13th Annual Rubber Duck Race Issue 42
Index 12
Tech4Kids See what’s new in the world of technology for kids!
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Ketzia Villarreal Family and friends gathered to celebrate her 6th birthday!
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Kaylee Mendoza Kaylee celebrates her graduation from Maria’s Montessori School!
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Andrew & Valeria Andrew (1yr) and Valeria (2yrs) celebrate their birthdays with family and friends!
62 13th Annual Rubber Duck Race The Infant and Family Nutrition Agency hosted their 13th Annual Rubber Duck Race at Schlitterbahn!
On June 16th, The Infant and Family Nightlife Picture Nutrition Agency hosted their 13th 1. The Old Ice House Texas) Annual Rubber Duck(McAllen, Race at Schlitterbahn Beach Park in South Padre 2. Artemis (Brownsville, Texas) Island. day fullTexas) of fun, water, and 3. NoxWith Diema(McAllen, great music, parents enjoyed a great Back to 4. Empire (McAllen, Texas) time with their children who watched 5. Little Tao (McAllen, Texas) School Fashion attentively for the rubber-duck race 6. London (McAllen, Texas) among one the water slides at the park. The Family and Nutrition Agency mission is “to give children in Cameron County a chance for a healthier start in life by equipping their mothers with the most current information about prenatal education, breastfeeding and infant, toddler and family nutrition.”
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Rice Pudding
KidsCookbook
with Cinnamon!
Cook Time: 25 minutes Ingredients: 2 cups cooked rice,
1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups milk, 2 eggs (slightly beaten, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon.
Directions. 1
Place cooked rice in bowl.
2
Add all ingredients.
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Stir to mix.
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Pour into greased baking dish or pan.
5
Bake about 25 min. in a 350 degree oven.*
*Always have a parent present when using oven!
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Rice pudding is an ancient dish enjoyed by people of many cultures and cuisines. This food traces its roots to the grain pottages made by middle eastern cooks. It has long been associated with good nutrition and easy digestion, and were ďŹ rst mentioned in medical texts rather than cookery books. Throughout history rice pudding has been recommended for the young, the old, and people of all ages with stomach ailments. In 19th century America, arrowroot and tapioca puddings were prescribed for much the same reason.
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Ketzia
Villarreal 6 Ketzia celebrated her 6th birthday party at the Children’s Museum of Brownsville, where family and friends gathered at the Minnie Mouse themed party. Everyone had a great time in celebrating Ketzia’s birthday this year and they would all like to give a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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BROWNSVILLE
Kenmont Montessori School 6 th G r a d e G r a d u a t i o n C e r e m o n y
On May 30th, Kenmont Montessori School held a ceremony for their graduating 6th graders. Proud parents and other guests attended the ceremony to congratulate the hard working students.
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Maria’s Montessori School Kaylee Mendoza’s Mendoza’s Graduation Graduation Kaylee
Ana Salcedo
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Hannia Nicole Alvear
Gabriela & Jesus Alvarez
Sebastian & Clarisa Carranza
The Boutique
for All Occassions Can’t seem to find that perfect baptism gown for your child? Or maybe you need a graduation dress? Or perhaps you just need a pretty bow or headband for your child?
The Kids Boutique at Sunrise Mall, Brownsville, TX is one of the many hidden gems within the mall. They offer a variety of clothing for many different occassions. If you need a dress for a baptism, birthday party, newborns, charro days, communion or just a pretty princess dress, The Kids Boutique can help you out. With so many selections to choose from for whatever your needs are, you really can’t go wrong with 32
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shopping at The Kids Boutique. They even go the extra mile by adding your childs name to an item you buy, such as their beautiful collection of bow hangers. The Kids also offer a wide selection of colorful bows and headbands for you to choose from. Offering so much to their customers, The Kids Boutique is really a great place to shop for any occassion that you may need that special dress for your child.
956.550.0440
2370 N. Expressway Suite 1440 Brownsville, TX 78521
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CRIB SAFETY
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CRIB RECALLS Cribs are occasionally recalled. Hazards in the nursery can pose serious injuries to babies and young children, and it’s important to know what to do if your baby’s crib or child’s bed has been recalled. Regularly checking online for recalled cribs can help keep your kids healthy and safe.
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Mom’sGuide
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To reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS, always put your baby to sleep on their back.
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Check for cracked and peeling paint. All surfaces should be covered with lead-free paint safe for nursery furniture. The end panels should be solid, without decorative cutouts. Cutout areas on panels can trap an infant’s head. Corner posts should be flush with the end panels or else be very, very tall (such as posts on a canopy bed). Clothing and ribbons can catch on tall corner posts and strangle an infant. If the crib has a drop side or drop gate, the lowered crib side should be at least 9 inches above the mattress support to prevent the infant from falling out. Raised crib sides should be at least 26 inches above the mattress support in its lowest position. If the crib has a drop side or drop gate, it should have a locking, hand-operated latch that will not release unintentionally. All hardware, including screws, bolts, nuts, plastic parts, etc, should be present and original equipment. Never substitute original parts with something from a hardware store. The mattress should be the same size as the crib so there are no gaps to trap arms, body, or legs. If you can fit more than 2 fingers between the mattress and the side of the crib, the crib and mattress combination should not be used. To reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS, always put your baby to sleep on her back. Keep your baby’s room around 68 degrees. Offer a pacifier when you put your baby to sleep. It’s been shown to keep babies safe.
PORTABLE CRIBS AND PLAYPENS • Never leave the side of a mesh playpen lowered because a baby can become trapped and suffocate. • When your child is able to sit or get up on all fours (or when he reaches 5 months), remove any toys tied across the top of the playpen. • Check the top rails for tears and holes because teething children often bite off chunks of the covering. If the tears are small, you can fix them with heavy-duty cloth tape. If the tears are large, you may need to replace the product. • Make sure that there are no tears, holes, or loose threads in the mesh and that openings are less than 1/4 inch across. Make sure the mesh is securely attached to the top rail and the floor plate. If staples are used, make sure they are not missing, loose, or exposed.
SAFE BEDDING PRACTICES • Place your baby on his or her back on a firm, tight-fitting mattress in a crib that meets current safety standards. • Do not use pillows, bumper pads, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, stuffed toys, other soft products, or any objects that could increase the risk of suffocation or strangulation. • Make sure your baby’s head remains uncovered during sleep.
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The striking evidence that stomach sleeping might contribute to the incidence of SIDS led the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to recommend in its 1992 Back to Sleep campaign that all healthy infants younger than 1 year of age be put to sleep on their backs (also known as the supine position). Since the AAP’s recommendation, the rate of SIDS has dropped by more than 50%. Still, SIDS remains the leading cause of death in young infants, so it’s important to keep reminding parents about the necessity of back sleeping.
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If you have an older crib that was made before the new safety standards were enacted, check with the manufacturer to see if they offer hardware to keep the drop side from moving. Check the crib frequently to make sure the hardware is tight and no parts are broken or missing. Consider purchasing a new crib that meets the stronger standards, if possible. The slats should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. Widely spaced slats can allow an infant’s torso to fall through but will trap the infant’s head, which can result in death.
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As you look at a crib, make sure you check the following, especially if you are using an older crib that may have been built before current crib safety standards were set.
USING A CRIB • Read and follow the directions to set up, use, and care for the crib. • Hanging crib toys (mobiles, crib gyms) should be out of the baby’s reach. Any hanging crib toy must be removed when your baby first begins to push up on his or her hands and knees or when the baby is 5 months old, whichever occurs first. These toys can strangle a baby. • The crib mattress should be lowered before the baby can sit unassisted. The mattress should be at its lowest point before the baby can stand. • Children should be taken out of a crib by the time they are 35 inches tall. • Never place a crib near cords from a hanging window blind or drapery. Children can get caught in the cords. • Be sure to inspect every crib your child uses for safety—those at the grandparent’s home, the babysitter’s home, or the child care center. • Hammocks and other swinging devices should not be installed onto a crib because the baby may be strangled.
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n the first few years of life, your baby will probably spend more time in his or her crib than any other single place. Naturally, you want your crib and nursery to be welcoming, comfortable, and most of all, safe. With so many styles and options available on baby cribs today, purchasing the perfect one can be a daunting task. Determine your price range and decide which crib features are most important to you. Then let the hunt for the best crib begin!
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Polo shirt, white button up shirt, khaki pants Gap Kids Black backpack Kipling
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Recess is on
Photography by Cheko Tapia Styling & Grooming: Mali Corpus Location: RioScape Playground at the International Museum of Arts and Sciences (IMAS) All wardrobe available at Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets® Models: Dariel Ivan Cantu ¦ Derek de la Garza ¦ Sebastian Rivera Kylie Hoelter ¦ Aryam Cantu ¦ Natalie Bolanos
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Polo white shirt, gray cardigan, tennis shoes Gap kids Dark gray jeans Nautica Kids Black backpack Kipling
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Beige sweater, navy blue tutu, navy blue polo shirt Gap Kids Pink hair bow Stylist own
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Plaid red skirt, navy blue polo shirt, striped shirt with sequence Children s Places Striped oxfords shoes w/n.b. Gap Kids
Navy blue sequin beret, white polo shirt, navy blue blazer, plaid red skirt, white socks, black ballerina shoes Children s Place
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Blue button up shirt, blue woven vest, khaki shorts; orange lion back pack, and shoes Children s Place Brown belt Nautica Kids
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Blue button up shirt, dark blue jean, brown belt Nautica Kids Red & blue printed tie Stylist own
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White button up shirt, navy blue sweater, khaki skirt, striped oxfords shoes w/n.b. , Pink glitter lunch bag Gap Kids Pair of pink hair bows Stylist own
Beige sweater, navy blue tutu, navy blue polo shirt, pink tennis shoes, pink kitty lunch bag Gap Kids Pink hair bow Stylist own
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Plaid red shirt, brown leather belt, dark blue jean Nautica Kids Tennis shoes Gap Kids
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Happy Birthday
Andrew & Valeria2
1
yr
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Joanna
Krane School Tools Project Manager
School Tools organization is a resource center for schools that serve about 95% percent economically disadvantaged students (according to TA, which lists data on the income levels from the parents and the schools.). Currently the program from School Tools holds 43 schools, where teachers come shop once a month. They are allowed to take three baskets of supplies and three large supplies that don’t fit in their baskets, such as poster boards or foam boards. “When they come and check in, there will be a limit on their form of how many items they can take. It usually takes a teacher 45 minutes to pick up their items. They check out and Marie and I check what they took, since we don’t have a scanner to keep track of the items, which we hope we will be able to do soon. We maintain the inventory manually, because we haven’t been able to acquire a scanner.” said Joanna, project manager for the School Tools project. The way School Tools works is by getting school supplies by grants. The Kids in Need Foundation in Ohio, according to Joanna, procure a lot of things for School Tools by contacting Target, Staples, Office Depot, and Office Max for the excess inventory that they are not going to use and can donate. “Of course, we go around as well asking people for items they are not going to use. H-E-B has been really good with our organization by donating merchandise. Walmart also donates a lot of items locally. As far as supporters and sponsors, we have Channel 5, KRGV, Wright Foods and some others. We do get a lot of support from these programs.” Terri Drefke, started the program in 1999 with a vision of helping the kids with free school supplies. “At first it was helping by providing food to everyone, then she started to hear about School Tools from other Food Banks who started with the program, then she said “I’m going to do it too.” H-E-B helped Terri to start by donating $300,000 dollars worth of school supplies. Joanna feels there have been tremendous improvements for the organizations, for example on location wise. “We used to be located at Fox and 23rd Street by Bargain Bazaar in a tiny little storage space with no air conditioner and no bathroom, so this new location is luxury for us and we are excited to be here.” What is the main goal for the organization? “Help children succeed. Just imagine going to school at 4 years old, and you see your classmates who have backpacks and school supplies and you don’t, it is hard.” Joanna personally knows, since she taught first grade for five years, that kids who came with no school supplies were embarrassed. Families didn’t consider school as a priority since they were struggling to survive, it was all about getting food on the table. “We want these kids to value school and think of it as a priority because getting an education is the only way they can succeed. They can grow up, get a scholarship and succeed. As an educator I value school, I value education, and I think this is a great program.” According to Joanna, some of the challenges faced by School Tools has been keeping up with the amount of teachers shopping. The average amount they should have is about 40-50 teachers a day, which are Tuesdays, Wednesdays,Thursdays and the second Saturday of the month. Not all of the teachers accepted to the program come and shop for their students. “It is free, but not every teacher takes advantage of it,” says Joanna who believes the program is not yet at its full potential. “We serve around 43 schools, roughly 600-700 teachers, and if you multiply that by the number of kids it is probably around 30-33 thousand kids we could reach.” After being a teacher for some years, and with her retail experience, she enjoys a lot her responsibilities at the School Tools program. “We need awareness on what the kids need, not just in our program, but at other non profits as well. We need to understand that it is necessary to give back to the community. If we give back, the children will do good things with their lives and come back and enrich our communities.” “Anybody who works with a non-profit does it with heart, you have to want to do it, you have to believe in it or it won’t succeed.” According to Joanna, School Tools gets the teachers excited, then they go back and get the children excited about education, because it shows that people care about them. A basket of supplies that teachers are able to take from School Tools cost around $600. Last year, School Tools found out at the beginning of the school year that kids needed backpacks. They filled around 1,200 backpacks last year and they hope to distribute more this year.
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“There are people struggling for food and shelter in the area, sometimes you wouldn’t believe it since this is America, but people do and its really sad. Supplies for one child cost around $30-$40, even with one child that is too expensive for the parents, when they can barely feed them. “When I go home at night and I know Marie and I have done something for the kids, we feel good about what we have done and in most jobs you don’t feel that, we think about this all the time.” Joanna’s mission at School Tools is to get more and more supplies and reach more kids, give them the motivation they need to see them succeed 10 years from now.
Quick facts about School Tools • School Tools was established in 1999 by the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, Inc. • The program is designed to help needy children across the Rio Grande Valley. • To be considered, a school must have a 95% or higher economically disadvantaged student population. • School Tools is a free store where teachers from qualifying schools have the opportunity to shop once a month, 8 times a year, and take FREE supplies for use in their classroom. • School Tools distributes packaged supplies (back packs) to the neediest of eligible students at the beginning of each school year. • The program actively solicits and accepts donations year-round in the form of monetary donations; excess inventory, unsalable, returned or slightly damaged merchandise, outdated and trade show products. • School Tools makes every effort to have basic school supplies. Because we receive donations from many different companies, other materials available at School Tools can vary and can include educational crafts, toys, magazines, books, art supplies, computer software, and more. • School Tools is affiliated with The Kids In Need Foundation. The Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization.
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13th Annual Rubber Duck Race On June 16th, The Infant and Family Nightlife Picture Nutrition Agency hosted their 13th Annual Rubber Duck(McAllen, Race at Schlit1. The Old Ice House Texas) terbahn Beach Park in South Padre 2. Artemis (Brownsville, Texas) Island. With a day full of fun, water, and 3. Nox Diem (McAllen, Texas) great music, parents enjoyed a great 4. Empire (McAllen, Texas) time with their children who watched 5. Little Tao (McAllen, Texas) attentively for the rubber-duck race 6. London (McAllen, Texas) among one of the water slides at the park. The Family and Nutrition Agency mission is “to give children in Cameron County a chance for a healthier start in life by equipping their mothers with the most current information about prenatal education, breastfeeding and infant, toddler and family nutrition.”
Thank you Sponsors: HEB, Royal Metal Buildings, Southwest Airlines, Dr Bradley Nordyke, Ebony Center, Ruben Garcia State Farm, David Lecusay Pediatrics, Burton McCumber & Cortez LLP, Charles Rurangirwa MD, L & F Distributors, Serafy Foundation, South Padre Island Golf, The Pearl SPI, The Palms Resort & Cafe, Pirates Landing, Marcellos, Golds Gym, Sports Clips-Brownsville, Combat Fitness, Texas Roadhouse, Jasons Deli, Chick Fil A, KAO’s, Celebrity Events, Rent A Tent, Sea Ranch Resturant, Da Pizza Joint, Mid Life Krisis Band
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Dance Center Recital Sophia Cespedes
Lauren Cespedes
Ximena Gonzaga
Itzel & Ximena Gamez
Cassandra Barrera 68
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Maily G. Herrera
Stephanie Dominique Lamas
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MISSION
Reading of The Lorax by the OfďŹ ce of Sustainability at UTPA.
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Be A Sustainable Family: Implement the Three P’s
T
his year at FESTIBA, one of the annual events hosted by UTPA to celebrate literacy, the story of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss was selected to educate children and teachers about sustainability. UTPA students volunteered for a book reading to thirty children at Salinas Elementary School in Mission after their librarian Annabel Moreno was selected for the reading at the Librarians and Educators Day at FESTIBA.
THE THREE P’S
The easiest way to teach your children about sustainability is by using The Three P’s: People, Planet, and their Pennies. “They can become green heroes when they think about making choices that protect the three P’s.”
HOW YOU AS A CHILD CAN HELP
•Turn off the lights! You’ll help reduce the electricity bill and save your environment from the green house gas emission. •Take shorter showers! Turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth helps. •Make sure to help mom and dad with washing dishes and drying them instead of using the dishwasher. When washing clothes, washers and dryers should be fully loaded. You can help by hanging the clothes outside as well where the sun will dry them quicker instead of using the dryer. •Don’t throw things away that can be reused. •Take a look at what you want versus what you need and balance that out. Sometimes there are things we want, but do you necessarily need them? •Don’t spend that much time in front of a television. Go outdoors in the fresh air, or play board games with your parents at home. Try to read a new book every week with your parents.
PARENTS TAKING PART OF THIS
First step to a sustainable lifestyle for your family is teaching your kids. Feed their mind, heart, and body with good and positive things. Most of the time, it is children who help their parents not the parents helping the children, but there are some steps that can be taken so all the family learns the process on how to be sustainable. Feed their heart with positive emotions. Try to live a happy lifestyle at home and show them how to react in a positive manner and bring the best out the situation when they are confronted with something difficult. A good self-esteem on your child is also important. All lessons should be given in a very positive manner. Make them feel good about themselves and teach them how to be respectful. Show them they can contribute to society by being good to others.
Teach them how to protect their mother earth and the environment, making decisions that protect the wildlife of our area. The Valley has hundreds of thousands of people that come to spend their money to look at the wildlife of our region for the different species that our area has. According to Marianella, last year the report showed that we make around 345 million dollars in tourism where a good percentage of it has to do with people coming not only for the shopping, but for our actual natural environment and wildlife. Protecting our environment protects our economy so it is important to understand the balance of the three so we can start teaching our children how they can make a huge difference on their own. Consider asking for what they truly need so that they can save up for what they want later in their life. Make sure that everything is unplugged when you are not using a computer, TV, telephone, cell phone chargers, toasters, and microwaves. All those things plugged into the wall are consuming energy. TIP: All things not being used can be plugged in a charge protector and turned off when you go to sleep or go to work. When you come home from work you can go ahead and turn on what you need to use. Eating healthy is very important, make sure that when you choose to eat, you pick fruits and vegetables instead of candy or things that are really high in sugar content. A little bit of exercise is also good to contribute into a daily routine. Don’t stress about finding the closest parking spot at the store. Yes, it is a little hot outside, but you’ll be happy to know that you are getting a little bit of that exercise, saving money, and saving gas by not circling around, which is going to impact your pocket and your health. Get your bikes out! It is so much fun. Public transportation are for those purposes so that a bunch of people can get into one vehicle and spend a small amount of gasoline instead of driving around town and getting all pollution into the air. Protecting the air that we breathe and protecting the water that we drink is important; the economy is important. Buy from our farmers at the farmer’s market! It is going to be healthier for you, it will taste a lot better, and it’s also bringing economic development to your community and making sure those dollars are spent there. Choose a day out of the week to spend with your child and look up more fun ways you can help the community.
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Mom’sGuide P O E T R Y
Balloons B Y
C A N D Y
R O E
They rise up in a loud whisper To greet the sky And everyone looks Who is passing by. The riders have smiles And anticipation on their faces Their baskets lifting high Showing them lots of places. They go drifting right along Catching your eye And those bright colors How they dress up the sky. They float about freely With gentleness and case Up and down they move Catching the breeze. It’s a peaceful sight To look up and see Those big colorful balloons Especially for me.
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