Knoxville Parent - May 2013 by Knoxville Parent

May 2013

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Get Active!

KNOXVILLE

Exploring Knoxville’s urban wilderness “Despite the allure of the nearby Great Smoky Mountains there is a landscape close to home that is available to everyone, presenting endless opportunities for those seeking solitude, discovery, adventure or just a plain old healthy life.”

May 2013 Volume II • Issue 5 Michael Kull and Eva Nations, Publishers Advisory Board Sr. Mary Marta Abbott, RSM The Diocese of Knoxville Marie Alcorn United Way of Greater Knoxville Mike Bailey Small Business Representative Ellen Liston East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Tracey Matthews Knox County Schools Family and Community Engagement Elizabeth Pooley Marketing Professional

PAGE 5

Contributing Writers Kindall Aaron Jeffrey Eberting, D.M.D., M.S. Marcin Gornisiewicz, M.D. Paul James Tracey Matthews James McIntyre, Ph.D. Erin Nguyen Mike O’Hern Marek M. Pienkowski, M.D., Ph.D. Michael Smith, Ph.D. Kathryn Rea Smith, Ph.D. Liz Stucke Lee Tramel Piotr Ulmer, MSPT Barry Van Over

Is asthma caused by exercise? “If your child has asthma, it is important not to prohibit or limit their participation in exercise activities, as this is a very important part of good health...both physically and socially.” PAGE 9 Let’s Go Treasure Hunting in Knoxville! “Not only does geocaching give families opportunities to get a bit of fresh air and exercise, it also provides a chance to explore parts of Knoxville they’ve never seen.” PAGE 21 Knoxville Parent Magazine is a publication dedicated to building stranoger families and a better future for our community. Call us now to become part of our family!

Contents

Contributing Photographers Edward Foley Photography Liz Stucke

Lee Tramel Knox County Sheriff ’s Department Liza Zenni The Artts and Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville

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Knoxville Parent PO Box 52605 Knoxville, TN 37950, phone 865.622.9680 • fax 888.457.9602 The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted and property of Knoxville Parent. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publishers. Knoxville Parent utilize freelance writers, and the views expressed within this publication are not necessarily the views of the publishers or editors. Knoxville Parent takes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or other materials. Letters to the editor must include name, address and daytime phone number for verification. Knoxville Parent reserve the right to edit letters for space and clarity. Please keep letters within 500 words in length.

A letter from the publishers

15 Get active...with math?

Exploring Knoxville’s urban wilderness

16 Get active, and move toward a healthier lifestyle

Get MOOCed!

17 Ten terrific books about getting active

Mom, can I go outside and play soccer?

19 Get active!

Is asthma caused by exercise?

20 A message from Dr. Jim McIntyre

Issue with your teacher? Take an active approach

20 Events for the month of May

Why early orthodontic treatment?

Project: Think Twice

Keeping kids active

21 Let’s Go Treasure Hunting in Knoxville! 22 Get out and visit colleges!

Advertise with Knoxville Parent Become part of the Knoxville Parent family! Our readers, writers and advertisers all share the same purpose: To help make Knox County the best place to live and raise your family! Call (865) 622-9680 today!

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Knoxville Parent • May 2013

A message from the Publishers by Eva Nations and Michael Kull

o s a w w m r

Dear readers, This month’s issue is devoted to getting active. As warm weather settles in, we want to encourage you to become more active with your families. The Knoxville area is absolutely beautiful this time of year. Television shows can be recorded, the internet will always be there, the daylight hours continue to increase, so what better time than now to take what you are doing outdoors, even if it is just reading a book on the back porch! Activity is a key component to living a healthy and balanced life. Even more, activity occurs on all levels: physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual, so no matter what the issue or starting point, everyone can increase their level of activity. Please enjoy this month’s expert advice and get active! Sincerely, Eva and Michael

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Knoxville Parent • May 2013

Exploring Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness By Paul James

n days of old, many of us didn’t travel far; what lay beyond was often unknown, out of reach and perhaps out of mind. Yet, the natural world was all around us; the sound of the wind, the call of the wolf or even the cry of a solitary eagle. While this sounds a little like Pocahontas’ world, it’s not too much of a stretch to think that if we put aside our multitude of electronic devices for a moment, those landscapes are still ours. And better yet, remarkably close by. Despite the allure of the nearby Great Smoky Mountains, there is a landscape close to home that is available to everyone presenting endless opportunities for those seeking solitude, discovery, adventure or just a plain old healthy life. There’s a common term for this “paradise” - it’s called Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness. And aside from the price of a few miles of gasoline, it’s also practically free (donations of course are always gladly accepted and appreciated)! Where to start? Head down to Ijams Nature Center, which is the gateway to the South Loop of the Urban Wilderness. Just a stone’s throw from Market Square or a mere 25 minute cruise from West Knoxville, there are 35+ miles of trails and 1,000 acres awaiting you. Ijams has trail connections to nearby Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area, William Hastie Natural Area and Marie Myers Park. Peripheral trails on private easements have created a trail system that is both unique and uniquely Knoxville at that. Three miles of new trails at Ijams will open this spring for hikers and bikers providing endless opportunities for discovery and adventure. Ijams itself is a magical place that has been called “a series of never-ending surprises”. The traditional wildlife sanctuary on one side of Island Home Avenue gives way to an expansive post-industrial location that Hollywood would be proud of. Woodlands filled with wildflowers, majestic trees and moss-covered boulder fields fill the landscape. You could easily film parts of King Kong, Planet of the Apes and The Hobbit here. The landscape can be simultaneously beautiful and somewhat strange, yet always captivating. And rock structures such as the Keyhole - one of East Tennessee’s most unique and memorable manmade structures, are an evocative relic of the bygone Tennessee Marble era that informs our cultural history. If you and your family are more recreationallyminded, River Sports Outfitters opens an outpost midApril at the Ijams Quarry. You can rent a mountain bike, canoe or something new - a stand up paddle board - or SUP for short. Mead’s Quarry Lake’s flat water is the perfect place if you’re just getting started. Plus, you might spot a freshwater jellyfish in the lake during the hot summer months. But worry not, they are the size of a quarter, don’t sting and testify to the cleanliness of the water. If you’re looking for structured programs, Ijams has Paul James is Executive Director if Ijams Nature Center. He is Past Chair of Knox County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board; Past Chair of Dow Chemical Company (formerly Rohm & Haas) Community Advisory Board; and a Board Member of the Legacy Parks Foundation. Paul is a frequent writer for the Tennessee Conservationist Magazne and authored Ijams Nature Center, a visual history of the Ijams Family and the development of the nature center, published in 2010.

“Despite the allure of the nearby Great Smoky Mountains, there is a landscape close to home that is available to everyone, presenting endless opportunities for those seeking solitude, discovery, adventure or just a plain old healthy life.” plenty to offer, ranging from summer camps, birding classes, Wagging Walks and Fairy House Building Competitions to adult movie nights, cocktail themed events and even Haunted Lantern Tours of the quarries close to Halloween. Check www.ijams.org regularly for all the details. Knoxville really is an incredible place to be active. So, the next time you lay awake in the middle of the night thinking about things to do this weekend, place Ijams and the Urban Wilderness on the top of your list. I promise, you won’t run into any wolves but you might just encounter something else entirely, perhaps even that solitary eagle.

Come visit us at our newest location at

Cedar Bluff and Kingston Pike In front of Academy Sports

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Knoxville Parent • May 2013

by Michael K. Smith Ph.D.

Get MOOCed! ast fall, I participated in a college course on Artificial Intelligence taught by Stanford professor Sebastian Thrun. I’ve taken dozens of colleges classes before, while at the University of Tennessee. This course, though, was radically different: it was free; it was offered through the Internet; and it had 160,000 students enrolled. This was the first attempt at what is now called a MOOC (massive open online course). The success of this course has led to the creation of three companies—Udacity, Coursera, and EdX—which offer hundreds of courses taught by distinguished professors. It is now possible to stay “mentally active” and learn just about anything, for free, while sitting at home in front of your computer. Udacity (www.udacity.com), started by Thrun, offers a variety of mostly math and science courses. These courses consist of video modules which can be viewed at anytime. I’m currently enrolled in Introduction to Computer Science and Introduction to Physics. I’m not sure I would ever use this new knowledge in my work. That’s not the point, however. I can enjoy learning new material and complete assignments at my own pace. Coursera (www.coursera.org), started by two other Stanford professors, Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng, has a wider selection of courses. Here’s just a sampling: Comic Books and Graphic Novels; Law and the Entrepreneur; Game Theory; Listening to World Music; and Medical Neuroscience. I recently completed a course entitled Data Analysis, taught by Jeffrey Leek at Johns Hopkins. This course taught the techniques of data mining or predictive analytics. These statistical techniques are in wide use in a variety of fields to “predict” human behavior: movie recommendations (Netflix); book recommendations (Amazon); customer buying patterns (Target); search strategies (Google); and dating (Match.com). This course was taught in an eight-week time frame with assignments that I could complete if I wanted. Although I couldn’t discuss the course with the professor, I could interact on dozens of discussion boards with the over 50,000 people from around the world who were enrolled. EdX (www.edx.org) is a collaboration between Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that offers complete college courses taught by their faculty. EdX also offers courses from several other institutions. I’m currently enrolled in The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 hours, taught by Gregory Nagy at Harvard.

“Many people around the world do not have convenient access to this level of expertise in mathematics, sciences, or humanities. This knowledge can potentially help them improve their economic condition.” Professor Nagy explores the concept of “hero” in Greek literature in a series of 24 lectures (about an hour each) with evidence drawn from the Iliad and the Odyssey and other Greek sources. In hour one, Professor Nagy discusses the Greek concept of kleos or “glory”: to Greeks such as Achilles, kleos came from the right way to die, so you’d be remembered forever, not the right way to live. Furthermore, the Greek term hora (season, right time, perfect time), from which we derive the English word “hour”, meant the struggle of the hero to find the right moment for his kleos, which would result in his death. My wife won’t let me use this new knowledge at our dinner parties (“this is not the right time, dear”); however, I’m having a lot of fun learning something fascinating. Why would anyone take one of these courses? Many people around the world do not have convenient access to this level of expertise in mathematics, sciences, or humanities. This knowledge can potentially help them improve their economic condition. In particular, all three companies are striving to offer actual college credit for their online courses. For other people, the benefit of learning more in a chosen field could also offer practical benefits. Finally, for everyone, the opportunities to “get active” mentally have never been so rich. The MOOC has just made lifelong learning more affordable and accessible. Michael K. Smith, Ph.D., is owner of TESTPREP EXPERTS (www.testprepexperts.com ) which prepares students for standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT. He is also a consultant to Discovery Education Assessment. He can reached at mike@testprepexperts.com.

Knoxville Parent • May 2013

Mom, can I go outside and play soccer?

How can you answer this question if your kid has arthritis? By Marcin Gornisiewicz, M.D.

uvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), also known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is the most common form of arthritis in children. There are several subtypes of JIA and the clinical presentation varies. Unfortunately, pain is a common denominator, and is a major factor preventing children with arthritis from being more active. They fear the pain and injury due to a flare up of the disease by simply running, jumping or playing tag. Typical symptoms and components of JIA include joint swelling, stiffness, anemia, muscle atrophy, weakness and fatigue and contribute to decreased exercise level. The disease often results in a sedentary lifestyle and poor fitness even in kids with clinical remission when the joint inflammation is under good control. JIA may be carried on into adolescent and adult life. We all know that physical activity is good for healthy kids, but parents often ask important questions, such as whether children with arthritis should exercise, is it safe to exercise, or does it lead to additional joint damage, and are competitive sports safe and to what degree? Several studies have shown that regular physical exercise, in addition to pharmacotherapy, is the primary treatment recommendation for children with JIA. It reduces pain, fatigue, disability, and leads to improved quality of life, sense of well-being. It makes every day activities less difficult. There are several different types of exercises that a child with JIA can do. Arthritic joints are painful and swollen, and a child may tend to hold them in the position that is most comfortable. This can lead to a loss of joint motion when bending called flexion contracture. Range of motion (flexibility) exercises reduce the risk of this complication and can be done safely even if the joint is inflamed. They are most effective when performed on daily basis. It is sometimes easier to perform them while bathing in hot water, helping to loosen the muscles. Strengthening exercises work muscles, as they move against resistance. These exercises can be divided into two groups: isometric and isotonic (see graphic). In isometric there is no movement of the joint, and the length of the muscle does not change. You can think of this as a static or still exercise. An example would be pushing against a wall. The wall doesn’t move but a significant force is

generated at the joints and muscles, and this increases strength at the joints. In isotonic exercises, the muscle changes length and takes a joint through a specific range of motion against a fixed resistance. Raising and lowering a weight is an example. What about free time and sport activities in children with JIA? There are no specific guidelines for what kids should and shouldn’t do. Basically, any activity that is tolerated and acceptable to the child with JIA should be appropriate, if there is adequate supervision and monitoring. Swimming is especially recommended. It works all muscle groups in the body, and it does not put stress on the joints. Bicycling and walking are great additions as well. For many children with well-controlled JIA, finding a sport or some activity they like is a good way to get them to exercise regularly. They can choose any sport they want, but highly competitive contact sports should be avoided during the periods of active disease. Kids with JIA should be taught how to recognize the signs of overuse. It would be advisable to contact your rheumatologist or physical therapist when selecting more strenuous activities. In summary, regular exercise is one of the most important therapies for children with arthritis. Children learn by example, so help your kid by making physical activity a family affair. In isometric contractions there is no movement. The muscle contracts but does not shorten. There are two types of isotonic contractions: (1) concentric and (2) eccentric. In a concentric contraction, the muscle tension rises to meet the resistance, then remains the same as the muscle shortens. In eccentric, the muscle lengthens due to the resistance being greater than the force the muscle is producing.

Dr. Marcin Gornisiewicz graduated with an MD degree from the Medical School of Warsaw in Warsaw, Poland. He completed residency training in internal medicine at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey. He completed fellowship training in rheumatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama. He joined Rheumatology Consultants, PLLC (rheumatologyconsultants.org) in 2002. He is board certified in Rheumatology.

Not Just a Hospital

You don’t treat your kids like adults and neither should your physician. The talented surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and staff at Children’s Hospital not only have a passion for medicine but are trained specifically to treat children. You can trust us to give your child the physical and emotional care they deserve.

Knoxville Parent • May 2013

Is Asthma Caused by Exercise? by Marek M. Pienkowski, M.D., Ph.D.

ith spring in the air, school children start outdoor sports activities like soccer, baseball, football, cross country, etc. Some of them will develop, with exercise, wheezing, coughing, chest tightness or shortness of breath. Are they unfit? Too heavy? Lazy? Or do they have asthma? Asthma is a very real and complex syndrome with a variety of triggers, which may cause these symptoms. The symptoms may occur during “cool-down” periods after strenuous exercise or with exposure to dry air, low temperature, air pollutants, high pollen or other air irritants. In many cases, a compounding of these different elements can precipitate a more severe asthma. Symptoms are likely to be more pronounced after upper respiratory infections like the common cold or bronchitis. If your child has a predisposition to a runny nose or recurrent ear infections, these are likely factors that can also contribute to asthma. Symptoms of stomach upset, vomiting and reflux may also contribute to your child’s asthmatic syndrome. Some other symptoms may be mild, such as a cough. However, a common symptom that isn’t usually associated with asthma is fatigue. If these symptoms are affecting your children’s performance, it is time to make an appointment with an allergy and asthma physician for specific diagnosis and treatment. This condition, for the majority of children, will get progressively worse if left untreated. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is necessary for the best outcome. Your doctor will perform a diagnostic evaluation based upon medical history (when and how the asthmatic symptoms occur), clinical examination and a special lung test called a spirometry. The testing may include a breathing test before and after exercise (so-called “challenge test”), rapid breathing dry air test (with CO2) or tests after inhalation of different substances like methacholine or mannitol. In addition, your child may benefit from an allergy evaluation, as allergies are a very common trigger of asthma for East Tennesseans. Other tests may include cardiovascular or gastrointestinal evaluations. Once a diagnosis of asthma is made, treatment is very effective and may lead to remission of the syndrome. Treatment may require some adjustments of lifestyles. If your child’s condition is specifically exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) asthma, you will be advised of proper conditioning, such as warm-ups and cooldowns, limiting exercise in cold or dry air, use of a prophylactic inhaler, such as albuterol or oral medication like montelukast (Singulair). These medications are typically much more effective if used prior to exercise to prevent symptoms, rather than waiting for the symptoms to occur first. However, if your child also has allergies, there is specific testing and treatment available, which may include allergy immunotherapy to selective Marek M. Pienkowski, M.D., Ph.D. was educated in clinical immunology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore and internal medicine at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Dr. Pienkowski has been serving patients in East Tennessee with allergies, asthma and immunological disorders for nearly 30 years through Allergic Diseases, Asthma & Immunology Clinic, P.C.. Active both in biomedical research and academia, he has published more than sixty scientific papers as well as two books.

allergens. This type of treatment is typically very effective in inducing remission of asthmatic syndrome. If the child has food allergies or substantial reflux, proper food avoidance and anti-reflux measures would typically aid in reducing coughing. If allergies are a component of your child’s asthma, for example cat allergies, exposure to cats may initially cause only mild symptoms. However, typically four to six hours later, your child may suffer from more pronounced asthma symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing and severe shortness of breath, necessitating an emergency room visit. Unfortunately, delayed reactions like this do not respond readily to inhalers and sometimes require treatment with steroids. The only effective prophylactic measure in resolving delayed allergic asthmatic reactions is allergy immunotherapy. With proper management, the overall prognosis is good. Effective treatment has led many athletes to win Olympic medals. Recent examples of this are: Tom Dolan and Amy Van Dyken in swimming; Jackie Joyner Kersee in track; and baseball Hall of Famer, “Catfish” Hunter, just to name a few. Exercise is very important, and your child needs it for his or her mind and body. If your child has asthma, it is important not to prohibit or limit participation in exercise activities, because exercise is a very important part of good health, both physically and socially.

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Knoxville Parent • May 2013

Issue with your teacher? Take an active approach Portraits hen my children were small, they depended Sports on me to solve their problems. I had to “act” forEvents them and be their advocate and voice. Now thatSeniors they are older, I expect them to be “active” in handling some of their problems themselves. For Maternity parents, facilitating the journey from dependence Weddings requires ongoing assessment of the to independence child’s developmental level and skill. Parents need Engagement to determine Families when children are developmentally

by Kathryn Rea Smith, Ph.D.

ready to take on more responsibility, and then ensure they have the skills to be successful. One important responsibility children need to assume when ready is to be active in talking to teachers on their own. Children need several skills to be successful at talking to teachers. They must be able to define the problem or issue. They need to feel it is acceptable to ask for help. They require oral and written communication skills. They must realize they may not achieve the outcome they desire and have the skills to cope with disappointing results. The acquisition of these skills over the course of childhood is gradual and Let us help your special memories last a lifetime! cumulative, much like learning math. Just as one does not take on Algebra 307-231-6403 or 865-806-6580 before mastering the multiplication tables, one does not approach a teacher autonomously to discuss a failing grade before having learned basic social skills, www.edwardfoleyphotography.com

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“The child who learns how to talk directly to a teacher will hopefully become the adult who can speak assertively to an employer about a performance review, promotion, or pay raise.” like good manners, and basic communication skills, like making eye contact during conversation. In their enthusiasm for promoting independence, parents can make the mistake of assuming their children have the needed skills for a new responsibility when in fact they do not. This misperception can result in a too abrupt transition from dependence to autonomy. Thus, when parents say “I want you to talk to your teacher about your grades” parents should ensure their children know how to approach this task. If not, parents can assist with skill development in several ways. For instance, parents can ask the child for his or her ideas about talking to the teacher, to which parents can offer feedback. If a child feels anxious or intimidated about approaching the teacher, parents can provide support and reassurance. Rehearsing and role-playing an imagined conversation with the teacher can give the child confidence for initiating the actual conversation. Sometimes parents can “grease the skids” by alerting the teacher of the impending conversation. About one month ago, I received a note from my younger son’s teacher about an issue with his Accelerated Reader (AR) grade. I could tell from the note that the teacher hoped he would address the issue directly with her. I showed him the note and told him I expected him to talk with his teacher about the matter. Since this would be his first time talking to a teacher about a grade by himself, I helped him prepare. He needed an opening line: “I’d like to talk to you about the problem with my AR test grade.” He also needed to consider potential resolutions to the problem and to prepare himself for the possibility of undesirable outcomes. We rehearsed until he was comfortable with the plan. Finally, I sent the teacher an email giving her a heads up that my son would be talking with her the next day. When he came home from school, I asked how it went—it went well--and congratulated him for talking to his teacher on his own. The next time he has a problem with a teacher, he will be ready to handle even more by himself. Although taking care of children when they are small is often quite gratifying, parenting becomes more rewarding as children grow more active and independent. The child who learns how to talk directly to a teacher will hopefully become the adult who can speak assertively to an employer about a performance review, promotion, or pay raise. Although we will never stop being their parent, we serve our children well when we prepare them to be selfsufficient, efficacious adults. Kathryn Rea Smith, Ph.D. is a private practice psychologist specializing in assessment. She is the married mother of two school-aged boys.

Knoxville Parent • May 2013

Why early orthodontic treatment?

k y ou’re with your eight-year old at his or her semiannual dental check-up, and the dentist casually kY comments, “You should probably make an appointment the orthodontist for an evaluation.” You think, awith “What?! But my child is only eight years old! What on would the orthodontist need to do to my child rEarth when there are so many baby teeth present?”

Braces aren’t just for teens By Jeffrey Eberting, D.M.D., M.S.

This is a situation I am sure in which many parents have found themselves – the family dentist or pediatric dentist making a referral to an orthodontist for an evaluation when that patient (their child) still has a significant amount of primary teeth in place. Unless the dental condition is obvious, many parents are left wondering why there could be a need for orthodontic treatment at such a young age. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a child have his or her first orthodontic evaluation at the age of seven years. Why this age when in many patients, the primary teeth have not even begun to exfoliate or loosen? For most seven-year olds, the permanent first molars – or the “six-year” molars – have erupted, and the occlusion – or the “bite” – is being established. The orthodontist can begin to evaluate whether the patient’s facial growth is creating a normal bite, an overbite, or an underbite. In most cases, a seven-year old will not require early orthodontic treatment. For some, however, there may be a need for interceptive or “Phase 1” treatment; maybe not at the age of seven, but perhaps a couple years later. In my practice, I am very selective about which cases merit early treatment, and which can wait until all the permanent teeth have erupted. There must be a definite dental or skeletal need, in which early orthodontic treatment would benefit the patient. For me, simply, dental crowding or spacing does not mean that we need to initiate treatment. Most of my Phase 1 treatment cases have a skeletal component which requires correction – crossbites, developing underbites, or severe overbites. These types of cases make for good early treatment cases, because in a preadolescent patient, the facial bones are much more pliable and easier to manipulate. To correct a crossbite, many orthodontists use a maxillary (upper arch) expander of some type, which pushes the two halves of the upper jaw apart. The goal is to “widen” the upper jaw. Maxillary expansion becomes more difficult when a patient has completed his or her adolescent growth, as the suture joining the two halves of the upper jaw calcifies or hardens. If a patient has a developing underbite, I prefer to start early treatment at an even younger age (age six or seven). This is because treatment involves using what is called a “reverse-pull” or “facemask” headgear, which is worn at night, to pull the upper jaw forward. This forward movement becomes more difficult to achieve as the patient gets closer to adolescence due to the calcification of the sutures of the facial bones. The cases that I treat to address issues which are solely dental in nature are because of an interceptive need. Upper front teeth which are protruding excessively can be at risk for trauma should they be hit during a fall or at play. Dr. Eberting holds degrees from Duke University and Temple University in both General Dentistry and Orthodontics. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the TN Dental Association, the Second District Dental Society, the American Association of Orthodontists, the Southern Association of Orthodontists, and the TN Association of Orthodontists. He is a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Eberting enjoys theater, music running, politics, reading and movies. He has three children.

“The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a child have his or her first orthodontic evaluation at the age of seven years.” These spaces can be closed and the teeth pulled inward to avoid any potential damage to them. Some patients present with such a severe level of crowding, that the ultimate treatment plan will include extracting the four first premolars. I can also plan a sequence of extractions of primary teeth and permanent teeth, called “serial extraction,” which will allow for the eruption of the remaining permanent teeth in more favorable positions, making orthodontic treatment more effective. Finally, there are instances where I will initiate early orthodontics for patients whose dental condition are such that they are being teased or ridiculed by their peers. In many of these cases, the treatment time is short and relatively simple, but the increased patient self-confidence and improved self-image create invaluable rewards. If you have any questions about the condition of your child’s teeth or whether it is time to schedule an orthodontic evaluation, please see your family dentist or orthodontist.

Knoxville Parent • May 2013

“ w Project: Think Twice s by Chief Lee Tramel t he Knox County Sheriff ’s Office has implemented a new program called “As the youth came in to the facility, they seemed aw T “PROJECT: THINK TWICE”. The program is aimed at at-risk juveniles ages 12 – 17 and their parents or guardians. The purpose of the program is not little nervous. I watched as the parents signed them in.d to humiliate, shame, or terrorize juveniles, but to show how bad decisions could eventually lead to incarceration and to help parents increase their awareness. Why were they here?” d This program is the first of it’s kind in Tennessee and was developed by Sgt. Sheila Story and the staff of the Special Services Division after numerous calls from parents about what to do when teens are headed in the wrong direction. The guidelines and applications are available on the Sheriff ’s Office website, knoxsheriff.org or call the Knox County Special Services Division at 865-215-5633.

How Does It Work? The program takes place on the third Thursday of each month at the Knox County Detention Facility and is limited to 15 teens and their parents. The youth are led on an educational tour of the Detention facility by officers and learn about the daily lives of the incarcerated prisoners. The parents are involved at the same time in a brief facility tour followed by an informational program about juvenile services, community resources and a discussion about the challenges that face young people and families that can potentially lead to involvement with the Knox County Sheriff ’s Office or the Juvenile Justice Center. A social worker from the Juvenile Center assists with the parent program. Last, the youth and parents come together to hear a presentation by inmates. The inmates share

s h a What Is It Like? I attended this program last week to get a first hand look. As the youth came j o in to the facility, they seemed a little nervous. I watched as the parents signed their experiences at the Detention Facility and discuss the choices that lead them there.

them in. Why were they here? Most were here because of disrespecting their parents. Some were here because they have anger issues, a few were caught with drugs or in trouble at school, and some were on probation for various charges through Juvenile Court. The officers placed a sticker on the back of their shirt with a number on it. They would only be known as a number during the tour. They were instructed to have a seat, sit up straight and to be quiet. After everyone had signed in, the program began by one of the officers reading the rules: tuck in shirt tails, pull up pants, tighten belts, discard any chewing gum. They were told no disruptive behavior would be tolerated and to keep their hands behind them at all times

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“The youth heard these prisoners talk about how they wished they still had the freedom to hug their moms, sleep in their own beds, wear their own clothing, use their cell phones, hang out with their families, or just to walk to the refrigerator when they were hungry. ” during the tour. Next, the youth were instructed to go to the wall where they were given a pat down search. I saw a couple of parents wiping tears from their eyes. They hated seeing their child in this situation, but it was also a tear of hope that this would help lead their child in the right direction. The youth were told to sit back down and were shown a video called “Think Twice”. The video was a true life video of juvenile prisoners. It was a glance of what they were about to see for themselves on their tour. The parents were led out of the room for a brief tour of the facility before attending a parent program. I decided to tour with the youth. We went to a couple of cell blocks or as we call them, pods. Here, the officers explained that the prisoners in the disciplinary pod had made bad choices even while incarcerated that led them to this pod. The youth were shown an empty cell and shower area. They could hear a few of the prisoners yelling from behind their locked cell door. The faces of the prisoners could be seen through the small window in cell doors. We also toured the intake where prisoners are first brought in to the facility. The youth were shown the fingerprint office and holding cells and then on to view a couple more pods. Meanwhile, the parents had returned to the assembly room and were talking with a social worker from Juvenile Court, discussing the problems they are having with their child and learning what resources are available to them. When we arrived back at the assembly room, the youth were instructed to sit down again. I then heard chains. From behind me, three prisoners walked toward the front of the room in belly chains and leg shackles. They stood in front of the youth and, one at a time, gave their testimony. Each prisoner had something in common with the others: all three had disrespected their parents, and their troubles all began when they themselves were juveniles. The youth heard these prisoners talk about how they wished they still had the freedom to hug their moms, sleep in their own beds, wear their own clothing, use their cell phones, hang out with their families, or just to walk to the refrigerator when they were hungry. They discussed how they wished they could go back in time and start over. I noticed the youth were very much interested in what these prisoners had to say. The prisoners interacted with the youth by asking them questions about why they were there. With each answer from the youth, the prisoners related by stating they had done the same thing at their age, “and look where it led us.” What Is The Impact? After the prisoners were escorted out of the room, the parents and youth were asked to fill out a survey. Then it was time to close the program. I noticed that a couple of the children went to their parent and hugged them. I even heard one say, “Mom, I’m sorry. I will do better, I promise. I never want to come here.” I asked to read the surveys before leaving. Not one of them was negative. When asked what they learned from the program, most wrote, “I need to think twice about my choices.” I hope they do. I wish the best for each of them. Lee Tramel is the Assistant Chief Deputy for the Knox County Sheriff ’s Office. During his 26 year career, he also served in the civil warrants division and as Assistant Director of the Court Services Division. Lee is a Knoxville native, where he lives with his wife and 11 year old daughter.

Keeping kids active by Barry Van Over

nyone who’s seen kids on a playground knows that most are naturally physically active and love to move around. But what might not be apparent is that climbing to the top of a slide or swinging from the monkey bars can help lead kids to a lifetime of being active. As they get older, it can be a challenge for kids to get enough daily activity. Reasons include increasing demands of school, a feeling among some kids that they aren’t good at sports, a lack of active role models, and busy working families. And even if kids have the time and the desire to be active, parents may not feel comfortable letting them freely roam the neighborhood as kids once did. So their opportunities might be limited. Despite these barriers, parents can instill a love of activity and help kids fit it into their everyday routines. Doing so can establish healthy patterns that will last into adulthood. Benefits of Being Active When kids are active, their bodies can do the things they want and need them to do. Why? Because regular exercise provides these benefits: • strong muscles and bones • weight control • decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes • better sleep • a better outlook on life Healthy, physically active kids also are more likely to be academically motivated, alert, and successful. And physical competence builds self-esteem at every age. What Motivates Kids So there’s a lot to gain from regular physical activity, but how do you encourage kids to do it? The three keys are: 1. Choosing the right activities for a child’s age: If you don’t, the child may be bored or frustrated. 2. Giving kids plenty of opportunity to be active: Kids need parents to make activity easy by providing equipment and taking them to playgrounds and other active spots. 3. Keeping the focus on fun: Kids won’t do something they don’t enjoy. When kids enjoy an activity, they want to do more of it. Practicing a skill — whether it’s swimming or martial arts classes — improves their abilities and helps them feel accomplished, especially when the effort is noticed and praised. These good feelings often make kids want to continue the activity and even try others. Be sure to be active yourself and support your kids’ interests. If you start this early enough, they’ll come to regard activity as a normal — and fun — part of your family’s everyday routine.

“Healthy, physically active kids are more likely to be academically motivated, alert, and successful. Physical competence builds selfesteem at every age.”

Barry Van Over is the owner and president of Premier Martial Arts International. With two locations in the West Knoxville, Barry has been empowering families lives through the martial arts in the Knoxville community for over 20 years. Visit www.premiermartialarts.com.

Jessica’s New Future A few years ago, Jessica Demby was struggling. After graduating from high school Jessica tried college, but soon realized it wasn’t for her. Jessica did not know what to do and felt she had run out of options. All she knew was that living at home and making minimum wage was not what she wanted. Now, in less than two years she’s doubled her salary, has paid vacations and holidays, and is truly enjoying her work every day.

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Knoxville Parent • May 2013

Get Active… With Math?

By Mike O’Hern, Center Director of Mathnasium of West Knoxville

o I admit I’m a stair-counter. I can’t go up or down stairs without counting them. For example, I just happen to know that there are 19 steps up for each floor to get to my daughter’s apartment. But when I have the same set up steps over and over again, like I do at home, I need to subdivide in order to break the boredom. So I’ve got 15 steps to go up and down. For a while I counted 4-4-4-3, which has a nice little cadence (count it in your head – I think you’ll see what I mean). Then it was 3-3-3-3-3, which is rather waltzy, so it was fun for a while. But when I went with 5-5-5, that worked well for the front (straight) staircase, but the back didn’t work because there is a landing, splitting the bottom flight of 9 and the top flight of 6, and one certainly can’t break up a subdivision over a landing, so the only one that works on the back is the 3-3-3-3-3, or simply to go with 9-6 upwards and 6-9 downwards, but that seemed to me rather pedantic. So I came up with 5-4-3-2-1. Eureka! It works both ways in the front, and in the back I can do 5-4-3-2-1 upward and 1-2-3-4-5 downward. Believe it or not, this got me to thinking about how we can use our normal activities to reinforce our math in our day-to-day lives. A couple of months ago I gave some ideas about how to keep your child’s math brain working over the summer. (Take a look at the March issue of Knoxville Parent online!). Here are a few more ideas that you can use, many of them virtually every day! Next time you go to the store, when you get out of the car, ask how many steps it will take to get to the door of the store. Two ways to play: counting backward from the estimated number or forward from 1. Either way, after walking, calculate how far off the estimate was. Or how about this? Count your steps by 2’s, by 3’s, by 4’s, etc. Once at the door, figure out how many steps it was if you had been counting by 1’s. If this is too tough for your younger one, let him start by saying the skip numbers while whispering the others. That is, to count by 3’s, as he walks he whispers “One, two,” then on the third step says aloud, “three,” whispers, “four, five,” then aloud “six,” and so forth. After trying that a few times he can whisper, “one, two” and only step when he says the “three” aloud (and “six” and “nine” and so forth). Now you can throw a wrench in the works! Count by threes, but start at two! 2, 5, 8, 11, etc. Or by fours, starting at 1. 1, 5, 9, 13, etc. But if your child is a little older, you can still do counting games – just make it a little more mind-bending. How about count by 1 1/2? Or count by 3/4. Or just do any one of these backwards! Of course skip-counting is an entrée to multiplying, so for the more As owner and director at Mathnasium (a math learning center with locations in West Knoxville and Chattanooga (www.mathnasium.com/ westknoxville) for the past five years, Mike has extensive experience teaching children and young adults the foundations of math concepts that are crucial to building their confidence and engagement with math throughout life.

“Believe it or not, this got me to thinking about how we can use our normal activities to reinforce our math in our day-to-day lives.” advanced students you might want to speed things up a bit. Jump rope or jog calling out multiples (3, 6, 9, etc.). Throw a Frisbee in the air and see how far she can go before it’s caught. Catch lightening bugs and figure out how many lightening bug legs he’s caught. Get out a deck of cards and play “war,” but each player has to draw two (or three or four) cards and multiply them together to see who has the bigger number. Numerical fluency is very important, and if your child is only practicing it while in a formal math setting (classroom or homework), it will never flow like it should. I naturally count stairs and the like, but if I didn’t, I would need someone to give me the idea!

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Friday, June 21 Saturday, June 22 A.K. Bissell Park

Get active, and move toward a healthier lifestyle By Kindall Aaron

WWII Displays and Memorabilia Special Events at the American Museum of Science and Energy Arts and Crafts Vendors Rick Springﬁeld and The Dirty Guv’nahs in concert! Living History Demonstration, “A Salute to Soldiers”

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hough your day may be filled with shuttling your children to and from school, going to work and doing household chores, it’s essential to schedule time for your child to be active. In the U.S., one in three children is considered obese or overweight. This alarming statistic means that one in three children is more likely to develop high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems, depression or other health problems. By teaching your child to eat nutritiously and get moving, you can reduce his risk of developing these life-threatening conditions. Luckily, children don’t have to rely on going to the gym to stay active. Instead, there are a wide variety of activities available to them, depending on their ages, interests and abilities. Some children may be resistant to joining organized sports teams at their school or in their communities. However, simple activities like playing outside, riding bikes and taking walks as a family can reduce the risk of becoming overweight or obese. Additionally, limiting sedentary activities—like watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Internet—can make a huge impact on your child’s health. Beyond the health benefits, staying active can give children the chance to set goals, overcome challenges and learn about teamwork. Noncompetitive sports teams are excellent settings for learning basic skills and sportsmanship. If your child isn’t interested in traditional sports, look into karate, golf, skateboarding and tennis. The Knoxville Area Coalition on Childhood Obesity (KACCO), which is sponsored by East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, supports many programs to get children moving. Recently, KACCO and its partners hosted Let’s Move to encourage children and families to eat healthier and be active. Let’s Move is part of Knoxville’s commitment to First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC) initiative. In April, Knoxville and Knox County were recognized as first in the nation in this initiative for completing key health and wellness goals. These goals included promoting best practices for nutrition, teaching venues about MyPlate and increasing opportunities for physical activity. More than 200 cities, towns and counties are participating in LMCTC. Though Tennessee ranks third in the nation in terms of pediatric obesity, the cycle can break with your child. Beginning with small steps, like inviting your child on a walk or to play catch, can make drastic differences in his health and well-being for decades to come. Kindall Aaron is the Coordinator of the Knoxville Area Coalition on Childhood Obesity through East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. The coalition focuses on reducing the incidence of childhood obesity. Visit www.yeah4kids.org or www.etch.com for more information.

Knoxville Parent • May 2013

Ten terrific books about getting active Compiled by Erin Nguyen

Rhinos Who Skateboard by Julie Mammano PreK-2nd Rhinos spend a fun day rolling around town in this actionpacked picture book filled with skateboarding lingo.

Big Nate on a Roll by Lincoln Peirce 2nd-5th Nate is disappointed when his rival, the “perfect” Artur, joins his scout troop and is determined to beat him in the troop’s fundraising contest in order to win the ultimate prize- a new skateboard.

Pig Kahuna by Jennifer Sattler PreK-2nd Young pig Fergus, who doesn’t like the water, is playing with his baby brother Dink on the beach where they discover a surfboard, and it’s about to take Fergus on a wild ride! Snorp on the Slopes by Cari Meister K-3rd Beginning readers with a sense of humor will love this tale about three-eyed, three-legged, long-tongued Snorp who is taken skiing by his equally strange-looking friend Moopy.

How Angel Peterson Got His Name and Other Tales About Extreme Sports by Gary Paulsen. 5th-8th. Beloved author Paulsen draws on his childhood experiences in this memoir about how he and his friends foolishly tried their hands at a few “extreme” sports of their own.

Children’s Department, Knox County Public Library

BMX Freestyle by Ray McClellan 3rd-5th The fast-paced sport of BMX freestyle is just one of the extreme sports covered in the Action Sports nonfiction series.

Surviving Extreme Sports by Lori Hile 4th-8th This nonfiction title in the Extreme Survival series details the ways to stay safe while participating in a variety of extreme sports and highlights some of the best athletes in each field.

White Water by Jonathan and Aaron London 1st-4th Inspired by a real-life rafting trip, this father and son duo takes readers on a white water adventure down the Green River of Utah.

Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams 6th-10th Even though ninth-grader Cam comes from a long line of bullriding champs, he’s always been too busy skateboarding to ride himself – until his Marine brother Ben is wounded in Iraq and needs some inspiration to continue his rehabilitation.

The Ex Games by Jennifer Echols 9th-12th In this fun teen romance, snowboarding champ Hayden is challenged to a battle of the sexes by her ex-boyfriend Nick who claims that she can’t win against a boy.

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The 2,208 souls who sailed Titanic; each has a story, and 133 belong to children

My name is Jaynee. As a First Class maid at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, I know the tales of the 2,208 passengers and crew who sailed Titanic’s doomed maiden voyage a century ago. Among them were 133 children—the ship’s littlest heroes whose stories I know by heart. It was a grand day when Knoxville Parent invited me to tell readers about Titanic’s beloved children, all part of a new yearlong series. This month, meet six-year-old Robert Douglas Spedden. Master Robert was born with a silver spoon in his mouth: Parents Frederic and Daisy were both heirs to family fortunes, so their precious boy was denied nothing from the start. Frederic and Daisy took him everywhere, including a sixmonth European vacation in 1911. Their party included Mrs. Spedden’s personal maid, a nanny and Robert’s constant companion—a small white teddy bear made by Steiff, a German plush-toy company. Having had their fill of continental amusements, the Spedden’s headed home on RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage. Touted as “unsinkable,” the huge ship became a gigantic playground for Robert, who especially liked spinning his toy top on deck. Titanic was everything the press had written about her except for one thing: Titanic proved sinkable. The Spedden party managed to escape and was among the lucky. Clutching his bear, young Master Robert slept through the horrors of that night. In the morning, rescue ship Carpathia placed him in a sack and hauled him aboard to safety, a maneuver he greatly enjoyed. Once home, Mrs. Spedden wrote a story for her son about his Titanic experience as seen through the black glass eyes of his dear little teddy. Originally a small booklet written just for Robert, her work was discovered years later and published under the title Polar, the Titanic Bear. It includes watercolor illustrations and family photos and remains a very popular children’s book to this day. You can purchase this book too – www.titanicattraction.com.

Knoxville Parent • May 2013

by Piotr Ulmer, MSPT

Get active!

t sounds like an invitation to exercise, doesn’t it? Well, if we have fallen into stagnation (the lack of mobility or growth) and we have allowed the atrophy (the wasting away) of our muscles, then it sounds like a very good idea. After all, getting active means rebuilding muscle mass, which speeds the burning of unwanted fat. According to scientific discoveries and studies, being active restores strength and vitality of not only muscles, but ligaments and bones. Being active revives circulation, which is the carrier of oxygen, nutrients and immune support to all the cells of the body, with obvious benefits for the heart. Better circulation means boosted detox - the flushing out of toxins generated in the stagnant tissues. Being physically active restores our hormonal balance and blood sugar levels. While being active, our neurotransmitter ratio makes us happier and less depressed. We produce a soup of endorphins – the natural painkillers. We increase the tone of our musculoskeletal striatal muscles (biceps or quadriceps), as well as smooth muscles in the walls of our gastrointestinal (GI) tract, namely the liver, small intestine or colon. As a result we digest and eliminate better. Getting active diminishes edema (swelling) of the abdomen. Being active prevents and heals common “leaky gut” (hyper- permeability of tight junctions in our intestines) which, if ignored, potentially leads to an auto-immune diseases. Being active fights osteopenia or osteoporosis (bone loss). Finally being active uses all the access of energy (calories) that we continue piling on board of our bodies. But what if somebody is already physically active? What if the body is not a problem? What if stagnation and atrophy affect not the physical, but rather emotional, mental or spiritual dimension? How do we get active in those areas? In my 26 years’ experience of working with patients, having my own family for over two decades and having lived in two different political and economic world systems, I have observed how emotional, mental, or spiritual stagnation and atrophy is caused, in big part, by not understanding the difference between the pursuit of happiness and pursuit of the truth. What’s the big difference? The difference comes with voluntary sacrifice – it costs us something (time, strength, money or even health) to produce something else. The difference is this: pursuit of happiness is like working out in the gym. The focus is to look and feel great, build up muscles, maintain high tone of the body. Pursuit of the truth, on the other hand, is more like gardening, or building of a house. It produces a result (a crop, a house) which serves a role of nutrition, shelter etc... The result is outside of ourselves. Pursuit of happiness focuses on satisfying oneself, and pursuit of the truth opens our eyes to serving others. The painful truth is, that when everybody tries to satisfy himself, not everybody can be happy. Not long ago, I myself discovered the shocking reality that universal happiness can only be found in pursuit of the truth (my Christian reality). Now, I notice that when I decide to pursue truth instead of happiness, a fresh breeze of spontaneity appears, and the happiness becomes the greatest side effect of the process. In my personal, spiritual experience, I have found that the spirit of truth (some call it the Holy Spirit) spreads, carrying nutrition (love) to all the members of an organism (our society) much like circulation feeds the cells of the body. It restores emotional balance, it rebuilds strength and vitality in my relationships, and lays solid Piotr Ulmer established CTS Physical Therapy in 2001. A native of Warsaw, Poland, he received his Master of Rehabilitation degree from that city’s Academy of Sports in 1991. He formerly served as the director of an outpatient physical therapy clinic in Clarksville, TN and as a Sports Medicine Physical Therapist in Knoxville before starting CTS Physical Therapy.

“In my 26 years’ experience of working with patients ... I have observed how emotional, mental, or spiritual stagnation and atrophy is caused, in big part, by not understanding the difference between the pursuit of happiness and pursuit of the truth.” foundations for new relationships. The spirit of truth makes me happier and fights off depression. Forgiveness and mercy eventually become daily routine “items” for me. The spirit of truth conditions me to make wiser choices, accepting reality with a smile and eliminating stress on the go. It actually does not even allow stress to appear on the horizon. For me, what I worship determines who I am. What I spend the most time with and what I spend the most money on determines who I become. These days I ask myself: what am I teaching my children, the pursuit of happiness or pursuit of the truth?

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KNOXVILLE

Dear Knox County Schools’ Families

his month’s “Get Active!” theme is timely because the Knox County Schools has recently received local and national recognition for making healthy strides. Last year, our Coordinated School Health Department for Knox County Schools helped organize the community’s inaugural Let’s Move! Event, where several organizations and businesses partnered to provide unique opportunities for families to learn how to make healthier choices through nutrition and exercise. In recognition of our community’s dedication to leading healthier lifestyles, the National League of Cities recently awarded Knox County and the City of Knoxville with a #1 national ranking in reaching its key health and wellness goals. Our community was specifically acknowledged for working cooperatively to take action to improve access to affordable, healthy food and increasing opportunities for physical activity. The Knox County Schools has a superior school nutrition program that is transforming our menus with healthy options that appeal to kids. In fact, Jon Dickl, our Knox County Schools Director of School Nutrition, was recently featured on the First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! blog. Finally, students from Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy were invited by First Lady Obama to help plant the White House Kitchen Garden. The garden represents the First Lady’s ongoing efforts to engage in a national conversation around the health and well-being of our nation. Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Academy students joined three schools from across the nation in helping to plant the garden. Schools selected to participate demonstrated exceptional improvements to school lunches and nutrition. Students at Sarah Moore Greene recently started a Jeffersonian Heirloom Garden and connected the project to 3rd5th grade social studies coursework on America’s history, highlighting American presidents who have had a role in gardening and land stewardship. Certainly these are magnificent honors, and I couldn’t be more proud for our students and staff. As we head into the summer months, I encourage families to continue this momentum by incorporating exercise and healthy eating choices into your daily routines. Please do not hesitate to call us at (865) 594-1800 or visit us at knoxschools.org if we can be of assistance to you. Sincerely, Dr. Jim McIntyre Superintendent, Knox County Schools

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Knox County Schools PARENT UNIVERSITY “P.E.” (Parent Empowerment) Classes and Family Events Submitted by Tracey Matthews, KCS Supervisor of Family and Community Engagement Now through June 16: The Knoxville Museum of Art is hosting Tradition Redefined: The Larry & Brenda Thompson Collection of African American Art for free! The collection features African American artists from all over the United States and is available for viewing Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Call 525-6101 or visit knoxart.org for more information. Ongoing: Knoxville Museum of Art’s Currents exhibit showcases contemporary art from around the world. This free exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Visit knoxart.org for more information. Ongoing: Knoxville Museum of Art’s Higher Ground exhibit features art related to the history of East Tennessee. This free exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Visit knoxart.org for more information. May 1: The 10th annual season of the Market Square Farmer’s Market will start this month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come to Market Square to find local food and art. For more information, visit knoxvillemarketsquare.com. May 1: Common Core Standards – Making ‘Common’ Sense Out of the New Common Core. This Parent University/PE (Parent Empowerment) Class is sponsored by the Knox County Schools and will take place at 6 p.m. at the Sarah Simpson Professional Development Center (Great Room) located at 801 Tipton Avenue. Visit engagement. knoxschools.org for more information. May 2: The Knoxville Chapter of the TN Ornithological Society is hosting Bird Walks Along Sharp’s Ridge. This free event for children and adults begins at 8 a.m. and starts at the Ranger’s house. Binoculars and water are recommended. Children must be able to be quiet, to prevent scaring away birds. For more information, email bfcantwell@gmail.com, call 212-9797, or visit outdoorknoxville.com. May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Come to Market Square on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. for Concerts on the Square. This family friendly event features a different artist each Thursday. Visitors are welcome to bring chairs and blankets to sit on during

Events for May 2013 the show. For more information, visit cityofknoxville.org. May 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30: Interested in getting exercise with your family in the cool night air? Join River Sports Outfitters at the Ijams Nature Center Quarry for a night run. Runs start at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit ijams.org. May 3: The East Tennessee Council on Children and Youth (ETCCY) presents a Lunch and Learn class on The State of the Union Address for Children: A Look at Bullying, Gang, and Violence Issues, featuring guest speaker Sergeant Len Edwards. This event takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Family Justice Center. For more information, visit etccystateoftheunion.eventbrite.com. May 4: The ASA-ETC Spring Education Conference is coming to the Kodak United Methodist Church in Kodak, TN. Topics include “Strategies to Prevent Problem Behaviors,” “Autism and Evidence Based Practices,” and “Sleep Interventions for Young Children with Autism.” For more information or to register, visit asaetc.org. May 4: At both Victor Ashe Park and the Holston-Chilhowee Ballfields, families can enjoy Let’s Move! This event is Knoxville’s take on First Lady Michelle Obama’s national campaign for children’s health and fitness. For more information, visit cityofknoxville.org. May 5: Does your family like to bicycle? The third annual I Bike KNX Festival is taking place in Market Square from 2 to 5 p.m. This year’s theme is Cinco de Mayo! For more information, visit knoxtrans.org. May 6: Help! My Child is Going to Kindergarten…Are WE Ready?! This Parent University/PE (Parent Empowerment) Class is sponsored by the Knox County Schools and will take place at 6 p.m. at the Sarah Simpson Professional Development Center (Great Room) located at 801 Tipton Avenue. Visit engagement.knoxschools.org for more information. May 11 and 12: Celebrate Mother’s Day with the UT Gardens. Events include education sessions, a garden marketplace, and live music. For more information, visit utgardens.tennessee.edu. May 15-18: Center City Events is hosting the International Biscuit Festival at Market Square and Krutch Park from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Activities include biscuit songwriting, biscuit art, Miss and Mr. Biscuit pageant and of course, a biscuit bake-off! For more information, visit biscuitfest.com.

Knoxville Parent • May 2013

Let’s Go Treasure Hunting in Knoxville! The Geocaching Experience

By Tracey Matthews, KCS Supervisor of Family and Community Engagement Contributing writer: Chelsea Craig, KCS Family and Community Engagement, University of Tennessee student intern

oung people! They think of everything! When I explained this month’s Knoxville Parent theme, my intern’s eyes (Chelsea Craig) lit up as she came up with what turned out to be an even better idea than my own. But I thought I should first “experience” her idea, this new (to me) phenomenon called “Geocaching [jeeoh-kash-ing].” It was only a two-block walk from my office, but boy what a “rush!” Read more about it below in Chelsea’s first publication! I think families everywhere will love this exciting and adventurous way to “get moving!” It’s time to get your family outside and on the move as springtime has finally arrived! Geocaching is an activity that your entire family can enjoy. “Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS (Global Positioning System)-enabled devices.”1 Using the GPS or smartphone as a treasure map, geocachers navigate to a set of coordinates and look for a hidden container (geocache). After creating an account with geocaching.com, families can locate caches hidden all over Knoxville! Geocaches often contain trinkets like coins or small figurines that seekers can take and then replace. The caches also contain dated logs of signatures and messages from previous finders. It can be a very surreal feeling discovering signatures from 2001 on an entry log that includes signatures from 2013. What a thrill to realize that someone else found the same treasure box in the same spot twelve years ago! Not only does geocaching give families opportunities to get a bit of fresh air and exercise, it also provides a chance to explore parts of Knoxville they’ve never seen. Geocaches are often placed in locations of historical significance. They allow families to learn about the city in which they live. A couple of Knoxville users called “Ol’ Fogies” have created a series of caches Calendar continued... May 18: Come to World’s Fair Park for the Knox County Public Library’s Children’s Festival of Reading! The festival includes authors, illustrators, storytellers, musicians, and more! Visit knoxville.org for more information. May 30 and 31: Tennessee’s largest disability conference is being held in Nashville at the Airport Marriott. This conference is for families, professionals, and individuals with disabilities. The theme is “Deep Roots, Broad Branches and Strong Wings.” For more information or to register, visit tndisabilitymegaconference.org. May 31: Premier Athletics is hosting Knoxville’s Largest Kids Party in Market Square from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event includes obstacle courses, bounce houses, magic shows, animals, train rides, and so much more! For more information, visit premierathletics.com. Other Dates to Remember: May 1: Knox County Board of Education

Regular Meeting May 1: Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett presents his annual budget May 13: Knox County Board of Education mid-month work session May 15-18: High School Graduations May 22: Last Day for Students (Half Day) May 27: Memorial Day (School Offices Closed, Central Office Closed) Free Family Resource of the Month aLEGALz is a new toll-free line that offers free legal information and referrals to help low-income Tennesseans with civil legal situations. If you cannot afford a lawyer, you can call 1-888-aLEGALz (1-888-253-4259) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and leave a message, which will be returned by a licensed Tennessee lawyer. For details and more information about any class or other information, please visit knoxschools. org, select “Parents,” and then select “Family and Community Engagement” to visit our website.

“Not only does geocaching give families opportunities to get a bit of fresh air and exercise, it also provides a chance to explore parts of Knoxville they’ve never seen.” around the city entitled “Discover Knoxville.” The aim of the series is to help highlight sites in Knoxville and Knox County that bear cultural and historical significance. In March, I visited Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. While I was intrigued by the numerous tourist attractions including zip-lining stands, mirror mazes, challenging miniature golf courses, and fudge shops (yummy), what I really wanted to do is get into the mountains and enjoy the natural beauty. I went to the geocaching website, found three sites and set out to find them. Usually, when I drive through the mountains, I rarely leave the main road. But while geocaching, I was able to find several beautiful places I would never have seen otherwise. In one spot, I found a cache that was 10 years old! The list of signatures of others who also found the cache was lengthy. To get your family’s geocaching adventures started, first visit geocaching.com. Simply create an account and review the email you will receive once you sign up, as it explains everything and even includes two short videos. Return to the main geocaching website and log in. Enter the address of the area you wish to search for geocaches and follow the directions. It’s that easy. Whether you are looking for a brief stroll or a climbing adventure, geocaching is the fun way to go. Each geocache is sorted by level of difficulty and terrain, so you can choose an adventure based on your family’s desires. Geocaches are always available, any hour of the day, any day of the week. So what are you waiting for? PS: Chelsea and I actually found a geocache on the corner of Gay Street and Cumberland Avenue during my first geocaching experience! We opened the container, signed the long list, removed our “treasure” and left a shiny penny in its place and replaced the geocache. Maybe your family will be the first to find it. Good luck on your geocaching adventures!

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Knoxville Parent • May 2013

Get out and visit colleges! By Liz Stucke, owner of LS Admissions Prep

“For parents of younger children, it is never too early to visit colleges as when traveling. Rather than stopping at a fast food restaurant during a road trip, take a little extra time to eat near a college campus.”

ummer is crunch time for rising seniors. It is the time to get college applications in order and finalize a list of schools to which to apply. While the spring and fall semesters are the ideal times to visit colleges, students could still benefit from visiting colleges during the summer. For parents of younger children, it is never too early to visit colleges when traveling. Rather than stopping at a fast food restaurant during a road trip, take a little extra time to eat near a college campus. This casual exposure to colleges at a young age builds a student’s comfort and familiarity with colleges. On these visits, a family could simply walk around the campus and eat in the town. Rising seniors and even some rising juniors will want to take a more active approach to visiting college campuses: Research before you go: Before investing time and money traveling to campuses, make sure your child researches colleges to narrow the college visits to ones that have her academic majors and matches her academic profile, interests and goals. With some more detailed information about the college, questions can be crafted to highlight differences on each campus. Schedule: Your child should call ahead and schedule a tour, a class visit, and if possible an on-campus interview. These tours fill up, so calls should be made several weeks and sometimes months in advance. Some colleges even provide an opportunity for students to spend the night in a dorm room. Visit a class: One of the best ways to get a realistic view of a college is to sit in on a class. Not only will your child see the professor in action, but she will also see the

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students, her future classmates in action. Do they actively participate, or are they merely note-taking? Are they engaged in the topic? Would your child feel inspired by a discussion with this group of students? After the class, your child should make sure to personally thank the professor and ask any questions. When she returns home, she should then follow up with a thank-you letter. Ask tough questions: During guided tours and information sessions, ask several different people at each school questions that will give your family a realistic view of the college: • •

What percentage of students graduate in four years? What happens if a class is oversubscribed? Is preference given to students who require the course for their major degree? • Are students assigned faculty advisers, and what role do they play in a student’s education? • What are three things that could be improved at the college? • What are the most popular academic majors? • How difficult is it to double major or craft one’s own major? Visit the town: The view books online and sent in the mail only show the most beautiful sites on campus. One of the most productive parts of the college visit is to see what life is like around the campus and in the town. Are shops or bicycle paths nearby? Is the campus isolated from the rest of the town, or is it right in the middle of it? Do the town and the college clash? Will it be a town in which your child will feel comfortable? Meet students beyond the tour guide: Your child can both meet students as he wanders around campus, in the town, and online. Many schools will now partner a prospective student with a current student online. Use this resource to get the inside perspective on classes and classmates. Take pictures and write notes: After a few colleges it can all become a blur. I like to take pictures of the name of the school first, followed by other important sites such as the library and fish-eyed views of the campus. Then follow this up with some notes about class size or observations. Did you notice students talking and engaging? Were activities of interest going on during your visit? Finally if you can’t visit a campus in person, several sites now have online virtual tours. They don’t quite replace the feel you get from being on campus, but it can help begin the search: http://www.campustours.com/ http://www.ecampustours.com/ http://www.collegeweeklive.com/ Liz Stucke is president of LS Admissions Prep (www.LSAdmissionsPrep. com) where she counsels high school students and their parents through the College Selection and Application process. Email questions or to set up a free consultation: stuckeliz@gmail.com or call/text 865-951-0639.

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