July Issue of Growing Up in Santa Cruz

July 2020

Visit us at GrowingUpSC.com

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Brad Kava, Jennifer Ford, Steve Dinnen

Features

ART DIRECTOR

Zelzi Belle

DISTRIBUTION & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Susan Bernstein CONTRIBUTORS

Dr. Nichole Brooks, Lisa Catterall, Erik Chalhoub, Bob Derber, JhoneĂŠ Fillmore, Mary Gaukel Forster, Zach Friend,Karen Kefauver, John Koenig, Jennifer Mahal, Paul Marigonda, Laura Maxson, Jan Pierce, Bob Pursley, Ramona Pursley, Suki Wessling, Nicole M. Young

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Jim Booth Swim School

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Start at 4 months in our 94 ° indoor pool!

Special Education

PHOTOGRAPHER

Kevin Painchaud AD REPRESENTATIVES

Nurturing a love of learning and respect for self, others, and our world.

Serving children 18 months – 15 years.

See our website to schedule a tour (831) 476-1646 | www.scms.org

Discover the power of family music-making with MusicalMe. TAKE OUT

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Ann Fitts ď‚– ann@ growingupsc.com Linda Kay ď‚– linda@ growingupsc.com Sophie Veniel ď‚– sophie@ growingupsc.com CONTACT US

831.239.3444 editor@growingupsc.com

P.O. Box 3505, Santa Cruz, CA 95063

JULY 2020 | VOL. 25 NO. 6

Come see what we’re mixing up!

www.BookakeryBoxes.com Available as 1, 3, 6 and 12 month packages Coupon good for any length subscrip�on. Renews at standard rate. Expires 12/31/2020

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JULY 2020 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

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17 Our Future Leaders

Parenting Special Ed...................................................................... 5 Parenting Internet Age................................................................... 6 Parenting Aquatics......................................................................... 7 Open for Business.......................................................................... 8 Ask Nicole...................................................................................... 9 Local News Thats Kool................................................................... 10 Local News Pet Adoption................................................................ 11 Birth Matters.................................................................................. 12 Healthy Eating............................................................................... 13 Local News Autism......................................................................... 14 Local News Veterans...................................................................... 15 Education Cabrillo Extension........................................................ 16 Local Artist.................................................................................... 17 Local News Student Protestors....................................................... 18 Summer Activity Guide.................................................................. 20 Coloring Page................................................................................ 22

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GrowingUpSC.com | JULY 2020

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PARENTING A Test of Resilience Special Ed During SIP

BY SUKI WESSLING Interested in hearing more? Check the end of the article for a link to our podcast of the full interview!

Editor’s Note Even small changes can make a BIG difference.

Triple P is a scientifically-proven, world-renowned positive parenting program available to families in Santa Cruz County.

Triple P strategies address a wide range of parenting challenges by providing a toolbox of easy-to-use tips.

Find a full schedule of Triple P tips and classes at triplep.first5scc.org.

This program is made possible through a partnership between First 5 Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency (MHSA – Prop 63 funds) & Santa Cruz County Human Services Department.

I n f o r m at I o n : first 5 Santa Cruz County 831.465.2217 triplep@first5scc.org • triplep.first5scc.org

We are living through tough times right now all over the world. Sure, we haven’t been asked to make the sacrifices people had to make in bigger catastrophes. Other generations would laugh at our “problems,� like being asked to wear masks or to stay home and watch Netflix, but we are also seeing firsthand the plight of losing the business you loved and built as the economy goes into a tailspin.

Like most, we are shaking our heads trying to awaken from a bad dream and wondering what will come next and how we will deal with it.

The good news is that our community is filled with loving souls who are glad to help each other and with a few exceptions, want to follow the rules to make sure everyone stays healthy. We know we are in the same boat and are doing what we can to help each other.

For that, we give thanks.

And now we are putting out our fifth issue since the virus crisis took over in earnest, which is part miracle, part labor of love. We have an amazing staff, many of whom have been here for decades, trying to keep the community informed about what’s open, what things families can do and how to best educate kids and their parents. In these times information has never been more important.

In this month’s issue you will learn what precautions you should take for your kids to get swimming lessons. If you’ve adopted a pet during shelter-inplace, we have an expert with training tips. We have an important story about the Autism Network and the valuable services it supplies. We also have tips on helping special education students when there is no school and one on how to use computer screens with good intention during the crisis.

There’s a fun story inside about a kid living his dream by opening a sports collectible store with his dad. And finally, we have the winners of our pet and kid photo contest.

Nicole Young wrote a timely story on how to raise kids without racism. It’s a must read. There’s also some first-hand reporting from students who are leading the protests against racism and police brutality. They tell us what they think without an adult filter.

In short, we are the place for a demographic that is all too often overlooked in local media—families. We want to share information with and about families raising kids and grandkids in a community that has so many other concerns, but none more important than this.

Brad Kava, Jennifer Ford and Steve Dinnen

About the Cover Sisters Claire and Ella along with their dog Maisy are July's Pet Photo contest winners! We had so many adorable pictures

we couldn't resist putting them on the back cover. Thank you to everyone who submitted photos and voted on our website.

Coming in

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JULY 2020 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

AUGUST

Back to School Guide Mythbuster’s Kari Byron

Find July’s Special Needs GUIDE on Our Website GrowingUpSc.com

The January opening of Leo’s Haven, the new inclusive playground in Santa Cruz, was a milestone for children in our community. But Leo’s Haven closes where this story starts: When parents and teachers of students with special needs found out that they were going to have to shelter in place in mid-March. “I still really haven’t processed that loss,� says Trisha Potts, who spearheaded the campaign to create a playground where her son, who uses a wheelchair, could play equally with his peers. �Families who had been isolated because of barriers that they’d find at other playgrounds were coming together and just hanging out.�

Connection is important for families who have children with special needs.

Their children have special medical, social, and educational needs that can be exhausting and expensive. Special needs parenting is so difficult that the Special Parents Information Network (SPIN) was developed to help parents, not students. “We became therapists for everybody,� explains Cece Pinheiro, the executive director for SPIN, remembering back to when the schools were suddenly closed. “We have families with small children and they couldn’t leave them at home and go to work, and having a special needs kid on top of that!�

SPIN took immediate action. It turned out that they had already created emergency backpacks for their families, so Cece donned a mask and gloves and went on the road. “[The backpacks] actually have hand sanitizer and toilet paper in them—we didn’t know it would be such a popular item!�

The families struggled with everything that challenged all families, but even more so. At Trisha’s house, the beginning was definitely rocky. “When the world fell apart on an educational level, I really noticed how back of the line our children got shoved.

Everybody was just trying to survive, and they were trying to meet the needs of the majority.�

Rebecca York is a post-senior Special Ed teacher with the County Office of Education. She had recently returned to work from maternity leave, and she remembers it as a particularly difficult year even before SIP. She leads day classes for developmentally disabled young adults, and usually, their focus is being out in the community, developing skills. “We were all on our toes for the first few days, not knowing what the future was to hold,� Becka explains. “There wasn’t a whole lot of direction in terms of what [the administration] wanted specifically.�

Special education includes all the usual components of education, but the “special� part is to provide whatever

support or remediation students might need. In the case of Becka’s students, that means learning the skills that will allow them to lead their adult lives as independently as possible. Her students get paid to help out at restaurants and grocery stores through a WorkAbility Grant, and much of Becka’s job is to respond to the challenges that they face.

Having to stay home and use a computer was a challenge they had never faced, so Becka and her co-workers walked them through the process on the phone. Then they had to get creative. “Their vocational goal was to follow a schedule of tasks at their job site�— where they were no longer able to go. “Now they’re following a visual schedule at home to do their daily tasks that I’ve assigned to them.�

Becka found that not only did her students eventually master the technology, but that she and her colleagues now see the benefit in helping them learn these skills. They’re planning to integrate more tech once they’re back in the classroom.

Meanwhile, Trisha was home with her three children, trying to provide the education that is usually provided through three IEPs (Individualized Education Programs), while also doing her own work. It was hard, she admits, but also rewarding. “I found that my son was a whole lot more delightful than I thought he was!� she jokes. “He deals with extreme ADHD. I send him off to school well-medicated and oftentimes I get him back after a long day and his focus is not so great.

We were actually able to engineer some breakthroughs because I had the time.�

Educators noticed that the usual boundaries between the formality of school and the informality of home broke down. In some ways, this was difficult and exposed the inequities of our society.

Cece could see that the parents served

by SPIN were frustrated at best—and often in anguish having to choose between earning money to feed their families while risking their health, and staying home to care for their at-risk kids but not being able to provide for them. She asked them to focus on their families’ needs, and let her take on some of the burden. “The big picture is my job, to talk to school district administrators, our legislators, senators, assembly people, our county board of supervisors and city councils,� Cece explains. “We need to become our own advocates. We’re in an impossible situation and advocacy really equals voting.�

Becka noticed that her students’ parents relied on her more once the boundary between school and home was breached. “I feel like teachers became therapists or counselors, we were another shoulder

SPIN was able to support and cheer their families with emergency backpack deliveries. Photo by SPIN to cry on,� Becka says. “I let parents know, just text me anytime—I’m home anyway!�

Everyone in special education is watching the road ahead warily. While school districts try to figure out how they can possibly provide basic services to typically developing children, special education services are likely to be pushed even further to the edge of the crisis.

Trisha expects a fight ahead. “I understand we were in a crisis situation and kudos to the teachers for doing what they could,� she says. “But this is our new reality. How are we going to set up our schools in a meaningful way for our students with special needs when there’s so much emphasis that’s going to need to be placed on getting schools set up for kids that don’t have IEPs?�

Cece believes that for one, the fight to get back what has been lost starts with taking care of ourselves. “I get to get up and walk the dog every day and start my day out in nature,� she says. “I tend to be a ‘human doing’ rather than a ‘human being’!� I think when the dust settles we’re going to value our human connection more.�

Becka sees the silver lining in getting more time at home with her baby, and sharing her home life with her students. “When we are back together we will have this even stronger sense of community,� she predicts.

In many ways, though, what’s coming will seem familiar to families of children with special needs. Every step of their children’s education has been a challenge that has asked them to give them the most they could. “One of the things that teachers and parents and children with disabilities have is resilience,� Trisha explains. “We have the ability to bounce back—our worlds have ended multiple times.�

Listen to our podcast of this interview! tinyurl.com/GUISCSpecialEd2020

ď ˝ Suki Wessling is a local writer, teacher, and musician, and is the mother of two college students. Read more at www.SukiWessling.com.

GrowingUpSC.com | JULY 2020

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PARENTING

PARENTING

Parenting in the Internet Age

Aquatics in the Time of COVID-19

Using Screens Intentionally

Treading safely into the new Guidelines

BY SUKI WESSLING

BY TIFFANY HARMON possibilities. Our kids can seem like aliens from another planet.

In the face of this, how do we come out the other end feeling like we’ve prepared our children for the world they’re living in?

Parents raising children today are like first-generation immigrants to a very strange land. We grew up in a world where children went to school in a building, played games on boards, courts, or fields, and mostly had friends who lived near them.

Now our kids are coming off a semester of distance learning, they play games that their parents have never

heard of, and they make “friends” with people who may or may not exist.

It’s a crazy time to be a parent.

One of the problems is that most of us feel like we’re making it up as we go along. We learn from our mistakes but don’t plan ahead… since we don’t actually know what is coming. Our heads are swimming from all the

No matter what any impassioned friend (or “friend”) might post on Facebook, the picture of what screen and Internet use is doing to our kids is mixed.

It can look all good or all bad if you squint really hard through a tiny hole, but the reality is that we can only know for sure that it’s a mixed bag: • Kids gain a huge amount of knowledge on the Internet • Screens allow our kids vast creative powers • Games can be both cognitively and socially good for kids • Screen time in itself is not actually “bad for” kids

However:

Value valuable screen use

Kids are exposed to everything from garbage science to emotionally harmful imagery from an early age • Most of kids’ screen time is not spent on creative pursuits • Games, whether or not you use the word “addictive,” are engineered to suck kids’ attention into a small box and reward them the longer they stay in there • Too much of certain types of screen time correlates with all sorts of things we don’t want, such as depression, health problems, and social isolation Instead of deciding that screen time is “all bad” or “something I can’t control,” let’s consider how we can design intentional use of screens to maximize benefits and minimize harm.

•

Communication is key

If you haven’t been communicating with your children (of any age) about screen use, start today.

In your casual conversations with your children, ask what they’ve been watching.

Ask them what they like about it. Ask them to show you a game. Show them something you are doing on your screen.

Get involved with their screen use so that it feels natural to them.

Formally, family meetings are a must.

A regular family meeting sets up a time when everyone knows that they can bring up issues and concerns. There are some great guides out there for family meetings—find one that speaks to your parenting style. The only non-negotiable aspect of a family meeting is that everyone needs to feel free to express themselves.

It’s also helpful to read up on and try to implement Collaborative ProblemSolving. In this approach, parents collaborate with children on the decisionmaking process. Using CPS, children

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JULY 2020 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Make a point of finding balance

The quarantine laid bare to many families the irony of their rules for screen use for their children. Once the parents were working at home, the kids got to see how much time the parents were spending in front of screens. And parents noticed it, too. Family walks have gained a new popularity.

The point is that we all need to balance our screen use with other activities. A good way to look at it is this: Is your children’s screen use keeping them from pursuing a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle? If yes, then it’s too much. As much as we can, we should make intentional choices about how much time we spend on screens, and what we do when we’re not on screens.

A little research

Kids who are using screens to gain knowledge, do creative projects, and communicate with real people who share their interests do well on measures of well-being.

feel that their voices are heard and their opinions are considered so they’ll be more willing to follow the rules they helped create.

Some families try using a simple limit on the number of hours that kids spend on their screens. This method ignores what research has proven and common sense also tells us: there are better and worse ways to spend your time online.

Kids who are using screens to gain knowledge, do creative projects, and communicate with real people who share their interests do well on measures of well-being.

Kids who use screens to “tune out,” who watch passively and obsessively, and who self-isolate show alarming rates of physical and mental health disorders.

Setting a simple limit on screen time may actually encourage children not to use screens in the healthiest way possible. Instead, collaborate with kids to identify and prioritize how they like to use screens. Just like you teach them to cross roads safely when they’re little, your guidance will set them on the right path to healthy screen usage.

Raise digitally literate kids

The end goal of parenting is to put out a young adult who is happy, healthy, and functional in the world. If we keep our kids from technology, or if we go the other way and just let them use and abuse without guidance, we aren’t doing our job.

A child in a hunter-gatherer society might have to learn how to safely use a machete from an early age. Think of screens as a modern child’s machete.

They are necessary, but also dangerous.

Our job as parents is to raise adults who know how to use computers as tools, but can also recognize when the tools are hurting rather than helping.  Suki Wessling is a local writer, teacher, and musician, and is the mother of two college students. Read more at www.SukiWessling.com.

“There is no evidence that COVID-19 can spread to people through properly treated water used in pools, hot tubs, or water playgrounds.”

Summer is upon us! As of the writing of this article, California has entered into Stage 4 of Governor Newsom’s reopening guidelines. As of June 12, 2020, pools and fitness clubs were allowed to re-open after proper precautionary procedures are implemented as stated in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines.

Santa Cruz County is home to many active and outdoorsy families, so beach and pool closures have affected us profoundly. As we venture outside and get active again, the questions and concerns remain -- How do we keep our families safe and inhibit the spread of COVID-19 in an aquatic environment?

While our beaches are (at the time of this writing this article) closed from 11am – 5pm each day for lounging or sitting, the ocean remains open for water sports (e.g., surfing, boogie-boarding, swimming, paddle-boarding, kayaking, boating, etc.). Individuals may cross the sand during beach closure hours in order to access the ocean. Good news for Surf City!

For those who like to spend summers by the pool, there is good news here as well. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “there is no evidence that COVID-19 can spread to people through properly treated water used in pools, hot tubs, or water playgrounds. Proper operation and disinfection of pools, hot tubs, and water playgrounds should kill the virus that causes COVID-19.”

A recent New York Times article quoted Dr. Ebb Lautenbach, Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine as saying, “There’s nothing inherent about ocean water or especially pool water that is risky. The bug isn’t transmitted via a waterborne route.

Chlorine and bromine that are in pools inactivate the virus and makes it even lower risk in terms of catching it from the water.”

USA Swimming, the American Red Cross and the Centers for Disease Control have published guidelines for our safe return to the pool. General guidelines will continue to be in place poolside: 6 feet of social distancing, 20 second hand washing and staying home if experiencing any cold or flu-like symptoms. Wearing masks will continue to be in place in the aquatic environment.

To slow the spread of the virus, the CDC recommends that as a parent, consider whether children are “capable of staying at least 6 feet apart from people they don’t live with before taking them to a public aquatic venue.” There must

Do not use the locker room or changing area; wear a bathing suit to and from the pool and shower at home.

• During recreational swimming, lifeguards will be wearing masks while guarding (removing them when water entry is needed for a rescue).

• Children over 2 years old to wear masks • Masks now required in California For summer swim lessons you may discover private lessons, semi-private lessons or custom classes made with families living under the same roof to be a safe bet for the family. Perhaps the swim teacher might have one or both parents in the pool with their children while the instructor is teaching from the deck. One may find a water camp with children under 10 enrolled. Check in with the swim school on their drop off and pick-up patterns and other precautions prior to arrival to avoid surprises.

be frequent disinfecting and sanitizing of surfaces such as handrails, pool noodles, kickboards, and any and all furniture on the pool deck.

New implemented protocols for recreational and lap swimming might include having to make reservations for a lane with only one person or family group per lane. There might be a limited number of swimmers allowed into the pool area at a time. There is also limited to no use of locker rooms or communal changing areas. Saunas, jacuzzis, and steam rooms, according to the guidelines, should remain closed.

Consider investing and carrying in personal swimming training tools: kickboard, pull buoy, towels, goggles for each swimmer and toys for the children (discourage sharing of toys at this time).

Keep in mind, each location – private clubs, gyms, fitness centers and public pools, etc. - may have slight variations in their procedures. You might want to call ahead or check their website to see what safety precautions have been put in place.

•

Some general considerations from the California Department of Public Health are:

•

•

•

• • •

Eliminate use of low ventilated spaces and rooms that prevent social distancing, such as locker rooms.

Increase water sanitation level.

Create visible markers on the floor to indicate appropriate spacing on the pool deck, entrances, etc.

Wash hands thoroughly or use a hand sanitizer before/after use of the pool.

Group activities with over 10 participants have not been approved as yet, but when the swim team resumes, coaches might:

•

•

Encourage swimmers to wear their suit to and from practice.

Bring older swimmers back to practice first, let them learn the system so they can serve to model behavior for younger athletes.

Clearly communicate a plan to maintain spacing in the pool during workouts, e.g. staggered starts, opposite ends.

Make sure swimmers leave the facility as soon as reasonably possible

after practice; shower at home.

Please note that while swimmers and sunbathers are supposed to wear masks poolside, masks that cover the mouth are NOT required (nor recommended) for use in the water. To avoid breathing difficulties a wet mask may pose, DO NOT WEAR a mask or any material covering the mouth or nose while in the water.

As we have seen, situations can – and do – change rapidly in a pandemic. To ensure that we are all up to date with the current information, review CDC.gov and SantaCruzHealth.org for updated local guidelines often. Knowing what is expected from the businesses and what to expect as the customer will ease us into changing and adapting as we adjust. Remember, we are supposed to be opening slowly and gradually. The goal is to stop the spread of the virus; so take the necessary precautions.

We know our Santa Cruz families are eager to get active again. While we want to enjoy some good summer fun in the sun, it can be tough to adjust to limitations. So, let’s focus on participating in activities we can safely enjoy and keep ourselves, our families and our friends safe and healthy this Summer!  Tiffany Harmon, owner and lead instructor of Seahorse Swim School, Inc. is an American Red Cross Instructor Trainer in Water Safety and graduated in 1997 with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from UCSC. (831) 476- 7946 (swim) SeahorseSwimSchool.com Locations: Aptos & Santa Cruz

GrowingUpSC.com | JULY 2020

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OPEN FOR BUSINESS Adventure Sports Unlimited

an exciting class taught by our caring, well-qualified teachers.

The whole family can swim at Jim Booth Swim School

303 Potrero Street, #15, Santa Cruz 831.458.3648 asudoit.com Adventure Sports Unlimited, where Santa Cruz learns to love the water!

Come play with us!

Junebug Gym

Fun and educational Gymnastic classes for children walking-8 years.

Classes start July 1.. Call 831-464-2847 to enroll. Visit Julybugsgym.com for summer schedules.

Birth Network of Santa Cruz County

Kianti’s Pizza & Pasta Bar

1100 Pacific Avenue, Downtown Santa Cruz kiantis.com 831.469.4400 New! Kianti’s delivery, online ordering and ordering through Kianti’s app for the entire menu. Curbside available including bar drinks. Delivery also through DoorDash, UberEATS and Doorbell Dining.

BirthNet.org Many birth network members are still providing services during Covid-19.

Check our website for updated availability of doulas, childbirth education, breastfeeding support, and more.

The Bookakery

BookakeryBoxes.com Looking for activities to do with your kids at home? Try Bookakery Boxes!

Includes a picture book, kid-friendly recipe card, baking item and an activity.

Kirby School

Alison K. Jackson, DDS Children’s Dentistry

Mothers’ Milk Bank

Kirby School is open and has been conducting a high quality distance learning program since March 16, 2020. For more information, please see our website Kirby.org

(877) 375-6645, For Spanish: option 4 mothersmilk.org Donate your extra breastmilk.

Save lives! Our mission is to help fragile babies thrive by making donated Human milk safe and accessible. Call us today!

santacruzkidsdentist.com We are seeing patients again! We missed you! Check our website for updates and changes. Please don't hesitate to call us.

Encompass Community Services Youth & Family Counseling

Mount Madonna School

831-429-8350 encompasscs.org/youth_services_ counseling Encompass Community Services offers FREE comprehensive mental health and substance use counseling for Santa Cruz County residents. Telehealth and limited inperson group, individual and family services available.

Gateway School K-8

gatewaysc.org The Learning Continues … Gateway School will continue to provide a robust Kindergarten through Middle School educational experience whether on campus or in Distance Learning. Join us.

GATEWAY SCHOOL 1970

Good Shepherd Catholic School

MusicalMe.com Join us online for both Music Together & Canta y Baila Conmigo. Our interactive Zoom classes are a great way to bring the joy of family musicmaking into your daily life (and to fulfill our musical mission). Also offering unique virtual birthday celebrations! oc-losd-ca.schoolloop.com/ Supports your homeschooling adventure. We also offer an independent study program with direct teacher support. Our optional sitebased classes include literacy, math, science, and art.

Holy Cross School

150 Emmett Street, Santa Cruz 831.423.4447 holycsc.org/ Offering vibrant and responsive in-person and distance learning programs. Students benefit from 1:1 technology, daily live communications with teachers and small class sizes where they’re known individually.

Santa Cruz Gymnastics

scgym.com SCGC will be opening in a limited capacity. We are offering small camps abiding by all County safety guidelines. See you soon!

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History Jim Booth Swim School

Santa Cruz at Harvey West Pool and Watsonville at Duncan Holbert Pool and Fitness Evolution 831.722.3500 jimboothswimschool.com Be a water wonder! From our Little Otters swim class for parents and their babies to Aquaphobics, our adult beginner class, the whole family splashes together at Jim Booth swim school. Little Otters beginning at age 4 months is a gentle introduction to our 94-degree pools that will make you confident that you are guiding your infant to a happy water experience. Our group lessons emphasize quality swimming in

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Music Together & Canta y Baila Conmigo w/MusicalMe, Inc.

Ocean Alternative & Independent Study

Preschool - 8th grade gsschool.org Spots are still available to enroll for the 2020-2021 school year beginning August 10. We are prepared to offer interactive and engaging distance and/ or in-person learning!

Jim Booth Swim School

(408) 846-4040 MountMadonnaSchool.org Mount Madonna School (MMS) is operating remotely at this time. MMS remains committed to serving our students and has implemented Remote Learning as of March 16

JULY 2020 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

santacruzmuseum.org Engage with nature wherever you are!

Explore our online store, download free nature-based activities, and join us for weeklong Nature Explorers daycamps July 29 through August 7!

Santa Cruz SPCA

spcasc.org/covid19/ Please see the website for up to date information on foster, adoptions, donations, foodbank and summer camp.

ASK NICOLE Special Parents Information Network

831-722-2800 spinsc.org Providing parent and family support groups, referrals to community aid, trainings, workshops, IEP support and our mentor parent program all through zoom. One on one counseling/support available by phone.

Anti-racism Resources for Parents

BY NICOLE M. YOUNG, MSW

FSA Survivors Healing Center

Survivorshealingcenter.org eventbrite.com/e/parenting-for-healthyattachment-tickets-109181851858 In Attachment Parenting, we will look at our parenting goals, attachment theory, and explore how we can be emotionally healthy parents raising emotionally healthy children.

Tara Redwood Summer Camp

tararedwoodschool.org/summercamp-2020/ Tara Redwood School’s summer camp, Into the Heart of Nature, is located in an extraordinary setting nestled in the Nisene Marks Forest.

We offer cooperative games, creek exploration, habitat studies, playful skits, and nature-themed arts. For children 3 to 5 years old. See our website for more information and registration.

Thomas Farm Films

9515 Soquel Drive, Suite 213 Aptos, CA 95003 831-612-6312 thomasfarmfilms.com From script to screen, our online curriculum promotes creativity in screenwriting, editing, stop-motion and hand-drawn animation. Students will complete a short film in filmmaking bootcamp.

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I am a woman of color, raised in a White family, mother of two biracial children. I’ve experienced racial ignorance, microaggressions (words and actions that seem trivial, but are hurtful because they’re based on stereotypes), prejudice, and racism in my personal and professional life – even in my own family.

But I am not Black, and I can’t even pretend to know what it’s like to live in fear that doing everyday things like jogging (Ahmaud Arbery), sleeping at home (Breonna Taylor), driving (Sandra Bland), watching birds (Christian Cooper), or waiting for a friend at Starbucks (Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson) could put my life or my children’s lives in danger.

I’ve talked with my kids many times about making safe choices, and how racism has shaped our society’s values and laws, resulting in different opportunities for White people compared to people of color. We’ve talked about the stereotypes and prejudice they’re likely to encounter because they’re Asian, as well as the automatic advantages (privileges) they have because they’re also White.

But I am not Black, and I can’t even pretend to know what it’s like to have “the talk” with my son and daughter about how to stay alive when they go about their daily business or interact with law enforcement—or why yet another person who looks like their father, grandfather, uncle, brother, or

themselves has been killed without reason (George Floyd).

I grieve for all Black mothers and fathers who have grieved the unjust deaths of their Black children, young and grown. I hope that by the time this article is published, the national grief and outrage over the fatal effects of systemic racism have not subsided, but have gained momentum, fueling an unstoppable movement to end centuries of injustice.

Many parents are wondering what they can do in their families and communities to create a safe, just society. This month’s article offers a few parenting tips and resources in response to the common question, “What can I do?”

Learn about race, racism, and racial oppression in our country. Make this a lifelong habit because there’s always more to learn or understand more deeply. This is true regardless of what race you identify with, whether you’ve never thought about your own racial identity, or you’ve studied racism all your life. Healthline Parenthood has a comprehensive list of anti-racism resources for parents and kids:tinyurl. com/HP-Anti-Racism-Resources.

Listen to the voices of people with direct and diverse experiences. As you choose what information to pay attention to, try to expose yourself to diverse perspectives. It’s important to learn about different cultural beliefs, values, and strengths, as well as everyday

impacts of racism, directly from people of color who have lived those experiences. If you’re not sure where to start, read Common Sense Media’s suggestions about “How White Parents Can Use Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids” (tinyurl.com/Media-Anti-RacistKids), which suggests some Black and brown people and media outlets to follow. Then branch out from there.

It’s also important to learn about what it means to be anti-racist from other White parents. Not sure where to start?

Check out Rebekah Gienapp’s web site for conversation starters and guides (rebekahgienapp.com/).

Talk with children and teens about race and the impacts of racism. Many adults avoid talking about race or racism with children because they don’t feel knowledgeable, or they worry that acknowledging race-based differences will perpetuate racism. In reality, the opposite is true. When parents avoid talking about race or adopt a colorblind approach (“I don’t see color.”), they’re missing an important opportunity to help children identify and understand the harmful effects of racial stereotypes, assumptions, biases (preferences), and social norms or “rules” that exist everywhere. Start these discussions at an early age and make them a regular part of your family’s discussions so that kids learn to value diversity and be anti-racist.

Some helpful resources include videos from Sesame Street and CNN’s town

hall on racism (tinyurl.com/TownHallRacism) and The National Museum of African American History & Culture’s library of tools and guides for talking with kids about race (nmaahc.si.edu/ learn/talking-about-race).

FINAL THOUGHTS

Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Parents: let’s use our voices to denounce racism in all its forms and raise the next generation of changemakers.

This monthly article provides tips for families raising children, based on the world-renowned Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, available to families in Santa Cruz County. If you have a question or idea for a future column, please email triplep@first5scc.org.  Nicole Young is the mother of two children, ages 16 and 20, who also manages Santa Cruz County’s Triple P - Positive Parenting Program, the world’s leading positive parenting program. Scientifically proven, Triple P is made available locally by First 5 Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency (Mental Health Services Act) and the Santa Cruz County Human Services Department.

To find a Triple P parenting class or practitioner, visit http://triplep. first5scc.org, www.facebook.com/ triplepscc or contact First 5 Santa Cruz County at 465-2217 or triplep@ first5scc.org.

GrowingUpSC.com | JULY 2020

9

LOCAL NEWS

LOCAL NEWS That’s Kool

More Free Time?

Cool Kid Lives His Dream with Vintage Sports Shop

How About Using it to Train an Adopted Pet

BY IVAN ROCHA

BY IVAN ROCHA

Want a Steph Curry signed basketball?

How about your favorite old team jersey?

You can find them and hundreds more sports collectables at Thats Kool, a small business in Soquel owned by 21-year-old Nick Gonzales and his father Leo, that offers vintage sports items ranging from small players figurines to jerseys.

Nick’s father started collecting items in the early 2000s and eventually introduced his son to the trade when he was about 12. “It was mostly him at the start but I would go searching with him.

We started to get a bunch of inventory in,” Nick said.

In 2012, the duo started an eBay account selling all the vintage collectibles they had gathered. Although items were selling quickly, they found the need to expand. “These last three years we just had too much stuff,” said Nick, “The items were just taking over my dad’s house, it was getting ridiculous.”

They both continued to operate online until November of 2019 when Nick’s father found a vacant storefront on Soquel Drive. He locked in the deal and That’s Kool became a brick and mortar business.

“We have a buy-and-sell kinda deal,” Nick signals to a customer in the store, “Tito right here brought in a jacket and a couple of jerseys and we worked something out and I bought them from him.”

The walls of the shop are adorned with autographed items, small figurines, lifesize stickers of players, and many other pieces of sports memorabilia that’ll have collectors and sports fans reaching for their wallets.

10 JULY 2020 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

“A lot of this stuff is decorative but if somebody says they want it we can work something out.” Nick often gets asked how he comes across so many different items. He said, “ Honestly, we just literally pick up almost everything we see.”

“Our most valued possession right now is probably the Steph Curry signed basketball. Someone asked if we were selling it but I’m gonna have to wait on that one,” Nick said jokingly. “It would have to be a really high price.”

Thats Kool has recently reopened after having been shut down for the COVIDclosedowns, but Nick found a way to keep his shop running through it all.

“After a month, I tried a local delivery setup where I would post the inventory on Instagram, and people would Venmo or Paypal me.” Nick would then deliver the items, driving between Watsonville and Santa Cruz to make the sales, “It was tough for sure, but we had some good moments.”

Nick is a recent Cabrillo graduate who majored in Communications and works part-time at a local Foot Locker store.

He plans on continuing his education at San Jose State. His father works full-time with the Santa Cruz City schools.

Between the two of them, they find the time to keep the store open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays 12-5 pm, but because of their busy schedules, it is best to check in with them on Instagram at _thatskool or by phone at 831-535-9126.

“Our whole thing is we wanted to be here for a year. That was me and my dad’s goal. After a year, really it was just up in the air, depending on if we were gonna do well. We’ll see what happens.”

Nick’s collection has been gathered from various locations ranging from Los Angeles to the Bay Area. The store is small but well-stocked. “There are weekends where we won’t pick up anything but there are also weekends where we get a bunch of stuff. It takes time but we get the stuff.”

Find That’s Kool at 4624 Soquel Dr, Soquel, CA 95073.  Ivan Rocha finished his journalism classes at Cabrillo College, and sadly, is moving down south for fall.

Pets are in high demand across the nation as the quarantine leaves people craving a COVID-companion. The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is quieter than it has likely ever been thanks to locals that have opened their homes to the animals in the shelter.

Erika Anderson, the program and development manager at the Shelter, said there have been more people in search of pet-partners through this pandemic. “It seems that people feel that maybe now is a really good time to get a pet because they’re home a lot and have the time to spend with them. As they become adoptable they get adopted, very quickly.”

Unlike the toilet paper shortage, the adoptable pet shortage is a positive twist to the pandemic troubles.

A problem that many pet adoption agencies face, now more than ever, is impulse-adoption. This is when people adopt pets in a love-at-first-sight fashion without being fully committed or capable of meeting the pet’s needs. In some cases, this leads to animals being returned or traded off in other, irresponsible ways.

Dr. Laurie Moore is a professional animal communicator who lived in Santa Cruz County for 33 years and built her business here. She offers classes to people who want to have a stronger pet/owner relationship with their furry loved ones.

She encourages new owners to see their companions as more than just pets.

“The most important thing we can do for new pets is to think of them the way we do of a new human, baby child.

Assume your animal friend is highly intelligent even though their language system is different. Assume they are on Earth with a purpose and have great respect for all their contributions because animals, just like people, loved to be valued for what we came to give.”

Marissa Rodriguez is a 26-year-old mother of two. When the schools and parks closed down, she had a hard time keeping her 3 and 7-year-old boys happy. Netflix can only fill so much of the void in our hearts so she decided to bring home Spunk, their half-and-half Chihuahua-Weiner dog.

“I got him for my kids to distract them

from everything going on and bring some joy into the house.” For Rodriguez, Spunk was an emotional contributor.

“He kept everyone happy, busy, and distracted. He’d put a smile on everyone’s face when he would jump on you and lick you and want to play.”

Rodriguez has since handed Spunk off to her father to help him deal with loneliness and other personal situations.

Pets can also help owners with physical health according to Anderson. “The length of a leash is usually the 6-foot distance to keep away from people, so dogs can help us social-distance while we go on walks and get exercise and enjoy the beautiful community we live in.”

Because of the influx of new pet owners, the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter has taken steps to minimize impulse-adoption with a thorough adoption process.

The animals can only be seen online through their website. There, you can request to see the animal in person.

However, before you meet the potential pet you must submit an application online. The shelter will then review the application and request approval for the pet from the landlord or verify that the applicant owns the property they live on. There is also an element of matchmaking where the shelter will find pets that are more suitable to a person’s specific circumstances. Once this is all done, you can meet with the little guys and make your final choice.

“I feel that these things have put up a safeguard so that we don’t have animals going out and then coming back,” said Anderson. She advises new owners to consider the current circumstances and how they will change and affect the pets.

“Right now, our pets our getting used to having us home all the time. New pets will think this is normal. Think about what your daily schedule should be when you return to work and, if it’s a new animal, prepare them for what it might be like when you return to work so they are not left dealing with separation anxiety.”

“The length of a leash is usually the 6-foot distance to keep away from people...”

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11

BIRTH MATTERS

HEALTHY EATING

Keeping Your Cool

Meal Planning

Get the Most Value Out of Your Food Budget

BY LAURA MAXSON, LM

Virtual Meet the Doulas Saturday, July 18, 4pm

Learn about how doulas support families though the birth and postpartum experience during our current COVID19 situation.

Preregister to join our free live zoom event: BirthNetSantaCruz.EventBrite.com

One-stop-shopping for pregnancy, birth & parenting services

www.BirthNet.org 12

JULY 2020 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

While summer may not be the most comfortable season to be pregnant, Santa Cruz with its many microclimates is a great place to be for the summer. Damp and foggy mornings provide a welcome break to hot afternoons. A walk on West Cliff in the early evening can provide exercise, a beautiful view and most often a cooling ocean breeze. A quick drive up to Felton, Boulder Creek, or the Aptos hills will find shady redwoods and babbling creeks.

To beat the heat, dress for comfort from top to bottom. A sundress, airy and lightweight (and no waistband), is perfect for a heat wave. It’s no secret that ditching those snug undies in favor of some cool cotton boxer shorts can provide the ultimate in comfort, if not fashion, underneath. A wide-brimmed hat provides portable shade and can help minimize chloasma, the darkening pigmentation of the face some can experience. Hot weather combined with later stages of pregnancy often leads to puffy feet, which means time to slip into some sandals! If those toes are out of reach, a nice pedicure with a foot massage thrown in might be just the ticket. Depending on restrictions and personal comfort levels with going out and about during the ongoing pandemic, it might be time for an Epsom salt foot soak and family members to hone their nail painting skills.

Lots and lots of fresh cool water, both inside and out is appreciated on a hot day. Dehydration in pregnancy can cause unwanted contractions and increase the possibility of developing a urinary tract infection. Help avoid both by consuming plenty of liquids – low in sugar and noncaffeinated is best. Water on the outside usually means swimming; a great way to cool down and get some exercise when it’s otherwise too hot to work out. This year, though, with many public pools remaining closed during the pandemic, many expectant families will have to settle for dipping their toes into the cold ocean waves, wading in a creek or setting up a kiddie pool in the yard. While

the gravity-free environment of the swimming pool can be a great relief for pregnant bodies, this summer swimming may depend on knowing a kind neighbor or friend with a pool. A water-related tip for anyone with a baby still head up at 30 to 32 weeks pregnant – breech - is to spend some time swimming, surface diving and walking on hands underwater to help baby turn head down. If the water trick doesn’t work or the pools are closed, acupuncture with a moxa treatment and/or chiropractic care can often help baby change position.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, a must during pregnancy, abound this time of year – especially here in Santa Cruz County. Many families belong to Community Shared Agriculture and receive a “CSA box” filled with the week’s harvest from a local farm delivered to their home. Farmer’s markets happen nearly every day of the week in some part of the county, providing an opportunity for a little open air shopping and exercise (don’t forget your mask!) with a rich selection of (often organic) fruits and veggies. The WIC program (supplemental food for pregnant women and children) now provides an option that includes farmers markets. WIC is currently providing registration and services via phone calls instead of inperson visits.

Slowing down and listening to the pregnant body is so important when it’s hot outside. This year may take a little extra preparing to beat the heat.

Normally, if it’s really hot pregnant folks can just head for somewhere air-conditioned: the mall, library, a restaurant or movie theater. However, with the current COVID 19 situation, enclosed spaces may not be the best idea.

Instead, consider some ideas to cool your home and yard. Water misters that attach to a garden hose can make outside temperatures feel significantly more comfortable with no electricity needed in case of a hot day power outage. Electric fans work wonders, but check into a battery operated hand held fan as well.

Plan ahead for labor by putting in a nice supply of electrolyte drinks like recharge or coconut water, finding a spray bottle with a mist setting, freeze up some laborade popsicles, and make sure to have plenty of ice on hand. More than one family has made an emergency run to the appliance store to buy a window air conditioner or room cooler during labor!

And anyone experiencing the misery of morning sickness in the summer heat can hold on to the fact that they won’t be term pregnant in the middle of summer.

Acupuncturists and Chiropractors specializing in pregnancy – birthnet.org WIC - communitybridges.org/wic Farmer’s markets - santacruzfarmersmarket.org CSA - localharvest.org Labor-aide recipes freely available online

Recipe

Sweet Potato Lasagna

BY GRETCHEN HEIMSOTH

INGREDIENTS: Frozen spinach thawed and drained 2 cups grated mozzarella or favorite non-dairy shred. Almond Ricotta or regular ricotta can also be used.

Jar tomato sauce Olive oil and breadcrumbs As we find ourselves riding out this pandemic, many of us are facing the reality that we need to try to more with our dollar in the direction of food and nutrition. Stressors are higher, as well as the need to keep ourselves and our families healthy. I want to give a little focus on things we can avoid, something we can learn and practice and healthy, low cost, nutrient-dense staples to maximize your food budget. These tips, as well as a little thought and prep time, you can find yourself eating a more varied and healthy diet than when wallets may have been a bit more swollen, allowing for pricier convenience food purchases-even in regards to the healthy ones.

One way to save money and increase your food quality is to cut out the middleman. Shopping at local farmers’ markets is the best way to do this. Buying local lowers the carbon footprint of our food by reducing fuel consumption involved in shipping. The food is more nutrient-dense, as you purchase the food pretty much fresh from picking.

Shopping at wholesale companies like Costco is another way to avoid the costs involved in middleman supply chains.

We live in an area that is abundant with wild and native plants that are edible.

A little education can open the doors to copious healthy eating at your fingertips.

A few local plants that are widespread and edible are miner’s lettuce, wild mustard, lemon balm, plantain, and even root vegetables like chufa chufa, wild radish, and wild carrot. Incorporating wild foods into the diet can also help to diversify the microbiome.

Keeping your focus on whole foodsfresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, and lean protein will keep food costs down and boost nutrient value and avoiding purchases of single-use beverages and processed snacks. In the retail grocery setting, you can focus on some simple and healthy food staples and eat like a king. Tasty and healthy food can be enjoyed even on a tight budget with a little prep and a good purchasing plan.

Focus on what is in season in the produce department. You will again save on food costs, not paying for transportation of food all around the globe. Summer is not apple season in the

US, it may be in Argentina, but you will pay top dollar for less then fresh if you buy that way. Some reliable staples to start with packed with nutrients and fiber are broccoli (always an excellent veggie to begin with)- high in C, K, folate, and a great source of sulforaphane sulfur-rich, super-powerful anti-cancer antioxidant compound. Bananas are a great prebiotic and packed with magnesium. Onions, in the allium family, a foundational flavor in most recipes and rich in flavanols and tumor-suppressive compounds. Garlic is also in this family.

All varieties-color cabbages are crunch and rich in C, K, trace minerals, and an antioxidant powerhouse. Carrots and Sweet potatoes. I am lumping them together because they are both affordable and packed with beta carotene. Leafy greens. I can’t say enough about our leafy, dark, and mysterious friends. They improve gut health, are good for the colon, packed with antioxidants, C, K, and folate. These foods are something we are wise to work to incorporate as a staple in our diets. For about two dollars a bunch! Dried and canned lentils and beans are a great thing to stop up on to boost protein and fiber.

Throw in soups and salads, serve as a side dish. Canned and jarred tomatoes loaded with lycopene, C, A, E, K, Bs, and trace minerals. In the freezer aisle, go for bagged frozen spinach to keep on hand to add some powerhouse greens quickly and easily to recipes, sauces, and soups.

Frozen berries are an affordable way to get all the good from the purple and blue-hued fruits year-round at a budgetfriendly price point. When it comes to proteins, eggs, and BPA free, line-caught canned fish are wallet-conscious options loaded with healthy fats. Buying a whole chicken is the cheapest per pound that you will be able to buy it. Greek yogurt is protein-dense and low sugar if you buy plain. For vegetarians, focus on legumes, eggs and ethical dairy for protein, for example, vegans, or skip the dairy. Be mindful of your protein needs, focus on whole, fresh foods, and keeping a variety in your diet. Make sure you have a little time to prepare meals and keep yourself and your family going strong on a frugal food budget! Much love and healthy, well wishes for this time!!

DIRECTIONS:

eel and slice sweet potatoes into thin medallions. Drizzle olive oil into lidded casserole and layer half of the sweet potatoes on the bottom. Season with salt and pepper. Add half of the sauce, then the spinach, top with cheese.

Repeat this process for a second layer.

If using ricotta or almond ricotta, skip the instructions for the shredded cheese and top the second layer with spooning of the ricotta of choice. Top with more drizzled olive oil and breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Feel free to add garlic or fresh herbs. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 45 minutes covered.

Uncover and continue baking for 10 minutes to brown.

Recipe by Biscuits & Beets

GrowingUpSC.com | JULY 2020

13

LOCAL NEWS

LOCAL NEWS Special Programs for Kids with Autism

Helping Heroes Get Homes

BY NATALYA DRESZER

BY ILYANNA HENDRICKS

Preston is 6 and he has autism. He goes to school to learn, and goes to the Autism Family Network (AFN) to have fun. The Autism Family Network is a community organization in Santa Cruz that focuses on connecting families to special needs resources and support groups, and creating inclusive events for families. During Shelter-In-Place they’ve been hosting dance parties and support groups online.

Preston’s mom, Karyn Homeriki, 37, said the Autism Family Network is a great resource for their family. She heard about AFN through Preston’s school, Chrysalis School in Santa Cruz, which focuses on special needs education for children with autism. AFN is run by Gabrielle (Gabby) Johnson, 57, and Stony V. Godet, 55.

Stoney said when they founded AFN in 2012, they started compiling resources for special needs kids and families and looked for gaps in the Santa Cruz community. Then they started putting on inclusive events. Stoney said that when they plan events, they think about how to create a space that will be fun for everyone. “It’s not just for kids with autism,” he said, “I’m being very clear with that.” Their events are intended to be enjoyed by entire families: parents, teenagers, kids; whether they’re on the autism spectrum and not.

One event they held last year was Hero’s for Autism Walk-a-Thon and Family Resource Fair, another was a holiday train ride. “It was just so fun because it gave us all a chance to dress up as superheroes,” said Karyn, “Preston just loves being around [Stoney and Gabby]. That’s one thing, and then just all the fun activities, he loves the train, he loves going around the track with my husband and just kicking back.”

Stoney works as a banker in addition to running the Autism Family Network, and Gabby is an Education Specialist for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. “But I would do this full time, all day long, for every family if I could,” said Stoney about running AFN. His dream is to expand the Autism Family Network to be a fun place where everyone can go to hang out, whether someone is on the autism spectrum or neurotypical. He also wants to expand

14 JULY 2020 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

AFN to be an educational space where they run classes on life skills for kids with special needs: things like boiling water or filling out an application. He wants AFN to be the go-to place for families to get support for kids with special needs.

“Autism is not something to look at as a negative,” said Stoney, “it’s an opportunity to grow as a person, to learn how to do better, to be positive.”

Karyn had a similar perspective: “The hardest part was when we did not get the diagnosis. Once we found out the diagnosis of Preston, we were able to take so much weight off of our shoulders because we got our answer and move forward and got the support that he needed. It’s been positive.”

Even though Karyn has felt supported by many resources in Santa Cruz, she still faces challenging and frustrating moments with Preston. She attends a parent support group through AFN that meets on Wednesdays. The point of the meeting is to remind parents that they’re not alone, and gives them an opportunity to express positive experiences and concerns. During the Shelter-In-Place order, they’ve been meeting online.

Recently, she was concerned about the possibility that kids would have to wear face masks when schools reopen.

Preston is sensitive to touch on his face, and Karyn can’t imagine him being okay with a mask on. At the most recent group meeting, Karyn was able to bring this up to the group and learned that there will be an exception for children with learning disabilities, and they won’t have to wear a mask. Having that group has been important to connect Karyn with other families also learning about how to support their children with autism.

Stoney thinks there’s a new wave of a social justice movement for people with disabilities. He wants people to have fun and feel included. “Don’t judge your family,” he said, “accept them, love them, be patient, proactive, positive.”

Karyn said, “I want people to know that we need to treat all children equally.

And even though [children with autism] end up being different, and the lifestyle is different, it doesn’t mean that they can’t be included to fun activities. Equality, I would say, is what boils it down to.”

experience by implementing beneficial incentives; One of which is a special grant that the hero receives once the buying process is complete.

The amount of the grant fluctuates and is generally equivalent to 0.7% of the purchase price of the property.

“The money that the hero and their family receives can be used for anything they wish,” Wendy explains. “It’s a great financial cushion to have, especially considering how costly moving can be.”

Agents like Wendy, who assist the heroes with the home buying process, receive a credit at close of escrow. Once a hero purchases their home, Homes For Heroes Inc. donates a portion of its earnings to the Homes For Heroes Foundation--a process they refer to as “The Circle of Giving.”

The foundation funds are used to award Hero Grants to local nonprofit charities serving the community’s heroes in need. Over the last ten years, nearly $700,000 worth of grants have been awarded to first responders, teachers, nurses, and military personnel who choose to serve their communities no matter the circumstances.

Wendy says that the reason why she is happy to be affiliated with Homes For

INTRODUCING

Wendy Guin delivers snack packs and ear savers to healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente in Scotts Valley.

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks shook the nation and claimed the lives of 412 first responders and injured countless others, Ruth Johnson and her family wanted a way to give back to the brave men and women around the country who strived to make a difference in their communities. Together, they created Homes For Heroes, a nonprofit organization that works with more than 3,200 real estate agents and mortgage professionals around the country who strive to “provide extraordinary savings to heroes who provide extraordinary services.”

Wendy Guin, an agent who assists Maggie Barr at Keller Williams Realty located on Soquel Avenue, is one of only two realtors in Santa Cruz County who work with Homes For Heroes to help first responders, doctors, teachers, and veterans attain their dream of home ownership. A Santa Cruz native, she was inspired to be an affiliate with Homes for Heroes when she realized that the high cost of living was forcing hard working teachers and nurses out of the area.

“I saw so many people move away, and others are renting paycheck to paycheck,” she says. “Around here people are forced to choose between being able to pay bills or going into a specific service because they

do not pay us what we need to live here.”

In fact, a recent USA Today analysis placed Santa Cruz as one of the top three least affordable places for teachers to live in the country, followed by San Jose and San Francisco. The report found that 66 percent of a teacher’s income in Santa Cruz went towards rent.

As a result, many teachers have had to seek employment elsewhere, while others commute every day from less expensive cities such as the more affordable housing options in the Santa Cruz mountains or southern Monterey County. Wendy believes people who choose to dedicate their life to serving their community deserve better.

“We want good teachers here, we want doctors and nurses,” says Wendy.

“These are people we need as a part of our community. But the pay is not to scale with what they need to purchase a home in this area. So anything we can do to make that easier or a possibility for them, I’m all for.”

When a hero reaches out to Wendy for assistance with finding a Forever Home here in Santa Cruz, the process is very similar to a typical buying experience.

“It can definitely be stressful,” Wendy says. However, Homes for Heroes strives to assist their clients in maintaining a positive home buying

Heroes is because they come from a place of contribution. “I care a lot about this community. With this organization the process is not about just buying or selling homes, we’re always looking for ways to support people in these occupations too.”

Right before coronavirus hit Wendy was busy putting together snack boxes for hard-working teachers all over Santa Cruz to show her appreciation for all their work. When medical supplies were scarce and medical personnel were forced to take their own face masks to work, she partnered with other charitable residents to deliver 200 Ear Savers to Dominican Hospital so that the masks doctors and nurses wore weren’t causing them any pain. In the future, Wendy hopes that more heroes will take advantage of the help Homes for Heroes can supply them with.

“We really want to help the people who help our community.” If you or anyone you know is a first responder, educator, or current/former military personnel, please visit the Homes for Heroes website for more information on how your community can help you find your forever home.

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GrowingUpSC.com | JULY 2020

15

LOCAL EDUCATION

LOCAL ARTIST

Cabrillo Extension Offers Online Camps

In response to the ongoing Shelter in Place Orders for Santa Cruz County, Cabrillo College Extension has moved many of their popular workshops and summer camps to a virtual format with live instruction. Classes in creative arts, culinary, health & wellness, home & garden, as well as Extension’s summer youth camps are offered via live instruction that can be enjoyed from home. Students can interact with instructors and fellow students to complete projects and learn new skills, and classes are full of instructor-led demonstrations, social interaction, and expert guidance.

The Cabrillo Extension staff now works from home, but they have stayed connected to one another, and to their students, as they adapt to the virtual classroom. “The conversations we have had with our students have been so personal,” said Extension staff member Rogan Rennie. “It really hit us how meaningful these classes, workshops, and camps are to people. We knew it was important to pivot quickly and offer our classes in a whole new format.”

Jill Gallo, Extension’s Assistant Director, says that their commitment to the community is a constant driver for the team.

“We are all part of this community, and we know that community education and summer camps are a way to stay

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active, build and nurture relationships, as well as learn new skills, so we were determined to continue offering our programs. With their inherent social interactions, our classes and camps are a great way to counterbalance the effects of social distancing.”

Extension maintained as much consistency as possible, and continued to work with local artists and professionals to teach their classes. Many of the virtual classes are offered by the Cabrillo Extension instructors the community has come to know and love over the years.

Emily Bondor, a beekeeper and educator who has been teaching Beekeeping with Extension since 2016, says the transition went well. “The Extension staff has walked instructors through the process of migrating our classes to an online platform. They took time to work with me on an individual level to adjust the format and content of my classes.

Overall, it's been a smooth transition and it's been fun to learn how to adapt to this new format.”

Some instructors were skeptical about virtual instruction, because of the nature of their class content, but the experience has been positive for instructors and students alike. Melissa West, a local printmaker and printmaking instructor for Extension, was pleasantly surprised.

“Printmaking is a very hands-on process, and I was a bit worried that

my students might lose some technical details working remotely, but they were all stars. In a way, working remotely led the students to come up with some really great questions and insights that they might not have had had we met in person. The best moment was on the last day of class, when all the students shared their finished work. I was blown away by what they had accomplished.”

Even Extension’s popular culinary classes have moved to a virtual platform, both adult classes and summer youth

Sarah Jane camps. Sean Adams, a culinary instructor with Extension, said the experience was difficult, but well worth it. “Moving to an online format has definitely presented its fair share of challenges, but the response from our students thus far has been so great! Extension has created several new cooking classes and kids camps, designed just for this format, and I am really looking forward to our summer program."

“The camps are super user-friendly and creative.” says Lori Kearney, an educator from Main St. Elementary School who is teaching several virtual youth camps. “Kids complete hands-on projects in between meetings, so they are not doing everything exclusively on screen. I have also been pleasantly surprised at the kids’ collaborative spirit.

They have been using Zoom for the last few months in school, so they know how it works, and are game for trying new things.

They also have a great sense of humor - we laugh about the challenges that come up and everyone seems motivated to help each other with projects.”

The Summer Youth Program launched on June 15th with virtual camps, which will continue through early August. In addition, Cabrillo Extension is excited to offer a limited number of on-campus camps during the month of July.

These half-day, week long camps are designed to keep kids safe and healthy, while affording them the opportunity to explore content such as cooking, programming, or LEGO building.

“Both virtual and in-person camps pose unique challenges this summer, but I’m so excited about what we’ve been able to accomplish!” said Alicia Bierson, Community Education Coordinator.

“Whether your child attends from the comfort of your home, or is able to join us on campus, I’m sure they’ll have an awesome time at camp this year.”

Cabrillo Extension summer classes are now open for registration. For more information, and online registration, go to: cabrillo.edu/extension

Local Artist and Mother Giving Back Through Art When shelter in place started, I decided I would offer online painting classes through facebook to help parents at home fill time for their kids. These are still available and free at paint live with Sarah Jane. When George Floyd was murdered and more stories began to emerge of the wrongful deaths of POC, I felt awoken but powerless. I have two little kids at home and didn’t feel safe marching. So I took to the canvas. I put my heart and love into a memorial portrait of Breonna Taylor to be auctioned off and raise money for the BLM movement. Most recently when Deputy Gutzwiller was tragically killed, his friends came to me to create some art to put onto shirts and stickers. I did not know this man but was thankful for his service and grateful to be able to give back in any way I could.

I hope the small things in this life that I can do for people with what little I have, can show my kids that you can use your own talents and strengths to stand up for what you believe in, to help others in time of need and to give back. That is why they are gifts. To be given.

You can follow Sarah on Instagram @ sarahjaneroner or @sarahjanermama, on Facebook @Sarah Jane Morabito, and visit her website sarahjaneartanddesign.com

Free Tuition for Cabrillo College CABRILLO COLLEGE PROMISE FREE

First and second year of tuition to any graduating senior from the Cabrillo College District service area. The Cabrillo College Promise eliminates financial barriers to highe education, making a college degree a reality. For information and to apply, visit cabrillo.edu/services/promise/ .

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Take Cabrillo Classes for free while in high school.

Hundreds of students jumpstart their college education by enrolling at Cabrillo College while they are still in high school. Through Dual Enrollment, high school students may attend classes at Cabrillo for free, with the permission of their high school counselors. For every one unit of college credit received at Cabrillo, students also receive 3.33 units of high school creditmaking Dual Enrollment - a great way to catch up or get ahead on high school unit requirements.

GrowingUpSC.com | JULY 2020

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LOCAL NEWS

LOCAL NEWS

Paddle Out for Peace

SLV March for Black Lives

PHOTOS BY KEVIN PAINCHAUD On Tuesday, June 2, at noon, 22 year old Megan Rodriguez organized a “Paddle Out for Peace” event. The purpose of the event is to spotlight the racism and discrimination displayed in and out of the water. Rodriquez is mixed race and moved out to Santa Cruz in 2015 from New York.

Coming from the diverse community of NY, witnessing and feeling the racial tension in our waters was a bit shocking.

PHOTOS BY LARRY COLEN Rodriquez states, “most of the racial comments came from the children. I’d ask them why they said certain things, and they’d say that they heard these things from their parents”. Rodriguez continues, “I want to influence the younger generation.

Surfing is my only family here. I want it to be a safe inclusive place for everyone.”

The event gathered over 100 surfers from around the Santa Cruz Region.

17-year-old Faith planned a march from SLVHS to Highlands Park for June 20. She created a poster and blasted it out on social media, including her phone number, to educate people and answer questions.

"Many people asked why I chose to do a march in SLV, and I chose up here because I've experienced so much racism here for the last 17 years. Instead of standing on a street corner, I wanted to make a statement, and I wanted people to notice. What better way to do that then to take everyone on highway 9?

The police weren't too happy, and they asked me if I would do it with or without permission. I said, yes."

Unfortunately, the racism stared at her, blatantly with death threats. Faith reported these threats but was told there was not much they could do about it.

She decided to keep to the plan, knowing

the risk she was taking. The community rallied around Faith, offering support in numbers. Some marched, some attended the talks at Highlands, and some stood outside their homes with signs.

Faith says, "The march went completely smoothly, and I was impressed with the number of people that showed up, but I know we can get more. This is a movement, and racism needs to end, so we are taking action. Many people were angry when I decided on Highway 9 because they needed to get somewhere.

But you know what? People are dying, and your appointment can wait; we will always let first responders through, but I can tell you with pride that this movement will make a difference. No matter the color of your skin, we all bleed the same. We are all human. Show and protest because your silence is compliance."

Scotts Valley Black Lives Matter Protest PHOTOS BY TRINITY MAXON AND AMANDA LOCK We are a group of young adults, all of whom are Scotts Valley High School alumni, graduates, or current students.

The movement first began when we acknowledged that our city, Scotts Valley, was too quiet and lacked the outrage that felt necessary in response to the death of George Floyd and too many other deaths of innocent black people.

We started out small, with only two of us standing on the Scotts Valley dr. and Mount Hermon intersection with signs in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. That said, It did not take long until others joined us. Over social media, we exchanged our experiences of

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racism in our own town, which fueled our hunger for change and desire for racial justice, and then initiated the planning of the first march Scotts Valley ever had.

Once we made the date of the march public, we were overwhelmed by the response. It was surprising to us how strongly people reacted to the movement, both positively and negatively. We knew Scotts Valley is known for being a concervative city, but we were not prepared for the opposition we encountered. Previous to the event, we were accused of potentially becoming violent and destructive, but our march

was peaceful. Hundreds of people joined us with their bright posters, loud voices, and big hearts. The march led to the MacDorsa Park, where we had set up speakers available to anyone who wanted to share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings about racial issues.

Our goals are; to bring awareness to the fact that Black people are being unfairly punished and killed for no reason other than their skin color, demand justice for them, and kindle systemic reform that will work in favor of all people. We believe these goals are vital for not only the progression of our small town, but also for our entire country.

Parents for Creating a Diverse History Curriculum Black Lives Matter. Defund the Police.

Decolonize our systems. If you've been

listening to the roar from the streets being conveyed through the voices of our youth and community members these past few weeks, you've no doubt heard these statements. I am a lifelong resident of the Valley (Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley) and have been an educator for the past 17 years.

I'm bilingual, biracial Mexican and Japanese and light skinned presenting.

I'm also a bisexual single mom. I say this because my voice comes from a place of POC and Queer, two groups whom are traditionally under-represented in our

systems nationwide, and more locally, here in our own little towns. Today I am writing about the education system which I have chosen to dedicate my career to. It is my ultimate passion to teach and love your children as if they were my own. As an educator and parent stakeholder in the SLV/SV community I can squarely say that we are not doing enough to teach about implicit bias, discrimination and racism. Over the course of the past few weeks I have proudly witnessed the youth in our valleys take a stand. Though they've been met with support by many community members, the opportunity for blatant

racism has yet again come to the forefront. Threats of bodily injury and property damage, in addition to efforts to silence those who warrior up to speak to the education of community members who are ripe for a "learning". This is nothing new, but it's old and we're tired.

Upon being approached by students at SLV High for advocacy assistance, it has become apparent that systems/ curriculum currently in place are in dire need of review. Current models are 20+ years old, rely on students to do the work and hold zero accountability over staff. The problem is that racism can't just be driven out with platitudes

and good intentions. It is real work. It is soul baring and confrontational. It is the ability to sit and learn and admit that we all have so much to do to right the incredible injustices that our Black, Brown, Indigenous and Queer Brothers and Sisters have suffered while we sat back and did nothing. If our youth are ready for this conversation, isn't it time that our school faculties, administrators and community members take up the charge to make it happen?

Sincerely, Danielle Rosa Cruz, Teacher, Mama, Administrator @ SLV/SV Coalition Against Racism

GrowingUpSC.com | JULY 2020

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SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE DAY CAMPS Animal Training & Research International

Science, Learning and Exploration With The Help of Sea lions 7544 Sandholdt Road, Moss Landing (831) 771-4191 animaltraining.us/junior-trainer Exclusive Jr. Trainer experiences including hands-on discovery with sea lions for ages 9-16 (or as young as 7 with a parent)!

Come have fun and learn with our rescued animal ambassadors at Moss Landing Marine Labs. Participants receive one-onone personalized attention designed to give them a feel for what it’s like to actually care for, work with, and train sea lions and other animals. Available 7 days/week and year-round, kids learn animal care, feeding, husbandry skills, and much more. Nurture your child’s love of animals with the animal professionals you can be proud of. Limited availability for the summer – book your special sea lion summer now!

Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District

15685 Forest Hill Drive Boulder Creek CA 95006 831-338-4144 bcrpd.org Boulder Creek Recreation offers a variety of fun play-based summer activities.

Younger children will enjoy a 3-week session of camp at our downtown facility which includes indoor and outdoor learning and socializing for the little ones. This program offers water play, gardening, outdoor play, indoor games and reading time for ages 2-4.5 years. For children 5-12 we offer a variety of actives at our Bear Creek Community Center with river play, swimming pool, basketball court, playscape, tennis, hiking, outdoor fort building, music, crafts and more. We hope you will join us this summer.

Christian Youth Theater Santa Cruz

804 Estates Dr #210, Aptos Camp info (831)539-6448 Register at cytsantacruz.org CYT Santa Cruz “Find Your Character” summer camps are a week-long musical theater day camp for students ages 4-18.

Camps are designed to create a hands-on theater experience, and are focused on building performance skills, self-confidence, and teamwork. Our program will be in complete compliance with State and local guidelines and will take place outdoors.

There is no better place for kids to learn about theater and have fun than in CYT’s positive and encouraging atmosphere. July 6-10 Aptos, July 13-17 Scotts Valley.

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Four Points Youth Camp

Locations: Pacific Cultural Center, Veteran’s Memorial Building, Orchard School, Aptos kaseylindemann@fourpointsyouthcamp.com fourpointsyouthcamp.com Four Points Youth Camp is a new summer day camp with activities designed to broaden every camper’s horizon. Serving campers in grades K-8, our activities include sports, arts and crafts, technology, and traditional camp games. These activities are designed to cater to each age group. With new unique themes each week, every camp session is a fresh experience.

Little Garden Patch Farm

LittleGardenPatchFarm.com 4635 Fairway Drive Soquel CA 95073 (831) 476-0964 At Little Garden Patch Farm children aged 5-8 make memories to last a lifetime as they learn through hands-on play and discovery, arts & crafts, active play and imagination plus gardening activities and encounters with our many farm animal friends. Whether outdoors in our beautiful gardens and play area, or indoors in our whimsical playroom or our farm kitchen, children experience a community of joy and friendship that supports them as they learn and grow. Exciting weekly themes, a cozy home atmosphere, cooking experiences, a nurturing staff, and special guests round out an exciting, joyful experience families will never forget.

Mountain of Fun – Mount Madonna School

491 Summit Road, Mount Madonna 408-847-2717 mountmadonnaschool.org/summer Be Unplugged, Outdoors and Active with Mountain of Fun summer day camps! Featuring redwood horse camps, performing arts and nature crafts. Give your child a summer rich with outdoor exploration and imagination through forest play, garden time, fiber arts, games and new friends. Details and registration online at mountmadonnaschool.org/summer.

Camps are offered for the weeks of July 13 and July 20, with an additional full-day Horse Camp starting August 3. Open to children entering kindergarten through 5th grade, with transportation available.

Pathways Dojo

2724 Soquel Ave Ste D, Santa Cruz 831-465-8236 pathwaysdojo.com Pathways Dojo has a unique approach of combining martial, healing, and nature arts as paths to self-improvement and personal development. We offer specialized programs for men, women and children in ninjitsu (the art of the ninja) and the healing arts of qi

*Please check with the camps to make sure they are operating this summer.

gong and tai chi. Mark Roemke, a 15th Dan in Bujinkan, leads our dojo. We teach our Ninjas in Nature program monthly in the forests of Felton, at after school programs, at in-school programs, and with summer camps.

Our vibrant and welcoming Santa Cruz community is one of our treasured assets.

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

1305 E. Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (831) 420-6115 santacruzmuseum.org info@santacruzmuseum.org Explore nature with the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History! The Museum offers many ways to explore outside in nature, at the Museum, and online.

New opportunities, virtual experiences, and updates about offerings are added regularly to the Museum's website.

Small-group camps for youth entering Kindergarten through 6th grade are offered July 29 through August 7 and scholarships are available!

Santa Cruz SPCA

(831) 465-5000 spcasc.org SPCA Animal Advocates - 6 weeks of animal camp at home. It will include the following sessions: July 22-26 Students going into 1st through 3rd /July 29-July 3 Students going into 4th through 6th /July 6-10 Students going into 1st through 3rd /July 13-17 Students going into 4th through 6th /July 20-24 Students going into 1st through 3rd /July 27-31 Students going into 4th through 6th Keep an eye on our website for more details and registration information.

Summer at Santa Catalina

1500 Mark Thomas Drive, Monterey, CA 831.655.9386 summercamp@santacatalina.org santacatalina.org Summer at Santa Catalina is a place filled with fun, joy, and learning. From arts and athletics to yoga and marine biology, we offer attention-grabbing classes that spark curiosity and build confidence and independence. Our teachers and counselors are committed to the growth of every camper and dedicated to the values of honesty, respect, and kindness.

Located on the Monterey Peninsula, we are dedicated to serious summer fun! We laugh hard and we make friends and memories that last a lifetime. Come see why families have been a part of this all-girls tradition for 67 years! Director: Ange Atkinson. Resident and Day Camp for Girls, ages 8-14.

Tara Redwood Summer Camp 5810 Prescott Rd, Soquel 831-462-9632 tararedwoodschool.org/summecamp-2020

Tara Redwood School’s summer camp, Into the Heart of Nature, is located in an extraordinary setting nestled in the redwoods of the Nisene Marks Forest. We offer cooperative games, creek exploration, habitat studies, playful skits, and naturethemed arts. Our summer camp educators are highly experienced in outdoor activities and wildlife studies. At Tara Redwood’s Camp, children learn social skills and kindness through developing a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of nature to all parts of life. The program is an extension of Tara Redwood’s CCC pedagogy in which practicing mindfulness, developing empathy, and exploring ways to help others, children are guided to feel empowered and how to make a positive difference in the world. Tara Summer Campers want to return year after year

to participate in this engaging, fun, and unique values-based environmental program. See our website for more information and registration. For children 3–5 & 5–10 years old.

Teach Me French

831.295.3556 sophieveniel@hotmail.com I offer Customized French tutoring for elementary, middle school, high school students, homeschoolers and adults. Learning French can be one of the most rewarding educational opportunities. As a French native, I am passionate about teaching and sharing my language skills. I offer simple steps to understand grammar, pronunciation and build vocabulary to gain confidence in speaking. I can teach at any level. I offer private lessons in person and online.

Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center

303 Walnut Avenue Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831- 426-3062 wafwc.org Warriors Group provides youth aged 12-18 the support they need during their teen years. Through workshops, games, and discussions we explore healthy relationships, communication, and self-care while having fun. Once a month, we host a dance class, movie night, and a culture night! Warriors youth group meets weekly from 5:30 – 7:00 PM.

FINE ARTS Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center

9341 Mill Street, Ben Lomond 831-336-3513 mountainartcenter.org Fill your summer with art! The Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center offers the premier Summer Art Camp in the San Lorenzo Valley. Our goal is to provide campers aged 7–17 with opportunities that build self-esteem through art and friendship. Students work on individual and collaborative projects in disciplines such as painting, drawing, cartoon art, ceramics, printmaking, and art-meetsscience (STEAM) classes. Students will learn to feel comfortable expressing themselves artistically and within a group setting. Campers will have an opportunity to participate in critiques and learn how to present and discuss their work.

Thomas Farm Films

9515 Soquel Drive, Suite 213 Aptos, CA 95003 831-612-6312 thomasfarmfilms.com From script to screen, our online curriculum promotes creativity in screenwriting, editing, stop-motion and hand-drawn animation. Students will complete a short film in filmmaking bootcamp. Limited scholarships are available for families in need. All proceeds (after costs) from our online summer program will be donated to one or more organizations in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and other organizations dedicated to fighting for equal rights and tolerance. We are also hosting the Youth Screenwriting & 2-Minute Video Competition for ages 26 and under.

Works in English and Spanish are accepted

SUMMER ACTIVITY GUIDE Summer 2020...create….INNOVATE! Ever dreamed of sword fighting epic villains, flying in Neverland, casting spells, or capturing your favorite Pokémon? Then get ready for a summer full of imagination and fun with West Creative Performing Arts! Join us for our unique process-based theatre arts classes, camps, and conservatory-style studies, where actors use their imagination to craft their own play experience full of innovation, creativity, and fun! From immersive theatre-based day-camps to original plays, classic productions, and an opportunity to hone your funny bone, we have it all so come PLAY! All of our classes, training programs, and productions are process-driven, believing that the creative journey is what matters.

We build confidence, communication, and community. Ages: K-12

SPORTS Adventure Sports Unlimited

303 Potrero Street, #15, Santa Cruz 831.458.3648 asudoit.com Adventure Sports Unlimited (ASU) is Santa Cruz's premier swim school. We teach infants through adults the joys of water and adventure. Our Ocean programs introduce families to our magnificent marine environments through the Big Sur Camping Trip and Kelp Pickling Class. We explore the world-renown underwater landscape of Monterey Bay through our Open Water Scuba courses. It all starts in our custombuilt aquatics facility with our tropically heated pool. We want to make your entry into the water world truly enjoyable. ASU Come Play With Us! Community Boating Center, UCSC

790 Mariner Park Way Santa Cruz, CA 95062 831-425-1164 boating.ucsc.edu The UCSC Community Boating Center has been teaching local juniors how to sail for over 30 years. All classes are hands-on, coed classes, ages 8-16 and are taught in RS Quests, RS Visions, and Lasers. Students learn the basics in the protected Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor and progress to the beautiful Monterey Bay. Enjoy sailing in a safe, fun, and supportive environment with knowledgeable, experienced staff. Sign up today! (Adult classes are also available!)

Jim Booth Swim School

Santa Cruz at Harvey West Pool and Watsonville at Duncan Holbert Pool and Fitness Evolution 831.722.3500 jimboothswimschool.com Be a water wonder! From our Little Otters swim class for parents and their babies to Aquaphobics, our adult beginner class, the whole family splashes together at Jim Booth swim school. Little Otters beginning at age 4 months is a gentle introduction to our 94-degree pools that will make you confident that you are guiding your infant to a happy water experience. Our group lessons emphasize quality swimming in an exciting class taught by our caring, wellqualified teachers. The whole family can swim at Jim Booth Swim School.

WEST Creative Performing Arts

July Bug’s Gym

831-425.9378 Santa Cruz westperformingarts.com

3910 Portola Drive, Suite 2, Santa Cruz 831.464.BUGS (2847) Julybugsgym.com/

July Bug’s Gym is a place where your child can experience a fun-filled adventure in movement. We have a caring, respectful, and supportive staff that encourages every child in their growth of large motor skills and gymnastics along with social, emotional and cognitive development.

Our goals for our students are to help them feel control and empowerment in their bodies, to build self-esteem through success, to open up imaginations, and to feel confidence and joy in their exploration of movement.

Nike Sports Camps at UC Santa Cruz

1-800-NIKE-CAMP (645-3226) ussportscamps.com Train with Division III UC Santa Cruz and top local coaches on the UCSC home turf in summer 2020. Improve your skills, make new friends, and experience what it’s like being a student-athlete at one of California’s top summer camp destinations.

Youth, adult, day, overnight, week, and weekend programs offered.

Radical Movement Factory

2855 Mission Street Extension (in the Wrigley Building) 831-531-8407 radicalmovementfactory.com The Radical Movement Factory offers week-long day camps in circus and aerial arts for kids ages 6-12. Sessions run Monday-Friday 10am-2pm and include a beach day!

Cost: $325 per session. Register for both sessions at a discounted price of $600.

Session I: July 20-24| Session II: July 27-31 Santa Cruz Gymnastics Center, Inc.

2750 B Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz 831.462.0655 scgym.com During the summer we will be offering themed Preschool and Recreational Gymnastics Camps at the same time to give parents a safe place for children ages 4 & up. Our camps will be offered all summer long starting in July. Beginning through advanced gymnasts will participate in all Olympic gymnastics events as well as daily trampoline, tumbling, strength, fitness and flexibility exercises. We’ll be filling our camps with lots of other out of the sun fun!!!

Visit our website or contact our office for complete details & registration. Come flip with us!

Santa Cruz Soccer Camp

831.246.1517 santacruzsoccercamp.com For over 30 years our vision of joy and adventure remains. Almost all coaches have been young players who joined the harmony and magic of the camp, and have graduated through our Leadership Development Program. From the inspiration and resonance experienced at Delaveaga Park during 10week-long summer camps, the coaches and directors are in service to the new paradigm celebrating the Evolution of competition.

SUMMER EATS Kianti’s Pizza & Pasta Bar

1100 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-469-4400 kiantis.com Party at Kianti’s with our Kids Pizza Parties.

Offering Curbside and Take Out for our entire menu and drinks, free kids pizza with

entree purchase, Kianti’s Kids Pizza Kits, Happy Hour At Home 3-5 Daily, Family Dinner Special for $40, Kianti’s Signature Cocktails, Bottles of Kianti’s Wine and Kianti’s Vodka, Gin or Rum, gift cards and apparel. Delivery services include DoorDash, UberEATS, and Doorbell Dining. Visit kiantis.com/virtual-fun for Kids Pizza Making Videos and more! Visit Kiantis.com/curbsidetogo for Kianti’s rockin’ curbside specials.

SUMMER HEALTH Nannette Benedict DDS & Associates

5015 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley 831.440.9214 ScottsValleyDentist.com Babies, toddlers, teenagers and their parents will enjoy our newly opened up space. We are very family oriented: I even practice with my son!

We have the latest in high-tech instruments which we enjoy showing to everybody, including CAD/CAM crowns with 3-D imagery and a 3-D printer. We offer Invisalign to teenagers and adults. You can bring your own playlist and can use our headphones or watch programs on the IPAD mounted over the chair. To better accommodate families, we are open 5 days a week and have two specialists: a periodontist and an endodontist. Go to our website and you can book your next appointment online.

Ultraderm | California Skin Institute

Address: 3311 Mission Dr., Santa Cruz 95065 Phone: (831) 272-0936 californiaskininstitute.com/locations/ ultraderm-santa-cruz/ As the days get longer, sunnier and filled with outdoor activities you need to protect your family’s skin from UVA/UVB rays.

Remember to apply/reapply a sunscreen with SPF 30 or more. If you have any concerns about the health of your child’s skin, California Skin Institute is a premier dermatology practice in Santa Cruz, Freedom, & Monterey with board-certified dermatologists and specialists helping families with their skin health. Visit our website or call to make an appointment and ask us about our teledermatology options.

SUMMER ENRICHMENT Animal Training & Research International

Science, Learning and Exploration With The Help of Sea lions 7544 Sandholdt Road, Moss Landing (831) 771-4191 animaltraining.us/junior-trainer Exclusive Jr. Trainer experiences including handson discovery with sea lions for ages 9-16 (or as young as 7 with a parent)! Come have fun and learn with our rescued animal ambassadors at Moss Landing Marine Labs. Participants receive one-on-one personalized attention designed to give them a feel for what it’s like to actually care for, work with, and train sea lions and other animals. Available 7 days/week and year-round, kids learn animal care, feeding, husbandry skills, and much more. Nurture your child’s love of animals with the animal professionals you can be proud of. Limited availability for the summer – book your special sea lion summer now!

The Bookakery

BookakeryBoxes.com Looking for activities to do with your kids at home? Have a kid that always wants to help in the kitchen? The Bookakery has just the thing: Bookakery Boxes, a monthly subscription box for kids aimed towards fostering a love of reading and baking. Each Bookakery Box comes with a hardback picture book, kid-friendly recipe card, baking item and activity, all based around a theme of the month. Order yours today! Use code GUISE10 for 10% off any subscription length (renews at standard rate). Expires 12/31/2020 Monterey Bay Aquarium

886 Cannery Row, Monterey montereybayaquarium.org Our mission is to inspire conservation of the ocean.

831-647-6886 or toll-free in the U.S. and Canada 866-963-9645 montereybayaquarium.org/visit/ admission-tickets/tours/aquariumadventures-information Come dive with us! Underwater Explorers in a unique program (summer only) where kids ages 8-13 are introduced to the underwater world through surface scuba diving. Kids are safely guided by Aquarium leadership level dive staff in our Great Tide Pool, where they’ll meet amazing animals while getting a fishes’ eye view of the wonders of the bay. No experience or wet suit is necessary, only a sense of adventure! montereybayaquarium.org/ underwaterexplorers Music Together & Canta y Baila Conmigo w/MusicalMe, Inc.

Locations throughout Santa Cruz and Santa Clara County 831.438.3514 MusicalMe.com Join us online for both Music Together & Canta y Baila Conmigo. Our classes offer the very best in Early Childhood Music Enrichment for Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers, and the Adults who love them. Families are loving our new online option: "We are LOVING the Zoom classes.

They are the perfect amount of time with great flow. We love that we don't have to do anything but turn the computer on and sing. We wish online classes were always an option!" We’re also including lots of extra content, including Unlimited Bonus classes, extra online content, and unique virtual birthday parties. Contact us today for a free class – you just might be surprised at how fun and engaging our classes are for the whole family!

Santa Cruz Public Libraries

224 Church St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-427-7713 santacruzpl.org Imagine Your Story, the SCPL Summer Reading Program for all ages, has gone virtual!

You can earn books, attend virtual events, and win prizes. Reading just 5 books over the summer helps prevent learning loss in students.

Kids can continue learning while having fun at virtual programs such as storytimes, craft and other STEAM activities. Amazing performers will present virtual shows all summer long. Sign up at any branch or online at santacruzpl.org\ srp starting July 1st.

Visit Our Website GrowingUpSC.com

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COLORING PAGE

WE OFFER CLASSES FOR CRAWLING THROUGH AGE 8

SUMMER CAMPS begin June 8th* Tuesdays & Thursdays / 9–Noon Visit www.junebugsgym.com for current info and our Summer Schedule.

Our reopening is planned for June 1st * *or as allowed by County guidelines junebugs gym gymnastics junebugsgym

Color this crafty drawing and send us your entries to editor@growingupsc.com. You could win day passes to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, when it opens.

22 JULY 2020 | Growing Up in Santa Cruz

C A L L U S O R C H E C K O U R W E B S I T E F O R D E TA I L S :

831-464-BUGS(2847) •www.junebugsgym.com 391O PORTOLA DRIVE SUITE 2 & 3 • SANTA CRUZ, CA 95O62

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COVER PHOTO CONTEST

Runner Ups