October 2012 Issue of the Circle Gazette

A Newspaper by Children, of all Ages, from all Over the World Volume 4, Issue 1 Volume

Girl Empowerment Through Sports

THE FULL FULL EDITION EDITION THE

Thanksgiving

and The Importance of Healthy Self Esteem

by Sarah Thompson, Age 13 Boynton Beach, FL

What is girl power? Girl power is about being strong; it’s about being kind and understanding, without being a mat for others to walk over. Girl power is about reaching beyond what seems possible. It’s about standing up for yourself and your beliefs; it’s about being yourself, no matter the circumstances. There is a particular girl who stands up for, not only herself, but the many girls in Pakistan that have no access to fair education. Her name is Malala Yousafzai. She started a blog when she was 11 in 2009 and made a few videos and documentaries about her life and the lack of girls’ rights due to Taliban influence. This month, at age 14, Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Taliban for campaigning for girls’ rights. She is currently in a hospital in England.

One of the many ways for girls to stand out, here and everywhere in the world, is through sports. The kickoff of the Miami Coaches Across America program to battle violence and obesity in young people took place on October 12.

This is a program that can help give girls in underserved communities new opportunities.

The Miami chapter is part of a national campaign championed by the Laureus Sports for Good Foundation and funded by Mercedes-Benz USA. Coaches Across America trained and will place 250 coaches in five large cities across the country where physical education (PE) programs are lacking in schools.

Miami is one of those cities.

This program is aiming to help out around 3,000 kids in its first year. Many of them are girls.

Twenty-four coaches will come to Miami to go to 12 inner-city schools and parks to strengthen the weak PE programs there.

Katie Greggs is a junior at the University of Miami who will be one of the coaches in Miami and she will be coach-

The third annual Dove® SelfEsteem Weekend is a nationwide effort to improve girls’ self-esteem and help them establish a healthy relationship with beauty. The event took place in New York on the weekend of October 5-7, and featured a march through Times Square and a self-esteem workshop for young girls.

I had the opportunity to interview Jeanette Torres-Alvarez, a parenting expert, columnist for People en Español, and mother.

Jeanette hosted a Spanish-language parenting workshop at the Centennial Rally in Miami on September 29, 2012.

“This is the third year we’re doing this,” says Jeanette, “For many years, Dove® has been involved in this kind of research.”

The most recent statistics Dove® has released are what Torres-Alvarez calls “alarming.” They find that:

ing at Continental Park. A total of 1.3 million dollars was donated to Laureaus by MercedesBenz USA to carry out this pilot program. Coaches Across America was chosen to partner in the venture to provide training, preparation and follow up of the 250 coaches selected.

Greggs thinks that people will have to wait until the program finishes to find out if that is the appropriate amount of money.

She sees this as a great opportunity to make a difference. She will be coaching elementary and middle school students and will be coaching PE overall, not just one particular sport. Greggs just finished her training as a coach, which included a fourday boot camp in Boston. She says the highlight was getting to know other like-minded young people who care about children having a more physically active life. Most coaches who attended the boot camp with her were around her age. “Something else important from that experience,” Greggs adds, “was working on understanding cultural differences and developmental stages.” It stressed the importance of connecting with the kids, not just making them kick a ball around or do a drill. Greggs doesn’t “just want to be their [the kids’]

Happy

Dove ® Self-Esteem Weekend

by Daniela Gómez, Age 12 Margate, FL

“One of the many ways for girls to stand out, here and everywhere in the world, is through sports.”

October/November 2012 October/November

• 72 percent of girls (ages 10 - 17) feel tremendous pressure to be beautiful.

• Only 11 percent of girls (ages 10 - 17) are comfortable using the word beautiful to describe themselves.

• When girls feel bad about their looks, more than 60 percent globally (ages 15 - 17) avoid normal daily activities such as attending school, going to the doctor, or even giving their opinion.

I asked Jeanette, in a world where there is so much emphasis put on outward beauty, how can young girls learn to appreciate inner beauty?

“It’s never too late, but it comes from the home,” she says.

“Everything comes from Mom.” The theme of this year’s SelfEsteem Weekend, “Let’s Talk,” goes along with that. There will be workshops for mothers and daughters to attend, places to ask questions and seek advice, and a downloadable Let’s Talk Toolkit - a discussion guide developed by Dove® Global Self-Esteem Ambassador Jess Weiner to help moms start a conversation on beauty and self-esteem with their daughters. Jeanette emphasizes the importance of keeping the conversation going, as well.

Many girls feel too ashamed or embarrassed to confess their insecurities, and don‘t want to talk about these issues with adults.

But as Jeanette says, “parents [can] identify the problem.”

Talking honestly and openly about the world’s unfair ideal when it comes to beauty makes a huge difference in girls’ lives, and does wonders for a motherdaughter relationship. Having an open dialogue about self-esteem and loving oneself ensures feelings of closeness, trust, and love between mother and daughter.

Jeanette’s mother was the one to help her build self-esteem.

“Coming from a home with a Miss Universe…it was hard to feel beautiful having a beauty queen in the house,” says Jeanette, whose sister Dayanara is a former Miss Universe winner.

Torres-Alvarez goes on to relate: “My daughter is 7 years old. I said to her: ‘If I had never met you before, how would you describe yourself to me?’ And she said ‘beautiful.’ I asked her why she feels beautiful, and she said ‘because I’m your little girl.’ She doesn’t think about her body.”

Jeanette Torres-Alvarez, a parenting expert, columnist for “People en Español” and mother.

Torres-Alvarez encourages girls to be proud of things such as their personality and dreams, and not to put all their focus on just looking good. Physically speaking, she puts emphasis on the importance of being healthy.

I asked her opinion on the influence of low self-esteem in the increases in bullying and obesity.

Torres-Alvarez believes that there is a direct relationship. “Obesity has increased tremendously in the community,” she said.

Being overweight or obese is often found to be the root cause of low self-esteem. But new studies suggest that it might be the other way around: people with low self-esteem are more likely to gain weight or become obese. Time and time again, it has also been found that kids who are insecure will turn to bullying their peers as a way to feel better about themselves.

Nowadays, with social media

Please turn to page 6

2012 Debate Coverage

Please turn to page 7

Did You Know... …that the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports (NAGWS) strives to develop and deliver equitable and quality sport opportunities for ALL girls and women through relevant research, advocacy, leadership development, educational strategies, and programming in a manner that promotes social justice and change.

Youth Sport Statistics (Ages 5-18) Number of kids who play organized sports each year Percent of kids who play sports outside of school Percent of boys who play organized sports Percent of girls who play organized sports

Data 35 Million 60% 66% 52%

High School Sports Numbers Number of boys playing high school soccer Number of girls playing high school soccer

Data 284,000 209,000

Female Sports Statistics (Women’s Sports Foundation) Female high school athletes are 92% less likely to get involved with drugs Female high school athletes are 3 times more likely to graduate than non-athletes

Did You Know... …that today, the vice president is elected along with the president? But that was not always the case. From 1788-1800, the Vice President was declared to be the candidate who received the second most Electoral College votes. If the President becomes unable to serve (due to the death, resignation, or medical impairment), the Constitution establishes that the Vice President assumes the role of President. The Vice President is also the President of the Senate.

The first Vice President of the United States was John Adams.

Did You Know... …that the two original national parties were the Federalist Party and the DemocraticRepublican Party. In 1816, the Federalist Party died out leaving a single political party for a short time. However, a split in the Democratic-Republican Party in the mid1820s gave rise to two factions: the National Republicans and the Democrats. When Andrew Jackson lost in 1824, Jackson’s supporters created their own organization to get him elected. After his election in 1828, that organization became known as the Democratic Party.

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THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

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THE CIRCLE GAZETTE A Newspaper by Children for Children Monthly Independent Publication available to children of all ages.

This publication is an initiative of THE ENRICHMENT CIRCLE, INC. A Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization for the Advancement of Education 7551 Normande Ct. Margate FL 33063 Phone: 954-918-2541 info@enrichmentcircle.com

Editor in Chief Patty Gómez

Serena Serrano

Patty Gómez

Editorial Board

Sandra Wolkov

Pedro Gómez Lee Bruno

Robyn Rader

Production

Sandra Wolkov

Serena Bruno

Christie Voss

Christie Voss

Graphic Designers & Prepress Dora Font

Christie Voss

Cartoonists and Illustrators Kate Maier

Sofia Serrano

Daniela Gómez

Emma Gómez

Arion Rashad

Regular Columnists Aaron J. Cross

Daniela Gómez

Bilal Amodu

Sara I. Cross

Sarah Thompson

Regular Contributors

Maria & Natalie Schlecht, Elizabeth Abrams, Daniela & Emma Gómez, Aaron J. & Sara I. Cross, Sofia Serrano, Danny & Andy Hernández, Alizdair Ray, Ismail Ercan, Shadya & Bilal Amodu, Nathalie Thelemaque, Kate Maier, Reagan Olenick, Sarah Thompson, Aaron Organ

Patty Gómez

Proof Readers

Sandra Wolkov

Serena Bruno

Christie Voss

Web Page Master Victoria Martinez

Subscriptions available 1 year subscription: $40/year/12 issues 6 months subscription: $24/year/6 issues Individual copies: $4/each With the purchase of each copy you are supporting the printing of future issues and through that, the creative work of young writers and artists!

Circulation

The Circle Gazette is available online and is distributed in paper via individual, classroom and library subscriptions. The Circle Gazette is distributed all over South Florida and has subscribers and contributors from Ohio, Tennessee, New Mexico, Texas, New York, Virginia, California, Kentucky, San Jose-Costa Rica and Caracas-Venezuela)

AA

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

mbition

Word From The Editor

The word “ambition” evokes many different connotations.

Here is what the dictionary and the thesaurus say about the word: noun an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment some synonyms ardor, aspiration, avidity, craving, desire, drive, eagerness, earnestness, energy, enterprise, enthusiasm, fire in belly, hope, hunger, initiative, itch, keenness, longing, love, passion, push, spirit, thirst, yearning, zeal some antonyms apathy, contentment, diffidence, humility, indifference, laziness Is it good or bad to be ambitious? We are probably all too familiar with the negative implications of wanting something very badly. It could lead us to forget our values, it could lead us to cut corners, it could lead us to put down others, it could lead us to pursue meaningless results.

So much of being ambitious can be construed as not positive that most of us would probably want to define ourselves as humble instead. Being humble and thankful is good, of course… but I want to invite you to consider the good side of being ambitious. I know

all the good things about it because of you.

You write and create art for the Circle Gazette.

You take pride in being a published author and yearn to be in the paper every month.

You push yourself to meet the deadline.

You have that fire in your belly that you don’t yet know exactly what is -- that voice that calls you forward to do things that are greater than your years.

You have a hunger for information. You read and read and want to understand how things and people work.

You follow stories around town even though you could be resting on your couch.

You avidly read the stories and poems the other children write and wonder: “How did he/she do this?” and you sigh, “Wow! Next month I’ll try something new! I’ll write about what happens in town or about my last field trip.”

Your enthusiasm is contagious when you call or write to the editors and ask: “Do you have an assignment for me this month?”

You have that itch and longing to be in a big media center reporting to the rest of the world what your eyes can see.

You don’t feel apathy or indifference about how your friends feel; about how the environment

is affected by our actions. You take time to write about bullying, self-esteem, health, and pollution.

You are not content with just a good grade on your report card or a great review from your teachers and parents. You have that energy to go for more, to be an active member of your community.

You are eager to share your thoughts and ideas with others.

You have the spirit to make your voice heard.

You are not lazy or diffident.

You take the initiative and you hope for the best.

You receive feedback with elegance and maturity and improve your writing month by month.

You send us your colorful art and are keen to illustrate stories and poems written by others.

You love colors and shapes and go through lots of erasing and sketching before you are happy with the results.

You have an earnest desire for some type of achievement and you are willing to strive for its attainment.

You don’t have to wait until you are an adult to do all these things. You are already famous.

You are ambitious.

You are a writer or an artist for the Circle Gazette.

Patty Gómez Editor-in-Chief

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TO SUBMIT WORK

The Circle Gazette is a publication available to public school, private school and homeschool students. Email a copy of your work, as a Word or text file, attach images as JPEG files, to info@enrichmentcircle.com or submit your work online at www.enrichmentcircle.com.

All entries should be accompanied by the parent/guardian consent to print form found online.

Information to contributors

The Circle Gazette reserves the right to edit, accept and refuse articles in the interest of brevity, clarity and the appropriateness of subject matter.

The Circle Gazette is packed from cover to cover with the latest stories and creations of children as of all ages; about local affairs, the environment, art, sports, entertainment, stories, poems and puzzles that engage and inspire young minds!

YOUNG CHILDREN CAN PROVIDE A WEALTH OF WISDOM, FRESHNESS AND NEW PERSPECTIVES! The Circle Gazette is a one-of-a-kind publication because:  It transcends one school/homeschool community. It goes beyond a state or a country. It’s about widening writer’s and reader’s horizons!  It is addressed to children and the content is created by children  It involves a multiage/multilevel group of contributors  The editorial team keeps a holistic and nourishing quality on the selection of content and design  It’s a high quality mix of a variety of styles and topics  It offers valuable feedback to authors

NEW WEBSITE FOR THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

The Enrichment Circle 501(c)(3)

A Non-Profit Organization for the Advancement of Education

A new year, a new site! This October, the Circle Gazette launched its new website: www.circlegazette.org. After three years of consecutive printing, this original publication written by children of all ages and from everywhere launches a new website. “The old platform had reached its limit,” comments Patty Gómez, Editor-in-Chief. “Together with many other similar sites, ours was victim of multiple hacker attacks in the last months. It was time for a change.” Though the new site is still built using the same software base, the newest version of this platform offers higher protection against hackers. The new website brings a new online image for the Circle Gazette. The site has a nice crisp clean look and is very easy to navigate. Children, parents, schools and libraries can find information about how to participate or subscribe. Gómez expects to improve the Circle Gazette’s reach.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

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Art Exhibition by Young Artist Autumn de Forest

by Sara I. Cross, Age 11 Boca Raton, FL Painting is a passion for eleven-year-old Autumn de Forest.

When she was five she wanted to do something to help the world, so she started painting. Six years later she is still painting, and she has turned it into her career. Autumn de Forest has painted over 100 paintings, and has no plans of ever stopping.

She has been interviewed by NBC’s The Today Show, Inside Edition, Fox News, ABC News, CBS News, The Discovery Channel, and American Girl magazine.

I had the privilege of talking to this incredible young woman myself. “Painting is my passion.

Painting isn’t just my hobby, it’s

my career. I could go outside and paint my feelings away, but I don’t need to. Just painting makes me feel happy.” Autumn gives a lot of the money she makes to charity. She supported relief efforts after the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan, and gives to causes for underprivileged kids.

Even though Autumn de Forest is very mature and spends a lot of time in the adult world, she still has plenty of time to be a kid. An only child, Autumn spends a lot of her time hanging out with her friends and playing with her pet poodle. She is an animal lover and currently owns two corn snakes and a double headed yellow Amazon parrot, along with her poodle. She is homeschooled and uses a virtual academy for her learning.

Autumn de Forest travels around the country, talking at schools about their art programs.

To her “it is very important that kids have art in school because kids need art to express their creativity. Kids have an amazing imagination.” They do, but some schools are cutting art from their curriculum to save money. Autumn has spoken at schools all over the country and has even earned herself an invitation to talk at Harvard.

Autumn was invited by the City of Malibu, California, to be their featured Artist in the Malibu Fine Arts Festival, sponsored

by Ford Motor Company. She also holds the title of the youngest artist in the 25-year history of the Boulder City, Colorado Fine Arts Festival, and was awarded

the “Best of Show” out of 100 artists at the Boulder City 2009 Spring Jamboree.

Autumn de Forest paints with encaustic paint, a style copied from Jasper Johns. Made with melted wax mixed with oil paints, it makes a pastel kind of look on the canvas, and takes less time to dry.

Starting September 2012 the Onessimo Fine Arts Gallery in Palm Beach Gardens, FL is showing a collection of original Autumn de Forest paintings. Autumn is going to be making a special artist appearance on Friday, November 30, from 6-9 p.m. and Sunday, December 2, from 1-3 p.m. There will be a special kids event on Saturday, December 1, from 11 a.m.-noon. Be sure to check out http://onessimofineart.

Autumn de Forest working in her studio

Dripping Summer by Autumn de Forest

com/artists/Autumn-de-Forest/ Autumn-de-forest.html to find out more about Autumn and see a small selection of her art, and check out Autumn de Forest’s Facebook page to get notice of upcoming events. Who knows, she might be coming to your area!

“Really, all I want to say is that anyone could do it. Don’t tell yourself that it’s too hard, that it won’t work, that it looks awful. No!” Autumn said. “Tell yourself that you can do it. You just need to work at it. Your thing might not be painting; some kids have a passion for singing, even math, science, anything.” Autumn de Forest is an amazing child, with an amazing life, and amazing talent!

Dripping Hearts by Autumn de Forest

Thanksgiving The Laugh of the Snowy White Egret

My Experiences with Wildlife

by Samile Daiha, Age 12 Miramar, FL Thanksgiving is a day of giving thanks, grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors.

Families all around the

Illustrated by Kate Maier, Age 9 (created at age 8) Sunrise, FL. Colored pencil on paper.

United States unite to celebrate this holiday, bringing a feast of delicious food, like turkey, stuffing, side dishes, desserts, and much more. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is known today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the middle of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

New York became the first of several states to adopt an annual Thanksgiving holiday. The American South was not quick to pick up this tradition. Almost every culture in the world has held celebrations of thanks for an abundant harvest. Thanksgiving Day parades are held in some cities and towns on or around Thanksgiving Day. Some parades or celebrations also mark the opening of the Christmas shopping season. Some people have a four-day weekend so it is a popular time for trips and visits to family and friends.

by Emma Gómez, Age 9 Margate, FL Hello again my readers, I have missed you. This issue I bring you good news: the snowy white egret has caught my eye this month! I have noticed it on lakes, flying over highways, exploring the landfill and in parks all over the cities. I wanted to highlight them this month because some time back the snowy white egret was reduced to a very low number. Hunters took the plumes that snowy white egrets have hidden in their tails (near their wings) and also those pretty feathers on top of their heads and on their breast, because they found out that those feathers looked very nice on women’s hats. They hunted the snowy white egret just for their plumes. That did not go too well for the snowy white egret. They need those plumes during their breeding season. The males put on a show for the females by displaying their full plumage and

Did You Know... …that in 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up one week, to appease businesses that wanted a longer Christmas shopping season?

Much of the nation balked at the change, and many kept on celebrating Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of the month, as before. In 1941, Roosevelt signed a bill to officially make Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November. This means Thanksgiving is the last Thursday of the month some years and the second to last in other years.

the girls let theirs come out for the season since it is also their way to show off. That’s why seeing all of these egrets makes me very happy. It means that their environment is thriving and they are now able to reproduce faster and more safely.

Many birds are passed by unnoticed, but sometimes you have to stop and look to realize what beautiful creatures they are. If you stop, look and listen you can imagine what the world would be like if all birds thrived: we would have fewer mosquitoes; the number of fish and water plants would be balanced, making lakes clearer again. Mineral deposits and plant overgrowth would be controlled and fish could swim freely. On land, different species of birds would help with plant pollination and this would expand forests and meadows. That would be a sweet world.

The snowy egret, scientifically known as Egretta thula, can be found in marshes, swamps, shorelines, mudflats and ponds.

They can live up to 15 years.

Their natural enemies are raccoons, crows and turkey vultures.

Now since you have heard about them, maybe you will be able to help make an even bet-

Photo courtesy of NatureWorks ter environment for our white bird friends. You might want to look them up because they have interesting secrets. For example, I recently learned that the snowy egret’s fancy feathers are called plumes. I did not know that until about one week ago. They revealed their secret to me through research. Now it is easier for me to understand them.

Try to watch for the snowy white egret and another thing: try to keep reading! Next time we will have fun with some of our small friends. Really small.

Stay tuned for the next issue of The Circle Gazette.

Did You Know...

Photo courtesy of NatureWorks

…that the snowy white egret runs after its food? It eats shrimp, minnows and other small fish, crustaceans and frogs. It often feeds in groups. …that, like other egrets, the snowy egret was once killed for its plumes? Its population was seriously depleted in the 1800s. It has made a recovery and is no longer hunted. …that the snowy white egret uses its big yellow feet to dig through mud, searching for food? It walks along with its feet shuffling in the mud, then picks up a morsel when it feels something.

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THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

The Fight for Magicallus A Book by Barbara Venkataraman

Book Review

by Kate Maier, Age 8 Sunrise, FL

“When Scott looked up, he found a lance pointing at his chest and the silent, menacing figure of the Knight standing over him. After what seemed like forever, the Knight spoke. ‘Friend or foe?’ he demanded in a muffled voice.”

In Barbara Venkataraman’s The Fight for Magicallus, 10-year old Scott and his 7-year-old brother Josh must make friends with many new and sometimes frightening characters. They rely on these allies, and each other, to try to restore peace in the land of Magicallus and find their way home.

The brothers’ exciting adven-

10-year old Scott and his 7-yearold brother Josh must make friends with many new and sometimes frightening characters. ture begins when Scott trades a baseball card for a magic wand that sends him and Josh into the computer game The Fight for Magicallus. There they meet the goblin Vxngrtl, (pronounced Vexing Girdle), who has promised to help them return home. Scott discovers his wand, Ex Libris, has a long and important past in the Land of Magicallus. It was once owned by Sir Gilcrest, the ruler of the goblins and knights, and has been lost since he suddenly vanished. The goblins are worried about an ominous prophecy connected to the wand that could mean doom and destruction for all.

“When fire streaks across the skies, And strangers are before your eyes, Beware Ex Libris will arise And bring about the end of days For all who live the warring way, But cunning, valor, strength and size United will regain the prize.

T’is life, not death, gives dragons breath That is where the answer lies.”

The knights have sworn vengeance against the goblins, because they believe the goblins have killed the missing ruler and taken his wand. Now the two sides are on the verge of war. In order to understand the secrets of Ex Libris and restore peace and harmony, the brothers must find an ancient text called The Book of Lore. Unfortunately for the two brothers, it is hidden deep underground and guarded by a 10-foot dragon.

The author does a good job bringing this fantasy story to life by describing the colors, smells and surroundings in great detail.

Most of the book is set in The Land of Magicallus. Its occupants include goblins, knights and dragons. The brilliantly-colored land has purple trees with orange leaves, neon blue grass and a yellow, cloudless sky. A shining yellow path is the only visible road.

The goblins live in an enormous cavern made entirely of dazzling, blue diamonds. Dozens of orange bat-like creatures, called vlats, hang from the ceiling. The entrance to the dragon’s lair is a door in a tree trunk. It opens to steps carved in rock winding down endlessly into darkness. In the lair, the floor is slimy and covered in bones. It smells fishy and smoky, like burnt dinner.

Josh is my favorite of the two brothers. He is fearless, playful and outgoing. Not long after meeting the goblins, Josh teaches them how to play poker and wrestle. He also gives them jellybeans when he loses to them at poker. He proves to be an imaginative, fast thinker and quickly devises a plan to get Sir Edward the Fearless to accept Josh and Scott as friends and lead them to the dragon’s lair.

Scott is a bit more cautious than his younger brother Josh.

In order to cover a great distance in less time, the brothers have to travel by vlats, hundreds of orange, fluttering butterflies that envelop a person into an orange flying suit that ripples when it moves. Josh is excited by the op-

by Roald Dahl

A Book Review

by Aidan Gunning, Age 8 Boca Raton, FL Matilda is the best book in town!

You’ll be fascinated by it. If you read this book, your head will explode! It has mathematics and

portunity to fly. Scott, however, refuses. It is only after some convincing from Vxngrtl that he finally agrees to fly. Despite being overly cautious, Scott is a good leader and brave hero. He rallies the goblins to help the brothers with their mission to get home.

He also wishes himself, twice, with his wand into the computer game to protect his brother, who is in danger.

The Fight for Magicallus is the first and only children’s book written by Miami born author Barbara Venkataraman. She was inspired by a memory of her two children Scott and Josh when they were young. Josh was practicing magic tricks. He planned to make his brother Scott disappear from a blanket-covered laundry hamper. When Josh ran to get his wand Scott jumped from the hamper and hid. Josh returned, waved his magic wand and pulled off the blanket to find Scott gone.

Josh really thought he had performed magic. Ms. Venkataraman thought it was a great way to start a story.

The Fight for Magicallus is a fun, quick read that offers just enough adventure, humor and suspense to keep the story interesting. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in just a few hours. Young readers, who like the Magic Tree House, Secrets of Droon or Time Warp Trio series, will probably enjoy this book. I would recommend it for children between the ages of 5 and 9.

… that Barbara Venkataraman, author of The Fight for Magicallus, is an attorney and mediator in Fort Lauderdale, FL? Barbara Venkataraman, a native Floridian, specializes in family law. The Fight for Magicallus was her first book, but she has since written a book of humorous essays called I’m Not Talking about You, Of Course, which is available as an e-book on Amazon. She is currently working on a sequel to The Fight for Magicallus.

each chapter has a story in it.

The book is about a girl named Matilda who reads tons of books and she knows nearly up to the twelve times tables. Miss Trunchbull is her principal and she is the meanest principal in the world. Once, she threw a girl out of the window. Matilda tries to get rid of her but can she?

Read the book to find out!

Letter to the Editor

Re: Comments on “Ambition is not an Awful Word,” a book by Zack Zage (Author) and Adam Watkins (Illustrator)

Did You Know...

Matilda

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

Good afternoon, Mrs. Gómez, First things first, the illustrations of the book are AMAZING. I think smaller children would really like them. They could really relate to it. Good job to the illustrator, Adam Watkins- he has a true talent in art.

I think that the vocabulary used in the book is challenging for young kids.

I noticed that they included a glossary in the back, which is a very good idea. I love the way this book expands kids’ vocabulary - which is always a good thing. However, I think the arrangement of words is, at times, hard to pronounce. Sometimes in the story I would get confused by the way the author worded things... But overall, Zack Zage did a fantastic job getting all those big words, making them rhyme and making his point kid friendly.

My two cents.

Catharine Cooper (Cathy), Age 12 Coral Springs, FL

Re: Letter to the Editor Re: Comments on “Ambition is not an Awful Word,” a book

by Zack Zage (Author) and Adam Watkins (Illustrator)

Hi Cathy, Thanks for your observations. I agree that the book is well illustrated. I also enjoy the sense of dream that the main character, Zack, expresses when he describes all the things he would want to be when he grows up. I can see, too, that the author points out how discouraging it is for children when the adults around them don’t support such dreams. My absolute favorite part is at the end when the mother assures Zack that “ambition is not an awful word.” That is what we believe here at the Circle Gazette. Our writers’ and artists’ work is shared and recognized today. They don’t have to wait until they grow up to be active communicators. Thanks for taking the time to look into this.

Every week, every month, I look forward to more of the ambitious and creative work by you and many other children.

Warmly, Patty Gómez Editor The Circle Gazette

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

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SARAH’S CINEMA All Wars End

My Movie Premiere:

A Monthly Movie Review

by Sarah Thompson, Age 13 Boynton Beach, FL

Cii n e A r ttss C “LaSylphide” Sylphide”bybythe theBolshoi Bol“La shoi Ballet, Moscow, Russia Ballet, Moscow, Russia Choreographed Johan Choreographed by by Johan Kobborg (based on August Kobborg (based on AugustBournBournonville’s 1836 version) onville’s 1836original original version) Film: 103 minutes including one 15 minute intermission.

For this month’s Sarah’s Cinema I am reviewing something a little different! I recently went to see a ballet - on a movie screen! It was part of Cinemark’s “CineArts” where, on select nights, the theater shows plays, operas, dance performances, and other theatrical presentations. This is the second ballet I have seen through “CineArts,” and I am a huge fan! The ballets are filmed in a close-up, intimate sort of way.

You truly feel like you are in the

“One of the world’s oldest surviving romantic ballets.” beautiful spirit, a sylph. He falls in love with her, and a witch named Madge predicts that he will betray his fiancée. Although enchanted by the sylph, James disagrees and continues with his plans to marry Effie. Then on the day of the wedding, as James begins to slip the wedding ring

“The dancers were all stupendous.” front-row seat of the audience.

Every detail of the stage - from the beautiful backdrops and sets, to the intricate detailing on the costumes - is clear to the viewer.

This makes the viewing experience exciting and enticing, and makes the story plot easier to follow as well. As there is no speaking in a ballet, the dancers use only their facial expressions and acting skills to tell the story. Because the ballet was shot in a way where every little feature is completely visible, it makes it easier to decode the dancer’s body language and facial features so that we viewers can understand what they are trying to tell us.

The ballet I saw was La Sylphide, which translates to The Sylph. It is one of the world’s oldest surviving romantic ballets. It tells the story of James, a Scottish farmer, who is engaged to Effie, but who is visited by a

onto Effie’s finger, the sylph appears and snatches it out of his hand. James runs after her, led into the woods, where he again sees Madge. She offers James a magical scarf, claiming that it will bind the sylph’s wings so that he can catch her. James still loves the sylph, so he accepts the scarf and plots to capture her so he can keep her forever.

However, his plan goes terribly

wrong when he wraps the scarf around the sylph and it kills her.

Madge put a curse on the scarf!

The ballet ends with James falling to the ground, as Madge laughs and gloats above him, while Effie goes on to marry James’ rival, Gurn.

An interesting subplot in the ballet is Madge, the witch. After defeating James, she angrily lifts her skirt slightly, revealing a lovely white scarf identical to the sylph’s. This leaves the audience to decide for themselves: could Madge be a sylph as well? Or is it possible she could be the same sylph that enchanted James, and isn’t dead at all?

The ballet was performed by Bolshoi Ballet of Russia. The dancers were all stupendous. The roles of James and Madge were played especially well.

I am a passionate ballet dancer myself, though I also practice tap and jazz. I can appreciate all these different genres of dance and enjoy performing them as well. But ballet is my absolute favorite type of dance, and always will be. It is classic, beautiful, disciplined, and transcends time. To perform ballet well, one must have a deep and profound love for the art, and must work tirelessly to perfect it. It is evident when watching the dancers in La Sylphide that such a love is definitely alive in them. No ballerina could perform so well and with such depth, if they did not love the art with all their heart and soul.

Nothing can compare to seeing a real dance performance, in-person, with your own two eyes. But if the ballet you wish to see is being performed in Russia - as this one was - and you don’t have a plane ticket burning a hole in your pocket, CineArts is definitely a great alternative.

It really brings to life the magic of ballet and allows dance enthusiasts like myself to broaden our horizons and see ballets we might not have otherwise.

Did You Know... … that “La Sylphide” is one of the world’s oldest surviving Romantic ballets, dating back to August Bournonville’s 1836 version? The version presented today has been adapted by choreographer Johan Kobborg, and gleams anew at the Bolshoi Ballet. In “La Sylphide,” the human realm of a small Scottish community — evoked by traditional folk songs in Herman Løvenskiold’s score — meets the spiritual when James, a classic romantic hero, is utterly bewitched by a beautiful sylph whom he is unable to touch.

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by Alizdair Ray, Age 9 Hope Mills, NC This short film is about the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The writer and Director is Mr. Carlos Londono Arango. Most people who go through a trauma have some symptoms at the beginning. Only some will develop PTSD over time. It isn’t clear why some people develop this disorder and others do not. Some people affected by PTSD will not go back to their family, and could do something very crazy. When people go through PTSD they are not the same as they were before.

PTSD can occur after you have been through something terrible and scary. It could be something that you see, hear, or experience.

As of 2010, over 350,000 veterans returning from war seeking medical treatment were diagnosed with PTSD. A recent study suggests that as many as 770,000 of those returning from the two wars overseas may be suffering with PTSD. The movie premiere of All Wars End was at the Cinema Paradiso, downtown Fort Lauderdale on September 11, 2012.

The date is important because it marked the 11th Anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. In this short film I play an Iraqi boy who gets killed by a marine soldier.

Here is the list of the Cast: Michael Joseph as the Sniper, Rico Reid as the Spotter, Michelle Denise Soto as the Mother, Alizdair S. Ray as the child, Ike Seamans as the Surgeon, Donna Callaway as the nurse, Zachary T. Robbins as the Sniper’s son, Veronica

Actor and CG contributor, Alizdair Ray with writer and Director, Mr. Carlos Londono Arango.

Simpson as the Sniper’s Wife, Leins Rios as the Medic, Greg Schroeder as the Judge, John Dennison as the Angel and Amy Hoeler as the coma room nurse.

A week before the premiere, I was interviewed by Mr. Rodger Mullen for the Fayetteville Observer. I was featured in the Sandspur, the local community newspaper in North Carolina. Mr. Rodger Mullen is a staff writer.

He interviewed me at my home in Hope Mills, NC. Since I am a reporter, it was an amazing experience being interviewed by another reporter! Mr. Rodger asked me who I want to be when I grow up. I told him I want to be the President of the United Sates and a professional soccer player.

Everyone did a great job producing the short film All Wars End. It was something that I will never forget. You can go to AllWarsEnd.com to read more about the film and see the trailer.

SARAH’S CINEMA OLDIES BUT GOODIES

by Sarah Thompson, Age 13 Boyton Beach, FL The Shop Around The Corner (1940) Harvey (1950) Rear Window (1954) The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) This year, I have watched more movies from the ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s than ever before.

My family wanted to share some older movies with me, particularly black-and-white films and films by famed director Alfred Hitchcock. I was skeptical, to say the least. I didn’t see how

movies from so long ago could possibly be enjoyable. But the more oldies we rented, watched, and talked about, the more I realized there are lots of “hidden gems” from years ago, and kids today don’t even know about them! So, for this October edition of my column, I would like to make a list of some of the old movies I discovered this year. I am a huge fan of James Stewart, and he stars in each one that I have listed.

They are all worth watching - I promise!

Happy Halloween!

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

Happy 50th Birthday Clifford

by Sara Cross, Age 11 Boca Raton, FL Clifford the Big Red Dog has made an impression on people’s lives for generations. People young and old gather around the book or TV set and have Clifford excite their imaginations. Almost all of us have been introduced to Clifford at some point in our lives, and the memories of him will live on for generations. There is no doubt about it: Clifford the Big Red Dog has made himself a major place in literature.

Clifford the Big Red Dog entered our lives in 1963. He was introduced by author Norman Bridwell as a lovable puppy that was the runt of his litter. He lived in the pet store until a little girl came and took him home. Her name was Emily Elizabeth, and she and Clifford formed an unbreakable bond with one another.

No one really expected Clifford to grow, but Emily’s love for him changed him forever. He grew like no dog had before, until he became what we know and love: Clifford the Big Red Dog Clifford is turning fifty this upcoming winter, and to celebrate, Scholastic Publishing Company

is having a 50th birthday party that started September 24th, 2012, and leads up to the official day on February 14, 2013. The celebration included a huge party on September 24 when hundreds of children gathered to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Clifford the Big Red Dog. Children attending the live event and joining through the live web cast got to participate in some BIG birthday fun. They participated in activities that reinforce the morals that Clifford teaches.

Scholastic will also be publishing new books to celebrate, including Norman Bridwell’s Clifford Collection, a collection of six classic stories originally published between 1963 and 1977.

Along with the collection comes an original letter from Norman Bridwell to the reader, information about the creation of Clifford, a copy of the original and never-before-seen 1962 painting that inspired the Clifford series, and the story behind the real Emily Elizabeth. Also coming in spring of 2013 is the publication of Clifford’s Birthday Party and an all-new board book, Clifford’s Bedtime Story. They are also launching the Clifford’s Big Birthday app for Apple and Android, which can be purchased for

just 99 cents.

Clifford fans will be able to enter the “Clifford’s BIG Birthday Sweepstakes” for a chance to win a Clifford birthday celebration in their hometown on February 14.

Winners will be allowed to invite 50 friends and family to their Clifford-themed birthday celebration. Fans can also log onto www. scholastic.com/clifford to send Clifford a birthday card. Online they can create their own card by choosing party friends and decorations for birthday hats while grown-ups will have a chance to create their very own ‘BIG Red Ears’ personalized photos.

In December, PBS Kids broadcast the premiere of Clifford’s Really Big Movie. The movie was originally released in 2004 by the Warner Brothers and stars the since passed away John Ritter as the voice of Clifford.

Image Credit: PBS Kids As I said before, the story of Clifford the Big Red Dog has made an impression on the world.

It started small, but with the amount of love people showed, it grew big. Over fifty books have been released so far, and the TV

Did You Know... …that Clifford the Big Red Dog was originally going to be called Tiny? Most of us know the story of Clifford the Big Red Dog: He was born the runt of a litter of puppies and no one expected him to grow very big; but when Emily Elizabeth chose him as her friend, she gave so much love to her tiny ball of fur that he grew over 25 feet tall. Author Norman Bridwell wanted to name the dog “Tiny,” but his wife told him the name was boring. Cherishing memories of her childhood imaginary friend, Clifford, she proposed this name instead, which he ultimately went with. Bridwell decided to name his young girl protagonist Emily, after his daughter.

My Trip to Niagara Falls

by Maxwell Dixon, Age 8 Cooper City, FL

Niagara Falls is located on the border of New York state and Canada. Niagara Falls consists of three different waterfalls: The American Falls, The Bridal Veil Falls, and the Canadian “Horseshoe” Falls. The Falls are over 12,000 years old. They

were formed when melting glaciers dug massive fresh-water lakes. Two of these lakes are called Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Lake Erie ran downhill toward Lake Ontario and the rushing waters carved out a river and created what is known as Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls is 52 meters deep. The Falls produces 4 million kilowatts of electricity that is

“The Falls are over 12,000 years old.”

shared by America and Canada.

The volume of water is 600,000 gallons per second flowing at approximately 35 miles per hour.

Niagara Falls is the second largest falls in the world and is home to some endangered species, like the Lake Sturgeon fish, the Peregrine Falcon, and the American Bald Eagle.

One unique thing about the Falls is that the water has never

“600,000 gallons per second flowing at approximately 35 miles per hour.”

Dove ® Self-Esteem Weekend

and The Importance of Healthy Self Esteem Continued from page 1

by Sarah Thompson used as a popular pastime for young people, bullying has increased greatly. Websites like Twitter and YouTube are popular ones for bullies of all kinds.

Jeanette feels the media is hugely to blame for this epidemic of low self-esteem. In particular, the images seen on TV and in magazines are what she calls “a distorted image of what beauty means.” “If you go to the supermarket, you see magazines with models who look beautiful when they are not.”

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, nearly 70 percent of girls in grades five through twelve said magazine images influence their ideals of a perfect body. A psychologist named Susan Albers wrote the following: “Although thin models are not the cause of eating disorders, they can be a trigger or a factor in maintaining an eating disorder. In other words, if a woman has a predisposition for an eating disorder and spends a lot of time looking at fashion magazines, this can be one of the

series is on its twelfth season.

Children and adults alike love the playful pup and all his friends.

Clifford is definitely a big dog who has an even bigger place among humanity.

factors that trigger feeling bad about her body, which she then turns into eating disorder behavior, like excessive dieting.”

It has often been found - particularly in teenagers - that body image and self-esteem can be closely linked. This type of thinking is dangerous, especially during a girl’s time of growth and development. During this time, girls often compare themselves to their peers, as well as to the images they see in the media. Doing this is dangerous, because no two girls will grow at the same pace, or in the same

totally frozen. It has slowed down to a trickle but it has never completely stopped flowing.

This past summer my family and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Niagara Falls.

It was very enjoyable. There are so many hotels to choose from and lots of family fun activities like the Wax Museums, Ripley’s Believe-It-or-not, Dino Golf and, my favorite, the

Haunted Houses.

The most amazing part of my trip was taking a boat called the Maid of the Mist. It sailed right up to the Falls. We had to put on blue rain ponchos before getting on the boat. Would you believe we still got soaking wet! It was a hot day so we did not mind getting wet. It was amazing having the chance to get so close to the Falls.

I would recommend Niagara Falls as a terrific place for a fun family vacation. I had a fantastic time.

“The most amazing part of my trip was taking a boat right up to the Falls.”

way! And achieving the media’s “ideal” in beauty is a completely useless endeavor, as it is simply not real. Media’s so-called perfect examples (models, actresses, and other entertainers) are nothing more than airbrushed images and the result of unhealthy body obsessions.

To finish up, I asked TorresAlvarez: Do you think being involved in activities and getting regular exercise can help improve a girl’s self-esteem?

She replied, “Totally. They will feel more confident,” but added, “If it’s something they love.” She feels that “the energy and social life” that goes along with participating in activities and exercises that are fun and enjoyable can indeed improve self-

esteem. She adds that, “6 out of 10 girls will stop doing something they love because they have low self- esteem.”

Jeanette reached out to the Hispanic community through this event, and recommends that those who speak Spanish visit the website Vivemejor.com. She hopes that “Let’s Talk” will convey a message and spark a national conversation about the world’s view on beauty, and remind mothers to get involved in the lives of their daughters and teach them about inner beauty.

“We want to redefine what beauty is,” states Torres-Alvarez.

“We want to make sure beauty is a way to make somebody feel safe. Now is the time to say: ‘Okay. Let’s talk.’”

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

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UNTO THE BREACH: Living Healthy A Young Adult Novel by Sidney Gale

by Sebastian Vargas, Age 13 Coconut Creek, FL A stormy Lake Ontario provides a dangerous setting; one of many problems against solving the main conflict. One man alone finds it difficult to fight 30-knot winds and huge 4-meter waves in a small boat, never mind an adolescent, or 3, whether they have sailing experience or not.

Add a dying man needing immediate surgery and their boat being stranded miles from shore, you would think these kids would have no luck. But you would have to read this book to find out. The book “Unto the Breach” is the first fiction novel by medical doctor and author Sidney Gale. The story takes place on Lake Ontario and in the Toronto area, in Canada. Three boys and a young teacher are the main focus. Anthony Colluci is a chubby, short Italian boy with doctors as parents who watches medical shows, such as Grey’s Anatomy and House.

Much of his time is also spent accompanied by his best friend, Eric Roseman. Eric, a sailing fanatic with his father, might seem to look like a complete opposite of Anthony. Eric would be seen as the athletic, graceful one who makes all A’s in school. Anthony, on the other hand, would be the awkward, clumsy one. The only A he would see in his report card would be in his first name. Then there is Eric’s archrival, Rob. Rob Steele is a rich boy, about the same age as Eric and Anthony, and is also a sailor. Mr. Benson, Anthony and Eric’s math teacher, will accompany them on a sailing trip around Lake Ontario. Anthony despised the school-organized field trip to a campground, so they packed their bags and set out on the lake.

It is obvious there would eventually be a conflict, but it is pretty surprising what happens and to whom it happens. It’s just a normal, sunny day; it’s relaxing, for

now. But soon there is a storm, and they are in for a big test, with a possibly fatal outcome. You remember Anthony’s doctor show addiction? Good, because that could save all four of these guys, trust me. During their stormy vacation, they have to maneuver through some tough waves, 25knot winds with 30-knot wind gusts, and conflict between Eric and Rob. Add a virtually useless engine, confusing sails, and a dying teacher! They need to get to a nearby city, but they have to change sails to actually move somewhere. Eric and Rob take on the almost impossible task, with an obvious argument following about who should do what. They end up arguing crazily and then “SPLASH!!” Eric falls into the freezing Lake Ontario and Mr. B (Mr. Benson is called Mr. B by all of the students) is hit in the head. Mr. B has a fractured skull and internal bleeding, damaging his brain as time passes, but not even Anthony knows this yet. He is focused on getting Eric out of the water immediately! Eric is unconscious and drifting away slowly in Lake Ontario. With a small life ring, Rob and Anthony fetch him up, but it definitely isn’t an easy task. Perhaps we can call it an easy task compared to the next one.

At this point, Mr. B is dying, they are in the middle of Lake Ontario, Eric has regained consciousness, Anthony is tired and Rob has failed to change the sails. They finally notice Mr. B’s condition so they try to stop the bleeding and cushion him from the rocking of the boat. Suddenly Mr. B has a seizure, so they have to take off his clothes (the bowels and bladder stop working during a seizure, according to Anthony).

They have to get to shore fast, or else things aren’t going to end well. They still need to change sails, and it’s risky and dangerous with the stormy conditions. Their motor is useless, but they have a

Tricks that Make Treats Unhealthy

by Sara Cross and Daniela Gómez, Age 12 Boca Raton, Florida

VHF radio. The radio’s battery is almost dead, so that is another problem, unless they can get it to work. Anthony tries to contact the Coast Guard. They think they aren’t successful, but Coast Guard rescuers receive their message. The boys notice a key detail in Mr. B. His eyes: one of his pupils is blown, and that is the sign he has a blood clot. Finally the doctor instincts kick in for Anthony. Because his father once tried unsuccessfully to save a man’s life, Anthony is determined to save Mr. B’s life. Anthony, Eric, and Rob drain the blood clot, in a most unusual way. Can the boys kill bacteria with some CocaCola? Can they take out a blood clot with a drill? Read the book to discover if they are successful and how they are rescued.

This story’s plot is carefully crafted, along with the conflict.

The plot has a strong base from the author’s background of medical science. The setting is very different and the climax of the story is made rich in suspense and adds a great challenge for the unique bunch of characters. This is the first book by Sidney Gale and is a very great first book. If there are many more books to come like these, you can expect exciting reading.

Girl Empowerment Through Sports Continued from page 1

by Daniela Gómez coach,” she wants to be their friend.

Greggs feels sad and upset about what happened to Malala Yousafzai. She thinks that “it’s unfortunate that a girl was hurt for standing up for what she believes in.” On another note, she adds that to empower girls, “they need to be less worried

about their physical ‘beauty’ and remember that what is inside -health and heart- is more important than what is outside.”

The Miami Coaches Across America kickoff was a fun event, with many young kids and adults participating in sports drills. This included a pushup contest for the adults!

I was happy to see many little girls participating. I applaud people grouping together to help kids get a sports education

Did You Know... …that globally there is still a large gender gap in youth literacy rates?

Although the gap has been shrinking over time, still, the data seems to show that fewer girls are emerging from education systems with basic literacy skills than boys.

Source: UNESCO

Youth Literacy Rates

Hi kids! And welcome to Living Healthy, a column about how to keep your body healthy and energized. Halloween is coming up, and I’m sure you are going to be running around trick or treating. As most of you probably know, candy is not the best thing for you to be eating. This month’s column is going to be all about what makes candy unhealthy, and how you can get your fix without having too much junk food.

THE BAD THING Most candies have high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is made from corn syrup that undergoes enzymatic processing to make it extremely sweet. HFCS is very unhealthy because of the chemicals used to create it, and unfortunately it is found in most foods from bread to ketchup to chocolate bars. There are some candies that are “high fructose corn syrup free.” NaturalCandyStore.com offers many products without HFCS. According to highfructosehigh. com, some Ben&Jerry’s ice cream flavors, Jif peanut butter, and Nesquik Chocolate Syrup have no HFCS, among other food items in their list. Be sure to check it out.

A main downside to candy is the excessive amounts of sugar in it. These crazy amounts of sugar give you short bursts of energy, and then leave you exhausted. Sugar is stored in your

body as fat if it is not burned quickly with exercise. Even then, if you consume too much sugar, it’s hard to burn off and fat builds up inside your body.

This is one of the causes of obesity. There are some candies that have low sugar or are sugar-free. Candy Warehouse has a list of sugar-free candies that taste just as delicious as the normal, packed-with-sugar kind. Groovy Candies also offers many sugar-free products.

THE GOOD THING Candy doesn’t only have unhealthy sides to it. In fact, many candies have health benefits, some well-known, and some not. For instance, according to Wikipedia, chewing on mint-flavored gum increases short-term memory, increases the amount of oxygen going to your brain, and increases your heart rate.

Also, peppermints and mint candy canes can soothe upset stomach by killing germs inside your stomach. Dark chocolate, when eaten in careful amounts, can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Halloween is Here: Beware of Sugary Candy Visit NaturalCandyStore. com to find alternative, healthier choices of candy this holiday season.

Did You Know...

…the real reason why candy is handed out at Halloween? Historically this time of year -after the harvest and before the snow -- was considered a good time to ask for charity. During the Middle Ages, groups of roving people would approach houses and ask for food. As sugar became more popular, it was valued as a source of energy and considered a better gift. Gerry Bowler, a professor at the University of Manitoba, says that children going around from house to house asking for candy is a custom that didn’t develop until the 20th century.

Did You Know... …that in 1999, around 106 million children were out of primary school. Almost 61 million (58%) were girls compared to 45 million (42%) boys. In the same year, although the gap in gender parity has decreased substantially, there are still many more girls out of primary school than boys. Source: UNESCO

“Katie Greggs is a junior at the University of Miami who will be one of the coaches in Miami, sees this as a great opportunity to make a difference.” as well as an academic one.

This program seems to be one to keep an eye on.

Though I chose to link sports and girl power, girls don’t have to be into sports to show their power. Girls can be artists, singers, dancers, musicians, actresses, politicians, firefighters, lawyers, doctors, electricians, engineers, or writers… anything they want! Girl power isn’t about what girls do. It’s about the passion with which they do it.

Out-of-School Children Around the World

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

2012 US

Presidential Elections

by Yasmin Daiha, Age 14 Miramar, FL

Third Presidential Debate Hosted by Lynn University in Boca Raton

by Daniela Gómez, Age 12 Margate, FL As elections draw near, attention turned to the three highly important presidential debates. The first debate was in Denver, Colorado, on October 3, hosted by the University of Denver. The focus of this debate was domestic policy. The moderator was Jim Lehrer, former news anchor of NewsHour on PBS. He chose six topics within domestic policy with approximately 15 minutes of time spent on each topic. Each section opened with a question asked by Lehrer followed by two minutes each for the candidates to answer. The rest of the time of each section was for debating on the topic.

The second debate, on October 16 was in a town meeting format focusing on foreign and domestic policy. The questions will not be asked by the moderator, Candy Crowley, CNN’s Chief Political Correspondent, but instead will be asked by citizens attending the debate. The candidates will each have two minutes to answer the question and then one minute to discuss the topic. The moderator will start the discussion.

The third debate will be on October 22, in Boca Raton, Florida. It will be hosted by Lynn University, focusing mainly on foreign policy.

The moderator will be Bob Schieffer, Chief Washington Correspondent and moderator of Face the Nation. The format of this upcoming debate will be the same as the format for the first debate.

The foreign policy debate will be held in the World Performing Arts Center at Lynn University.

This venue has been undergoing large updates to accommodate the high security requirements of the event, due to the importance of the two candidates and the guests. It is estimated that 3,000 members of international media will be attending the debate, along with around 2,000 invited guests. The Don Estridge Safe Schools Institute will be transformed temporarily into the credentialing/ticket center.

There will be five satellite parking areas available for the guests, reporters, students, and volunteers since there will be no parking on campus allowed. There will be buses taking people from the designated parking areas to the school. On the day of the debate, there will be a few events at the Lynn University Campus but they are reserved for the guests, the students and the volunteers servicing the event.

The foreign policy debate this year will be affecting the Boca Raton community negatively and positively. On the negative side, many roads will be closed and those that won’t will probably have high traffic. People on campus won’t be allowed to leave Lynn University once the debate officially starts and until the event is over, which will be after 11:30 p.m. However the community seems to be preparing for these minor setbacks and Lynn University will be deploying a vast network of volunteers that, together with local law enforcement personnel, will ensure the smooth flow of people and traffic on campus and offsite. Among the very many positive sides to having a presidential debate in the area, there are a few exciting pre-debate events for the South Florida community (children and adults) to participate in before October 22. Here are some:

10/18 Spin the Vote 6-10p - Downtown Delray Injustice Files with Keith Beauchamp 6p - Green Center – deHoernle Lecture Hall Lecture: Dr. Richard Beeman (political author) 7p – Spanish River Library 10/19 Americana-themed Playground Playdate 11a – Sugar Sand Park 10/20 Boca’s All American Party 10:30a-2p – Boca Center Red, White & Queue 4:30-7p - Residence Hall Quad Lawn Red, White & Zoom - 5K Fun Run 5p – Patch Reef Trail 10/21 Debate ticket lottery-only for students 12p – Perper Plaza Red v. Blue Kickball Game 1p – Softball field Movie on the Lawn 7p – Residence Hall Quad Lawn

Hundreds of local students and residents have been selected to volunteer in a variety of teams from October 15 to October 22.

Lynn University is currently conducting training sessions for its volunteer force and expects a great success. The university will host a Watch Party on Campus for guests, media personnel and students. This debate is expected to be watched on TV by millions.

The faculty, students and staff at Lynn University are proud to highlight their school on such a relevant national platform. South Floridians are excited to know that a presidential debate is happening nearby and that the two candidates are arguing important issues to prove their presidential worth in their backyards.

Did You Know... …that young reporters Daniela Gómez and Ismail Ercan represented the Circle Gazette as part of a select group of volunteers that assisted the preparation and the running of the third Presidential Debate on October 22 at Lynn University in Boca Raton. It was a grand experience of journalism and community building. Our reporters bring the stories live from where the action is taking place!

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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney (L) and President Barack Obama shake hands Oct. 16 after the debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.

Photo Credit: John Moore/Getty Images. tion about them. The US presidential election happens every four years and citizens vote for whom they want to become our president. The candidates for President and Vice President this year are Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden and Republicans Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. After being elected

that are undecided, or a tossup.

There will be a series of presidential and vice presidential debates and then it’s down to the big day on November 6.

There is a feeling in the air that this hard and tough election is coming to an end and everyone wants to know who is going to win.

Did You Know... …that in the United States elections, a candidate must receive an absolute majority of electoral votes? Currently, that majority is represented by 270 electoral votes. Elections occur every 4 years and re-election is allowed only one time and only in consecutive periods. The democratic election process in the US is known as indirect election. It consists of 538 electors who officially elect the President and Vice President. The number of electors is equal to the total voting membership of the United States Congress, 435 Representatives and 100 Senators, plus three electors from the District of Columbia.

Did You Know...

Deadlines for the Circle Gazette

My name is Yasmin Daiha and I am 14 years old. It’s that time again, the 2012 presidential elections will be taking place very soon, and I thought I would give you some informa-

President on November 8, 2008, Obama is now running for reelection against Mitt Romney.

In recent polls, President Obama seems to be in the lead with an estimated 237 Electoral College votes, while Romney shows an estimated 191 Electoral College votes. There are another 110 electoral votes

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…that the White House is the official residence of the president? The White House wasn’t always called the White House. In fact, before Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President, came to office, the White House was called the President’s Palace, the President’s House, and the Executive Mansion. Theodore Roosevelt officially named it The White House in 1901.

Did You Know... ...that the smallest President was James Madison (Presidential term 1809-17)? The fourth President, Madison, stood 5 feet, 4 inches (163 centimeters) tall and weighed less than 100 pounds (45 kilograms). …that the tallest President was Abraham Lincoln (1861-65). He stood 6 feet, 4 inches (193 centimeters) tall. …that the oldest President ever elected was Ronald Reagan (198189)? The 40th President took office at the age of 69. …that the youngest elected President was John F. Kennedy (1961-63), who reached the White House at 43? …that George Washington (1789-97), Thomas Jefferson (1801-09), and John Adams (1797-1801) were all avid collectors and players of marbles? …that in 1943 Franklin Roosevelt made the first Presidential flight? …that in November 6, 2012, about 198,200,000 million Americans will cast their vote to decide who will be President for the next period? The candidates are incumbent President Barack Obama and challenger former Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

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The United States Secret Service

by Lydia Szakacs, Age 10 Coral Springs, FL The United States Secret Service has two big responsibilities.

The one you probably know about is protection. The Secret Service protects important visitors like the Pope and high-level U.S. Government officials, such as the

President. The other big responsibility the Secret Service has is to protect the US against financial crimes like counterfeiting of US currency and fraud. The idea of a Secret Service was proposed

by Abraham Lincoln. The law to create the agency was found on Abraham Lincoln’s desk on April 14, 1864, the night he was assassinated. The Secret Service

President Obama walks down the street in Independence, Missouri.

started as an agency that investigated people who were counterfeiting US currency. As time went on, their responsibilities grew and the Secret Service had to investigate not only counterfeiting but bank robbery, illegal gambling, and murder. In 1901, President William McKinley was assassinated so the Congress expanded the powers of the Secret Service

to protect the President. And that is how the Secret Service began protecting the presidents.

Have you ever thought about being a Secret Service Agent?

Well here are a few things you need to know. The Secret Service is looking for people with bachelor degrees from a university or college. The agency is looking for law enforcement people and

President Obama and Secret Service run to an event in Sarasota.

President Obama takes a walk in his old Honolulu neighborhood during a visit with his ailing grandmother Madelyn Dunham.

by Ismail Ercan, Age 15 Coral Springs, FL As the presidential elections are nearing, the famous presidential (and vice presidential) debates have arrived. After President Obama was crushed by Mitt Romney in the first debate, the Democratic Party was in need of a morale booster before the President faced Governor Romney again two weeks later in New York. Fortunately for the Democrats, they would have a second chance to kill the Republican Party’s momentum in the vice presidential debate where Vice President Biden was to face Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan. Many people expected this debate to be very entertaining, and it certainly was.

As expected, V.P. Biden was quick to attack Paul Ryan as the debate commenced. Surprisingly Ryan held his ground and even counterattacked. In my opinion, Ryan won the first half of the debate, which was on foreign policy and the economy. He fired facts at Biden with ease and made convincing arguments about the President’s lack of “significant progress” in creating jobs and stimulating the economy. “This is not what a real recovery should look like,” he said. He assured people that he and Mitt Romney would steer the country “into the right direction again.” Ryan also stated that Mr. Obama’s foreign policy was “making the world less safe” which left Mr. Biden laughing and rolling his eyes,

Vice President Joe Biden and Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan arrive on stage for their debate at Centre College in Danville, KY - October 10, 2012.

Photo Credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images which wasn’t necessarily a good rebuttal. (But it was funny.)

The tide changed in Biden’s favor as the debate’s topics changed to taxes, Medicare, and (back to) the Middle East, specifically Afghanistan and Syria. Of course, Biden attacked Ryan on his and Romney’s idea to keep the Bush tax cuts. “They’re simply unfair and we have to level the playing field.” This statement really seemed to sum up the viewpoint of the many Americans who are suffering in this recession. Biden also criticized Ryan’s proposed “voucher Medicare program” by speaking through the TV sets to the elderly people watching at home, telling them that they worked their whole lives to be rewarded by a secure health insurance that was about to be taken

away from them. Ryan tried his best to soften Biden’s blows, but it was evident that Biden was in command. It wasn’t until the topic of abortion that both candidates softened up as the topic was very fragile. (Biden is pro-choice and Ryan is pro-life.) Closing statements were both O.K., although I thought Biden’s was too short and Ryan’s was too long.

Overall, I think the debate was a tie. As mentioned above, Ryan won the first half of the debate while Biden had a good second half which I thought he won. The one thing that I thought Biden could improve on was his delivery of facts. He consistently stuttered and sometimes mixed up numbers when trying to recount a statistic, and I thought that killed his arguments at times. But when it came

accountants since its main job is personal and financial protection in the US. There may be a lot of travel in this job, so knowing a foreign language is a plus. And remember it never hurts to be in good physical shape. You may have to accompany the President on his morning jogs.

to certain topics (especially taxes and Medicare), I thought he was convincing and really spoke to the American people. Paul Ryan, meanwhile, I thought handled himself extremely well for the occasion, consistently having a decent rebuttal to Biden’s attacks and I think that the Republican Party was content with his overall performance.

The overall result of this debate (and the previous one) remains to be seen as the elections have not commenced. Undecided voters are still swaying from side to side and we will not find out whose debating was more efficient until after the election.

P.S… Be sure to check out the SNL spoof of this debate!

It’s hilarious!

Vice President Joe Biden and Republican vice presidential nominee Republican Paul Ryan of Wisconsin shake hands after the vice presidential debate at Centre College, Oct. 11, 2012, in Danville, KY. Photo Credit: Michael Reynolds/Pool/AP Photo

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THE CAT AND THE DOG The Lost Coin AND MRS. NICOLE

by Emma G. Dieterle, Age 9 Boca Raton, FL

by Danielle Haweny, Age 6 Coral Springs, FL

One sunny day, a dog jumped over a tree and a cat jumped out of its socks. The cat was very frightened. The dog landed in Mrs. Nicole’s garden. Mrs. Nicole was VERY mad. She was screaming.

She yelled “MY GARDEN! MY GARDEN! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY GARDEN?” The dog said “woof” and the cat said “meow.” Mrs. Nicole had to plant her beautiful garden, which had flowers and carrots, all over again. Now she was super, super mad! The dog and the cat ran away. Later, Mrs. Nicole put up a fence and a poster that said “NO ANIMALS ALLOWED!” The cat and the dog lived happily ever after and they didn’t go in the garden again.

Illustration made by artist Arion Rashad (13) live on the moment the story was read aloud for the first time. Author and all children present enjoyed seeing the image appear in the notebook in front of their eyes!

A TRIP BACK IN TIME

by Kayla Haweny, Age 9 Coral Springs, FL Yesterday was January first, and it was the craziest day of my life! Ashley and I traveled to Greece and saw the ancient Olympics! It all started when Ashley and I found an abandoned tiki hut in the woods in Jackson, New Jersey. We were curious, so we went to take a look. When we got inside, it was damp and full of dew. The walls were covered with wet, cold

books. It was like we were in a library! Ashley was curious so she pulled out a book about the ancient Olympics in Greece, and she wished to go there. All of a sudden, the ground shook, the books fell off the shelf and the tiki hut started to fly! Ashley and I were petrified. We screamed at the top of our lungs and shook with fear. A few seconds later, the tiki hut landed. That was the moment I found out that Ashley and I were in the middle of the first ancient Olympic Games!

People were competing in char-

iot racing, javelin, and discus. A little later, a lion caught my eye.

I went to go pet it and it charged at me. I grabbed Ashley and started running for my life! Ashley and I ran and ran until we finally found the tiki hut again.

We rushed inside and shut the door. Ashley wished to go home.

The tiki hut started to shake and fly again. We opened the door and magically, we were back in the woods in Jackson, New Jersey. We exited the tiki hut and went home. I was so glad to be in my time again!

Ark of the Covenant

by Jesse Dieterle, Age 12 Boca Raton, FL The sound of the engines roared as the wheels of the plane hit the runway in Tel Aviv. We had arrived at our destination. My family and I were overcome with joy as we stepped into God’s holy land of Israel. Emma, Mommy, Daddy, Grammy, Poppy, and I were ready to start our adventure!

Our jeep took us over the barren desert and into the historical community of Qumran. We hiked up the jagged mountains to explore the caves which held ancient parchments of the Jewish past. We all gasped when we saw the caves of Qumran. The story of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is fascinating. In 1947 a young Bedouin shepherd named Mohammed threw a stone into one of the many caves to find his lost sheep. He was hoping to scare the sheep and see it run out.

Instead of finding his lamb, he heard the sound of pottery breaking. The sun was fading and the Bedouin shepherd had to go home.

He was determined to come back the next morning to figure out the mystery within the cave. The next morning Mohammed trekked up to that same cave hoping to find treasure. Instead, he found ancient scrolls that left him disappointed.

The shepherd took seven scrolls and hung them on a tent pole. Some time later he sold the scrolls on the

black market. Three of the scrolls were sold to an Israeli professor who risked his life to buy them. It happened the same day that Israel won its independence. For many years, archaeologists have excavated the caves and found hundreds of additional scrolls.

While I was explaining the history of the Dead Sea scrolls to my family, my nine year old sister, Emma, was tired and bored.

She was kicking the cave walls until rocks tumbled out and with them came an ancient parchment.

We all looked in shock when she showed us a mysterious scroll. All of us wanted it to be examined and translated by the Christian archaeologist, Zvi Brawer. His office was located in Jerusalem so we took the long journey through the desert again to visit Mr. Brawer. I explained how we found the scroll; he said the translation would take a day and he would be happy to do this for free. Zvi felt the ancient document would be the find of the century for Biblical archaeology and when the translating was done, he would call us.

To pass the endless time until the anticipated call, we explored Jerusalem. Before dark, we wanted to go shopping on Ben Yehuda street to look around for a tallis, jewelry, shofar, historical artifacts, and anything in between. The street was loud and everyone wanted to sell us something. All of us bought gifts

to take home, and I filled my belly with some mouth watering baklava.

We spent the night at the Abraham Hostel and Emma and I slept on a bunk bed. We were startled by the loud ring of the phone at 3 a.m.

It was Mr. Brawer telling us to secretly meet him at his office right away. He couldn’t relay the information over the phone. We got to Zvi’s office half awake but eager to learn the translation of our ancient scroll. Mr. Brawer told us that it explained the location where Jeremiah the prophet hid the Tent, the Ark of the Covenant and the Altar of Incense. It was in a cave on Mt. Nebo. Jeremiah had hidden them from the attacking Babylonians around 586 B.C. After reaching Mt. Nebo, the place spoken of in the scroll, Zvi told us about the significance of this mountain in the Bible. He recounted that Moses was commanded to speak to the rock so water would pour out and the Israelites would be able to quench their thirst. Instead, Moses struck the rock two times with his staff. Even though the water came out, God was not happy with his disobedience. Moses’ punishment was that he could not enter the Promised Land. However, God was merciful and allowed Moses to see this land of milk and honey from Mt. Nebo. Then he died on the mountain.

We were all excited at the possibility of discovering the Ark of

The wind was howling through the night and the ship was rocking from side to side.

Suddenly the powerful ocean turned the ship over and the people on board gasped for air.

Some of the crew survived but the shipwreck was deadly for others. Lewis and Clark swam towards the unknown land ahead. The current took them to an adventurous land deep into the Amazon jungle.

They were terrified, confused and weak. They all tried to sleep but couldn’t because of the echoing voices of the animals. Bright and early the next morning, Lewis and Clark got their arrows, and went hunting for food. They shot a crocodile and made crocodile burgers.

Their big fire sent smoke puffing through the air and signaled the other people in the jungle, who sensed that someone else was there.

Sacajawea and an Indian Chief came to the campsite, intending to kick out those people who were intruding in their Amazon. Lewis and Clark offered them some crocodile burgers; the food satisfied their hungry hearts and they all became friends. The next morning the four friends hunted for breakfast and saw a parrot. They followed the bird to a waterfall, tripped over a turtle and fell

into a cave. It was dark, lonely and ridiculously hot! The group dug through the cave with sweat dripping from their foreheads.

Finally, they were refreshed once again by the coolness of the waterfall.

Exhausted, they felt throbbing pain throughout their bodies and they all collapsed.

Indiana Jones found these four friends, took them away on his zipline and brought them to his teepee. Since it was getting chilly and the sun was beginning to set, Indiana Jones went out to get wood. Out of nowhere, he found a miniature Israeli coin. It was green, very thin, and extremely dirty.

His hands were sweating and his body was shaking with joy because he recognized that the coin was unique.

Indiana jumped onto the zipline and dropped off at his teepee. The four friends thought he was crazy! At once he told them the odd story. They wondered where this old coin came from and if it was rare.

Sacajawea declared that it was very valuable, because it was used during the time of Jesus.

The five friends showed the coin to the tribes of the Amazon, shared with them stories of Jesus, and many came to believe in Him as their Lord and Savior! There was a big celebration that night both in the Amazon and with the angels in Heaven!

The Little Princess

by Ashley Nagy, Age 9 Tamarac, FL Once upon a time there was a glamorous mermaid. Her name was Carly and she had a friend named Lucy, who was a talking fish. Carly wanted to become a princess. Every ten years when the princess got too old, the mermaids held a contest to see who would be the new princess.

Carly entered the contest every time, but she never won. This year Carly wanted things to be different. She was going to win and that was final. There were the Covenant. All of us knew this would be one of the greatest Biblical archaeological discoveries ever. The scroll said the cave would be facing Jericho. The seven of us trekked up the mountain and were amazed to see all that Moses would have seen. All of us separated to scout out Mt. Nebo. We each had a walkie talkie. Each of us was agonizingly waiting for another person to discover Jeremiah’s cave. I heard a loud, pained voice on the walkie talkie. It was Zvi’s voice. The archaeologist had tumbled down the mountain and found a cave covered by rocks. He screamed with joy, “Come quickly, I think I’ve found it!” Luckily, Mr. Brawer had only received a few cuts and bruises from his fall. We were stunned - this is the cave! We worked as a team and pulled out rock after rock. Knowing the Ark was in there, we had the strength of elephants. Grammy and Mommy pulled out a rock and a gleaming beam of brightness emerged. The ark was just a few feet away from us. We started to praise

ten events to participate in. The day of the competition, she excitedly jumped out of bed and swam as fast as lightning. She won the first through the ninth events, which included tennis, long jump, races and a five-hundred meter swim. But, the tenth event was the one thing she could not do…sing. She swam up on stage with courage and sang the best she could. It turned out to be the best song everyone had ever heard and they clapped loudly and chanted Carly’s name. She won the crown and lived happily ever after.

God, had tears of joy, and fell prostrate on the floor.

After the last rock was pulled out, we saw our goal was fulfilled.

The Ark of the Covenant had been lost from history for 2,500 years.

Now it was unearthed and found.

There it was - the gleaming, goldplated, wooden box, the Ark of the Covenant, with the Cherubim guarding the chest, which held the Ten Commandments. Behind the beautiful Ark was the rectangular, gold-plated, wooden Altar of Incense, which was used to send an aroma up to God. Beyond the altar was a large, thick, cloth tent, which was the covering for the Tabernacle that God commanded Moses to build. We were speechless as we remembered all the innumerable references of these objects in the Bible.

Zvi called four Levite men to take the poles of the Ark and carry it to a Jewish museum. The sun’s rays bounced off the sparkling gold Ark and it was a beautiful sight to behold.

THE CIRCLE GAZETTE

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

Beyblades Beyblade Metal Fury Hard, flame-maker Scratching, battling, hitting They have very epic battles.

Spins fast

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Halloween

by Maxwell Dixon, Age 8 Cooper City, FL

A Cinquain Poem

by Bryce Gunning, Age 8 Boca Raton, FL

The leaves fall with windy air, As the cat sits and stares.

All the leaves slowly drop.

The cat is nearly at the top.

Now, Halloween is nearly done.

Wasn’t it great? Wasn’t it fun?

The Ghoul Garden

by Maxwell Dixon, Age 8 Cooper City, FL

“The Mystery Twins” Fan Art MangaStudio Debut 4 on a Waccom Bamboo Art Tablet

by Arion Rashad, Age 13 Pembroke Pines, FL

Mary, Mary, you’re mighty scary!

How does your garden grow?

With pumpkin beds, and werewolf heads, and little rats all in a row.

A Heartwarming Project: The Laureus-Mercedes Benz Coaches Across America for Inner-city Schools

by Ismail Ercan, Age 15 Coral Springs, FL In 1998, the Laureus Group was founded by Johann Rupert, chairman of the Swiss luxury goods company Richemont, to host an Oscar-like sports awards ceremony to celebrate and recognize the achievements of athletes around the world. Rupert, himself a sports fanatic, soon realized that his new organization should not stop at hosting a red carpet event, but also should benefit people, particularly underprivileged children around the world. So in 2000, Laureus’s Sport for Good Foundation was born to “help less fortunate people enjoy a better life through the power of sport.”

The organization commenced its first project by aiding the Mathare Youth Sports Association in Kenya, an organization that “gives youth a sporting chance” by creating disease-free environments for children, empowering girls in the community, and education in HIV/AIDS awareness. Since that first project, Laureus has launched an additional 103 projects worldwide in 34 countries, which has affected more than 1.5 million children!

This wonderful organization is determined to double their impact by 2014, and is in great progress toward achieving their goal.

Recently Laureus, with a generous donation from its global partner, Mercedes Benz, launched a new project in the United States, entitled the “Coach Across America Initiative,” where 250 trained coaches would be placed among underserved neighborhoods in 5 cities: Miami, Chicago, New York, L.A., and New Orleans. These projects are targeted to lower child obesity rates and youth violence, which has plagued America in recent years.

Miami’s opening of the project was held at the NFL Youth Education Town Center (Y.E.T.) at Gwen Cherry Park on October 13th. It was attended by director of “Coach

The organization commenced its first project by aiding the Mathare Youth Sports Association in Kenya.

Across America” James Kallusky, Mercedes Benz representative Gareth Joyce, the 24 “Coach Across America” mentors to be stationed in Miami, and by some elementary school children from a nearby school that would be working with the coaches. Even better, Laureus World Sports Academy Member Gary Player, one of the greatest golfers of all time, was present.

Mr. Player, often nicknamed “Mr. Fitness” and ”The World’s Most Traveled Athlete,” is also known for his philanthropic work and has frequently helped many non-profit organizations throughout the world during his 50-year career. The South African golf legend was in a jolly mood as the opening ceremony began and displayed to everyone that he was still in great shape at the age of 76 by doing 30 pushups in front of the bleachers of the packed gymnasium.

In his welcome speech Mr. Player said, “It’s great to see sport being used to make a difference to people’s lives in the way Laureus is here with Coach Across America. It really goes to show that, as fun as sport is, it can also be a powerful tool to make the world a better place. It’s a shame in this age of technology that obesity is only growing and I hope we shall see a stop to this.”

As the coaches were introduced and the mini-sport activities were being set up for the children, I managed to get a few words with Mr. Joyce, the Mercedes Benz Vice President of Customer Services and a huge fan of his countryman, Mr. Player. He had just come from competing against Gary in a pushup competition.

“I am not used to doing pushup competitions,” he chuckled as he wiped some sweat off his

Did You Know... …that Gary Player is a South African professional golfer and widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf? Over his career, Player accumulated an impressive nine major championships on the regular tour and six Champions Tour major championship victories, as well as three Senior British Open Championships on the European Senior Tour. At the age of 29, Player won the 1965 U.S. Open and became the only nonAmerican to win all four majors, known as the career Grand Slam.

“This program is one of the most effective things I’ve seen in my life.…” Gary Player. brow. “We (Mercedes Benz) are very pleased to be working now with Laureus in the US.…We’ve worked with them around the globe for the past ten years, but we have just started to work with them here in the States.…I think this program will be great for the children; a healthy body is a healthy mind. Now with the US education system cutting back on many physical activities in schools, many kids are not getting enough exercise and this program should help these children get the physical activity that they need.”

The kids were certainly excited.

As soon as the ceremony concluded they ran down onto the court and quickly started playing games from relay races to basketball with the Coach Across America mentors. Shawn Ramirez, the Wellness and Fitness Coordinator of Miami Dade County for the past 22 years, was very proud of the sight. “I

can’t thank Coach Across America and Laureus enough for what they have done; this is exactly what our department needed, but more importantly what the kids needed.

They are going to come out of this program stronger physically, mentally, and socially with one another, and they’re going to have fun…it’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

Seeing all the children scurrying around in the gym was certainly fun and heartwarming to witness.

In these hard economic times, they still manage to live life normally and enjoy themselves oblivious of their surroundings.

“This program is one of the most effective things I’ve seen in my life.…To see that over 3,000 children will be affected here in South Florida from only 24 coaches is remarkable,” Gary Player remarked while looking on. “I know it will only get better from here.”

Did You Know... … that the Laureus SPORT FOR GOOD Foundation raises funds to provide financial and practical support to more than 100 projects that use the power of sports to provide coaching and education to young people in some of the most challenging or deprived environments around the world? Laureus and Mercedes Benz USA are the sponsors of the Coaches Across America Program to Fight Obesity and Violence in Young People.

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

“Goodbye Summer” Color pencils on paper

by Emily Greenfield, Age 6 Sunrise, FL

“Sun Shapes” Photo sensitive paper art

by Emma Gómez, Age 9 Margate, FL

“Vineyard” Acrylics on paper

by Kimberly Sauer, Age 17 Coral Springs, FL

“The Zombie House” Color pencils on paper

by Ellie Gómez, Age 6 Margate, FL

“The Firehouse Puppy” Acrylics on paper

by Kristin Sauer, Age 13 Coral Springs, FL

“Chameleon’s Eye” Acrylics and sand on canvas

by Lindsey Sauer, Age 15 Coral Springs, FL

“Illuminated Letter” Inspired by Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts Watercolors

by Kate Maier at Age 8 Sunrise, FL

“Rainbow Fish” and “Yellow Flower” Watercolors

by Matthew Dixon, Age 4 Cooper City, FL

“Autumn Flower” by famous young artist Autumn de Forest, Age 11 Autumn’s art is currently in exhibition at the Onessimo Gallery in Palm Beach Gardens

“Mermaid” Crayons on paper

by Sophia Greenfield, Age 5 Sunrise, FL

“Hatching Bird” Acrylic on paper

by Sofia Serrano, Age 6 Frankfurt, Germany

““Happy Fish” Pencils and color pencils on paper

by Jadzia Escoto, Age 11 Coral Springs, FL