TIME for Kids Family Age 8+ - 28 January 2022

JANUARY 28, 2022

O

VOL. 12

O

NO. 16

FA MILY E DI T ION 8+

The U.S. surgeon general talks to TFK about his urgent report on kids’ mental health and how communities can help.

timeforkids.com

NOEL CELIS —AFP/GETTY IMAGES

NEWS BRIEF GAME ON Logos for the

more contagious than Olympic and Paralympic past strains of the Winter Games are on coronavirus. Beijing display in Beijing, China. confirmed its first case of Omicron just days before the committee’s announcement. The variant was also identified in a recent wave of infections in Tianjin, about 70 miles from Beijing.

At the Games, spectators will be permitted to clap, but not to cheer, which can spread the virus.

Robots will disinfect surfaces. Athletes and journalists will be tested daily for the virus. Organizers said these The Beijing Olympics are measures are intended to “create a scheduled to begin on February 4. pleasant environment for the holdIt could be the most restricted largeing of the Games.” scale sporting event since the start of the pandemic. The committee had already barred fans from outside of China from attending.

WHY is this story being published now? How might the details of Safety measures in China are the story change in the coming becoming stricter with the spread of weeks? the Omicron variant. Omicron is

OLYMPIC UPDATE

B Y R EBECCA M ORDECH AI

Organizers of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Beijing, China, say only “selected” spectators will be allowed to attend the Games. No tickets will be sold to the general public. The announcement was made on January 17. It’s the latest step China has taken to fight another coronavirus outbreak.

B Y J AIME J OYCE

An underwater volcano erupted on January 15 near Tonga.

The island nation is located in the South Pacific Ocean.

The blast sent ash, gas, and soot about 12 miles above the ocean’s surface. It also triggered a tsunami that hit Tonga’s main island. Water levels rose nearly three feet in some areas, but most people were able to escape. On at least three

of Tonga’s smaller islands, nearly all homes were destroyed.

At press time, the Tonga government reported three deaths. Officials HELPING HANDS A worker stacks disaster-relief were still studying supplies sent by New Zealand to help the people the damage. Fatafehi of Tonga, on January 17.

Fakafanua is a politineeds immediate assistance to cal leader in Tonga. According to the New York Times, he said provide its citizens with fresh drinking water and food.” on social media that “Tonga

COVER: JOSE A. BERNAT BACETE—GETTY IMAGES. COVER ICON: ANTTO HOHO—GETTY IMAGES

2

TIME

FOR

K IDS

January 28, 2022

DILLON ROBERT ANDERSON—NEW ZEALAND DEFENSE FORCE/GETTY IMAGES

UNDERWATER VOLCANO

Professional journalists carry an official press badge.

It says who they are and what media organization they represent. It’s their pass to all sorts of exciting and world-changing events. Maybe you’ve seen sports journalists wearing their badges on the sidelines of a big game. Or maybe you’ve noticed political reporters showing their badges at a press conference. Whatever the occasion, a press badge tells the world you’re on a mission: to report the news.

Junior Journalists, we want to know: Where do you imagine an official press badge could take you one day? Write or draw your dream reporting assignment. You can also share a photo of yourself wearing your TFK Press Club badge. We can’t wait to see it! Ask a teacher, parent, or guardian to send your submission to timeforkids.com/tfkpressclub or to email us at tfkpressclub@time.com.

COURTESY ALAN SMITHEE FAMILY

SNAPSHOT BUNDLE UP! A jogger and pooch brave a heavy snowfall in Montreal, Canada, on January 17.

Over several days, a winter storm brought snow and freezing rain to southeastern Canada and the eastern United States.

ANDREJ IVANOV—AFP/GETTY IMAGES

NEWS STORIES MAY INCLUDE REPORTING FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

Get more at timeforkids.com.

3

COVER STORY / HEALTH

HELPING KIDS HEAL Kids have a lot on their minds. Juggling school, family, activities, and all of the other big parts of life is hard enough. Add to this list a pandemic that’s disrupting schedules and causing continuous uncertainty? It’s a recipe for a mental health crisis.

“When we feel stressed, we get together with friends,” United States surgeon general Vivek Murthy told TFK Kid Reporter Ronak Bhatt. They spoke over Zoom on January 5. “We talk to family members. We go visit people we love. Those things became harder, especially when kids weren’t in school last year.”

Ronak can relate. “The recent rise in Omicron cases is causing stress all over again,” he told Dr. Murthy.

“Some schools, mine included, decided to go virtual.”

The surgeon general is the country’s top doctor.

In December 2021, Dr. Murthy released an advisory on kids’ mental health. The report is meant to “call people’s attention to an urgent public health problem,” he says. “We focused it on young people in particular because for a long time, even before COVID-19, young people have been struggling with their mental health.”

IN IT TOGETHER Everyone has a role to play in protecting kids’ mental health. The advisory offers tips for educators, healthcare workers, journalists, and communities. It urges them to come together to support young people. “If we seize this moment, step up for our children and their families in their moment of need, and lead with inclusion, kindness, and respect,” Dr. Murthy writes in his introduction, “we can lay the foundation for a healthier, more resilient, and more fulfilled nation.”

Some groups have already begun to lay that foundation. In August 2021, the U.S. government announced nearly $85 million in funding. It’s for groups working to provide mental health services for kids. They focus on things like raising awareness, making it easier for kids to get care, and training school staff to help students.

“It’s a great first start,” Amy Knight, president of the 4

TIME

FOR

K IDS

January 28, 2022

FROM TOP: CAMERON SMITH, WHITE HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER; GETTY IMAGES; ANNA MONEYMAKER—GETTY IMAGES

Dr. Vivek Murthy is the U.S. surgeon general. He has issued an advisory urging everyone to protect kids’ mental health.

HEALTH LEADER U.S. surgeon general Vivek Murthy meets with kids in McLean, Virginia, on November 8, 2021.

Children’s Hospital Association, told National Public Radio. Dr. Warren Ng, of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, added that the funding is “a step in the right direction.” But he noted that “more is definitely needed.”

TAKE CARE TIME for Kids often hears from readers who have been dealing with tough emotions. Some report being nervous or uncertain. Others say they’re lonely. “I struggle with anxiety,” a 14-year-old wrote in an email. “The COVID pandemic has made me feel a lot of ways,” said a 10-year-old, “but mostly sad.”

“You can’t always tell from the outside whether somebody is doing well,” Dr. Murthy says. “It’s so important to check in on people and not necessarily assume that they’re doing okay.” The advisory lists ways that kids can help, such as listening to one another.

Most important, remind a friend in need you’re always there to help. “Asking for help is never a sign of weakness,” Dr. Murthy says. “In fact, it’s often a sign of strength.”

—By Allison Singer-Kushnir, with reporting by TFK Kid Reporter Ronak Bhatt

psychiatry noun: a type of science that deals with treating mental and emotional disorders

resilient adjective: able to recover from difficulties

When you’re smack-dab in the middle of a sad day, it can be hard to think of how to cheer yourself up. That’s why it’s a good plan to always have a bunch of feel-better ideas at the ready. TFK Kid Reporter Ronak Bhatt asked U.S. surgeon general Vivek Murthy for his top tips.

“This might sound like an obvious one,” Dr. Murthy says. “But a lot of times, we can go for a long time feeling sad or worried or stressed and not recognize that.” Take a pause.

Check in with yourself. How are you feeling today?

Reaching out to friends and family can “make a huge difference,” Dr. Murthy says. You don’t have to discuss anything sad or serious if you don’t want to. Just talking or spending time with others can improve your mood and help you feel connected.

If you’re feeling down, Dr. Murthy suggests confiding in a trusted adult. This might be a family member, a friend, a teacher, or a coach. “A lot of schools have counselors or school nurses you can check in with, as well,” he adds.

Keep a list of things that make you feel good when you read, watch, or listen to them. “We all need a toolbox of things that we can reach for,” Dr. Murthy says. “Poems, songs, books, speeches—whatever it might be for you.”

ANTTO HOHO—GETTY IMAGES (6). BACKGROUND: YUKO YAMADA—GETTY IMAGES

Eat well, stay hydrated, and get good sleep.

Fresh air and exercise help, too. “I found that when I’m physically active, it actually lifts my mood,” Dr. Murthy says. “It also has the benefit of getting my mind off of some of the challenges I have.”

“One of the hidden antidotes to sadness and loneliness is service,” Dr. Murthy says. “When we help other people, not only do we strengthen our [connections]. . . . we also remind ourselves that we have a lot of beauty and value and strength to add to the world.”

Get more at timeforkids.com.

5

KID CENTRAL

Who wi ll becom e of the

for 2021?

LUPE ZAPATA—SPECTRUM NEWS

The answer will be revealed on February 9 during a TV special on Nickelodeon. In the weeks leading up to the show, we’ve been introducing the top five nominees. Read on!

MEET LINO

Lino Marrero is a young inventor solving everyday problems .

He’s one of five finalists for Kid of the Year.

Lino Marrero, 14, of Frisco, Texas, was on the soccer field when inspiration hit. During a break in practice, Lino discovered that his smartphone was dead. He recalled a lesson in school on kinetic energy.

That’s the energy produced by an object in motion, the way a kick causes a soccer ball to move.

Lino thought, “What if I could transfer the energy I wasted on the field and put it in my phone to charge it?”

That eureka moment led Lino to invent the Kinetic Kickz 2.0. It’s something like a rechargeable battery that fits into the sole of a shoe.

It collects energy generated from walking. This energy can then be used to power portable devices.

Lino says the technology could be more efficient and less expensive than other sources of renewable energy, like wind and solar. He told Spectrum News 1, in Texas: “The Kinetic Kickz 2.0 taps into human

6

TIME

FOR

K IDS

January 28, 2022

kinetic energy as a new, clean alternative-energy source.”

A device like this could change everyday life for many people.

“All around the world, there [are] people who don’t have access to electricity,” Lino says. “Being able to even light up a little lightbulb on their ceiling would make a big difference.”

Lino won an Inventor Communication Award and an Industry Innovation Award at the Invention Convention U.S. Nationals 2019. He went on to place first in the grades-6-to-8 category at the Invention Convention Globals, held virtually in 2021.

A NATURAL INVENTOR Lino came up with his first invention when he was in fourth grade.

He was playing the cello, and he was having trouble. “A lot of people quit their stringed instruments because of calluses and blisters

that make it painful to play,” he says. The solution was the String Ring. It’s an adjustable band that protects the fingers as they move along the strings of an instrument.

It won first place in a state competition. Now Lino’s developing a String Ring for guitar players.

“It’s usually been about helping other people, for me,” Lino says about inventing. The ninth grader encourages others to see their everyday problems as opportunities to come up with ideas for inventions, too. “Kids are better inventors than grown-ups, at times,” because they can be more creative, Lino says. “I just want to inspire more people to want to become inventors and help change the world.” —By Ellen Nam eureka adjective: indicating a moment of insight or discovery

renewable adjective: able to be replaced naturally

COURTESY MARRERO FAMILY (3)

WORLD CHAMP Lino’s charger AN ENERGETIC STEP Kinetic Kickz 2.0 charges a smartphone with energy created by walking.

won a top prize at the Invention Convention Globals 2021.

SOUTHERN IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHY

BIG WIN Lino has also won awards for sports.

SPORTS FAN It’s important to Lino to stay active.

This medal is for a tennis tournament.

Sports have inspired some of his best ideas.

Get more at timeforkids.com.

7

KID CENTRAL

Who wi ll becom e of the

for 2021?

The answer will be revealed on February 9 during a TV special on Nickelodeon. In the weeks leading up to the show, we’ve been introducing the top five nominees. Read on!

Cash Daniels is an environmental activist. He’s also one of five finalists for Kid of the Year.

A few years ago, Cash Daniels was walking on a beach when he found some plastic. He started thinking about the impact plastic pollution has on the environment, especially on rivers and oceans. That’s when he got interested in environmental issues.

Cash, now 12, found that rivers are at the heart of the problem. A 2021 report in Science Advances said that far more rivers are carrying large amounts of plastic into our oceans than was once thought. This news hit close to home for Cash. He lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The city sits on the Tennessee River. It’s one of the most polluted rivers in the world.

This information led Cash to take action. He made it his

COURTESY ERIN DANIELS

MEET CASH

HELPING HAND Cash Daniels shows off fishing line he took from a stream.

These lines can entangle birds.

mission to clear trash from public spaces and waterways.

RIVER RESCUE At first, Cash and his parents worked to pick up garbage near the Tennessee River.

But Cash soon realized he would need more help. So he organized community cleanup outings. Eventually, he and other volunteers removed more than 11,000 pounds of garbage from the river.

Cash has also partnered with businesses to recycle aluminum cans. He has recycled more than 2,000 pounds of them. The money he earns from that supports river conservation efforts.

Cash loves marine animals.

By cleaning waterways, he helps protect these creatures.

He set up fishing-line recycling containers along the Tennessee River. People can discard fishing line in these instead of in the water, where it entangles wildlife.

KIDS’ IMPACT Cash enjoys getting other kids involved in activism. He wrote a children’s book called One Small Piece. It’s about pollution in waterways and oceans.

Cash also cofounded the Cleanup Kids. The group encourages children to recycle litter. “Kids may be a small percentage of the population,” Cash says. “But they are 100% of the future.”

—By Rebecca Mordechai discard verb: to throw away

TIME for Kids Edition 3–4 (ISSN 2156-5007 ) is published weekly from September to May, except for school holidays and two double issues, by Time USA, LLC. Volume #12, Issue #16. Principal Office: 3 Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036. Periodical postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. © 2022 Time USA, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Subscribers: If the postal authorities alert us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no obligation unless we receive a corrected address within two years. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TIME for Kids, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508. Subscription queries: 877-604-8017. TIME for Kids is a registered trademark at Time USA, LLC. For international licensing and syndication requests, please email syndication@time.com.

8

TIME

FOR

K IDS

January 28, 2022

Please recycle this magazine.

BORDER: EXTEZY/GETTY IMAGES. BACKGROUND CIRCLE: FOURLEAFLOVER/GETTY IMAGES. FONTS FROM TOP: VECTORDIVIDER/GETTY IMAGES; EPIFANTSEV/GETTY IMAGES; MICROVONE/GETTY IMAGES. CHESS PIECE: CSA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES. PASIEKA/SPL/GETTY IMAGES

TIME OFF

Weather Watch

Brr! It’s cold out. Here is the five-day forecast for Chillytown, U.S.A. Use it to answer the questions. In the United States, temperature is measured in degrees Fahrenheit (°F).

Write your answers on a sheet of paper.

FIVE-DAY FORECAST Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

High

High

High

High

High

35˚F

26˚F

31˚F

38˚F

48˚F

27˚F

18˚F

25˚F

30˚F

36˚F

Snow

Partly cloudy

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Key

Cloudy

Sunny

Rain

1. Which day will be the warmest?

3. True or false: Monday’s high temperature is 8˚F warmer than the low for that day.

10

TIME

FOR

K IDS

January 28, 2022

5. Bonus: Keep track of the weather where you live. Make a five-day chart like this one.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY STEVE SHAMBURGER FOR TIME FOR KIDS

2. On which day might it snow?

4. On Tuesday, how many degrees’ difference is there between the low and the high temperature?

How Clouds Form

Clouds form when warm, moist air rises from the Earth. The water vapor cools as it rises and condenses into droplets, forming a cloud.

Dot to Dot

OLEG—GETTY IMAGES; ROC CANALS/GETTY IMAGES. BACKGROUND: BUIA-GATTA—GETTY IMAGES

Connect the dots with your finger.

What have you traced?

A thunderhead cloud can hold more than 2 billion pounds of water.

Get more at timeforkids.com.

11

ANSWER KEY WEATHER WATCH 1. Friday 2. Wednesday 3. true 4. 8°

HOW CLOUDS FORM