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community INTERNET SAFETY CLASSES AVAILABLE Keeping young web surfers safe online can feel daunting, but the Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center offers free online classes to help. Each month, three live virtual classes hosted by a trained education specialist are available: one for elementary school students, one for teens and another for adults raising children. Younger children, kindergarten-fifth grade, learn how to recognize unsafe online situations and what they should do when they experience them. Teens also learn about abuse and its prevention. In the adult-focused classes, parents and caregivers will get an overview of what kids face online and advice to help with device management. Funding from the Louisiana Bar Foundation makes the classes possible. ■ facebook.com/brchildrensadvocacycenter
FIRE SPRINKLER SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY A scholarship based mostly on chance could provide a little financial padding for seniors preparing for college. The American Fire Sprinkler Association’s 25th annual scholarship contest offers 10 $2,000 awards. After reading an educational essay about fire sprinklers, applicants answer eight questions. Each correct answer translates to one entry in the scholarship drawing. Awards will be paid directly to the winners’ colleges to be used for tuition and/or books. The deadline is Thursday, April 1. The contest helps “lift some of [students’] financial burdens while also educating them about our industry and the potentially life-saving benefits of fire sprinklers,” says Nicole Duvall, AFSA director of communications. ■ afsascholarship.org
PHOTO BY KLEINPETER PHOTOGRAPHY 2020-21 COVER KID OLIVIA Q.
HEAVY METALS FOUND IN SOME BABY FOOD Some popular baby foods contain high levels of toxic heavy metals, according to a recently released report. After examining a range of rice cereals, purees, puffs and juices from seven of the largest baby food manufacturers, investigators reported the presence of dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury. The chemicals are on the World Health Organization’s list of top 10 chemicals of concern for infants and children. Exposure to toxic chemicals can cause serious and often irreversible damage to babies’ developing brains. The subcommittee on economic and consumer policy recommends mandatory testing, better labeling, phasing out toxic ingredients, and parental vigilance. 14
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EXPERIENCE LOUISIANA WHILE ON HORSEBACK Spring means fresh air and sunshine. One way to make the most of the season is with a horseback riding tour. Louisiana offers plenty of options for all ages and experience levels, no horse ownership required. Close by, BREC’s Farr Park Equestrian Center features a network of horse trails, and guides can accommodate groups of up to eight riders every weekend year-round. Sweetwater Campground and Riding Stables in Tangipahoa Parish offers a wild west experience, and Kisatchie National Forest in Alexandria provides a remote getaway. Hayes E. Daze Ranch in Forest Hill has more than 70 miles of trails with lots of shade, and Splendor Farms in Bush on the Northshore also includes a petting zoo. ■ louisianatravel.com
