REVIEW BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
Friday, March 20, 2015 | Vol. 90, No. 12 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢
INSIDE: Spartans pick up first win: A13
City council approves changes to leash law BY BRIAN KELLY
Bainbridge Island Review
Little pups that want to run with the big dogs will have to stay out of downtown Winslow and Lynwood. The Bainbridge Island City Council has agreed to change its animal control ordinance to require dogs to be on leashes in the Winslow area and in the Lynwood Neighborhood Center. Off-leash dogs are already prohibited in Bainbridge parks — with the exception of park-approved off-leash areas — and on school district property. At the council’s meeting Tuesday, council members agreed to revise the rules, but also decided Seraine Page | Bainbridge Island Review
Lane Sturtevant searches for the perfect LEGO during free play time at Camp Yeomalt. Lane is one of several children participating in Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District after-school enrichment programs.
Artistic scientists explore in after-school program BY SERAINE PAGE
Bainbridge Island Review
Seraine Page | Bainbridge Island Review
Angeline Hamilton, 7, holds out a marble and beads from an activity she participated in at Camp Yeomalt.
Instead of plopping down in front of the television before diving into homework, some kids are joining after-school enrichment programs, extending learning experiences instead of tube time after school. According to a recent study, the local program may be just what kids really need. Released this month, the study “Kids on the Move: After-school Programs Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity,” reveals that parents believe such programs are improving kids’ health and fitness. The report is based on responses collected from 30,000 U.S. households, including in-depth interviews. “After-school programs are a proven, but sometimes under appreciated, weapon in the battle against childhood obesity and physical inactivity,” said Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool
Alliance, a nationwide nonprofit that works to increase access to quality after-school programs. Locally, Monday Science Labs is one of many after-school enrichment programs offered through the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District. The Monday program in particular is geared for kids ages 5 through 10 to learn about science through experimentation and fun outdoor activities. It keeps kids moving with free play, activities and exercise at Camp Yeomalt. “Children are learning through playing,” said Tim Lowell, a camp director for Monday Science Labs. “It’s great fun, but it is a tremendous learning experience.” Recently, kids learned physics by building their own marble runways with foam tubes, tape and cardboard as a way to better understand gravity. While using critical thinking skills, students are also encouraged to be artistic with the way they go about experimenting.
“I tell my students that all artists have to know some science and all good scientists have to be creative and think artistically and outside the box,” he said. Lowell — who often works with another instructor or college interns — is also a teaching member of the Bainbridge Island Arts Education Consortium. He believes difficult education topics are best addressed in an encouraging yet intriguing environment. “Proper introduction of a subject to young children can foster a lifelong appreciation of the subject,” he said. “It is important that the child feels they like the subject, they are ‘good’ at it and that it is fun. “If a child’s first exposure is positive, they can carry it over to advanced levels later in their academic career,” Lowell explained. “If a child’s introduction to a subject is negative, they may never explore it again.” TURN TO EXPLORERS | A15
TURN TO LEASH | A11
Lawmakers pressed on school funding, Highway 305 BY BRIAN KELLY
Bainbridge Island Review
Halfway through the 2015 Legislative Session, District 23 lawmakers faced a friendly and inquisitive crowd during a town hall at Bainbridge Island City Hall last Saturday. Education funding, Highway 305 traffic, taxes and police body cameras were just a few items on the wide-ranging list of topics fielded by Sen. Christine Rolfes, Rep. Drew Hansen and Rep. Sherry Appleton at the 90-minute meeting. “I came here to hear you,” Appleton told the standing-room-only crowd of residents from Bainbridge, Poulsbo, North Kitsap and beyond. The ample audience TURN TO LAWMAKERS | A15