SAVVY | November 2018

NOVEMBER 2018 · SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

Feeling

Thankful FAMILY-FRIENDLY HOLIDAY FUN SUGAR CRASH AND BURN

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AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE

KID-FRIENDLY THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES PAGE 24

TECH KIDS

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Apply Apply online online at at

bhclr.edu bhclr.edu For For additional additional information information please please call call 501-202-6200 501-202-6200 or or 1-800-345-3046.

1-800-345-3046.

@ @BBHHCL CLRR

Follow Followus uson onFacebook Facebook

Baptist BaptistHealth HealthCollege CollegeLittle LittleRock Rockdoes doesnot notdiscriminate discriminateononthe thebasis basisofofage, age,color, color,creed, creed,physical physicalchallenges, challenges,gender, gender,marital maritalstatus, status,race, race,national national origin, origin,ororreligion. religion.Gainful Gainfulemployment employmentand andconsumer consumerinformation informationcan canbebefound foundatatbhclr.edu/outcomes bhclr.edu/outcomesBHCLR-Schools BHCLR-SchoolsofofAllied AlliedHealth Healthare arelicensed licensed bybythe theArkansas ArkansasState StateBoard BoardofofPrivate PrivateCareer CareerEducation.

Education.BHCLR-Schools BHCLR-SchoolsofofNursing Nursingare arelicensed licensedbybythe theArkansas ArkansasState StateBoard BoardofofNursing.

Nursing.

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NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

The Holiday Shopping Event of the Season November 7-10 | Statehouse Convention Center

Preview Party

Private Shopping

Ladies’ Night

Friday Night Event

Doughnut Breakfast

General Shopping

‘Twas the Night Before Admission: $50, VIP $75 Wednesday, November 7th 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Jingle & Mingle Admission: $35 Friday, November 9th 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

A Very Merry Morning Admission: $35 Thursday, November 8th 9:00 a.m. - Noon

With Santa Claus Tickets $15/child (adults free) Saturday, November 10th 9:00 a.m. - Noon

Tinsel & Tapas Admission: $35 Thursday, November 8th 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

$10 for one-day pass Thursday, Nov. 8, Noon-9 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 9, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 10, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Purchase tickets at jllr.org/holiday-house ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL TOY DRIVE Donate a new toy for the ACH Toy Drive during Holiday House! Toys will be gifted to patients during the holiday season and beyond.

SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

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NOVEMBER 2018 5 EDITOR’S NOTE 8 ADVENTURE & FUN CALENDAR, CRAFTS & MORE!

THANKFUL TREE CENTERPIECE

10 FAMILY-FRIENDLY HOLIDAY FUNS

A list of festive events this season!

18 MAMA SAID THE IMPOSTER

20 HEALTH & WELLNESS SUGAR CRASH AND BURN

22 TECH KIDS

THE AGE OF DIGITAL LEARNING

24 GOOD EATS

KID-FRIENDLY THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES

30 AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE KIDS IN ARKANSAS ‘AGE OUT’ OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM TO NAVIGATE ADULTHOOD ON THEIR OWN.

34 KICK-START YOUR NEXT CAREER

OPTIONS FOR ADULTS SEEKING A NEW DEGREE

38 KID APPROVED - SLEEP OVERS BROOKE DUSZOTA

ON THE COVER MERAH BRONTË WILKERSON PHOTO BY KATIE CHILDS

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NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

Photo by Stacy Kinzler

Growing a Gratitude Tree November always feels like a bit of a rollercoaster ride, taking us to two very opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. On the one hand, the holiday season is kicking in, pushing us all to shop for gifts, get our Christmas cards in order, make travel plans, host or cook for a family meal, entertain the kids while they are on break and other anxiety-inducing tasks that go along with this time of year. While things can sometimes seem to spin out of control, luckily we can be anchored by the foundation of the Thanksgiving holiday—giving thanks.

At our house, my husband started a “grateful jar,” a place where each family member can sit and think about what they are grateful for, write it on a slip of paper and drop it in the jar. When the jar is full, we’ll all gather around it and read our notes out loud. On page 16, we offer a twist on this idea with a decorative Thankful Tree Centerpiece that the whole family can help create and fill with thoughts of gratitude.

Looking for a few new ideas to change up the Thanksgiving dinner table? On page 24, local chef and mom to three Zara Abbasi presents kid-friendly twists on traditional holiday side dishes that will have everyone coming back for seconds. Her adorable baby, Merah, couldn’t keep her hands off those Duchess Sweet Potatoes!

And speaking of giving, every now and then we come across people who really give everything they’ve got to help others. Flip to page 30, to learn about what organizations like Immerse Arkansas and Second Chance Youth Ranch are doing to help the more than 200 teens who age out of the foster care system each year in Arkansas. Many of these young adults, including Lameikia Aycock, would have had no place to go if it weren’t for organizations and adoptive parents like Gina and Wade Radke, who are willing to help teens transition into adulthood.

Our advice as you gear up for another exciting holiday season: Fill up your gratitude tree and let your loved ones know what they mean to you; make some memories together (find a list of holiday-themed family-friendly events on page 10!); and find time to slow down that rollercoaster and just enjoy the ride.

Amy Gordy Editor, Savvy Kids amy@arktimes.com

SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

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Create your own custom keepsake ornaments with the whole family!

PUBLISHER KATHERINE DANIELS | katherine@arktimes.com EDITOR AMY GORDY | amy@arktimes.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR MANDY KEENER ART DIRECTOR KATIE HASSELL SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE LESA THOMAS ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES JENNIFER CORBITT STEPHANIE HENRY HEATHER SHOEMAKE

MORE THAN YOUR LOCAL PHARMACY 2801 Kavanaugh Blvd Little Rock, AR 72205 P: 501-663-4131 | F: 501-663-6202 Mon-Fri: 8:30a.m.-6:30p.m. | Sat: 8:30a.m.-3p.m. | Sun: Closed www.RheaDrugStore.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER | CONTROLLER WELDON WILSON ADVERTISING TRAFFIC MANAGER ROLAND R. GLADDEN ADVERTISING COORDINATOR LARISSA GUDINO ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR MIKE SPAIN

Your gift to Methodist Family Health provides behavioral, emotional and spiritual care to almost 5,600 Arkansas children and families.

Will you bring light to someone's life this holiday season with your donation?

IT DIRECTOR ROBERT CURFMAN ACCOUNTING LINDA PHILLIPS CIRCULATION DIRECTOR ANITRA HICKMAN ARKANSAS TIMES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

FIND US ON

• Text GIVE to 501-254-6048 • MethodistFamily.org, click Donate Now • Call 501-906-4209 and charge to card • Mail donation: Methodist Family Health, P.O. Box 56059, Little Rock, AR 72215 Real MFH client

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NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

PROUD PARTNER OF

contributors ANGELA E. THOMAS is a proud University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate and a member of its Alumni Board. For 11 years, she served Central Arkansas as editor for a locally owned magazine. Thomas is founder and owner of the greeting card company GODsent Greetings.

DWAIN HEBDA is a writer and editor living in Little Rock. He and his wife, Darlene, are the parents of four grown children. The empty-nesters spend their time traveling, working out and spoiling their two dogs.

KATIE CHILDS is a wedding, lifestyle and commercial photographer based in North Little Rock. When she’s not behind the camera, Katie and her husband, Jon, can be found rock climbing with their two pups in Northwest Arkansas and listening to embarrassing rap music.

MELISSA TUCKER spends her days working in web marketing. When not at work, you'll probably find her at the gym, on the playground with her kids or checking out too many books from the library.

ZARA ABBASI lives in Little Rock with her husband and three children. She is a licensed attorney but you know her better as Little Rock’s friendly pastry chef and custom cake maker.

She keeps busy with dessert orders, pop-up dinners, writing articles and doing anything food related. Follow her on Instagram @Zaramadeit for her newest cake creations and dinner ideas.

Save Now for Their Future.

It’s never too early to open an Arkansas 529 account to help you save for your child’s education. Starting an account is easy and the new Arkansas 529 App makes it easier to manage!

To learn more, visit Arkansas529.org or download the Arkansas 529 App today.

HEY READERS!

We are looking for a few great local nonprofit.

Who do you support and why?

E-mail us at katherine@arktimes.com SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

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November ADVENTURE & FUN

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

2018

Wednesday

Thursday

CALS

11

12

Holidays in the Heights

Holiday House Opens

Museum of 18 Discovery 19

Tape and Tunnels opening monday, novemb 19 at3M sponsorederby Nov. 19 - March 24

25

Autumn in Arkansas Nov. 7-9

Little Rock, AR 72201

21 Trot 5K Turkey

NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

22

& Gift Sale City of Jacksonville Nov. 16-17

Dance Show

Parents’ Day Out at the Little Rock Zoo!

23 Small Business 24

Gran Gran’s Toy Library CALS

26

www.museumofdiscovery.org

Gran Gran’s Toy Library CALS

20

Ending Roberts World Fest Fall Craft Show Gran Gran’s Toy Library CALS

Art Night at HAM

14 “Harry

15 41st Annual 16 Rhythmic 17 Potter” Night Holiday Craft Roots Tap

501.396.7050

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28

Gran Gran’s Toy Library CALS

8

International Games Day CALS

Junior League League League 7 8 Junior 9 Junior 10 Holiday House Holiday House Holiday House

Gran Gran’s Toy Library CALS

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CALS

The Laman Library

Paws with Santa Claus Nov 17-18

500 President Clinton Ave

Junior 6 League

Saturday

Gran Gran’s Rock 2 1 Little 3 Night Market Toy Library

Gran Gran’s Toy Library CALS

Family 4 Bingo Night 5

Friday

29 Christmas 30 Tree Lighting on the Promenade

"Jack Frost in Santa Land" Nov. 30-Dec. 16

Garvan Gardens’ Holiday Lights Nov. 19 - Dec 31

Saturday

Gran Gran’s Toy Library CALS Big Jingle Jubilee Parade

Gran Gran’s Toy Library CALS

1

INDOOR PLAY AT THE WONDER PLACE Year-round

GRAN GRAN’S TOY LIBRARY Wednesdays & Fridays The toy library inside CALS’s Nixon Library in Jacksonville allows parents to check out toys just like library books. The toy library is open for 30 minutes on Wednesdays and Fridays, following Nixon Library’s preschool and toddler programs at 10:30 a.m. The toys are primarily designed for children ages 6 months to 5 years. 501-457-5038

JUNIOR LEAGUE HOLIDAY HOUSE Nov. 7-10 The highlight of the holiday shopping season, Holiday House hosts approximately 180 vendors and 14,000 shoppers looking for the perfect gifts at the Little Rock Convention Center. Over its 28-year history, the event has funded more than $5 million for charitable work

by Junior League of Little Rock, so bring your list and have a ball. jllr.org/holiday-house

“HARRY POTTER” NIGHT Nov. 15

The Laman Library Main Branch hosts “Harry Potter” Night from 4 to 7 p.m. Dress up as your favorite character and win prizes in age categories.

The fun also includes movies, treats, vendors, a scavenger hunt and DIY activities. The Teen Center is open to all ages for browsing during this library-wide event. lamanlibrary.org

41ST ANNUAL HOLIDAY CRAFT & GIFT SALE Nov. 16-17 Shop for original works of art and unique gifts including woodwork, paintings, jewelry, holiday décor and more made

by Arkansas artists at the Jacksonville Community Center. Shop Friday from 2-8 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $2 adults, $1 ages 12-18, free with the donation of a new, unopened toy. cityofjacksonville.net

GARVAN GARDENS’ HOLIDAY LIGHTS Nov. 17-Dec. 31 (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day) The lovely landscape at Garvan Woodland Gardens become a winter wonderland at the most celebrated outdoor light display in Arkansas. The Gardens will be aglow with over 4.5 million lights in a myriad of natural settings. Admission: $15 adults; $5 ages 4-12; free ages 0-3. garvangardens.org

The indoor play space at The Wonder Place is designed especially for kids ages 8 and younger. Every Tuesday is music together day, where children are encouraged to sound and move in a rich music environment. Dads get in free with at least one paid admission on Dad’s Day every first Saturday of the month. Homeschool teachers get in free with a homeschool ID and at least one paid admission on Homeschool Day on the third Wednesday of every month. thewonderplace.com

opening monday, novem

ber 19

TAPE AND TUNNELS SPONSORED BY 3M Nov. 19-March 24 This new exhibit at Museum of Discovery, sponsored by 3M, provides an eyeopening look at what can be done with the humblest of materials. Climb, crawl and scoot through a collection of interconnected tunnels and slides built out of packing tape. museumofdiscovery.org 500 President Clinton Ave

Little Rock, AR 72201

PARENTS’ DAY OUT Nov. 23

www.museumofd

Get a jump-start on that Christmas shopping from 8 a.m. to noon, and leave the childcare to the Little Rock Zoo! The kids will love this fun event filled with games, exploration, projects and more for grades kindergarten through sixth. Cost: $35 for non-members, $30 for members. Registration required. Littlerockzoo.com

BIG JINGLE JUBILEE PARADE Dec. 1-2

Santa’s reindeer will be in Little Rock live to not only lead the Big Jingle Jubilee Holiday parade beginning at Second and Broadway streets at 3 p.m. on Dec. 1, but will also be onhand for photos during a meetand-greet event—Reindeer on the River—at the River Market on Dec. 2 from noon to 5 p.m. holidaysinlittlerock.com SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

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Winter Wonderland of Family Events

Bundle up and get the family out to enjoy all of the festive events this season!

Little Rock Night Market Nov. 2

Bring the family for an evening of food, drink and live music while perusing a special holiday sales event at Bernice Garden in SoMa. This free event will provide the perfect gift for everyone in your life in the friendly, neighborly atmosphere of one of Little Rock’s most unique neighborhoods. thebernicegarden.org

International Games Day Nov. 3

Drop on by the library for your share of 12 hours of board games, card games, trivia and door prizes. Made possible by CALS and the American Library Association. Free for everyone! cals.org

Family Bingo Night Nov. 5

Play bingo and compete for kid-friendly prizes. This free event will appeal to all ages, so come out and win with your child at the McMath Library! cals.org

Autumn in Arkansas Nov. 7-9

Come get a fascinating, hands-on look at how the early settlers lived in Arkansas at the Historic Arkansas Museum. Play pioneer games, churn butter, create an ad for the newspaper, and help with the preservation of food. There will also be demonstrations of the Woodruff printing press and blacksmithing. Open to school groups. historicarkansas.org/events/

10 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

Historic Arkansas Museum

Art Night at HAM Nov. 9

Enjoy a fun and free night of art, history, live music and refreshments at the Historic Arkansas Museum. Take in the living history, then catch the trolley to visit other venues taking part in the monthly gallery walk. historicarkansas.org/whats-new/events

Fall Craft Show Nov. 10

Peruse local artisans and vendors offering unique items such as jewelry, soup mixes, baby items, Christmas decorations and more at Grace Lutheran Church. Lots of great shopping for gifts and home décor, plus tasty German pastries. gracelutheranlr.org

Roberts World Fest Nov. 10

Celebrate the rich diversity of Roberts Elementary students and their families through the food, entertainment and games from around the world. Come in your own national costume or try a few outfits from different countries at the photo booth. The Little Rock Zoo will be on site to show off exotic animals, too. Free admission. robertsworldfest.com

Holidays in the Heights Nov. 11

Get in the holiday spirit with this fun, free annual event. Stroll through the neighborhood and enjoy cider and cookies or hop on the trolley for a ride through the neighborhood. Don’t miss the holiday lights being turned on! facebook.com/intheheightsLR

Bernice Garden

Whether attending the Big Jingle Jubilee Holiday Parade, enjoying a performance of the Nutcracker at the Robinson Center, or enjoying the Nog-Off at the Historic Arkansas Museum, you’ll enjoy Little Rock’s myriad of holiday activities. For a complete listing of Little Rock holiday offerings and special events, go to LittleRock.com and find one to share with family and friends.

LittleRock.com

SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

11

Rhythmic Roots Tap Dance Show

HolidaySee Craft & Gift Sale what’S Jacksonville Center aPPCommunity ening in Two-Day Event: JackSonville

Friday,theNovember 16, 2018 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Download new “Jacksonville Parks”-APP today!

Saturday, November 17, 2018 – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Your guide to everything that’s happening in Jacksonville.

Parks attractions

EvEnts Jobs

For morE inFormation, call (501) 982-4171 or DownloaD the free app.

Nov. 17

Untapped, Arkansas's only nonprofit tap dance company, will premiere their new original show, Rhythmic Roots, at CHARTS Theatre at UA-PTC. It's a percussive symphony of tap dance combined with the playing of unconventional instruments such as buckets, crates and more. untappedlittlerock.org/events/2018/11/17/untapped-show

Paws with Santa Claus

Holiday Craft & Gift Sale Capture the spirit of the season at the 41st Annual Holiday Craft & Gift Sale. Purchase original works of art and unique gifts from Arkansas artists and vendors from surrounding areas. Handmade creations include woodwork, paintings, jewelry, holiday décor and more. Concessions available. Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for children November - 2:00 p.m.of–a8:00 p.m. agesFriday, 12 – 18. FREE ADMISSION to17, the2017 public with a donation NEW, UNOPENED, Saturday, November 18, 2017 – 9:00 a.m.

– 4:00 UNWRAPPED toy in support of our 4th Annual Toy Drive. For vendor space &p.m. more information call (501) 982-4171Community or visit www.cityofjacksonville.net.

Jacksonville Center No refunds. Date, time, & location subject to change.

Capture the spirit of the season at the 40th Annual Holiday Craft & Gift Sale. Purchase original works of art and unique gifts See what’S eningpaintings, in from Arkansas artists and vendors from surrounding areas. Handmade creations includeaPP woodwork, jewelry, holiday JackSonville décor and more. Concessions available. Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for children ages OUT 12Parks” – 18.

FREE ADMISSION to the CHECK OUR Download the new “Jacksonville APP today! public with a donation of a NEW, UNOPENED, UNWRAPPED toy in support of our 3rdFOR Annual Toy Drive. For vendor space & APP DETAILS more information call (501) 982-4171 or visit www.cityofjacksonville.net. Date,ON time, & location subject to change.

EVENTS!

Nov. 17-18, Dec. 1-2

Your guide to everything that’s happening in Jacksonville.

Parks attractions

EvEnts Jobs

For morE inFormation, call (501) 982-4171 or DownloaD the free app.

# 5 Municipal Dr. Jacksonville • (501) 982-4171 • cityofJacksonville.net

Holiday Craft & Gift Sale Friday, November 17, 2017 - 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 18, 2017 – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Jacksonville Community Center Capture the spirit of the season at the 40th Annual Holiday Craft & Gift Sale. Purchase original works of art and unique gifts from Arkansas artists and vendors from surrounding areas. Handmade creations include woodwork, paintings, jewelry, holiday décor and more. Concessions available. Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for children ages 12 – 18. FREE ADMISSION to the public with a donation of a NEW, UNOPENED, UNWRAPPED toy in support of our 3rd Annual Toy Drive. For vendor space & more information call (501) 982-4171 or visit www.cityofjacksonville.net. Date, time, & location subject to change. # 5 Municipal Dr. Jacksonville • (501) 982-4171 • cityofJacksonville.net

THIS BLACK FRIDAY

Turkey Trot 5K

OPT OUTSIDE

Nov. 22

Support the United Way of Central Arkansas’s many charitable works and have a great time doing it at the Turkey Trot 5K at Centennial Valley Country Club. Choose a standard 5K or an adventure run that includes additional workouts along the route. There’s also a Gobble Wobble for kids 10 and under. uwcark.org/turkey-trot

The day after Thanksgiving, join park interpreters for an alternative to Black Friday … Green Friday.

Guided hikesa will be offered throughout the day at participating parks. This is a great chance to get outside with friends and family. Visit ArkansasStateParks.com/events for more info.

Share your photos using #OPTOUTSIDE to be a part of this movement.

ArkansasStateParks.com My park, your park, our parks

12 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

Pamper your pets and help give homeless animals a second chance by getting your dog’s or cat’s “pawtrait” taken with Santa at Cammack Village City Hall. CARE is one of Little Rock’s oldest rescue operations so, naughty or nice, get your pet to the Heights! careforanimals.org

#OptOutside #ARStateParks #GreenFriday

Small Business Saturday

wishes start here...

with their favorite toys for the new year!

Nov. 24

Get some holiday shopping done and support local businesses!

"Jack Frost in Santa Land" Nov. 30-Dec. 16

Follow the antics of this mischievous elf who’s stirring up trouble at the North Pole! The Arkansas Arts Center’s Children’s Theatre performs this fun, familyfriendly holiday show full of magic, adventure and holiday cheer! arkarts.com

Christmas Tree Lighting on the Promenade Nov. 30

Join Santa as he works his magic in the charming and historic Hillcrest neighborhood. Witness the lighting of the Hillcrest Christmas tree among the holiday festivities. hillcrestmerchants.net

Christmas Open House Dec. 1

Experience the Petit Jean State Park’s historic Mather Lodge dressed in Christmas finery. Enjoy family arts and crafts activities, seasonal entertainment and a visit from Santa Claus, too! Admission is free. arkansasstateparks.com/events

The Wonder Place is full of fanciful discovery centers, just waiting to be explored. Pop in soon and join the fun!

Plan City Table • Air Tubes • Water Table • Musical Treehouse Pretend River Market and Café

Monday to Saturday, 9am-5pm | 501.225.4050 | www.TheWonderPlace.com Breckenridge Village Shopping Center | 10301 North Rodney Parham, Little Rock

A library of toys!

Gran Gran’s Toy Library is a toy lending library for

ages 6 months-5 years inside the

Nixon Library,

703 W. Main Street, in Jacksonville.

CALS.org #DevotedtotheCurious

SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

13

Jingle Bell Run Dec. 1

Don your favorite holiday costume and support the Arthritis Foundation’s original Jingle Bell Run, raising funds and awareness to cure America’s number one cause of disability. Grab your friends to walk or run—just be at the Clinton Presidential Library with bells on! arthritis.org

Reindeer On the River Dec. 2

See live reindeer at the River Market to celebrate the start of the holiday season! Enjoy other holiday activities and games at this unique, free event, open to the public from noon to 5 p.m. holidaysinlittlerock.com/lr-holiday-events

"A Christmas Carol" Dec. 5-15

The whole family will love the timeless classic, “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens, adapted for the Argenta Community Theater. argentacommunitytheater.org.

The Nutcracker Spectacular Dec. 7-9

A holiday tradition, Ballet Arkansas brings the beloved number to life with the help of more than 200 community cast members. Live music provided by Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Don’t miss this family favorite at Robinson Performance Hall, now in its 40th year! balletarkansas.org/nutcracker-spectacular

The Little Craft Show Dec. 8

Shop handmade wares from more than 60 local and regional artists at this holiday craft show at Lost Forty Brewing from noon to 6 p.m. Look for exciting giveaways, workshops and hourly vendor giveaways! thelittlecraftshow.com

14 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

opening monday, nove

mber 19 at

500 President Clinton Ave

Little Rock, AR 72201

www.museumofdiscovery.org

501.396.7050

k r a P n u F & lf o G i in M Big Rock !

S IE T R A P Y A ID L O H R U O TIME TO BOOK Y • • • • • •

AMAZING MAZE AERIAL ADVENTURE GO-KARTS MINI GOLF LAZER FRENZY NEWLY UPDATED ARCADE • BUMPER BOATS • BATTING CAGES

501-455-3750 | BigRockFunPark.com • 11411 Baseline Road Little Rock (Near Bass Pro Shops) SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

15

ADVENTURE & FUN

Thankful Tree Centerpiece Focus on the real meaning of Thanksgiving this holiday season

You will need:

Sticks from the yard Rubberband Vase Ribbon Brown paper bag Red, orange and yellow construction paper or card stock Orange jute rope Black marker Hole punch Scissors

Give Thanks Fall Decorations INVITATIONS • DECORATIONS • PARTY FAVORS • BALLOONS • PIÑATAS • CAKE SUPPLIES 16 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

How to:

1. Gather a few good sticks from your yard or local park.

2. Bundle three or four together and wrap the rubberband around the bundle. Place them in the vase.

3. Cut the paper bag into strips. Crumple the strips and place them around the sticks in the vase to hold the sticks in place.

4. Cut leaf shapes from the colored paper, then punch holes in the leaves and string the jute through to hang them.

5. On each leaf have family members write a word or phrase describing what they are thankful for. Save some blank leaves for guests to add to the tree!

6. Hang each leaf on the sticks.

7. To finish up, just tie a ribbon around the vase and place in the center of your dinner table.

11218 N. RODNEY PARHAM RD. / LITTLE ROCK 501.223.4929

4822 N. HILLS BLVD. / NORTH LITTLE ROCK 501.978.3154

• INVITATIONS • DECORATIONS • PARTY FAVORS • BALLOONS • PIÑATAS • CAKE SUPPLIES SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

17

MAMA SAID...

The Imposter

I

t should go without saying that along with a house full of kids, comes a house full of pets.

Most have been beloved and intimate members of our family.

Medieval superstition got it right in calling certain animal companions “familiars.” Pets are entwined in the particular details of our days to a degree we’re often unconscious of until they are absent—avatars for whole chapters of our personal history. I know my boys will remember their “familiars” long into old age. But there’s one pet that didn’t stay around long enough to become familiar, who is still worth remembering, if only as an avatar for their mother’s personality. Let’s call him Sal. Sal first appeared on a Saturday morning last November. Our eldest son was at college. The 16-year-old was away at a church youth retreat.

Our 13-year-old was playing video games in his room, and their father was happily watching football. I had just returned home from an outof-state trip, and was getting caught up on laundry. It was a scene of domestic bliss. So, of course, all hell shortly broke loose.

It began with the 13-year-old screaming: “The cat has a WORM or a SNAKE or SOMETHING!” I ran to his bedroom, where the cat skulked on the unmade bed, looking defiantly up at my son. I caught a glimpse of something silvery and slick between his paws. Pandemonium ensued.

“GET IT! GET IT!” “I CAN’T SEE IT. WHAT IS IT?” “GET IT!” “OH MY GOD; I THINK IT’S A CENTIPEDE!” “AUGH! IT’S A LIZARD! ITS TAIL JUST BROKE OFF!” At this point, two previously inert forces surged into action, introducing a whole new level of chaos. First, our 10-pound terrier pranced in, and to his great joy caught a freshly discarded, stillwriggling tail in his mouth before bounding away. Second, my husband became aware that something other than football was going on in his periphery.

“Huh? Oh! WAIT! That’s your brother’s pet lizard!”

“His WHAT?” There was no time for explanations. Instantly the mission pivoted from Operation GET IT! to Operation SAVE IT! My 13-year-old pounced on the cat, who finally released his prize—a shiny, mud-colored critter about an inch long. Using a plastic sandwich box for a temporary container, I started searching my middle son’s room for anything that would resemble its living quarters. Where

had he been keeping the blasted thing?

It was time to get some answers. “Since when does he have a pet lizard?” I demanded of my husband. He confessed to waking up in the middle of the night while I was away and noticing our son standing outside in the yard with a flashlight. Patrick, having asked what in the world he was doing, was told, “looking for bugs for my lizard.”

“And you had NO follow-up questions?”

“I was barely awake. I forgot all about it until just now!”

Disgusted, I text messaged the perpetrator, though I knew his phone would be powered off until Sunday.

“I FOUND your secret pet. And SAVED it from the cat. I’m buying it a PROPER habitat and the money will come from YOUR savings.”

Several hours and $70 later, we moved our guest into his new luxury apartment, replete with moisture-retentive bedding, heat lamp and humidity gauge. Apparently, reptiles are fussy. I sent photos to my son, its alleged person.

“The pet store clerk says the tail will grow back with proper climate control. He seems to be doing fine.”

I was already beginning to soften. How like my 16-year-old, so secretly tender-hearted, to nurture this stray creature. How excited he would be to see the beautiful new habitat. What a lesson in being able to trust his mom. How she gets him.

The next day, I went to pick up our lizard king from the retreat.

Just as I was pulling into the church parking lot, his phone came back online. He emerged while I was still reading his message.

“Any way you could return that habitat?”

It seemed that the lizard rescued the week before had already lost its tail, presumably to our cat, and was released back into the wild the very next morning. The lizard who had lost his tail in front of my eyes? The vermin we’d wrested from the cat while doing HIS JOB? The grifter now enjoying the prospect of a winter spent basking under a heat lamp?

He’d never seen that lizard before in his life.

The pet store, as it turns out, has a wildly generous return policy.

Our guest (or hostage, depending) was unceremoniously released back into the wilds of our suburban yard the very next day.

A few days later, while walking the dog, I came across the body of a dead rat that had been trapped and tossed into the gutter. I paused to contemplate its mortal remains and offer a few words of reflection on its fate.

“Boy, did you choose the wrong house to invade.”

SAL'S LUXURY APARTMENT!

Kyran Pittman is mom to three sons, sweetheart to their dad, and author of numerous stories about life with all four. Her memoir, “Planting Dandelions,” was published by Riverhead in 2011.

18 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

19

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Sugar Crash and Burn

We’ve all heard that sugar will make kids hyper, but is that true? Check out a few myths and facts to help slow your household's sugar rush.

BY ANGELA E. THOMAS

S

ugar makes one hyperactive. Myth! “Sugar does not make you hyperactive. This myth is based on one study that was conducted in the 1970s with one child. Scientists have tried to replicate it, but they’ve not been able to do so,” said Kate Hudson, registered dietician at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

“Hyperactivity is most probably a combination of factors. For instance, a child attending a birthday party is wired because he’s at a party, which is exciting. Yes, he’s eating lots of sugar but it’s an environmental hyperactivity. Parents observe this and think it’s due to sugar,” Hudson said.

Ok, so how much sugar is too much? Brace yourself. “The American Heart Association recommends that we consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar per day,” Hudson said.

It’s important that we distinguish the difference. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t eat fruit and vegetables and other items in which sugar naturally occurs. Added sugar is the major culprit; for instance, many fruit juices contain added sugar.

So, how do we find added sugar—six teaspoons isn’t a lot of sugar. New Food and Drug Administration rules dictate that labels must note “added sugars in grams and as percent Daily Value” by Jan. 1, 2020.* “Some companies have already updated their labels. When reading

20 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

the old format, look at the ingredient list,” Hudson said. “You’re looking for any ingredient that ends with sugar—dextrose, glucose, sucrose or maltose—which are various names for sugar or anything that includes high-fructose corn sugar, molasses, honey or corn sweeteners.”

“Other hidden sources of sugar include: fruit juice; canned fruit, which is often in syrup versus water; condiments, such as barbecue sauce, salad dressing and ketchup; granola bars, which often have so much sugar they might as well be candy bars; and cereals and grains.”

Whoa! So, if sugar doesn’t make us hyper, why should we be concerned about our sugar intake? The effects of too much sugar include obesity, hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.

“We must take a lifestyle approach. If your child is full because he’s eaten too much sugar, he will not desire to eat vegetables and fruit. Why would he want to eat an apple or broccoli when he’s full of sugar?” Hudson added.

How do we find balance? Hudson suggests keeping a food diary.

“It’s OK to have dessert sometimes—sugar doesn’t have to be eliminated altogether. Sometimes, we eat without awareness. So, I often recommend that patients write down everything they eat

The FDA recommends that we consume no more than about 25 grams of added sugar daily. Look at the labels of the most popular canned sodas.

We found one that had 39 grams of added sugar! Another had 41 grams of sugar (the total carbohydrates = 41 grams) and included high fructose corn syrup and sugar in its ingredients list!

or at least the sugary items they consume, such as sodas, chocolate milk and fruit juices. This is a good place to start. It will help you identify your sugar consumption and things to cut back on. I then suggest baby steps. Cut your sugar intake by half, then in half again, tapering down.”

Most of our sugar intake, Hudson said, comes from sugary drinks and snacks and desserts. So focusing on these two categories and cutting back will make a big impact.

“Parents should be on guard for items that cause spikes in blood sugar. Coffee-shop drinks have a lot of calories and are very sweet.

We can become so predisposed to sugar that we need extra sugar to actually ‘feel’ something is sweet,” Hudson said. “Kids don’t think ahead to the future. As parents, it’s our responsibility to be intentional. Ideally, we should think of dessert as a treat and not something we have after each meal or after each dinner.”

She recommends that parents encourage the consumption of fruit and vegetables and cut back on sugar, sugary beverages and the like, and bring new things into their families’ diets. This will help you balance your diet overall.

Lastly, what about sugar substitutes, and where can I get help?

“Research has demonstrated that any substitute used at a normal amount is safe for consumption. No one substitute is better than another.”

Hudson recommends parents log on to two websites for further information: the American Heart Association’s website—heart.org— and the Academy of Nutrient and Dietetics—eatright.org. *

Expecting?

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center is currently enrolling women in a research study comparing health and lifestyle behaviors during pregnancy.

Are you: Less than 12 weeks pregnant 18 years of age or older BMI over 30 Healthy Monetary compensation plus a 1 year supply of diapers provided.

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Do you need to seek professional help?

When should we seek help from a dietician?

“When you need extra help. Many parents have good information; they just need assistance to get the ball rolling. A professional can also help establish accountability. Additionally, if a child has become obese or is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or hypertension, you may want to seek assistance.”

What if a child has autism, has ADD or ADHD and consumes a limited number of foods, should we watch their diets more?

Hudson said this depends on the child. “Often if a child has autism, he will have complex dietary issues—he may only want to eat crunchy food. This may involve more intentional effort than with other children. So, you may need help.”

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21

Tech Kids

Kids are growing up quickly in a digital age as schools work to keep up and prepare them for a high-speed future

BY MELISSA TUCKER

T

echnology has transformed the learning process for both teachers and students. Devices play a prominent role in today’s classrooms, and most schools in Arkansas have progressed to a 1-to-1 ratio of devices to students.

These devices, primarily Chromebooks, are used to complete web-based assignments, said Casey Dailey with the Pulaski County Special School District.

In her role as senior instructional technology facilitator, Dailey helps teachers implement new technology in their classrooms.

“Chromebooks are Google-based, and they run off an operating system,” she said. “Google is taking over the world, really. College students are not using Microsoft Word anymore, they’re using Google Docs. It’s stored in your Drive, so with Word you have to save it to your device, and if you don’t have your device, you don’t have your work. Those days are gone because everything’s on the web now.”

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Teachers, even as early as elementary schools, are using Google Classroom to connect students, parents and assignments.

“When I taught in the classroom, I had to take 100 papers home and hope I didn’t lose them,” Dailey said. “With Google Classroom, everything is turned in electronically, and things are graded. You can grade electronically and give immediate feedback for parents, and parents can look and see what’s turned in, the date of the assignment, and what the grade was.

It takes all that guessing away.”

In short, classrooms are becoming paperless. The amount of web-based learning material has grown so much it’s almost overwhelming, but the access for both teachers and students is unprecedented.

“Teachers don’t have to search for things in libraries or borrow from another teacher, and it’s given access to things that were not available before to students,” she said. “Students

who will never travel outside of Arkansas can put on a pair of virtual goggles and look up and see the Eiffel Tower.”

Many districts also allow students to take Chromebooks home to facilitate learning outside of school.

“Parents and students without computers at home were at a disadvantage before, but we provide them with a device, and they can take it home; and if they want to research something, they have access now,” she said.

And the school’s Chromebooks have filters which keep students away from websites they shouldn’t see.

“We can see what every student is doing, and that eases the parents’ minds,” she said. “Sometimes parents would rather the children get on their Chromebooks than their home devices because a lot of parents don’t know how to get in and block a device. It’s not an easy thing to do on your home network.”

Ultimately, the transition to digital learning helps prepare students for the work environments they will face in the future.

“It’s really not fair in 2018 if you don’t prepare the students to be completely comfortable with digital interface,” Dailey said. “Children are digital natives now. They’ve grown up in an age where digital technology has always been there for them.”

Digi-tools:

Teachers have many different sites and apps at their disposal. Some help them connect with students and some with parents. Here’s a few tech options being used in Arkansas: AR Books: Using the Accelerated Reader system, helps children and parents locate books on the child’s current reading level. After completing a book, students can take a quiz and earn points for it. Parents can download the BookScanner app to easily scan the barcodes on books to find out the reading level, quiz number and other information.

CoolMath.com: A site that makes learning math into a game.

Class Dojo: If your school participates, parents can download the Class Dojo app to contact teachers, see behavior reports and stay up-to-date on school activities, such as festivals, field trips or needs for extra items or volunteering.

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Google Classroom: A place for students to complete and turn in assignments. Parents with sign-in information can see how assignments were graded and stay up-to-date on classwork.

Prodigy: A virtual world where kids can explore and expand on their learning, and teachers can see reports of their acquired skills.

SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

23

Save Room for Sides !

These kid-friendly Thanksgiving side dishes will have everyone coming back for seconds

BY ZARA ABBASI PHOTOS BY KATIE CHILDS

24 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

T

here’s a chill in the air, you can finally wear that favorite cardigan and pumpkin pies are popping up on menus everywhere. This could only mean one thing: Thanksgiving guests will be knocking on your door before you know it.

Now I don’t know about you, but Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because, of course, I love my family, but also because I love FOOD (especially side dishes). Actually, come to think of it, I think I can—and have—made a full meal out of sides only. Side dishes can be so lackluster that they sit untouched at the table, or they can be spectacular enough to steal the show from even the main bird.

When you are hosting or invited to a Thanksgiving dinner, there’s a lot of pressure to make everyone happy.

You want to have a successful dish, one that you might not have to spend hours making, with ingredients that are readily accessible and one that will also be kid-friendly.

In short, you want everyone to eat it and everyone to love it. How hard can that be, right? Do you hear my exasperation? Because it’s here. But don’t fret! We can do this together!

So, before getting into what to make, I think it’s necessary to provide different categories of side dishes.

Some dishes end up on our tables out of pure nostalgia and tradition; those dishes are very important whether the ingredients are canned, fresh or homegrown. These dishes are culinary hugs from those we love most, and the recipes should remain untouched—unless, of course, these dishes sit alone in the corner literally untouched. Then by all means, jazz them up. Examples include traditional casserole dishes and some form of marshmallow ‘salad’ (which I’m not a fan of at all, unfortunately).

The second category of sides is the modern and avant garde dish. These are dishes you might not be used to seeing at your table. They might be more refined, require foreign ingredients and/or may require techniques and processes that may seem unfamiliar. Some examples include turkey ramen or pumpkin pie caviar. Those are

great for very specific audiences and a fantastic way to explore different ways to celebrate this holiday, but might not be the best way to win over any young, picky guests.

The last category is the perfect balance of the previous two: reimagined dishes. These side dishes are approachable, a blend of old and new, and can be crowd-pleasers. This is the category I live in. I love the modern dishes as well as the traditional ones, but I look forward to the new, yet approachable dishes in this category most. Being a mom to three kids has taught me a few things: kids love novelty ideas, handheld things and cheesy, bacon-y dishes (well, I think we all love that, don’t we?). So, I have created three recipes that hopefully fit the bill for all these requirements.

My daughter Merah is a big fan of the corn and bacon dip!

SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

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Crispy Cheesy Broccoli Florets

I’m beginning to think maybe it’s me who likes the handheld snacks! No, no, it’s still the kids. But these are great crowd-pleasers for older guests, too. This is a reimagined version of the tried-and-true broccoli cheese casserole we see at many dinner tables during Thanksgiving, it’s just a little healthier and more fun for kids.

Also, I’m told by an eating expert (my son) that these are fantastic dipped in ranch dressing.

12 ounces frozen broccoli florets, no need to thaw 2 cups Colby jack or pepper jack cheese (depending on who’ll be eating it) 2 teaspoons garlic salt 2 teaspoons onion powder 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs or crushed butter crackers 3 eggs ½ stick butter, melted (mind the salt if using salted butter) Salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine all ingredients and press the coating on to the broccoli. Place the coated florets on a greased tray and move around to make sure none are clumped together. Bake for 10 minutes and flip, then bake for an additional 10 minutes checking to make sure they do not burn or over-brown. Drizzle tops with melted butter and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Serve plain or with ranch for the kiddos. For more adventurous eaters, serve with a kicked up jalapeño mayo (mix chopped, jarred jalapeños with a little of Duchess Sweet Potatoes your favorite mayo and thin with buttermilk or cream).

26 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

Duchess Sweet Potatoes

Like I said, kids love novel ideas. They like things that are different and things that look cool. Well these certainly fit the bill. These piped sweet potatoes are adorable and look like they belong on top of cupcakes. They are also handheld, which kids love. And did I mention that they look ADORABLE?!

Well, they do. Add these to your holiday dinner table and watch the kids ooh and ahh over them before they quickly disappear.

3 pounds sweet potatoes washed and peeled 1/3 cup salted butter 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 2 large eggs 4 tablespoons all purpose flour Salt to taste Option 1: For Drizzling (melt together) 3 tablespoons salted butter 4 tablespoons brown sugar, melted 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon Option 2: For topping 1 cup pecans 2-3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon each cumin, cayenne and ancho chili powder Boil water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cut the sweet potatoes into chunks and boil for 15-20 minutes or until completely cooked through, then drain water.

Return potatoes to the saucepan and allow the residual heat to continue drying the potatoes (the more water that is retained in the potatoes, the gummier they may end up being. We want fluffy, delicious potatoes so dry those puppies out!) Add the butter and cream to the drained potatoes and mash with a masher first before using a hand mixer. Use a hand mixer to beat the potatoes until the butter is completely melted and the potatoes are smooth.

Add in the eggs and flour and beat for an additional 1-2 minutes until completely mixed in, but do not over mix.

Take a large disposable decorating bag or a large Ziploc bag and snip off the tip or corner. Place a large star piping tip inside the bag and push it into the cut off tip. Fill the decorating bag with the sweet potato mixture and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with a parchment sheet. Take the decorating bag, hold it perpendicular to the baking sheet and pipe a swirling mound of sweet potatoes. Continue until you’ve used all of the sweet potato mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes then broil for last 2-3 minutes making sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

Option 1: Drizzle brown sugar mixture over each one while still hot.

Option 2: To add an extra layer of flavor for your adult guests, add chopped, spiced pecans on each duchess potato. (Quick spiced pecans: toss pecans in a little butter, ancho chili powder, cumin and cayenne. Toast quickly in oven and chop when cooled.)

SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

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Healthier Corn and Bacon Dip (or casserole)

I don’t know why I wrote the word “healthier” because we all see the words that follow that word. Don’t worry, I’m laughing too. But seriously, this is one of those culinary hugs I was talking about. My daughter loves this dish, but I don’t really love all the cream cheese and extra fats in there, so I thought I’d find a way to trick her…err…I mean…see if it’s possible to create a lighter version of this dish that my kid would still love. Well, I succeeded because she (and other kids) still gobbled it up without missing all the extra fats. She could not tell that I had completely omitted the cream cheese. So, this is one of those fun dishes that still has the bacon in it, but it’s just a touch better for you and your kiddos.

6-8 slices of bacon, diced 1 small onion, diced 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 2 tablespoons garlic paste, or 3 cloves minced Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt 4 cups fresh, whole corn kernels (about 4-5 medium corn cobs. Can use frozen if you’d like) OPTION 1: 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh parsley and basil OPTION 2: ½ cup roasted green chili peppers and 2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside to drain on paper towels.

Sauté the chopped onions in the same skillet in 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat and cook until translucent. Stir in flour, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in the corn, yogurt, parsley (if using) and half of the bacon. Mix well and pour into an oven-safe casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining bacon evenly over the top of the casserole and bake, uncovered, for approximately 20 minutes, or until heated through. Add basil before serving, if using. Option 2: Add green chilies at the same time as the onions and cook together and use cilantro instead of parsley.

28 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

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29

Each year, around 200 kids in Arkansas ‘age out’ of the foster care system to navigate adulthood on their own. Learn about two organizations that focus on equipping those kids with the skills they need.

BY DWAIN HEBDA PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON

30 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

L

ameikia Aycock entered Arkansas’s foster system at 16, a far cry from some kids, but by the time she aged out at 18, she’d met the national average for time spent in foster care. It was long enough for it to leave a mark.

“My personal goal is just work on myself and better myself for the future so me and my baby can be happy in life and not struggle. Because I struggled coming up,” she said.

According to the Arkansas Department of Human Services, there were roughly 5,135 children in foster care last year. Nationally, kids stay in the system for about two years, although that number can vary from a few days to much longer.

Adoption, meanwhile, has a narrow window. According to Partners for Our Children, children 5 and under

start by saying, ‘Hey, I understand. People haven’t stuck around in your life so you have no reason to trust me.

But, do you want to go have coffee anyway?’”

According to Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (AFCARS), Arkansas’s “transition age youth,” those ages 16 to 21, numbered more than 1,000 in 2015. Just over 200 of these emancipated (“aged out”) from the system that year, which means having reached the oddly specific mark of 4 p.m. on their 18th birthday.

Elective extended foster care is an alternative until the age of 21, and a handful emancipate before age 18.

AFCARS tracks other trends for emancipated foster care kids, revealing a mixed bag of outcomes. For instance, 55 percent of former foster care kids earned a high school diploma or GED by age 19 and 74 percent had done so by

represent more than half of U.S. adoptions, while those involving teenagers make up less than 10 percent.

Wade and Gina Radke are an anomaly, having decided to become adoptive parents specifically for a teenager. They adopted their son Jay in 2017, when he was 19, after years being his mentor. Gina said the motivation for adopting him was to solidify their commitment to him, something many children of the system haven’t experienced and who carry that mistrust into their adult lives.

“A lot of these kids have been hurt so bad they’ve kind of given notice that I don’t trust you and you don’t trust me. There is no honeymoon phase,” she said. “At that age, they’re just like, ‘Listen, I’m grown and I’m going to do what I want and I don’t trust you.’”

“Some of the teens can be very vocal about that.

They’re like, ‘You’re probably not going to stick around, so I’m really not going to trust you.’ You just have to

age 21. That’s in line with the national average, but well behind the general population. Additionally, one in five former foster kids had experienced homelessness by age 21, a quarter had been incarcerated or had a child, and 30 percent were on public assistance.

None of this is news to Eric Gilmore, executive director of Immerse Arkansas, which provides foster teens with role models and direction as they reach the age of emancipation.

“For some of those young people, they’re able to make it and they walk into some good things as it relates to a job or education,” he said. “There’s a whole other group of young people that age out and—it’s hard to say this—they find out that they just don’t have anybody that’s there to help them make that transition and make that journey.”

“They can find themselves getting caught up in prostitution just trying to survive, or will find themselves homeless. Some become a victim of some other type

Lameikia Aycock credits Immerse Arkansas with helping her get on the right track.

SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

31

of violence or trafficking. All those outcomes that we wouldn’t want to see for any of our own children is a reality for a lot of these young people.”

Immerse Arkansas and other organizations, like Second Chance Youth Ranch group home, seek to head off these outcomes by helping kids plan for living on their own. They connect youth with mentors and peers, help with goal setting and generally provide a willing ear.

1 in 5

former foster kids had experienced homelessness

by age 21

“No matter how many adoptive families there are, being adopted as a teenager is difficult because that’s the time where teenagers are naturally starting to break free,” said Rachel Hubbard, Second Chance’s operations co-director.

“They’re ready to get their independence and if you’re 15 or 16 years old and at the very beginning stages of trying to bond with a family, it’s kind of awkward. It’s different from

the natural progression of life. Some kids don’t want to do that. They don’t want to start over with a family, they’re ready to just work towards their independence and make that their life goal.”

“One thing that we do is, two of our six homes are dedicated especially to young adults age 16 to 21 who are about to go through the process of aging out. We make sure our kids get a job at 16 and 75 percent of their income is saved towards a vehicle. If they decide at 18, I’m done, I don’t want to answer to anybody, I’m ready to be on my own, they leave our program with money in the bank, a vehicle, a driver’s license.”

Lameikia Aycock credits Immerse with helping her get on the right track, but it’s still not an easy path. She doesn’t know precisely where her life will lead, even though she’s in school and positioned herself the best way she knows how. All she knows for sure is she wants to spare her infant daughter from the same experiences she had growing up.

“It’s really sad because these kids want to be loved, you know, by their parents. They pass them out to different foster homes sometimes every other week and sometimes every week, you know?” she said. “Just having to deal with different people and attitudes, I don’t want my baby to have to deal with that. I’ll take it to the grave she will never have to deal with that.”

To learn more about how to become a mentor or foster parent log on to immersearkansas.org or 2cyr.org.

(From left) Stephan Radke, Noah Radke, Wade Radke, Gina Radke and Jay Radke.

32 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

Sports Injuries don’t take

Weekends Off

Open Saturday Mornings No Appointment Necessary Sept. 1 - Nov. 10 9 AM – 11 AM Located in Arkansas Children’s Hospital Orthopedic Clinic

Saturday Morning Sports Injury Clinic

specialized sports medicine and orthopedic care for your developing athlete.

Sometimes sports injuries are your child’s biggest competition. That’s why we’re open on Saturdays this fall treating fractures, dislocations, sprains, strains and more.

At Arkansas Children’s Hospital, your child will see the state’s leading experts in sports injury diagnosis, treatment, surgery and physical therapy.

archildrens.org/sportsmedicine SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

33

Kick-Start Your Next Career Options abound for adults seeking a new degree for a new career

BY DWAIN HEBDA

J

ill Simons, associate vice chancellor for undergraduate studies at Arkansas State University, has seen a lot of changes come to higher education in her 20+ years with the school.

But nothing was as instructive as when she decided to return to the classroom to pursue her doctorate, after a 15-year absence.

“It really made me aware of the adult student’s plight,” she said. “When students talk about daycare needs or work schedules, I understand that much more having been an adult learner.

“There’s so many different things that [adult students are] trying to tackle. We live in a pretty complicated world and people do a lot of things in addition to going to school. Life has started; they’re right in the middle of mortgages and families that are priorities as well as school. As an administrator, I always want to be cognizant of that.”

34 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

Simons is one of millions of non-traditional college students in the United States, a fast-growing demographic. Many institutions have programs especially for adult learners and some, like the University of Arkansas Fort Smith, have an entire department devoted to their success.

“We held focus groups just last week as part of an institutional effort to become more accommodating to our nontraditional students,” said Jennifer Holland, UAFS executive director for student retention. “We are doing many things right, but there’s more we can do to help them.”

“Most [nontraditional] students we surveyed are intimidated by college,” said John Post, UAFS director of public information. “At first, they have trouble finding a sense of belonging, because they’re surrounded by traditional students. So we have student organizations on campus for non-traditional

students and veterans to help build a sense of community. Once they get here and get a semester or two under their belt, a lot of them ultimately feel a sense of belonging.”

For some schools, this is nothing new. Dr. Elizabeth Sloan Davidson, associate professor and interim department chairperson for UALR’s nursing department, said issues facing adult learners have always been a primary focus.

“We’re basically a commuter school,” she said. “Most of our students in the nursing department don’t live on campus, although some do. A lot of them are married or are single parents. Maybe they’ve already made a not-successful first run in college. They’re coming back to try it again now that they’ve grown up a little bit.

“We’re seeing a very wide range of demographics; average age is around 28, but we have both ends of the spectrum from the first-time freshman age 18 to the 65-year-old.”

Dr. Marico Bryant Howe, dean of sciences, mathematics and allied health at UA Pulaski Tech, echoed this view. The bulk of UAPTC’s students are nontraditional and are coming back to school from various situations, she said. Among them, those who never finished college [or high school] to those who are looking to reboot after raising their kids.

“Some students made career choices and now they’re deciding that’s not something they really want to do,” she said. “It’s time for them to change their career field to something they really want to do.”

Those adult learners find programs tailored to their lifestyle in fields that are in extremely high demand.

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Ten programs of study in nursing and allied health. Admission cycles in both January and July. One-year certificate and diploma programs, two-year associate degree programs and bachelor degree options through affiliate colleges and universities. Institutional accreditation through the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. Nine national programmatic accreditations for all programs of study. Competitive academic outcomes in retention, board and registry passage and graduate placement.

11900 Colonel Glenn Road Little Rock, AR 72210-2820 (501) 202-6200 | bhclr.edu

PROGRAMS • Bachelor of Arts • Bachelor of Social Work • Bachelor of General Studies • Associate of Arts • Associate of General Studies • Bachelor of Business Administration • Bachelor of Music Education • Bachelor of Science with Teacher Licensure

• •

• • • •

The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith offers a dynamic learning environment for around 7,000 students each semester. Small class sizes and Bachelor of Science - Education applied learning opportunities support the student-centered education that Social Sciences has defined UAFS since its founding Assoc of Applied Science in 1928, propelled by an $83 million Health Sciences endowment. UAFS offers 60 bachelor’s Applied Science and Technology and associate degrees, 35 certificates, Education and a master’s program with state-ofMaster of Science the-art campus facilities utilized by Bachelor of Science Nursing every program to ensure the most upBachelor of Applied Science to-date, hands-on training. UAFS is Certificate Programs located in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

5210 Grand Avenue, PO Box 3649 | Fort Smith, AR 72913-3649 | (479)788-7000 | uafs.edu

The College of Health Professions serves the State of Arkansas as the primary arm of the University of Arkansas in offering programs that provide education, service, and research in the allied health professions.

Programs are available in Little Rock, Fayetteville, or via distance education using interactive video and the internet.

PROGRAMS • Audiology • Clinical Nutrition • Cytotechnology • Dental Practice Residency • Dental Hygiene • Diagnostic Medical Sonography • Dietetic Internship • Genetic Counseling • Medical Laboratory Sciences

• Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences • Occupational Therapy • Ophthalmic Medical Technology • Physical Therapy • Physician Assistant • Radiologic Imaging Sciences • Respiratory Care • Speech-Language Pathology

4301 W Markham St, #619, Little Rock, AR 72205 | (501) 686-5730 | healthprofessions.uams.edu

SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

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Your path to a better career

UAFS offers more than 100 futurefocused degrees that support our community by training and providing a needed workforce.

UAFS is the most affordable university in the region, with an average enrollment of around 7,000 students.

Beginning fall 2019, UAFS will offer the Tuition Promise. Lock in your tuition for four years. Plan ahead, save money, and graduate on time.

5210 Grand Ave. | Fort Smith, AR 72913 888-512-5466 | uafs.edu

36 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

Allied health fields, for example, abound.

“Allied health has tons of positions; there’s probably 40 to 50 training programs in Central Arkansas alone,” said Dr. Judy Pile, chancellor of Baptist Health College in Little Rock. “People could work in the O.R. Or it could be in a lab. It could be something where they are deeply involved in patient care, or something where they’re not. It’s really quite varied.”

So much so, in fact, that new adult learners frequently need help sorting through their options, Pile said.

“There are some positions that are pretty well-known, like X-ray techs,” she said. “But there are other roles, like a medical laboratory scientist, where people may not know exactly what a person would do. Or our histotechnology program; most people have never heard of that. We usually have to educate quite a bit on what the role does and who would be a good fit in the program and in the profession.”

Technology has also played a major role in the rise of adult learners. Today, colleges and universities support robust online programs to lure nontraditional students.

“We used to offer an organizational management degree; it was designed for people who just needed to finish,” said Aaron Abbott, director of graduate and online undergraduate enrollment management with John Brown University. “They had part of their stuff, but they didn’t have the full degree, so they found themselves needing to complete to compete.”

“Once we got into the online game, we had a lot of people, professionals, who needed a degree to move up. Our online program allows people to complete their degree anywhere.

They don’t have to stop their life in order to go back to sitting in the typical class setting for several hours.”

Technology has also helped colleges and universities bring more resources to students on satellite campuses as with UAMS and its Northwest Arkansas campus in Fayetteville.

UAMS also collaborates with other institutions in the state to deliver high-quality instruction to an ever-widening swath of students.

“We’ve entered into a joint occupational therapy program with the U of A that will be split between the two campuses,” said Dr. Susan Long, dean of health professions.

“Our speech path program is a joint program between UAMS and UALR and our Ph.D. in communication sciences and disorders is a consortium between UAMS, UALR and UCA.” Such educational programs are only as good as they are marketable, of course, and on this measurement, UAMS also shines. The school boasts a high rate of placement for its graduates, thanks to the level of skill students gain during their intensive education.

“The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the vast majority of [health science] fields will grow 15 to 20 percent over the next 10 years and several even exceed that,” Long said.

“When you look at our programs, health sciences, we’re everywhere.”

we

training the next generation of allied health professionals

Most people know that UAMS prepares the vast majority of the health care providers for Arkansas. This includes the thousands of allied health professionals who work on the health care team to support the entire health care system by providing a range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic and direct patient care and support services. In a nutshell, allied health practitioners are the health care providers who are distinct from physicians, nurses, dentists, and pharmacists.

Employment in the allied health professions is projected to grow 18 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all other occupations, adding about 2.4 million new jobs. The UAMS College of Health Professions is proud to offer programs in 17 allied health disciplines with a wide range of degree offerings.

Our many undergraduate and graduate opportunities include:

Audiology – Doctor Of Audiology Degree

Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences – Bachelor Of Science Degree

Clinical Nutrition – Master Of Science Degree

Occupational Therapy – Doctor Of Occupational Therapy Degree

Cytotechnology – Bachelor Of Science Degree

Ophthalmic Medical Technology – Bachelor Of Science Degree

Dental – General Practice Residency

Physical Therapy – Doctor Of Physical Therapy Degree

Dental Hygiene – Bachelor Of Science Degree

Physician Assistant – Master Of Physician Assistant Studies Degree

Diagnostic Medical Sonography – Bachelor Of Science Degree

Radiologic Imaging Sciences – Bachelor Of Science Degree

Dietetic Internship – Post-Bachelor’s Certificate

Respiratory Care – Bachelor Of Science Degree

Genetic Counseling – Master Of Science Degree

Speech-Language Pathology – Master Of Science Degree

Medical Laboratory Sciences – Bachelor Of Science Degree

For more information about the College of Health Professions, call (501) 686-5730 or visit healthprofessions.uams.edu SAVVYKIDSAR.COM | NOVEMBER 2018

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kid approved WE HAVE A POOL IN THE SUMMER THAT IS FILLED WITH VARIOUS FLOATS AND GAMES LIKE A BASKETBALL HOOP AND VOLLEYBALL NET. WHEN IT’S COLDER, WE FIRE UP THE JACUZZI INSTEAD.

BROOKE DUSZOTA IS A MOTHER OF FOUR WHO RUNS TWO BUSINESSES

FOR MY 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER'S SLEEPOVERS, WE TRY TO KEEP THE FUN CHAOS OUTDOORS. I LET MY DAUGHTER CHOOSE A VARIETY OF THE MELAMINE PLATES/GLASSES IN ASSORTED COLORS/STYLES TO USE WHEN HER FRIENDS ARE OVER. THAT WAY IT’S SUPER FESTIVE AND FEELS A BIT MORE GROWN UP.

AND DRINKS LOTS OF COFFEE TO KEEP UP! HER HOUSE IS THE GO-TO FOR HER KIDS AND THEIR FRIENDS’ SLEEPOVERS, SO SHE’S KIND OF A PRO.

THE KIDS LOVE WHEN WE SET UP THE FIRE PIT AND HAVE A SUPERVISED S’MORES SESH! I'LL HAVE ALL THE GOODIES OUT SO THEY CAN MAKE WHAT THEY WANT.

WE BUY PLENTY OF "HEALTHY" (ORGANIC/NON-GMO) CANDY/ SNACKS AND JUST LET THEM GRAZE.

WE LIGHT TIKI TORCHES YEAR ROUND SO IT LOOKS FUN. SET UP THE AREA WITH COOL HANGING LIGHTS SO IT FEELS A BIT MORE GROWN UP, RATHER THAN A KIDDIE GET TOGETHER.

I HAVE ACCESS TO SKINCARE/MAKEUEP THROUGH MY BUSINESS, SO THE GIRLS LOVE WHEN I SETUP A MAKEUP STATION WHERE THEY CAN PLAY WITH COLORS, DO EACH OTHER’S MAKEUP AND FINISH THE NIGHT WITH MY FAVORITE CHARCOAL MASK, WHICH THEY LOVE AND CRACK UP ABOUT.

LASTLY, IT’S PIZZA, PIZZA AND MORE PIZZA! 38 NOVEMBER 2018 | SAVVYKIDSAR.COM

LITTLE ROCK WATER RECLAMATION AUTHORITY

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