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AR O UND THE W O RLD United States

On Feb. 14, people all over the world start thinking about love. In America, Saint Valentine’s Day, or what we commonly know as Valentine’s Day, is celebrated in a number of ways, from making homemade Valentine’s Day cards for your friends to exchanging candy or flowers. For adults, Valentine’s Day may mean a date night for your parents who go out to spend some quiet time together. But Valentine’s Day wasn’t really about romance until the Middle Ages. In reality, Saint Valentine’s Day was a religious celebration, which most people agree celebrated the life of Saint Valentine who was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. It is said that during his imprisonment, he healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius, and before his execution he wrote, “from your Valentine” as a farewell to her.

South Africa

When you think of Africa, many people think of exotic animals like giraffes, zebras and lions. When people go to Africa to see these animals, they call it going on a safari. South Africa is known for its large number of both public and private game reserves and national parks.

These areas are known for their conservation of wildlife. If you wanted to go on safari, you might want to check out Addo Elephant Park, the Bontebok National Park and the Mountain Zebra National Park. Each of these parks specializes in the protection and well-being of the animal from which it takes its name.

English.................French...................................................(Pronounced) Mask................... la masque............................................. [lah mah’skuh] Tuesday.....................mardi........................................................[mah’r’dee] Fat.................................gras.................................................................[grah] Purple..............................violet........................................................[vee’oh’lay] Gold........................................or.....................................................................[ohr] Green.......................................vert..................................................................[vehr] Parade......................................le défilé...............................................[luh day’fee’lay] Music...........................................la musique..............................................[lah moo’zeek] King Cake...................................la galette de roi...................................[lah gah’leht de roi] Let the good times roll. . . . .laissez les bons temps roulez......[leh’say lay bawn tawn roo’lay]

MARK E. THOMSON DDS • PC

Mozambique In Mozambique, Feb. 3 is celebrated as Heroes’ Day. While it is the celebration of a number of heroes, it particularly concentrates on the life of Eduardo Mondlane, who was a leader in the fight for independence. Mondlane was President of the Mozambican Liberation Front from 1962 until his assassination on Feb. 3, 1969. Each year his death is remembered by parades and speeches. Mozambican Heroes’ Day reminds all Mozambique citizens to pay homage to the sacrifices given by Mondlane to bring independence to the country.

Ceremonies, like the one below, are held at the heroes’ graveyard in the Mtwara region.

Bonjour Mes Amis!

It’s February and this month we will celebrate Mardi Gras on the 12th. This is a big party that they have in New Orleans, Louisiana to celebrate the day before lent starts in the Catholic Church.

There are parades, music, floats and a special cake called King cake. Most of the colors they use are green, gold and purple; in 1892 it was declared that the colors had meaning: purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power.

The phrase Mardi Gras literally means “Fat Tuesday” because Ash Wednesday is the next day. The people of New Orleans believe that you need “let the good times roll” (party) before you need to behave for the next 6 weeks until Easter! Here are some fun words to learn ! ext month about Mardi Gras.

See you n

Votre ami,

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February 2013

NORTHERN NEW YORK’S FUN FAMILY NEWSPAPER Serving Clinton and Essex Counties PUBLISHER Daniel Alexander dan@denpubs.com 518-873-6368 Ext. 206 GENERAL MANAGER Allen K. Dunham aldunham@denpubs.com 518-570-7248 TRUMAN ASSISTANT/GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laurie Goff graphics@denpubs.com ILLUSTRATOR Cover & Truman • Dan Nelson MARKETING 518-873-6368 NATIONAL EDITOR Joy G. Kirkpatrick kvnews@kidsvillenews.com Kidsville News, Inc. Bill Bowman President For Sponsorship & Marketing Opportunities Please Call: 518-873-6368 P.O. Box 338, 14 Hand Avenue, Elizabethtown, NY 12932 Published Locally By Denton Publications, Inc. Copyright 2012 Kidsville News! Inc., All Rights Reserved. Truman is a service mark of Kidsville News! Inc. and the Kidsville News! logo is a registered trademark of Kidsville News! Inc. No part of this issue of Kidsville News! may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without permission of the publisher or the copyright holder. Neither participating advertisers nor the publisher will be responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, or typographical errors.

The publishers reserve the right to edit any submitted material. Kidsville News! Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or other material. Children’s submissions should include name, address, telephone number, and permission to publish signed by a parent or guardian.

Hi Kids!

Have you ever heard of Dr. Seuss? He is one of my favorite authors. He wrote The Cat in the Hat and many other books that you have probably read. Read Across America Day, celebrated on the Dr. Seuss’ birthday, is one day when everyone across America in big schools and little schools focuses on reading and how important it is. Books can take you to places you have never been. They can teach you great things, and maybe most importantly, they teach you how to imagine the impossible. I think this is one of the best days all year long. Read Across America is on March 1. You can read more about Read Across America Day in the Connection section.

February is Black History Month - a great time to talk about the integration of baseball and the Harlem Renaissance. Jackie Robinson was the first black baseball player to join the major leagues. Now, anyone can be a professional baseball player if he is good enough.

Speaking of professional baseball players, I heard from Marcus Stroman this month and learned a lot about the sport. Find out more about it in the “What’s It Like To Be...” section.

Your friend, Do you like to play baseball? What is your favorite sport?

Truman@denpubs.com EMAIL ME, I LOVE MAIL!

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Kingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Subclass: Order: Family: Genus: Species:

Animalia Chordata Vertebrata Mammalia Theria Tubulidentata Orycteropidea Orycteropus Afer

Aardvark

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The name aardvark comes from a word meaning “earth pig.” Although the aardvark, which is a native of Africa, shares some similarities with the South American anteater, the two are not related. The last survivor of a group of primitive ungulates (which is an animal that walks on its tiptoes), the aardvark could more accurately be called a near-ungulate that has developed powerful claws.

The aardvark has a short neck connected to a massive, almost hairless body with a strongly arched back. The legs are short, the hind legs longer than the front ones. The head is elongated, with a long, narrow snout and nostrils that can be sealed. The long, tubular ears are normally held upright but can be folded and closed. The short but muscular tail is cone-shaped and tapers to a point. The thick claws on the forefeet are well adapted for digging.

Aardvarks are found in all regions, from dry savanna to rain forest, where there are sufficient termites for food, access to water and sandy or clay soil. If the soil is too hard, aardvarks, despite being speedy, powerful diggers, will move to areas where the digging is easier.

Aardvarks are mostly solitary and nocturnal (which means they move around at night) but sometimes will come out during the day to sun themselves. When aardvarks sleep, they block the entrance to their burrow, leaving only a very small opening at the top, and curl into a tight ball. Especially during the rains, aardvarks may dig themselves new burrows almost nightly. Many animals, including ground squirrels, hares, civets, hyenas, jackals, porcupines, warthogs, monitor lizards and birds, use abandoned aardvark holes as shelter. When pursued, an aardvark will furiously dig itself a hole, and when attacked, may roll onto its back and defend itself with its large claws or use its thick tail to somersault away from its attackers.

As it is nocturnal and has poor eyesight, the aardvark is cautious upon leaving its burrow. It comes to the entrance and stands there motionless for several minutes. Then it suddenly leaps out in powerful jumps. At about 30 feet out, it stops, rises up on its legs, perks up its ears and turns its head in all directions.

If there are no sounds, it makes a few more leaps and finally moves at a slow trot to look for food.

Aardvarks give birth to one offspring at a time. The pinkish, hairless newborn stays inside the burrow for about two weeks and then begins to follow its mother in her search for food. The young aardvark first eats solid food at three months of age and is suckled until four months.

At about six months, the young male becomes independent and goes off on its own while the young female stays with the mother until after the next baby is born. The young female may then dig her own burrow a few yards away from her mother but still join her to forage for termites.

Aardvarks eat termites. They move from one termite mound to another, dismantling the hills with their powerful claws. Insects are trapped by the aardvark’s long protractile tongue (as long as 30 cm), which is covered with a thick and sticky saliva. Sometimes the aardvark will press its snout against an opening in a mound and suck up the termites. Aardvarks, with their keen sense of smell, also hunt for the long columns of termites that move outside the mounds at night.

Source: www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/aardvark

February 2013

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Connections “A person’s a person, no matter how small.”

These are words written by Theodor Seuss Geisel.

You might know him better as Dr. Seuss.

Dr. Seuss once said, “Children want the same things we want. To laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted.”

What better way for you to be entertained and delighted than through the reading of a good book. Books can be your best friend, but only if you open your mind and use your imagination to put yourself in the story.

That’s one of the things that Dr. Seuss did very well.

He wrote stories that make us laugh. His words were joyous. They made us think: How do green eggs and ham really taste? And if he was around, wouldn’t Sam I Am be a great friend?

In celebration of Dr. Seuss and of reading, the National Educators Association decided to honor Dr. Seuss by celebrating books on his birthday, which is on March 2. This year, Dr. Seuss’ birthday is on a Saturday, so the Read Across America celebration will be held on Friday, March 1, so that you can celebrate with all of your friends at school.

Every year, millions of children across the country celebrate Dr. Seuss and the fun that can be found through reading by celebrating Read Across America Day, which is a nationwide reading celebration that brings thousands of schools, libraries and community centers across the nation together to partici-

pate in the celebration.

The theme of this year’s event is “Grab your Hat and Read with the Cat.” Most of you have probably read the book that the theme is taken from. Can you figure it out? You’re right! It’s The Cat in the Hat. The book tells the story of poor Dick and Sally who are stuck in the house with nothing to do.

If you have read the book, then you know that once the cat arrives, no one is bored anymore. The big Cat in the Hat changes the dull day into a crazy adventure, and, while he is at it, he almost wrecks the house!

While most of us think the book is just fun, Dr. Seuss wrote it for a particular reason. At the time the book was written, the books that children learned to read from were called “primers.” Dr. Seuss thought the books were altogether too boring and that the children were “too polite and too clean.”

He thought that children were not interested in reading about these kinds of children, and that by forcing them to read these books, schools were actually making children not want to learn to read.

So he put fun back into reading class!

That’s why the Nationa Education Association decided to celebrate this tale of mischief and the joy

of reading. Dr. Seuss’ writing, which so many of us love, has been called “brilliant and playful.” The books, which always showed respect for kids, have been favorites of four generations of children, and along the way, it has taught millions of kids how to read. Maybe you are one of them.

The first Read Across America was held on March 2, 1998, with a stated purpose of motivating children to read. Over the years, the celebration has grown. The National Education Association puts on the celebration with support from more than 50 national nonprofit and association partners. Locally, everyone — from schools to libraries to community centers to churches to hospitals to bookstores — is invited to host local events to celebrate and promote children’s reading.

In many places, schools take great joy in participating in the Read Across America event. Many of you may remember marching in a parade at your school last year or dressing up like Dr. Seuss characters in celebration of the day.

Last year at some schools, students had the chance to do daily activities throughout the week.

In many communities, kids had a week full of fun.

At one school, Monday was wear red and blue in celebration of the book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. On Tuesday, students wore a shirt with the name of a place they had visited, which saluted the book Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Wednesday was wear funky socks day, and students read Fox in Socks. Thursday, kids wore mismatched outfits in celebration of Hooray for Diffendoofer Day, and Friday was “wear a star or no star” day, which comes from the book Sneetches.

One of the big events all across the nation is an attempt to break the record for the most Accelerated Reader tests taken in one day. Last year, at Rockfish Elementary School in Fayetteville, N.C., students took 1,574 AR tests, which broke the national record!

What will you do to celebrate Dr. Seuss and to encourage your friends to read?

CHILDREN’S DVDs

IN THEATERS Escape From Planet Earth February 14 Scorch Supernova (voiced

by Brendan Fraser) is the greatest hero in the universe. “Rescue” is his middle name. He’s also a big ham.

Scorch and his brother Gary are proud protectors of the galaxy. Just because they are blue aliens from the faraway planet of Baab doesn’t mean that Scorch and Gary (Rob Borddry)

can’t make their way to the notoriously dangerous planet Earth when they get an SOS signal.

Once on Earth, Scorch gets captured and sent to the top-secret military site known as Area 51. It’s up to Scorch’s smart but undersized brother to break him out so they can return to their home planet and save their own people. Jessica Alba, Sarah Jessica Parker and James Gandolfini contribute voice characterizations to the animated 3D fun. Not Yet Rated at press time. 95 mins. (The Weinstein Company)

s

Cole Smithey, also known as “the smartest film critic in the world,” has been a film critic for 11 years and writes for over 50 publications, in print and on-line. Truman loves to watch movies and has the highest appreciation for great popcorn.

An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars Available February 19 Learn about the athletic world of child gymnastics with Meet McKenna Brooks (played by Jade Pettyjohn).

McKenna is an ambitious young gymnast with her sights set on going to the 2016 summer Olympics.

McKenna falls behind in her studies at school because she’s so worried about doing well in gymnastics. She’s not studying enough. Her parents want to get a tutor for their daughter, but McKenna insists she can do better in school without a tutor. Problems pile up as McKenna tries to overcome her personal weaknesses in order to do well in her studies — and in the gymnasium. It’s a good thing her parents, coach and teachers know how to give McKenna the help she needs. Gymnastics champion Cathy Rigby stars in this warm-hearted family movie, along with Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”).

Not Rated. 94 mins. (Universal Studios)

Primary Care Keene • Lake Placid • Tupper Lake

Hospital Care Lake Placid • Saranac Lake

Long-Term Care

Mark Twain Original Family Classics Available February 5 Here are two enjoyable movie adaptations of Mark Twain classics — “Huckleberry Finn” and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” “Huckleberry Finn” (1975) is a made-for-television movie staring a young Ron Howard in the title role of a poor but carefree Southern boy who has his own ideas about everything.

Dodging death and danger at every turn is all part of Huckleberry Finn’s daily adventures. After escaping the clutches of his father, Huck teams up with his old pal Jim, a runaway Mississippi slave. Together, the two friends explore the wild world around them.

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is a timeless movie from 1938. It follows Tom Sawyer as he gets in and out of trouble along the Mississippi River. Tom’s best friend Huckleberry Finn shows up to share adventures on a remote island with Tom after the boys witness a murder. Look for mystery and suspense to go along with the laughs.

Not Rated. 168 mins. (Echo Bridge Home Entertainment)

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February 2013

Come Out and Play...

Baseball

Since the 1800s, Americans have loved baseball. Alexander Cartwright is known as the father of baseball. According to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, in the mid 1840s, Cartwright was a founding and influential member of the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York City, baseball’s first organized club. Cartwright likely played a key role in formalizing the first published rules of the game. In 1849, Cartwright left New York and went to California in search of gold. On his journey west, he took his love of the game with him and shared it with people he met along the way.

The Knickerbocker Club and the New York Nine played the very first game of baseball in 1845 in Manhattan. They were the first two official baseball teams that existed, but rules weren’t made the same for everyone that played until 1851. This was a huge step and allowed leagues to be formed and the sport to be united.

Unfortunately, for many years, not everyone could play baseball together. African-Americans had their own leagues and couldn’t play with everyone else.

They couldn’t play in any of the minor or major leagues that were becoming extremely popular. It didn’t even matter how great of a player one was; if someone was African-American, he couldn’t play in the all-white leagues. It wasn’t until 1946, almost 100 years after baseball became popular, that Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. This event was important because Jackie Robinson was a fantastic player, but he was also black. Today players of all nationalities come together to compete, and race does not matter at all when it comes to baseball.

Age doesn’t matter in baseball either. It is a game that anyone can play, children or adults. In order to play, you need a baseball, a bat, four bases, a glove and a few people to play with. It is best to play the game outside in a large and open area. The four bases should be placed around the field in a diamond shape. The first is home plate. The next is first base, then second and finally third base.

A pitcher stands in front of the home plate, and the batter stands at the home plate. When the pitcher throws the ball, the batter tries to hit it. If the batter hits the ball, he then runs to first base. If he hits the ball far enough, he can run further, but he doesn’t have to. All the other players on the field who are on the other team try to tag the runner out. If the batter misses the ball, it is called a strike, and he is allowed three before he is automatically out.

Instead of being measured in halves or quarters, baseball is measured in innings. There are nine innings in baseball (six in Little League). In an inning, both teams have a chance at bat. The teams switch after three outs, and after the second team has had its three outs, the inning is over.

Players include one guarding each base, a pitcher and three people in the outfield to catch the ball in case it goes too far. A catcher sits behind the batter with a facemask and a large glove and chest padding to catch the ball in case the batter misses.

Baseball is a great way for friends and family to have a fun time and stay fit together.

Source: Baseballhall.org

Did you know that Dr. Seuss really wasn’t a doctor at all? Did you also know that we actually pronounce his name wrong? If you want to pronounce the name the way his family did, say Zoice like voice, not Soose. Seuss is a Bavarian name and was his mother’s maiden name.

Theodor Seuss Geisel — known as “Ted” to family and friends — liked to say that he adopted the name “Dr. Seuss” because he was saving his real name for the Great American Novel he would one day write. But that’s probably not true. He was more interested in telling a good story than he was in telling a true story.

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Love One Another

2012: Year of Eclipses

by Barbara Gilmour

“Hello, everyone,” said Ms. Gilmour as she greeted Tanner, Nicole, Rudy, Stephen, Carmen and Truman the Dragon. She continued, “In our last class, we talked about setting goals for the New Year. Who remembers what we called those?”

Several hands went up, but Rudy was first to say, “New Year’s resolutions.” All the kids cheered for Rudy.

“Who knows what holiday we have this month?“ asked Ms. Gilmour.

All hands went up. Everyone said “Valentine’s Day” at once.

“What is Valentine’s Day all about?” she asked.

“LOVE!” Some of the kids made smooching motions. Others said, “Yuk” to that. But all knew what “love” meant.

“Let’s continue our New Year’s resolutions with a “Cool Kind Kid Challenge” to love one another,” Ms. Gilmour suggested.

Nicole was first to say, “I like that idea. Let’s make big red hearts to put around the school.”

Stephen jumped in with, “We can write ‘LOVE’ on each one.”

Carmen was excited to add, “Let’s also add something to each heart not to do, like ‘LOVE, don’t tease.’”

Everyone was getting into this idea. Tanner shared, “These hearts can be reminders of ways to treat others.”

Truman added, “I like those signs that have a line through what you shouldn’t do. We could do something like that. ‘LOVE — teasing.’”

Ms. Gilmour watched as the kids got excited about this idea. She said, “It looks like you have an art project. How many different things should be included?”

Many suggestions were made, including staring, picking on, bullying, excluding and ignoring. Truman thought about these and added, “Those are things we shouldn’t do. Let’s add some things we should do to show love to one another.”

Ms. Gilmour smiled and said, “Great idea, Truman. Now what can we add to the hearts to challenge kids to ‘love one another’?”

Nicole jumped in with, “LOVE — be kind!”

Rudy added, “LOVE — be caring!”

Tanner said, “LOVE — be polite!”

Carmen added, “LOVE — be friendly!”

Stephen said, “LOVE — include everyone!”

Tanner said, “What about ‘LOVE — defend the bullied!’”

“Good one, Tanner,” said Ms. Gilmour.

Truman said, “I have one that will help kids learn that ‘kind is cool.’ It is ‘LOVE — is cool!’”

“That’s an important one, Truman, because we want kids to learn that showing love and kindness is cool, and that teasing and bullying are uncool,” shared Ms. Gilmour.

“Where else can you show LOVE besides school?” she added.

“I know,” exclaimed Nicole. “To my family.”

Rudy added, “That’s not so easy. My older brothers always tease me.”

Everyone came around Rudy and told him they cared about him. They encouraged him to show love to his brothers anyway.

Truman spoke up here and said, “I know how that feels. I get teased about being big, about being different, even being green. But I try to not let it bother me. When I show Barbara Gilmour, Tanner’s grandmom, is love to others, they soon show love back to me.” the creator and developer of the “Cool Kind Tanner added, “That sounds as though The Kid” Social Skills, Character Values and Anti-Bullying educational materials and the Golden Rule works!” award-winning “Cool Kind Kid” (Try this heart activity in your school or family.)

Audio CD. She also writes the Children’s © Cool Kind Kid

When Earth and the Moon were very young, they were much closer together. The Moon was so close, it took up a huge part of Earth’s sky. When it hung overhead in the daytime, it cast such a shadow on the surface of Earth that in many places, it would have been almost like night.

Over Earth’s long history, the Moon has drifted a lot farther away. Now it just so happens that the Moon takes up almost exactly as much of the sky as the Sun does. That is because the Sun is 400 times wider (larger in diameter) than the Moon, but it is also 400 times farther away than the Moon. Isn’t that awesome?

What are the odds? Actually, nobody knows.

What this happy coincidence allows is a perfect total eclipse of the Sun. That means the Moon, when it is just in the right spot at the right time, can hide the Sun, exactly covering its disc. When this event happens, the Sun’s corona, or atmosphere, “pops out,” looking like a broad halo of fire.

On the left is the annular eclipse of The Moon’s orbit around Earth May 20, 2012, as seen from a slightly cloudy sky in Tokyo, Japan is not an exact circle, however. (photo by Norihito Nakae, Wikimedia Sometimes it’s a little closer to Commons). On the right is the total Earth than at other times. The solar eclipse of November 13, 2012, closer it is, the bigger it looks to as seen from Mt. Carbine in Australia us. If a solar eclipse occurs when (photo by Specialcreateru, Wikimedia the Moon is farthest from Earth, Commons). the Moon looks smaller. This smaller-looking Moon does not quite cover the disc of the Sun. This type of eclipse is called an annular eclipse. The Sun’s disc shows as a thin “ring of fire” around the edges of the Moon.

What a great year for eclipses 2012 was! We had two solar eclipses: an annular eclipse on May 20 and a total eclipse on November 13. These eclipses looked different, depending on your location. If you were right in the Moon’s shadow as it moved across Earth’s surface, you would see the annular (May 20) or total (November 13) eclipse. If you were outside the shadow, you would have seen only a partial eclipse, with some or most of the Sun still peeking out from “behind” the Moon.

Find out more about solar and other kinds of eclipses, including the rare Venus transit of 2012, at spaceplace.nasa.gov/venustransit.

This article was written by Diane K. Fisher and provided through the courtesy of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Manners Blog, offering tips for teaching your children manners and social skills. www.CoolKindKid.com.

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February 2013

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE...

A Baseball Player Have you every wondered what it’s like to play a professional sport? When he was little, Marcus Stroman played all kinds of sports — football, basketball and baseball. He really excelled at baseball and now he’s playing the game professionally! The right-handed pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays is originally from Medford, N.Y., on Long Island. He was a pitcher at Duke University for the past three years, and in June 2012 was selected in the 2012 Major League Baseball amateur draft in the first round, and 22nd overall. There’s talk that he could be selected for the Major Leagues in the next year or two. His fastball can reach 94-95 mph, but his best pitch is the “slider.” Marcus was excited to tell Kidsville News! more about what it’s like to get started in professional ball.

Truman: What does it take to become a professional player?

Stroman: It takes a great deal of dedication and hard work to become a professional athlete.

I’ve worked to become a professional athlete ever since I could walk. While my friends were out having fun, I was often practicing and doing everything it took to become successful. I’m a very confident individual who has defied many stereotypes over my career. I’m 5’8”, which is considered really small for a pitcher. Many scouts and critics have doubted my ability based purely off my height. I use that to motivate me and continue to have a chip on my shoulder to prove all the doubters wrong.

HEIGHT DOESN’T MEASURE HEART! Truman: When, and why, did you first become interested in this profession?

Stroman: I’ve loved baseball ever since I began playing sports at the age of 3. Baseball was actually my third favorite sport behind basketball and football. As I grew older, I started to realize that baseball was my best sport and the sport that I could make it the furthest in. I played shortstop and pitched all throughout college (Duke University) but realized that pitching would take me to the next level after my dominant summer in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League in which I did not

Truman: What’s the best part of your job?

allow an earned run in more than 27 innings.

Truman: What do you do every day? Describe a typical day on the job.

Stroman: During the season, I work out daily, do my throwing program, condition and play games.

We often play night games, so I would show up to the park around 1 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game. Before the night game, I would workout, run, get my arm loose, eat some good food and play some ping pong before heading out to the field. In the off-season, I work out daily and train extremely hard to ensure that I’m ready for the season.

Truman: What has the transition been like from being a college baseball player to becoming a professional player?

Stroman: The transition has not been tough at all.

My coach in college (Sean McNally) had plenty of experience

Stroman: The best part of my job is definitely the interaction with fans. I love interacting with fans and signing autographs. Honestly it is the best thing in the world! To know that you could make someone’s day just by signing an autograph or having a conversation. Twitter is a huge tool to help me interact with my fans. I love it! Lol! If you are on Twitter, follow me @MStrooo7.

Truman: What is one accomplishment in your career of which you are most proud?

Stroman: One accomplishment that I am most proud of is being drafted in the first round. Everyone said I wouldn’t be able to do it because of my height, and it was the best moment of my life when it happened, to know that all my hard work throughout the years had finally paid off.

Truman: What is your favorite hobby or thing to do when you are not working/playing baseball?

Stroman: Just hanging out with friends and shooting some hoops. Basketball is my favorite sport and if I was blessed with some height there’s a good chance that I would have pursued it. But everything happens for a reason! I also love food! I enjoy going out to eat at the best places in whatever town I may be in.

in the professional baseball world. We did everything as if it were a professional team setting. My transition was easy because my work ethic stayed the same, and I found that I was successful doing the same things I did at Duke. The only thing that changed was that the competition is much better on the profession level than Photo courtesy of Alyson Boyer Rode, Alycat Photography college.

Truman: What’s the hardest part of your job?

Stroman: Hardest part of my job is being able to stay humble and focused when things get tough.

Sometimes, when you’re struggling, its hard to stay confident. It’s important to not let a bad game get to your head! The ability to have a short memory is crucial.

Truman: What advice would you give to kids who are interested in pursuing a career as a professional athlete?

Stroman: I would say that you must be dedicated and willing to work hard from a young age. Playing professional sports takes great commitment and the ability to work hard when no one is watching. Also, to focus on your grades in school. I was able to do very well academically in high school which allowed me to get into a prestigious university known as Duke.

Without school, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to showcase my talents in college, which means that there’s a good chance that I would never be drafted. Stay in school, work hard, and have fun!

Truman: Thanks for sharing with us, Marcus! Good luck in your career, and maybe I’ll get to see one of your games someday!

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Happy Birthday Wishes to: to: Wishes

See More info for the Snowball Schedule on page 9

Mr. L...................Plattsburgh..................2/2 Nicole P.............Plattsburgh..................2/4 Kaitlin C..........Elizabethtown................2/9 Courtney A..............Peru......................2/12 Will G......................Lewis.....................2/14 Collin P.................P’burgh...................2/23 Mrs. M...................AuSable...................2/23 Rhonda G........Elizabethtown..............2/24 Bruce C.............Ticonderoga...............2/27 Ben G...................Westport..................2/28

Congratulations to Courtney!!!

Who won the $25.00 Gift Certificate from Your Friend

Our Local Local Artists Artists Our

Lindsey Bennett Age 8 1/2, Grade 3 Home Schooled

Brenna Mulvaney Age 8, Grade 3 Beekmantown Elementary

KeeganS mith Age 8, Grade 3 Morrisonville School Addis o n A g e 11 Ke lti n g , G rad e5 M o r r is o nv i l le E le m e n ta ry

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February 2013

Hi! I’m Digger Mole and I work for NYCO Minerals.

Did you know that our mineral, called “Wollastonite”, is shipped all around the world?

2013

Schedule of Events continued from page 8

SUNDAY

20009

FEBRUARY

MONDAY

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

The Snowball Collaboration is a group of North Country nonprofits and businesses who are embracing the wonder and opportunities of winter in the North Country. In this spirit, we have developed a month long series of free to low cost events that combine science, art, good health, recreation and fun. During the entire month of February children and their families can participate in a wide variety of activities that will help you beat the winter blues. Snowball: putting the fun in February.

A big Thank You to everyone who made Snowball possible: Collaborators - Organizations participating in the Snowball Collaboration:Beartown, Behavioral Services North, Champlain Valley Transportation Museum, Child Care Coordinating Council or the North Country, Clinton County Youth Bureau, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton County. Cornerstone Bookstore, Go Plattsburgh, Journey Into Reading, Kidsville, Mountain Lake PBS, North Country Cultural Center for the Arts, Olive Ridley’s, Plattsburgh Public Library, PSU English Department, PSU Physics Club, RSVP of Clinton County, Saranac River Trail Committee, Sunrise Rotary, Town of Plattsburgh Recreation Department

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

1

2

8

9

Funding for the Snowball Collaboration was made possible through a generous grant from the Foundation of CVPH Medical Center Media Sponsor: Mountain Lake PBS Graphic Design for Snowball by Shawna Armstrong: shawnaarmstrong00@gmail.com

3 4 5

6 7

Hershey’s Chocolate Founded in 1894

Create a Vacuum Day Weatherman’s Day

Super Bowl Day

Toothache Day

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 National Inventors’ Day

Umbrella Day

National Gumdrop Day

MARDI GRAS

(In honor of Thomas Edison’s birthday)

Always 47 days before Easter; also known as Fat Tuesday.

Get a Different Name Day

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Love Your Pet Day

Random Acts of Kindness Day

International George Washington Dog Biscuit born, 1732 Appreciation Be Humble Day Day

24 25 26 27 28 International Polar Bear Day

Quiet Day

February 2013

Public Sleeping Day

World Thinking Day

Responsible Pet 0wners’ Month

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Page 9

Adirondack for Kids is a foundation established by the Adirondack Family of businesses to offer grants to nonprofit organizations supporting youth activities in the areas where Adirondack operates.

20004

Child Care Coordinating Council of the North Country Many Programs to Help all Kinds of Kids!

Last month I told you about the United Way and that we can all make a difference by taking the time to GIVE, ADVOCATE & VOLUNTEER. This month I’d like to tell you about a great United Way member agency called the Child Care Coordinating Council of the North Country, Inc. Whew! That’s a long name but that’s because they do all sorts of things when it comes to helping kids like us here in the North Country.

Their name comes from 20 years ago when it was there mission to coordinate childcare in the North Country, that means if your mom or dad or a neighbor needs to find a licensed day care provider this is the place to call. The reason they know who is licensed by the State of New York for daycare is that if someone wants to become a licensed daycare provider the CCCCNC is where they go to get that license. It doesn’t matter if it’s a single person, or a group or even a center based daycare this is the place to get licensed.

Family Programs There are four centers serving communities here in the North Country that are part of the Adirondack Network of Family Resource Centers. They offer lots of different programs to help families raise kids. Here are the programs offered, but because of funding not all centers are able to offer all programs, it’s best to call the center near you to find out where you can attend a particular program. I listed the names of the centers and the phone numbers at the bottom.

There are play groups for parents or even grandparents and kids that are too young for school. This is important for little kids to learn to play with other kids especially if they don’t have brothers and sisters. It is also great that the parents get to talk to the other parents and make new friends. They also offer screening to see how a little kid is developing (de-vel-oping). That means how they are learning, growing, understanding or hearing. Just stop by during normal business hours and someone can help.

They also welcome parents who need to talk to other parents about us because sometimes it just helps. It’s called Parents Anonymous®. They have two different times this group meets, it’s 5 to 6:30PM on Tuesday evenings or 10 to11:30AM on Thursday mornings. Two things I want you to remember when you are telling (that is the ADVOCATE part) someone about this is that KIDS ARE WELCOME TO COME TOO! Kids can be any age from infancy to early teens, we can participate in the children’s program while parents are talking. Did I mention that the Tuesday evening meeting has food like pizza and the Thursday morning meeting has a

The Resource Center 194 US Oval Plattsburgh 561-4999

Families R Us 24 4th Street Malone 481-7281

Conservation o Tips Just for Kids r n e r

Family Matters 40 Marion Ave Tupper Lake 359-8167 Tips Just for Kids

Taking care of our environment is a very important job.

Make a bulletin board that has pictures of areas that are clean and those that are spoiled by litter or trash. Write a story about the difference between the two and what can be done to make dirty areas clean again.

Taking care oforour Whenever you visit a park beach,environment carry out what you bring in - keep unwanted items in a bag or backpack is untilayou can put very important job. them in a litter basket.

Ask ana bulletin older family teacheroftoareas find that out who keeps your city’s parks and public areas Make boardmember that hasorpictures are clean clean.

Have class by litter or trash. Write a story about and those thatyour are spoiled write letters inviting to come to the school andtospeak the difference betweenthem the two and what can be done makeabout the importance of not littering.

Learn more about dirty areas clean again. eading Keep Ameri how you canyou take care of your community’s by reading Keep America of America.”

Whenever visit a park or beach, carry outpublic what lands you bring brochureitems in a bag or backpack until you can outh group write inBeautiful’s — keep unwanted “Take Care America.” put them in aof litter basket.

Have in your classororteacher youth group a letter to a Ask aneveryone older family member to findwrite out who keeps different your business to ask that they help keep city’s parks and public areas clean. Have your class write the city clean keeping theto lids on dumpsters closed. lettersbyinviting them come to the school and speak about the If your family recyclable a binabout at curbside, up take loosecare papers importance of notputs littering.

Learninmore how youtiecan of that could blow out. your community’s public lands by reading Keep AmeriSource: Keep America Beautiful ca Beautiful’s brochure “Take Care of America.”

snack? A nice thing to think about is that even if you might have a parent who is in jail they can go to one of these meetings there too. I like to think that they have a group to talk to like my mom and dad do when they need to “vent” as my mom puts it! She says “venting” is saying out loud what is bothering her and not keeping it all bottle up inside.

Some of the kids we go to school with are not living with their mom or dad, and sometimes they need a place to see each other that is safe and comfortable. The CCCCNC offers that The program is called the Neutral Ground Supervision Visitation Program.

There are books, games and art materials for us too.

There are many reasons why some of the kids we go to school with may not be able to live with their parents so they live with their grandparents or an aunt, uncle, older brother or sister. The CCCCNC offers a Kinship Caregiver Program This program offers a support group to the adults where they can share ideas and solutions/ It also offers a “respite” on weekends where the kids can come play and the adults can have some of the day to do other things. The program also offers a 4-H club to the kids in the program. One other thing this group offers is a “Pact Night”. That is when they all get together, kids too, for fun activities and crafts. To share family, build trust and just discuss dreams you know what you want life to be like, now and in the future. This is a great idea to do with your own family, even if you are not part of this group.

Take the time to talk about your dreams with your family.

There are also classes for parents who want to learn to be the best parents they can be.

What class a parent takes depends on the age of their kids. That way they are learning things that will help them and us now. These classes are called Parenting Enrichment classes.

The one thing I forgot to tell you is that if you are in the area during regular hours you can just stop by and play. Just like all the family programs this is a free service. The way that the CCCCNC can offer all of these family programs free of charge is through grants and the funding they receive through the United Way. This is just another way that we can all LIVE UNITED. By supporting the United Way we support the work of programs like this, programs that help us and our neighbors and the “community” in which we live.

Below are the addresses and names of the 4 centers, stop by sometime, you can use the services or even volunteer your time. Remember GIVE, ADVOCATE, VOLUNTEER! Your Friend,

Families First 196 Water St Elizabethtown 873-9544

All Family Programs are FREE!

Send It! Hey Kids! Truman wants your original artwork, letters, poems, and stories! He may want to print them in an upcoming issue of Kidsville News! or put them up on the website. Just have your parents fill out this form and send it along with your work.

Name School Grade Address City Your Signature (This is your own work) Parent’s Signature (Permission) Phone#

Age

State

Zip

Hint: Send your work in color and on unlined paper!

Titus Mountain Family Ski Center in Malone offers equipment to rent - skis, snowboards, blades, lessons, a tubing hill, and fun for the whole family. Come see us and te C o me C e le b ra maybe you can ski with yo u r Birthday with T it u s Teddy!!

TitusT eddy!!

75286

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February 2013

Exploring Nature!

4IFSJ "NTFM t XXX FYQMPSJOHOBUVSF PSH

Deep Sleepers

Hibernation Hidden Picture Find the 10 things hidden in this hibernation scene.

Black Bear Ursus americanus Black bears can sleep for six months of the year, but they are not true hibernators. They go into a deep sleep called torpor. They don’t eat or drink, and their body does cool off, but unlike true hibernators, they can wake up in case of danger.

Hibernation Fun Fact!

The heartbeat of true hibernators slows from about 80 beats per minute to just four, while their temperature can drop from 98° to 40°!

.BUDI UIF "OJNBM (SPVQT UP )PX 5IFZ 4VSWJWF UIF 8JOUFS E B

D C

A

True Hibernators

Migrates South

Deep Sleepers (Torpor)

Turns White in Winter

Searches for Food All Winter

True Hibernators - E, Migrates South - C, Deep Sleepers - A, Turns White in Winter - B, Food Searchers - D 20006

Exploringnature.org is an award-winning resource that inspires learning about science, conservation and the

February 2013

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PUZZLEVILLE! Creative Coloring

It’s time for Valentine’s Day. Color in this picture to create your own masterpiece.

By Jan Buckner Walker

The Original Crossword Puzzle for Kids and Their Favorite Adults

™

The across clues are for kids and the down clues are for grown-ups!

Kids Across

1. Clusters of someone's hair (or what people use keys to open) 4. Pres. Lincoln wore a long one 7. A single piece of hair 8. A short haircut for women (or a short name for a man named Robert) 10. Justin, the teen with cool hair who makes many girls scream when he sings "Baby" 12. What you have to do to "The Cat in the Hat" to find out what happens to the blue-haired creatures named Thing One and Thing Two 14. The long hair at the end of a pony 16. To cut someone's hair (but just a little bit) 18. A line in your hair made

A Very Hairy Crossword by a comb 19. Jungle animals whose manes are the main thing you notice on their faces 21. What a blow dryer makes as it blows hot air through your hair 22. A girl with straight hair who wants a new style might call it a hot rod: ______ iron

Parents Down

1. Like Rapunzel's hair 2. If it's intentional, it's a tie (if not, it's a tangle) 3. One with hair like Cameron Diaz 4. Classic updo (or burger bread) 5. Michael Jackson's round childhood hairstyle 6. Makeover in a bottle

7. Condition of ends that can cause a frizzy effect 8. Cute clip on a pigtail 9. Trademark hair hue of the humorous Mrs. Arnaz 10. Flaps one's lashes, as the average person does about every five seconds 11. Sultry starlet who sang that diamonds are a girl's best friend 13. Sitcom's "it" girl: Roommate Rachel, with impressive tresses 15. It's the salt in salt and pepper 17. Cartoon theme lyrics: "_____ Bear is always in the Ranger's hair" 20. Initials of actor who said, "All the men in my family were bearded, and most of the women": ___ Fields

What’s the Difference?

There are four things different between Picture A and Picture B. Can you find them all?

Page 12

™

This Week’s Solution

kris@kapd.com

KAPD ebooks now available on www.kapd.com

12/30/12

© 2012 KAPD, LLC

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!!

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February 2013

Truman and remind you to ...

Grab Your Hat and Read With the Cat The National Education Association, Kidsville News! and Truman invite you to join them in a celebration of the birthday of Dr. Seuss Friday, March 1, 2013 Join us as we

Read Across America www.kidsvillenews.com • www.nea.org/readacross www.readacrossamerica.org • www.seussville.com

20012 33898

February 2013

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Page 13

ParentTown is sponsored by your locally owned

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February 2013

Learning About H earts & BBodies odies Calories Hearts

H ealthy Healthy

KIDSVILLE KITCHEN

Together Time — Ask an adult for help with projects!

Watching TV That’s loaded with calories!” “Are you counting your calories?” and playing video games When people talk about the calories in food, what do they won’t burn many calories at mean? A calorie is a unit of measurement — but it doesn’t measure weight or all, which is why you should length. A calorie is a unit of energy. When you hear something contains 100 try to limit those activities to 1 calories, it’s a way of describing how much energy your body could get from to 2 hours per day. A person eating or drinking it. burns only about 1 calorie per Are Calories Bad for You? minute while watching TV, Calories aren’t bad for you. Your body needs calories for energy. But eating about the same too many calories — and not burning enough of them off through activity — can as sleeping! lead to weight gain.

Most foods and drinks contain calories. Some foods, such as lettuce, contain few calories (1 cup of shredded lettuce has less than 10 calories). Other foods, like peanuts, contain a lot of calories (1/2 cup of peanuts has 427 calories).

You can find out how many calories are in a food by looking at the nutrition facts label. The label also will describe the components of the food — how many grams of carbohydrate, protein, and fat it contains.

Here’s how many calories are in 1 gram of each: carbohydrate — 4 calories protein — 4 calories fat — 9 calories That means if you know how many grams of each one are in a food, you can calculate the total calories. You would multiply the number of grams by the number of calories in a gram of that food component. For example, if a serving of potato chips (about 20 chips) has 10 grams of fat, 90 calories are from fat. That’s 10 grams x 9 calories per gram.

Some people watch their calories if they are trying to lose weight.

Most kids don’t need to do this, but all kids can benefit from eating a healthy, balanced diet that includes the right number of calories —not too many, not too few. But how do you know how many calories you need?

How Many Calories Do Kids Need?

Kids come in all sizes and each person’s body burns energy (calories) at different rates, so there isn’t one perfect number of calories that a kid should eat. But there is a recommended range for most schoolage kids: 1,600 to 2,500 per day.

If you eat more calories than your body needs, the leftover calories are converted to fat. Too much fat can lead to health problems. Often, kids who are overweight can start by avoiding high-calorie foods, such as sugary sodas, candy, and fast food, and by eating a healthy, balanced diet. Exercising and playing are really important, too, because activity burns calories.

How the Body Uses Calories Some people mistakenly believe they have to burn off all the calories they eat or they will gain weight. This isn’t true. Your body needs some calories just to operate — to keep your heart beating and your lungs breathing. As a kid, your body also needs calories from a variety of foods to grow and develop. And you burn off some calories without even thinking about it — by walking your dog or making your bed.

But it is a great idea to play and be active for at least 1 hour and up to several hours a day. That means time spent playing sports, just running around outside, or riding your bike. It all adds up. Being active every day keeps your body strong and can help you maintain a healthy weight. © 1995-2013. The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth®. Reprinted with permission.

?

?

??

?

Answer Corner What’s the Difference?

ANSWERS: 1. Mom is wearing lipstick.

2. Dad has a moustache.

3. Mom’s sweater is a different color.

4. The bowl is missing from the table

Get the Picture ANSWER: BOX OF CHOCOLATES

Body Fact ANSWER: THE HEART

People Fact ANSWER: ST. VALENTINE

UFIRST PUZZLE SOLUTION C R E + + + + + + + + + + + Y G OAN + PR E S I D E NTE + R M L I VACAT I O N + N L+ O M LT SAV I N G S + O + I + U U O N + + + + + + + M + + N + N N D E + + + + L+ + + + + C + D I + L + + O + + + + + + + O + H T + AA + + + + + + + + + L + O Y N V + + + + + + + + + + N + G + + + + + + + + + + N OTG N I H SAW +

(Over,Down,Direction) COMMUNITY(1,1,SE) DOLLAR(7,6,NW) GROUNDHOG(1,2,SE) LINCOLN(1,4,SE) LOAN(13,6,SW) MONEY(15,5,N) PRESIDENT(6,2,E) SAVINGS(7,4,E) VACATION(6,3,E) VALENTINE(11,9,NW) WASHINGTON(14,11,W)

? ? ?

Grapes in a Canoe

Created by Ellie Krieger Makes: 4 servings 4 large celery stalks 8 teaspoons peanut butter or almond butter 1 cup red California grapes 32 thin pretzel sticks, preferably whole wheat If necessary, make a slice or two on the spine of each piece of celery so it lies flat on a plate. Spread 2 teaspoons peanut butter or almond butter into each celery stalk.

Place the grapes in a row inside the celery, pressing them lightly into the nut butter. Position 8 pretzel sticks along the the sides of each celery “canoe” to look like oars for the grape “rowers.”

“I really like my new Pediatrician, Dr. Celotti.

He really knows how to care for North Country Kids.

That’s because he used to be one!”

Accepting new patients. Call for an appointment.

Elizabethtown Community Health Center 66 Park Street, Elizabethtown, NY 12932 518-873-6896 • www.ech.org 20008

February 2013

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Page 15

Clinton, Essex, Franklin

LIBRARY SYSTEM

4 192

Enterprise

2012

Our mission is to create a fun, engaging, educational newspaper and web site for all elementary age children, their parents & teachers, that encourages reading as a lifelong habit and promotes literacy & education. When it comes to literacy & child development, if we are to help develop a child’s habits, truly affect the way they think and act, to help develop their minds, we must start at a young age. We hope that you will consider partnering with us too! Together we can take childhood learning to the next level and have a positive impact on our community and our future leaders.

Cultural Connections:

Harlem Renaissance

20014

News

The Harlem Renaissance was a 10-year period that changed America forever. Music and writing were two art forms that changed greatly during the Harlem Renaissance, but another great thing that happened was that it helped to bring equality to America.

A renaissance is when artists, like painters, writers and musicians, change the way they make art. The biggest change that happened was the growing popularity of art created by African-Americans. Before this time, African-American artists were not very popular across America. A great number of the people who lived in Harlem were from the African and Caribbean colonies, so many of them spoke French.

Harlem is a part of New York City. It was in this part of the city that most of the changes in art grew and became extremely popular. Even though the Harlem Renaissance took place in the 1920s and 1930s — more than 70 years ago —Harlem is still known as a great place for music and art.

One of the biggest changes to occur during the Harlem Renaissance was in music. Jazz, a style of music that is mix of ragtime and the blues, became popular again during the Harlem Renaissance. Jazz music was a music that was often played with brass instruments like saxophones and trumpets, but other instruments, such as bass guitars, were also used. One of the really special things about jazz music was that much of it was improvised when it was performed; when the musicians went on stage to play, they made up some of the song as they went along.

A certain style of jazz called scatting was also developed. Scatting occurs when musicians make up nonsense words in the song so that their voice sounds like an instrument. The first person to scat was Lois Armstrong, the famous trumpet player. Duke Ellington was another extremely popular jazz musician who was very good at scatting.

Literature or writing also changed greatly in the Harlem Renaissance. Much of the writing talked about the struggles African-Americans faced in America while it was still segregated. Langston Hughes was one of the most famous writers during this period. He was famous for all of the poetry he wrote, and he helped to write many pieces that explained what African-Americans faced at the time. Many African-American authors became very popular during this time.

One of the most important things the Harlem Renaissance did was to change how white Americans viewed African-Americans. Before the 1920s, when the movement occurred, African-Americans were usually seen as poor farmers. The Harlem Renaissance, however, proved that African-Americans were great Langston Hughes — Author artists. Prior to the Harlem Renaissance, white actors would take the role of African-Americans in plays, but after this period, African-Americans were seen more as equals and were allowed to act in plays about them. The Harlem Renaissance helped to bring equality to America, as well as new art.

20011

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February 2013