Bear Essential News Jan 2019, Tucson Edition by Bear Essential News

Bear 40 YEARS!

Happ y New Year!

essential news

January 2019 • Tucson Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

2019 Birthday Guide! See pages 17 thru 20

In This Picture: Find a New Year’s party hat, a cupcake, a football, a glass of punch, a lollipop, MLK Day, 2019, a crown, a pig and the word FUN!

FEATURE

NEWS

WILDLIFE

Dealin g with Your Money Government S hutdown S ave More, Spend Less S cien-Tastic! Currency and using it wisely! pages 14 & 15

Spotlight on fab space photos News Highlights page 5

& more news kids can use. Scoops! pages 7 & 19

Sharks & ocean balance Page 13

PARTIES!

Birt hday G uide Let the fun begin! Pages 17 thru 20

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January 2019

Teacher Month

Nominate Your Teacher!

of the

Parents, faculty & students—let us know who you think should be in the spotlight!

James A. Weaver D.D.S., M.S. Laura Robinson-Rabe D.M.D., M.S. Kyle Rabe D.D.S., M.S.

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.

Teacher Shows That You Can Finish What You Start!

ack Murphy teaches sixth grade at Centennial Elementary. He teaches math to all the sixth-graders in addition to teaching literature and reading for his homeroom class. Murphy taught fifth grade for many years at Centennial before moving to sixth grade two years ago. He says his own fifth-grade teacher was an inspiration to him. “What a great profession this is, helping kids learn,” Murphy recalls thinking as he approached his senior year. He went to a small school in a small town in Pennsylvania. Murphy also was inspired by his family, which includes other teachers and an uncle who is a college dean. Murphy has six siblings, including a twin sister, and one of his brothers teaches fourth grade. He did not realize this dream right away, though. He did not finish his degree when he first attended state college. It was later, when he was encouraged by his wife to return to school, that he graduated from the UofA and started teaching. Murphy says he tells this story at the beginning of each school year as an example to students that “you can finish what you start.” Student Francine writes, “Mr. Murphy is such a great math teacher because he knows how to make math interesting and fun.” She notes that she is new to

Centennial this year. Murphy says he was honored by this nomination, especially since it came from a new student. “It shows that you can make an impression in a short time,” he says. Murphy loves running—he runs every day—and enjoys reading and gardening in his spare time. He has plans for a future hobby. He says he has always been intrigued by glass blowing. He will stand and watch it being done with fascination. Murphy would like to take a class and “take it up as a serious hobby when I retire,” he says. He says there are parallels between this art and teaching. Both glass art and students take many shapes and require multiple steps to develop. “Every kid is molded differently, is shaped differently,” he notes.

Fun Facts: Twin pursuits: Murphy nurtures students, and his twin sister nurtures patients—she works as a nurse. Hopes: “I just want kids to grow up being kind to each other and being good students,” he says. “I hope to see them 10 years down the road, and they’re happy.”

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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January 2019

JOIN THE EAGLE NATION!

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January 2019 •

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News Highlights Wikimedia Commons phot o

As of press time, many places like the Smithson ian Museum of Natural His tory were closed.

the nation’s capital. On Jan. 3, two women were sworn in to represent Arizona in the Senate: Kyrsten Sinema, who won the November election, and Martha McSally, who was appointed by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to fill Sen. John McCain’s seat. Sinema is the first woman elected to represent Arizona in the Senate, but she was not the only member of Congress to make history on Jan. 3. Marsha Blackburn became the first female senator from Tennessee, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman ever in Congress, Kansas and New Mexico sent the first Native American women to Congress, and Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar became the first Muslim congresswomen.

Elusive Marsupial Is Spotted in Indonesia Can you imagine what it would be like to spot an animal that hasn’t been seen in nearly 100 years? A tourist and amateur botanist from England may have done just that when he photographed what scientists believe is a rare tree kangaroo that hasn’t been seen since 1928. The Wondiwoi tree kangaroo was assumed to be extinct until Michael Smith photographed a creature high in the trees of the Wondiwoi Mountains in Indonesia last summer. Smith and his group traveled to an elevation of more than 5,000 feet in dense forest when they started seeing signs of a tree kangaroo: scratch marks on tree trunks and dung. Tree kangaroos are tropical marsupials and close relatives to wallabies and ground-dwell-

Amazing Unmanned Spacecraft

Politics Shut Down Federal Government January has been a big month in the nation’s capital and across the country. A partial government shutdown that began on Dec. 22, 2018, continued into the new year. This means that about 25 percent, or 800,000, federal employees have been in unpaid status since the shutdown. Some are FURLOUGHED, meaning they cannot go to work, while others are being required to work without pay until the shutdown is resolved. The shutdown is not just a problem for the federal workers who aren’t receiving a paycheck. There are others who are being affected as well—from people who cannot visit the National Parks and the Smithsonian because they were forced to close due to the lack of funding to local businesses that rely on the business of government workers during the week. The shutdown may become a bigger problem for more people if it continues to drag on. January is the time when many people start filing their taxes and some people receive a refund from the federal government. While the IRS will be accepting tax returns, refunds will be delayed during the shutdown—which could cause lots of frustration for people around the country who rely on that money to pay bills. Our state also made big news earlier this month in

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ing kangaroos. They weigh up to 35 pounds and have muscular forearms to pull themselves up tree trunks. They remain surprisingly well hidden in tree canopies and are hard to spot. Smith and his group were feeling discouraged on their search and were beginning to turn back and head down the mountain when Smith spotted what he thought might be a Wondiwoi tree kangaroo. He was able to snap a few excellent photos and reached out to several experts on tree kangaroos before he made his finding public. Experts seem to think there is little doubt that the shy little creature is a Wondiwoi tree kangaroo. Smith’s images were clear and show a distinctive coat color. Plus, the Wondiwoi Mountains are miles away from a suitable habitat for related kangaroos. It’s thought that the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo has a very limited habitation area, perhaps just 40 to 80 square miles. However, scientists at Global Wildlife Conservation are working to confirm the sighting. They are attempting to obtain permits to verify the critter’s identity through DNA sampling and protect it with conservation safeguards. Here’s hoping the shy and elusive little critter is in fact the Wondiwoi tree kangaroo and that it’s safe in the tree tops!

Unmanned spacecraft sent to explore some very special places in our solar system recently beamed back some fantastic photos! The first was taken in early December by OSIRISREx, a sample return mission by NASA being run by the University of Arizona. The spacecraft flew more than two years, covering more than a billion miles to catch up with an ancient asteroid named Bennu. As it neared, cameras built by the UofA snapped a series of images, carefully pieced together by the imaging team back on Earth to create an awesome GIF of the spinning asteroid! On New Year’s Eve, OSIRIS-REx MANEUVERED perfectly to orbit about a mile away from the asteroid, which could be older than our solar system. It is the smallest object in space ever to be orbited by a spacecraft! On New Years, the New Horizons spacecraft, launched in 2006, had made it to the Kuiper Belt near the edge of the solar system to do a flyby of Ultima Thule, a minor planet which may be the result of a collision that stuck Ultima and Thule together. At more than 4 billion miles from Earth, it’s the farthest object in our solar system ever visited. New Horizons is headed even deeper into the Kuiper Belt. Then on Jan. 2, China’s National Space Administration landed its Chang’e-4 spacecraft on the far side of the moon (the side we don’t ever see from Earth), deploying its rover Yutu 2 to cruise the bottom of the Von Karman crater.

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January 2019

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Get the Scoop!

‘The Nutcracker’ Gets Southwest Flair by Reporter Rori L. Divijak, Quail Run Elementary Recently I went to see “The Southwest Nutcracker” performed by the Tucson Regional Ballet. It was very entertaining because of all the amazing dancing. It was about two hours. There was no dialogue, but there was a lot of dancing. All the dances looked complicated and the children and adult dancers impressed me. The performance was about a young girl named Maria who gets a nutcracker doll from her uncle for Christmas. She falls asleep by the Christmas tree, and then has a wild dream that takes her to many different places. One of my favorite dream scenes is when Maria comes across a pack of coyotes who battle the nutcracker and his soldiers. There was a scary part during that scene, the coyotes had a cannon and when it sounded, it scared the whole audience. The soldiers and Nutcracker General were victorious. Another fun scene was when Maria and the Nutcracker General met three rattlesnakes in the desert. During intermission, one audience member was selected from a raffle and crowned the new Snow

Queen. After the performance, children in the audience were able to pay a fee to perform with the ballerinas. We were taught a short, simple dance and we were able to come out from under Mama Pinata’s skirt as we performed for our family members. The Southwest Nutcracker by the Tucson Regional Ballet was very fun and I hope to go again with my family next year.

Smile Train Helps Give Kids New Smiles by Reporter Sidney Smith, Academy of Tucson Ten-year-old Ella Pastorelli, born and raised in New York, was born with a cleft lip. Ella had the cleft lip repaired when she was only 4 months old. Ella was lucky; other children in undeveloped countries often aren’t able to have surgeries like this. That is why Ella supports Smile Train. This is an international children’s charity that raises money to get kids with a cleft lip or palate the medical help they need. Ella sets up a lemonade stand every year to raise money for Smile Train.

Middle School My school held a bake sale for one week to raise money for Smile Train. The students wanted to give three children surgery, which costs $750. Our school sold sold $752 worth of baked goods. I think that this matter is important because these kids are being bullied every day and I like to prevent bullying. Worldwide, one in 700 children are born with a cleft lip or palate. I completely support Smile Train! I read about Ella in Storyworks Magazine. You can donate or find out more at www.smiletrain.org.

Sage Advice: Save More, Spend Less by Reporter Reporter Lizzy Barrett, Ocotillo Ridge Elementary I interviewed financial advisor Natalie FernandezLee from Greenberg Financial Group. We talked about different kinds of finance including budgeting. A way to budget is to use moneyboxes. Fernandez-Lee gave me the moneybox tool kit. There are three moneyboxes: spending, saving, and sharing. The moneyboxes help you plan and understand how to use and think about money. The tool kit is a great way for kids to keep track of deposits and withdrawals

and check progress along the way. The moneyboxes encourage kids and parents to develop personal goals, wishes and positive experiences. Another way to save money is coupons. Coupons allow you to spend less on certain items. You can get coupons from a store or newspaper, or print them from a store’s website. You can also get them by downloading a store’s app. Also, a method to not spend as much money is to look at prices at different stores and shop around. Look at the quantities, compare and see what is the better deal. You can also buy things when they are on sale. Another strategy is to have a bucket of change. The bucket holds change given to you by the cashier. Don’t take money out of your “bucket” so that it can grow. This method can be used for big items, vacations, etc.

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News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids Play Follows Girls on Different Paths by Reporter Sophia Castillo Gale Elementary I went to the play “This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl does Nothing.” In my opinion, it was amazing, funny and interesting. The play was about triplets; Albienne, Beatrix, and Carmen, who all take different paths in life after their father leaves them in the woods at 10 years old. The play takes us through the journey of the girls lives over the next 21 years, through all the ups and downs. After the play I talked to Gabriella Brequet, who played Beatrix and was also the costume designer. She was the girl who cried. She has done over 40 plays. I asked if she gets nervous in front of the crowds and she said, “Yes, but (I’m) inspired by people to keep going.” I talked to Leora Sapon-Shevin, who is very good at transforming into different characters and expressing emotion for each character. She’s been performing on and off her whole life. But this is her professional debut. She says she gets very nervous performing. Her favorite thing about performing is “listening to the audience when they’re with us on stage.” I really enjoyed my experience at The Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre and look forward to seeing more performances. Wolfe Bowart’s “Cloud Soup” shows there Jan. 10–13. Visit scoundrelandscamp.org for information. MORE SCOOPS, page 19 ➧

Young Reporter Night! Thursday, Jan. 17 at

Bookmans—East 6230 E. Speedway 5–6 p.m. (Story editing at 4:30)

This month’s topic: Covering the Tucson Festival of Books Call 792-9930 for more information.

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January 2019

More Than Just a Swim Lesson— Music, Movement, Bonding All In One!

Young Reporter Nigh t For grades 3 thru 8

Is Every Third T hursday Join Us at

Bookmans —East Side 6230 E. Speedway Blvd.

Tucson’s Premier Indoor Swim School

520-877-SWIM (7946)

2850 W. Ina Rd.

www.demontswim.com #130 • N.E. corner on Ina/Shannon

Thursday, January 17 • 4:30–6 pm 4:30 p.m. Article Editing

Presentation: Covering the Tucson Festival of Books For more info please call 792-9930

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Day School

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Also voted WINNER of the Macaroni Kid East Tucson’s Gold Daisy Award for Our Early Childhood Program! • K–8 and Private Preschool & Prekindergarten on a 10-acre campus • Outstanding, Caring, Dedicated Teachers • Small class sizes (1:22 K-5, 1:26 6-8) • Accelerated Classes • FREE Full-Day Kindergarten

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A Champion is:

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January 2019 â&#x20AC;¢

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January 2019

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Boy Scouts Prepares for Name Change as it Welcomes Females Not only is the name of its signature program changing, Boy Scouts of America is welcoming females into its troops, giving them the opportunity to become Eagle Scouts someday! On Feb. 1, the Boy Scouts program will be renamed Scouts BSA, and is offering its program that has been developed over the past 108 years to boys AND girls 11–18. While the organization Boy Scouts of America will still go by that name, it needed to change the name of its Boy Scouts program to be more gender-neutral, which is more in line with its other program names like Cub Scouts, Venturers and STEM Scouts.

Scouts place flags on veterans’ grav es.

“Since we’re introducing girls to the program, we want to kind of realign ourselves with the rest of our program names,” explains Richie Benner, Field Director of the Catalina Council BSA. “We already allow female youth into our Cub Scout program. We started that in 2018.” The Catalina Council serves just over 6,500 young people in Southern Arizona. It, along with the rest of Boy Scouts of America, hopes to increase participation. Sisters Nadine and Princess Gioe are really looking forward to becoming part of Scouts BSA. “I’m pretty excited. Our first troop meeting (for Troop 007) will be Feb. 4,” Nadine says. “I think it’ll be worth it because it’s a good time to make friends and to really explore and get out there. And you can work on business and selling skills—it’s a really nice skill set.” Scouts BSA troops will be either all male or all female. Their friend, Nicole Huelsman, has grown up in a Scouting family. Her two mire Alyssa Le brothers are Eagle Scouts, and their parents are heavily involved with the council. “My main goal is Eagle, but I have to go through every other level before I can get to Eagle,” Nicole says. She looks forward to the character and leadership development that Scouts BSA has always offered. Alyssa Lemire, 9, has loved being in Webelos for the past several months. She enjoys doing the fun and exciting new things Cub Scouts offers. “I love my pack,” she says. “They’re so nice and so kind to everyone, and they welcome girls!” Having the whole family be involved with Scouting activities like earning merit badges and attaining different ranks is central to opening the program to female Scouts. “It allows us to truly do Scouting as a family!” explains Nicole’s mom, Laurene Huelsman. “Now the whole family can participate together.”

Would you like to join Scouts BSA? Call 520-750-0385 or find a unit near you at BeAScout.org

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January 2019

Field Trips Spark the Imagination! FREE Field Trip Transportation Available to Any School! The State of Arizona has given you an opportunity to decide exactly where your tax dollars will be spent. ARS §43-1089-01 allows taxpayers a tax credit if they contribute to extracurricular activities in public schools. Your class wants to go on a ﬁeld trip but a bus is not in the budget? Parents and friends can donate the money and take exactly the amount of their donation off their state taxes.

Up to $200 for an individual Up to $400 for a married couple Complete information can be found on the AZ Dept. of Revenue website.

http://www.azdor.gov/TaxCredits/ SchoolTaxCreditsforIndividuals.aspx

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Society Proudly Presents: The 65th Annual Tucson Gem & Mineral Show ®

Wulfenite owner Les Presmyk Photographer Jeff Scovil

What could be better than seeing kids interested, engaged and actively learning inside a classroom? Not much! But how about the chance for those same kids to learn outside of the classroom? Field trips offer all kinds of learning opportunities—from seeing real-world solutions being played out, to meeting scientists, artists, educators and other professionals out in the community, to experiencing wildlife, natural surroundings and native environments up close. History, agriculture, the arts, science and technology, literature and more await you at exciting educational destinations around the Valley. A study by the U.S. Travel Association shows the learning and life upsides to field trips. Kids who got to go on field trips tended to do better in school, benefit from higher graduation rates from high school and college, and earn more in the workforce! As an article by the National Education Association about these findings notes, “educational trips had a positive, lasting impact on (students’) education and career because the trips made them more engaged, intellectually curious and interested in and out of school.” In other words, field trips matter! It’s not too late to schedule a field trip this school year. Whether it is an experience that complements a curriculum block, or a respite and reward after testing, there are a lot of field trip options available. If you are looking for the right field trip for your class, a good place to get started is by browsing Bear’s online Field Trip Guide at BearEssentialNews.com

Tucson Gem & Mineral Show ® Tucson Convention Center February 14–17, 2019

2 OFF

$ 00

One Adult General Admission

February 14th –17th, 2019 Tucson Convention Center Thursday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. • Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. • Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Junior Education areas opens on Friday, 2/15/19 starting at 2 p.m. and runs through Saturday, 2/16/19 and Sunday, 2/17/19 until 4 p.m.

Children 14 and under FREE with a paying adult. Coupon cannot be used with any other discount.

For more information go to

www.tgms.org or call the TCC for ticket info

(520) 791-4101 option 1

Scien-Tastic! Bigger Questions, Better Answers, Bear Down A monthly science feature sponsored by

Martin Prochazka

cz/shutterstock.c

SHARK! It is a bone-chilling cry that sends swimmers and surfers alike rushing for the sandy shore. But are these creatures really the killing machines we have made them out to be? Every year, all across the world, sharks are responsible for approximately six human deaths, while it is estimated that humans are responsible for the deaths of more than 100 million sharks a year. In fact, there are more than 500 shark species and over a quarter of them are threatened by The bull shark is one of the fierce extinction. Between overfishing, st predators in the ocean. destruction of habitat, trophy fishing and shark finning – a quickly. As a top oceanic predator, sharks help cruel practice in which sharks keep these populations under control. Sharks are are caught only to have their fins removed and important for the environment! then thrown back into the ocean to drown – huSharks are apex predators, which means they mans are removing sharks from the oceans much have very few natural predators in the wild. They faster than they are able to reproduce. This is a prefer warmer waters, like those off the coast of sad situation considering sharks have been on Southern California and Indonesia, but can be the Earth for more than 400 million years! found in all the world’s oceans – including the What would happen to our oceans if sharks frigid waters of the Arctic. And while we have disappeared? Sharks play an important role in learned a lot about them through research and maintaining balance in the ocean ecosystem. study there are still many things we have yet to Their main sources of food include marine understand about these magnifi cent and misunmammals such as seals, and a variety derstood creatures. of fish that reproduce In all, sharks are creatures to be appreciated, not feared!

Sharks Help Keep Oceans in Balance

“Sharks: Magnificent & Misunderstood” This exhibition opens on February 15th, 2019 at Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium. Featuring hands-on interactive exhibits, models, and much more. This exhibit is fun for the whole family and a great ﬁeld trip for school groups.

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Did You Know? Sharks shed their teeth constantly. Some species lose as many as 35,000 teeth in a lifetime. However, sharks’ teeth vary according to their diet, from sharp and pointy to dull and rounded.

By Francesco Volpi Ghirardini/wikimedia.org

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

The giant megalodon had teeth that could grow as large as 7 inches long or more!

Fun Facts! Sharks have no bones. Their skeleton is made up of cartilage like the part of your ear that feels stiff but can be bent. Sharks only bite to see if they like the taste. If they do not, they swim away. This is why people are accidentally bitten by sharks. Sharks much prefer the taste of their natural diet – seafood and marine mammals! Sharks have the ability to detect electrical ﬁelds at short distances. Since all living things give off electricity, this puts the hunting shark at a distinct advantage. Flexible scales on the bodies of these predators allow them to change direction while moving at full speed. This is called “denticle bristling”.

Contacts To learn more about sharks, visit our newest exhibit Sharks: Magniﬁcent and Misunderstood. To plan a visit or for more information, call 621-4516 or visit flandrau.org.

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January 2019

What’s the DEAL with

M NEY? T

he use of objects for exchange goes back to ancient times. Sometimes people would barter things directly, but they also used currency to trade goods. Natural items like shells were used as money to make trading easier.

The shekel in Mesopotamia—the oldest known CURRENCY—was used about 5,000 years ago. By the ﬁrst millennium (1–1000 A.D.) coins made of materials like lead, copper, silver and gold were being used in Europe, Asia and Africa. Paper money, like coins, could be easily carried and made trading faster and more convenient. But paper money has its problems, including counterfeiting and losing its value. Early paper money was a written promise to pay in the future, usually in gold or silver bullion. The bills often had elaborate engravings and signatures by the bankers to try to defeat counterfeits (fakes).

Counterfeiting Colonists The Massachusetts Bay Colony used the ﬁrst American paper money. It was issued in 1690 to pay for a military expedition to Canada, according to the American Numismatic Society. Numismatics is the study of currency, including coins and paper money. Counterfeiting was a big problem in colonial times. Founding father Benjamin Franklin was a renowned printer who, besides printing newspapers and his famous almanac, provided currency for several colonies.

An employee uses a magnifying glass to inspect the printing plates to make sure all of the details are perfect before printing begins!

Franklin was named as the official printer of Pennsylvania in 1730 at age 24. Franklin and partner David Hall were also the official printers for New Jersey and printed currency for Delaware, too. One way Franklin tried to foil counterfeiters was to make his printing plates from molds of real leaves! By the time of the Revolutionary War, when the 13 Colonies were fighting for independence from England, paper money was used to pay for military expenses and for running the colonial governments. Each colony was printing its own currency. Great Britain challenged the colonial currency, not only because it supported the war efforts but because it also was used as propaganda. Unflattering, incendiary images of King George III and patriotic depictions of the Minute Men were common artwork on the paper bills. TIC A national form of paper money was first N E UTH issued by the Continental Congress in 1775. A % 100 But this money was almost worthless after the war, making many Americans reluctant to use paper money. If you’re one of the lucky fans who has seen megahit musical “Hamilton,” or if you listen to the soundtrack or watch the online videos, you may already know that George Washington’s “right hand man,” Alexander Hamilton, was the first Secretary of the Treasury. You can see likenesses of Founding Fathers and original money men Franklin and Hamilton on the $100 and $10 bills. Hamilton helped establish the Bank of the United States in 1791 and established credit for the fledgling U.S. government. The Bank of the United States was a private bank, but it is considered the first central bank. Other private banks around the country continued to issue their own currency. With so many different banknotes around, counterfeiting was a big problem. There were also problems with paper money being depreciated (losing value). During the Civil War, both the North and South printed money to cover the costs of wartime. Confederate money, even more than Continental currency, was worthless after the war. Americans were once again suspicious of paper money. After a financial panic in 1907, the Federal Reserve was created in 1913 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act. Its job is to be a buffer between the government and the economy in order to prevent financial crises. The Fed manages America’s money and sets interest rates.

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January 2019

ow that you know the origins of American currency, think of the ways you and your family use money. First off, how do you get money? Do you earn an allowance? Maybe you just got some money during the holidays or on your birthday! More enterprising young people might pick up extra chores around the house, pull weeds at a trusted neighbor’s house or sell stuff they’ve outgrown or don’t need any longer! Of course, you can try to go the celebrity route—singing, dancing, acting or become a YouTube phenom like 7-year-old Ryan. His family-run channel, “Ryan ToysReview,” has hit it big with 17 million followers and earned $22 million from June 2017 to June 2018. But being a child star doesn’t always turn out so well, and we’ll stick to more ordinary ways kids can earn a buck with more moderate amounts to work with.

Now that You’ve Earned It, What Should You Do With It? When it comes to money, young people usually think of the things they can start buying with it—toys, apps, clothes, favorite foods or treats, books, tickets to the latest blockbuster or more stuff for your collection or hobby. Teens might start thinking of some services they might spend their money on like getting their nails done, having their hair styled and colored or getting their wheels serviced. Do you know the difference between buying the things you want versus buying things you really need? Sure you can spend it, but there are other things you can do with your money. Top on the list is to save it. You also can invest it or share it.

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Sometimes what you really want to buy costs more than you have. And it’s a really good idea to have money set aside for future, unexpected needs. Both require saving money. Sit down with your mom or dad or an older brother or sister who is good with their money and set some goals. How much would you like to save each week? How much are you going to BUDGET for spending per week? And, if you think giving or lending your money (maybe to help other people) is something you’d like to do, how much of your money are you willing to share? Younger kids can ﬁnd three clean jars, label them SAVINGS, SPENDING and SHARING, and ﬁnd a safe place to keep them. Keeping your goals in mind, when you get some cash, decide how much to put where. And if you meet your savings goal, maybe use some of your spending money to treat yourself to something for doing a good job! Gift cards generally end up in your spending jar, which can free up cash in there to transfer to your savings jar! But you also can donate gift cards and put them into your sharing jar. And if you’re saving up to purchase something special, keep an eye out for sales and shop around (online is convenient) so you don’t end up paying too much.

The Art of Money Have you ever held up a bill to see the watermark or metallic band in the paper? Do you ever wonder why there are so many designs, patterns, numbers, pictures and signatures on bills? A big reason is to prevent counterfeiting. But besides the practical reasons, the design of paper money and coins can also be considered works of art. An early coin designed by Ben Franklin reminded Americans to “Mind Your Business,” or pay attention to your work. First President George Washington did not want his image to appear on coins, as he thought this sent the wrong message—since kings and emperors put their likenesses on coins, he believed that he should not follow their example. Instead, the personiﬁcation of Liberty was used to adorn U.S. coins, and still is. Washington did not appear on the $1 bill until 1869. Many people collect coins and old money for the interesting features and artful designs. Of course, old and rare coins and bills can be very valuable, too! Do you have a coin collection?

This is Interesting!

hen you’re serious about saving your money, visit your parent’s bank or credit union and have them open your own savings account! Check ﬁrst to make sure you have the minimum amount to start one—for many places, it’s around $50. And from time to time, you can take the money out of your savings jar and go with your parent to DEPOSIT it into your account. It’s a really good habit to save—your money is safe and insured by the government. Plus, for every dollar you keep in your savings account, the bank or credit union will pay you INTEREST to help your savings account grow. On top of that, it will start paying you based on the combined amount of what you put in and the interest you’ve earned. This is known as compound interest. Traditionally, savings accounts don’t pay a whole lot of interest. So being a good consumer, you can see what other higher interest rates are offered for certain minimum amounts and for certain amounts of time that you’re willing to INVEST your money into. Some of these higher interest-yielding accounts also are federally insured but other types of investments might not be. To help you understand more about money and to help you get into good money habits (the earlier the better!), check out “Money As You Grow,” put together by the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability. A PDF summarizing 20 Things Kids Should Know to Live Financially Smart Lives can be seen here:

http://moneyasyougrow.org/_print/activities_ poster.pdf

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January 2019

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M NEY? T

An employee uses a magnifying glass to inspect the printing plates to make sure all of the details are perfect before printing begins!

! K O

January 2019

•

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This is Interesting!

http://moneyasyougrow.org/_print/activities_ poster.pdf

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January 2019

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Boomer Bear’s 2019

BIRTHDAY GUIDE

BEAR 40 YEARS

store or find out if the venue you have selected will provide them. Four weeks before the party: •Plan the order of events during the party. Will you have activities or games when the guest arrive, when will you serve food, when will you serve cake and will your child open gifts at the party or wait until they are at home? • Place your cake order with the bakery. Three weeks before the party: • Mail the invitations asking the invitees to RSVP by a certain date if they can attend. • Purchase party supplies, goodie bags and items for goodie bags (if your venue does not provide them). • Have the birthday child decide on the outfit they will wear at the party. Most parents will buy the child a new outfit because a lot of pictures and videos will be taken of the child that day. One week before the party: • Call those you invited that have not responded. • Call the venue to adjust the amount of people coming, if needed.

irthdays are a special time for kids. On their special day, they get to be the center of attention and share their day with family and friends. Planning a party can be stressful for parents and trying to find a unique party place that is within the parent’s budget can be stressful too! Bear Essential News has done some research for you and put together a Birthday Guide to help you with your planning. There are many places in Tucson to celebrate. Does your child like animals, painting, science, skating, bowling, laser tag, trampolines, gymnastics, mini golf or the old west? There are so many great venues that offer these themes and more! Here are some helpful tips for planning your party: Six weeks before the party: • Decide how many guest to invite. This will help you decide how large of a venue you will need and what interest the kids have in common. • Decide which venue you will hold the party at, call the venue to reserve your party. See if the venue provides decorations, plates, napkins, goodie bags, etc. • Choose a theme for the invitations. Decide if you will purchase them at the

Day before the party: • Pick up cake or make arrangements to pick up on the way to the venue. • Fill the goodie bags with candy and small party favors. • Make sure camera and video cameras are charged or have fresh batteries. • Pack a notepad and pen to write down names and the gift the guest brought so that you can write thank you notes. One week after party: • Mail thank you notes to guests. Check out Boomer Bear’s 2019 Birthday Guide and start planning for your child’s big day! Happy Birthday from Boomer Bear!

Grab Some Friends

A Great Birthday Party Includes Paint!

and get to Skate Country!

Host your next birthday party at Creative Juice.

Birthday Parties, Private Parties,Lessons, Skate Sales & Service, Skating Sessions For All Ages

Check out the calendar on our Web site for all the details!

Call for birthday party details! www.skatecountry.com 7980 E. 22nd St.

298-4409

5For $5

Bring in this coupon and get admission for up to 5 people. Mon–Thr 3–6pm, Fri 3–5pm Not valid for birthday parties or with other offers. Please limit coupon use to 1 per person per week, thanks. SKATE RENTAL EXTRA Expires 3/15/19

Each guest completes a 16" x 20" masterpiece in a fun and relaxed atmosphere!

For details on Birthday Party Packages— visit our website.

271-5023 • CreativeJuiceArtBar.com 6530 E. Tanque Verde #160 in La Plaza Shoppes

Saturday Kids Workshops

BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2019

Boomer Bear’s 2019

Celebrate your birthday with a

Birthday Blast

PART Y!

Just $20.25

plus tax

per person, with a minimum of 10 guests gets you...

• 2 hours UNLIMITED use of Laser Tag, Bumper Boats, Go Karts & Miniature Golf • Party area with Party Hostess (50 minutes)

• 30 seconds in the Ticket Twister to win tokens and tickets

• Beverages and paper goods provided • Pizza Available

The Ticket Twister! You Did It!

FREE Golf Pass!

Expires 3/1/19

(with the purchase of another at the regular price) 36 Holes of the World’s Finest Miniature Golf • Arcade Wet n’ Wild Bumper Boats • Skee-ball • Indy Go Karts Batting Cages • Laser Tag • Group Rates

www.golfnstuff.com

Continued from page 17

ARIZONA-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM

10% OFF

any Monday–Thursday Party

Call today to reserve yours!

296-2366

6503 E. Tanque Verde Rd.

package at Children’s Museum Tucson. Member discounts available.

520-883-2702 • Tucson 2021 N. Kinney Road www.desertmuseum.org/bday/ www.desertmuseum.org Is your child ready to party with cool cats, zippy bats, and playful packrats? Then slink, swoop, or scamper to the Desert Museum for an unforgettable birthday adventure! You and your guests recieve all-day admission to the museum, 1.5 hours of playtime in the Packrat Playhouse, a T-shirt for the birthday child, animal tracking booklets for all guests and staff support that will provide a fun activity.

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM TUCSON/ORO VALLEY

ENTER

Find your way through the King Putt maze!

BIRTHDAY GUIDE

792-9985 • 200 S. 6th Ave. 11015 N. Oracle Cost varies per package birthdays@childrensmuseumtucson.org www.childrensmuseumtucson.org Experience the joy of discovery, learning and play with a fun-filled birthday party at children’s Museum Tucson or Oro Valley! Packages include a private party room, activities, museum time, balloons and table covers. For your little VIP, check out the after-hours “Very Important Birthday”

CREATIVE JUICE

6530 E. Tanque Verde #160 271-5023 Ages: 5–105 Cost: $20/painter with an 8 painter minimum www.creativejuiceartbar.com Bring your budding artist to Creative Juice to celebrate their birthday. Our talented artists will walk the group step by step through the painting of the birthday boy’s or girl’s choice. Every guest will complete a 16 x 20 acrylic masterpiece in a fun, relaxed environment. You can bring any snacks, drinks, cake and decorations you need to throw a great party. Come experience a new creative alternative to the old run-of-the-mill birthday party.

More Birthday Listings on page 19

January 2019 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

FLANDRAU SCIENCE CENTER AND PLANETARIUM 1601 E. University 621-4516 www.flandrau.org

Make your birthday the best one yet with Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium! Take a trip to the edge of the universe in the Eos Planetarium Theater, dive deep into the depths of the oceans and even take home your own mineral. Birthdays at Flandrau include a planetarium show and use of our private birthday room. Visit flandrau.org for information on pricing, dates and more.

GALAXY THEATRES

100 S. Houghton Rd. • 888-407-9874 infotucson@galaxytheatres.com www.galaxytheatres.com New on Tucson’s east side, Galaxy Theatres Luxury+® Tucson is known for providing our guests with an exceptional time and friendly service in a comfortable environment. We’ve created a state-of-the-art theatre where people can come to relax, enjoy their favorite movies and create wonderful memories, including birthday parties and class trips. Celebrate your special event in-style while seeing the latest Hollywood blockbusters. Contact the theatre for bulk ticket pricing or theatre rentals for your next festivity.

GOLF N’ STUFF

6503 E. Tanque Verde Rd. • 296-2366 x13 Cost $19.50/person and up Late reservations are OK www.golfnstuff.com All parties include 50 minutes in a party or fun room with a birthday hostess. Two birthday packages to choose from! We also offer non-hosted group rates! Make your reservation Monday through Thursday and receive 10 percent off an entire birthday party package! Call for further details and reservations.

HUMANE SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA

Party Animal Birthday Paw-ty 635 W. Rodger Rd. • 321-3704 x171

Cost: $250 or $225 for Hand-in-Paw Members Reservations at least 1 month in advance www.hssaz.org Looking for a fun and unique way to celebrate your child’s birthday? The Humane Society of Southern Arizona offers monthly kids birthday parties. What better way to celebrate your child’s birthday than with animal friends? Party includes visits with Pet VIP dogs and Monty the Python, 3 hours rental of the Education Center. Up to 20 guests with additional 2 to 4 adult chaperones (all guests under 6 must be accompanied by a parent/ guardian). Activities are geared for children 6 and up. Your choice of one craft and one activity option: Photo frames or dog/cat toy. Shelter tour or story time.

Get the Scoop!

4455 E. Camp Lowell Dr. • 881-0606 Cost: Varies • Notice: Space Available theminitimemachine.org

The birthday kid and guests won’t soon forget a party at the Mini Museum. The magical setting, crafts and activities, goodie bags and décor make it easy to celebrate here! Call or visit us online to find out more about our customizable packages.

Continued from page 7

by Reporter Hannah Watson, Old Vail Middle School “Stone Soup” is about a village that works together to make an amazing soup. All the villagers help by grabbing all sorts vegetables and throwing them in a big pot. In the end they all were happy and drank the soup together. On Nov. 20, my mom, older sister and I held a celebration where all of my mom’s preschoolers celebrated this book and ate some stone soup together. All of the preschoolers brought in and cut up a vegetable to add to the soup. All of the little kids loved it and we all had a spectacular time. like “Animal Encounters” are available.

3400 Zoo Court • 791-3204 reidparkzoo.org

SKATE COUNTRY

Calling all animal lovers! Reid Park Zoo’s “Party with the Animals” birthday package is fun for all ages. All of your guests will receive free admission to the zoo and you will dine in a reserved area and have your choice of three buffet options to choose from. The birthday child will receive a special gift and guests 12 and under will receive special goodies and a ticket to ride the Cox Wildlife Carousel. A party attendant will manage your party and special add-ons,

298-4409 • 7980 E. 22nd St. askskatecountry@aol.com www.skatecountry.com Parties at Skate Country are affordable, fun and exciting with plenty of lights, music and healthy, wholesome fun! With the help of a hostess, mom and dad will have no worries and no mess, but plenty of fun. Call or go online for special discount rates.

More Birthday Listings on page 20

OLD TUCSON

520-883-0100 • Tucson 201 Kinney Road www.oldtucson.com/birthday-parties/ www.oldtucson.com Saddle up for an adventure in the old west! A birthday party at this famous movie location will take you back in time with stuntshows, horse and stagecoach rides. You and your guests can ride the carousel, train and drive the miniature antique cars. Birthday packages with pizza and drinks available.

‘Stone Soup’ Has Delicious Lesson

REID PARK ZOO

THE MINI TIME MACHINE MUSEUM OF MINIATURES

BEAR 40 YEARS

g n i l w o B ! s e i t r Pa

2 Hour Birthday Bowling Packages! Starting at Only

$44.99* per lane—for Kids and tweens

Receive $10 OFF Birthday Party Package Online Code: BEONLINE Includes 2 hours of unlimited bowling and shoe rental. Not valid in conjunction with any other coupons. No Cash Redemption. One coupon per party, per day. Must have a minimum of 2 lanes. Offer expires 1/3/2020

A variety of add-ons available. Book online, or at the center. *$54.99 for parties booked after 6:00 p.m. Cactus Bowl

3665 S. 16th Ave. • 327-6561 Lucky Strike

4015 E. Speedway • 327-4926

vantagebowlingcenters.com Contact us: Party@VantageBowlingCenters.com

Fiesta Lanes

501 W. River Rd.•887-2695 Tucson Bowl

7020 E. 21st St. • 747-1363

BEAR 40 YEARS •

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January 2019

Boomer Bear’s 2019

BIRTHDAY GUIDE Continued from page 17

TUCSON PARKS & RECREATION RAMADAS & SPORTS FIELDS

For Ramadas, call 791-4873, Ext. 3 For Fields, call 791-4870 City of Tucson residents: Half day $15, full day $25 Premium half day $25, premium full day $45 Non-city residents: Half day $20, full day $30 Premium half day $30, Premium full day $55 Premium rates are instituted for holidays and/or the holiday weekends www.tucsonaz.gov/parks Spend a special day in the park—reserve a ramada! Book from 8 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; or rent for a full day. Reserve up to one year in advance. Must be paid for within one week of reservation.

TUCSON RACQUET & FITNESS CLUB

4001 N. Country Club • 795-6960 Cost: varies • ajk@tucsonracquetclub.com www.tucsonracquetclub.com Make your next children’s party hassle-free. Our celebrations blend athletics and the outdoors. Your personal ramada includes use of pool, jacuzzi, sand volleyball courts and basketball courts. Everything you need is included: wait staff, tables, chairs, plates, and

utensils. Minimum food purchase $100. We can even cater with great, affordable food and drinks. Ramada rental: $35 for members and $70 for non-members.

VANTAGE BOWLING CENTERS Cactus Bowl • 327-6561 3665 W. River Road Fiests Lanes • 887-2695\501 W. River Road Lucky Strike • 327-4926 4015 E. Speedway Tucson Bowl • 747-1363 7020 E. 21st Street www.VantageBowlingCenters.com

Parties starting at $44.99* you can now reserve 2 hour birthday bowling packages by lane for Kids and Tweens. For $14.99 receive table decorations such as tablecloth, plates and napkins, invitations, and a birthday bowling pin with balloons. Add on a giant 18” cheese pizza & pitcher of soda for $19.99. Each birthday lane comes with shoe rental.** Reserve one lane if that’s all you need, there’s no minimum number of guests required! Get a party hostess to assist you with the party for $25. *$54.99 for parties booked after 6pm. **25 tokens included at Cactus Bowl only.

Have a Happy Birthday!

Children’s Birthday Parties! Make your next party hassle-free. • Ramada rental $35.00 for members. $70.00 non-members; includes use of pool, jacuzzi, sand volleyball courts & basketball courts. • Everything you need for a great party is included: tables, chairs, plates, utensils and wait staff. • We cater with great, affordable food & drinks. (Minimum food purchase $100)

& Fitness Club A Tucson Racquet s this spring: tradition continue with live music! Friday night BBQs . Watch for details

Call 795-6960 for more info or go to

www.tucson racquetclub.com

Tucson Racquet & Fitness Club has been a Tucson family tradition since 1967. Open 24/7 we have 20 acres on the Rillito River path, tennis, hardball, restaurant and much more! Call today or stop in to see why we are Tucson’s most-loved club!

Tucson Racquet & Fitness Club

Where Country Club Road ends and family fun begins!

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

January 2019 â&#x20AC;¢

BEAR 40 YEARS

BEAR 40 YEARS â&#x20AC;¢

January 2019

www.bearessentialnews.com

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January 2019 â&#x20AC;¢

BEAR 40 YEARS

BEAR 40 YEARS •

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January 2019

The 2019 Summer Camp Guide Is Coming in our March, April & May Issues!

B Letters to Boomer Write to Boomer Bear at

Bear Essential News • 2525 E. Broadway Blvd., #102 • Tucson, AZ 85716 or e-mail your letters to boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Dear Boomer, My New Year’s resolution is to get better at spelling so I can write a big story! Your friend, P.H.

Dear H.B., There are so many young people who help make things better for others. Some are part of neighborhood clean up crews. Some collect food, coats or blankets to donate. Some

Good for you, P.H.! Writing gives you valuable practice when it comes to spelling. And just because you don’t spell well yet, don’t let that keep you from writing your BIG story. Once you’ve written your first draft, you can go back and edit it for spelling, punctuation, etc. And one of the best ways to learn new words and how to spell them is to read a lot!

Thank you, Boomer Bear

Hey Boomer, For New Year’s Day, we partied at our house with all our family.

Don’t miss out on promoting your summer program in Arizona’s premier resource for kids and families!

Reserve your space NOW!

Nancy (520) 752-9930 or E mail Nancy@BearEssentialNews.com Call Kathy at (520) 792-9930 or E mail Kathy@BearEssentialNews.com

Volume 40 • Issue 5 Bear Essential News for Kids®

is published monthly by Kids’ View Communications Corp. to educate, enrich and entertain children and their families. Content of this newspaper is 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. Please Call (520) 792-9930 for any editorial or advertising inquiries.

Empowering Kids for a Brighter Future!

BearEssentialNews.com