friend. For more information, go to www.morethanmodeling.com.

MORE SCOOPS, page 22 ➧

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Oliver’s February 2019 •

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COMMUNITY

SUSTAINABILITY solutions festival

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February 2019

SUSTAINABILITY solutions festival FAMILY EVENTS FEB

2 FEB

9 FEB

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sustainabilityfestival.asu.edu

ASU Open Door ASU Polytechnic Campus

FEB

ASU Open Door ASU Downtown Campus

FEB

Wild About Sustainability Day Liberty Wildlife (FREE)

FEB

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Sustainability Play Day* Children’s Museum of Phoenix Sustainability Family Day* Arizona Science Center ASU Open Door ASU Tempe Campus

*Registration or admission fee is required.

presented by

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Hi everyone! I’m Oliver.

I’m a burrowing owl, and I live in the city near you.

Most people think of the city as the place where people live and work, full of busy streets, houses, buildings and sidewalks. It may not seem like there’s any room for anything else, especially birds like me and my family.

But a city is also a home for all sorts of other creatures, like me! In fact, if you look closely, you’ll see that a city is an entire ecosystem full of plants and animals living together with our human neighbors. You’ll see flowers and trees, spiders and insects, snakes and lizards, squirrels and birds.

Join me as we explore my community and discover how I make my home, who are my neighbors, how we all get healthy and fresh food, and how you can help your neighborhood be a happy and productive home for all of its inhabitants.

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Adventures Take Flight at Liberty Wildlife Sanctuary

by Reporter Alex Koss, Rancho Solano Preparatory School Recently, I had a private tour of Liberty Wildlife, a sanctuary that specializes in the preservation and rehabilitation of raptors, which are birds of prey. It is located near the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on 6.5 acres of land. At the sanctuary, I saw bald eagles, golden eagles, ravens, hawks, falcons and owls!

Since it was established in 1981, more than 100,000 animals have been rescued, and there are now more than 9,000 animals at the facility. Many of these animals were injured in the wild or turned in by people who couldn’t keep them as pets. For 2018, Liberty Wildlife workers took in and rehabilitated more than 9,400 animals, including the release of five bald eagles!

I also visited the hospital where volunteer veterinary doctors take care of injured animals. They have a 60 percent success rate of rehabilitation and release back into the wild, which is better than the national average.

Liberty Wildlife’s goal is preserving animals in Arizona by taking care of wild animals, teaching and educating the public about respecting wildlife and conservation efforts of natural environments.

I had an up-close visit with Diego and Frieda, two burrowing owls who were injured and not able to be released.

Burrowing owls don’t fly very much and make their homes underground. Caregivers at Liberty Wildlife built artificial burrows using a large bucket and underground tubes for them. Hundreds of burrowing owls have been rescued and released. The caregivers also survey areas where construction of new buildings is occurring to find the owls before they are injured.

Liberty Wildlife is open for kids to visit. School visits and public education programs are organized. Kids can learn about wildlife around them and how to respect it. Kids also can help by talking to other people about what they learned and how to be aware of animals in their natural environment. You can volunteer at the preserve if you are over 16 years old.

You can learn more about Liberty Wildlife at libertywildlife.org or call (480) 998-5550.

February 2019 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

o g e i D Frida & MEET

Color Frida and Diego with their own unique feather spots!

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Living in a desert isn’t easy. In addition to extreme summer heat, predators like coyotes and Gila monsters are always on the hunt for their next meal.

That’s why many desert creatures like to live underground.

Some of my friends, like desert tortoises and prairie dogs, dig large burrows to live in! Inside, the air is cool even in the summer. They’re safe from predators, too. These burrows are the perfect place for owls and lots of other animals to live and raise a family. As long as we stay out of their way, our other burrow buddies don’t seem to mind. When humans use an existing building or item in a way that wasn’t part of the original plan, like my family using a prairie dog burrow, they call that “adaptive reuse.”

Many other animals like to live with desert tortoises too. Search the burrow below and label them all.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

You might think it’s strange that owls sometimes live in other animals’ burrows, but it makes a lot of sense to me.

Digging your own burrow is hard, especially if you’re a bird. By using a burrow made by someone else, I save time, energy and resources.

People can do the same thing. For example, shipping containers are large metal boxes used to transport all kinds of things on boats, trains and trucks. When the container is no longer needed for shipping, some people use them to make houses. This is an example of adaptive reuse. It saves people time and money by finding a new way to use something that might otherwise be thrown away.

How many different examples of adaptive reuse can you think of?

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February 2019

Welcome to the habitat garden, one of my favorite places to see friends.

Did you know by using native plants and creative thinking you can make a beautiful place for birds, insects and other creatures to make a healthy garden? Make sure your garden includes these four elements:

Food: Native plants produce flowers, fruits, seeds and sap that animals love to eat.

Water: A bird bath, small pond or a rain garden helps many animals get a drink when they are thirsty.

Shelter: Trees and bushes can give small animals a place to hide from predators and bad weather.

Places to raise their young: A bee house is perfect for pollinators to make a home. Monarch butterflies will lay their eggs on desert milkweed, giving the young caterpillars plenty of their favorite food.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

February 2019 •

BEAR 40 YEARS

As you know, your community is made of many things that were planted, built or created at different times. The roads, sidewalks, parks, buildings, houses, trees, statues, murals, power lines – everything – play a role in our community and how we feel about where we live. This includes community habitat gardens.

In the space below, draw a picture of a habitat garden for your neighborhood. Then, think about what you would like to add or remove to make it better and more sustainable. How could different choices be good for people, the planet and the economy? Does it make us happier?

Healthier? More fun? Safer? Add these ideas to your picture to show the innovative solutions to today’s challenges that will make tomorrow’s world a better place!

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connect the dots to find his pollinator friend?

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Another way to restore natural habitat in the city is to plant a butterfly waystation. These small gardens are full of native plants with bright, colorful flowers. The flowers provide nectar and pollen for insects like monarch butterflies, which travel hundreds of miles every year.

You can create a butterfly waystation by planting a variety of native flowers like marigolds, Indian Paintbrush and Butterflybush. The most important plant for a monarch butterfly is milkweed. Although the adults drink nectar from all kinds of flowers, they will only lay their eggs on milkweed. The caterpillars that hatch eat the leaves of the milkweed as they grow.

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Make a bee house at home You can help bees in your garden, too. Follow the instructions below to create a bee house for your garden from recycled materials.

Gather these materials from around your house:

Âť An empty soup can, coffee can, or soda bottle Âť Toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls Âť Butcher paper or paper bags Âť Scissors Âť Tape Âť String Âť Paint (optional) Instructions:

Clean your container and remove the lid. If you are using a plastic bottle carefully cut it in half. Optional: Paint the outside of your container a bright color to attract more bees.

Place large paper rolls inside the container. Make sure they are not too squished and still have an opening.

Cut paper so it is the same length as your container, and about 4in wide. Tightly roll the paper length-way around a pen or pencil, add a few pieces of tape to secure and slip the pen/pencil out. Then, tape off one end of the newly made paper tube.

Once you have made several smaller paper tubes, place them inside and around the toilet paper rolls so that all open ends are facing outward. Repeat until the container is full. The paper tubes should not fall out when container is tipped over.

Once complete, tie some string around the container and hang it in your garden.

To better attract bees to their home, make sure there is a water source near by as well as plenty of flowering plants.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Scien-Tastic!

Bigger Questions, Better Answers, Bear Down A monthly science feature sponsored by

A Search for the Beginning— the Higgs Particle mass, meaning it takes a lot of energy to create it.

And once it’s created, it disappears or “decays” in a tiny fraction of a second, leaving behind lighter particles.

But until the Higgs boson was seen, there would be no way to know if Peter Higgs’ idea was right. So thousands of scientists from hundreds of universities and laboratories around the world (including the University of Arizona) worked together to build a machine that could create enough energy to produce it, with detectors that were sensitive A particle collienough to record the parsion that might ticles created when it dehave produced cays. The machine is called a Higgs particle the “Large Hadron Collidin the Large Hadron Collider. er” or LHC, and was built near Geneva, Switzerland,

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RN ent © 2016 CE

A particle detect

or at the LHC

at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN). By 2012 enough data was collected for the scientists to be sure that they had seen the Higgs boson. So the mathematics that Peter Higgs wrote down 50 years earlier was correct, and now we know for sure why particles have mass!

However, there are still many things that scientists don’t know. There’s even a mystery about what makes up most of the universe! So scientists and the LHC are still working and looking for even more answers.

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Did You Know?

Gravity is the only force that cannot be described using the mathematics that explains electromagnetic, nuclear strong and nuclear weak forces.

You can prove that gravity exists by dropping a bowling ball on your foot.

It was Albert Einstein who explained why!

Fun Facts!

Terry Pratchett in his Discworld series often refers to CERN and the LHC. “Perhaps it was the look of someone permanently doing sums in his head, and not just proper sums either, but the sneaky sort with letters in them.”

In the Star Wars trilogy, Obi Wan Kenobi does not specify what force, but the force.

“May the force be with you.”

Many think that Matt Groening, in one show, had Homer Simpson at the chalkboard writing out the formula that predicted the Higgs boson.

ATLAS Experim

ATLAS Experiment © 2012 CERN

As far back as written language will permit, man has looked for the beginning.

And every culture has sought to find the answer to that question in the sky. Did we come from nothing? Is there a guiding force “out there” that makes it all happen?

As scientists increased their skills, they learned that what seemed to be solid objects were made of molecules, which were made of atoms, which were made of protons, neutrons and electrons. Then they discovered that the protons and neutrons were made of even smaller particles called “quarks.” But matter does nothing if not acted upon by force.

Scientists have identified four forces in the cosmos including gravity, electromagnetic, nuclear strong and nuclear weak. The mathematics that describes all the forces except gravity is called the “standard model” of particle physics.

But the standard model does not easily explain something that seems to be obvious—that particles have mass. In 1962, a British physicist, Peter Higgs (and others), wrote scientific papers about a particle that would interact with all the others, and give them mass in the process. This would be like an on-switch to all matter. Scientists named the particle the Higgs boson and the American physicist Leon Lederman wrote a book calling it “The God Particle.”

Many scientists dislike that name, but it stuck in the minds of laypersons around the globe.

The problem was, scientists hadn’t seen a particle like the Higgs boson. It’s not an easy thing to see!

For one thing, the Higgs boson itself has a lot of

February 2019 •

In Star Trek, characters lost and gained mass as they traveled to and from the ship.

“Beam me up, Scotty!”

Contacts To learn more about the Higgs boson, contact Professor Erich Varnes, Ph.D. at varnes@physics.arizona.edu

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e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Girl Scout Cookies Are Here!

Where Does the Money Go? Girl Scout Cookie season is in full swing. Girls all across Central and Northern Arizona are conducting Walkabouts in their neighborhoods, hosting cookie booths at local businesses, and the Girl Scout Cookie Finder App makes it easy to indulge in these sweet treats. But hurry! Girl Scout Cookie season only lasts until March 3.

Did you know that 100 percent of proceeds from the Girl Scout Cookie Program stay local? It’s true! Proceeds benefit the local council and support Girl Scouting in Arizona for all girls. The Girl Scout Cookie Program helps Arizona Cactus-Pine Council provide programs in STEM, the outdoors, life skills, entrepreneurship, leadership training and more, all year long.

When you purchase Girl Scout Cookies, you are investing in the future! Over half (53 percent) of female entrepreneurs and business owners are Girl Scout alumna. Girl Scouts learn essential business skills that will allow them to make

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Aniyah Hendricks, a Daisy from Troop 4929, does Walkabouts in her neighborhood on the first week of GS Cookie Season!

valuable contributions to the country’s workforce and economy.

Girl Scouts use their earnings to power amazing experiences for themselves and their troop, including paying for summer camp, which is right around the corner!

Each box sold is also an investment in the community, as many girls use their proceeds to fund service projects they are passionate about. From helping animal shelters and the homeless to cleaning up the environment and combatting bullying—Girl Scouts are determined to make the world a better place and use cookie proceeds to do that!

Though they are hard to resist, you don’t have to eat cookies to support these cookie bosses. Cookies for the Community is a cookie donation program where customers can purchase a box of cookies to donate. Troops individually choose which cause or non-profit organization they would like to donate cookies to. Arizona Cactus-Pine Council has partnerships with United Food Bank and St. Vincent de Paul.

You can find a booth near you when you use the Girl Scout Cookie Finder App. Just visit www.girlscoutsaz.org/ cookiefinder.

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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February 2019

Volume 40 • Issue 6

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Continued from page 6

Justice League Serves Arizona!

by Reporter Natalia Garcia Servin, Arizona Desert Elementary An Award-Winning Arizona Original for Kids & Families Editor & Publisher

Sales Director & Publisher

Stephen B Gin

Nancy Holmes

City Editor

YR Coordinator

Copy Editor

Art Director

Mike Loghry

Gary Shepard

Renee Griffith

Julie Madden

Bear Essential News for Kids®

is published monthly by Kids’ View Communications Corp. to educate, enrich and entertain children and their families.

For over 35, years the content of this newspaper has been designed to promote reading and writing skills as well as creativity. Classroom educators are welcome to reproduce any portion of this newspaper for their students. Call or fax Kids’ View Communications for any additional information on stories.

Call toll free: 1-866-639-7543 for any editorial or advertising inquiries.

©2019 Kids’ View Communications Corp.—all rights reserved 2525 E. Broadway Blvd., #102 • Tucson, AZ 85716 Fax (520)792-2580 Bear Essential News is distributed free each month.

Empowering Kids for a Brighter Future!

BearEssentialNews.com Printed with recycled newsprint.

ENDORSED BY THE

Arizona Education Association

Who is your favorite superhero? Superman, Batgirl or even Spider-Man? Imagine what it would be like to dress up as your favorite superhero and help others! Christina Fay, President of Justice League Arizona, does just that!

“I’ve been a fan of DC Comics since I was a little girl. I dressed up as Supergirl for Comic-Con where I was recruited,” she says. Fay is 23 and got involved in the Justice League five years ago. This is her first year as president. Fay says that she is the first female president.

Fay’s favorite characters are Catwoman and Supergirl. “I love Catwoman because she is sassy and makes her own rules, and I love cats.” Supergirl is Superman’s cousin, and he has always been her favorite superhero. “She is also independent, strong and brave despite her lonely background,” says Fay. Justice League Arizona volunteers at charity events. “You can find us in parades at Comic-Con and at the Children’s Hospital,” says Fay. Fay has personally volunteered at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital, police departments and at National Adoption Day. There are about 70 members throughout Arizona.

“My favorite memory is when we helped these two ill siblings who were going to Disney World with Make A Wish Foundation. Before their flight took off, staff let us go down to the Tarmac and take photos by the airplane,” she says.

Fay says Batman or Superman seem to be kids’ favorites. They are classic superheroes that everyone knows. Girls love Wonder Woman and Supergirl.

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Our son does not have a diagnosis, but we wanted to help him with balance and coordination. Sensory Learning and Interactive Metronome gave him more than that. He has better eye contact and interacts more effectively with his peers.

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e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

February 2019 •

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February 2019

Let’s Go...

VALLEY METRO! Valley Metro Helping Planet Earth—One Ride at a Time!

Valley Metro is an excellent way of getting around town while helping Planet Earth one ride at a time!

City buses are big, and light rail trains are bigger with lots of seats inside so we can help many people travel around our beautiful cities. We all

share the responsibility of protecting Planet Earth.

The more people using transit means a lot fewer cars on the road, which is part of the air pollution solution. Transit trips help conserve energy too!

Have a look at the chart at the bottom of this page to see how the rider numbers stack up!

M

ore than just the ride, most of the city buses run on cleaner-burning fuels like Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Light rail trains get their power from electricity.

Solar energy provides the power at our Light Rail Operations and Maintenance Center as well as at our East Valley Bus Operations and Maintenance facility. Solar power makes electricity without causing pollution.

Many city bus stop shelters light up with solar power. At the 3rd St and Washington Light Rail station, there is an on-demand solar-powered cooling system. It is definitely the cool place to wait for Valley Metro light rail trains on warmer days.

Every day Valley Metro employees are committed to providing our riders with a safe environmentally friendly way to travel.

Solar panels at Valley Metro’s Light Rail Operations and Maintenance Center

How Public Transportation Helps You and the Planet!

176 vehicles = 176 drivers

1 bus = 44 passengers 4 buses = 176 passengers

1 light rail vehicle= 175 passengers

For more information

602.253.5000 valleymetro.org

3 light rail vehicles= 525 passengers