Kidsville News - Feb 2011

KIDSVILLE NEWS - PAGE 5FEBRUARY 2011 WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM

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Did you know that sled dogs helped save the town of Nome, Alaska?

Back in 1925, there was a diptheria outbreak, and people were dy-ing. The people of Nome needed a serum to stop the disease, but the awful winter weather made

air delivery impossible. Instead, sled dogs, along with 20 mushers,

delivered the medicine 674 miles in

50º-below-zero weather. The two lead dogs, Togo and Balto, were heros!

February is the shortest month because it has only 28 days (usually!). One in every four years is a Leap Year! This means that the year has one more day than the 365 days that a common year has. The extra day is February 29. The next leap year is in 2012.

February has been proclaimed National African-American History Month, more commonly known as Black History Month. This month is set aside to recognize the achievements and contributions by African Americans. The observance of this special period dates from February 1926, when it was established as Negro History Week by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a noted African-American author and scholar. Dr. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (ASALH) in 1915. He established the week during the period of February, which contains the birthdays of Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, the month of February was established as Black History Month.

Throughout Black History Month, the country remembers and cel-ebrates the accomplishments of notable black fi gures in American history.

For most elementary-school students, it might be hard to believe that there was once a time when African-American people did not have the same rights as other Americans. Now, we have President Barack Obama, the nation’s fi rst African-American United States president, in offi ce. However, there was a time when African-Americans were not even allowed to vote. Frederick Douglas fought to change that. Frederick Douglass was one of the leaders of the abolitionist movement, which sought to end slavery in the United States decades before the Civil War. During the Civil War, Douglass served as an adviser to President Abraham Lincoln. He fought for the adoption of constitutional amend-ments that would guarantee voting rights and other civil liberties for African Americans.

Over the course of history, blacks have made tremendous contributions that have impacted all aspects of society. The following facts and fi gures recognize some of the more notable persons and some lesser known tidbits to celebrate this Black History Month.

• George Washington Carver was born a slave but later earned his college degree and became a chemist. He discovered uses for the peanut, the sweet potato and the soybean.

• The banjo originated in Africa. Until the 1800s, this popular and

unique instrument was considered played exclusively by blacks.

• C.B. Brooks invented the fi rst street sweeper, a truck equipped with brooms, in 1896.

• Frederick Jones invented a portable air conditioner that proved especially valuable in World War II, during which it was used to preserve medicine and blood serum.

• Computer scientist Mark Dean, born in 1957, led a team that developed the ISA bus, which allows the use of computer plug-ins, including speakers, scanners and disk drives, among other things.

• Lonnie G. Johnson, an engineer whose work has included spacecraft system design for NASA, invented the Super Soaker water gun, a toy that was immensely popular in the early 1990s.

• Arguably one of the greatest Olympians the world has ever seen, American Jesse Owens became the fi rst athlete to win four gold medals in one Olympiad at the 1936 games in Berlin.

• Following in Owens’ footsteps, Wilma Rudolph overcame polio to win three gold medals in the 1960 Olympic Games. The 20th of 22 children, Rudolph broke three world records.

•Started in 1787, the African Free School in New York City was the fi rst free school for African Americans.

• Booker T. Washington was the fi rst African American to be honored on a United States stamp.

* When her autobiographical work I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings made the bestseller list, Maya Angelou became the fi rst African American woman to author a nonfi ction bestseller.

* In 1987, neurosurgeon Ben Carson led the fi rst successful operation to separate a pair of Siamese twins who were joined at the back of the head.

* In 1975, Lee Elder became the fi rst African-American golfer to play in the Masters Tournament. Twenty-two years later, Tiger Woods would become the fi rst African American to win the prestigious tournament.

Image portrays Martin Luther King, Jr., Frederick Douglas and Rosa Parks. Source: metrocreativeconnection.com.

PAGE 6 - KIDSVILLE NEWS FEBRUARY 2011WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM

It’s time to get out your globe! You need to know about the imaginary lines on globes and maps. These lines are called lines of latitude and longitude, and they tell a pilot or ship’s captain exactly where in the world a certain place is located. Basically, latitude lines (also called parallels) are the horizontal lines on your map. Lines of longitude (also called meridians) are the

vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole. This mapping system is written in degrees and uses the symbol °. Get ready to travel the world!

Pull out your globe and fi nd coordinates 13'53º N and 60'58º W, and you’ll fi nd the small Caribbean island of Saint Lucia.

Saint Lucia is a small island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. It is north of Trinidad and Tobago. The island is about three times the size of Washington, D.C.

Although it is a tropical island with nice sandy beaches, it is also mountainous with volcanoes. It has a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from May to

August. There are two cone-shaped volcanic mountain peaks, called Gros Piton and Petit Piton, that are popular natural sights and are a symbol of the island. They are even represented on the fl ag!

Saint Lucia gained its independence from the United Kingdom on February 22, 1979, and celebrates that day as a national holiday. The country was also ruled by the French

many times during its history. The name of the island comes from the French, who named it after Saint Lucy of Syracuse. The French were the fi rst Europeans to settle on the island.

Tourism is Saint Lucia's main source of income. The island also exports bananas, mangos and avocados.

Sources: The World Factbook prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS...SAINT LUCIA?

We still have several more weeks of winter, and ice hockey is one of the most popular winter sports in the world. The game is an Olympic sport, and worldwide there are more than a million registered players at all levels!

Although ice hockey has been around since the early 1800s, it was limited to areas where

it was cold enough for ponds to freeze. With the invention of indoor ice rinks in the early 1900s, the sport spread to areas where it had never been possible. Today there are professional National Hockey League teams all around the United States, including Florida and California.

Tommy Stewart started playing hockey when he was four or fi ve. As a grown-up, he spent seven years as a pro player and now is Head Coach of the FireAntz, a team in the Southern Professional Hockey League. According to Stewart, the number-one tip to improve your game is not to be a “puck hog.” That’s the best tip for any age, from kids on up, he says.

“Let the puck do the work. Don’t be a puck hog. The puck can move so fast, so you have to share the puck. You have to pass it, just like basket-ball. Don’t get caught up following the puck. Stop and watch.”

Stewart also says that cardiovascular and strength training are important for a hockey player. “Your lower half is important, training your legs and thighs. Your power and good skating comes from your legs. So work your lower core — bike riding, running — those types of activities help.” And, of course, ice skating!

There are three basic kinds of players: forwards, defensemen and goaltenders (goalies). Unless a team is shorthanded due to a penalty or overtime, each team will have six players on the ice during play. Three for-

wards line up at the front of the team. Two defensemen line up behind them, one on the left and one on the right, and the goalie is the sixth player.

The objective of the game is to score goals by shooting a hard rubber disc, the puck, into the opponent’s goal net at the opposite end of the rink. The players control the puck using a long stick with a blade that is curved at one end.

Players may also move the puck with any part of their bodies, including angling their feet so the puck can bounce off them into the net, but there can be no kicking motion. They may not bat the puck into the net with their hands.

Ice hockey is the only major sport in which substitutions are permitted while the game is in play. The game is so fast and so demanding that forwards generally skate only 90 seconds at a time. Defensemen usually stay on the ice for a slightly longer period of time.

In order to avoid being hurt by the sticks and the pucks, the players wear a good deal of padding, and they are required by to wear helmets. The players also wear skates, of course. Goalies wear more equipment, including extra padding, gloves to catch the puck and a helmet with a wire facemask.

The game is divided into three periods of 20 minutes’ playing time each, with a 15-minute intermission between periods. Hockey games may end in a tie unless that particular league allows overtime for a tiebreaker.

Take a trip to your local ice rink to see a hockey game or to learn more about playing the sport. Break out those ice skates and get ready to play!

Sources: Encyclopedia Britannica Online; “Hockey 101 - An Introduc-tion to the Basics,” www.njyhl.org.

COME OUT AND PLAY!Let’s Get on the Ice and Play Hockey!


Z D Y T Z T P K I Z V D N Z W A J G R R P N T O O T H A L G K V Q F A A A E R N Q X C Z U K Y W O J U E Q D G E J I G Z O X A X I Z R H Q I L R R H D F B H S Y P Z B G T S C F R P N A C I R E M A E Q C E A C E K B K R H Y L N D F U Z R N V H I S T O R Y L H H X I I P H T S I T N E D G A I I T N E O G O H D N U O R G B N A A Q N X C G M Y L Z F I E T L Y V A B K W A B W M H L Y T O D W T H O P U R Z S A R H O A O W T W P U F F U V Y V D R O I F T

February Word FindFind the hidden words in the puzzle.

AFRICANAMERICANDENTISTFEBRUARY

FOOTBALLGROUNDHOGHEALTHHEART

HISTORYPRESIDENTTOOTHVALENTINE

Be a Bus Bully Buster!

Across3. Help _____________ kids.7. ____________ is most important.8. Listen to your ___________.11. Bullying is sooooo _____________.Down1. The ____________ zone is 10 feet around the bus.2. Stay _____________ for a safe ride.4. Line up quietly and ______________.5. Treat everyone ___________.6. Be a good _____________.9. Obey all your bus ____________.10. Stand up to the _____________.12. Bus Bully Busters are ____________.

Word ListDriver Rules Cool Uncool ExampleSafety

Seated OrderlyDanger KindlyBullies Younger

Visit www.kidsvillenews.com

for more fun & gamesall year long!


Tru-Truman Truman’s Tricky Picture Find these

items! Be sure to fi nd Truman’s hat! For more puzzles and games, visit www.kidsvillenews.com.

Coloring CornerHappy Valentine’s Day! What’s your idea of the perfect Valentine’s heart? Color it here and then give it to someone you love!


It’s Valentine’s Day!Valentine’s Day is

celebrated on February 14. It is a day when people exchange

cards, candy, gifts, fl owers, stuffed animals,

jewelry and other items with loved ones, friends and family.

A common fi gure representing

Valentine’s Day is Cupid. Cupid was the god of love in Roman mythology. (Mythology is a collection of stories that are believed to be true by a certain group of people.) Prior to the mid-300s A.D., Cupid was seen as a strong, handsome young man. After the 350s, however, Cupid was depicted as a plump, naked baby with wings and a bow and arrows in his hands. If someone was struck with one of Cupid’s golden arrows, then that person would instantly fall in love.

A lot of debate exists over what actually started Valentine’s Day. In the 1300s,

English poet Geoffrey Chaucer spoke about how birds start choosing their mates on February 14, just like many people fi nd romance on February 14. Another idea is the exchanging of cards, which came from the Frenchman, Charles, the Duke of Orleans. Charles wrote a love letter to his wife on February 14 from his jail cell, where he was imprisoned after the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. From there, Valentine’s Day began in England as a day when people traded romantic and loving words between one another.

Some people think that Valentine’s Day came from saints in the early Christian church who died for their love of Christianity. Still others claim that Valentine’s Day comes from spring being the season of romance.

Regardless of its origin, Valentine’s Day is a holiday that is celebrated worldwide on February 14.

Written by Ashley Young, contributing writer. Sources: The World Book Encyclopedia;Britannica Encyclopedia Online; www.metrocreativeconnection.com.

Valentine’s Day by the Numbers• Hallmark research indicates that more than 140 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year.

• Research also shows that more than half of the United States population celebrates the day by purchasing a greeting card.

• The average American consumed 25.7 pounds of candy in 2005.

• There are roughly 2.2 million marriages per year in the United States.

Since the eighteenth century, the tradition of Groundhog Day has been observed. However, it hasn’t always centered around a groundhog or been called by that name.

Groundhog Day actually has origins as “Candelmas Day” and began in Germany. When German settlers came to America and primarily took up residence in Pennsylvania and beyond, they brought the traditions of Candelmas Day with them. Candelmas Day falls midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Superstition was that if the weather on Candelmas Day was stormy, the second half of winter would be fair. If it was fair and sunny on Candelmas Day, winter would stretch on with more cold weather.

As the German saying goes (and variations from other European countries):For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,So far will the snow swirl until May.For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day,So far will the sun shine before May.Early European Christians would also celebrate Candelmas Day, when clergy would

distribute candles during the dark of winter.In Germany, a badger or even a bear was used for predicting the upcoming weather.

In Pennsylvania, another hibernating mammal was relied upon — the woodchuck or groundhog. Perhaps that was also because native Delaware Indians who settled around Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, regarded the groundhog as an honorable ancestor of “Mother Earth.” Punxsutawney comes from the Indian name “ponksad-uteney,” which means “the town of the sandfl ies.”

Pennsylvania’s fi rst offi cial celebration of Groundhog Day took place on February 2, 1886. The groundhog used in the festivities was given the name “Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary.” He has since been called simply Punxsutawney Phil.

Phil’s fi rst prediction was an early spring. Since then, he has been right about 40 percent of the time, according to statistics. Groundhog Day festivities now take place at Gobbler’s Knob, a wooded hill with a beautiful view. Phil rests in a heated burrow beneath a fake tree stump before making his prediction each February 2 at 7:25 a.m.

Is Spring on the Way? Ask the Groundhog!

What is a Groundhog?A groundhog is also

known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig or land-beaver in some areas. It is a rodent of the scientifi c class Marmota monax. The groundhog is closely related to another rodent, the squirrel. Groundhogs do spend a lot of time foraging for plant life on the ground. However, they can also climb trees and swim. In the winter, ground-hogs hibernate in a burrow where their body temperature and metabolism drop.

Source: www.metrocreativeconnection.com


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Is One Answer Blowing in the Wind?

“Oh, man, it’s windy

today!” you say looking out your window. But how can you tell? Well, trees and

bushes lean over, and their branches wave wildly. Leaves, trash

and even trash cans fl y down the street. The restless air rattles the windows.

Anything that can push trees and trash cans around must have a lot of energy. If only we could grab some and put it to work!

We can. For two thousand years, people have harnessed the wind to help with their work. Windmills have pumped water from wells, ground wheat into fl our, pressed oil from seeds and even helped with the laundry. When electric lights came into use in the late 1800s, the windmill was put to work to produce electricity.

However, most of our electricity has been made by burning coal or natural gas. Unfortunately, burning these fuels adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and makes global warming worse. Wind does not make carbon dioxide. And it never runs out. So more and more power com-panies are building wind “farms.” A wind farm is a collection of windmills, or wind turbines, built in a windy location, such as a mountain pass. A wind farm may have thousands of wind turbines. Together, they can make a lot of electricity.

One wind turbine in a nice, windy location can power around 200 homes. To power 200 homes for one month, a coal-fi red power plant emits about 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere!

Still, in the United States, and over the whole Earth, only a small fraction of electricity is made using clean, renewable energy sources like wind.

Let’s give more power to the wind!Play the Power-Up game at NASA’s Climate Kids website.

Capture enough wind and solar energy to run a whole city. It’s at http://climate.nasa.gov/kids/powerupcleanly. And at The Space Place, see the “Ecosphere.” It is a tiny model of Earth’s perfectly balanced air, water, land, and life — if we don’t mess it up! Play word games while you’re there at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/earth/wordfi nd.

This article was written by Diane K. Fisher and provided courtesy of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Over 4,000 separate wind turbines make up this wind farm in the San Gorgonio Pass in Southern California. It provides power for over 400,000 people.


Red, White & True Mysteries

Jackie was born in Los Angeles in 1914. There didn’t

appear to be anything wrong with the baby at first.

Jackie was somewhat of an oddball. Jackie would often fish — using dynamite; only had one outfit, which was a big black overcoat and al-ways kept a cannon in the bedroom. Yes, a cannon.

But wait, there’s more! As an adult, Jackie had a treehouse in the

backyard. Also rode a motorcycle. And was bald, with bulging eyes unlike anything you have ever seen.

Jackie’s niece and nephew referred to Jackie as an uncle. Speaking of the nephew, he was a bit odd, too, as evidenced by the fact that he had a pet octopus. In fact, the wholefamily was a little, how shall we say it, weird. But that was part of what made them so appealing. Their neighbors thought they were strange, yet this family thought their normal neighbors were strange. Again, it’s part of what made them so appealing.

The entire family had a few unusual pets, including hawks, bats and an alligator. Not to mention that the cat was a lion, and they also had spiders, two piranha and a vulture, as well as a man-eating plant.

This was no ordinary family that Jackie was a part of; in fact, it was something that you would expect to see on a television sitcom.

There’s one other thing you should know about Jackie: He was once married to actress Betty Grable. She was his first wife, and he would later marry three

more times. You see, Jackie was the actor known as Jackie Coogan,

but he was best known as Uncle Fester on The Addams Fam-ily show!

It was in his role as Uncle Fester that he did all of the above strange things on The Addams Family. He also played many other memorable roles during his career, including that of Charlie Chaplin’s sidekick in The Kid and the title role in Oliver Twist. He was one of the very first child actors to become a big star, and he was the first star to get a major merchandising deal, with his likeness appearing on numerous products.

In addition to his Addams Family legacy, Jackie Coogan played a role in getting the California Child Actor’s Bill passed into law. Jackie earned more than $4 million as a child actor, but his mother and stepfather took most of it.

By the time Jackie sued, most of the money had already been spent. He received only $126,000 after his legal expenses. Charlie Chaplin, who discovered Jackie Coogan as a child actor, helped Jackie financially. The Child Actor’s Bill, which gave child actors certain rights over their contracts and their money, is often referred to as the Coogan Law.

© 2010 Paul Niemann. This story is part of the Red, White & True Mysteries series by author Paul Niemann. For more information, please visit www.InventionMysteries.com.

Jackie Was a Popular, But Unlikely, Uncle


AT THE MOVIES

Never Say Never (In Theaters: February 11)Justin Bieber fever fi nds its way to your local movie screens with a 3D telling of the young pop singer’s fast rise to superstardom. Performances from Justin Bieber’s current musical tour are broken up with scenes backstage and archive home movies showing the child musician at various moments in his development as a performer. Justin started out as a drummer. Planned for release in time for Valentine’s Day, Never Say Never is a bubblegum movie aimed at Justin Bieber fans who just can’t get enough of the child music star and his signature fl oppy hair.Not Yet Rated. 89 mins. (Paramount Pictures)

Gnomeo & Juliet (In Theaters: February 11)William Shakespeare’s classic play “Romeo and Juliet” gets a zippy adaptation that features garden gnomes instead of humans. When suburbia goes on vacation every garden gnome comes to life. Our love-struck couple Gnomeo (voiced by James McAvoy) and Juliet (voiced by Emily Blunt) are caught between the rival blue gnomes and the red gnomes. Kelly Asbury, the director of Shrek 2, uses music from Elton John and Lady Gaga to score the goofy 3D adventure. Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Patrick Stewart, Dolly Parton, Ozzy Osbourne and Hulk Hogan are some of the all-star cast of actors who lend their voices to the colorful little characters. Rated G. 100 mins. (Touchstone Pictures)

MOVIES ON DVD

Duke Ellington...and More Stories to Celebrate Great Figures in African American History (Available February 1)In honor of African American History Month, this DVD from Scholastic

features four animated stories about famous Black fi gures. Duke Ellington’s story as a songwriter and performer is narrated by Forest Whitaker. The Duke was a master of 20th-century popular music. The late Mr. Ellington also receives a poetic treatment in the DVD’s second story, “Ellington Was Not a Street” by Ntozake Shange. Ella Fitzgerald, the Grande Dame of American Jazz, is celebrated in the brief biographical story “Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of Vocal Virtuosa,” with narration provided by Billy Dee Williams. Finally, the myth of John Henry’s famous contest between a man with a hammer and a steam drill is told by Samuel L. Jackson. “John Henry” is based on the popular folk song. Not Rated. 70 mins. (Scholastic)

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 (Available February 1)Disney’s straight-to-DVD sequel for Beverly Hills Chihuahua fi nds the doggie couple of Chloe and Papi getting married and raising a litter of puppies in their world of talking dogs. Chihuahuas are the favored pets in this lighthearted family comedy. Plenty of slapstick humor abounds as the puppies get in over their heads in mud and trouble. George Lopez returns as the voice of the ever-romantic Chihuahua Papi, who always knows just what to say in any situation. Rated G. 88 mins. (Walt Disney Studios)

White Lion (Available February 15)This fi ctional live-action animal drama is set in Africa. White Lion takes its history from the legend of the Shangaan tribe, who believe that the birth of a white lion is a gift from their ancestors. Such a lion promises peace and prosperity for all members of the Shangaan tribe. But when a rare white lion is fi nally born in their valley, a young Shangaan boy named Gisani must help protect the wild cat named Letasatsi from people who want to kill it. When Letasatsi is cast out from his pride, the young lion must journey on alone in search for survival. Along the way, Letasatsi makes friends with an older lion named Nkulu who helps guide Letasatsi on to his true destiny as King of the jungle. Rated PG for some mild action and brief smoking. 88 mins. (Screen Media Films)

Cole Smithey, also known as “the smartest fi lm critic in the world,” has been a fi lm critic for 11 years and writes for over 50 publications, in print and on-line. Truman loves to watch movies and has the highest appreciation for great popcorn.


Valentine’s Day naturally brings thoughts of hearts, fl owers, sweetness and love. But did you know that it also falls during American Heart Month? A perfect time to start taking care of your heart and the hearts of the ones you love.

You might think that a heart-healthy diet is boring or fl avorless. Actually, eating for your heart can add a lot of fl avor, and some of it may come from surprising sources — such as watermelon.

Eating watermelon can help maintain cardiovascular health. That’s because the amino acid called citrulline in watermelon increases free arginine, which helps maintain blood fl ow, the arteries and overall cardiovascular function. Watermelon season is roughly May through October. But you can enjoy delicious imported watermelon all year round.

KIDSVILLE KITCHENTogether Time — Ask an adult for help with projects!

WATERMELON OAT CRUMBLEServes 6-8WHAT YOU NEED: • 2 cups rolled or quick-cook oats• 1/2 cup light brown sugar• 1/8 cup honey• 1 teaspoon cinnamon• 1 cup chopped pecans• 6 cups watermelon ballsHOW TO MAKE IT: • Toss the oats, sugar, honey, cinnamon and pecans until mixed well. • Spread into an even layer on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. • Bake in pre-heated 300ºF oven until golden brown. Turn off oven, leaving the tray in for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and cool. Break into crumbles.

• Arrange the watermelon balls in 6 to 8 small bowls or wide- stemmed glasses and top with the oat crumble.

Another great idea: Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut sliced watermelon into hearts! Decorate and serve!

To get more scrumptious recipes like these, and to learn more about the heart benefi ts of watermelon, visit www.water-melon.org. Recipe courtesy of National Watermelon Promotion Board and Family Features.



PARENTOWN’S KIDSMART

Millions of families each year face the question of how to pay for college. And it’s not one that’s easily answered without the help of some kind of fi nancial aid. A survey by The Princeton Review found that 86 percent of college applicants and parents of applicants said that fi nancial aid would be “very necessary.”

In 2009-10, there was over $199 billion of fi nancial aid distributed to undergraduate and graduate students in the form of grants, federal loans, work-study and tax credits and deductions, according to “Trends in Student Aid 2010,” by The College Board. The same report said that full-time undergraduate students received an average of $11,461 in fi nancial aid.

So the good news is that there is money for college out there — if you know where to look. Here are some resources to help you fi nd ways to make college more affordable.

Take a look at affi liations and memberships - Past and present employers, unions, military service, memberships, activities and hobbies can all be sources for college funds. A parent or grandparent’s membership in an organization may get a student the aid they need. A good example of this is Foresters Competitive Scholarships. Eligible Foresters members and their families can apply for scholarships for community service as well as good grades.

“We take great pride in investing in our members, their families and the communities where they live,” said Kasia Czarski, Chief Membership and Market-ing Offi cer at Foresters, a life insurance provider committed to the well-being of families. “Every year, Foresters awards 350 Competitive Scholarships as part of its member benefi ts because a solid education only makes for a brighter future.”

Lower the cost to attend - Try the community college route. Start at a less ex-pensive school and then transfer to a four-year institution. It’s far less expensive and can cut time and money off the cost of a four-year program. You can also plan early by taking advanced placement classes while in high school. Take summer classes and an extra class per semester to get a leg up on college credit requirements.

Be a savvy scholarship searcher - Take advantage of the Internet to search out the scholarship - or scholarships - right for you. Here are some resources to get you started:

* Good, general starting places include www.scholarships.com, www.fastweb.com, and www.collegeboard.org.

* Latino students can search for scholarships at www.maldef.org or www.haceonline.org. For other minority scholarships, visit www.fi naid.org.

* For out-of-the-box scholarships - such as those for vegetarians, getting creative with duct tape and even being left-handed — visit www.scholarships.com, and www.fastweb.com.

A word of caution as you’re searching for scholarships - be alert to scams. If you have to pay in order to compete for a scholarship, it may be a scam. Learn more about scholarship scams at www.ftc.gov.

Look at service and professional groups - Many service organizations such as the Scouts, VISTA and Teach for America offer scholarships. Corporate founda-tions are an excellent source of fi nancial aid and often require a number of years of service to that organization in return. If you know what you want to study, look into professional associations affi liated with that career. Many, including associations for political science, nursing and physical therapy, offer scholarships to help attract students to their fi elds.

Start exploring fi nancial options early and do your homework because with some time, patience and perseverance, it is possible to make college more affordable.

Sources: Family Features and Foresters. For more information on Foresters Competitive Scholarship program, visit www.foresters.com/scholarships. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

How to Make College More Affordable Cómo hacer que la educación universitaria sea más accesible

Cada año, millones de familias se enfrentan a la cuestión de cómo costearse una edu-cación universitaria. Y no es un asunto que se resuelva fácilmente sin algún tipo de ayuda fi nanciera. En una encuesta realizada por The Princeton Review, se concluyó que el 86 por ciento de los solicitantes de ingreso a la universidad y sus padres dijeron que la ayuda fi nanciera sería “muy necesaria”.

En 2009-10, se distribuyeron más de $199 billones en ayuda fi nanciera a estudiantes de primer grado universitario y de postgrado mediante becas, préstamos federales, planes de trabajo-estudio federales y créditos fi scales y deducciones según el artículo “Trends in Student Aid 2010” (Tendencias en ayuda estudiantil de 2010), preparado por The College Board. El mismo informe decía que los estudiantes universitarios de pre-grado recibieron un promedio de $11,461 en ayuda fi nanciera.

Las buenas noticias son que hay dinero por ahí para los estudios universitarios – si se sabe en dónde buscarlo. A continuación se exponen algunos recursos para ayudarlo a encontrar la manera de hacer que los estudios universitarios sean más asequibles.

Considere las afi liaciones y membresías – Los empleadores antiguos y actuales, sindicatos, el servicio militar, afi liaciones, actividades y afi ciones, todos ellos pueden

ser fuentes de fi nanciación para la universidad. Un buen ejemplo de esto son las Becas por concurso de Foresters™. Los afi liados de Foresters elegibles y sus familias pueden solicitar becas por servicio comunitario así como por buenas notas.

“Nos enorgullece enormemente invertir en nuestros afi liados, sus familias y las co-munidades donde viven,” dijo Kasia Czarski, Ofi cial Jefa de Afi liación y Mercadotecnia de Foresters, un proveedor de seguros de vida comprometido con el bienestar de las familias. “Cada año Foresters otorga 350 Becas por concurso como parte de los benefi cios de sus afi liados porque sólo una educación sólida fomenta un brillante porvenir.”

Reduzca el costo de asistir a la universidad – Pruebe la vía de la universidad comu-nitaria. Empiece en una universidad más económica y luego cámbiese a una institución de cuatro años. Es mucho más barato y puede reducir una enorme cantidad de tiempo y gastos del costo total de un programa de cuatro años. También puede planear con anticipación tomando cursos avanzados mientras estudia en la escuela secundaria. Tome cursos de verano y un curso adicional por semestre para avanzar en la consecución de los requisitos de créditos para la universidad.

Sea un buscador de becas hábil – Utilice Internet para buscar la beca – o becas – que sean idóneas para usted. A continuación se exponen algunos recursos para ayudarlo a empezar:

• Buenos sitios para empezar que ofrecen información general incluyen www.scholarships.com, www.fastweb.com, y www.collegeboard.org.

• Los estudiantes latinos pueden buscar becas en www.maldef.org o www.haceon-line.org. Para becas destinadas a otros grupos minoritarios, visite www.fi naid.org.

• Para becas poco convencionales — las hay para vegetarianos, por ser creativo con cinta adhesiva plateada y hasta por ser zurdo — , visite www.scholarships.com, y www.fastweb.com.

Una advertencia mientras busca las becas – póngase atento a las trampas. Si tiene que pagar para solicitar una beca, puede ser una trampa. Entérese de las trampas de becas en www.ftc.gov.

Considere las organizaciones de servicio y profesionales – Muchas organizaciones de servicio como los Scouts, VISTA y Teach for America ofrecen becas. Las fundaciones cor-porativas son una excelente fuente de ayuda fi nanciera y con frecuencia exigen a cambio cierto número de años de servicio a la organización. Si sabe lo que quiere estudiar, inves-tigue las asociaciones afi liadas con esa carrera. Muchas de ellas, incluidas asociaciones de ciencias políticas, enfermería, y terapia física, ofrecen becas para atraer a los estudiantes hacia su especialidad.

Empiece a explorar las opciones de fi nanciación temprano e infórmese bien, porque con tiempo, paciencia y perseverancia, es posible lograr que la educación universitaria sea más accesible.

La cortesía de Family Features y Foresters. Para obtener más información sobre el pro-grama de Becas por concurso de Foresters, visite www.foresters.com/scholarships.La cortesía de la foto de Getty Images.


PARENTOWN’S KIDSHAPE

Tips for Treating a Sick ChildOnce the winter months set in, it seems there’s always some sort of “bug”

going around school. Between colds, fl u, strep and other common illnesses, kids are lucky to escape this season without coming down with something. But if they do get sick, what should you do? These tips will help parents and caregivers see kids through the illness and get them back on the way to health.

Treating a Fever. Not every fever needs treatment. Fevers are part of how the body fi ghts off infection. The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) says that if your child is eating and sleeping well and has periods of playfulness, he or she probably doesn’t need any treatment. But consult with your child’s doctor to fi nd out what’s best in each case. The AAP has these tips for taking care of a child with a fever:

• Keep his room and your home comfortably cool, and dress him lightly.• Encourage her to drink extra fl uid such as water, diluted fruit juices or

commercially prepared oral electrolyte solutions.• If the fever is a symptom of a highly contagious disease

such as chickenpox or the fl u, keep your child away from other children, elderly people and people whose immune systems are compromised.

Treating Colds and Flu. While it’s tempting to seek medicinal treatment for every ailment, there is no cure for the cold or fl u, and antibiotics don’t work on the viruses that cause colds and fl u. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) says that headaches, muscle aches, sore throats and some fevers can be treated with pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Be sure you give the correct dose according to your child’s age and weight.

• Cough and cold medicines are not recommended for children, especially those younger than two.

• Make sure your child rests and drinks plenty of fl uids. • A humidifi er can help moisten the air in your child’s bedroom and will help

with nasal congestion.Medicating Children. When a doctor does prescribe an antibiotic or

antiviral medication, there are several important things to be aware of. The AAP recommends fi nishing all prescribed doses of an antibiotic, even if the child starts to feel better soon. They also recommend:

• Sticking with the schedule – Don’t skip doses, and ask the doctor what to do if a dose isn’t given on time.

• Giving the right amount – Never give a child more medicine because you think it might work better or faster. It could do more harm than good.

• Don’t try to hide the medicine – If a child hates the taste of the medicine, or tries to spit it out, it might be tempting to try to hide it in milk or food. But this could affect how well the medicine works, so do not do this unless specifi cally directed by your child’s doctor.

For liquid prescriptions and over-the-counter medications that your child does hate the taste of, pharmacies can add Flavorx fl avors to improve the taste. If your child is prescribed medication in pill form, there are ways to help the medicine go down. A fl avored spray such as Pill Glide helps medications, vitamins and supplements go down without giving kids a stuck-in-the-throat feeling. Find out more about bothproducts at www.fl avorx.com or ask your pharmacist.

Information and image courtesy of Family Features.

Art Gallery

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a French artist best known as one of history’s leading Impressionist painters. Although his early works were realistic, colorful paintings that fit with Impressionist ideas, he later broke away from this movement and paint-ed in a more disciplined, formal style.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born on February 25, 1841, in Limoges, France. He was the sixth child in a family of seven. As a child, Pierre-Auguste was already a very good art-ist. Recognizing their son’s talent, his parents sent Pierre-Auguste to apprentice at a porcelain fac-tory when he was just 13. There, he learned how to paint delicate flowers and designs on fine china. As his talent became more obvious, he started painting fans and cloth panels with religious themes for churches

and began thinking about studying art at school. In 1862, Pierre-Auguste enrolled in art classes in Paris.

He also began studying painting with a well-known Swiss artist, Charles Gleyre. At his studio, Pierre-Auguste got to know several other young artists like Claude Monet, with whom he started experimenting with a new movement — Impressionism. Although Pierre-Auguste began showing his work in the mid-1860s, it was not until the first official Impressionist exhibition in 1874 that

he was truly noticed as a new, modern artist. Using small strokes of a paintbrush, Pierre-Auguste layered multiple colors on his canvases in an effort to create more brightness in his work. Like the other Impressionists, he tried to capture outdoor light and nature in his paintings of people in natural settings.

Pierre-Auguste painted many Impressionist masterpieces during the 1870s and early 1880s. However,by mid-1880, he was looking to step away from Impressionism, and his work became more disciplined. Over the next decade or so, his paintings focused more on line, shape and form than on color and light. During this time, he mostly painted portraits of women.

By the 1890s, Pierre-Auguste was a well-known artist, but his health was failing. He suffered from rheumatism, a disorder that causes pain and inflammation in a person’s joints. Despite this, Pierre-Auguste continued to paint. Towards the end of his life, he could no longer hold a paintbrush. But, he loved to paint so much that he bound a brush to his hand with string and continued painting any-way!

Pierre-Auguste died on December 2, 1919. His work is still on exhibit in galleries and museums all over the world.

Written by Tamar Burris, a former elementary schoolteacher who now works as a freelance writer and curriculum developer for PBS, the Discovery Channel and other education-related companies. Sources: Biography of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, http://www.renoirgallery.com/biography.asp; Pierre-Auguste Renoir Biography, http://www.biography.com/

articles/Pierre-Auguste-Renoir-9455662, Pierre-Auguste Renoir on Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Impressionism

Renoir’s painting, The Swing (La Balançoire), 1876, oil on canvas, Musée d’Orsay, Paris.

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Kidsville News - Feb 2011