Bear Essential News December 2019, Phoenix Edition

Bear 40 YEARS!

y l i Famday i l o H tions i d a Tr

December 2019 • Phoenix Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

essential news

®

November 2018 • Phoenix Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

Nominate

Someone who is

DOING

G. Shepard

GOOD

in the community!

See page 2 for details In This Picture: Find a musical note, a stocking, the word KWANZAA, a dreidel, a mitten, a piñata, a Santa hat, the word JOY, a tree ornament and a gingerbread man.

FAMILIES

FEATURE

NEWS

NEWS

S eason of Lights

F loodin g in Venice!

Kids Hit the Catwalk Dear R eindeer,

We celebrate in many ways! pages 8 & 9

Spotlight on going plastic-free News Highlights page 5

& more news kids can use!

Scoops pages 7, 10 & 12

Do the deer dot-to-dot!

Page 13

CONTEST

isney on Ice Fun D Enter online for tickets!

Page 10

2

BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

December 2019

Send Your Entry to: Both the winning nominee and nominator will be recognized at the Sustainability Solutions Festival —Sustainability Family Day event at the Arizona Science Center on Feb. 17, 2020. Plus, each will win a family 4-Pack of tickets to the Arizona Science Center for the event.

Bear Essential News /ASU Contest 2525 E. Broadway Blvd.

Suite #102 Tucson, AZ 85716

or email to: info@bearessentialnews.com

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

December 2019 •

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3

BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

December 2019

COLOR your

HOLIDAY

Healthy Hints for the Holidays!

HOUSE!

Get your house ready for the holidays by coloring all the decorations and the house with your favorite colors, and don’t forget to invite Boomer Bear to the festivities!

CHECK

-UP!

EXAM, X-RAYS & CLEANING

$35

(for patients without insurance)

BRACES $

99 a month

www.KidzConnextion.com • 480-725-8413 • Text or Call 524 E. Baseline Rd. South Phoenix

2046 N. 24th St. Central Phoenix

2533 N. 75th Ave. West Phoenix

Parents:

Good oral health starts with regular cleanings and properly restored teeth if they should decay. Set a good example for your child by brushing and flossing your own teeth regularly.

Kids! Do the activity below to find the coded message!

Answer: Make a Nice Smile • By the time you turn 6 or 7, you should see an orthodontist.

4

www.KidzConnextion.com

Happy Holidays!

Our son’s overall SIRRI experience has been very positive. When given a verbal direction, he is now less likely to respond with “Huh?” or “What?” His teachers say that he seems less stressed, his frustration level with school work has decreased, and his grades are steadily rising. He is more aware of the things going on around him, and seems very comfortable with himself. *Age 12 - Auditory Processing Disorder

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December 2019 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

B

News Highlights Photo courtesy of Allis

on Lince-Bentley/wik

imedia.org

have happened since 2000, and the week that made headlines last month brought four “exceptional” high tides.

“Having four such events in one week is unprecedented, not just because of the severity of it, but also because they have been so frequent," Dasgupta says.

Since Venice is known for floods, some people have asked why the government hasn’t found a way to be better prepared. A project was started 16 years ago to install moveable floodgates that would protect Venice from these high tides. The project has already cost more than $5 billion, and engineers have said they are trying to finish the project by the end of 2021.

Thieves Make Off with Priceless Royal Jewels DRESDEN, Germany—It’s the jewelry HEIST heard round the world! Early in the morning on Nov. 25, at least two thieves managed to break into the historic palace that houses the world famous Green Vault.

Dresden, the capital of the eastern German state of Saxony, attracts tourists worldwide who visit its many museums and enjoy the city’s ORNATE architecture, some of which dates back hundreds of years.

The Green Vault takes up two floors. On the lower level there are eight opulent display rooms of royal jewelry and other amazing objects, collected by or gifted to Augustus II the Strong of Saxony, who became the King of Poland in 1697. The king began his collection in 1723 and passed away 10 years later.

Toward the end of World War II, three of the eight display rooms were destroyed by bombs dropped

by Allied forces, including the United States. But the rooms and the rest of the palace were rebuilt, and the thousands of treasures were put back on display for the world to enjoy.

5

Small Country Has Big Plastic-Free Goal!

Floods Hit Venice!

Last month, the Italian city of Venice faced its worst flooding in more than 50 years.

In 1966, 6 feet 4 inches of water overwhelmed Venice and caused significant damage. In November, the city saw its waters rise again to 6 feet.

Flooding is not uncommon in the City of Canals.

The 53,000 residents are used to seasonal flooding, which is known as acqua alta in Italian. Unfortunately, many were not prepared for the unusually high tide that hit in November and flooded more than 80 percent of the historic city.

It left shop owners, locals, and volunteers scrambling to save everything from artwork to books before the water could damage them. The flooding also brought life to a halt as schools shut down and some supermarkets were closed. It also presented a challenge for the 30 million tourists that visit Venice each year—yes, 30 million!

Shouro Dasgupta, an environmental economist with the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, says that while Venice has always struggled with flooding, there are records to show it is getting worse.

He says that between 1872 and 1950, there was one “exceptional” high tide—when water reached more than 4 feet 7 inches above sea level. According to Dasgupta, between 1951 and 2019 there have been 21 of these severe floods. Thirteen of those 21 events

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According to news reports, a fire broke out near the palace and knocked out power to the streetlights and perhaps the alarm system to the Green Vault on Nov. 25. At least the video surveillance system was working and showed the two thieves dressed in black entering the Jewel Room. Using what appears to be a small ax, the thieves smash through the bulletproof glass of three displays and make off with the loot.

Fortunately, the museum’s most famous piece, the 41-carat Dresden Green Diamond, is on loan to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Also, some of the pieces were stitched into the displays and couldn’t be grabbed.

The jewelry thieves still made off with several priceless pieces, including a sword with a diamond-studded handle and matching scabbard, a diamond star worn on the chest of Polish royalty and an ornate hat clasp with a very large 16-carat diamond as its main stone.

The jewels are part of Saxony’s heritage, and officials believe that if they aren’t recovered soon, the pieces might be broken apart to make selling some of the individual stones easier.

Costa Rica is a small country with very big goals: to become the first country to be plastic-free and carbon-free by 2021!

Since 2014, the country’s energy has run on 99 percent renewable sources. In 2015, Costa Rica ran for 75 consecutive days on fully renewable energy, and they did it for a consecutive 76 days the next year!

Costa Rica is a country in Central America known for its beaches and variety of wildlife. It is home to 4.9 million people and it draws in many tourists every year— those eager to see the beautiful sights the country has to offer.

Those natural resources have helped the country in its quest to use renewable energy.

Costa Rica relies on its rivers, volcanoes, and the wind and sun for its power. This includes the largest hydroelectric plant in Fact Box:

• Costa Rica contains nearly 6 percent of the world’s biodiversity • The country accounts for only 0.03 percent of the earth’s surface • The National Parks and Reserves covers more than 25 percent of the country’s land • Costa Rica has a tropical climate all year

NICARAGUA COSTA RICA

Carribbean Sea

San José Pacific Ocean

PANAMA

Central America, seven wind turbine plants, a solar plant, and more!

Local officials know the value of their country’s lush rainforest and the wildlife that lives there and have been making efforts to protect their country since the 1980s. They have definitely stepped up their efforts in the last few years and made headlines for the big goals they have set for the country.

In 2017, the Costa Rican government focused on getting rid of single-use plastics by 2021. Then in 2018, Carlos Alvarado Quesada was elected as Costa Rica’s president. During his inauguration, he announced that the country’s goal was to become the world’s first carbon-free country.

“Decarbonization is the great task of our generation, and Costa Rica must be one of the first countries in the world to accomplish it, if not the first,” Alvarado Quesada said at his inauguration speech in 2018.

Costa Rica certainly has a history of living up to the environmental goals it sets, and we will all be able to see soon whether it can become carbon-free and plastic-free by 2021!

6

BEAR 40 YEARS •

December 2019

www.bearessentialnews.com

December 2019 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Get the Scoop!

Academy Teaches More than Modeling

by Reporter Vanessa Araiza Fuller Elementary A few weeks ago the academy More than Modeling Kids Camp had an event called “Giving back.” They had a photo shoot with the modeling team so all their pictures could be uploaded to the website etruism.org— the non profit association in charge of this wonderful cause. People could buy clothes or accessories and all the money will go to charities to help the community for the homeless and the furry community (animals).

The models tried on the clothes, then a photographer took their pictures and uploaded them to the computer. All the photos of the models were put on her website. Some models are 9 or 10 years old.

They are happy to be models because Erika teaches them life skills, too, at her academy.

The models and designers help the environment and they don’t pollute the water. They use recycled materials when the designers are making the clothes.

They do so by reusing fabric that has been left behind from past projects. They also donate the clothes to

7

News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids

How I Handled Changing Schools

by Reporter Averie Schild Apache Elementary

Models talk about the environment and how recycling clothing can help reduce pollution.

charity. This demonstrates the 3 R’s: Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle.

Our School Fall Festival Was a Blast!

by Reporter Ava Montano, Apache Elementary I’m sure most kids have been to a festival for school, but my school’s annual Fall Festival was definitely a blast! There were tons of activities to do including dancing to the DJ’s music, cake walk, and bouncing on the bounce houses!

And after all the activities you’re definitely going

BEAR 40 YEARS

to work up an appetite—so you can go to the taco food truck! This festival is even fun for adults because there are shopping stands with clothing, jewelry, and even essential oils and soap! To top all of it off, our superhero-themed book fair was open!!

Adviser: Tara Woodward

Wear Your PJs in the Park at Holiday Event

by Reporter Rozanae Arrington, Arizona Desert Elementary This year for Christmas, Phoenix Civic Space Park will host a P.J.’s in the Park—a FREE event for all ages.

The event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The park is located at 424 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix.

There will be a movie screening of “The Polar Express” and a surprise at the end of the evening. Wear your favorite pajamas and join the free holiday fun!

If you are hungry, they will have that covered, too. Snacks, hot cocoa and specialty coffee drinks will be available.

This event is sponsored by Downtown Phoenix, Inc. to activate one of the downtown award winning public spaces.

According to Wikipedia, Civic Space Park is an urban park in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, which first opened to the public in April of 2009. It is located directly across Central Avenue from the main part of the ASU downtown campus. It is also located north of the Central Station Valley Metro light rail and bus transfer stations.

Adviser: Karen Golden

MORE SCOOPS, page 10 ➧

Have you ever been in an environment where you didn’t know anyone and they didn’t know you? Well, that is how I felt moving to Apache after being at my old school for four years! I would like to talk to you about my experience being at a new school and how I handled being a new kid.

I remember it being especially hard to make new friends because I am shy at first until I get to know people; then I am a social butterfly. When I came to Apache, the only person I knew was my older sister, Olivia, who is in the seventh grade. I knew that I would basically never see her throughout the day, so I was really nervous. I remember arriving at my teacher’s classroom and being petrified because I hadn’t been in a new environment in so long. The kids seemed really friendly, but I still felt like a loner. I felt this way for the next couple of weeks until I met a good friend who would become my best friend.

I decided that if I wanted to make some friends, I should join a sport. I decided to join the cross country team. I am a very talented runner so it was very helpful. I wanted to get involved and put myself out there. It improved my social skills, not to mention my running, a lot.

Overall, moving to a new school wasn’t as bad as I originally thought it would be. I made friends, increased my social skills, became a better runner and learned lifelong lessons. In the end, I had a lot of fun and I got closer to my sister.

Adviser: Tara Woodward

REPORT FOR BEAR! Call toll free:

1-866-NEWS KID sponsors

Page 8

BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

December 2019

Favorite Family

The first candy canes were probably made in Germany during the late 17th century, when sugar stick treats were popular.

Holiday Traditions!

Children carry candles and walk through the streets singing, seeking shelter for the night. Some may be dressed like angels. Two people may dress as Mary and Joseph, or a group might carry figures of the Holy couple as they reenact the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

This traditional procession is called “Las Posadas,” and it takes place from Dec. 16 until Noche Buena, the Holy Night, on Dec. 24. Children normally lead the procession, with musicians and others joining in the group.

Posada is the Spanish word for inn. Houses in a neighborhood act as inns, and the innkeepers turn away the pilgrims, or peregrinos, until finally one grants them admittance. The children sing traditional carols to ask for shelter, and the residents of the homes RESPOND in song. When Mary and Joseph finally find a resting place, everyone is invited in for a party with more music and a piñata.

The tradition of Las Posadas began in Mexico in the 1500s. In some communities, the procession occurs for nine nights until Mary and Joseph find lodging on Dec. 24. In other places, communities may choose one night to reenact the journey. Presents are not usually given in December, but are exchanged on Jan. 6 on the Day of the Holy Kings or Three Kings’ Day. Photo credit: Renee Bracamonte

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival that usually occurs in December but sometimes falls in late November. The holiday dates back to 162 B.C., when the Syrian King Antiochus IV ordered an altar to be placed in the Temple of Jerusalem. He was trying to get the Jewish people to make sacrifices to his gods.

Judah Maccabee and his sons led a successful rebellion. The Temple was cleansed and a new altar was dedicated. According to Judaic history, only a limited amount of oil was available for relighting the perpetual lamp. Miraculously, it lasted for eight days.

Hanukkah came to be known as the Feast of Lights and the Feast of Dedication.

A menorah (eight-branched candlestick) is lighted— one candle on the first evening, and then one each

What Is Kwanzaa?

Gung Hay Fat Choi!

Kwanzaa means “first fruits” in Swahili, the common language of East Africa. But the celebration started here in the United States!

After the terribly destructive Watts riots in Los Angeles in August of 1965, Professor Maulana Karenga of Cal State University created Kwanzaa to bring the African-American community together.

Celebrated Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, Kwanzaa is a time to renew community ties, to celebrate family unity and to reconnect with African heritage. Songs, dances, drums, storytelling and poetry make this time special.

A candleholder called the Kinara displays three red candles, three green candles and a black candle in the middle. A child usually lights the candles, marking the days.

Each day of Kwanzaa stands for a different principle: Unity, Selfdetermination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. On the final day, celebrants put on a communitywide feast called Karamu, during which children receive gifts and elders are honored.

This year’s theme is “Living Kwanzaa and the Seven Principles: An All-Seasons Celebration and Practice of the Good.”

Also called the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is the most important of traditional Chinese celebrations. And celebrate the Chinese do (along with many neighboring countries) with bright decorations, presents, festive food, new clothing, fireworks and even a dragon or lion dance.

The new year is determined according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar and is marked by the second new moon after the winter solstice. For

Greensboro Pu

blic Library

Wishing You Great Happiness & Prosperity (for the Chinese New Year)

Photo credit:

Las Posadas Fills Streets with Candles, Songs

•

BEAR 40 YEARS

Page 9

8 Candles for Hanukkah!

Image: shutterstock.com

Thereʼs a chill in the air, and darkness comes early.

Fortunately, there are many celebrations to brighten things up this time of year. From Christmas to Kwanzaa, from Hanukkah to Chinese New Year, these festivities warm up the season and fill it with color and light!

December 2019

Light the Lamps for Diwali Thousands of candles, lamps and tiny lights ADORN roofs and windows. Houses are sparkling clean. Children are up early (at 3 a.m.!), bathed and dressed in their best clothes.

It must be Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights!

On this day, celebrated in India, Nepal and many other places, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, enters homes that are bright and pure bringing with her good fortune. It is also the celebration of the victory of good over evil (light over dark). Different stories are told, but one of the most important is that of Prince Rama’s defeat of Ravana, the 10-headed king of Lanka.

Rama rescues his wife, Sita, from the clutches of the demon king and brings her home to Ayodhya, where the people welcome them by decorating the city with tiny “diyas” or lamps.

Diwali (short for the Sanskrit word “Deepavali,” meaning row of lights) falls on a new moon in October or November. This year it was Oct. 27. It will be on Nov. 14 in 2020.

night of the festival. This year it begins on Dec. 22.

Hanukkah is celebrated with gifts, plays, games and meals featuring latkes (potato pancakes).

Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of Kislev, the third month of the lunar year, near the winter solstice.

2020, Chinese New Year starts on Jan. 25, and it is going to be the Year of the Rat! The celebrations start on the first day and continue for 15 days. Itʼs a time to forget old grudges and to wish everyone a happy and PROSPEROUS year. Red is the color associated with good fortune, and adults give kids money in small red envelopes for the new year.

Families also do a thorough house cleaning to sweep out the bad luck and make room for the good luck the new year will bring. People hang red paper decorations and positive words around doors and windows. Celebrations end on the 15th day with whatʼs called the Lantern Festival, during which children visit the temples with paper lanterns and try to solve riddles written on the lanterns.

Bake up a Fun Holiday Tradition with Boomer!

Color the Artwork!

Page 8

BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

December 2019

Favorite Family

The first candy canes were probably made in Germany during the late 17th century, when sugar stick treats were popular.

Holiday Traditions!

Children carry candles and walk through the streets singing, seeking shelter for the night. Some may be dressed like angels. Two people may dress as Mary and Joseph, or a group might carry figures of the Holy couple as they reenact the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

This traditional procession is called “Las Posadas,” and it takes place from Dec. 16 until Noche Buena, the Holy Night, on Dec. 24. Children normally lead the procession, with musicians and others joining in the group.

Posada is the Spanish word for inn. Houses in a neighborhood act as inns, and the innkeepers turn away the pilgrims, or peregrinos, until finally one grants them admittance. The children sing traditional carols to ask for shelter, and the residents of the homes RESPOND in song. When Mary and Joseph finally find a resting place, everyone is invited in for a party with more music and a piñata.

The tradition of Las Posadas began in Mexico in the 1500s. In some communities, the procession occurs for nine nights until Mary and Joseph find lodging on Dec. 24. In other places, communities may choose one night to reenact the journey. Presents are not usually given in December, but are exchanged on Jan. 6 on the Day of the Holy Kings or Three Kings’ Day. Photo credit: Renee Bracamonte

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival that usually occurs in December but sometimes falls in late November. The holiday dates back to 162 B.C., when the Syrian King Antiochus IV ordered an altar to be placed in the Temple of Jerusalem. He was trying to get the Jewish people to make sacrifices to his gods.

Judah Maccabee and his sons led a successful rebellion. The Temple was cleansed and a new altar was dedicated. According to Judaic history, only a limited amount of oil was available for relighting the perpetual lamp. Miraculously, it lasted for eight days.

Hanukkah came to be known as the Feast of Lights and the Feast of Dedication.

A menorah (eight-branched candlestick) is lighted— one candle on the first evening, and then one each

What Is Kwanzaa?

Gung Hay Fat Choi!

Kwanzaa means “first fruits” in Swahili, the common language of East Africa. But the celebration started here in the United States!

After the terribly destructive Watts riots in Los Angeles in August of 1965, Professor Maulana Karenga of Cal State University created Kwanzaa to bring the African-American community together.

Celebrated Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, Kwanzaa is a time to renew community ties, to celebrate family unity and to reconnect with African heritage. Songs, dances, drums, storytelling and poetry make this time special.

A candleholder called the Kinara displays three red candles, three green candles and a black candle in the middle. A child usually lights the candles, marking the days.

Each day of Kwanzaa stands for a different principle: Unity, Selfdetermination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. On the final day, celebrants put on a communitywide feast called Karamu, during which children receive gifts and elders are honored.

This year’s theme is “Living Kwanzaa and the Seven Principles: An All-Seasons Celebration and Practice of the Good.”

Also called the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is the most important of traditional Chinese celebrations. And celebrate the Chinese do (along with many neighboring countries) with bright decorations, presents, festive food, new clothing, fireworks and even a dragon or lion dance.

The new year is determined according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar and is marked by the second new moon after the winter solstice. For

Greensboro Pu

blic Library

Wishing You Great Happiness & Prosperity (for the Chinese New Year)

Photo credit:

Las Posadas Fills Streets with Candles, Songs

•

BEAR 40 YEARS

Page 9

8 Candles for Hanukkah!

Image: shutterstock.com

Thereʼs a chill in the air, and darkness comes early.

Fortunately, there are many celebrations to brighten things up this time of year. From Christmas to Kwanzaa, from Hanukkah to Chinese New Year, these festivities warm up the season and fill it with color and light!

December 2019

Light the Lamps for Diwali Thousands of candles, lamps and tiny lights ADORN roofs and windows. Houses are sparkling clean. Children are up early (at 3 a.m.!), bathed and dressed in their best clothes.

It must be Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights!

On this day, celebrated in India, Nepal and many other places, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, enters homes that are bright and pure bringing with her good fortune. It is also the celebration of the victory of good over evil (light over dark). Different stories are told, but one of the most important is that of Prince Rama’s defeat of Ravana, the 10-headed king of Lanka.

Rama rescues his wife, Sita, from the clutches of the demon king and brings her home to Ayodhya, where the people welcome them by decorating the city with tiny “diyas” or lamps.

Diwali (short for the Sanskrit word “Deepavali,” meaning row of lights) falls on a new moon in October or November. This year it was Oct. 27. It will be on Nov. 14 in 2020.

night of the festival. This year it begins on Dec. 22.

Hanukkah is celebrated with gifts, plays, games and meals featuring latkes (potato pancakes).

Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of Kislev, the third month of the lunar year, near the winter solstice.

2020, Chinese New Year starts on Jan. 25, and it is going to be the Year of the Rat! The celebrations start on the first day and continue for 15 days. Itʼs a time to forget old grudges and to wish everyone a happy and PROSPEROUS year. Red is the color associated with good fortune, and adults give kids money in small red envelopes for the new year.

Families also do a thorough house cleaning to sweep out the bad luck and make room for the good luck the new year will bring. People hang red paper decorations and positive words around doors and windows. Celebrations end on the 15th day with whatʼs called the Lantern Festival, during which children visit the temples with paper lanterns and try to solve riddles written on the lanterns.

Bake up a Fun Holiday Tradition with Boomer!

Color the Artwork!

10

BEAR 40 YEARS •

www.bearessentialnews.com

December 2019

B

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 7

Here Are Places to Visit a Sensory Friendly Santa

by Reporter Natalia Garcia Servin Arizona Desert Elementary What will your visit to Santa be like this year? Some kids prefer a quiet and welcoming environment.

This year there will be many opportunities for that. The following locations will be available: • Sensory-Friendly Santa will be at Arrowhead Towne Center, 7700 W. Arrowhead Towne Center, Glendale. He will be trained to avoid loud noises and sudden movements. He will ask direct questions instead of open-ended questions. The winter wonderland setting will be adjusted so that there are no loud noises and flashing lights. He will be there Dec. 1 from 8–10 a.m.

Jan. 16–19

• Sensory Santa Claus will be at Chandler Fashion Center, 3111 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler, from 8:30–10:30 a.m. on Dec. 1. This event is for children with sensory sensitivities and needs. This event is sponsored by Centria Autism and Chandler Fashion Center. Centria Autism will also be on hand to answer questions and provide helpful information.

• Caring Santa with be at Arizona Mills, 5000 S. Arizona Mills Cir, Tempe, on Dec. 8 from 9–11 a.m. Eventbrite.com says “Caring Santa provides a subdued and welcoming environment for children with special needs and their families.”

Adviser: Karen Golden

How Did the ‘Ugly Sweater’ Become So Popular?

by Reporter Joaquin Aquino Rebollar Arizona Desert Elementary Ugly? Have you ever thought about where the “ugly sweater” came from?

The National Day calendar says it started as a joke. A resale retail store noticed an unruly amount of unfortunate sweaters knitted by relatives—or ridiculously decorated ones—coming in their doors. As a joke they put them up for sale.

Many people relate the rise of the “ugly sweater” to the rise of the hipster: people who are notorious for making trends out of things on the fringe of culture. From 2012–2015, the ugly sweater industry grew by 200 percent.

National Ugly Sweater Day is always the third Friday in December.

Don’t have an ugly sweater? Try these tips for National Ugly Sweater Day to make your own “prized” ugly sweater:

TALKING STICK RESORT ARENA r to e t n E WIN TS E TICK INE! L N O

To enter, go to BearEssentialNews.com/contests Click on Contests

Entry Deadline: Jan. 6, 2020

• Animal or cartoon characters with a holiday theme are a great starting place. Think reindeer, snowmen, mice, kittens or elves.

• Select ridiculous colors. The more they clash, the better.

• Overembellish your sweater with pom-poms, bells, felt, tinsel or any other glittery, jingly items laying around the house.

• Add a collar, dickey or ruffle.

• Electrify it! Go ahead of the team with bright, flashing lights.

• Give it some 80’s flair with shoulder pads.

What will your “ugly sweater” look like this year?

Adviser: Karen Golden

MORE SCOOPS, page 12 ➧

December 2019 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

BEAR 40 YEARS

11

Cookie Sellers Reap Great Skills, Big Rewards Girl Scout Cookie season is around the corner, and it’s not too late for girls to join in and reap the skills and rewards that this program offers.

Madison “Rexy” Carnal is a seasoned cookie boss.

This third-grader is a Brownie in Troop 2400 in Lake Havasu City. Rexy has been in the top 10 of all cookie entrepreneurs for Arizona Cactus-Pine Council for three years—top five for the last two years. This year she sold over 4,000 packages of cookies! Her mom, Michelle, notes that 1,000 of those were donated to our military troops thanks to generous customers.

The secret to her success is setting a large goal, putting in time at cookie booths on evenings and weekends, and perserverance. “I ask everybody I see,” says Rexy.

She remembers a time when she accidently startled a customer. “I just came up and asked him, and he went, ‘WHOA!’ Like I was a shark or something, not a girl selling cookies” she laughs.

Rexy says she enjoys Girl Scouts because she gets to hang out with friends, learn business skills and help people (and animals). Her troop plans to use some of their cookie proceeds to sponsor a tiger at Keepers of the Wild, a sanctuary for wild and exotic animals located in Valentine, Arizona. The troop has volunteered time already assembling animal enrichment toys and treats.

Rexy loves birds and dinosaurs—she has two pet cockatoos—and she likes to draw. She thinks she may want to be an artist when she is older.

Rexy had fun at Camp Surf, which she earned thanks to cookie sales!

Whatever path she takes, Rexy has has a foundation of business skills she has accumulated through her years in cookie sales—skills that she will continue to grow!

Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, girls learn leadership skills they can apply in their own lives, the community and later in life. Girls gain courage, confidence and character while they learn goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

In addition to the skills they learn, girls can earn badges and get great rewards by selling cookies.

Top sellers earn trips to places like Medieval Times, Wild Horse Pass Sheraton, Universal Studios or New York City, depending on how many packages they sell.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world. It allows girls to run their own business and make decisions about the money they earn through cookie sales.

The 2020 GSACPC Cookie Program begins Jan. 20 and ends March 1.

Join Girl Scouts today!

Visit www.girlscoutsaz.org/join, Text joinGS to 31996, email join@girlscoutsaz.org, or call 602-452-7040.

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December 2019

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 7

What Is Christmas?

by Reporter Amanda Vega Arizona Desert Elementary What is Christmas to you? Is it a holiday you celebrate with your family? How do you celebrate it?

According to Wikipedia, Christmas is an annual festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. It is observed on Dec. 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. The holiday has become a significant gift giving event and a busy sales time for retailers and businesses.

Christmas is a shortened form of Christ’s mass. According to Wikipedia, The word is recorded as Cristesmaesse in 1038 and Cristes-messe in 1131. Crist is from the Greek Khristos a translation of Hebrew Masiah “Messiah,” meaning anointed, and maesse is Latin missa, the celebration of the Eucharist.

Besides the name “Christmas” the holiday has had other names throughout history, such as, midwinter, Nativity and Noel.

Other popular things to do at Christmas include opening gifts at midnight the night before Christmas, reading the Christmas story, decorating a Christmas tree, making tamales, having a Christmas dinner, or volunteering at the food kitchen, attending a Christmas Eve church service and sending Christmas cards.

In England, gifts were exchanged on New Year’s Eve day and there was a special Christmas ale. In Britain, the Christmas tree was introduced in the early 19th century.

Adviser: Karen Golden

Herd of Goats Helps Prevent Fire

by Reporter Brett Eymann, Transitions Delta Center Vincent Van Goat and Selena Goatmez were two members of a herd of 500 goats that played a big role in saving the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, located in Simi Valley, California, after a wildfire erupted in October.

The goats were hired in May by the Reagan foundation to eat away brush that was surrounding the library. The goats ate through 13 acres of scrubland that could have fueled the Easy Street fire that was getting close to the library. The fire came within 50 feet of the hangar that is home to Air Force One that Reagan used during his presidency.

The fire was called the Easy Street Fire because it started on Easy Street. Some 40–60 mile per hour winds blew through the canyons, blowing the fire towards the library. The Ventura County Fire Department stated that 1,800 acres were burned in the fire, threatening 6,500 homes and causing school closings and evacuations.

The fire was 100 percent contained on Nov. 2, but the cause of the fire is still unknown.

Firefighters gave credit to the goats for clearing the scrubland and creating a fire line near the library. Aside of Air Force One being on the grounds of the library, there is also a piece of the Berlin Wall in the museum and President and Mrs. Reagan are both buried on the property.

Image: shutterstock.com

VISIT LIGHTSOFTHEWORLD.COM EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC AT 1826 W. MCDOWELL ROAD PHOENIX • AZ 85007 THURSDAY–SUNDAY • 5:30–10 PM

BEAR 40 YEARS

December 2019 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

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Spend Your Holiday With Us...

in ADVENTURELAND! Safari Tram Ride, Australian Boat Ride, Kids Carousel, Wildlife Skyride, Flying Scooters, Family Roller Coaster, Zip Line, Circular Swings & Log Flume Ride thru Aquarium PLUS Shows!

Aquarium

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Safari Park

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Dragon World

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Adventure Land

Spend Your Holidays with the Deer!

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ith Christmas on the minds of many Valley children these days, it’s the perfect time to talk about the many species of deer visitors can see and learn about at the Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium!

The first is the smallest and most primitive species of deer—the Reeve’s muntjac deer (Muntiacus reevesi).

Muntjacs are also referred to as barking deer after the dog-like call they make when frightened. These shy animals originate in Southeast China and Taiwan. At full size, the males stand only about 16 to 18 inches at the shoulder—certainly not large enough to pull Santa’s sleigh!

The next species, called an axis deer (Axis axis), is one that more closely resembles what people think of when they think of a deer. These animals from India

and Sri Lanka are much larger than muntjacs.

For example, the antlers on a male axis deer dwarf those on its smaller cousin. Unlike other species of deer, the axis will retain its white spots throughout its life. Visitors to Wildlife World can view our large herd from above while cruising along on the Skyride, or they can meet and feed some of our younger deer in the children’s petting zoo!

Finally, the last and most unusual species of deer has fang-like teeth!

Imagine a deer with tusks.

Sound crazy? It’s not. There’s actually a species with 2- to 4-inch-long teeth called a Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis). As their name implies, water deer are found along marshes and rivers in North Central China. They are quite shy, and unlike other species, males do not grow antlers. Instead, they use their long front teeth for defense and to spar with other males. Water deer are so unusual only three or four other zoos in North America house this species!

For more information: 623-935-WILD (9453) or visit us on facebook, Instagram or Twitter @zoowildlife, and wildlifeworld.com

n 8 acre additio . rk a P ri to our Safa ! s u Come join

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Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park is located at 16501 W. Northern Ave., Litchfield Park, AZ (SE corner of State Route 303 and Northern Ave.) We’re open seven days a week, 365 days a year, including all holidays.

Zoo exhibits are open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last zoo admission is at 4:30 p.m.) Aquarium exhibits are open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Daytime admission includes access to the zoo, aquarium and safari park.

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December 2019

Let’s Go...

VALLEY METRO! The Cool Transit STUFF Art Contest Rolls into its 15th Year!

Fun Facts: • 6,115 entries in 15 years • Highest number of entries (670) in 2009 • Multiple siblings have won in various years – it’s a family affair • Before 2005 Glendale students designed artwork that was displayed inside buses • In the last 15 years winning artists have been celebrated in a desk calendar • First year of judging was done by 3 staff members • This year had a record number of judges (44)

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or 15 years Valley Metro has sponsored a 3rd grade art contest and, oh, the smiles it has created. It was initially offered to Glendale students through the city’s street safety program starting in 2000 and later expanded to all 3rd graders in Maricopa County by Valley Metro. As the Valley evolved, so did the contest, changing from the Cool Bus STUFF Art Contest to the Cool Transit STUFF Art Contest to include light rail. What has remained constant is the creativity of the students. Tremendously talented 3rd graders are still creating smiles for miles as they illustrate this year’s theme: Ride Valley Metro, It’s a New Journey Every Day!

We are very excited to announce the winners of the contest, and they are:

Richelle D., Best of Show BASIS Scottsdale Primary East, Scottsdale

Top 12 Winners

Honorable Mentions

Aadhya J. BASIS Chandler Primary South, Chandler

Isabella V. Paseo Hills School, Phoenix

Elena K. BASIS Chandler Primary South, Chandler

Amerie A. Great Hearts Academies Archway Trivium East, Goodyear

Kiara F. St. Theresa Catholic School, Phoenix

Maya R. Challenge Charter School, Glendale

Siddharth R. BASIS Scottsdale Primary East, Scottsdale

Neda B. Paragon Science Academy, Chandler

Taylor R. Cheyenne Traditional School, Scottsdale

Cody D. St. Theresa Catholic School, Phoenix

Anna C. St. Theresa Catholic School, Phoenix Anthony P. Lookout Mountain Elementary School, Phoenix Aviana L. BASIS Mesa, Mesa Isabella R. St Francis Xavier Catholic School, Phoenix

To view Valley Metro’s 2020 Transit Education calendar go to valleymetro.org

Go to BearEssentialNews.com and enter to win a free 2020 calendar!

Yasmin A. BASIS Scottsdale Primary East, Scottsdale Yazmin D. Barcelona Elementary School, Glendale

For more information

602.253.5000 • valleymetro.org

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

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