Youth June/July 2014

June | July 2014

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Youth Magazine

is published bimonthly by the Forsyth County News Co., 302 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Cumming, GA 30040.

Advertising rates and deadlines available upon request.

Contact Ryan Garmon at (770) 205-8960 or rgarmon@forsythnews.com.

8 The Green Team

Ingrid Reyes of Cumming is a mother of three and an OB-GYN who shares a practice with her physician husband.

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12 Vince Johnson Publisher Kevin Atwill Editor Adlen Robinson Director of Content Ryan Garmon Advertising Director Micah Green Crystal Ledford Photographers Chris Campbell Graphic Design Crystal Ledford Jennifer Sami Contributing Writers Follow us online at forsythnews.com

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

contents

12 Meet Maggie m

14 Young Life T

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16 16 At the Movies

Summer is the perfect time to go to the movies, particularly when the heat index can be grueling�

24 Make Your Own Ice Cream Once

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Jam Band � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 18 Summer Sun � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 22 Concert Info � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 26 Tech Trends � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 28

• DRAWING & PAINTING • PRE-K DRAWING & PAINTING • CARTOONING • CREATIVE WRITING & ILLUSTRATION • CLAY ARTS • TEEN CLAY ARTS • TEEN DRAWING & PAINTING • TEEN COLLABORATIVE CREATIONS • JUST ME & MY GIRL ART EXPERIENCE • CREATIVE 3-D ART • VIDEO GAME MAKER • MOSAIC ARTS • JEWELRY & ACCESSORIES • THEATER ARTS VIDEO THEATER ARTS • BROADWAY

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Welcome to

E

arth Day was April 22 and I had a great time experiencing it at Cumming Elementary.

Wow! They are really doing some exciting things there to promote organic gardening and protecting and preserving our environment.

I enjoyed meeting some of the Green Team members and hearing about all of the exciting things the kids are doing there. Thanks to special needs teacher Anna Doll for giving me so much information about how things operate there.

I’m equally excited about the newly formed Pop Rock Jam Sessions, which encourage musically inclined kids to meet and play in a band — just for fun.

My friend Marlene Estorino has graciously opened her home for these sessions, but if they continue to grow, they may need a bigger venue.

Some great movies are coming out this summer, so please check out my column about

some of them.

Also, plan on beating the heat by whipping up some homemade ice cream.

I hope everybody has a safe and fun summer!

Best,

Adlen W. Robinson is an award-winning columnist and feature writer who has been a contributor to the Forsyth County News for more than a decade. Adlen has lived in Forsyth County with husband Paul for 24 years and they have four children.

Author of “Home Matters: The Guide to Organizing Your Life and Home,” Adlen is also busy working on her first cookbook.

E-mail her at contact@adlenrobinson.com

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The Green Team wins over students

Members of the Green Team at Cumming Elementary School — from left, Trey Kuhn, Caitlyn Hall, Laurel Daniel, Delaney Willits and Emily Lundstrum — tend to one of the raised garden beds on campus. Below, teacher Anna Doll addresses students in class. Doll was one of the founders of the group.

Environmental service nurtured at Cumming There is something quite green going on at Cumming Elementary and it’s getting greener every year.

The Cumming Green Team began four years ago out of a conversation among several educators interested in teaching students “green,” or environmentally friendly, concepts in a club format.

“We want our students to be committed to making 8

Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

our world a better place to live through environmental service,” said Anna Doll, a special education teacher who founded the group.

“We want them to be problem-solvers and to learn self-sufficiency by learning how to grow their own food and at the same time learn leadership and communication skills so they can advocate for themselves and others.”

The Green Team is an afterschool program open to any third-, fourth- or fifth-grader at Cumming Elementary. The students plant and tend raised gardening beds on campus, which produce veggies for use in the school cafeteria, families’ kitchens and the community. The team also features recycling, water and wildlife components.

In addition to Doll, third-grade teacher Cathy Smith, her first-grade colleague Shari Thompson and Linda Garner and Carla Reid, both in special education,

Photos by Micah Green Teacher Anna Doll addresses students in class. Doll was one of the founders of the group.

were the first to join the Green Team in the 2009-10 school year. Steve Campbell, a music teacher, and Cheryl Daniel and Gina Duque, both in special education, followed later.

Doll said the group went to their principal, Pam Pajerski, who had been a special education teacher

earlier in her career and had her own classroom garden.

According to Doll, Pajerski enthusiastically approved the concept and they were on their way.

As a Master Gardener, Doll suggested the group use the Junior Master Gardener curriculum, which is available through the University of Texas Extension Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

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Photos by Micah Green

Members of the Green Team at Cumming Elementary School — from left, Trey Kuhn, Caitlyn Hall, Laurel Daniel, Delaney Willits and Emily Lundstrum — tend to one of the raised garden beds on campus.

Office. The following summer, several of the teachers took the Master Gardener course offered for teachers in Forsyth County.

The team has since developed 32 raised beds on campus, which teachers can choose to adopt for a school year. The beds are prepared by Green Team students during monthly meetings and “Dig in the Dirt Saturdays.”

All seeds, plants, supplies, tools, etc. are provided to the teachers free of charge, paid for by grants and the money earned from recycling.

Participating classrooms are able to use produce from their raised beds in any way they choose.

In Doll’s class, for example, there are “harvest Fridays,” where students pick vegetables to take home.

Parents and staff members maintain the gardens over summer vacation, harvesting for their families and charitable organizations. When students come back in the fall, the raised beds are again available for teachers to adopt.

Doll said they also use their produce in the cafeteria as part of a Farm to School initiative.

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

“We’ve had taste testing in our cafeteria of our cilantro for taco salad and corn/bean salad, baked kale chips, rosemary potatoes, radishes, and mint tea for teachers,” Doll said.

“We also have a Chefs Move to Schools program, and our Chef Tom Costello prepared a feast for our special guests and volunteers from vegetables and herbs he harvested from our garden.”

Last year, Costello made mashed turnips and stir-fry chicken for Green Team students who, much to their parents’ surprise, came back for seconds and thirds.

Doll said the group also strives to give back to the community by donating produce to various charitable organizations.

In addition, a Green Team Leaders program has been launched for second- and third-year members to give them opportunities to grow in their knowledge and commitment to the environment.

Friday: 9-5, Saturday: 9-6 Sunday: 10-5 Green Team leaders choose the projects they ntiqueS olleCtibleS want to pursue. There are three gardens maintained ome eCor by leaders, who also produce and handle the team’s Admission $3.00, good all weekend, children free.

Facebook and webpages, a monthly e-newsletter Directions: GA 400 to exit 13, go west, and occasional videos on the schools’ closed-circuit next right on GA 9 (Atlanta Hwy.) morning news program.

1321 Atlanta Hwy., Cumming, GA 30040 “We have a robust recycling program,” Doll added. “We recycle two 8-yard containers of clear770-889-3400 • www.lakewoodantiques.com stream material every week, one 6-yard container of paper per month and upcycle lakewood400_060814_Youth chip bags, juice pouches, markers/ pens and glue sticks through TerraCycle.”

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“Our third emphasis is taking care of our wildlife and our water,” she said, adding that they use Art Camp the Project Wet/Project Wild “That’s All Folks!” curriculum for that part of the June 9-13 & June 16-20 “I Got the Music in program, as well as participating in Me” Camp community projects through Keep July 7-10 Cooking Camp Forsyth County Beautiful and July 8 & 9 Rivers Alive.

Doll and all of the Green Team members are passionate Kupcake Kamp about their garden, as well as their July 10 & 11 Camp Extreme other projects. That enthusiasm July 15-19 has spread throughout the entire school, which celebrated Earth Science / STEM Day on April 22 with numerous Community Camp activities, games and crafts.

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

11

Maggie Stone is a rising freshman at South Forsyth High School, where she hopes to have many musical adventures. She is shown above with the “Premiers” show choir from Piney Grove Middle School in 2013 and, at left, earlier this year.

s Photo

itted

subm

Photos submitted

Meet Maggie Stone

Young singer hails from musical family

One could safely say that music is in the blood of Maggie Stone, a rising freshman at South Forsyth High School.

An accomplished singer, Stone has been performing for as long as she can remember.

“Maggie was basically toddling and humming, then running and twirling and singing,” said her mother, Stephanie. “She thought she wanted to be a dancer, but discovered that she liked just enough choreography to go with the song as long as she could still sing.”

Stone started chorus in fifth grade at Shiloh Point Elementary and then continued in “Premiers,” the show choir at Piney Grove Middle School.

Her mother said she began singing as a soprano, and has moved back and 12

Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

forth to alto and even tenor.

“She goes wherever she’s needed,” she said. “This requires relearning the music each time and she’s willing to do that.”

Amanda Steinberg, chorus and drama director at Piney Grove, said a show choir is vastly different from a regular choir.

“A show choir does much more than sing,” Steinberg said. “They dance, wear costumes, and there is quite a bit of staging involved. It is sort of like a mini-Broadway.”

Clearly “Premiers” is doing something right. The group recently won first place for middle school in the Georgia Vocal Invitational Show Choir Competition.

“Maggie has been such a wonderful participant to have in the

group,” Steinberg said. “She is always so helpful and passionate about what we are working on. I can always count on her.”

Stone also served as a dance captain and Steinberg said she received a leadership award. “All of her peers really look up to her.”

Perhaps then it’s not surprising to learn that Maggie Stone hails from a musical family. Her parents, Ed and Stephanie, are musically inclined, as is her younger sister, Sophie.

In fact, her mother was raised in a very musical household and was an accomplished singer herself. Her parents, Sylvia and Lamar Helms, are both heavily involved with music.

“My dad is the associate chaplain and minister of music at Big Canoe Chapel and my mom is his always

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sturdy sidekick,” Stephanie Stone said. “She’s been in his choirs forever and plays a little piano and guitar herself.”

She described Maggie’s grandfather as an amazing musician who has been a director since 1972.

“He went to school at Wake Forest University and was even the organist for the chapel services there,” she said, adding that her childhood was filled with music.

“Growing up Helms was a tiny bit like growing up Partridge. We all dabbled in an instrument. Some stuck with it, some didn’t. But for mom, me and my brother Brandon, being a part of the church choir was a given.”

She sang and played the piano before turning to the cello in fifth grade. She went on to play in the University of Georgia Symphony orchestra her freshman year of college.

“The most fun moments of growing up in a musical family were when a great classic Linda Ronstadt or Alabama song would come on the radio on a car trip and there were so many parts being sung in harmony,” she said. “My baby brother, Garrett, tried his best to stay out of the fray, but laughingly has a beautiful voice to this day.”

When it came to raising their own children, the Stones exposed their daughters to music early and often.

“Ed has incredible diverse musical taste and we have sung and played all decades and genres of music for them since birth,” Stephanie Stone said.

“We love that they love everything from the Supremes to Jimmy Buffet to Lorde.”

She joked that her daughters often sing together better than they talk with each other.

Asked what she likes most about music and singing, Maggie Stone said it all makes her smile. Already enrolled in chorus at South, she is looking forward to many more musical adventures in the future.

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13

Young Life

growing ParticiPation has triPled since 2011

Forsyth County Young Life participant nick guimbarda, top left, takes part in a game during camp last summer. Above, students enjoyed a Young Life weekend camp in December.

Students, from left, Sallie Shull, Kelly Ashburn and Chapel white, as well as Ethan Martin, a Forsyth County Young Life leader, enjoy a recent activity.

Photos submitted

A Forsyth County ministry for young people continues to take root.

Chris Ashburn, area director of the county’s Young Life program, an interdenominational nonprofit that shares the message of Jesus Christ with middle and high school students, said the growth has been tremendous.

The local ministry was reformed in fall 2011 after having been disbanded for several years prior to that.

“I think at the end of our first year, we were averaging probably around 45 to 50 kids at club [meetings], and [this past] fall, we were averaging around 135 at the club,” Ashburn said.

The weekly club meetings are held on Monday nights during the school year at Fagan’s Biscuit Barn on Peachtree Parkway. The gatherings are open to any middle or high school student in the county.

The organization also seeks to eventually have school clubs at all middle and high schools in the county.

Right now, Ashburn said, Lambert High has the most active group of students, but a school club has also been established at South Forsyth High.

“We’ve become an official club of South … so in the fall we’re going to put a lot of effort toward making South as 14

Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

thriving as Lambert is right now,” Ashburn said.

He added that there currently aren’t enough adult leaders to be able to expand to any other schools.

“We just need more volunteer leaders in order to be able to do that,” he said. “We have students who come [to the club] from West and North and a few from Central every once in a while, but we don’t have any leaders that are focused on those schools.

“As soon as we can get more leaders, we’ll be able to move into more schools.”

While the ministry always can use more adult leaders, Ashburn said it has seen great financial support from the community.

“We just finished our golf tournament to raise money for Young Life and we had maybe 12 teams play last year, but this year we had 29 teams,” he said.

“In the beginning of December, we did this campaign to raise $90,000 in 90 days, and I really didn’t think we had any chance of making it, but we actually ended up going over our goal.”

While most of the funds from such events go to organizational staffing and operating budgets for various school-year programs, a portion goes toward helping students attend different summer camp opportunities.

Ashburn said two camps are planned for this year, one this month to Colorado and the second in July to North Carolina.

“Our big thing is, if you want to go to camp, we’ll figure out a way for you to go,” he said. “Money shouldn’t be an issue.”

All in all, Ashburn said this school year has been a great one for the program.

“This year has been one of my favorite years on Young Life staff because it seems like we’ve really been blessed with the growth and a lot of support,” he said.

“It’s been really great to see the community rally around and say they want this to stay here; they want Young Life to not just survive but, to thrive here in Forsyth.” ÐC

rystal Ledford

Want to help?

• Anyone interested in serving as an adult leader in the Forsyth County Young Life ministry should contact Chris Ashburn at (770) 687-8122.

• More information about all the Young Life offerings in Forsyth can be found at www.fcyl.younglife.org.

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At the

movies

Several sequels coming soon

Summer is the perfect time to go to the movies, particularly when the heat index can be grueling.

June “How to Train your Dragon 2” comes out June 13. If you were a fan of the first one, chances are you’ll love the second.

The heroic Viking Hiccup and his sidekick dragon Toothless are back, saving men and dragons from the villain Drago.

This is the second of the trilogy based on a book series by Cressida Cowell.

“Transformers 4: Age of Extinction” zooms into theaters on June 27 and promises to be as thrilling as the three previous installments.

Diehard fans may be sad that Shia LaBeouf is not in this one, but who better than to fill his shoes than Marc Walberg?

The movie begins after a ferocious and devastating battle has left a major and once great city in shambles.

Like its predecessors, this movie appears to be

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

shaping up as an epic adventure, with good battling evil in a worldwide war.

Did you know that the Transformer franchise has earned more than $2.6 billion since the first one came out in 2007? Wow. And there’s another one planned for 2017.

July If you are a “Planet of the Apes” fan, get ready for “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” on July 11.

If you saw the last one, you will remember that the apes on earth have genetically evolved due to a virus.

In this movie, there’s a small group of humans trying to coexist with the apes. But all that changes and soon there’s going to be a war to determine who rules the earth — apes or humans.

For the younger set, “Planes: Fire & Rescue” is due out on July 18.

Dusty (the voice of Dane Cook), who is a racing airplane, has engine trouble and needs to find a new career.

He ends up teaming up with an elite group of firefighting airplanes charged with protecting historic Piston Peak National Park.

Fun for kids and adults, the message of the movie is all about showing what it means to be a true hero.

For those who prefer serious

action and period pieces, check out “Hercules” on July 25.

Played by Dwayne Johnson, the character Hercules is a traveling mercenary. The movie is all about how he protects the king of Thrace and his people against an evil and savage warlord.

Just remember, these movies are always pretty violent.

— Adlen W. Robinson

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Middle schoolers forM jaM

band sessions share love of music

Attention young musicians interested in playing in a band or at least seeing what it’s like to be in one.

Twice a month, there’s a new group getting together where you can bring an instrument (or two), and jam with other budding, young musicians.

Pop Rock Jam Sessions was born when 12-year old Marco Estorino, who wanted to start a band, couldn’t seem

to recruit enough friends to form one.

“At first we were going to use an online sign-up group, but it cost money and if nobody showed up, of course there was no refund,” explained his mother, Marlene Estorino.

“We decided to try to do it ourselves, using word of mouth and our own social media.”

As word spread, several middle school children showed up to jam.

“I thought it would be a great way 18

Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

for the kids to socialize and also share their love of music,” she said. “I also thought it would give them all a sense of what it is like to be in a band.”

One member,12-year old Annabel Winn, is a first chair clarinetist for the Forsyth Honors Band at Lakeside Middle School. That’s particularly impressive given that it was her first year in band.

Winn loves to sing at the jam sessions. Her mother, Roseanne, said that the gatherings are a great way to encourage children who love music and want to experience what it is like to play together.

Another member, 13-year old McKevor Tatum, played the baritone and clarinet for the Cornerstone school band and also can play drums.

Tatum enjoys combining music and technology, and thus far has played electric guitar and drums during Pop Rock Jam Sessions.

Tatum’s mother, Lisa, said her son has always loved music and is excited to have this new venue to play in.

Marco Estorino is a self-taught guitarist and drummer who also sings. Always pushing himself, he is also learning the keyboard. In addition to performing covers of today’s current hits, he also writes original music.

The jam sessions, which are for middle school students, are held at the Estorino’s home in Cumming at 7 p.m. on the first and third Fridays of the month. Parents are welcome but not required to stay for the session.

Marlene Estorino said their hope is the kids enjoy themselves, but also learn from each other.

“Loving music and having a good attitude is the only requirement for participating,” she said.

Musicians should bring their own instruments, although there is a set of electric drums the Estorinos share with the group.

— Adlen W. Robinson Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

19

Summer reading programs at library focus on science

Forsyth County News file photo Caden Prittenbrigh and older sister Breena frequented the Forsyth County Public Library as part of the 2013 summer reading program.

The 2014 program is under way.

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

School may soon be out for the summer, but the Forsyth County Public Library System is encouraging students and adults to keep their minds active with special summer reading programs.

The programs will focus on science, featuring “Fizz, Boom, Read” for young children, “Spark a Reaction” for teenagers and “Literary Elements” for adults.

All four library branches will offer programs each week, in addition to traditional story times, with books, activities, music and puppet shows. The summer’s S.T.E.A.M. Team, geared for ages 8 to 11, is an exploration-focused program that incorporates activities about science, technology, engineering and math. There will also be outside performers, including magicians, jugglers, artists, scientists and acrobats.

The library’s summer reading prize program will begin Friday. Participants set goals for the number of books they plan to read through Aug. 2 and once the goal is met, children will receive a certificate, a free book and entrance to the end-ofsummer ice cream social. They can also enter the Wall of Robots and enter to win a science kit. Teenagers who complete their goals will be entered into a drawing

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

21

Stay active this summer Season ideal time to pursue new interests If your neighborhood swimming pool is already becoming a little boring, why not step outside your comfort zone and try a new activity?

Here are some suggestions for filling those lazy summer afternoons: * Go sailing. Lake Lanier is just a short car ride away and you can learn how to sail.

There are also clubs you can join where you can meet others on all levels who enjoy this sport. * Learn how to kayak. The Outside World in Dawsonville has an indoor pool where you can take lessons and learn how to roll.

Once you accomplish that, you can head out to the lake or one of the many nearby rivers.

Take lessons with a friend for a price reduction, and then you can both go on an adventure. * Learn to fly fish. Or just fish period. There are numerous terrific spots, and, of course, there is always Lake Lanier. * Go caving. Sure, you’ll have to do a little research, but we all know it takes just a few minutes on your computer to find a caving group.

Please note, however, that caving is definitely not for everybody, especially those prone to claustrophobia. * Hike the nearby Appalachian Trail. Or at least part of it.

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

Make sure you have plenty of water and a game plan. If you’re really looking for an adventure, plan a hiking and camping trip for a few days. * Start a business. Tired of doing chores around the house for extra money? Want to be your own boss? Be an entrepreneur and try your hand at running things yourself.

Do yardwork, walk dogs, bake and sell goods, wash cars, baby-sit, do odd jobs, etc.

Most people are happy to see young people being productive and not playing video games. They’ll likely be more than happy to support your endeavors.

— Adlen W. Robinson

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

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Making your own ice cream Healthy, hassle-free and delicious …

One day at the grocery store, I decided to pick up some ice cream for my son and a friend.

His friend is allergic to peanuts, so I was careful to read the list of ingredients on the packages. What I discovered was disturbing.

While most of us know ice cream is basically cream and sugar, if you read the label, you will find a list of chemicals, flavorings and dyes — many ingredients you likely can’t pronounce and certainly aren’t healthy.

That day, I left the grocery store and went directly to a superstore and bought an ice cream maker.

The one I selected was a Cuisinart, but there were several brands. None cost more than $50, so it was quite affordable.

I could hardly believe the directions indicated it would take about 15 or 20 minutes to make homemade ice cream. Just allow time for freezing the “bowl” of the machine — overnight is best.

Don’t forget you can also make sorbet and frozen yogurt.

The first type of ice cream I made was basic chocolate, which turned out delicious. Then I branched out and made mint chocolate chip and my favorite, Cherry Garcia.

You can really get creative. And best of all, you’ll know what ingredients are inside.

If you have anybody in your family who is lactose intolerant or vegan, just substitute coconut milk. Just make sure to use the full fat kind.

I made all of these with canned coconut milk and they turned out great. If you use regular milk, use whole milk.

What better way to stay cool this summer than with a nice big bowl of ice cream, one that has no additives or mysterious chemicals.

ChoColate 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I like the dark chocolate kind) 2/3 cup sugar ½ cup packed brown sugar 1 ½ cups whole milk 24

Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

3 ¼ cups heavy cream 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Whisk together cocoa and sugars.

Add the whole milk and whisk until sugars are dissolved.

Stir in heavy cream and vanilla.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Follow the directions on the ice cream machine, but most say to freeze the bowl, then turn the machine on and add the mixture.

Let it mix until frozen, about 20 to 25 minutes.

If you want it firmer, simply place the bowl in the refrigerator freezer for an hour or so.

Mint ChoColate Chip 1 quart coconut milk (not reduced fat) 8 egg yolks ½ cup sugar (whirl it in the blender so it’s super fine) ½ teaspoon peppermint extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt 1 ½ cup dark chocolate chips ½ cup fresh mint, finely minced Beat eggs and then add sugar, peppermint, vanilla and salt.

Pour in coconut milk and mix well.

Refrigerate until very cold, at least four hours.

Follow ice cream maker instructions and pour into machine.

Cherry GarCia 2 cans coconut milk (not reduced fat) 2 ½ cups frozen dark cherries, pitted, chopped 2/3 cup pure maple syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ½ teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup dark chocolate chips, chopped Blend coconut milk, ½ cup cherries, maple syrup and vanilla in a blender.

Refrigerate until very cold, a few hours.

Pour into ice cream maker, according to the directions.

When ice cream is almost done, add the remaining frozen cherries and the chopped chocolate chips.

Continue until ice cream is done.

If you want it firmer, place in the freezer for an hour or so.

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When halfway done, add mint and chocolate chips and continue mixing.

If you want it firmer after finishing, place in the freezer for an hour or so.

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Have you ever thought about

your child’s first experience with surgery?

For most kids, it’s their wisdom teeth.

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

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season in concert I don’t know why, when it’s hot enough to fry an egg outside, every band decides it’s time to do an amphitheater tour. Yet that’s just how it is — and has been — for years.

So with that in mind, wear light clothes, bring a lot of water, slap on a tube of sunblock and get ready to rock at the big outdoor concerts heading to the metro Atlanta area this summer.

First up are the Goo Goo Dolls, Daughtry and the Plain White T’s on July 11 at Chastain Park Amphitheatre.

While the Goo Goo Dolls haven’t been big in more than a decade, the band’s decision to come back with Daughtry and the Plain White T’s could make it relevant again. And it’s a chance for 30-something-year-olds to enjoy a concert with their children.

But for current talent, American Idols Live will be at Encore Park Amphitheatre on July 24, competing the same day against the Vans Warped Tour at Lakewood Park Amphitheatre.

Fortunately, I don’t expect there to be much crossover between “American Idol” fans and punk rock lovers. My choice would be for Warped, particularly since I think “American Idol” has gone downhill fast since “The Voice” started stealing fans.

What’s great about the Warped Tour is you can go and see some of your favorite bands headlining. For me, that would be Less Than Jake, Yellowcard and Teenage Bottlerocket.

With several stages going at once, you will also leave with a bag full of music from dozens of bands you’ve never heard of before, many of whom could be headlining the tour in the future. Some of my favorite bands were Warped Tour discoveries.

Lakewood is keeping the music hard, with Fall Out Boy and Paramore on July 30. Granted, Fall Out Boy isn’t the hard band it started off as, though the group is still worth the cheap ticket price, especially with Paramore.

It takes a lot for a female vocalist to convince me she’s good enough for hard rock and Hayley Williams is one of the few who has been successful. And with Grammy nominations, platinum sales and soldout shows, it seems I’m not the only one convinced.

Lakewood will also have some hard-hitting rock concerts in August, first with the Mayhem Festival on Aug. 5. It features Korn, Avenged Sevenfold and Miss May I. Three days later, on Aug. 8, in come Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden for a little 1990s nostalgia. Sure, NIN’s founder Trent Reznor has been keeping busy on his solo career, the band got back together last year, much to the joy of ’90s alternative rock fans like myself.

For something a little lighter, O.A.R. and Phillip Phillips will be at Chastain Park Amphitheatre on July 26. Though he came out of the first of the declining “American Idol” seasons, Phillips actually has talent.

He’s like a young Dave Matthews,

and we all know how that turned out. If Phillips keeps making big hits, he should have no problem staying around a while.

In my opinion, the best outdoor concert this summer will be the Under the Sun Tour on Aug. 2 at Encore Park Amphitheatre.

The music may be a bit dated, but with a lineup of Blues Traveler, Sugar Ray and Smash Mouth, it would be difficult to not have a great time. Plus with tickets starting at less than $20, you’re not going to find a better bang for your buck.

I should point out that while outdoor concerts are plentiful this summer, there’s also some great inside arena shows.

Since I mentioned “American Idol,” “The Voice” is bringing its big tour to the Cobb Energy Centre on June 29.

The bigger show, however, likely will be Katy Perry at Philips Arena the day before.

Perhaps the biggest show — certainly one that has generated the most buzz — is Beyoncé and Jay Z’s On the Run tour. It’ll be the biggest thing the power couple has produced together since announcing the birth of their daughter, Blue Ivy, in 2012.

And while it’s not a big arena show, 311 has back-to-back shows at the Tabernacle on July 24 and 25. The price, at about $50 a ticket, is pretty steep. Still, the band has sold out one show.

Finally, while there’s not much music besides the marching bands in the parade, I’ve got to get my geek on

Jennifer Sami writes a weekly entertainment column for the Forsyth County News. In each edition of Youth, she’ll alert readers to upcoming concerts and events in the metro Atlanta area. Contact her at (770) 205-8975 or jsami@forsythnews.com.

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

Photo by Chelsea Tench

Concerts heat up with the weather

and talk about Dragon Con, which will be in Atlanta from Aug. 29 – Sept. 1.

Clearly the parade, which is free to everyone, is an awesome event. But there’s a ton of events for your inner geek — everything from a late-night puppet slam and reading sessions to wrestling.

Of course, the main attractions are for gamers, comic fans, sci-fi lovers, fantasy freaks, even zombies and everything in between.

If you’ve never been, it’s totally worth it, if for nothing more than the amazing costumes. It’s truly is an experience.

July 11

Goo Goo Dolls with Daughtry and the Plain White T’s Chastain Park Amphitheatre $39.50 - $79.50

July 13

Tim McGraw Sundown Heaven Tour Lakewood Park Amphitheatre $29.75 - $69.75

July 15

Beyoncé and Jay Z Georgia Dome $36.50 - $222

July 18

The Fray Chastain Park Amphitheatre Sales have not begun

July 24 - 25 311 Tabernacle $49.50

July 24

American Idol Live Encore Park Amphitheatre $30.50 - $80.50

— Jennifer Sami

June 16

Jesus Christ Superstar Arena Spectacular Philips Arena $49.50 - $179.50

June 19

Elvis Costello Cobb Energy Centre $45 - $80

June 20 – 21

Jon Reep Punchline Comedy Club $25

June 21

Paul McCartney Philips Arena $29.50 - $254

June 27 -29 LEGO KidsFest Cobb Galleria $20 - $22

June 28

Katy Perry Philips Arena $29.50 – $129.50

June 29

The Voice Tour Cobb Energy Centre $32 - $62 Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

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How to address PC performance One question I’m often asked is how to improve the performance of a personal computer.

Computers can become sluggish for multiple reasons, but modern computers are capable of running well for several years.

Common causes of sluggish computer performance are malware/virus infections and insufficient resources, such as memory (RAM) and hard drive space.

On a Microsoft Windows computer, the resources issue can often be corrected by limiting the programs that run in the background or at startup.

In Windows XP and Windows 7, this is can be done by opening the System Configuration Utility by typing “msconfig” in the “run” or “search” box.

Click the “Startup” tab and de-select anything you don’t want to run continuously in the background. If you de-select everything except antivirus software, you should notice a considerable increase in performance after rebooting the computer.

Windows 8 moved the list of startup programs to the task manager, which can be accessed by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc. Once the task manager is open, you’ll see the “startup” tab that will allow you to disable programs from automatically running.

In terms of available hard drive space, the minimum standard is to keep at least 10 percent of the drive capacity free.

If you find you’re running low on hard drive space, you can move files (photos, videos, music, etc) to an external hard drive, uninstall rarely used programs, or purchase a larger hard drive.

The amount of memory (RAM) in a computer is also critical to its performance.

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

With modern computers and operating systems, a minimum of 4GB of memory is a good standard.

You don’t need to run multiple antivirus programs on one computer, but you should keep the antivirus software you use updated and schedule regular scans.

Since virus scans are resource intensive, it’s a good idea to schedule them for a time the computer is inactive.

If you decide your computer is old enough that it needs to be replaced, or simply want a powerful computer for gaming or video editing, you have the option to buy or build a computer.

Purchasing a computer is a simple option for normal computer use, but building a computer offers a few advantages.

From a performance aspect, you can choose every component of the computer, meaning you know the quality and capability of each part.

If you have a limited budget, you can buy a quality motherboard, power supply and video card and spend less on the processor, memory and case.

Modern processors are very powerful, and a previous year’s model coupled with a powerful video card can provide great performance.

You can also buy 4GB-8GB of memory with the intention of upgrading to 16GB at a later date.

Purchasing a computer is a simple option for normal computer use, but building a computer offers a few advantages.

Using this approach will allow you to use many components for several years while upgrading one or two parts at a time to keep the system current.

If you decide to build your own computer, make sure all of the components are compatible.

There are different form factors for cases, power supplies and motherboards, and different slot and socket types for expansion cards and processors.

Building and upgrading computers can be fun, but remember to use grounding mats or wrist straps to protect the new components from static discharge.

-- Tim Keyser Tim Keyser is an instructional technology specialist for the Forsyth County school system.

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

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A short take on some long words When I was a little girl, we used to sing the “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” song from “Mary Poppins” and were convinced that not only was it a real word, it was certainly the longest one in the world.

Who knew that the songwriters, the Sherman brothers, actually had a breakdown of the word as follows: • super —”above” • cali — “beauty” • fragilistic — “delicate” • expiali — “to atone” • docious — “educable” With the sum of these parts signifying, roughly, “atoning for educability through delicate beauty.”

According to the film, it is defined as “something to say when you have nothing to say.”

Have you ever wondered what the longest words in the world are?

According to Oxford Dictionaries Online, here are the winners: • pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis, a supposed lung disease, at 45 letters • floccinaucinihilipilification, or the estimation of something as worthless, at 29 letters • antidisestablishmentarianism, which means opposition to the disestablishment of the Church of England, at 28 letters These are certainly not words you hear in everyday conversations.

Sometimes super-long words are shortened for practical purposes.

One extreme example comes from our friends across the pond in Britain.

The Welsh village name Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Thankfully, it’s usually abbreviated to Llanfair PG. 30

Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

The name of the town translates as “The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St. Tysilio’s of the red cave.”

The person who thought of that name was obviously a very “wordy” person. He must have been a person of great power since nobody spoke up and tried to reason with him about its length, or perhaps someone did and was punished and that was the end of that.

The 20-volume historical Oxford English Dictionary includes other very long words, most of which are highly technical. They include: • 30 letters — pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism • 28 letters — hepaticocholangiogastrostomy and spectrophotofluorometrically • 27 letters — psychoneuroendocrinological • 26 letters — pneumoencephalographically and radioimmunoelectrophoresis • 25 letters — immunoelectrophoretically, psychophysicotherapeutics and thyroparathyroidectomized • 22 letters — otorhinolaryngological People who are interested in long names may wonder if a DNA string could be considered the longest word since they often run into many thousands of letters.

The answer, as it turns out, is no.

The word police and rule makers say that DNA strings are considered to be chemical names, rather than “real” words.

The same thing is true of the names of chemical compounds. Often chemical compounds can be ridiculously long and contain numerals, symbols, as well as Roman and Greek letters.

In short, they just aren’t considered words.

Nobody is happier about that fact than those competitive kids in spelling bees.

— Adlen W. Robinson

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Youth Magazine | June - July 2014

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