November 2018 - Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Around Town November 2018

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:58:06 +0000

Around Town November 2018 By Jordy Hyman Chelsea Clinton Shows Off New Book to Santa Cruz Students Westlake Elementary students were excited to have a visit from former first daughter Chelsea Clinton on Oct. 10, part of a tour promoting her new book for young activists that included an engagement at Bookshop Santa Cruz later that evening. The visit was organized by Casey Coonerty Protti, owner of Bookshop Santa Cruz and mother of Devin Protti, a fifth grade student at Westlake. Devin Protti introduced Clinton to an auditorium packed with 200 mostly well-behaved students. In an eloquent opening that his mother helped him write, he welcomed the author and thanked her for being a leader for the next generation of activists. “I feel like starting to write a story because this story is so inspiring,” Devin Protti said later. The audience of third to fifth graders buzzed with excitement, and the atmosphere was attentive, punctuated with some nervous screaming. The students didn’t seem to know exactly who Clinton was, only that she was like royalty, but they seemed to follow what she was saying. “I feel like it was an honor to meet the president’s daughter and stuff,” said fifth grader Bo Goldstein. When asked if he had known who she was before she came, he said, “Not really, but now I definitely know. She’s pretty cool.” Besides spending her teenage years in the White House, Clinton, 38, is the vice-chair of the global nonprofit Clinton Foundation. She has a doctorate in international relations from the University of Oxford and was a correspondent for NBC for three years. She is also the author of “It’s Your World” and “She Persisted.” Clinton’s new book, “Start Now!,” is a guide for young activists that explains global issues from endangered animals to bullying and highlights some of the youngest people on the front lines, like seven-year-old Isiah Britt, who raised money for hand sanitizer for schools in Flint, Michigan. In between the faces of students trying to figure out what was going on, many of the kids looked incredibly sad or angry to hear about the threat of climate change and species extinction. But when Clinton asked, “Who here thinks that you’re never too young to make a difference?” a sea of hands went up. “It was really cool,” said fifth grader Chloe Jezequel-Smith. “I liked it because she gave a lot of details of how kids can make a difference in the world.” What kind of difference? “The only difference I think I can make is to take shorter showers to save water.” Devin Protti was similarly im- pressed. “I think she’s a really nice person,” he said. “She’s always inspired me to keep going, and same with the Clinton family.” In the question-and-answer seg- ment after Clinton’s talk, many of the students seemed most curious the White House, asking what her fa- vorite room was (her bedroom), how it felt growing up there (“both ex- traordinary and ordinary”), and is it hard to live under her parents’ shadow (“I don’t feel that I live under their shadow”). Westlake principal Clyde Curley thanked Clinton for her visit and for the work she is doing, and the stu- dents gave a thunderous round of ap- plause and started filing out in neat lines to get their favorite books signed. Even if they didn’t catch all of it, Clinton’s talk seemed to fire them up to make some change. “It told me what was happening,” said fifth grader Diego Jasso-Diaz. “It told me that I can help the world a little bit.” $235,000 in Academic Scholarships Monterey Mushrooms presented 127 children of its employees with $235,000 in scholarship awards for the 2018-19 academic year. Dependent children of full-time employees are eligible to apply for a scholarship up to $3,000 and for up to four years. The company’s scholarship program began in 1992 and honors Carl Victor Fields, the company’s past vice president of marketing. Since inception, 2,118 grants have been awarded for a total of more than $2.8 million. Scholarships are awarded to those who pursue higher education degrees at accredited colleges, universities and vocation/technical schools. To apply, the student shares their educational background, academic goals and aspirations, school activities, work experience and personal achievements. Shah Kazemi, president and CEO, is committed to giving the next generation of decision makers the tools needed to be successful in society and the workplace. “We don’t just grow mushrooms; we grow people,” Kazemi said. “Education is the key to opening opportunities.” For more information about the company visit www.montereymushrooms.com. The Cost of Freedom World War II history has always been a strong interest of mine. When I was 14, I remember telling my mom “I need to meet and talk to a WWII veteran.” The very next day, I saw an old man wearing a WWII combat veteran hat. I thanked him for his service and told him about my interest. He offered to arrange a meeting so he could further tell me his stories. His name was Joe, and he served in the navy on a destroyer ship in the Pacific. He passed away about a year after I interviewed him. Since then I have continued to interview veterans. – Cyrus Kamkar, Mount Madonna Class of 2018. In March, Kamkar, then a twelfth grade student at Mount Madonna School (MMS), organized “Honoring the Greatest Generation,” a public panel discussion with United States veterans as part of a class project. The event was hosted by the school and attend by its middle and high school students. Interest in the discussion was strong, and on November 9, 2018, MMS will host a second event arranged and moderated by Kamkar. “The Cost of Freedom” will be a panel discussion the U.S. service veterans through the lens of the WWII era to present day. This free event is open to the public and will take place on Friday, November 9 at 9:00am at Mount Madonna School, 491 Summit Road, Mount Madonna. Reser- vations are encouraged at rsvpmms@mountmadonnaschool.org “At Mount Madonna School we believe in the importance of empathy and that one way to connect and empathize with others is through the power of narrative,” commented Director of Upper School Shannon Kelly. “We can learn a lot by reading about experiences but nothing is as powerful as hearing about experiences first hand. If our aim is to educate our students to be fully engaged citizens, then it is integral that they understand the sacrifices our veterans have made for this country. It is my hope that by hearing the stories of the veterans on the panel our students will have a deeper understanding of this country’s his- tory and the positives and negatives that come with serving in the military.” “We as citizens have an obligation in this country to honor and remember these heroes,” said Kamkar. “Our prosperity has been placed in their hands to protect. That is why I am hosting this panel discussion; to give the opportunity that so many young people do not get to have due to significant gaps between the generations. Every step we take in a free society, every movement, every breath was made possible by our veterans. “Every freedom we have has been fought, bled and died for,” he continued. “The will to protect and preserve the ideas that shape us as Americans must continue to live on and show as a shining example for the whole world to see. We are a unique country that was formed off of a reaction of oppressive government rule, and we have successfully been consistent with those values by being the strongest enemy of tyranny and biggest preserver of freedom around the world.”

The post Around Town November 2018 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

How Parks are Surviving the Off-Season: Always Amused November 2018

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:53:27 +0000

How Parks are Surviving the Off-Season: Always Amused November 2018 By Erik Chalhoub It’s November. Summer is long past and Halloween is in the rear-view mirror. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is now in limited operation mode, California’s Great America is closed until its WinterFest event starts at the end of the month, and rides in parks throughout the state and nation are down for their annual maintenance. The off-season blues are kicking in. So why are parks reporting record numbers during this time of the year? According to Cedar Fair, the company that owns Great America, revenues increased by 19 percent in 2017 from October through November compared to 2016. For Six Flags, fourth quarter revenue grew $17 mil- lion, or 7 percent, to a new record of $257 million. Universal’s theme park division posted about $1.5 billion in revenue during the fourth quarter in 2017, a 9 percent increase. For the casual observer, the numbers don’t add up. The roller coasters are down, the carousel horses are in the workshop and the bumper cars are getting a tune up. Why are people heading to the parks? It’s simple, really. Park owners are realizing their theme parks are more than just rides; guests want an experience, as well. Enter the special event. “We are pleased to report a record fourth quarter performance as our parks had a strong finish to 2017,” Richard Zimmerman, Cedar Fair’s president and chief executive officer, stated in a press release. “Guests of all ages responded well to our new WinterFest celebrations and our expanded Haunt events were more popular than ever.” Take Great America, for example. The park’s Halloween Haunt, now in its 11th year, sees arguably the highest-attended days throughout the entire season. Its new holiday event, WinterFest (more on that and other holiday events next month), has been growing every year since its debut in 2016, and will see its largest expansion yet this year. Gilroy Gardens’ Holiday@Night draws the crowds during a time when it would otherwise be closed for the season. The Boardwalk has the luxury of operating year-round facilities such as Neptune’s Kingdom and Casino Arcade, but it has been hugely successful in its fall programming with the Chili Cook-off in October and Holiday Ice, which made its debut last year. According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and At- tractions’ Global Theme and Amusement Park Outlook Report (2017 to 2021), in 2018 the anticipated U.S. theme and amusement park attendance estimate is 398.5 million and guest spending will grow to an estimated $23.58 billion. In this era of screens and social media, it’s encouraging to see that people still value tangible experiences. What off-season? – Keen observers at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk may have noticed a hole in the park’s ride lineup recently. No, I’m not talking about the Ferris wheel that was removed earlier this year; Crazy Surf, the gondola ride that rotates on two revolving arms, was dismantled and shipped out of the park in September. But don’t fret. Boardwalk spokeswoman Brigid Fuller said the park is getting a brand new model of the same ride, also to be called Crazy Surf, which should be operational by spring. Crazy Surf was installed in 2012 to replace the ‘90s-era ride of the same name and type. – As of Oct. 21, California’s Great America has not announced what, if anything, is coming to the park in 2019, while other parks across the nation, including Six Flags Discovery Kingdom just an hour north, have al- ready unveiled their new rides. At the end of 2017, the park removed its original log flume ride, Logger’s Run, and surrounding rides and attractions, opening up a large plot of land for something major. Construction walls on site tease, “What’s Coming is Amazing.” In an interview on Great America’s website, new General Manager Manny Gonzalez said 2019 will see “investments on infrastructure — in beautifying what we already have.” However, Great America has applied for permits with the City of Santa Clara to construct buildings for “future drop slides” and “kiddie slides,” pointing to an expansion of the Boomerang Bay water park in the very near future. The park has also gained clearance with the Federal Aviation Administration to construct a 210-foot “steel structure” beginning in March 2019, which is very likely a steel coaster the city’s architectural committee approved in December 2017. I predict the ride will open in 2020.

The post How Parks are Surviving the Off-Season: Always Amused November 2018 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

The Right Fit

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:52:55 +0000

The Right Fit It’s Scary How Many Kids are Playing Sports in Shoes that May Look Cool, But Will Hurt Them By Bob Pursley Here we are again a new school year which brings new sports seasons, whether it is football, cross country, basketball or soccer the kids are asking you to buy the equipment that they will need for these sports. Some of these sports require very specific equipment including the proper footwear for the sport. Sports such as field sports require cleats which are a no brainer but when it comes to running and indoor sports it is not so cut and dry. As a High School Athletics Coach and Personal Trainer I have seen so many kids wearing the wrong shoes for the sport that they are involved in, whether it is by choice or by not having the financial means to purchase the right footwear. Fashion vs. Function Kids are wearing shoes that fit their style which usually are skate shoes which have various brands but are designed mainly for one function, skateboarding. These shoes have very rigid soles and do not allow the foot to move freely. This is good when skating but not for running which many kids are wearing but they are not good for their feet however they have come to be standard footwear for the generation. I have seen athletes with foot problems over the seasons and the one common denominator is the type of shoe that they wear as everyday shoes and as workout/training shoes. Yes buying shoes can be expensive but so are the recurring medical issues associated with foot injuries such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints that can be prevented by wearing the proper footwear. As a personal trainer I have worked with a client who wore a shoe because it was the fashionable shoe to wear and was advertised as an exercise shoe but it actually caused knee damage because of the design. For running sports such as cross country and track there are specific shoes to support those sports, running shoes and track spikes. These shoes should be fitted to the athlete by a run- ning shoe store, there are running shoe stores in Santa Cruz County that can assist in this one store that I have had personal experience with is Fleet Feet in Aptos CA. The staff there is helpful and very knowledgeable in the area of proper fit. Without saying basketball should be played in basketball shoes, not running shoes or skate shoes as the support is different and they are designed for the court the same for volleyball shoes and shoes worn to play tennis. Wrestling is a different story as wrestling shoes are required to participate in matches and practices due to the design and also they prevent the tearing of the mat. There is no choice other than wrestling shoes for this sport. Options If you do not want the added expense of going to a running store and having your child fitted you can follow the sales ad for Big Five which offers a full line of athletic shoes for low cost. You can also go the gently used route and check out Play It Again Sports for shoes that might have not made it through a whole season before the child who wore them decided that that sport was not for them or outgrew them. I was pleasantly surprised to see used shoes of all types especially wrestling shoes when shopping there. Once again there are proper shoes for each sport or activity. The proper shoe can help your Student Athlete succeed in his/her sport and alleviate potential season ending or lifelong injuries. Bob Pursley is a personal trainer at Coast Physical Therapy in Aptos and is a foot- ball coach at Pajaro Valley High School.

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Why #MeToo is #MeAlone

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:50:58 +0000

Why #MeToo is #MeAlone By Chris Jackson With the #MeToo movement affecting public figures more and more, it’s important to understand why #MeToo is so often #MeAlone. If you want your kids to not be or feel alone when someone does something to them, read on. Think of the most shameful secret you keep. Something that happened to you. Embarrassing’s not the word; it’s worse than embarrassing. In school, kids picked on me, and I never told anyone–including my parents. In fact, this is the first time I’m mentioning it to anyone. You have one too. Why didn’t you tell anyone? Why didn’t you tell everyone? Why didn’t you tell your parents, a school official, or the police? Your kids will have one too, if they don’t already. People who consider themselves part of the #MeToo movement have had things happen to them that are scary, shameful, and embarrass- ing, and those words only begin to de- scribe what people feel. Many times, years are spent pushing these memories pushed down to a deep place where they don’t come to mind so often. These people may believe they will feel worse if they tell someone. They may not know how to tell someone. They may wrongly believe it was their fault. They may not want to tell anyone, and they don’t have too, do they? They are scared, and it’s deeply personal and private. As parents, we can seek professional help to dig into our memories for something that happened to us. We can recall the incident and share it with a safe person. We can model this difficult sharing to our children. It’s not necessary to get into details while you’re sharing. Chose a good time and share an age-appropriate experience with your children. Keep it short. Let your children see how vulnerable you are while you’re sharing. Let them see how scared you are. Once you’ve shared, and every time you share, let your kids know that they are safe sharing with you, but don’t pressure them to share. Let them know that for a long time, you didn’t share. Let them know why. Let them know that when they share with you, you will believe them and love them the same. Let them know there’s nothing they could do, say, or share with you that would make you love them less, and there’s nothing they could do, say, or share with you that would make you love them more. Let them know there’s nothing that could happen to them that would make you love them less, and that there’s nothing that could happen to them that would make you love them more. Your love for them is UNCONDITIONAL. Keep sharing with your kids the things that happen to you which make you feel shame and embarrassment. It’s gets easier each time you share. In time, your kids may start to share back. My hope is that #MeToo won’t be #MeAlone in your family. Note: Those who do not share for many years, or ever, have nothing to be ashamed of in keeping their secret. Seek professional help when you become aware that something has happened to someone your family or to you. Until next time, parent well.

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Your Letters and Thoughts: November 2018

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:50:35 +0000

Your Letters and Thoughts: November 2018 Please send your opinions to editor@growingupsc.com What does the Nov. 6 ballot have to do with parenting? As a parent, I’m increasingly concerned about the ability of vital and vulnerable community members to afford to stay in Santa Cruz County. From local daycare providers to medical assistants, from grocery checkers to our teachers, the very people we depend on to help us raise healthy, happy children in Santa Cruz County are threatened by our housing costs. As a nonprofit housing professional, I know stability has a profound impact on the development of children, with the ability to significantly improve health and educational outcomes. Just consider Paloma, 18, whose affordable home at MidPen Housing’s Sunny Meadows in Watsonville helped her become the first person in her family to graduate from high school and go to college. Stable housing allowed Paloma to thrive and Sunny Meadows’ onsite services, includ- ing the Afterschool Program, gave her the boost she needed to do well in school. But Santa Cruz County doesn’t have enough affordable housing right now to meet the needs of our community. A recent report produced in partnership by the California Housing Partnership and the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California, where I work, shows that Santa Cruz County has an affordable housing shortfall of 11,873 homes. Local renters need to earn more than four times the state’s minimum wage in order to afford our area’s median rental. When factoring in high housing costs, Santa Cruz County’s poverty rate increases from 13.8 percent to 24.8 percent, one of the highest in the state. What does this actually mean for our community? Thousands of Santa Cruz County families don’t have safe, secure, affordable housing. Fortunately, we have opportunities this November to take action on this crisis and make Santa Cruz County more affordable. We can do this by voting YES on statewide Propositions 1 and 2, which will enable California to re-invest in our communities and affordable housing. Prop 1 will build and preserve affordable homes, including supportive housing for veterans, working families, people with disabilities, Californians experiencing homelessness and others struggling to find a safe place to call home. Prop 2 will help people suffering from a serious mental illness and experiencing homelessness by building stable housing for them, as well as keeping mental health services in close reach. In Santa Cruz County we have the chance to do even better by voting YES on Measure H for local affordable housing. Measure H is a $140 million bond measure that will provide affordable housing for local workers, help families with homeowner down payment assistance programs, as well as help our vulnerable community members have access to safe, stable, affordable options. I know I live in a community filled with friends, family and neighbors who are concerned about our housing crisis and want to take action to address it. Please join me in voting YES on Prop 1, Prop 2, and Measure H. Let’s help create change — and homes — for our commu- nity members who need it the most. –Alina Harway: Communications Director at non-profit Housing Association of Northern California Vote for J. Dan Rothwell My wife and I are blessed with four amazing grandchildren; two seniors in high school, a seventh-grader, and a third- grader. As a retired Cabrillo College teacher, I want to instill in them that love of lifelong learning that I find so valuable in my own life. That is one reason that I have become so alarmed by the devaluation of lifelong learning at Cabrillo College, my professional home for 30 years. State “repeatability” regulations have significantly diminished access to college courses that are taken primarily for self-improvement and skill building. I am running for the Cabrillo College Board, area 6 (Aptos, Corralitos, Freedom), among other reasons, to fight this unsettling trend. What I bring to this Board position is experience that counts from the inside, not peripherally from an outsider’s generic point of view. I taught Commu- nication Studies for-credit courses as a full-time instructor for 30 years at Cabrillo College while also serving as the department’s chair. During my tenure as its leader, the Communication Studies department vastly increased its enrollment and grew from a single full-time faculty member (me) to its current seven full-timers. I served for 10 years on the College Planning Council that had to regularly address thorny financial and budgetary issues. In addition, my business-related experience includes popular books on team-building, organizational communication, and a business communication book in progress (with my friend and colleague Michelle Waters), all published by the non-profit Oxford University Press. I also currently serve on the Metro Transit Board for Santa Cruz County that addresses the business of bus transit that directly affects Cabrillo students. In addition, I served for 22 years on the Faculty Senate, wrestling with some of the most contentious issues across a broad range of interests and groups. I was a vocal member of the CCFT Union Council for 10 years, and I acted as its chief negotiator in my last year at Cabrillo (2016). I have been honored with 25 teaching awards, and the Cabrillo College Employee Union (CCEU) awarded me “Instructor of the Year” in 2009 for my advocacy on behalf of classified staff. I bring a unique set of communication skills to this Board position. I have a doc- torate in Communication Theory and Social Influence. I have the flexible skills to be an articulate, determined advocate, a compassionate leader, and a harmonious negotiator depending on the context. In the 59-year history of Cabrillo College, there has never been a college instructor who has served on the Board of Trustees. The business community has been adequately represented on the Board for decades. Does it not make sense to elect at least one college educator to the Cabrillo Board? –J. Dan Rothwell: Retired Cabrillo College instructor

The post Your Letters and Thoughts: November 2018 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Local Student, 16, Gets His Shot on “The Voice”

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:44:55 +0000

Local Student, 16, Gets His Shot on “The Voice” Being a Baseball Pitcher Helped Anthony Arya Stay Cool in Front of 10 Million Viewers. By Jordy Hyman Anthony Arya, a junior at Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School, said his battle round on the singing competition show “The Voice,” was “a whirlwind, a rollercoaster of emotion” when he was saved from elimination by a steal from coach Jennifer Hudson. “It felt so good that she believed in me enough to use one of her two steals on me, out of all the incredible artists in the battle, it was really an honor,” said Arya. “She’s an incredible singer so I was really stoked. That was a crazy experience.” Arya, 16, performed a duet of “Amie” by Pure Prairie League with contestant Steve Memmolo, both harmonizing and taking turns to let each other show off their skills in the ninth episode of the 15th season, which aired Oct. 16. The show is one of NBC’s top-rated entries, attracting 10.8 million people to its season opener. “We had to work together to find a balance of what we liked, getting those harmonies and the chorus really tight,” said Arya. “When we got on stage I was really focusing on tuning in to what the song is about. Adam Levine said ‘find your Amie in the crowd,’ and that’s what I was trying to do” Jennifer Hudson couldn’t decide between them. “You felt as if you’ve been doing this for a while, which lets me know you’ve got a lot of potential,” she said. ”But Steve came out the gate on this one.” “This is such a tough one for me,” said Adam Levine. “I’m the most proud of Anthony, because you are 15, and the improvement that you’ve shown, Anthony, has been so huge. You’re such a warm and beautiful person, I have a soft spot for you.” It was a difficult decision, but Levine picked Memmolo, and Arya thought he was going home. “It was a tough moment thinking that it was going to be the end of my road on the show,” said Arya. But in the middle of an emotional hug goodbye with Levine, Hudson slammed her button, stealing Arya for her team. “He’s a gem and I’m sitting here like, is you crazy, you gonna let him go?” she said. Levine was ecstatic. “You just got one of the best, I love that kid so much,” he said. Clarkson was back with more inappropriate comments about a minor. “He legit could play a vampire in a movie,” she said. “He is beautiful.” Arya takes it all in stride. “I thought that was hilarious,” he said. “I tweeted, ‘I’m ready, cast me in a vampire role.’” Arya said he’s really been enjoying working with his new coach. “Jennifer doesn’t want to extract anything from your own art, she sees who you are and she encourages that,” he said. “I could learn so much from her about how to really get in tune with a song and put all your emotion into it.” Arya said it was like a dream to get to perform in the blind auditions, and being chosen by Levine was almost too good to be true. “I was trying to maintain calmness and keep going through the song, but it was pretty crazy,” said Arya. “When Adam Levine’s staring at you it’s hard to keep focused.” The Santa Cruz teen sang “Danny’s Song,” by Kenny Loggins, but he was so focused on his performance he hardly noticed when the front man of Maroon 5 swiveled his chair around to look at him, signaling that he wanted to coach Arya through the show. “I didn’t really notice when Adam turned his chair and was just kind of going with the song,” Arya said, “and then at one point I saw that he was facing me and realized that I was on The Voice. It was so surreal.” Arya’s first episode aired Oct. 1. He says he’s been watching “The Voice” since the first season in 2011. “I’ve always dreamed of being on the show,” he said, “and it just kinda happened by chance that I got the opportunity.” Arya grew up in Santa Cruz with music all around him. His mother had many friends who were musicians, including John “Uncle Jack” Ridgeway, a local singer songwriter who has since passed. “I remember as a kid seeing him play around the fire and everyone singing along to his tunes,” said Arya. “He would always be the guy putting a guitar in my hand, and that was when I was really like, man, I want to do this.” School music classes helped Arya take that dream and hone it. It all started at the Spring Hill Elementary after-school rock band, he said. “I was drumming and singing at the time, and that’s really when I fell in love with performing.” In fourth grade Arya started playing guitar, and when he went to the Kirby School in seventh grade he joined the jazz band and choir, where he first got to receive feedback and learn about vocal techniques. “I learned a lot from some of the older kids in jazz band and then eventually over a couple years I became the person who was teaching the new kids, so it went full circle,” he said. Kirby School has been a very encouraging environment for Arya and his music, offering classes and one-on- one instruction with music teachers. “There’s a great music program at my school,” said Arya. “So I can take classes like AP music theory and independent study with my music teachers.” He has been studying music recording and production with music theory teacher John Seales, and learning about PA systems with choir director Alex Koppel. “He has really supported my musicianship” For the last three years he was chosen to play in the Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band, and started writing and performing his own music at venues around Santa Cruz and busking outside of bars in San Francisco. Last summer he also attended the Stanford Jazz Institute. Arya also loves sports and theater. He played baseball for 10 years, taking pitching lessons with retired Major Leaguer Mark Eichhorn, pitching for the Astros in the pony league and volunteering as a coach and umpire. “Being comfortable and relaxed and confident on the mound with all the spotlights on you, I really think that set me up for being a musician and being able to perform on stage,” Arya said. He also played basketball at Kirby and the Boys and Girls Club, where he will be volunteering with their rock band program, and has been in school musicals and plays. His classmates at Kirby have been calling him Hercules since his first episode aired, but most have been very supportive and he’s even got some new fans. Arya’s submission to an Instagram Knockout contest won him the chance to compete in the blind auditions, and last summer he went to Los Angeles to take a shot at $100,000 and a record deal with Universal Music Group. He might have come to win, but rehearsing with the house band and getting to know all the contestants was its own reward. “I’m close with literally everyone on the show,” he said. “These are friendships that will stay for the rest of my life.” Arya confided that one of his new original songs, “Slow Train,” is a ballad written to Emily Hough, a fellow member of Team Adam. He taught it to the rest of the contestants while they sat around the fire at night in Los Angeles, and it became a kind of ritual for them to sing it every night. “There’s a lot of camaraderie between the contestants,” Arya said. “Everyone is super supportive, and it was awesome to be able to share that song.” Levine was shocked to learn Arya was 15 at the time. “It blows my mind,” he said after Arya played. “I’m telling you right now, your whole situation, the way you engage with an audience, the way you sing – you are so special, dude. People are gonna fall madly in love with how you do it.” Clarkson agreed. “You’re so handsome, it’s kind of amazing,” she said. “You look like a Greek god playing an instrument.” When asked about being hit on by pop stars, Arya said, “I guess I better hit the gym now that I’m being called Hercules. I’ve been playing too much music.” Arya is still playing music around Santa Cruz while the show is airing. He’s optimistic about his music career and his chances on “The Voice,” but he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry about it. “I’d love to be able to play big con- certs and stadiums,” he said, “but there’s a gradual progression you have to go through and I want to enjoy every bit of it. Honestly I’m happy playing my music for whoever.” Watch every Monday/Tuesday on NBC. Catch Arya at his monthly residency at the Food Lounge in downtown Santa Cruz, featuring original songs by Arya and his band, a cover set and a jam at the end, and see him perform at Testarossa Winery in Los Gatos on Nov. 30. Find him at Anthonyarya.com, youtube twitter instagram. See his videos at youtube.com/watch?v=GHLyUJKjwNI and youtube.com/watch?v=zddmtB_ FHI8

The post Local Student, 16, Gets His Shot on “The Voice” first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Third Trimester Tasks: Birth Matters November 2018

Laura Maxson — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:36:28 +0000

Third Trimester Tasks: Birth Matter November 2018 By Laura Maxson LM Everything about having a newborn is, well, new. Although it doesn’t take long for a parent to become an expert on their own baby, those first few weeks can go a little smoother with some preplanning. Nothing can change the reality of the 24/7-ness of the early days, but here are a few things to check off your list. Attend a Santa Cruz Baby Wearing meeting before baby comes. They meet monthly, so be sure to get it on your calendar before your last month of pregnancy. Experienced baby wearers are on hand to help answer questions and other new parents are happy to share what works for them. A lending library of baby carriers is available for members to borrow and try out different carriers. The type of carrier to choose will depend on the age and size of the baby, as well as the size and specific needs of the parent. Being ready to wear the baby from day one can be a real game changer. By the end of the first week most parents find they are up and around a bit, maybe even heading out for a stroll in the back yard or a trip to the pediatrician’s office, all made easier by wearing the baby. Babies benefit from being carried, and parents, too, will appreciate the closeness and support of a carrier that also allows two free hands, especially helpful at dinnertime. Get the car seat correctly installed and inspected well before 37 weeks. It’s one thing if the leg on your Ikea end table ends up a little wobbly, it is quite another if your child restraint system fails to restrain your child in an accident. Every car and every seat is a little bit different – child passenger safety (CPS) technicians must attend a several day training and pass a national test to be- come nationally certified. Car seats for littles on Facebook answers questions including how well certain seats fit in specific cars. Install your safety seat then make an appointment for an inspection, just to make sure. Here’s a list from the County’s Child Passenger Safety Resources page. –AAA Capitola 831-824-9141 –AAA Watsonville 831-768-4570 (se habla Español) –Boulder Creek Fire Protection 831- 338-7222 –California Highway Patrol 831- 662-0511 –Capitola Police Department 831- 475-4242 (se habla Español) Wednes- day appointments only –Santa Cruz City Fire Department 831-420-5280 –Scotts Valley Fire Protection District 831-438-0211 –Watsonville Fire Department 831-768-3209 (se habla Español) –Dominican Hospital Child Seat –Safety Event – 831-462-7266 Little ones need diapers – disposable, cloth, compostable or an elimination communication potty for those planning to avoid the whole diaper scene. Check out the options. There are diaper delivery services, delivery by mail, running to Costco or even washing your own. Diaper services deliver cloth diapers and/or compostable diapers, but best of all, they come back and pick up the dirty ones. Cloth diapers are washed and dried and returned ready for baby each week, and compostable diapers are collected and taken to a composter for processing. Compostable diapers deserve to be composted, not just dropped in the trash. Diaper services have been around for generations, as have cloth diapers washed at home. A month’s diaper delivery service can be a great shower or new baby gift. After a month most par- ents are getting back on their feet and ready to take on washing their own diapers or maybe they will want to stick with the service. Don’t worry – diapers are one thing you’ll get plenty of prac- tice with right away. Look around for a few resource books on babies and breastfeeding to have on hand. A few trusted websites can be helpful, too, but straight up Googling will likely be a little overwhelming when the 3 a.m. questions pop up. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and Sweet Sleep are two favorites from La Leche League International. Dr. Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding, by Jack Newman and Teresa Pitman and the website www.Kellymom.com offer lots of great troubleshooting advice for breastfeeding issues. Wondering if that rash or fever is concerning? Many par- ents keep a copy of, Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two, by William Sears M.D. and Martha Sears R.N. Most importantly, get out there and talk to other parents and care providers, ideally before your baby arrives, but especially after. Go to the breastfeeding support groups, new mom park days and make some connections. Laura Maxson, LM, CPM, the mother of three grown children, has been working with pregnant and breastfeeding women for over 30 years. Currently she is the executive director of Birth Network of Santa Cruz County and has a home- birth midwifery practice. Contact her at midwife@scshop.com or postmaster@birthnet.org

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Housing, Roads, Parks: Ballot Issues will Affect Local Families: County Scoop November 2018

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:35:02 +0000

Housing, Roads, Parks: Ballot Issues will Affect Local Families: County Scoop November 2018 By Zach Friend The November ballot will have a number of measures at the state and local level. Some of these measures will have elements that have a strong family focus. The most notable in the County are a bond measure for affordable housing and a sales tax for the unincorporated area that provides funding for parks among other priorities. Statewide, Proposition 6 is receiving the most attention. It’s a proposed repeal of SB 1 – adopted by the legislature to address the backlog of deferred road maintenance by increasing the gas tax and vehicle registration fees. I wanted to provide an overview of the three of these items and welcome any additional questions you have. Countywide Affordable Housing Bond A diverse coalition of local business leaders, non-profits housing developers, agriculture business leaders, schools and community organizations (and more) worked for about two years in preparation for a possible affordable housing measure. At issue is the remarkable affordability challenge in our County, which ranks our County as one of the least affordable places in the world according to a recent international affordable housing study. With a median home price of over $900,000 for a single-family residence home- ownership is out of reach for the majority of Santa Cruz County residents. According to the California Association of Realtors Traditional Housing Affordability Index, only about 15 per- cent of households can afford to purchase the median priced home. The rental housing market fares no better, with the rent for a two-bedroom apartment registering at around $2,700. High housing costs inhibit the sustainability of our community and of our workforce. Individuals and families are increasingly locked out of the local housing market and forced to take on increasingly long commutes to reach employment. High housing costs also exacerbate other challenges our community is confronting, including economic opportunity and vitality, traffic congestion, greenhouse gas generation and homelessness. In addition, when households spend more than half their incomes on housing costs, they have significantly less money to pay for other necessary expenses such as childcare, medical expenses, and food, as well as less discretionary income to spend at local businesses. Housing costs, and the lack of available housing, is the number one issue that I hear about in my office. Hospitals that are unable to recruit doctors, local businesses that say they can’t retain employees, teachers and public safety unable to afford a starter home or driving upwards of three hours to come to work are all common stories. Additionally, parents often note their children and grandchildren are unable to stay in this area and seniors have said they have limited housing options for aging in place or affordable options as income diminishes. The proposed measure, which will require a 2/3 majority to pass, will issue bonds in an amount not to exceed $140 million for affordable housing and reduction of homelessness. Bonds will be repaid through a property tax assessment of an estimated maximum levy of $16.77 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. Supporters have noted that the purpose of the measure is to bring options and opportunities for our families and vulnerable populations. Specifically, the bond calls to provide a mixture of funding for affordable rental housing construction for local workers, a first time homebuyer program, funding to ensure that local residents struggling to make mortgage payments don’t lose their homes, loans for accessory dwelling unit (ADU) construction and more. Additionally, it aims to provide interim shelter and permanent supportive housing for families and individuals experiencing homelessness and accessible, well-located housing for seniors on fixed or limited in- comes, veterans, families, and people living with disabilities. Unincorporated Area Sales Tax A half-cent sales tax increase will be before County voters on the Nov. 6 ballot. If approved, sales taxes in the unincorporated area would increase to 9 percent – a level that is at or below sales taxes in the cities of Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Scotts Valley and Capi- tola. The tax would sunset after 12 years. The Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution of priorities for unmet needs throughout the county, outlining some of the places the new funding would be spent including in the areas of homelessness and behavioral health, upgrades to public parks facilities and the construction of new facilities, deferred maintenance on infrastructure and more. Those needs include new North and South County homeless shelters and navigation centers; public safety and behavioral health outreach; and completion of several new parks, including LEO’s Haven, the County’s first all-inclusive playground for children of all abilities. Many parks within the Mid and South County areas would receive upgrades and additional park maintenance and recreation staff would be added to provide oversight for parks facilities and increase youth and senior programs. If implemented, the sales tax would only apply in unincorporated areas of the county. However, since all resi- dents are expected to benefit from the programs and services, every voter in Santa Cruz County will be allowed to vote on the proposal. Proposition 6 (Gas Tax Repeal) At issue is SB 1, adopted by the legislature to address the near $140 billion backlog in statewide deferred road maintenance by raising the gas tax and vehicle registration fees. The legislation generates more than $5 billion annually for repairs, maintenance and operations, nearly half of which is directed to cities and counties for street and road repairs. Most of the remaining funds are used for increasing highway maintenance and operational improvements, public transit and pedestrian safety programs. Locally, the funding has already been used for storm damage repairs and is expected to provide $115 million countywide over the first ten years for road repairs, bridge and culvert repairs and other safety improvements. California’s gas tax last increased in 1994 and was not indexed to inflation. As a result, the purchasing power of these funds has declined by half due to inflation and increased mileage (fuel-efficient vehicles travel farther on that same gallon of gas). Proposition 6 would repeal this new funding stream. There have been some concerns that SB 1 funds would be diverted away from transportation needs. As a response, Proposition 69, passed by over 80 percent of voters in the June election, ensures that the funds from SB 1 are used for transportation pur- poses only. Locally, the repeal would greatly impact the local match funding for storm damage repairs and eliminate funding already going to local cities and the county for road repairs. As always, I appreciate hearing your thoughts. If you have questions on these items feel free to call my office a 454-2200.

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What are “Spacers”? Who Needs Them?

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:33:00 +0000

What are”Spacers”? Who NeedsThem?: Healthy Smiles November 2018 By Dr. Megan You might have heard of “spacers” when some parents talk about their children having a spacer in their mouth or the need for the spacers to be removed. Space maintainer, the more professional term, refer to appliances used to hold the space needed to maintain the form of the arch in mouth. In most cases when a baby tooth is extracted earlier than it is supposed to fall on its own, a space maintainer is recommended, but why? Believe it or not, teeth move! This is how braces work. Teeth movements including tilting, shifting or rotating would not be something you could see overnight but they do happen. Whenever a tooth is extracted, most specifically in the back region of the mouth, other teeth could be impacted as well. Therefore we like placing these spacers in situations where we still need to keep those spaces for the grown-up teeth to erupt. Take a look at picture A and you’ll be able to somewhat appreciate how the dynamic of growing and losing teeth works. A baby tooth, in a normal situation, gets “dissolved” by the tooth under or above it and eventually gets loose and falls out. We like this process to happen in a timely manner, meaning certain teeth fall in certain time period. Children usually lose their bottom front teeth first and the normal age range is 6-7 years, however there is an acceptable margin (earlier or later) of 1 year for any individual. With early (earlier than normal) loss of front teeth, a shift in mid-line may or may not happen, but that is usually not very significant as the back baby teeth. Picture A Back baby teeth are deemed as pillars of the mouth and losing them earlier than they should fall, can have a more significant effect on space and future need to spacers or even braces. So take this case; a 5 year-old kid loses a back 1st baby molar, which usually falls when they are 9-11 years old. What do you think will happen? The adjacent teeth can tilt or shift to get closer together and make that space smaller. Now you might think this will only have esthetic consequences, but the truth is we need that space for another adult tooth to erupt in future. Closing this space could change the position of that new adult tooth. Picture B We call that eruption pattern “ectopic eruption”, meaning it is not in its right place in the arch (Picture B). In some cases the adult tooth may not even come in and we refer to that as a locked out tooth. These spacers come in different shapes and forms depending on the situation. Let’s divide the mouth into 4 quadrants: top right, top left, bottom right, bottom left (picture C) Picture C For a kid who loses only one baby molar in a quadrant, a unilateral appliance is considered (picture D). We call this spacer a “band and loop”. However, if he or she loses 2 baby molars on top (right and left) or on bottom (right and left), a bilateral appliance will be considered (picture E). For older kids, when they are about to have their adult teeth come in soon, these appliances may not be as necessary. Also, keep in mind that the child’s cooperation level is crucial for making and delivering these appliances. As much as it is preferred to maintain these spaces for their own benefit, I personally would not choose to do so if patient presents poor cooperation and could get an unpleasant memory out of it. I amDr. Mojdeh Faraz, AKA Dr. Megan 🙂 I am a Board-certified pediatric dentist at Pajaro Valley Childrens Dental Group. I received my DDS at NYU followed by my speciatly training at Jacobi Medical Center in affiliation with Albert Einstein School of Medicine. My passion in working with children and to be part of their innocent world led me to this fun and fabulous field. I am proud to work with an amazing crew who are so seasoned when it comes to working with children. They are the reason for the excellent reviews and feedbacks we’ve receive over the years. Please Feel free to come by and visit our fun and child-friendly practice at 230 Green Valley Rd, Freedom, CA 95019.

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What Do You Want To Do With Your Life?

growingupsc — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 09:29:47 +0000

What Do You Want To Do With Your Life? Teens Face Life Decisions Earlier Than Ever By Suki Wessling This article is first in a three-part series on the college application experience for teens. This month: college applications don’t just come out of nowhere. How can teens start early determining what they might want to do in college and beyond? Being a teen is never easy, but perhaps the most exasperating thing teens experience is the assumption that they should know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Adults who work with teens say that now, more than ever, the pressure is on. “Part of me feels sad to even ponder this question because embedded within it is the assumption that they need to know that before going to college,” explains Debra Sloss, Li- censed Marriage and Family Therapist and co-host of the radio program “State of Mind: Being Human and Living Well” on KSQD. “That was once a question to be explored in college, but many of the demands of life have been moving earlier into kids’ lives.” To be sure, in the past students applied to a college and then spent one to two years exploring before declaring a major. Although some universities still allow and even encourage this approach, many require declaration on the application or soon after, especially for competitive degree programs. What’s a modern teen to do? First of all, try to avoid getting stressed out. Kevin Hislop, an education consultant in Scotts Valley, points out that the stress students undergo trying to mold themselves into the perfect application for competitive colleges doesn’t achieve the objective. “On a humanistic level, this insane competition frequently leads students to engage in unhealthy behaviors that leave them sick, stressed out, and bereft of joy and curiosity, which, ironically, is exactly what the top institutions do not want.” Keep an open mind and start exploring Adults who work with teens often emphasize that it helps when students open up their options by exploring early. “My daughter got interested in the FBI and criminal justice at a big criminal justice fair in fifth grade,” says Pat Moore, an education and career counselor in Aptos. “She ended up working at the FBI, and recently retired.” Similarly Debra Sloss’s sons explored interests through programs aimed at kids. “Two of my sons who were good at math thought they might be interested in engineering,” she explains. “Both went to engineering camps. One came back saying aerospace engineering was definitely for him the other learned what he didn’t want to do and later found himself headed toward architectural engineering.” “There is no set checklist of what students need to do, but they should explore their interests, challenge themselves, and be active participants in their lives,” advises Laurie Kiguchi, a college and career advisor in Santa Cruz. “This could be through traditional organized activities (sports, clubs, volunteer activities, work) or individual, informal activities (skateboarding, reading, creative pursuits, taking care of a family member or neighbor).” Find out what the “real world” has to offer Once they hit the teen years, it’s helpful to branch out into ‘real world’ activities that will give them experience. “Think hard about, uncover, and name specifically the two or three things you most enjoy doing,” Hislop recommends. “Then, find outside organizations that engage in similar activities and make yourself available to them, being willing to start at the absolute ground floor.” Sloss says that even if you can’t find a job in a particularly interesting field, paid work can also teach you a lot about what you might want in a future career. “Working jobs is a great way to learn about yourself and what types of environments you like, or don’t like, too,” Sloss explains. “The ‘flops’ are just as valuable as the ‘successes’ because you can learn about yourself.” Hislop cautions against feeling like you have to do too many activities— just to prove to colleges that you are ‘well-rounded.’ “Of course schools appreciate ap- plicants who are engaged in their local communities, but, more so, they want to see demonstrable evidence of an applicant’s passion—whether it be nursing, robotics, basketball, multi-player video gaming, social dance, or assisting kids who have cancer.” They did it and you can, too Professionals who work with teens overflow with examples of how young people have found their way—not always by taking the most obvious path. “Five years ago, I worked with a young woman who began volunteering as a first-year student in high school at Santa Cruz’s Firelight Foundation, which helps support sustain- able, community-driven initiatives in Africa,” Hislop recounts. “Over four years, this student rose to a position of significant prominence within Firelight, and her passion shined through her application and eventual matriculation to UC Berkeley.” Jill Schontag, a college and career counselor in Santa Cruz, remembers a young adult in crisis whom she counseled at UCSC. “Their preferences clearly showed that they were more creative and more hands-on than what they were studying,” she remembers. She helped the student reevaluate their goals and interests. “They ended going to the Cabrillo Culinary Insti- tute [and getting] a job at Google as culinary staff.” This story, Schontag points out, is not about failure or giving up. “They were struggling, they knew they didn’t want to be doing what they were doing, and once they changed careers they thrived and got a good job out of it.” Find your preferences People often tell teens that they have to find their ‘passion,’ and many teens do have a passion. They are the lucky ones. No matter what the passion, there is a career path, no matter how unusual, that relates to their passion. Two scientists won a Nobel Prize for work that started as a childhood passion, playing with lifting pencil graphite off paper with cellophane tape. Parents may worry that their child’s Dungeons & Dragons obsession won’t lead to a career, but pretty much any passion teaches students skills that they can transfer to their studies and a career. The tougher problem comes when teens feel that they don’t have a particular passion. Perhaps nothing has yet excited them, or perhaps they feel that there are too many options and they can’t choose. Perhaps they find that a focus on school and spending free time with friends and family is enough for them. For these teens, a rewording may be in order. “I think the passion word gets overused,” Schontag explains. “It’s really about preference. Preferences are innate ways of being in the world that are comfortable for us and work for us. When you cross your arms, you always cross them the same way. You never decided left over right, it’s just innate.” Similarly, Schontag says, teens have certain things that they gravitate towards, such as working with people or working independently; being outside and active or inside and focused; even working on concrete tasks versus exploring the edges of human thought in philosophy or physics. Continue to grow and explore In any case, the most important thing to remember is that human lives are fluid and don’t always move in one direction. The teen years are exciting ones, when we get to grow and explore. But that growth and exploration doesn’t end the day you press ‘submit’ on the Common App. “Focus on exploring your interests and the world, trying on new ideas and activities, learning about yourself,” advises Laurie Kiguchi. “Realize that college is still a place to explore and give yourself permission to do just that.” Next in the series: How to identify possible careers and prepare for the college application process. Suki Wessling is a local writer and teacher and the mother of two teens. Read more about her writing, teaching, and music at www.SukiWessling.com. Resources: Pat Moore, Options Educational & Career Counseling, Aptos Kevin R. Hislop, KrH Education Consulting, Scotts Valley Laurie Kiguchi, lK Educational Consulting, Santa Cruz Jill Schontag, Learning Pathways, Santa Cruz Debra Sloss, LMFT, Santa Cruz Debra Sloss’s radio program, “State of Mind: Being Human and Living Well,” streams on KsQd, https://ksqd.org/

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