April 2020 - Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Teaching from a Distance

growingupsc — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 21:21:00 +0000

Teaching from a Distance BY LISA CATTERALL Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. -Søren Kierkegaard Every day we wake up and there is nothing but time. My body jumps up thinking I’m already late. Late to make lunches, make breakfast, find their shoes. Did I lay out their clothes? Are their drawers full or will I be digging in the dryer? Don’t forget the bag of supplies for my teaching day. Go, go, go. Where are my keys? Are the car seats in the car? Teaching and parenting has been a marathon for 12 years. But now we have nowhere to go. I turn on the weather and hope the news is pushing the hopeful stories of the day. We make breakfast, late, and ponder. Are we feeling happy or sad? Should we make plans? To do what? Is there anything we actually can do, to help, to keep sane, to feed ourselves, to stay healthy? We bake the bread. We water the garden. We clean everything up. We find new ways to laugh and connect. It’s a new world. It’s slow. It’s full of thoughts and time. It’s full of learning. In springtime at school, each class is at a high pitch of happiness and productivity, just like the flowers and animals around us. We have our procedures down, we trust each other, we know what we have to do to learn things. And we’re starting to understand the bigger picture, or the arc of the storyline of the curriculum. We are buzzing toward the home stretch. Closing the door of a classroom in the middle of March, wondering when it would open again, was eerie. Then suddenly there are my students, in tiny little boxes on my computer screen. “I miss the times when we would just be in class and suddenly start joking around.” “I miss the breaks when we were all together.” “I miss the campus, just being there up on the mountain. I miss taking walks together.” “I feel like I am missing so much of this year, my sixteenth year, and I’ll never get it back.” No one is saying they are having trouble learning. What we all miss is our community, the little ones in each class and the big one that was the entire school. We cheer up as our cats and dogs appear on the computer screens and are introduced. It would seem that animals can’t resist teleconferencing. Meanwhile, small panics fly by as teachers and students realize that we do not yet know how to do this perfectly. Some of the stories I tell in the spring I’ve been telling for years, and now I need to tell them over the internet instead, with an audience that isn’t all in one place. My students have learned the skill of being students for all the life they can remember, and now they have to do it differently. What will happen if we get really good at this, and what will happen if we never get good at it? We have plenty of time to wonder. Lisa Catterall teaches STEAM, math, science, and art at Mount Madonna School and is a senior associate of the Centers for Research on Creativity. She lectures and trains teachers and administrators on innovation in education in Beijing, China. Lisa has five children and lives in Santa Cruz County.

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Proper Theme Park Hygiene

growingupsc — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 15:45:00 +0000

Proper Theme Park Hygiene Ways to Stay Healthy During Your Visit BY ERIK CHALHOUB March was a rough month. With spring pushing winter out of the way and Daylight Saving Time making the days last longer, it should’ve been a great month. But there was something big missing. When Disney announced it would close all its parks at least until the end of the month, the dominoes began to fall. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk not only shut down its rides, but also the arcade, Boardwalk Bowl and Cocoanut Grove. California’s Great America delayed its traditional March opening. Six Flags closed all of its parks nationwide. Just about every other theme park chain — big, small or independent — followed suit. Nothing is immune to the widespread outbreak of COVID-19. It’s difficult to keep up with the rapidly changing situation. If you plan on visiting any theme park in April, please check its website before making the trip. It’s unknown whether these temporary closures will be extended. Once the parks do reopen, you can take steps to protect yourself and others. We all (hopefully) know the basics: wash your hands, don’t touch your face, sneeze inside your elbow, etc. But what more can you do when visiting your favorite park? Stay off the handrails — Handrails are to theme parks like bread is to a sandwich: you can’t have one without the other. But unlike a sandwich, you don’t need to constantly caress a handrail as you are waiting in line. Everybody, sick or not, has touched them (regardless whether or not they washed their hands after going to the bathroom), and I’ve seen children wrap their mouths around them. Disgusting. Yes, park employees do clean these handrails, but not constantly throughout the day. If you need to take a breather while waiting in line, gently lean on the handrails without using your hands. But do not sit or stand on them. That is a story for another time. Keep your face away from shoulder restraints — Most rides, especially roller coasters that go upside-down, have what are called OTSRs, which stands for “over-the-shoulder restraints.” As such, most of these bulky bars cover the sides of your head, and everyone else’s before you that day. Remember what I said above about children and handrails? The same applies here. While it’s inevitable your ears and hair will touch the restraints as the ride travels its course, those should be the only parts of your body that do touch it. There’s no need to sharply turn your head to talk to the person sitting next to you — they can still hear you if you speak straight ahead. Don’t spit — This should be a no-brainer. But it’s not. I’ve seen everybody, children and adults, spit while they are on a coaster or try to hit unsuspecting park guests with a loogie from above while on a sky ride. Needless to say, if you spit while on roller coaster or any other ride, the speed and force of the ride will spread your saliva to those around you and propel it to those behind you. Not only is this extremely unsanitary, it can also get you ejected from a park. So, don’t do it. Wait awhile after lunch to continue riding — Spinning rides, roller coasters and others do not mix well, or at all, with undigested food. Nobody in line wants to see you vomit all over their seat before they get on the ride. I have nothing but respect for those ride operators who must don their gloves, grab those hoses and disinfectant bottles and get to work. After a meal, give yourself at least 30 minutes before getting on any intense ride. Watch a show. Go on something gentle, such as an observation tower. Browse a store. There are plenty of other things to do. Your stomach and park patrons will thank you. It’s everyone’s responsibility to help stop the spread of deadly viruses. Stay healthy out there. LEGOLAND center opening LEGOLAND Discovery Center Bay Area was set to open April 2 at the Great Mall in Milpitas, but it has been postponed due to the virus. The center features more than 31,000 square feet of interactive and educational attractions geared toward children ages 3–10 and their families. It includes themed build stations, master classes in the Creative Workshop from LEGOLAND Discovery Center Bay Area’s Master Model Builder Sam Suksiri, an Imagination Express train ride, an earthquake table, a 4D cinema, special party rooms for birthdays and other celebrations, a café, a LEGO retail shop, and the MINILAND area featuring models of San Francisco Bay Area iconic landmarks. For information and tickets, visit bayarea.legolanddiscoverycenter.com.

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Coloring Page

growingupsc — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 20:40:49 +0000

Coloring Contest Color this local drawing and enter our drawing to win three free tickets to the Boardwalk. Send entries to editor@growingupsc.com or to Box 3505, Santa Cruz, 95063 Thank you to this month’s coloring image contributor Mountain Flower 831. You can follow her on Instagram @mountainflower831 and shop her designs on Etsy etsy.com/shop/MountainFlower831

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Shelter in Place Resources

growingupsc — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 16:40:34 +0000

Local School Sites Offering Free Meals To All Kids Under 18 Santa Cruz City SchoolsFree meals will be available from 11-1 at the following sites in the parking lot. If you are driving, please stay in your car and meals will be provided based on the number of children in the car. All families are eligible for meal services and may pick up meals at any of the following locations: Harbor High School– drive up in the parking lot Branciforte Middle School– drive up in the cut out in front of the school Gault Elementary– drive up drive up on Effey St. Bayview Elementary– drive up in the parking lot near the kindergarten classrooms DeLaveaga– drive up to the parking lot adjacent to the cafeteria Mission Hill– drive up in front of the school Soquel High– drive up in the circle in front of the school These programs will be solely for the pickup of meals and families must leave campus once they have their meals. We encourage families to continue to be proactive in reducing risk of COVID-19 by not congregating at the school site once meals have been distributed, continuing to wash your hands often, sneezing or coughing into a tissue, and staying home if you are sick. Live Oak SchoolsAll children age 1-18 can receive a daily breakfast, lunch and supper in a bag from 7am-9am Monday- Friday at: Green Acres Elementary Del Mar Elementary Live Oak Elementary Shoreline Middle School SLV District**UPDATED March 31, 2020 Pizza FridaySponsored by SLVUSD and Boulder Creek PizzaIn an effort to combine school, community, and service for SLV families, SLVUSD and Boulder Creek Pizza will offer a PIZZA FRIDAY! Free pizza for all students on Friday, April 3, 2020 BCE pick-up location will be from 11:00am to 1:00pm Tri-campus pick-up location will be from 12:00pm to 2:00pm Boulder Creek Pizza is open for business with both pick-up and delivery options at their Boulder Creek location for orders of full-size pizzas. Please support our local businesses during this time of “Shelter in Place” whenever possible. Food Service for Spring Break through Extended School Dismissal – May 5th The SLVUSD Breakfast/Lunch Service will continue during Spring Break. Meals will be available for pick up on TUESDAY, APRIL 7th and FRIDAY, APRIL 10th (only) from 9:00am to 11:00am at BCE and the Tri-campus. Multiple days of food will be provided each day in the “to-go” packaging to ensure that students have breakfast and lunch options during the week of Spring Break.NOTE: Following Spring Break, Food Service will maintain the new schedule of meal pick-up only on Tuesdays and Fridays at BCE and the Tri-campus from 9:00am to 11:00am with multiple days of food being provided each day.SLVUSD offers many THANKS to the SLV Nutrition Services Team for their outstanding service, dedication and commitment to students. The program will be solely for the pick-up of meals and meals will not be consumed on site. We encourage families to continue to be proactive in reducing risk of COVID-19 by not congregating at the school site once meals have been distributed, continuing to wash your hands often, sneezing or coughing into a tissue, and staying home if you are sick. Pajaro Valley DistrictSixteen schools in the district will distribute meals and groceries for free to all families impacted by school closures due to the coronavirus. Alianza Charter 7am- 9am Ann Soldo Elementary 7-9am Hall District Elementary 7-9am Pajaro Middle 7-9am Rolling Hills Middle 7-9am Amesti Elementary 8am-10am Calabasas Elementary 8-10am Freedom Elementary 8-10am Landmark Elementary 8-10am Mar Vista 8-10am Ohlone Elementary 8-10am Radcliff Elementary 8-10am Starlight Elementary 8-10am EA Hall Middle 9am-11am Renaissance High 9-11am Watsonville High 9-11am Soquel District Meals available 10-12 M-F in the bus lane or parking lot: New Brighton Middle School Soquel High School Offsite at Emerald Bay Apartments. Resources for Adults Second Harvest Food Bank community food hotline: (831) 662-0991 8am-4pm Mon-Fri communitybridges.org for info on more food programs for all ages Operation Feed The People offers a free weekly meal every Wednesday from 5-7 at the OddFellows Hall in Boulder Creek. (152 Forest St. Boulder Creek) plus1catering.com for more info Santa Cruz County Students and Families Update on Services Through School Closures UPDATED APRIL 1, 2020 Dear Families of Santa Cruz County, We recognize the significant disruption COVID-19 has caused to daily life and want you to know we are making every possible effort to continue providing support to families and communicate the most current information as it relates to our schools. Yesterday, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, urged all school districts and charter schools in California to remain closed and continue strengthening distance learning programs for students at this time. Superintendent Thurmond’s statement emphasized that “due to the current safety concerns and needs for ongoing social distancing it currently appears that our students will not be able to return to school campuses before the end of the school year.” The health and wellness of all students, families, teachers, and staff is the first and foremost priority of all Santa Cruz County Schools. All county Superintendents with the support of Public Health Officer, Dr. Gail Newel, have collectively decided to extend school closures through the end of the school year. While we understand this further extension of school closures poses serious hardship to many families in Santa Cruz County, it is the most effective way to slow the transmission of this pandemic by continuing to implement social distancing practices. Although school campuses remain closed, educators across Santa Cruz County are working around the clock to provide meals to students, deliver high-quality distance learning, and support the needs of our most vulnerable youth. We are committed to ensuring students have the resources and services they need to continue their academic progress despite the closure of our school facilities. All districts are working earnestly to provide students with the most appropriate and engaging distance learning programs. Important steps parents can take to support their child in distance learning include, but are not limited to, checking emails often for updates from your child’s school, helping them develop a new routine, creating a designated study space at home, and by scheduling breaks throughout the day. Please visit our newly launched resources for Distance Learning site for more suggestions on how to support your child’s education through school closures dlearning.santacruzcoe.org. We understand that many students, especially high school seniors and their families, are concerned about the impact these closures will have on their academic progress and goals. We are in communication with universities, other school districts, and the County Office of Education to develop consistent protocols in relation to grades, transcripts, scholarships, graduation criteria, promotion, college applications, and commencement celebrations. These policies will be communicated out to students and families over the next several weeks. We ask for your patience as we develop these protocols. We continue to develop and update resources that may be helpful to students and their families: Available Mental Health and Wellness Resources:sccoe.link/wellness Activity Ideas for parents: sites.google.com/pvusd.net/pvusdparentideas/home The Santa Cruz COE web page including an interactive map of food services distributions: www.sccoe.link/coronavirus. Santa Cruz County Public Health www.santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus Map of food service locations throughout the closures: sccoe.link/food_service_map Centers for Disease Control website at: https://www.cdc.gov/COVID19. Unemployment Resources: www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/online_services.htm Santa Cruz County COVID-19 Call Center: (831) 454-4242 between 8 a.m. 6 p.m. Monday through Friday In addition, residents may visit, call 211 or text “coronavirus” to 211211. Our students, parents, teachers, and administrators have demonstrated tremendous resilience throughout school closures due to COVID-19. We are deeply grateful to the school community of Santa Cruz County for their flexibility during this unprecedented time. We will continue to provide high-quality distance learning, support, essential resources to students and families. Sincerely, Laurie Bruton, Superintendent, San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District Lorie Chamberland, Superintendent, Live Oak School District Eric Gross, Superintendent, Pacific Elementary School District Mike Heffner, Superintendent, Bonny Doon Union Elementary School District Tanya Krause, Superintendent, Scotts Valley Unified School District Michelle McKinny, Superintendent, Happy Valley Elementary School District Diane Morgenstern, Superintendent, Mountain Elementary School District Kris Munro, Superintendent, Santa Cruz City Schools Michelle Rodriguez, Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District Faris Sabbah, County Superintendent of Schools Scott Turnbull, Superintendent, Soquel Union Elementary School District Cabrillo College Status Stay Enrolled, Succeed from Home Cabrillo College is in session with classes and services being provided in an online format. We will operate in an online format at least through April 7, and will follow the direction of the Governor’s Shelter In Place Order, along with the CDC, California Department of Public Health, and Chancellor’s Office in determining when to resume in-person operations. While the campus remains open, most on-campus offices are closed. Services are available online and via phone. It is important to check your email and Cabrillo’s website daily for updates during this time. We are here for you! General Resources Food ResourcesFor Food support, students are encouraged to call 831-662-0991 for the food resource hotline. This provides days, locations, and hours of operation for food pantries in the county. Students can get information and assistance with the CalFresh food program at CalFresh or Karen Reyes at kareyes@cabrillo.edu Housing ResourcesPlease visit Cabrillo’s Food and Housing Resources page on the Cabrillo website, cabrillo.edu/services/matriculation/food-and-housing-resources.html, or call Robin West, Cabrillo Retention Program Coordinator, at 831-477-3382 Santa Cruz County ResourcesFor the most up to date information on county services that are open, call: 211 can help you find food, housing, health care, senior services, child care, showers, legal aid and much more. Call 211. Free, Confidential. Multilingual. Available 24/7. 211santacruzcounty.org/about-us Technology Resources Free InternetCharter, Spectrum and Comcast are offering two months of free internet to low-income households. WiFi hotspots will also be open for the public. Please direct students or anyone in need to the numbers below to arrange services: Charter and Spectrum: 1-844-488-8395 Comcast: 855-846-8376 for English or 855-765-6995 for Spanish Computer Technology Center (CTC) HelpStudents who use the CTC for support, CTC and CABT faculty and staff are still around to help! They put together a page today to help support students who usually come to the CTC via Zoom. CTC tutors, faculty, and staff, will have live links available when they are on Zoom, so that they can support students. cabrillo.edu/services/ctc Library & Tutoring Resources24/7 Online Library Resources Book, Article, and Film collections are available anytime from off-campus. Use your WebAdvisor/Canvas login for access! cabrillo.edu/services/library Register Now for Cyber SessionDo you need to more units? Register Now for CyberSession – Online and Short-Term Classes Start March 30 Summer Session onlineContinue your education online over summer. The summer class schedule will be available online April 15. Registration for continuing students begins April 27. New student registration begins May 19. This is the perfect opportunity for your high school student to take advantage of FREE dual enrollment!For current updates please visit cabrillo.edu and click on the top yellow bar to access our COVID-19 website

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Artist Spotlight

growingupsc — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 16:01:38 +0000

Artist Spotlight Bliss Gervais I’m Bliss Gervais and Santa Cruz is the town I grew up in, so I am delighted to be in this magazine! My husband, Peace, was also born in Santa Cruz.Our parents gave us our unusual names and we happened to meet eachother and instantly felt a strong connection. Now we are raising our wonderful son here. His name is Chakra and he is almost 7 years old. I have been creating art for as long as I can remember. My family is very creative in many ways and I tried a wide variety of art forms at an early age. Pen and paper has always been my favorite medium, although there are many others that I enjoy. When I make my art, I do not usually have a plan and I let the art emerge on the page and become whatever it is. Sometimes I do have an idea in mind and I have had friends comission me to design things for them. I have had a few casual art shows and festival booths and I really enjoy showing my work. I have sold several peices. Currently, I am focusing my energy on expanding the scope of my creative endeavors and getting more exposure. I am a prolific artist and now it is time to do something with the portfolio I have accumulated. If you would like to see more of my art, follow @blissgervais on Instagram.

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A Naturopathic Perspective

growingupsc — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 15:55:49 +0000

A Naturopathic Perspective BY DR. TONYA FLECK AND DR. JESSICA BERNARDY Many patients and friends have been asking what we as naturopathic doctors suggest for protecting ourselves and our families against this potential threat. There are thousands of studies on the effective use of natural agents for antiviral properties, yet nothing is being said in the news about them. People are dying and public health officials and conventional medicine still resists acknowledging these agents in preventing and treating viruses and other illnesses. At the Santa Cruz Naturopathic Medical Center, we have heard statements in regards to the coronavirus, such as “There’s nothing we can do to protect ourselves — there’s no vaccine.” This statement is disheartening to us. In naturopathic medicine, we have many tools to prevent and treat illness. While it is true that there isn’t a vaccine, there are many things we can to do to keep ourselves healthy and treat viral infections naturally. Prevention, as always, is the best way to address illness. The best prevention is to have a healthy and robust immune system. What It Is Coronavirus, aka. Wuhan virus (scientific classification SARA-CoV-2 causing CoVID-19) is a new virus never before seen in humans. It originated in the Wuhan province of China in December 2019 from a yet-to-be determined animal vector. Unfortunately, due to lack of quick government response and no quarantine of sick individuals in that area, it spread beyond the region. We are in the first wave of the illness and will likely see another wave later this year. Our Area As you know, we are seeing more and more cases every day in our county, our state and countrywide. As for global numbers, they have been as of this writing misreported and we are still waiting to get true numbers out of many countries that saw the virus earlier than the US. We don’t know the true fatality rate but it’s estimated to be 0.2% – 1%. The death rate for the average flu virus that we see each year is approximately .1%. That means that if the actual death rate from this virus is 1%, that’s 10x greater. The Illness The illness appears similar to the flu or the common cold. You may start to experience symptoms 2-14 days after exposure. It causes no or mild symptoms in most individuals exposed. The most common symptoms are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Unfortunately, the most vulnerable population is in the elderly, where we are seeing the highest death rates. What You Can Do Important ways you can protect yourself: Wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water – count to 25. Soap works better than hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible! The virus is spread through respiratory droplets and it is estimated that if you’re within six feet of an individual, you’re at higher risk. If you’re near anyone with flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath), move away quickly and go immediately to wash your hands.If you do have a cough, only cough into your elbow or into a tissue. Cook with spices/foods that have antiviral and immune-boosting activity such as garlic, ginger, thyme, oregano, honey, bone broth and medicinal mushrooms. Avoid refined sugar – this lowers your immune system! Stay well hydrated and if you live in a dry climate, use a humidifier in your bedroom at night. The virus doesn’t replicate as well in heat and humidity. STAY HOME if you’re sick and rest, rest, rest, talk to your SCNMC doctor and follow the below recommendations . Keep stress to a minimum – stress lowers your immune system! Get good quality sleep and spend time in nature, both ways to boost your immunity. Natural Immune Support Probiotic: 50-100 billion CFUs per capsule, taken before bed Vitamin C: 4000-5000 mg daily Elderberry syrup: 1 TBLS daily Garlic extract: 1-2 capsules daily or if you’re willing, eat 1 raw clove daily Quercetin: 1500mg daily Vitamin A: 10,000 – 50,000iu daily Vitamin D: 5,000iu daily Immune support tinctures that contain herbs such as echinacea and goldenseal. Remember, stay calm. The CDC estimates that 56,000 people die yearly of the flu or a flu-related illness. So far, the Coronavirus death count is less than 4,000 people. Thankfully, the flu season is going to be coming to an end soon. Be smart and use the tools listed above. Our Office Can Provide Assistance We offer comprehensive naturopathic care and are offering telemedicine visits during the shelter in place. We also have high quality supplements and herbs available if needed. Please feel free to call us if we can support you in anyway. Dr. Tonya Fleck holds a doctorate degree in Naturopathic Medicine. She is the owner & medical director of SCNMC. She has been practicing medicine in Santa Cruz for over 15 years. Dr. Bernardy also holds a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine. She is fiercely committed to guiding people looking for true health, disease prevention, and living a life free from illness. Together we are committed to powerfully supporting our community in optimal health and vitality.

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Camps Offer Unplugged Summers

growingupsc — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 15:26:18 +0000

Camps Offer Unplugged Summers BY KAMI PACHECO Ahhhh, the freedom of summer! Every year I count down the days to my favorite season, where memories of worry-free, open-ended, play-filled times bring nostalgic feelings of warmth, peace, contentment, and joy. I picture myself lying on my back under a shaded redwood tree, gazing up into the wide blue expanse of limitless sky. I’m not sure if I actually ever did this, as my personal energy level has consistently been on the upward scale of “always moving,” but even if I never laid still under a tree, this is still my fondest memory of summer. What I do remember most is freedom. Freedom from the structure of daily schedules. Freedom from the stress of the morning rush out the door. Freedom from the need to be indoors and plugged in. Freedom from the night sky creeping in too early and the daylight fun to end. Life was more relaxed and outdoor play became a priority where friendships formed with whomever was available in each moment, no matter their age or gender. We didn’t rely on entertainment from mobile devices, nor did any electronic device dictate the rules of our games. We were challenged to be the creative thinkers we were meant to be. I was so fortunate to have grown up in the Los Gatos mountains with redwood trees in my backyard. What we found in the forest became the necessary supplies needed for our made-up games: sticks, branches, stumps, rocks, leaves, acorns, ferns, pinecones, feathers, moss, and even slimy banana slugs. Everything we did led us to new adventures and new rules and new games. Playing in and exploring our natural surroundings always seemed limitless, without fences, without boundaries. Our creativity and imaginations soared. I wish I could return to that childhood time of unlimited creativity, curiosity, and outdoor adventures, the time before technology seemed to dictate my fast-paced life. Instead my attachment to mobile devices has me shackled to emails, texts, calls, alerts, and updates and continuously diverts my attention away from the present moment of what is happening in my world to the worries of unnecessary urgency in the digital realm. I am highly aware of this unhealthy habit, but haven’t found a cure to break the habit of constantly looking down at my phone instead of up at the big blue sky. What I really need is…summer camp in a redwood forest. My ideal summer camp for children, when not forced to be sitting at a desk or in front of a computer, is to be “unplugged” and outdoors playing and creating adventures with other children of all ages. Their active, growing bodies need fresh air and outdoor exercise, just as their minds need empty space for creativity and imaginative play. We want our children to have meaningful and memorable experiences and the natural environment is the perfect backdrop to create these lasting memories. Fortunately we live in an area surrounded by redwood forests where these unique summer camps do exist. I wish all children get to experience an outdoor, unplugged summer making memories in the magic of the redwood forest. Kami Pacheco is the director of lower school and Mountain of Fun summer camps coordinator at Mount Madonna School. A former resident of the Los Gatos area, Kami now lives with her husband and animals in San Martin, enjoying more of a farm life. She continues to enjoy her daily commutes into the redwood forest.

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With Schools Closed, the Internet Saves the Day

growingupsc — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 15:07:25 +0000

With Schools Closed, the Internet Saves the Day BY SUKI WESSLING What a difference a virus makes. I wrote this article in January, while doing research on the effects of Internet and device use on kids and family relationships. There was a lot of concern out there that our kids were being negatively affected by excessive screen use, by online bullying, by video game addiction. No one was talking about the benefits of this brave new world. Now I find that I am hearing a new refrain: Thank goodness we have the Internet. I’m so glad my student can communicate with his friends online. Can I please please please enroll my child in your online course? I wrote this article to focus on something that has become readily apparent in the age of school closures: What an incredible gift the Internet age is to our children. The Democratization of Knowledge When I was growing up and I had a question when I was at home, I had an Encyclopedia Britannica, or I had my older siblings and parents. Sure, I could pick up the phone and ask other people, but I don’t remember ever doing that. The high bar to getting answers was also a curb on creative thinking and investigation. When I was first homeschooling I got the advice to be “the stupidest parent ever.” When my kids asked questions, I’d say, “Well, I don’t know. Let’s look it up!” Modeling how to solve one’s ignorance was an important lesson, and my kids had the tools at their fingertips to find out the answer to any question. My online students are similarly motivated to seek out knowledge. In some cases I have to preface a question with “and don’t go look this up on Google!” because students often find, copy, and paste an answer before I’m even done with the question. I acknowledge all the problems that have come with this democracy, including uneven lack of access by different socio-economic groups, the ubiquity of misinformation, and the tendency away from deep learning that teachers are seeing in some kids. But overall, our kids own the entire body of human knowledge. What a gift. The Widening of Their Lens I grew up in a small company town in the Midwest. As Midwestern towns go, we had more interaction with the outside world because we had scientists from all over who were living and raising families in our town. But it was still a small town, and we were many miles from nowhere down a straight and monotonous highway. My children and students have access to…everything. Sure, if they want to really understand a different place they still have to visit there. But they are able to see so much more before they go. My older son studied Arabic online with a teacher in Egypt when he was in high school. My online students share passions with kids around the globe. They take part in anime appreciation groups or are fans of obscure books they found through online contacts. If they want to set a story in a particular city, they call up a satellite photo to study it. I remember when I first installed Google Earth on my computer; we looked at it with literal tears in our eyes. I was so amazed that I could visit my childhood home. For kids growing up now, this is the everyday world. They see through the widest angle lens imaginable. The Greater Access to Support So many of my students take online classes for less happy reasons than the fact that their families travel or live in out-of-the-way locations. I have students who have debilitating special needs, both physical and psychological. I have students who have experienced horrible bullying in their local schools. When my students come to class, the most important thing they bring is their brains. No one knows if my kids are overweight, have a different skin color from the others, or were assigned a different gender at birth. There has been a lot of press about the dark side of the social aspect of the Internet, but I can assure you that I see the bright side each and every day. I teach kids who in my day would have been the outliers, the victims, or the lonely kids. Regardless of what their IRL lives are like, their online lives are a happy spot for them. It’s a Dangerous Web Out There, But… The Internet is a tool and tools can be used for good or ill. But I choose to focus on how it has been an incredible gift for our kids, and how we can use it as a tool for good in years to come. Yes, be vigilant. Yes, teach your children how to be aware and be good online citizens. But also, enjoy the gift that is the Internet. Suki Wessling is a local writer, musician, and teacher. She homeschooled her children and became a teacher at an online school for gifted learners in 2013. She admits that when her computer scientist husband showed her the Web in 1991, she was not impressed. Later, she changed her mind. Read more at SukiWessling.com.

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Dear Parents, Your Computer is Your Quarantine Friend

growingupsc — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 14:47:27 +0000

Dear Parents, Your Computer is Your Quarantine Friend BY JAN PIERCE The kids are home unexpectedly. There are hours to fill and learning to do. You’ve got this. Here is a list of online resources to ensure your kids are busy and happy during this “mini-vacation.” Good Kids’ WebsitesA great website for children will offer quality content and lots of interactive choices. More than just color pages, these sites will have interactive games, downloadables and will relate to real learning. Take a look. sesamestreet.org Pre-schoolers love Sesame Street and always will. The online site continues with early learning fun and games. pbskids.org is already anticipating the need for new and fun games and videos for kids. They have an additional daily activity for kids during the break in regular classroom learning. scholastic.com has provided a free daily learning curriculum for pre-school through sixth graders. This free resource will keep your kids thinking and learning about the world around them. A real gift. khanacademy.org This remarkable free resource has special lessons and activities for continued learning during this corona virus quarantine. Just go to the site, sign in as a parent and create an account for each of your children. You’ll find tons of learning opportunities and easy to follow lessons there. howstuffworks.com is a wonderful science, technology and culture site for older kids. Each article explains how something works with words, videos and illustrations. projectgutenberg.org is a library of over 60,000 free e-books. This is the world’s greatest literature available for free at your fingertips. kids.nationalgeographic.com The usual wonderful content about animals, culture, science and more with videos, games and lots of fun as they learn. Great Reading WebsitesReading websites abound. Check out some of these and challenge your children to listen and engage with wonderful kids’ literature. storylineonline.net Your child can listen to wonderful children’s literature read aloud by celebrated actors. readtomely.com Mrs. Read for Fun has some reading surprises in store for young readers. oxfordowl.co.uk This wonderful educational site from Oxford University Press will fill hours with learning and fun. abcya.com offers lots and lots of online games designed to support learning in reading and math for Pre-K through sixth grade. storynory.com offers free audio stories for learners of all ages. Great Author WebsitesMany authors maintain websites to help kids interact with their stories and characters. Check out the ones below and have some fun. mowillems.com You gotta love Mo with his pigeon stories and all. He currently has a fun activity for kids called Daily Doodles. kevinhenkes.com You’ll find lots of fun activities, videos and games. Choose your favorite Kevin Henkes book and play the games with those characters. janbrett.com Everyone loves Jan Brett’s beautifully illustrated stories for kids. Check out her latest and don’t forget the old favorite stories as well. ericcarle.com Choose downloads and activities under resources and away you go. rosemarywells.com Want to make some cupcake toppers or play Pin the Tail on Max? You’ll find the downloads here. Why not ask your kids about their favorite authors or book titles? Chances are they will show up in an online search and take your kids deeper into the world of reading.

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Earth Day 50th Anniversary

growingupsc — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 00:28:34 +0000

On April 22, 1970, a year after a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, 20 million Americans — 10% of the total population of the U.S. in 1970 — rallied coast-to-coast channeling the energy of the era’s anti-war protests to raise public awareness about the deterioration of our environment and corporate pollution of air and water. We can thank those original Earth Day protesters for the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts. On April 22, 1990, 200 million people in 141 countries mobilized as Earth Day became a global protest in defense of our planet. Sadly, many of the environmental wins inspired by the original Earth Day have been rolled back, diluted, and dismantled by the current U.S. Administration. Our planet is once again in peril and our Golden State is on the front lines of the climate and environmental crisis. On Earth Day 50th Anniversary, Santa Cruz Leads the World By Tim Goncharoff, Zero Waste Programs Manager For Santa Cruz County & Gail McNulty, Sr Manager for Communications, Youth Leadership, & Climate Action for Save Our Shores In September 2019, Global Climate Strikes drew an estimated 6 million people worldwide, including impressive local turnouts in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, to focus attention on the United Nation’s warning that the window of opportunity to protect people and the planet from unmitigatable impacts of an escalating climate crisis is rapidly closing. Since September, global organizers including Youth for Climate Justice and the Sunrise Movement in Santa Cruz and Regeneración in Watsonville have been working to plan the biggest ever climate/environmental justice mobilization on the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. Now, in response the the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers have pivoted and hope to flood the Internet with with #DigitalStrike(s) and #ClimateStrikeOnline creating a tremendous new opportunity for youth and families to get involved. Children who grow up enjoying Santa Cruz’s redwoods, mountains, hiking and biking trails, and of course, our glorious Monterey Bay, are incredibly fortunate. This good fortune comes with responsibility. From Junior Guards to Junior Rangers to Save Our Shores, O’Neill Sea Odyssey, and Watsonville Wetlands field trips—Santa Cruz County kids learn to love and care for these unreal surroundings. Nonetheless, many may be surprised to learn the extent to which Santa Cruz’s often groundbreaking environmental protections have improved things at state, national, and even global levels. Our county’s reputation as an innovator in creative new environmental protection laws and programs keeps many eyes focused on the area. Our local environmental ordinances have been duplicated more than 100 times, across California and beyond. County ordinances have been adopted in San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Boulder, Colorado, Miami and New York City. The County has also had a profound impact on the corporate world, encouraging more sustainable practices in many giant companies. A few examples: Santa Cruz County and local cities were among the first to ban styrofoam in food service (later expanded to a ban on retail sales). Most businesses adjusted quickly but large chains had more trouble. Coldstone Creamery, the ice cream store, was reluctant to do something different in just their one local store. After a lot of back and forth with local government representatives, Coldstone decided to give up styrofoam – in all 1,400 US stores. Safe recycling of electronic waste is a big problem. Too much of it goes to Third World countries where it is melted down over open fires, polluting the air and water and sickening local people. A program called e-Stewards offers certification for electronic waste recyclers who can demonstrate that they use all proper health and safety measures and don’t ship their e-waste overseas. Santa Cruz created the first ordinance of its kind requiring that all e-waste collected in the county go only to an e-Stewards certified recycler. This created a problem for the country’s largest electronics retailer, Best Buy, which has a store on 41st Ave. Best Buy hosts its own in-house recycling program for e-waste, but it wasn’t certified. Notified of the county’s new requirement, the company hemmed and hawed for a while, but then decided to get with the program – and certified 1,150 stores across the country. However, they let that lapse and the county is working to get them back in the program. The local program allowing people to drop off leftover medicines and used needles at any local pharmacy was the first of its kind in the United States. Widely emulated, it inspired a new state law that will soon offer the program across California and is prompting similar new laws all across the US. Santa Cruz County has taken numerous steps to reduce waste and litter, including the world’s first ban on plastic straws. As of 2017, everything used in food service businesses has to be washable, recyclable or compostable. As always, local businesses were quick to adjust, while some of the chains struggled. But the changes worked. After several months of experience, Starbucks sent out a press release announcing that based on a successful trial run in Santa Cruz County, they were rolling out more sustainable products to more than 28,000 stores around the world. In addition to the devastating impacts plastic pollution is having on our marine ecosystems, a 2019 WWF study concluded that we may all be eating, drinking, and breathing about a credit card’s worth of plastic a week further vindicating the plastic measures Santa Cruz County has pioneered and highlighting the need for our county to continue pushing for bold reforms. The County has enacted numerous measures to limit plastic waste. Last year it passed another first-in-the-world law banning the tiny bottles of lotion, shampoo, etc. from hotel and motel rooms, encouraging the businesses to switch to refillable containers. Hotels were enthusiastic, not just at being more sustainable, but because the measure saves them money. Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton have announced plans to expand the practice to more than 10,000 hotels around the world. The County and local cities are far from done. In the next few months, new rules will kick in requiring, among other things, a charge for all disposable cups to encourage customers to bring their own, a requirement that all businesses provide recycling bins for their customers, and that all food-service businesses provide compost bins and sign-up for food waste collection. Meanwhile, Save Our Shores will soon launch a countywide petition supporting a ban on single-use plastic beverage bottles—another step in the effort to “lead the way as we protect our Bay.” Never underestimate the impact of the “Banana Slug Effect” or our county’s passionate and determined youth leaders. From youth-led climate strikes and rallies in Santa Cruz and Watsonville to Pajaro Valley High School’s Decolonization Garden to the young leaders who successfully advocated for a Santa Cruz County School Board Resolution protecting their right to protest in defense of their future—it’s clear the legacy of environmental protection in Santa Cruz will be in good hands. As shelter-in-place rules keep your family home in the coming weeks, we invite you to transform anxiety into action. Consider posting your family’s art, poems, videos, and other creative climate and ocean awareness communications with the hashtag #ClimateStrikeOnline to make the Earth 50 #DigitalStrike a powerful, world-changing movement and/or take on one or more of our Earth Day 50 Action List ideas. Visit Save Our Shores for more information SaveOurShores.org Make & share Earth Day 50 Climate Strike signs! Submit photos of your signs to Save Our Shores’ online gallery here. Post your climate strike signs to social media sites with the hashtags: #ClimateStrikeOnline, #schoolstrike4climate, #fridaysforfuture, and/or #DigitalStrike Hang the real sign(s) in your window or yard! Write a letter our federal officials to tell them to prioritize people, animals, and our planet over profit. Visit usa.gov/elected-officials for contact information Make a video, write a poem, or create art to show your love to our ocean and planet and the need to protect what we love. Post to social media with the hashtags: #ClimateStrikeOnline, #schoolstrike4climate, #fridaysforfuture, and/or #DigitalStrike AND tag @SaveOurShores! Learn more about how environmental activism has changed our world, ongoing challenges, and where we go from here. Visit EarthDay.org/history to read about The History of Earth Day. Take a hike or walk with a bucket and clean up trash as you go. Share your Earth Day Action Activities on Social Media and tag @GrowingUpSC

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