Wishing you a very healthy and happy holiday season. I want to take a moment of GRATITUDE and Thank you for reading my column this year, I hope you have implemented some of the self-care tips I’ve shared. My goal is to raise awareness to self-care starting in our home. As we get into the moments with family, holiday hustle and all things seasonal – this is a great time for reflection. One of my biggest tips for enhancing wellness is through a gratitude practice. But first, I want to take a moment to acknowledge that there are times where you may find it difficult to harness a gratitude practice.…
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The Importance of Supportive Spaces for Queer and Trans Youth
At age 16 I began questioning my sexual orientation and sought out community to find safe and accepting spaces. Trying to process and better understand my identity was a confusing and isolating experience. In an effort to find support, I began attending weekly queer youth groups at the Diversity Center, which shifted to attending regional youth summits, and then state-wide conferences. In my senior year of high school I began an internship with the Queer Youth Task Force (QYTF) to organize queer social events and a student summit. This activism led to being honored with a Queer Youth Leadership Award and becoming a Equality Scholarship recipient in 2008. When I…
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Behind the Scenes of the Nutcracker
It’s that time of year again… Nutcracker time! The tune of the “Waltz of the Flowers” plays in department stores and Nutcracker dolls are abundant in holiday displays. What exactly does it take to put on a full scale production of the Nutcracker Ballet year over year? When do preparations begin? We’d like to invite you into the world of Nutcracker. It begins in January and ends in December. Our dancers train year round and Nutcracker is almost a way of life. Over 100 dancers from ages 4 to adult grace the stage and the music of Tchaikovsky’s grand score begins filling our studios in September 1/3 – Costume MadnessIn…
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United Way’s Innovative 211 Program Delivers Free Meals and Much More
While everyone is familiar with calling 911 for emergencies, some may not know about another important resource that offers help with non-emergency issues. The number to call is 2-1-1. Established in 2010 by the United Way of Santa Cruz County, 211 connects individuals and families to social and health services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The 211 mission is simple: provide access to services to individuals and families in need. Those needs could range from help with smoking cessation to obtaining low-cost broadband to assistance with taxes or even rent relief. The service enables people to ask questions, understand their options, resolve problems, and ultimately improve their…
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David Bowie’s Sax Player Finds Success After Aptos High
When Saxophonist Donny McCaslin and his New York-based band blazed through one of the best-received sets at the 66th Monterey Jazz Festival in September, McCaslin was standing on familiar turf.As he told the audience at his Friday evening set on the West End stage, McCaslin has played the prestigious festival a number of times, starting at age 14. That year, McCaslin and his Aptos High School jazz bandmates won that year’s high school compeitition, and with it, a slot at the festival. The effects-laden set McCaslin and his band played wasn’t the kind of music that would appeal to jazz purists, but it was atmospheric and high-energy, with plenty of…
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Easing the Pain of Ride Breakdowns
I recently returned from a few days in Southern California to visit Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain for the first time since 2019. Being that it was my first visit since before the pandemic, I was thrilled to hit my favorite rides, after wondering three years ago if I would ever have the opportunity again. The primary purpose of my visit was for both parks’ Halloween spectaculars. Word of advice: try every other theme park Halloween event before going to Knott’s Scary Farm. Knott’s haunt is second to none, and will seriously ruin every other due to the impossibly high bar it sets. If my trip, however,…
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An Effective and Unique Parenting Approach
Growing Up In Santa Cruz recently featured Positive Discipline articles discussing the differences between punishment and discipline. These are the key take-aways: punishment is something that usually stems from adults getting angry with children and mistakenly believing that it is the effective option to change their behavior. Over the long term, however, punishment results in resentment, revenge, rebellion, and retreat. Positive discipline, on the other hand, is expressed not with anger but with compassion, and it is exercised with a balance of kindness and firmness (the authoritative parenting style) so as to help children feel better (the relationship-focused approach) and in turn do better (what we all think of as…
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The Family That Studies Together
For the past couple of years, I have watched and supported my husband Bob in his quest to earn his Bachelor’s Degree. I have always admired his tenacity and skill to learn something new. He has been retired for several years, but is always busy. In addition to his schoolwork, he also coaches’ football, wrestling and track. I have three older children who are in their mid to late thirties and we have two high schoolers at home. In addition, we have grandchildren who range in age from Elementary school to early twenties. Since my retirement from Law Enforcement, I have obtained my certifications in massage therapy and personal training.…
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Watsonville Teen is County’s First Student Trustee
The Santa Cruz County Board of Education has for decades made innumerable decisions that affect the lives of students.Oscar Alvarez-Delgado, a 17-year-old senior from Pajaro Valley High School, was chosen from five applicants.Santa Cruz County Office of Education Board President Bruce Van Allen said the new appointment reflects the board’s mission of putting students first.“We care so much about the lives and the health and the learning and the futures of the students of this county,” he said.County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah, who swore in Alvarez-Delgado, agreed.“The why of education and the why of the County Office of Education is students, and having a voice as part of the…
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Berry, Berry Fun
Dozens of Radcliff Elementary School students on Monday got a dual surprise: a berry feast from Driscoll’s, along with a free children’s book recently produced by the Watsonville-based company.The book—“A Sofia Special”—tells the story of a young girl whose bad day at school improves once she gets home and shares a berry treat with her father.The visit included a read-aloud by the book’s author, award-winning children’s book author Julie Falatko.Driscoll’s, which grows and sells its ubiquitous berries around the world, partnered with Washington, DC-based Reading is Fundamental (RIF) in making the book.In addition to Radcliff, the company brought its berry-fest to Starlight Elementary in Watsonville and to Virginia Rocca Barton…
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Robot Bees and AI Cars Teach Tech
Students across Santa Cruz county will be learning computer technology from the most unlikely of teachers – robotic bees and artificial intelligence toy cars.As computer technology becomes more of a necessary skill in the classroom, teachers throughout Santa Cruz county are finding unique methods of teaching these skills at a young age.Dozens of educators and industry partners from across Santa Cruz county gathered on Thursday, Sept. 14 at the Santa Cruz Office of Education to discuss new exciting methods of teaching students computer technology.Many of those attending are members of the CSTA – Computer Science Teachers Association – who strive to encourage and assist the rapidly modernizing field of computer…
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8 Easy Steps to Build Strong Study Skills
Now that students are back in school, let’s set them up to build strong study skills. I’m teaching these skills to students of all ages – even my high school seniors – to improve their grades and to reduce their stress. To start, they’ll need to get organized so they don’t stress out when facing their long lists of things to do. By using Google Calendar (GCal), they’ll see how and when each homework, paper, or test prep will be done. I like GCal because it’s easy to use and it’s right on their cell phones so they have it with them all the time. Here are the 8 steps…
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Seymour Center Teaches Kids About Climate Change
Devastating floods, fires, and drought – Santa Cruz County has directly felt the impacts of climate change in recent years. To combat the growing crisis through public education and outreach, the Seymour Center has revamped their facility with interactive activities demonstrating research conducted through UCSC.While the dominant discourse of climate change is often seen through the lens of global impact, the Seymour Center’s focus is on Monterey Bay. They act as a megaphone of local scientific findings. “One of the goals of this new center is to do community engagement and help advance local solutions,” said Executive Director Jonathan Hicken. As a community we may not be able to solve…
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Healthy Family Habits for the Holidays
Holiday season is here and whether you are the type who loves all of the seasonal celebrations or not, it’s a time to reflect and focus on wellness as the year comes to an end. The holidays tend to be filled with fun and family, yet can also be incredibly stressful and overindulgent for many.Instead of waiting for the New Year to create some wellness goals, why not start now so you can enjoy the seasonal favorites without feeling crummy after.One of the biggest calls I get as a health coach towards the end of December from people feeling awful in their skin and self-care has gone out the window,…
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Adventures in Student Directing
In August of 2023 nine ambitious Cabrillo College students were selected by Professor Don Williams and his assistant producer Riley Hartmann to direct eight ten minute short plays for Cabrillo College’s “Authentic Creative Works” festival. A night of (mostly) student-written short plays put on by the school’s theater arts division. Students include: Tamaya Okumura, AG, Alexandra Perez, Diana Torrez Garcia, Sebastian Hardison, Gill Baker, David Hamilton, Mitch Truong, and Mathew ChipmanThere’s an old saying in theater: “If the show fails, it’s because of the directors if it succeeds. It’s because of the actors.” 8/23/23,The sheer turnout for our auditions and the talent of the students who stepped in front of…
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We Love Our Local Community College Cabrillo
On reviewing this issue, Managing Editor Nathan Mixter asked if we had too many stories about Cabrillo College. I hadn’t noticed as I picked the articles we would run. But yes, yes we do have a lot of stories about and by Cabrillo students. Why shouldn’t we? It’s a measure of the success of our truly great community college that it is putting out so many successful students in all departments. Have a look at this issue, starting with the cover, which is a first-person account of directing a student play that’s part of a showcase of eight original student plays running at the school from Nov. 3-19. The beauty…
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Coloring Contest
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Proud Father Celebrates Birth Month
This is our birth issue and it’s one of my favorites. As a first time father, who didn’t want kids, having my son is the best thing that ever happened to me. I don’t know how I lived without a kid who is now the center of my universe. And my hope is that he can make the world better. Since having him, I light up with every baby I see and wish I had more. Earlier I thought I didn’t want kids because I worried that the world wasn’t a great place anymore. The environment, the rise of authoritarianism, world poverty and hunger…all the depressing things we face every…
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Zumba for Autism: A Heartfelt Journey of Dance, Inclusivity and Generosity
By Terry deDiego Let me introduce myself. My name is Terry deDiego and my daughter, Cheryl deDiego-Carlson, and I have been teaching Zumba in Santa Cruz for the last 16+ years. Over the years we have been a part of many community events such as Relay for Life, Alzheimer’s Association, and numerous fundraising events for less fortunate friends in need. Although people might think that we are giving of ourselves, we are the ones who have truly been enriched in this process. How lucky are we as the only mother/daughter group exercise team in Santa Cruz to be able to share our talents with others while enjoying every moment together?…
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Good for the Pregnant Parent, Good for the Baby
Pregnancy is a time of great joy and anticipation for expecting parents as you prepare to bring a new life into the world. During this crucial period, maintaining good health becomes paramount, not just for the pregnant parent, but also for the developing baby. While regular prenatal check-ups are typically prioritized, many pregnant people overlook the importance of dental care during pregnancy. I want to shed light on the significance of visiting the dentist while pregnant and how it can contribute to a healthy pregnancy and a happy, healthy baby! The Link Between Oral Health and Pregnancy Hormonal Changes: Pregnancy is marked by significant hormonal changes that can lead to…
