Bear Essential News March 2020, Phoenix Edition

Bear 40 YEARS!

Ready, Aim, Summer CAMPS!

March 2020 • Phoenix Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

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November 2018 • Phoenix Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

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Bear’s Summer Camp Guide 2020 See pages 13 thru 18

In This Picture: a 4-leaf clover, a butterfly, a canoe, a paintbrush, a chocolate chip cookie, a tulip, a badminton birdie, a machine bolt, a cooking skillet and READ!

FEATURE

NEWS

S cience & Technolog y Dreams of the N HL It’s the AZ SciTech Festival! pages 10 &11

Spotlight on Newbery Award News Highlights page 3

NEWS

FAMILIES

A Farewell to Kobe

Pygmy Hippos?

& more news kids can use Scoops pages 5, 8 & 18

Wildlife World Zoo Page 20

CONTEST

Movie Memories Disney On Ice tickets Page 19

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News Highlights

Emergency Goalie Shines in His Debut Many kids have dreams of playing professional sports when they grow up. One guy recently got to make his childhood dream come true when he made his professional hockey debut—at 42 years old.

Dave Ayres, a former ZAMBONI driver and building operations manager at an athletic center, made his NHL debut for the Carolina Hurricanes in Toronto and was key to helping the team win. Ayres was called in to play as the emergency backup goaltender. The NHL requires that home teams have an emergency goalie in attendance for every game who is available to either team.

After the Hurricane’s goalie and backup goalie were both injured, Ayres was surprised to learn he was making his professional debut during the second period.

“I was confident until I hit the ice, and then I got terrified,” Ayres said with a laugh during a television interview after the game. “I just wanted to make sure I got on the ice and didn’t fall down.”

Ayres made history by becoming the oldest goalie in NHL history to win his regular season debut. What’s even more impressive about his story is that he thought his hockey career was over completely after a

kidney transplant when he was 27.

After the game, Ayres got a standing ovation from the crowd of 18,000 people. He received a $500 paycheck for the game and was allowed to keep his game jersey.

Ayres said his stick will be sent to the Hockey Hall of Upper Deck even Fame in Toronto. put Ayres on a card!

The Hurricanes also started selling No. 90 jerseys with Ayres’ name stitched on the back. Ayres said the team asked what he wanted to do with the proceeds and he opted to donate them to a kidney foundation in North Carolina.

“It’s not an easy thing to go through so if there’s anything I can do to help anybody out, I’m gladly in for that,” Ayres said. “I wanted to make sure that people realize, just because you have a kidney transplant doesn’t mean you can’t go on and do everything you want to.”

BEAR 40 YEARS

Something New for the Newbery Award …and the 2020 winner of the oldest and top children’s book award in America goes to “New Kid” by author and graphic novel illustrator Jerry Craft!

For the first time a graphic novel has GARNERED the Newbery Medal, the most prestigious award from the American Library Association. The annual award started back in 1922.

The 249-pages are filled with entertaining and often funny illustrations by Craft, who also creates the award-winning comic strip, “Mama’s Boyz.”

“New Kid” tells the story of Jordan Banks, the main character who’s about to start middle school. Jordan is a very artistic, creative type who spends hours working on his sketchpad—sort of his way of journaling

Remembering NASA’s Brightest Star in Math She left school and work for marriage and motherhood for several years, until she heard that Langley was hiring black women as mathematicians in 1952.

Langley, a field center for NASA (previously the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics or NACA), had started employing white women as mathematicians in 1935, to free the male engineers from the tedium of crunching numbers by hand, often using just pencils and slide rules.

Katherine Goble started working for NACA in 1953. After just a few weeks, she moved to the Flight Research Division where she remained for the rest of her career.

Her first husband died in 1956, and she married James A. Johnson at work in 1959. She retired from NASA in 1986.

Johnson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. At the ceremony, President Barack Obama stated, “Katherine G. Johnson refused to be limited by society’s expectations of her gender and race while expanding the boundaries of humanity’s reach.”

NASA photo

Katherine Johnson, who worked as one of NASA’s human computers, died on Feb. 24. She was 101. The story of Johnson and other female African-American mathematicians (called computers) was brought to light in the book “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly, which was made into a movie in 2016.

Johnson was a skilled mathematician who worked at NASA for 33 years, and made important contributions to many of the earliest ORBITAL missions. She plotted the trajectories for the first American in space, Alan Shepard in 1961, the first American to orbit the Earth, John Glenn in 1962, and the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Johnson not only helped determine launch windows, she was tasked to double check the work of Johnson the machine computers during missions.

Born Creola Katherine Coleman on Aug. 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, she started high school at age 10 and graduated at 14. She then attended West Virgina State, where she had taken every math class offered by her junior year.

After graduating in 1937, she became a teacher and married James Francis Goble.

and expressing his feelings. But his mother really wants him to go to Riverdale Academy Day School, a very exclusive private school that goes up through high school, and requires loads of studying and participation in its team sports. Unfortunately, the big, fancy school doesn’t seem to have much to offer when it comes to art classes.

Another concern is the school isn’t very diverse. Jordan will be one of only a few African-American kids there, and it seems like most of the students come from very rich families.

The graphic novel shows what Jordan goes through as he leaves his familiar neighborhood and long-time friends and tries to fit in among students and teachers he’s never met. The view of this “New Kid”—how he feels and figures things out— are delivered through Jordan’s hilarious pencil sketches and caption clouds.

Will Jordan be able to adjust to his new school? Will the school be able to adjust to Jordan? There’s much to learn from this latest Newbery Medal winner!

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Farewell to Kobe

by Reporter Amanda Vega Arizona Desert Elementary

Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 in Calabasas, California. Also in the crash was his 13year-old daughter, Gianna and seven others.

According to an article in the New York Times, investigators are exploring several possible causes of the crash, including mechanical failure, and questions remain about what went wrong for an experienced pilot who had frequently flown similar routes in Southern California. In his last message before the crash, pilot Ara Zobayan told air traffic control he was climbing to avoid a cloud layer.

Bryant was an American professional basketball player. He started playing basketball at the age of three and the Los Angeles Lakers was his favorite basketball team when he was growing up. According to Wikipedia, Bryant was the youngest basketball player in the league history to reach 30,000 career points.

Bryant’s jersey numbers were 8 and 24. Later in his career (in 2006) Bryant changed his jersey number from 8 to 24.

Bryant’s first high school number was 24.

Other victims in the crash were baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and their daughter Alyssa. Gianna and Alyssa were teammates at the Mamba Academy.

Christina Mauser, an assistant basketball coach at a private K-8 school, and Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton were also killed in the crash.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Bryant was a talent like no other.

Adviser: Karen Golden

Celebrate the State, Arizona Turns 108!

by Reporter Gianna Mercado Salvidio, Apache Elementary In 2020, Arizona celebrated its 108th birthday since being declared a state on Feb.14,1912! In honor of our state’s birthday, I thought it’d be a great time to share with you some facts about Arizona’s history.

Arizona, also known as the Grand Canyon State or the Copper State, was the 48th state to join the union.

Copper was discovered in 1854, which led to copper mining being Arizona’s premier industry up until the 1950s. That is how we eventually earned our nickname, the Copper State.

Did you know that the Grand Canyon is Arizona’s number one tourist attraction with about five million people visiting each year? In 2018, the Grand Canyon welcomed about 6.38 million people—the highest number of visitors they’ve had to date!

MORE STATE STATS, page 8 ➧

March Is American Red Cross Month

by Reporter Miliana Valenzuela, Arizona Desert Elementary March is American Red Cross Month. It is proclaimed by the President each year to celebrate everyday heroes who help each of us fulfill our mission.

The Red Cross brings help and hope to people in need every eight minutes.

According to the Red Cross, an average of 90 cents of every dollar the American Red Cross spends is invested in delivering care and comfort to those in need.

The Red Cross is in 187 countries and the American Red Cross is part of the world’s largest volunteer network.

When a disaster happens, the American Red Cross provides shelter, food, health and mental health services. Its core mission is to assist individuals and families to resume their normal day-to-day activities.

The organization takes pride in helping others no

Photo Credit: Keith Allison–commons.wikimedia.org

Get the Scoop!

matter where they are located.

According to Wikipedia, Clarissa Harlowe Barton was a pioneering American nurse who founded the American Red Cross. She was a hospital nurse in the American Civil War, a teacher and patent clerk.

Nursing education was not very formalized at that time and she did not attend nursing school, so she provided self-taught nursing care.

Although you need to be 18 years of age to volunteer, you can join the Junior Red Cross between the ages of 13–17. It gives youth a chance to volunteer, too. Students at Arizona Desert Elementary will be participating in a non-uniform day fundraiser in March to raise funds for the American Red Cross in Phoenix.

Adviser: Karen Golden

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News Stories Written by Kids— for Kids

Symphony Gives Peter & the Wolf a Bilingual Spin

by Reporter Thomas Gunnigle Waybright Technology Academy I went to the Symphony for the Schools program on Jan. 8 in the afternoon. In terms of the venue, I liked just about everything, including the concession stands, the carpeting, and the fact that there was a Starbucks next to the parking garage. The seating area was enormous, the seats were comfortable and the music they were playing was great. The program was at Symphony Hall at 75 N. 2nd St. in Phoenix.

The show was not a piece of music only, but rather a story. It was about a wolf named El Lobo and a boy named Pedro. Every character got an instrument when they made an appearance in the show. The people telling the story were very good at their job.

The story was about Pedro, who lived in an old, beautiful house and a wolf who wanted to eat Pedro and his other animal

friends. If I were to write a sequel to the story of Pedro and the wolf, the wolf probably would escape the zoo.

The story was billingual, which means it was told in two different languages.

Interesting, huh? They told the story in English and Spanish so both English and Spanish speakers could understand the story.

The conductor of the orchestra was a great one. His orchestra played very well.

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March 2020

Let’s Go...

VALLEY METRO! Valley Metro Has a Career for You! When you think about careers at Valley Metro you probably think about bus operators. There are so many other jobs.

It takes a wide variety of talent and skills to get the buses and light rail on the road so you can get to where you want to go.

Whether you like math, science, art or another subject, we may have a job for you.

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assengers have different abilities and needs for using public transportation.

Staff of the Accessible Transit Services department plan and implement programs including paratransit, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and bus and light rail accessibility services.

Valley Metro customer experience coordinators

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hat’s the best place for a transit stop? Where and how can passengers connect safely and efficiently to routes? An Architect/ Urban Planner is responsible for managing the overall architectural, urban, and landscaping design and construction work for transit facilities.

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alley Metro’s website is good tool for information about using the system and so much more. The Full Stack Developer makes sure that our customers can easily navigate and get the information they need.

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he transit system is continually growing.

The Corridor and Facility Planning department develops regional transit system plans; plans for transit corridors and facilities; conducts alternatives analyses and transit oriented development planning; and implements strategies to advance Valley Metro's future bus and rail program.

Transit is a great way to get around our Valley as well as a great place to work!

Valley Metro in School

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rt is a great way to share important information.

A Graphic Designer creates and produces brochures, flyers, advertisements, presentations, display boards and more.

alley Metro School Outreach provides classroom presentations, free field trip travel for eligible school groups and participation in career days and transportation days.

For more information, please visit: valleymetro.org/transit_education

valleymetro.org 602.253.5000

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Girl Scout Summer Camp Offers Something Great for Every Girl!

Girl Scout Summer Camp can be the highlight of the summer for many girls—the thing they look forward to all year long! Just ask Brooke Leshor, a Cadette in Troop 558.

“I would recommend camp! I never leave camp disappointed; I love it! In fact, it is the one thing I look forward to the most during the summer,” according to Brooke. “No matter what you like, it has something for every girl.”

The fun adventure can include zip lining, horseback riding, canoeing, paddle boarding, archery, arts and crafts, and more, Brooke notes. She adds that camp teaches girls independence and valuable life skills, and says, “the only hard part will be deciding which camp to go to!”

Brooke first experienced Girl Scout Camp at an encampment with her troop. Now, she can’t wait to go back to camp each summer. While paddle boarding and canoeing are favorite activ-

Discover canoeing at Girl Scout Camp!

ities for Brooke, she says that whatever your interests, “There is a camp for you.

You will have an amazing time, and make lots of memories, which is why I recommend going to Girl Scout Camp.”

If you are new to camp, this veteran has some tips on how to prepare. Brooke recommends bringing activities like crossword puzzles, a favorite book, bracelet making supplies or playing cards for the ride to and from camp. She says packing clothes for each day in a compact Ziplock bag can make it easy to get dressed each morning. Bring a journal to write down your experiences to share with your family after camp.

Finally, Brooke Brooke advises: Don’t forget your swaps! Trading swaps at camp is a Girl Scout tradition.

If you are not already a Girl Scout, don’t sweat it. According to Brooke, “If you have never been to camp before and you don’t have a fellow Girl Scout sister to go with, it’s okay to be a little nervous.

Eye contact and a friendly smile can help break the ice. There will be lots of fun activities to help you to get to know the girls around you.”

Download the camp brochure that is filled with everything you need to know including all the action-packed camp sessions, pricing, camp descriptions and information on how to register. To download, visit girlscoutsaz.org/camp

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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Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 5

Fans to Assemble at Avengers Campus

by Reporter Parker Lott, Apache Elementary

Marvel Studios

Disney bought Marvel back in 2009 for $4.24 billion and has created and released great movies like “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Ant-Man and The Wasp,” “Infinity War” and “End Game.”

Since Disney has all licensing rights to Marvel and the Marvel cinematic universe, it has decided to create Avengers Campus—a themed land in Disney California Adventure (2020 summer), Disneyland Paris (2021), and Hong Kong Disneyland in (2023).

Avengers Campus is a land themed off the Marvel cinematic universe including characters like Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Spider-Man, Captain America and many more. There will be four main features of this land, the first one is a new attraction called Stark’s Test I.A. Coaster.

This attraction will be a roller coaster based off Iron man (Tony Stark). It will replace the closed Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and will feature Stark’s tech throughout the ride. There are not many details for this attraction, yet.

The second attraction is Spider-Man Slingshot. This attraction will have real-life stunt robots swinging around the building while you will be interacting with a screen in front of you. The third feature will be a restaurant. It is going to be called PYM Test Kitchen. If you have seen the film “Ant-Man and The Wasp,” you know that AntMan uses things called PYM particles to enlarge or shrink things, so the food there is going to be shrunken or enlarged. I personally think this will be a really fun experience to see what they create.

The final major feature will be meetups with your favorite Marvel characters like Black Widow, Ant-Man and The Wasp, Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, superheroes from Wakanda and Asgard, and Iron Man. They will have their own immersive set where you can meet them.

Disney has much more land/attractions to come to their parks.

Adviser: Tara Woodward

Prevent Cyberbullying

by Reporter Abigail Hernandez Arizona Virtual Academy Cyberbullying: What is it and how can we prevent it?

You can talk to a parent or an adult at school and tell them what’s going on. Don’t respond to a bully—they may lose interest if you aren’t writing back. Block the bully’s profile.

Have you ever been a cyberbully? In a survey, 23 percent of students admit to doing something cruel or mean to other students online. If you think you might be a cyberbully, here are some questions to ask yourself. Do you stay up late and write mean comments when no one is watching? Do you have multiple social media accounts to remain anonymous? If you answered yes to one of these questions, you should talk to a trusted adult like a parent, teacher or counselor.

If you believe that you have been the victim of a cyberbully, you should talk to an adult.

More State Stats

Cont’d from page 5

In addition to being home of one of the seven natural wonders of the world, Arizona also belongs to what is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in America! Oraibi is a Hopi Indian village in Navajo County, dating back to about 1150 AD. Arizona also has the greatest percentage of acreage designated as Indian tribal land in the United States!

Adviser: Tara Woodward

MORE SCOOPS, page 18 ➧

March 2020 •

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BEAR 40 YEARS

STEM Discoveries Help Shape Our Everyday Activities Do you ever consider how advances in science and technology impact our everyday lives? The advancements made in science labs and reseach facilities don’t stay there. They ripple out into the larger world and affect how we live and how we see the world around us.

Advances in touchscreen technology and the growing number of smaller satellites (enabling things like GPS) is evident every time you or your parent uses a smartphone. You might even use a phone to engage in a game using virtual reality or augmented reality!

In the lab scientists have been unlocking the secrets of DNA, RNA, genome mapping and genetic editing. Studying DNA tells us more about our ancestors—whether they are ancient Neanderthals or great, great grandparents from another continent.

Working with genes has allowed researchers to make strides in fighting cancer. They have found the cancer genes do not always act the same way in different people. With this information, they can develop targeted therapies to help combat cancer.

In some cases, doctors can reactivate genes that help fight cancer.

That’s not the only way tech is helping in the medical field. Robots can assist in surgeries and new materials and 3D printing are crafting artificial limbs for people who need them.

Discoveries in space made the news in 2019, from the first photo of a black hole published last April to measurements showing that the universe may be expanding faster than previously believed.

These discoveries can change how we understand our universe.

Complete the activity below to show us how you think the discoveries of today will shape tomorrow.

Where Will Science Take Us?

Color the Artwork!

Draw or write where you think science & tech will take us!

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March 2020

Ribbons of Green Water means life here in the desert. Where there’s water, you’ll find our super important riparian areas…

If you’re in Arizona and want to know where the water is, just look for ribbons of green that cut across the desert landscape.

These riparian areas (streamside habitat) are VITAL to our wildlife.

Yep, Arizona’s water users not only include the 7 million people who live here, but also nearly 5,000 species of native animals and plants. Amazingly, Arizona is in the top five states when it comes to BIODIVERSITY!

Water Festivals & More Arizona Project WET is all about water education. Each year, it puts on water festivals throughout the state for thousands of fourthgraders. In fact, more than 100,000 kids in 26 Arizona communities have participated so far.

Project WET also reaches out to middle school students with its Riparian Habitat Exploration Program. “Around 80 percent of plants and animals rely on riparian areas in Arizona for at least part of their lives,” points out Arizona Project WET Director Kerry Schwartz.

Water Grows the Plants…

Rivers, streams and even dry-looking arroyos are at the heart of these ribbons of green. “From a plant standpoint, cottonwoods, willows and sycamores that line our rivers

really aren’t found in the other (drier) desert areas,” Schwartz explains. The variety of plants “provides the shelter and the food sources and the places where wildlife can safely grow their young. It’s not just the water. The water kind of brings about the other components of the habitat that are so important!”

Critters from tiny insects to large mammals depend on our riparian areas. “One of the things we focus on in our Riparian Exploration Program is the macro invertebrates—so the nymph or larval stages of things like dragonflies and damselflies and butterflies— they’re all around those riparian areas,” Schwartz continues. “Even the desert creatures like javelina and other animals that can eat cactus for part of their water, they also rely on the riparian areas to drink.”

Birds are attracted to these habitats like small and acrobatic vermilion flycatchers or black phoebes. And there are water birds like ducks, egrets and great blue herons. Raptors like gray hawks and owls hunt from above.

Dwindling Riparian Areas Unfortunately, most of these ribbons of green have been damaged or have disappeared due to our growing population

and pumping out too much groundwater. According to studies, less than 10 percent of Arizona’s riparian habitat acreage remains in its natural form. Shwartz says that new studies are looking at how releasing reclaimed water to help rivers flow again, even if it’s not along the entire length, can bring back or support riparian areas.

She wants families to visit places like Phoenix’s Rio Salado Restoration Area or Tucson’s Sweetwater Wetlands or the Hassayampa River Preserve near Wickenberg pecial trees and other to get an kinds of plants growing appreciation along desert streams and for our riparian rivers support thousands of areas.

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animal species!

Find these critters and plants in the riparian word search below: BATS BEAVER BLACK PHOEBE COOPER’S HAWK COTTONWOOD DRAGONFLIES DUCKS EGRET

FROGS GRAY HAWK GREAT BLUE HERON JAVELINA LARVAE MESQUITE MULE DEER NATIVE FISH

NYMPHS OWL RINGTAIL RIVER OTTER SALAMANDER SYCAMORE WILLOW VERMILION FLYCATCHER

R I V E R O T T E R T E M A M

A G E B E O H P K C A L B G E N E R N I D I S T P W O H A S U L M E R C Y M P O O K T U Q H P I A A C G R A Y H A W K U E W L N A T I V E F I S H W I M S I M K A B S N G N D U A T U D O D E T G L A K O O A H E L R N N U O I R U O C J H ’S S E A F E R C A M W E O A T R A D G L F N G K N R L H V L E L E O Y C I S O S I N I E A P A E N C S K T T I N E N L R O M R F A H T T A Y G K G I V O A U L T O R C M R T S B N A C N H I C I N P E F A L D A E G D E E H C H T U M I N I N T N E M S E S N A W I L L O W E S R U R R E V A E B A K G O M E T

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2020

CAMP GUIDE

Summer Camps

It’s that time of year when kids are counting down the days until school is out for the summer. While the children are excited about the school year coming to an end, it can often be a stressful time for parents. Working parents are often faced with finding a sitter during the summer. Many times the solution is summer camp.

Summer camps give children the chance to try new things, explore, learn, make new friends and collect memories that will last a lifetime. There are camps that offer swimming, gymnastics, dance, theater, sports, STEM, art and so much more! Choosing a summer camp is often decided by these factors: Is it a day camp or overnight camp? How close is it to home? How much does it cost and are scholarships available? Does the camp require special clothing, shoes and equipment? What is the ratio of campers-to-camp staff?

Day Camp or Residence Camp? If your child has attended

summer day camps in the past, attended sleepovers with friends or even stayed with grandparents for a weekend, they might be ready for a residence

It's time to think about summer camps! In fact, now is a great time to start researching and planning so that you can have the best summer ever, with a little help from Bear Essential News!

Types of camps: What does

your child like to do or what would they like to learn to do?

Several colleges offer camps that teach children STEM in creative and fun ways.

Musical, theater and dance classes often have a performance at the end of the camp to present to parents. Most camps offer a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Camps that are mostly outdoors are usually located in higher elevations where the temperatures are cooler.

Don’t be afraid to ask! When selecting a camp do not be afraid to ask questions. What is the ratio of campers-to-camp staff? Is the staff well trained, experienced and background-checked?

How will you be notified in case of emergency?

Does the camp accommodate children with food allergies or disabilities?

Ready, Aim, Summer Camps!

Once you have decided if your child wants to go to a day or residence camp, it’s time to sit down with them and go over all the many camps available in your area. To make it easier, and to see the variety of choices, check out Boomer’s Summer Camp Guide 2020.

(overnight) camp. Residence camps can be as short as a weekend or some might run one to two weeks long. With a residence camp the children will learn independence being away from parents and siblings. If a child is too young for a residence camp, day camp is probably the best. They will spend all day with other campers and be home in time for dinner.

Cost and Location: Another factor in choosing a summer camp is the

cost and closeness to home. You can find many day camps just miles from your home and many camps offer scholarships, early registration and other discounts. Look at the website of a camp to see if discounts are available.

Photos: shutterstock.com

MORE CAMP GUIDE, page 14

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SUMMER 2020

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CAMPS! GUIDE

Continued from page 13

ASU—IRA A. FULTON SCHOOLS OF ENGINEERING 501 E Tyler Mall, 85287 • Tempe 480- 965-0100 engineeringoutreach@asu.edu outreach.engineering.asu.edu/summerprograms/

Do you like to build, create, solve problems and learn about science, technology, engineering and math? The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering offer fun and engaging hands-on STEM experiences and summer camps for K-12 students at ASU’s Tempe and Polytechnic campuses.

Ages- 1st – 12th grade Cost- ranges per camp

CAMP INVENTION

Multiple Locations Throughout Phoenix and the surrounding area 1-800-968-4332 Grades: K-6 Invent.org/camp Imaginations will soar this summer in the all-new Camp Invention® program, Elevate!

Campers in grades K-6 will spark their creativity and build collaboration skills while controlling their very own flight simulation robot, protecting Earth’s ecosystems,

designing the ultimate sports complex and learning the value of their ideas! Local educators will lead fun, hands-on STEM activities inspiring children to ask questions, overcome obstacles and be confident in their innovative ideas. Visit invent.org/camp or call 800-968-4332 to register. Use promo code LOCAL25 to save $25 (expires 3/31) or LOCAL15 to save $15 (expires 5/12).

March 2020 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

CAMP ZOO AT THE PHOENIX ZOO 455 N. Galvin Pkwy. • Phoenix 602-286-3800 Dates vary: June–July 2020 phoenixzoo.org

Families who are already registered for Camp Zoo are welcome to attend one of two orientations. Camp Zoo Orientation: May 28, 5 – 7 p.m. and May 30, Noon – 2 p.m.

Attending an orientation allows you to pick up your Camp Zoo gear early, meet Camp Zoo Instructors and management staff and ask any questions you have about the Camp Zoo experience. Attending an orientation also helps speed up check-in on the first day of camp!

Daily Schedule: Half-Day: 8 a.m.–12 p.m.

Full-Day: 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

Extended Day: 3:30–6 p.m.

Session 1: June 1 - 5 Session 2: June 8 - 12 Session 3: June 15 - 19 Session 4: June 22 - 26 Session 5: June 29 - July 3 Session 6: July 6 - 10 Session 7: July 13 - 17 Session 8: July 20 -24 Session 9: July 27 - 31

DAVID RUBIO VOLLEYBALL CAMPS Tucson • 520-818-8668 Ages: 9–18 Contact: Amanda Rubio

Ages 3–12 School Recess Dates and Summer Break

davidrubiovolleyballcamp@gmail.com www.davidrubiovolleyballcamp.com Sessions for boys and girls directed by UA Head Coach David Rubio.

MINI CAMP: MAY 26–28. AGES: 7–13. First time player or beginner. Cost: $180.

INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED CAMP: July 7–9. Commuters $300 • Residents $425.

POSITION CAMP: July 14–16 Commuters $300 • Residents $425.

TEAM CAMP—BOYS & GIRLS TEAMS: July 10-12. High school girls and boys teams. Cost: $145 per camper.

DRVC is not an official function of the UA. It is open to all entrants, limited only by space and grade level.

EAST VALLEY CHILDREN’S THEATRE Summer Theatre Camps 4501 E. Main St. • Mesa 480-756-3828 www.evct.org info@evct.org

Theatre Workshop Camp: June 1-12 (Mon.-Fri) A different theater topic every day. Take oneday, one-week or two-weeks of classes 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Ages 8-15 Imagination Theatre Camp: June 1-12 (Mon.-Fri.) An introduction to musical theater performance for ages 5–8. Classes 9 a.m.–noon with a performance on the final day of camp.

Musical Theatre Camp at EVCT: June 15–26 and July 6–17 (Mon.-Fri.) Ages: 8–15 Learn skills in acting, singing and dancing

while having fun! Full day, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.; 1/2 day, 8:30 a.m.–noon or 12:30–4 p.m. available for each two week session. Performance on the last day of camp.

Registration and more info at www.evct.org or call (480) 756-3828

GIRL SCOUTS — ARIZONA CACTUS-PINE COUNCIL

Four Camps • Phoenix, Prescott, Payson 602-452-7000 June-July Girlscoutsaz.org/camp

Find Adventure. Get Outdoors!

Hiking, climbing, horseback riding, swimming, archery, stargazing, ceramics, canoeing, cooking – and much, much more! Girl Scout Summer Camp is a great place to meet new friends and make memories – you don’t have to be a Girl Scout, and Troops don’t attend together. There’s something for every girl to discover in our safe, all-girl environment.

Plus, we offer pricing options for every budget and are among the most affordable thanks to generous supporters and our iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program.

HERITAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 6805 N. 125th Ave. 520-661-2775 • Glendale Ages: 3–12 Contact: Justin Dye $150/week, DES eligible www.HESGlendale.org jdye@hesglendale.org

Get ready for a summer full of fun! Heritage Summer Camp, for ages 3-12, will keep

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kids—and their brains—busy from May 26-July 17, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. The camp is operated by After School Success, LLC., with all activities fully supervised by certified teachers. The weekly rate of $150 includes breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, computers, arts and crafts, sports, swimming, drama and music, academic enrichment, games, and field trips! Heritage Summer Camp is DES eligible, making it accessible to more families.

IMAGINE THAT! SUMMER CAMP

Paradise Valley • 480-570-5234 Bev@imaginethatsummercamp.com

imaginethatsummercamp.com

Session 1: Mon-Thurs (June 1-June 18) Session 2: Mon-Fri (June 22-July 3) Session 1: 9 a.m.-noon $325. & 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $565.00 per 3-week session Session 2: 9 a.m.-noon $260. & 9 a.m.-3p.m. $470/per 2-week session Jump Start classes begin at 8:00 a.m.

Elementary 7-11: American Girl, Dance: Descendants 3, Young Mad Scientists, CSI: Super Sleuths, Lego Animation, Indoor Sports Zone, Fine Arts, Girls Just Want to Have Fun Play-Well Teknology:Lego, Crazy Cup Cake Wars, Inventive Tinkering, News Reporters, Hogwarts, Gymnastics and more!

5 & 6 year old camps: STEAM: Dinosaurs, STEAM: Fairy Tales, Mixtures, Showtime for the Young, Princesses, Am. Girl, Construction, Junior Chef, Young Investigators, Gymnastics, Play-Well Teknology: Legos & more!

3 & 4 year olds: theme based camps available.

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www.bearessentialnews.com

March 2020

Boomer’s

Favorite Summer Camp Songs!

• On Top of Spaghetti • The More We Get Together • If You’re Happy and You Know It • Don’t Fence Me In • There’s a Hole in the Bucket • Home on the Range • The Bear Went Over the Mountain • B-I-N-G-O

What’s Your Favorite?

CAMPS! GUIDE

Continued from page 15

THE LITTLE GYM OF PARADISE VALLEY AND SCOTTSDALE

4848 E Cactus Rd. • Scottsdale 602-996-1380 May 18–Aug. 9 • Ages: 3–12 years Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Tuesday and Thursday 1 p.m.–4 p.m. tlgparadisevalleyaz@thelittlegym.com www.tlgparadisevalleyaz.com

School may be out—but fun is in!

Day camp at Little Gym of Paradise Valley gives your kid the summer camp experience without the bug bites, poison ivy, sun burns and weeklong commitments. Combining fun physical activity, games, arts & crafts, we’ll help your child beat the summer heat by staying cool at The Little Gym. Look for details online.

MARICOPA COUNTY READS Beginning May 1st maricopacountyreads.org

For more information about this reading program, visit your local library!

While you’re there, go on a journey of discovery! Visit fabulous destinations such as Hogwarts, Narnia, Oz, and Middle Earth!

PHOENIX CENTER FOR THE ARTS SUMMER CAMP

1202 N. 3rd St. • Phoenix 602-254-3100 info@phoenixcenterforthearts.org phoenixcenterforthearts.org Does your child need something AWESOME to do over the long, hot summer? We offer twoweek camp sessions so your child can dance, sing, draw and dramatize the summer away!

Camps are available downtown at Phoenix Center for the Arts and at Thunderbird Arts Center in north Phoenix.

2020 Summer Camp Dates: Session 1: 6/1/2020 – 6/12/2020 Session 2: 6/15/2020 – 6/26/2020 Session 3: 7/06/2020 – 7/17/2020 Session 4: 7/20/2020 – 7/31/2020 Time: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday - Friday Ages: 7-14 Early arrival and extended pickup available.

Early bird price (on or before May 1): = $325 per 2-week session Regular price (beginning May 2) = $375 per 2-week session Discounts available for additional siblings.

March 2020 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

PLAY-WELL TEKnologies Various locations in Arizona

602-317-7448 Ages: 5–13 June–August

and swimming and daily themes! Optional field trips on Fridays. skorey777@gmail.com for more information or to register.

THEATER WORKS PEORIA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

jennifer@play-well.org www.play-well.org/camps2020.php Dream it, build it, wreck it, repeat in our LEGO-inspired engineering camps! Campers learn about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math while playing with LEGO. Kids will engineer interesting projects, engage in critical thinking, work collaboratively and explore STEM concepts.

Let your child’s imagination run wild with over 20,000 LEGO pieces. Camps include themes such as Star Wars, Minecraft, Harry Potter, Super Heroes and Robotics.

Play-Well is offering many camps in the Phoenix and surrounding areas. We also offer birthday parties, after school enrichment and Girl Scout programs.

Theater Works’ Summer Works camps are the perfect summer activity for kids ages 3-18 who love theater or who want a fun, creative summer activity. There are Summer Works classes for all skill levels, indulging the just-for-fun campers and those who want to hone their acting and musical theater skills. With many camp themes, from Broadway to Wizard School and from Annie to Furry Tales, boys and girls alike will have a fun-filled, creative summer.

SETH KOREY TENNIS Summer Tennis Camp

WAYBRIGHT TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY

www.sethkoreytennis.com 1- week sessions run May 25th - August 7th.

Ages 4 - 16. $195/week with early 15% bird discount before March 31 and 10% sibling discount. Monday - Thursday 8:00 - 1:00 PM and Fridays 8:00 - 4:00 PM. Aftercare available for an additional fee. Camp includes tennis instruction and games, lunch,

TECH CAMPS: Coding, Build Your Own PC Mobile Apps, Java, C++/C#, 3D Animation, Wearable Technology, Unity, 3D Engineering Game Engine, Modding, Fashion Design, Build your own Drone to take home and more.

Shea Middle School 2728 E. Shea Blvd.

Phoenix skorey777@gmail.com

10580 N. 83rd DR. • Peoria 623-815-7930 www.theaterworks.org

9825 E. Bell Rd. #110 • Scottsdale 480-331-7660 Ages: 6–17 www.waybright.com

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CAMPS! GUIDE

Continued from page 17

WILDLIFE WORLD SAFARI CAMP 2020

602-321-5478 • Kristy June 8–12 & July 13–17 • 8:30 a.m.– 1 p.m.

Ages 7–12 • Lunch provided kristymorcom@wildlifeworld.com www.wildlifeworld.com Safari Camp is unlike any other camp, giving your child the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with exotic animals. With Arizona’s largest exotic animal collection, Safari Camp will give your child the chance to explore their passion and have an unforgettable summer.

Your Jr. Zoo Keeper will experience Safari Camp exclusives that are NOT available to the general public!

Safari Camp includes: Exotic animal training, Sea Lion encounter, Animal feedings & interactions, Ostrich egg painting & other fun crafts, Wildlife Education, Create and provide enrichment for animals, Explore rides daily, Learn about careers in the zoological field, Behind the Scenes tours and much more.

Price $500 per child—Spots are reserved on a first come-first served basis. Each camper receives a goody bag, exclusive pictures & free kid passes. SPACE IS LIMITED.

XTREME GYMNASTICS

14000 N. Hayden Rd. #104 • Scottsdale 480-595-3543 May 28–July 31 Ages: 3–12 xtreme@xtremegymnastics.com xtremegymnastics.com FIT–N–FUN camps promote health and fitness while having a blast. Throughout each week, children 3–12 years of age will enjoy gymnastics, trampoline, group challenge activities, obstacle courses, team sports, relay races, inflatables and much, much more! The Xtreme Gymnastics staff is high energy, USAG Safety Certified with complete background checks. Our facility is state of the art and fully air conditioned.

Have a Great Time at Summer Camp!

Check Us Out Online!

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Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 8

Spring Training Is Here!

by Reporter Isabella Mercado Salvidio Apache Elementary Have you ever experienced the excitement of seeing professional baseball players practicing during spring training? If you have, you’re really lucky! The purpose of spring training is to let the teams practice in real game-like conditions. You can either watch them practicing or playing a game of scrimmage.

In Arizona, spring training started in the middle of February and ends just before the start of the regular season. Traditionally, opening day for the regular season is the first week of April.

The teams that have spring training in Arizona are members of the Cactus League. There are 15 teams in the Cactus League. They are the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies, Oakland A’s, San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and the Texas Rangers.

Arizona has 10 spring training stadiums and the farthest stadiums are about 50 miles apart, so you don’t have to travel too far to catch a game.

A non-baseball fan might think it sounds boring to watch, but there’s more to it. You get a better opportunity of snatching a foul ball or even getting an autograph since there are less people, the practice stadiums are smaller, and you are closer to the field.

There are a lot of fun things to do at spring training and if you ever get the opportunity, I say you should take a chance and experience it for yourself!

Visit www.cactusleague.com for game information and tickets.

Adviser: Tara Woodward

Serious Fun. Ageappropriate activities for kids designed for maximum fun and ongoing skill development.

Call or schedule your free class online

IMAGINE THAT! SUMMER CAMP

Summer 2020 Celebrating over 40 years of fun!

4455 E. Lincoln Dr. , Paradise Valley 480-570-5234 imaginethatsummercamp.com

The Little Gym of Paradise Valley

4848 E. Cactus Rd. #510 • Scottsdale, AZ 602-996-1380 • tlgparadisevalleyaz.com

Over 30+ camps for 3-11 year olds in the arts, American Girl, Sciences, Sports and Action/Adventure

March 2020 •

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

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Volume 41 • Issue 7

An Award-Winning Arizona Original for Kids & Families Editor & Publisher

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City Editor

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Bear Essential News for Kids®

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Safari Camp is unlike any other camp, giving you the epic opportunity to gain hands-on experience with exotic animals. With Arizona’s largest exotic animal collection, Aquarium & Safari Park, Safari Camp will give your kid the chance to explore their passion and have an unforgettable summer.

For availability or to sign up, please contact us at 602-321-5478 or kristymorcam@wildlifeworld.com https://wildlifeworld.com/safari-camp-2019

Aquarium

•

Zoo

•

Safari Park

•

Dragon World

•

Adventure Land

•

Mining Experience

Pygmy Hippos Arrive & Safari Park Expands!

species’ status and a coordinated conservation strategy, the pygmy hippo may disappear from the wild. Arizona provides the young hippos with a perfect climate and environPygmy hippos now call Arizona home! Wildlife World ment, where they can be ambassadors for Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park is excited to announce the their species. arrival of two endangered pygmy hippos and the grand The addiopening of its Safari Park 5-acre Addition! tion includes Opened in February, the addition lets visitors come face dozens of to face with the adorable pygmy hippos as well as several new exhibits other new species like Grevy’s zebra, onagers, caracals, a incorporating clouded leopard and many more! pastures, The pygmy hippopotamus is mainly found in West Africa ponds, islands and is a far more terrestrial than common hippos. Wildlife and water World’s new pygmy hippo exhibit provides the new residents features to fit with a climate-controlled building, two indoor pools, and the creatures! . le ho watering cools off at the o outside they have two separate large green pastures with pp hi Other new y gm A py native foliage and a beautiful watering hole fed by a 12-foot species makwaterfall for the hippos to swim and play in! ing their debut include red-billed blue magpies, Sadly, the pygmy hippo is nilgai antelope, sarus cranes and many more rare now endangered, with recent and endangered African bird & hoof stock species. population estimates of fewer The 5-acre addition brings the total size of Safari than 3,000 pygmy hippos left in Park to nearly 30 acres! For the past 35 years, A pair of Grevy’s zebras the wild. Both types of hippos Wildlife World has constantly renovated and are threatened by habitat loss expanded existing exhibits, while continuing to build new exhibits and areas to due to logging and human give its guests a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with wildlife. settlement. Although conserGiven, Wildlife World’s outstanding track record of superior animal care and vation initiatives are ongoing, innovative exhibit design, the New Safari Park Addition is certain to deliver and without more information on the exceed all expectations!

The clouded leopard is endangered

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

Expanded 30 rk. acre Safari Pas! Come join u

e l i Sm

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.

Wild