Bear Essential News for Kids

KIDS, PARENTS, TEACHERS!

ESSENTIAL NEWS

®

January 2013 • Phoenix Edition • www.bearessentialnews.com

In this Picture: Find a heart, 2013, a noisemaker, a stop sign, a party hat, a candle, a balloon, MLK DAY, a piece of confetti and a crown.

FEATURE

NEWS

S topping Bullying in AZ! In auguration Day Taking on cyberbullying, too Pages 10 thru 12

NEWS

Visit to MLK Site

Spotlight on ending violence & more news kids can use! pages 7, 9, 14 & 18 News Highlights page 5

PARENTS S— FAMILIE for ide Look ins pons, o c Parenting Tips from Dr. Leman great u ts. un even page 9 tips & f

New Kid by Friday!

2

Bear essential news for kids!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

He’s wise, he’s cool and he’s ready to respond — write to Boomer Bear at Bear Essential News for Kids 1037 S. Alvernon Way, #150 Tucson, AZ 85711

GET CONNECTED with the latest from Bear Essential News on Facebook!

• News • Contests, • Events • Family Happenings

Visit: facebook.com/bearnews Volume 34 Issue 5 Serving Arizona Families for 33 Years!

Assistant Editors Renee Griffith Mike Loghry

He’s wise, he’s cool, and he’s ready to respond!

Hi Boomer, I love your newspaper. I like to write short stories, but when I start one, it doesn’t seem good anymore. What should I do? I like to sew. I’m 10 and am homeschooled. It’s fun being homeschooled. I have two adorable cats.

Your friend, E.B. Hey, E.B.!

I know exactly what you mean. I get this great idea for my story and, like a good writer, jot down some words before I lose my inspiration. But sometimes when I review this work, it isn’t as strong as I’d hoped. This is part of the editing process.

Every writer’s work needs spiffing up. It’s a really, really good sign that you’re critical of what you create—just don’t let it discourage you. Good writing can take time and effort and redo’s, too.

Dear Boomer, You are fun and cool and helping my sister (a Young Reporter) with Bear Essential News. from M.A. Dear Boomer, I’m a (Young) Reporter for you, and I wanna tell you how fun it is! I’m still writing a report, but it’s hard finding help.

Your pal, N.N.

Thanks a bunch, Boomer Bear

TM

Editor & Publisher Stephen B Gin

or e-mail your letters to boomer@bearessentialnews.com

Sales Director & Publisher Nancy Holmes Account Executives Syndi Taylor Terri Anderson

Administrative Asst.

Kathy Cooper Rachael Drozdoff

Art Director Gary Shepard

Bear Essential News for Kids® is published monthly by Kids’ View Communications Corp. to educate, enrich and entertain children and their families.

Content of this newspaper is designed to promote reading and writing skills as well as creativity.

Classroom educators are welcome to reproduce any portion of this newspaper for their students. Call or fax Kids’ View Communications for any additional information on stories.

Please Call 1-480-752-2327 for any editorial or advertising inquiries. ©2013 Kids’ View Communications Corp.—all rights reserved 1037 S. Alvernon Way, #150 • Tucson, AZ 85711 Fax (520)792-2580 Bear Essential News is distributed free each month.

Web Address: www.bearessentialnews.com Printed with recycled newsprint.

ENDORSED BY THE

Arizona Education Association

Dear Boomer, I moved last year around the summer, and I’ve been having really hard times. I try to get along, but it ain’t easy. Sometimes I try to talk to my mom, but she listens to me and starts to laugh. A lot of times I go home and start to cry in my room. At home and at school I feel like trash. Boomer, what should I do?

Sincerely, L.T. Dear L.T., Moving and starting a new school are never easy. The two places you spend most of your time at are so different from where you were. I hope you enjoyed the holidays at your new home. When you go back to school, talk with your counselor or your teacher about how you’re feeling. They might have some great ideas that’ll help ya!

Hey M.A. & N.N., Being a Young Reporter for Bear is challenging but fun, too! You get to write about the things that interest you, but many of my reporters still have problems coming up with a good story idea. If you need help with a story, you can always get help from one of my editors by calling toll free: 1- 866-NEWS KID.

Dear Boomer, I’m writing about job creation and jobs of the future. If I were president, I would make jobs more interesting— something teens would be more interested in so that they wouldn’t get bored and decide to quit. That’s what I would do if I were president. from P.T. Dear K.S. & P.T.!

After winning his re-election, President Barack Obama will take the Oath of Office during his inauguration ceremony for his second term on Jan. 21.

There should be a parade, too.

I’m very impressed with your ideas—education and jobs creation are incredibly important for Americans and for the strength of the United States!

The November presidential election sure was exciting.

Do you think I should run for president in the next race?

Your friend, Boomer Bear Dear Boomer, Do you like bacon? I love bacon because it’s greasy, crunchy and chewy. Bacon tastes good in different kinds of food. I think the weirdest food with bacon is Burger King’s Bacon Ice Cream Sundae.

Reporters don’t give up!

Boomer Bear

Your Young Reporter, D.T.

Dear Boomer Bear, If I were president, I would improve education at some schools. Some schools don’t teach communication skills properly. Other countries don’t even have schools! That’s what I would do if I were president.

¡Hóla D.T.!

Yes, I’m a bacon fan, too. But I was shocked when Burger King came out with its Bacon Ice Cream Sundae as part of its limited edition summer menu. I’m more traditional in my bacon tastes, so I didn’t try it. I like bacon with my pancakes and in my green beans.

— K.S.

Hang in there, Read LETTERS TO BOOMER to younger readers to enhance their Boomer Bear Common Core experience. Bear readers also can practice their letter writing!

Yummy!

Boomer Bear

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Ask

the

Bear essential news for kids!

3

Zookeeper Sponsored by

Paige, Senior Keeper – Rhinos What’s the first thing you do when you get to the Zoo in the morning? I change into my Zoo shoes.

I load up the cart with the animals’ diets for the day and read the previous day’s reports. Once I leave the back of the Zoo, I start the morning checks of the animals I am working with for the day. We make sure all the animals are behaving normally, and are bright and alert. If any of the animals are on medication, I would administer it at that time.

What’s your Phoenix Zoo rhino like? Half Ear is an amazing rhino. She’s smart and likes to make keepers work to get to know her. She’s protective when she needs to be and laid back when you least expect it.

What’s your favorite memory of working at the Phoenix Zoo? I’ve worked at the Zoo a long time and have many favorite memories. One of my first is meeting Khetla the rhino. That encounter is what convinced me to become a zookeeper instead of a field biologist! I was lucky

Send Us Your animal question!

enough to work as his primary keeper for two years. During his last six months, he battled cancer. I spent seven hours a day with him, and there were days he would only shift (move from outside into his nighthouse) for me.

Paige McNickle has been with Phoenix One of my favorite Zoo for 13 year s. memories is getting to watch the bond that Half Ear and Notch shared. I have worked with ungulates (rhinos) since I can remember, and their bond was stronger than any I’ve ever seen.

I cherish being able to watch animals’ relationships with each other and watch the unique bonds some keepers are lucky enough to develop with some of the animals in their care!

?

You might win a pair of tickets to the Phoenix Zoo! Zookeeper/Bear Essential News 1037 S. Alvernon Way, #150 • Tucson, AZ 85711 or email your question(s) to info@bearessentialnews.com

? ?

Voted Best Place to Entertain Kids!

All questions are entered for a chance to WIN a pair of tickets to the Phoenix Zoo! My Question for the Phoenix Zookeeper:

Name: Address:

M R O

EN

F Y R T

City

ZIP

455 NORTH GALVIN PKWY • PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85008 • 602.273.1341 • PHOENIXZOO.ORG

4

Bear essential news for kids!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

McCORMICK-STILLMAN

RAILROAD PARK

Have a Rootin–Tootin PARTY ABOARD OUR BIRTHDAY TRAIN.

In this issue!

Check Out All of Bear’s Contests!

Page 2…Letters to Boomer. Kids share their thoughts and get their letters answered by Boomer Bear!

Page 3…NEW! Ask the Zookeeper. Learn what it takes to care for animals at the Phoenix Zoo. This month—rhinos!

Page 5…News Highlights. Fiscal cliff avoided; president’s inauguration day set.

Young Reporter-written Spotlight on stopping the violence

Page 6...Reconstruct a Dinosaur! Enter the Arizona Science Center contest for a chance to win tickets.

Pages 7, 9, 14 & 18…Get the Scoop! Young Reporter visits MLK’s Historic District in Atlanta and more great news by kids, for kids.

all

Page 8…Make a Stingray. Learn fun stingray facts from SEA LIFE Arizona.

Page 9…Have a New Kid by Friday. Protecting your child from bullies, by

aboard for Birthday Parties!

Dr. Kevin Leman.

Pages 10 thru 12…Resolve to Stop Bullying. The fight to end bullying Photo courtesty of Dan Friedman

7301 E. Indian Bend Rd. • 480-312-2312

www.therailroadpark.com Birthday Parties • Food & Drinks • Hartley’s General Store Picnic Ramadas • Railroad Museums • 2 Playgrounds

Offering dance and cheer classes for all ages: Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Mommy & Me, Tumbling

heats up in Arizona. Learn about cyberbullying, too!

Page 15…Take the River Monster Challenge! Dive in for some animal trivia.

Page 17…Win a Birthday Party. Do the coloring contest from Castles -n- Coasters.

Page 19…Fun & Family. Activities for the whole family Page 20…Tucson Gem Show. Test your knowldege with the gem crossword game.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Bear essential news for kids!

5

Stop the Violence!

With Cliff Avoided Inauguration Next!

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A last-minute budget deal passed by Congress and approved by President Barack Obama barely avoided huge automatic spending cuts by the government and a big jump in taxes— also known as the “fiscal cliff.”

With the U.S. economy still growing slowly, experts worried that the automatic spending cuts and increased taxes could hurt the economic recovery, making life worse for Americans. Weeks of talks between the White House and Congress to come up with a deal went nowhere, and it looked like the country was heading over the cliff!

But a deal was struck, and Congress passed it on New Year’s to avoid the automatic cuts that would have kicked in the next day. Now the president can focus on his INAUGURATION ceremonies!

After winning a second term in the White House by defeating Mitt Romney in the Nov. 6 presidential election, President Obama will have his inauguration on Monday, Jan. 21 (which is also Martin Luther King Jr. Day) in Washington, D.C. City officials expect a big turnout—600,000 to 800,000 people, including a thousand artists who plan to create art among the crowds gathered on the Na-

President Oba ma gets sworn in for his first term.

tional Mall. Officials started planning the ceremonies back in July!

President Obama’s term really starts Jan. 20, which falls on a Sunday this year. This means that the president must take the Oath of Office before the public festivities. So the prez will have a small, private swearing in ceremony on Sunday. The next day, he’ll have his public swearing in ceremony in front of the U.S. Capitol building with people from all over the country there to celebrate. Afterward, the president and first lady head the inaugural parade from the Capitol down Pennsylvania Avenue and on to the White House.

But the festivities don’t end there. The president will hold two official balls with live music and dancing. One will be for those in the military and their families, the other one will be for those who support the president.

The military ball is by invitation only, but some tickets to the other ball will be available to the public. Traditionally, there are also a number of informal inaugural balls in D.C.

University Reveals Its Banished Words List for 2013 Here in the United States we enjoy the right of freedom of speech. It’s just other people exercising that right that can get annoying—really annoying. So every New Year’s Eve, a committee of word nerds from Lake Superior State University (LSSU) in Michigan releases its BANISHED Words List for the New Year.

The university started this tradition back in 1975.

More recently, ordinary folks nominate words for banishment mostly through the university’s website: http://www.lssu.edu/banished/submit_word.php. Over the years, tens of thousands of bothersome words and short phrases have been nominated, and the list is closing in on its thousandth banished word!

The committee scans everything from everyday speech, pop culture, the news, advertising to the fields of technology, politics, sports, health and education.

The committee makes its final cut in late December.

“So, let’s see what’s trending. Grab your favorite superfood (boneless wings) as the list creators at LSSU reveal (spoiler alert!) their bucket list of misused, overused and generally useless words and phrases. YOLO!” reads the intro to the 2013 Banished Words List.

Here are the loser words for the New Year: • fiscal cliff (see story above) • YOLO—You Only Live Once • spoiler alert—a cheesy attention grabber for a news story • job creators/job creation—a political hot topic for fixing the economy • kick the can down the road—a political term for saving a big problem till later • trending—a term taken from social media, now overused by morning news shows • superfood—an overused term from TV health segments • guru—a term used by certain cultures to designate an old and wise teacher or mentor; now terribly misused in advertising and pop culture.

• bucket list—a person’s want-to-do list • double down—an overused expression in politics • passion/passionate—used so much they’re cliché!

• boneless wings—just call them nuggets.

N A B

D E H S I

What words are worthy of your nomination for banishment in 2014?

by Reporter Farah Eltohamy BASIS Chandler After the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in Newtown, Conn., people have been asking, what’s causing all this violence in our nation?

Some blame the violence depicted in the video games that children play. While these games can be fun and exciting, many include gruesome violence and involve killing. Some researchers believe that violent games increase aggressive acts and behavior in children and teens. Studies have tried to prove this idea.

One study that was published in the journal of Experimental Social Psychology had 70

young adults playing either a violent or nonviolent game for 25 minutes. Researchers then measured their brain waves while viewing normal to violent images. The participants who played violent games reacted normally toward violent images, while those who played non-violent games were shocked to see the violent images. In general, violent games make players less sensitive to violent scenes.

Dr. Bruce Bartholow, associate professor of psychology at the University of Missouri told CBS news that “A single exposure to a violent video game won’t turn someone into a mass murderer, but if someone has repeatedly exposed themselves, these kinds of effects in the short term can turn into a long-term change.”

Another study conducted at Brock University in Canada was published in the journal Developmental Psychology. The study involved 1,500 teens (both boys and girls) who were asked to record their violent actions over four years. The study showed that the teenagers who played violent video games had more aggressive behavior then those who didn’t play them.

In order to reduce violence by children and teens, parents must heed the ratings on video games and monitor what games their kids play.

I also think that new laws should be passed restricting gun licenses, especially for younger ages. And finally, movie producers should decrease the violence in their movies. Together we can make a difference to reduce violence!

6

Bear essential news for kids!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

K I D S!

Win a Family 4-Pack of Tickets to Arizona Science Center

Reconstruct the Dinosaur!

See if you can find the correct dinosaur pieces and reconstruct the giant creature from the past.

Field Note: At archaeological dig sites, many dinosaur parts are mixed together. You will need to find the pieces you need, then arrange and glue them onto a sheet of paper. Send in your dinosaur with the entry form below.

Giant Dinos Entry Form

Teachers!

School: __________________________ Age: ___

To book a Field Trip or Group Visit to Giant Mysterious Dinosaurs, call Reservations at

Email Address: ____________________________

602-716-2028

Parent’s Signature: _________________________

AZSCIENCE.ORG

Name: ___________________________________ Address: _________________________________ ZIP: _________ Phone: _____________________

Mail to: Bear Essential News/Dinos 1037 S. Alvernon Way #150 Tucson, AZ 85711

Y! HURR Entry Deadline: Jan. 15, 2013 Winner by random drawing

600 E. Washington St. Downtown Phoenix

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Visit an Experience to Remember

by Reporter Ri’Ann Holmes, Homeschool The Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic District located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a place to visit.

The International Civil Rights Walk of Fame, located in the outdoor promenade of the Martin Luther King National Historical Site, features the granite and bronze footstep impressions of honored individuals who, according to the National Park Service, “sacrificed and struggled to make equality a reality for all.”

The first exhibit inside the visitor’s center, entitled “Children of Courage,” relates the struggle colored children faced during the Civil Rights Movement and encourages today’s generation to take a stand for equality. The D.R.E.A.M. Gallery depicts Dr. King’s journey during his final days leading up to his burial.

Upon exiting the visitor’s center I proceeded through the World Peace Rose Garden which was built to commemorate Dr. King’s life. Plaques around the garden’s walkway show poems written by children from around the world expressing their thoughts on equality and peace.

7

Taekwondo: Learn It All

by Reporter Emma Suttell Highland Lakes School

Reporter reflects on Dr. King’s legacy.

The rest of the district includes: Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King and his father pastored; Martin Luther King’s childhood home, and Fire Station No. 6.

This historical site is a learning experience for one to explore while visiting Atlanta.

School Experiments with Tech Tools

by Reporters Daniel Wood and Abe Geigle, Neely Traditional Academy BRING YOUR OWN TECHNOLOGY is a program new books, but the books took a long time to get to that may be adopted by the Gilbert School District. It is the school. By the time they got there the kids had in an experimental period, as it is tried out by Sonoma lost interest in the titles that were arriving. So she took Ranch Elementary School. Providing students with her problem to the school principal, Terry Maurer, and access to more and better technologies is the goal. expressed her problem and idea. She said her daughter The idea of BYOT was first brought up by the librarian had a NOOK and it took 60 seconds max to load a at Sonoma Ranch Elementary. Kids were asking for book. They took a look at Barnes & Noble’s NOOKs, decided they wanted them, and bought six for $2,500.

Now they can download books in 60 seconds when kids want to read them.

Have any devices been taken? No, there has not been a single thing stolen, but two devices have been lost. But they were found after 5 minutes of retracing steps because the student had set it down and left without remembering it.

Does it help your school? School officials say it does help with more than just reading. For example, if a student needs to look something up or see missing assignments they can access it from their desk.

There are a few problems but Sonoma Ranch is working them out so other schools can do BYOT. Does your school need BYOT? Adviser: Jennifer Dow Visit BearEssentialNews.com or call toll free: 1-866-NEWS KID

Be a young reporter! sponsors

Bear essential news for kids!

Young Reporters, Submit Your Stories

on VIDEO!

Go to bearessentialnews.com to find out how!

About three months ago I started Taekwondo.

Taekwondo is a form of martial arts. In Korean, tae means “to strike or break with foot,” kwon means “to strike or break with fist,” and do means “way.” So, taekwondo technically means “the way of the hand and the foot.” Most of the moves in Taekwondo are kicks, which were used in war to kick high objects.

In movies, for example, you might see people break boards. Most likely they know or are learning a form of martial arts. I go to ATA (American Taekwondo Association) where I learn not only self-defense, but also character traits. My taekwondo school really focuses on the trait part of taekwondo, including daily routines such as bowing to the flags when entering the mat and calling the instructed “ma’am” or “sir.” Since Taekwondo comes from Korea, a Korean flag hangs on the wall next to the ATA flag and U.S. flag. When class begins, we recite our “Songahm Spirit of Taekwondo” statement. You may have heard of the black belt or white belt, but there are lots in between. The ranks go: white, orange, yellow, camo, green, purple, blue, brown, red, red-black and black.

I am currently at yellow belt, the third rank. Most people think that there is only one rank of black belt, but there are actually nine. There is only one man still alive that has this rank. One other thing that you get to do in Taekwondo is sparring. Once you get to camo belt you are allowed to spar. Sparring is using your skills to fight with other students. So when you are white, orange and yellow belt you spend time learning sparring techniques and drills. Eventually if you get good enough you can go to tournaments and spar against other people that aren’t from your school. Taekwondo is now a weekly routine for me, and I love it.

MORE SCOOPS! page 9 ➧

8

Bear essential news for kids!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Make Your Own Stingray!

Directions: 1. Fold a coffee filter into quarters.

Cut along the edges so you will have 4 pieces.

2. Color the filter with washable markers 3. Spray the filter lightly so the colors blend together 4. Allow the filter to dry 5. Once the filter dries, draw some eyes on your rays and attach to a piece of paper 6. Draw an ocean landscape for your rays!

Sample of the stingray

art project

Fun facts about

STINGRAYS: • Did you know stingrays are cousins of sharks? Similar to sharks, stingrays have 7 senses!

• Stingrays often bury themselves in the sand with just their eyes sticking out. In order not to step on them, people are encouraged to do the “stingray shuffle” to scare the rays away. If you happen to step on one you might get a painful sting from their barb!

• There are several different types of stingrays. They can grow from just a few inches to over 6 feet in length!

SEA LIFE Arizona is home to two rescued sea turtles!

For more information call

480-478-7600

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Bear essential news for kids!

Continued from page 7

Have a New Kid by

Friday!

by Dr. Kevin Leman

A column to help parents with their kid’s attitude, behavior and character

Protecting Your Child from Bullies Bullies. We see them in schools, in the workplace and on television. When bullying hits close to home, it’s a very emotional thing for a parent to handle.

As moms and dads know, there is nothing more miserable than seeing your kid suffer because of bullying.

When kids make fun of your child, tease them or bully them, your most basic instincts try to take over. It’s natural to feel angry at this kid who is causing so much trouble for your son or daughter.

The best response when kids say hurtful, mean things, however, is to say to your child, “Boy, that must have been tough for you to hear, but I’m proud of how you handled it,” no matter how the kid handled it, as long as he handled it within socially appropriate avenues. In other words, if he did not punch the kid in the mouth.

What you are doing is you are empathizing with the fact that what happened to your child felt terrible. Sit down with your child.

Tell him or her a story from your life where you were ridiculed or you were put down.

Think back to your adolescence to the simple pimples that felt like craters on your face.

Think back to when you felt like you didn’t fit in, or you were ignored or teased.

Getting in touch with those feelings as an adult, I think, can give some insight as to how much it hurts to have kids belittle you.

Truly connect with your child’s heart. Let him or her know that you identify with how they are feeling. Let them know that you are there for them.

When you say things like, “I’m proud of you. I wouldn’t change a thing about you,” you are giving that kid an invisible shield that will help protect him from the barbs of life. We as parents don’t realize the power of our words, negatively as well as positively.

When you’re telling that kid how much you love him, and you wouldn’t change a thing about him, you are helping to insulate him and protect him from the nastiness of other kids.

As a reminder to parents who are having a first-time experience with bullying, don’t think it will just go away, because it won’t. Deal with it upfront. Notify the teacher, notify the principal about the situation.You are putting the responsibility where it belongs, within the classroom and school.

That way, the teacher can be aware of a potential bullying situation.

Nothing hurts more than watching your kid hurt. But your support gives them psychological muscles to deal with these things. They realize even though people say mean things, life goes on and they’re OK, and they are loved and prized by the people who mean the most to them. The point is, parents, don’t sell yourselves short.

Next month: Is your child a bully?

Dr. Kevin Leman is a Tucson psychologist and author of more than 30 bestselling books. His latest is “What a Difference a Mom Makes: The Indelible Imprint a Mom Leaves on her Son’s Life.’’ Read his parenting blogs at www.birthorderguy.com.

9

Bearizona Is a Wild Time

by Reporter Dream Singh, Tempe Preparatory Academy Have you ever heard of a place called Bearizona? If not, you might want to read this article. You’re probably thinking that Bearizona is a zoo with just bears, but it isn’t. Bearizona is a wildlife adventure. This wildlife adventure is a large place with open habitats for many animals like burros, bison, white bison, wolves, Dall and bighorn sheep, mountain goats and, of course, bears.

When you enter you get a cool GPS gadget that tells you about all the animals as you go by. Now you’re probably wondering if the habitats are open how do you walk by. Well, you have to drive in your car and you can stop to take pictures whenever you want. And let me tell you this, the other animals have to stay in their habitats but bears can go wherever they want so beware—a bear might be behind your car (that happened to me).

When you are done with the 2-mile drive just head on to Fort Bearizona (in Bearizona). There you will find a gift shop, a vendor selling cool Native American stuff, and you can see many other small animals. (I even saw some baby bunnies in a small cave with their mom! Isn’t that wonderful?) There are even bird shows there! Though the park is closed January and February you can go there anytime. Bearizona is in Williams, AZ, one hour south of the Grand Canyon and a half hour west of Flagstaff. Now all you need is your car, family and you!!!!!

Adviser: Marie Bernard

Charities Help Out

by Reporter Savannah Swint, Highland Lakes Elementary Charities are helping people all over the globe. They give food, clothes, toys and other objects for living. There are some charities that are in the whole entire country! Some are tiny but very efficient and help two causes at the same time. My friend Emma opened a charity called Nail to Mail. I interviewed her to see what the charity was. It is a charity that focuses on doing people’s nails for a low rate cost. Once she has enough money, she plans on donating it to a children’s hospital or a pet shelter. “That is a great way to help people in need, one nail at a time,” she said. Local stores like Walmart have charities all the time in holiday seasons. School charities can help in ways some people can’t imagine. The world needs help and you can give the help or a small bit of help. Start a charity today and help out the people who need you. Every small step counts when it comes to helping others.

MORE SCOOPS! page 9 ➧

Black Mountain BMX Races Every Friday & Saturday Night Sign ups–6:30—7:30 pm Races starts at 8:00 pm

Wed. Night Practice 6:30—8:30 pm

Interested in quality family time, sportsmanship & racing action?

Give BMX a try!

Beginner Clinic!

Every Monday, 6:30–8:30 pm • Call for details Race once without a membership.

Must wear long sleeved shirt, long pants, helmet and tennis shoes.

Rent a bike!

Just $5 a night!

Page 10

30 YEARS OF BEAR ESSENTIAL NEWS FOR KIDS!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Resolve to he fight is on, but it’s a good fight. And with a problem as big as bullying, it’s gonna take everyone doing their part to end it. So for the new year, why not be part of the solution and resolve to stop bullying!

T

Bullying and Its Costs Even though BULLYING has been around for generations, defining bullying isn’t easy. First, it involves school-aged kids. The person who’s doing the bullying has some sort of power advantage over the

STOP Bullying

abusers; they end up being the child abusers and gov, which is run by the Departmant of Health and things like that.”

Human Services.

Experts say the effects of bullying, whether you’re being bullied or are doing the bullying, can be terrible. Bullied kids are under a lot of stress and often feel too ashamed or embarrassed to report bullying incidents. They tend to Didja know that about have more depression, 30 percent of elemensuicidal thoughts, eating tary school kids are disorders, bad grades involved in bullying, and and may end up dropping that number grows to out of school. about one out of every And for kids who bully, three in middle and high this is a bad track to start schools? on. “Sixty percent of kids France Stanton and who bully, by the age of her team LAUNCHED 24 have a felony convicthe website StopBullytion, and 40 percent of ingAZ.org and recently them have three or more held a big “Anti-Bullying convictions by 24 or Summit” to help schools 25. It’s a serious issue,” deal with the bullying shares Hyong Kim, an problem here in the Phoenix First Lady Nicole France Stanton shows American Taekwondo state. off her new website StopBullyingAZ.org.

Association (ATA) instrucThe keynote speaktor who runs a Karate er for the summit was for Kids school in northwest Tucson. Read the story Dr. Dan Olweus, who is an international leader in to the right to see how ATA is doing its part to end studying bullying. With almost 40 years of research bullying. experience, he helped develop the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. To fight the problem, the program seeks to improve the whole school environment—everyone from district and school administrators, teachers, counselors, parents and students are important. “You can’t affect change on this problem Since her husband became the mayor of Phoeunless it’s a top-to-bottom consistent environmental nix a year ago, life has been very busy for Nicole shift at the school,” France Stanton emphasizes.

France Stanton. As first lady, she’s fighting bullying For kids, she wants them to have the confidence to in Arizona! speak up when they’re bullied or see someone be“When my husband became mayor, I decided ing bullied. She wants them to be taught what to do. to take on a cause that I would work on indepenStopBullyingAZ.org really isn’t designed to be dently…and that was bullying,” France Stanton explains. “I chose bullying because my older brother used by young people. France Stanton wants it to become the site Arizona educators and parents was bullied when he was in school.” Her brother went through a lot and ended up being badly beaten go to for finding the organizations and online resources they need. “We’re trying to be the connectin high school. “Fortunately, he continued to do well ing force between schools and these programs to in school, which I’ve learned as I’ve taken on this help schools to be able to identify the best practices cause, victims like my brother often do fair better (ways to fight bullying).” (long term) than kids who are bullies,” France Stan“It’s so difficult for these kids to get out of these ton points out. situations—it’s like quicksand,” France Stanton con“The societal costs of this extend far beyond cludes. “Certainly they can’t do it on their own. This the classroom,” she continues. “It’s really a societal issue can’t change without the intervention of adults. problem where these kids do end up in unproducIt’s too serious.” tive lives. They end up becoming domestic violence

Everyone Needs to Get Involved

First Lady of Phoenix Joins the Fight

Young Reporters Levi Fallavollita and Gabe Villa wrote and illustrated “The Good, The Bad and The Bullies.” Here Gabe reads for KVOA.

other person—maybe the person is stronger, bigger, more popular or has access to embarrassing photos or information—and uses that advantage to behave aggressively toward the other person over time.

“Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose,” says the website stopbullying.

ATTENTION TEACHERS!

January 2013

30 YEARS OF BEAR ESSENTIAL NEWS FOR KIDS!

Page 11

Taking on Cyberbullying

Karate for Kids FIGHTS BULLYING

Some kids and teens unwrapped a new smartphone, notebook or tablet for the holidays. Unfortunately, rules to guide young people using their electronics haven’t grown as fast as their APPETITE for all this amazing technology!

While this technology lets kids communicate in convenient, new and exciting ways, there are those who

The dread of heading back to school where you’re being bullied is enough to make you sick, literally. Kids who are bullied often miss too much school and miss out on getting the quality education they deserve.

So what’s a kid to do? According to Hyong Kim, who runs a Karate for Kids in Oro Valley, everybody can benefit from learning the important life lessons being taught at their American Taekwondo Association (ATA) martial arts schools!

ATA is partners with the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program to help put an end to bullying. For more about the Olweus program, read the lead story on this feature. Bullying is a complicated problem that’s been around for a very long time. Studies show that a kid is bullied somewhere in the United States every seven minutes. It’s going to take a lot of effort throughout the community to bring about a change.

“Overcoming bullying is obviously a very tricky thing to do,” Mr. Kim explains. “We do that by instilling selfdiscipline and confidence and self-esteem.”

He says that the program is a lot different from what most and go through mental Students at Karate for Kids people think . lies bul h m deal wit physical training to help the when it comes to bullying. “It’s not just a normal part of being a kid. It is an everyday occurrence—one out of three kids gets bullied on a weekly, (some) on a daily basis, which is an extremely high number when you think about the number of kids who go to school. It’s not just the bully and the bullied, it’s the whole entire group because it’s really an entire school’s problem.”

While learning how to defend yourself is important in martial arts, it starts with the mental training. “The first thing that I tell all the parents and the students who walk in here is that we want the kids to be good kids, and we use martial arts as a tool for that,” Mr. Kim says. “The whole idea of doing martial arts, taekwondo, is to learn to control yourself, control your behavior, control your actions, control your thoughts.” Kid by kid, Karate for Kids wants to improve the school environment.

The bullying prevention portion of their training is made up of 12 lessons and a simple Bullying Prevention Promise: “I will not bully others.

I will try to help other kids who are being bullied. I will try to include other kids who are being left out. If I know another kid is being bullied, I will tell an adult.”

Learning martial arts techniques strengthens kids physically and mentally. “When a bully is targeting somebody, they typically look for somebody who’s going to project themselves as a weaker person than they are.

So we teach (our students) to stand strong with back straight, eyes up, and learn to look people in the eyes when they’re speaking to them,” Mr. Kim says. If things get physical, “we teach them self-defense skills— physical skills to be able to handle the situation.”

are misusing it to hurt others.

“Parents are putting phones and technology into the hands of their children at earlier and earlier ages,” points out Kathleen Winn, director of Community Outreach and Education for the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. “As a result of the growth of technology, which can be a very positive thing, we’re finding that there are those who are abusing this for bullying.”

Cyberbullying is bullying through the use of electronic devices, according to Courtney Miller, a Community Outreach and Education coordinator. It can be through texts, emails, social networking sites, instant messaging, blogs, etc. It’s a growing concern for the Attorney General’s Office, and Winn and her staff spend a lot of time going to schools throughout the state to teach kids how and how not to use technology. This last school year, they did presentations for almost 32,000 Arizona students.

“We try to address everyone involved in these situations,” Miller explains. “We talk about social consequences and the fact that whatever you put online is there forever potentially, and it can affect you in the future in ways you haven’t thought about.”

Like bullying, cyberbullying usually isn’t a one-and-done thing. Sending threats or negative messages, posting photos or videos online to embarrass someone or trying to keep someone socially isolated can be incredibly hurtful and, in some cases, break the law.

“We’re trying to create an awareness that there are consequences, and, yes, you do have to take some responsibility. If you wouldn’t say it to them in person, you probably don’t want to say it to them on your phone or your computer,” Winn says.

If you’re the target of cyberbullying, knowing what to do can really help, and there are lots of sites with good advice. “We talk about the fact that everyone has options, how they can take that first step to get help, Go to next who they should talk to and why it’s important that they be the one person to make that happen,” Miller points out. If page for you’re in immediate danger, like if someone is threatening bullying to hurt you, there’s always 911.

Educators, here’s the contact information to request prevention presentations by Community Outreach and Education of the pledges and Arizona Attorney General’s Office: 602-542-2123 (Phoenix), helpful links!

520-628-6504 (Tucson), 800-352-8431 (toll free in Arizona, outside Maricopa and Pima Counties), email: communityservices@azag.gov.

Bear’s main features meet the new Common Core standards for the classroom. To learn more call toll free 1-866-639-7543.

Page 10

30 YEARS OF BEAR ESSENTIAL NEWS FOR KIDS!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Resolve to he fight is on, but it’s a good fight. And with a problem as big as bullying, it’s gonna take everyone doing their part to end it. So for the new year, why not be part of the solution and resolve to stop bullying!

T

Bullying and Its Costs Even though BULLYING has been around for generations, defining bullying isn’t easy. First, it involves school-aged kids. The person who’s doing the bullying has some sort of power advantage over the

STOP Bullying

abusers; they end up being the child abusers and gov, which is run by the Departmant of Health and things like that.”

Human Services.

Experts say the effects of bullying, whether you’re being bullied or are doing the bullying, can be terrible. Bullied kids are under a lot of stress and often feel too ashamed or embarrassed to report bullying incidents. They tend to Didja know that about have more depression, 30 percent of elemensuicidal thoughts, eating tary school kids are disorders, bad grades involved in bullying, and and may end up dropping that number grows to out of school. about one out of every And for kids who bully, three in middle and high this is a bad track to start schools? on. “Sixty percent of kids France Stanton and who bully, by the age of her team LAUNCHED 24 have a felony convicthe website StopBullytion, and 40 percent of ingAZ.org and recently them have three or more held a big “Anti-Bullying convictions by 24 or Summit” to help schools 25. It’s a serious issue,” deal with the bullying shares Hyong Kim, an problem here in the Phoenix First Lady Nicole France Stanton shows American Taekwondo state. off her new website StopBullyingAZ.org.

Association (ATA) instrucThe keynote speaktor who runs a Karate er for the summit was for Kids school in northwest Tucson. Read the story Dr. Dan Olweus, who is an international leader in to the right to see how ATA is doing its part to end studying bullying. With almost 40 years of research bullying. experience, he helped develop the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. To fight the problem, the program seeks to improve the whole school environment—everyone from district and school administrators, teachers, counselors, parents and students are important. “You can’t affect change on this problem Since her husband became the mayor of Phoeunless it’s a top-to-bottom consistent environmental nix a year ago, life has been very busy for Nicole shift at the school,” France Stanton emphasizes.

France Stanton. As first lady, she’s fighting bullying For kids, she wants them to have the confidence to in Arizona! speak up when they’re bullied or see someone be“When my husband became mayor, I decided ing bullied. She wants them to be taught what to do. to take on a cause that I would work on indepenStopBullyingAZ.org really isn’t designed to be dently…and that was bullying,” France Stanton explains. “I chose bullying because my older brother used by young people. France Stanton wants it to become the site Arizona educators and parents was bullied when he was in school.” Her brother went through a lot and ended up being badly beaten go to for finding the organizations and online resources they need. “We’re trying to be the connectin high school. “Fortunately, he continued to do well ing force between schools and these programs to in school, which I’ve learned as I’ve taken on this help schools to be able to identify the best practices cause, victims like my brother often do fair better (ways to fight bullying).” (long term) than kids who are bullies,” France Stan“It’s so difficult for these kids to get out of these ton points out. situations—it’s like quicksand,” France Stanton con“The societal costs of this extend far beyond cludes. “Certainly they can’t do it on their own. This the classroom,” she continues. “It’s really a societal issue can’t change without the intervention of adults. problem where these kids do end up in unproducIt’s too serious.” tive lives. They end up becoming domestic violence

Everyone Needs to Get Involved

First Lady of Phoenix Joins the Fight

Young Reporters Levi Fallavollita and Gabe Villa wrote and illustrated “The Good, The Bad and The Bullies.” Here Gabe reads for KVOA.

other person—maybe the person is stronger, bigger, more popular or has access to embarrassing photos or information—and uses that advantage to behave aggressively toward the other person over time.

“Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose,” says the website stopbullying.

ATTENTION TEACHERS!

January 2013

30 YEARS OF BEAR ESSENTIAL NEWS FOR KIDS!

Page 11

Taking on Cyberbullying

Karate for Kids FIGHTS BULLYING

Some kids and teens unwrapped a new smartphone, notebook or tablet for the holidays. Unfortunately, rules to guide young people using their electronics haven’t grown as fast as their APPETITE for all this amazing technology!

While this technology lets kids communicate in convenient, new and exciting ways, there are those who

The dread of heading back to school where you’re being bullied is enough to make you sick, literally. Kids who are bullied often miss too much school and miss out on getting the quality education they deserve.

So what’s a kid to do? According to Hyong Kim, who runs a Karate for Kids in Oro Valley, everybody can benefit from learning the important life lessons being taught at their American Taekwondo Association (ATA) martial arts schools!

ATA is partners with the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program to help put an end to bullying. For more about the Olweus program, read the lead story on this feature. Bullying is a complicated problem that’s been around for a very long time. Studies show that a kid is bullied somewhere in the United States every seven minutes. It’s going to take a lot of effort throughout the community to bring about a change.

“Overcoming bullying is obviously a very tricky thing to do,” Mr. Kim explains. “We do that by instilling selfdiscipline and confidence and self-esteem.”

He says that the program is a lot different from what most and go through mental Students at Karate for Kids people think . lies bul h m deal wit physical training to help the when it comes to bullying. “It’s not just a normal part of being a kid. It is an everyday occurrence—one out of three kids gets bullied on a weekly, (some) on a daily basis, which is an extremely high number when you think about the number of kids who go to school. It’s not just the bully and the bullied, it’s the whole entire group because it’s really an entire school’s problem.”

While learning how to defend yourself is important in martial arts, it starts with the mental training. “The first thing that I tell all the parents and the students who walk in here is that we want the kids to be good kids, and we use martial arts as a tool for that,” Mr. Kim says. “The whole idea of doing martial arts, taekwondo, is to learn to control yourself, control your behavior, control your actions, control your thoughts.” Kid by kid, Karate for Kids wants to improve the school environment.

The bullying prevention portion of their training is made up of 12 lessons and a simple Bullying Prevention Promise: “I will not bully others.

I will try to help other kids who are being bullied. I will try to include other kids who are being left out. If I know another kid is being bullied, I will tell an adult.”

Learning martial arts techniques strengthens kids physically and mentally. “When a bully is targeting somebody, they typically look for somebody who’s going to project themselves as a weaker person than they are.

So we teach (our students) to stand strong with back straight, eyes up, and learn to look people in the eyes when they’re speaking to them,” Mr. Kim says. If things get physical, “we teach them self-defense skills— physical skills to be able to handle the situation.”

are misusing it to hurt others.

“Parents are putting phones and technology into the hands of their children at earlier and earlier ages,” points out Kathleen Winn, director of Community Outreach and Education for the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. “As a result of the growth of technology, which can be a very positive thing, we’re finding that there are those who are abusing this for bullying.”

Cyberbullying is bullying through the use of electronic devices, according to Courtney Miller, a Community Outreach and Education coordinator. It can be through texts, emails, social networking sites, instant messaging, blogs, etc. It’s a growing concern for the Attorney General’s Office, and Winn and her staff spend a lot of time going to schools throughout the state to teach kids how and how not to use technology. This last school year, they did presentations for almost 32,000 Arizona students.

“We try to address everyone involved in these situations,” Miller explains. “We talk about social consequences and the fact that whatever you put online is there forever potentially, and it can affect you in the future in ways you haven’t thought about.”

Like bullying, cyberbullying usually isn’t a one-and-done thing. Sending threats or negative messages, posting photos or videos online to embarrass someone or trying to keep someone socially isolated can be incredibly hurtful and, in some cases, break the law.

“We’re trying to create an awareness that there are consequences, and, yes, you do have to take some responsibility. If you wouldn’t say it to them in person, you probably don’t want to say it to them on your phone or your computer,” Winn says.

If you’re the target of cyberbullying, knowing what to do can really help, and there are lots of sites with good advice. “We talk about the fact that everyone has options, how they can take that first step to get help, Go to next who they should talk to and why it’s important that they be the one person to make that happen,” Miller points out. If page for you’re in immediate danger, like if someone is threatening bullying to hurt you, there’s always 911.

Educators, here’s the contact information to request prevention presentations by Community Outreach and Education of the pledges and Arizona Attorney General’s Office: 602-542-2123 (Phoenix), helpful links!

520-628-6504 (Tucson), 800-352-8431 (toll free in Arizona, outside Maricopa and Pima Counties), email: communityservices@azag.gov.

Bear’s main features meet the new Common Core standards for the classroom. To learn more call toll free 1-866-639-7543.

12

Bear essential news for kids!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

ATA & OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Promise: • I will not bully others.

• I will try to help other kids who are being bullied.

• I will try to include other kids who are being left out.

• If I know another kid is being bullied, I will tell an adult.

HELPFUL LINKS Phoenix First Lady Nicole France Stanton

StopBullyingAz.org Cyberbullying & the Megan Pledge

AzAg.gov/Internet-Safety/Cyber-Bullying Electronic Aggression Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

CDC.gov/ViolencePrevention/YouthViolence/ElectronicAggression/ ATA & Karate for Kids

ATAonline.com/About/Programs/Karate.asp U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services

StopBullying.gov Fund for Civility/End of Bullying

EndOfBullying.com Anti-Defamation League

ADL.org Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

ViolencePreventionWorks.org/Public/Index.page

THE MEGAN PLEDGE Megan Meier was 13 when she die. She had been cyberbullied and harassed by others, including the mother of one of her friends. She felt that she had no choice but to take her own life, rather than face the betrayal of her friends and their cruelty.

Although Megan is not the first teen to choose suicide over being the target of a cyberbully, I make this pledge hoping she will be the last.

I make it for Megan and all others who have experienced the fear of being a victim of cyberbullying. I make it for myself. I make it for my friends. I make it to create a safe Internet for everyone.

I believe that everyone is entitled to feel safe, online and offline. I believe that no one should be harassed or targeted for their differences. I believe that technology should not be used as a weapon to hurt others. I believe that no matter what someone has done, they should never be terrorized online. I believe that there are other ways of handling disputes than cyberbullying others. I believe that suicide is never an option, and that all young people can make a positive difference in the lives of others.

BY TAKING THIS PLEDGE:

I agree to take a stand against cyberbullying, including sharing this pledge with others and asking them to take it too.

I agree not to use technology as a weapon to hurt others.

I agree to Think Before I Click.

I agree to think about the person on the other side.

I agree to support others being cyberbullied and report cyberbullying whenever I find it.

I agree not to join in cyberbullying tactics or be used by cyberbullies to hurt others.

I agree to “Stop, Block and Tell” when I am being targeted by a cyberbully and to “Take 5” to help me calm down and walk away from the computer.

I agree to be part of the solution, not part of the problem!

Signed by:

Date:

Print name:

Age:

Email (optional):

State/Province:

Copyright ©2008 Parry Aftab, All Rights Reserved by Wired Safety

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Bear essential news for kids!

Go to CONTESTS online at BearEssentialNews.com for a chance to win tickets to a performance!

13

14

Bear essential news for kids!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Continued from page 9

Captivated by Cavalia

by Reporter Evelyn Gonzalez, Integrity Education Centre On Dec. 19, I attended Cavalia’s magical Odysseo in North Scottsdale with my teacher, Ms. Lane, her daughter, Trystan Youngjohn, and friend, Sam Kanter. Cavalia is a horse and acrobatic show that is performed all under a 10-story-tall White Big Top. There is live music and special singers for the show.

The opening scene has a lot of riders and free running horses that include the music and stunts. There are a lot of riders with colorful costumes doing all sorts of stunts and tricks, and some of these riders were riding very fast doing continuous tricks in circles. There is a total of 43 artists that wear up to seven different costumes per show, including acrobats, aerialists, dancers and musicians.

The horseback riders’ tricks and stunts were the best part for me, especially when the rider crawled under the fast running horse and kept riding it. Odysseo has 53 horses of nine different breeds which include the Appaloosa, Arabian,

Quarter Horse and Spanish Purebred. The horses have traveled from Portugal, Spain, Canada, France and the Netherlands.

In the start of the second half of the show, a huge carousel comes down from the top with wooden horses going up and down while acrobats in white flowing costumes appear and swing around the poles. There is also an acrobatic team from West Africa that performs that moves almost as quickly as the running horses. There is a video the size of 3 IMAX screens that backdrops the entire show with scenes from all over the world. We watched the show close with the stage slowly becoming a lake with music playing, and a woman singing while horses and riders danced in its wave.

The show is now running through Jan. 27 and the Cavalia's Big Tent is set up at Scottsdale Road and the 101.

For show information and performance times visit www.cavalia.net Adviser: Stacey Lane MORE SCOOPS! page 18 ➧

UltraStar Multi-tainment Center

Win an UltraStar

Prize for 4!

Bowling & Shoe Rental, Laser Tag Games, WHEN YOUR KIDS Arcade $10 Game Play Cards, Movie Tickets Contest Value: $160 NEED A PLACE UltrtaStar TO 2/3 Page UNWHINE.

Movie Puzzle

Fill in the blanks to complete these movie titles.

Life of __ __ Rise of the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Monsters, __ __ __. __ __ The Great and Powerful The __ __ __ __ __ __ : An Unexpected Journey Wreck-It __ __ __ __ __ Use the circled letters above to decode a movie time treat!

Simply bring them down to UltraStar Multi-tainment Center.

Laser tag. Video Games. Bowling. Movies.

It’s everything they—and you—need for a good time. All in one place.

One-stop, non-stop entertainment.

(520) 494-STAR • UltraStarAkChin.com 16000 Maricopa Rd, adjacent to Harra’s Ak-Chin Casino

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ DEADLINE: Feb. 15, 2013 First & last Name:_____________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________ Apt # ______ City:__________________________________ ZIP: _________________ E-mail address:_______________________________________________ Parent’s Signature:____________________________________________ Telephone: (_________) ____________________________ Age: ______

Send to: Bear Essential News/UltraStar 1037 S. Alvernon Way #150 • Tucson, AZ 85711

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Bear essential news for kids!

15

‘Winter’ Arrives Here!

Santa has brought Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium something amazing for Christmas—a snow white tiger cub named “Winter.” Born at another zoo in early November, Winter can be seen at Wildlife World’s popular Baby Animal Nursery. While she has blue eyes and a white coat, her stripes are very light, giving her an almost all-white appearance. Currently, this special Bengal tiger weighs about 10 pounds, but may grow to 300–400 pounds in just a few years. Tigers are critically endangered animals due to habitat loss along with increased poaching.

Experience River Monsters!

River Monsters! Challenge Below are some of the fascinating creatures you can see and learn about in the new aquarium building. Unscramble each animal’s name, then draw a line to its picture, and then draw another line to what kind of animal it is.

GOOD LUCK!

AYRGINST TREOT WOARNAA

The latest and greatest aquarium building at Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium. You, your friends, families and classrooms will enjoy every inch of the 7,000 square feet of new display area.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

1.

A. mammal

2.

B. cartilaginous fish

3.

C. bony fish ASE RTLEUT

__ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __

4.

D. marine reptile PREAMPVI SIHF

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

5.

Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium, in Litchfield Park, is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, including all holidays. Zoo exhibits are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last zoo admission is at 5 p.m.) Aquarium exhibits are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Daytime admission includes access to the zoo and aquarium.

Special reduced evening Aquarium-Only admission is available after 5 p.m.

Discount coupons available: www.BearEssentialNews.com MONSTER CHALLENGE ANSWERS: STINGRAY–4–B, OTTER–5–A, AROWANA–1–C, SEA TURTLE–3–D, VAMPIRE FISH–2–C

16

Bear essential news for kids!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Don’t Miss the Boat!

The Summer Camp Guide begins in our March ’13 Edition.

CAMP GUIDE

2013

SUMMER

Call today to reserve your space 480-752-2327 or to request information.

Nancy@BearEssentialNews.com

Send Us Your Book Reviews You may get published!

Print out your book review form at BearEssentialNews.com then write your review and have your parent sign the bottom.

Mail to Bear Essential News, 1037 S. Alvernon Way #150, Tucson, AZ 85711.

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

During your 45 Minutes in the Party Room

Plates • Cups • Napkins • Forks • Refilable Drinks One Personal Pizza per Paying Guest • Ice Cream

Bear essential news for kids!

17

$10 25

For reservations, other packages, and details call

602-997-7575 Ext. #105

$20 75

Win a Birthday Party!

To enter, just color the picture and lettering, then send this page along with your name, address, phone and email address to Bear Essential News 1037 S. Alvernon Way, #150 Tucson, AZ 85711

$2400

Color to Enter! $2700

You can also find this page at

BearEssentialNews.com under “Contest Tab.” Winners will be notified by Feb. 14, 2013

1-2013

18

Bear essential news for kids!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

Continued from page 14

You Stink! An Article on Body Odor

by Reporter Kimberly O’Neal, Desert Sands Middle School Students and staff shared their opinions on hygiene and its importance.

Mr. Phifer said,“ My opinion on hygiene is to keep healthy and be sociable, not to over do it and that is the balance between obligation to myself or others. Can I come to school and be myself or do I have to look and smell like I just walked out of a movie?”

Hygiene could be just being healthy like going to the bathroom or letting gas out, but this has to be limited—no one wants to smell your body gases! Your peers do not want to be around others that look like they got out of bed and walked to school and did not take a shower, or did not brush their teeth.

Ana said, “Kids’ hygiene can be changed from bad to good by brushing your teeth, and putting deodorant on and taking a shower.”

If one of your friends has bad hygiene tell them, because I bet they’d rather a friend tell them than to be made fun of by others. Some students get made fun of on a daily basis because they do not have good hygiene.

An eighth grader named Ana stated, “Good hygiene is important so you stay

Avoid the flu, get a vaccine!

Flu signs and symptoms: fever, body aches, headaches, being extremely tired, sore throat, cough, runny or stuffy nose, vomiting and or diarrhea (more common in children).

Urgent Care Just for Kids at Night • 3600 N. 3rd Ave., Phoenix • 602-412-4033 • 8801 W. Union Hills, Peoria • 623-241-9026 • 10320 W. McDowell Rd., Avondale • 623-643-9233 • 325 E. Baseline, Phoenix • 602-824-4228 • 1452 N. Higley, Gilbert • 480-813-9600

www.GoodNightPeds.com

All-Night Urgent Care for Kids—Open all night, every night 5pm-5am • Children only: Newborns thru 18-year-olds • All children seen by a pediatrician • On-site X-ray & lab services • Accept most insurance & all AHCCCS • Save time and money compared to an emergency room

Good Night Pediatrics Word Search

Find the Good Night Pediatrics words in the puzzle!

BODYACHES COUGH DIARRHEA FEVER FLU HEADACHE RUNNY NOSE SAVE MONEY SAVE TIME SORE THROAT STUFFY NOSE TIRED VACCINE VOMITING

fresh and people do not say mean things about you.”

In some cases of bad hygiene it is because the parents didn’t talk to kids about having good body odor at a young age. “Your parents can help you stay clean and explain why it is important,” said Ana. “It has to be the parents (who talk about hygiene) first before the teacher or nurse because they have the primary responsibility over the child,” stated Mr. Phifer.

If you think you do not have good hygiene, then the person you should go to is a parent first!

Adviser: Heather Jancoski

Bacon Shortage

by Reporters Amelia Nguyen & Kaitlyn Brown Neely Traditional Academy Man’s worst nightmare has come true: A bacon shortage in Britain has spread across the globe. The Aporkalypse started between 2011 and now.

“Producers are going broke and can’t afford to feed herds,” economist Steve Meyer of the National Pork Producers Council says. Farmers in the States are suffering with the worst pig losses in one and a half decades.

Adviser: Jennifer Dow

e-mail: boomer@bearessentialnews.com

&

January 2013

Bear essential news for kids!

19

More events online at BearEssentialNews.com

It All Happens Under the Big Top!

Farm Animals Go On Strike!

ircus Vargas promises a new fantastical magical experience for Valley area audiences starting this month. This traditional traveling circus promises entertainment with a modern twist sure to delight and amaze families that venture under the Big Top! Circus Vargas will perform in the Valley Jan. 23–Feb. 18. See the circus in Mesa at Fiesta Mall Jan. 23–28. Phoenix will play host to the show Jan. 31–Feb. 4 at MetroCenter Mall. Mesa gets a second round of Big Top fun Feb. 7–11 at Superstition Springs Center. Then the circus moves to Scottsdale Feb. 14–18 for shows at the Pavillions at Talking Stick.

Founder Clifford Vargas believed a circus wasn’t a circus unless it was under a Big Top! Circus Vargas continues the tradition of performing under a Big Top tent—a tent that accommodates 1,500 people! It takes 30 people, about seven hours and more than 4 miles of rope and cable to raise the Big Top! The current owners, Nelson and Katya Quiroga, have the circus in their blood. Both are performers who come from circus families. The Quirogas share this unique heritage with their three daughters, now part of the Circus Vargas family.

For tickets, showtimes or more information, go to www.circusvargas.com or call 877-GOTFUN1. For a chance to win tickets to Circus Vargas, go online to BearEssentialNews.com.

he humorous tale of cows on strike will come to life at Bookmans Mesa Jan. 12. “Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type!” will be presented by Childsplay at 11 a.m.

Its time to occupy the barnyard! When the animals of Farmer Brown’s farm get fed up with their working conditions, they take out their typewriter and turn the barn upside down. This peaceful protest will QUACK you up as you join Duck, Cow, Hen and the other animals for an uproarious adventure, based on the delightful book by Doreen Cronin.

The story comes alive as a Childsplay teaching artist encourages the kids to act out the book! The artist will work with children to create a story drama lesson. Listen to the story, enjoy some milk, and get your photo taken with the protesting cows! You can also enter to win a gift pack that includes a family four pack to see the Childsplay show. Bookmans Mesa is located at 1056 S. Country Club Dr. For more information visit bookmans.com or call 480-835-0505.

Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type!” is being performed by Childsplay weekends Jan. 20 through March 3. For more information, visit www.childsplayaz.

C

T

Disney’s Hottest Shows Hit the Ice! isney On Ice: Dare to Dream comes to US Airways Center for nine shows Jan. 9–13, including a Spanish language performance.

Join a hair-raising adventure with Rapunzel, Flynn, Maximus and the rest of the cast of “Tangled.” Then get ready to boogie in the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from “The Frog Prince.” And everyone’s favorite storybook damsel goes from dustbins to diamonds—it’s a rags to riches tale for Cinderella when she meets Prince Charming. It’s a downright Princesspalooza when Disney On Ice brings these beloved heroines to town!

Tickets range from $70 to $14. To purchase tickets or to see show times, visit www.disneyonice.com.

D

For more information, go to BearEssentialNews.com.

Send event info to calendar@BearEssentialNews.com

Make HISTORY in your classroom!

Attend STUDENT DAYS Extensive curriculum is available for your 16th Century adventures Elementary students • Tues., Feb. 12th Jr.& Sr. High students • Thu., Feb. 14th 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Hurry! Order by Jan. 9 and receive free entry for one chaperone for every 8 students.

Get information at RenFestInfo.com & click Student Days.

Questions are welcome by calling 520-463-2600

20

Bear essential news for kids!

www.bearessentialnews.com

January 2013

59th Annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show

TM

February 14–17, 2013

Fluorite, Colors of the Rainbow Tucson Convention Center 260 South Church Avenue • Tucson, AZ 85701

Fluorite is a relatively common mineral that can be found in many countries around the world including here in the USA. Fluorite comes in many shapes and almost every color of the rainbow.

The Tucson Gem ShowTM is the LARGEST gem and mineral show in the United States.

In addition to the minerals, there will be gems, jewelry and one-of-a-kind items to see and buy, exhibits, lectures and more!

Kids!

Thursday: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

Complete the crosword puzzle by reading the page carefully. You’ll find all the answers on this page.

Friday:

G E MC R S O H S O S WW O R D

10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

Sunday:

10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Tickets go on sale January 21, 2013 at all TCC ticket outlets.

Admission: • $10 Adult • Children 14 and under are FREE with paying adult.

• Friday, February 15, 2013 Active Military and Senior Day (62 years +) $2.00 discount off admission.

• Two day tickets available for $17.00 • Go to www.TGMS.org for a $1.00 OFF coupon.

DOWN

ACROSS TM

2. The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is the___________ in the U.S. 4. This year is the 59th_________________ show.

6. What mineral is the star of this year’s show?

7. What Arizona city is host to the show?

9. On which day does the show close at 5:00 instead of 6:00?

10. You can see gems and __________ from all over the world.

1. Which day is Active Military and Senior Day? 3. Kids 14 and under are ____________ with a paying adult.

5. An ____________ ticket costs just $10.00 6. The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is held in this month.

8. A $1.00 discount ___________ is available at www.TGMS.org TM

For more info go to

www.tgms.org or call the TCC at

(520) 791-4101