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Arizona State Parks and Trails Opens Registration for Spring Family Campout Program

Learn to explore the great outdoors through camping adventures.

Photos courtesy of Arizona State Parks and Trails

Arizona Family Campout Program weekends are designed for families with kids that have little or no experience camping. Arizona State Parks and Trails staff introduce families to camping through handson activities. You will learn how to set up a tent, get an introduction to cooking outside, plus you will get to try some fun activities you can do while camping.

Registration is now open for this popular learning program that helps families of all ages enjoy a variety of outdoor activities during a weekend camping experience. New this year is a weekend at Alamo Lake State Park, where families will learn camping, outdoor meal prep, and fishing at this popular destination. Families who are interesting in learning more about reeling in a big one will gain fishing knowledge and experience.

Family Campouts offer valuable lessons to any family interested in learning more about the outdoors for just $90 for a family of four. Children must be over 5 years old. Families can register for one event per season. The activities vary depending on the park, participant ages, and weather conditions, but all guarantee a fantastic outdoor adventure. • March 11 – 12: Alamo Lake State Park, Wenden • March 18 – 19: Catalina State Park, Tucson • April 1 – 2: Patagonia Lake State Park, Patagonia • April 8 – 9: Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area, Show

Low • April 22 – 23: Red Rock State Park, Sedona • May 6 – 7: River Island State Park, Parker • May 20 – 21: Dead Horse Ranch State Park,

Cottonwood • June 3 – 4: Lyman Lake State Park, St. Johns

To learn more about the program, see reviews from previous families, and register for a spring date, visit azstateparks.com/family.

Register now for campout dates starting in March. Events sell out quickly, so early registration is encouraged. The Family Campout Program teaches families the basics of tent camping, as well as various outdoor activities such as kayaking, archery, geocaching, astronomy, and more! Plus, Arizona State Parks and Trails provides the equipment, including tents! Each event also includes a service project to teach conservation and preservation at the park. This is an exciting experience for kids to discover the joy of time spent outside.

PROGRAM PROVIDES • Tents • Sleeping mats • Camp chairs • First aid kits • All activity equipment • Plus: Water, coffee, daily snacks, Dutch Oven dessert for dinner, and campfire treats!

FAMILIES PROVIDE • Food for Saturday’s lunch and dinner, and Sunday’s breakfast and lunch • Water bottles • Sleeping bags or any available bedding • Pillows • Clothing • Good, sturdy shoes • Flashlights • Personal items (toothpaste, towels, soap, etc.)

Family

Inspiring Teens Provide Support to Peers Dealing with Dating Violence, Abuse

By Amy Wolff Photos courtesy of BLOOM365

Teen dating violence statistics are staggering. According to a 2018 Centers for Disease Control study one in 11 females, one in 15 males, and one in four LGBTQ+ high school students have experienced physical dating violence in the last year. And roughly one in nine females, one in 36 males, and one in three LGBTQ+ high school students have experienced sexual dating violence.

For Valley nonprofit group BLOOM365, stopping abuse at the root of the problem and preventing dating and domestic violence before it begins, with a special focus on 11 to 24-year-olds, is the ultimate mission.

One of the most unique things about BLOOM365 is its Peer Advocate program. It includes roughly 40 local high school and college students who are trained to recognize the signs of abuse, respond appropriately, and reframe conversations and actions to cultivate a culture of safety, empathy, respect, and consent.

Harshitha Ram, a sophomore at Pinnacle High School, became a peer advocate to be part of something bigger and help create meaningful change in the lives of her fellow students.

“The work we do at BLOOM365 is something I am very passionate about, and I strongly believe in ending the cycle of abuse in my generation,” she says. “Through the peer advocacy program, I’ve learned how to create an impact within my school and community.

BLOOM365 educates young people on healthy versus unhealthy relationships and helps build skills to avoid controlling, abusive, and violent behaviors both now and later in life. The organization also provides trauma-informed emotional support, counseling, and safety services to enhance healing and well-being for young people who have been victimized.

“My work as a peer advocate is dear to my heart because it means that I can make a difference in the lives and experiences of every person around me,” says Clara McAdams, a junior at Barry Goldwater High School. “When a peer comes to me and discloses interpersonal violence or toxicity in their relationship, the first step I take is to listen. I give them an outlet to express their emotions, fears, and concerns. I strive to alleviate the silence they have felt in their relationship.”

Peer advocates participate in an immersive and highly engaging training that educates young people ages 13 to 24 years old about the risk factors, red flags, and root causes of domestic, sexual, teen-dating violence, and bullying and how to prevent them. Through the program teens and young adults gain skills they can use to support peers who have experienced unhealthy, controlling, toxic, or abusive friendships or relationships. They also learn steps they can take to create a safe space for survivors to seek help and perpetrators to unlearn abusive behaviors.

“For me, my goal is to always be empathetic and try to understand other people’s perspectives and experiences,” says Nidhi Konanur, a sophomore at Mountain Ridge High School.

After completing the Peer Advocate Academy, participants can apply for a paid Lead Peer Advocate internship position to uproot abuse on their school campuses.

To learn more about the Peer Advocate program and BLOOM365, visit bloom365.org.

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Community

Local Grammy Award Nominated Children’s Musician to Perform a Children’s Music Concert

Photo provided by David Sharpe

David “PapaHugs” Sharpe, a local Grammy award nominated children’s musician, will be performing a free concert on Sat., Jan. 7, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Rd., Cave Creek. The concert will be a fun, interactive, and upbeat performance of all original “PapaHugs” music for children of all ages and their families.

David Sharpe has performed for thousands of children around the country at libraries, children’s museums, festivals, and special events. His music comes from observation of all the wonderful and imaginative things children say and do. Many of his songs have been influenced by his experiences with his own children and grandchildren.

Since most schools today lack exposure to music, and music brings people together to express ourselves and use our imagination, Sharpe’s mission is to fill that gap with performances such as this one.