From the NFL to Soquel Dwight Lowery is Inspiring Soquel High Players By Bryce Stoepfel In Soquel Knights Head Coach Dwight Lowery’s office, two things may give a clue to his approach to coaching, after nine years playing safety in the National Football League. An Xbox, and a dry erase board bearing the names of 20 players ineligible to play. It’s a carrot and stick approach. There are consequences to not keeping up with grades, but, there’s also a place to relax, to laugh, and to learn about life and football. For Lowery, coming back to Soquel was his way of using what he knows, football and training, to give…
-
-
We Asked, You Answered August 2018
We Asked, You Answered! August 2018 By Ann Carin Niland Do you let your children play with a tablet or smartphone, and do you have any concerns about the effects that those devices have on your children? Linnaea Boone Wilson, who’s daughter is 3, lives in Santa Cruz “Sometimes we’ll watch some screen time. When she’s sick we’ve been watching ‘My Neighbor Totoro’. We recently went up to visit my in-laws in Humboldt, and on the car ride we watched a little bit on the computer. And sometimes if she has questions about something like ‘what’s a carousel?’ we’ll look it up together. But I don’t let her play on…
-
Editor’s Note August 2018
Editor’s Note August 2018 Dear Readers, Who knew that sharing a spoon with your infant could lead to lifelong dental problems? Not me. I assumed that we share the same DNA and nature would have more to do with their infant teeth than nurture. Not so, says our new pediatric dental columnist, Dr. Mojdeh Faraz. Infants are born without our bacteria in their mouths and sharing a spoonful of something can put harmful sugar bugs there. That turned into a big problem for our 2-year-old and was a lesson I wished I’d already learned. That’s our goal with this monthly magazine. We want to tell you about things you may…
-
Many Iconic Rides Built by Former Local Company: Always Amused 2018
Many Iconic Rides Built by Former Local Company Always Amused August 2018 By Erik Chalhoub The trains for the Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk were manufactured by Morgan Manufacturing in 1984. By Erik Chalhoub Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Quicksilver Express at Gilroy Gardens, and Grizzly at California’s Great America are staples at their respective parks. But you might not know that all three roller coasters are tied together by a local connection. That is D.H. Morgan Manufacturing, a company founded by Dana Morgan in Scotts Valley in 1983 that eventually moved its operations to San Andreas Road in La Selva Beach in 1991,…
-
Do Baby Teeth Matter At All?: Healthy Smiles August 2018
Do Baby Teeth Matter At All? Healthy Smiles August 2018 By Dr. Megan We are constantly encountered with questions from parents asking whether it is important to maintain baby teeth. After all, kids lose them, right? Through my years of experience working with children, I have seen a variety of reactions from children as they step into the clinic. Some are very cheerful, excited and can’t wait to jump on the chair, and some other…not so excited! Children are not all the same. We all know twins with different characters, personalities and coping skills. If it takes a little longer for one child to get himself or herself adjusted to…
-
Let Your Children Know You Love Them Every Day at Lunch
Let Your Children Know You Love Them Every Day at Lunch Aptos Mother Creates Award-Winning Lunch Notes Series By Brad Kava When Patty Benson was growing up, she felt out of place in school. She was a Tom Boy and didn’t feel like she fit in with the girls in her elementary school. She was the only girl on her school’s football team. But every day at lunch, she got a treat from her mother–a special hand-written note celebrating some aspect of their lives together. They were funny, loving, endearing and they made her day. “I felt someone was thinking of me and it made going to school so much…
-
Cabrillo Before Graduation
College Before Graduation Cabrillo Offers Local High School Students an Alternative By Suki Wessling Probably the most important thing happening to high school education these days is seldom acknowledged in the wider discussions of k-12 education: students are benefiting from an increasing number of alternatives to attending comprehensive high schools. Some students are homeschooling. Some students attend alternative schools. Some students attend specialized magnet schools. And many of them have the option of attending college at the same time. “It’s a safe way for students to have the college experience,” explains Meghan Brightwater, Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator at Cabrillo. “They have access to all our resources and they’re getting support…
-
Preparing Your Child for Transitions Ask Nicole August 2018
Preparing Your Child for Transitions: Ask Nicole August 2018 By Nicole M. Young, MSW My oldest child is getting ready for the biggest transition of his life. He’s leaving for college soon, and I couldn’t be more sad. I mean, proud. And sad. Half of my heart is bursting with excitement for him. He worked hard, did well in school, and is a kind, funny, thoughtful (but still tardy) young man. The other half of my heart breaks when I think about his empty room. I know we will always be a family, and yet I also know things will change once he leaves home, and that my daughter is…
-
Secrets of a Driving Instructor
Secrets of a Driving Instructor A Lesson in Teaching from a Pro By Ann Carin Nilland Getting a drivers license is one of the biggest, and sometimes the most casually acquired, responsibilities that a young adult can take on. As a parent/guardian, the feelings you experience when your child becomes a student driver can be similar to when they were born. It’s exciting, terrifying. and stressful. There is a new financial responsibility, and it is life altering. I’ve been a driving instructor for nearly two years. It’s a funny job, and I like it very much. When you find yourselves teaching your student driver something complex and dangerous, but at…
-
Amnesty Hour
Amnesty Hour By Chris Jackson As a parent, you’re like a spy. You need to gather intel on your kids. With good intel, you can make the right adjustments to keep them safe. The best way to get this intel is to get it right from them during what I call, “Amnesty Hour.” During Amnesty Hour, your kids can confess anything without fear of punishment. More importantly, they can tell you anything without fear of being lectured or seeing you disappointed in them. You see, one of the main reasons kids keep the truth from us is that they treasure our love and approval. They don’t want to lose it.…
-
National Breastfeeding Month: Birth Matters August 2018
National Breastfeeding Month Birth Matters August 2018 By Laura Maxson LM Every August, the world turns its attention to protecting and promoting breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is the great equalizer. Every child, rich or poor, has access to essentially free, nutritious food that comes with unmatched immunity builders and specialized nutrients. In this modern age, the perfection and synergy of breastfeeding for mother and baby remain vital. Globally, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) spearheads World Breastfeeding Week, August 1 – 7, each year. This worldwide network of individuals and organizations is concerned with the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding worldwide. No matter if countries are large or small, impoverished…
-
Teacher’s Blog August 2018
Teacher’s Blog August 2018 By Tiffany K. Wayne High school History and Government teacher, Mount Madonna School, Watsonville I am anticipating the start of the new school year and missing my students. The last time I saw most of them was on Friday, May 18th, our last day of academic classes. Finals exams were over but I still had one more day of classes with my 10th grade U.S. History students before they left for a week-long science trip to Catalina Island to study Oceanography. We had started the film, Selma, a few days earlier as an end-of-year movie. “That made me cry,” a student shared, wiping her eyes with…
-
How to Make Ice Watercolors
How to Make Ice Watercolors By Jennifer K. Mahal Sometimes the simplest of projects can teach a scientific principle in a fun way. Ice Watercolors, for example, are an easy way to learn about matter and its states while making art. There are three basic states most matter can be seen in: liquid (like water), solid (like ice) and gas (like steam). There are a few other states, such as plasma (like lightning) and the lab-created Bose-Einstein Condensate (a super-cold clump created out of certain elements), but they are unusual. A solid has a certain size and shape, like a block of wood or a plastic toy. A liquid has…
-
Five Creative Prompts to Keep Your Child Writing When School is Out
Five Creative Prompts to Keep Your Child Writing When School is Out By Robin Estrin Random Word Generator Genre: Quick fiction Materials: Online access to randomwordgenerator.com Prompt: Using the website randomwordgenerator.com, populate a list of 10 colorful nouns, verbs or adjectives. Using the list as a word bank, give your child 10-15 minutes to write a short story using all of the words. You can increase the number of words (and minutes) for more advanced writers, and decrease the numbers for less experienced writers. Don’t have internet? Manually generate your random word list by moving your finger across the pages of your child’s favorite book. Age range: Generative for writers…
-
Back to School in Uganda Has a Very Different Meaning
Back to School in Uganda Has a Very Different Meaning Local Volunteers Bring Gifts and Supplies to Africa By Linda Kay When UCSC’s head men’s basketball coach, Ron DuBois, picks up his sons from an afterschool program he sometimes asks his sons, “What do we say?” Dominic, 4, and Louis , 6, reply, “Entitled to nothing, grateful for everything.” I smile. What a great mantra to teach kids at an early age. Here they are in a classroom surrounded with books, toys, games, and craft supplies. They have had a generous snack and have had the opportunity to play on a playground with grass and a play structure. “Entitled to…
-
The Little School that Could Explore
The Little School that Could Explore MCP Serves Students who Have Nowhere Else to Go By Suki Wessling It’s a well-kept secret: We have a school system that serves most students quite well. We have mainstream public schools that serve students with typical needs, as well as offering support for low-achieving students with special needs. We have a network of alternative public schools that serve students in certain demographics or families with specific academic interests. We have private schools for families looking for smaller, posher, or specific types of educational opportunities. Despite the spectrum of choices, however, some students are still left looking for the right school. For a variety…
-
How County Services are Funded
How County Services are Funded So That’s Where My Tax Money Goes By Zach Friend, County Supervisor The county budget can often be com- plex and I hope this provides you with a helpful overview. However, if you have any questions. I’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to call at 454-2200 The Board of Supervisors recently approved a $777 million budget. With a budget of this size it’s common to be asked why additional funds aren’t readily available for local parks, children’s cultural programs or even children’s health and welfare programs. These are fair questions. One of the best ways to understand how the county budget is…
