September 2019 - Growing Up in Santa Cruz

DJ Shae Slays in Santa Cruz

growingupsc — Mon, 02 Sep 2019 01:09:25 +0000

DJ Shae Slays in Santa Cruz Santa Cruz’s youngest DJ gets crowds dancing By Sophie Levine When most people think of a DJ, the typical association is not a 13-year-old playing shows for $50 an hour. But from elementary and middle school dances to parties, weddings, and golf tournaments, teenager Shae Mandell does just that, right here in Santa Cruz—who needs an allowance? Two turntables and a microphone, plus one MacBook. Some nice speakers, headphones, and a free program called Serato DJ Lite is what it takes to get the crowds dancing and put a smile on Shae’s face. Oh, and don’t forget the custom gray and blue hat with “DJ Shae” embroidered in yellow. In Kid’s Day Dj Shae had hundreds of kids dancing on the streets in Santa Cruz . Photo Credit: Kevin Painchaud “I’ve never really had a problem getting inspiration, I just felt like I was attached to DJing and it just felt fun to me,” said Shae. Shae was first introduced to DJing at the age of five when his father, Howie, began DJing for his friends’ events—weddings and the like. By the time Shae was seven, he started stepping in to give his dad a break, and little by little he learned the ropes until family friends began contacting him for their private events and parties. In the beginning, he charged $20 an hour; as his skills improved and word got out, he was encouraged by family and friends to raise his prices to $50 an hour. He’s now played over 15 events, including Halloween parties and carnivals, and only plans to do more in the future. Each year, he performs at the Top Gun Invitational Golf Tournament and Silent Auction at DeLaveaga Golf Course in Santa Cruz in memory of his father, who died in 2017 from a heart attack. “I think that made Shae want to DJ more in his honor,” said his mother Chelsea. “He mostly got into it because of his dad, and I think it makes him feel like he has that connection with him when he DJs.” Teaming up with the Boys and Girls Club, his family created the Howie Mandel Active Kids Foundation, which raises money through the golf tournament and auction to keep kids active and engaged after a sudden life changing event, such as death or the loss of a job or house. Last May, Shae performed for the third time at the event, his laptop displaying two stickers that say “Always Remember Howie” and “Never Forget Howie” on the back. DJ Shae knows how to play for his audiences. Downloading everything through iTunes, his music library ranges from ABBA, Queen, and A Tribe Called Quest, to Bruno Mars, DJ Khaled, and Calvin Harris. Serato DJ allows users to queue two songs simultaneously, change or align the BPM (beats per minute), tempo, and even add sound effects to mix music live, right on the spot. “It’s really hard to get the BPMs right in such a little time frame. People don’t realize that’s how you do it—they think you’re just clicking on a song,” he said. “You have to line it up so it doesn’t sound awkward or weird.” After he’s contacted for an event, Shae plans out his playlist of songs, determines which ones he wants to mix together, and practices for about an hour each day prior to the event date. Whenever he plays at dances for middle school students, he uses his turntables to scratch over any swear words in a song. When asked if he ever gets nervous before a gig, he smirked and said, “Well, not really for those kinds of audiences.” Shae views his age as more of an advantage than a handicap, with some clients specifically reaching out to him because he’s a young talent. And while he feels as though he isn’t treated any differently because of his age, he doesn’t want to overbook himself; he still wants to be a kid, and has no problem saying no. Shae currently lives in Santa Cruz just a five-minute walk away from West Cliff with his mother, Chelsea, and two younger siblings, Hayden and Taylor. Having recently graduated from Mission Hill Middle School, he plans to attend Santa Cruz High School in the fall. When he’s not DJing, Shae enjoys camping, surfing, and being otherwise active. He’s saving all the money he earns through DJing so that he can buy a used car once he’s old enough to drive. Shae hopes to continue DJing in the future and see just how far he can get. “I’m not trying to force anything, though,” he said. “Because then it could become too much work and I might fail school or something.”

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How to Reduce Student Stress

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 14:26:34 +0000

How to Reduce Student Stress By Emily Listmann Many of us feel that children today are especially stressed out: some have even deemed the present the “age of anxiety” for youth. We blame technology, SATs, homework, and social media. We lament this widespread problem, yet most of us feel powerless to act. This was the case for me as a middle- and high-school social studies teacher in fast-paced Silicon Valley. Other than doing my best to reduce the homework load, I wasn’t sure how to meaningfully help my students. It took my own personal challenges with stress to uncover perhaps the most powerful tool for helping kids combat pressure: their own minds. Research confirms the common sentiment that children today experience unprecedented levels of stress. In a survey conducted by Yale University, students reported feeling negative emotions such as stress and fatigue an average of 75 percent of the time. Another study showed that adolescents are 5 to 8 times more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression than kids who lived during the peak of the Great Depression. Research from Harvard University revealed that this “toxic stress” and other negative emotions early in life adversely impact the developing brain, immune system, behavior, and learning ability for decades to come. The extent of youth stress today could be considered of epidemic proportions. Ironically, it wasn’t until I quit teaching that I was able to uncover a way to help students. I was forced to leave classroom teaching after facing a slew of health problems whose origins I did not understand. Returning to my hometown, I took a lot of West Cliff walks to recover and reflect. Eventually I came to realize that stress had been the true source of my illness. I decided to try practicing mindfulness–a buzzword I had always fancied myself compatible with, but not something I had ever really committed to long term. Mindfulness is the practice of becoming aware of the present moment and accepting of one’s thoughts or feelings, without judgment. Often we are not aware of a simple truth: that we are constantly thinking, jumping from one idea to the next in our heads. In doing so, we lose sight of the present moment. Even with our children sitting next to us, we tend to do this– worrying about how their next recital will go, what their report card will say– rather than how they are doing right here and now. When we are mindful, we check in with ourselves–often in a seated meditation–to observe the various qualities of our thoughts and feelings as they arise. With practice, this increased awareness creates space between us and negative states: we learn that we do not have to believe all of our thoughts or submerse ourselves in every emotion. Mindfulness provides various benefits to children and teens. Multiple studies have found that mindfulness practice reduces stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in youth. It also brings a marked reduction in behavior issues and emotional reactivity, and a significant improvement in focus and even academic performance. Mindfulness has also been shown to improve sleep: something children are chronically deprived of, yet is one of the most essential contributors to their overall health. Mindfulness is not only proven to be effective, but it is also a free and limitless resource for children in strengthening their response to stress. Unfortunately, although the movement toward mindfulness education is growing, it is not yet commonly integrated into schools. But as parents and educators, we can choose to introduce mindfulness to our children. Beginning your own meditation practice is the surest path toward helping your children. From there, try to find even 5 minutes per day to meditate with your child or student. There are a plethora of free resources for children’s mindfulness, such as the apps “Insight Timer” or “Calm.” If you have the budget for it, enroll your child in a mindfulness course or coaching sessions to deepen their practice. Yes, our modern world is increasingly stressful to grow up in; in response, there is no better tool to provide our children than the unearthing of their own inner resources. Emily Listmann is the owner of Mindful & Well Education, which provides classes and coaching for youth in wellness of the mind and body. She will be teaching a mindfulness course for youth this fall, as well as offering private coaching. For more information or to contact Emily, please visit www.mindfulandwell.org.

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They Dance, They Swim, They Fly: Extreme Adventures September 2019

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 13:56:59 +0000

They Dance, They Swim, They Fly Three Santa Cruzans Splash into Synchro Extreme Adventures: September 2019 By Brad Kava How do they know what’s going on when they are underwater? How do they align themselves so perfectly? You can’t help but wonder that when you see synchronized swimmers. We got to ask them those questions and more. Although, they feel old for the too-unknown sport of Synchronized Swim, three Santa Cruz girls are excelling in the 13-15 year old category of the sport. Scout Bauman, 13, Meredith Robbins, 14 and Annelise Robinson, 12, have been working out in Santa Clara with one of the nation’s most prestigious teams, the Aquamaids, which features only 16 of the most swimmers in their age group. Scout is home schooled, Meredith goes to Aptos High and Annelise goes to Aptos Junior High. Annelise Robinson, Meredith Robbins and Scout Bauman can see and hear underwater as they prepare their routines. Photo Credit: Kevin Painchaud The team has medalled in Junior Olympics and the Santa Cruzans dream of medals in their future. We caught up with them in a few rare free moments. GUISC: What got you into competitive Synchronized Swimming? SCOUT: I used to do Pool Guards with Seahorse Swim School. My friend Anna and I used to make up little routines in the pool and our coach would film us. Teacher Tiffany told us to look into a sport called synchronized swimming so we did a “try it” class. MEREDITH: I was a competitive distance swimmer and took a recreational intro class to Synchro in Los Gatos. I had a background in gymnastics and dance, so it was a good fit. After the class, coaches asked if I wanted to compete for Santa Clara. ANNELISE: I enjoy swimming, dance and gymnastics. Synchronized swimming combines all three. Over water from a drone, synchro kaleidoscope Photo Credit: Kevin Painchaud GUISC: What kind of training do you have to do? How much practice does it take? MEREDITH: We do land workouts, strength training, lots of lap swimming, then practicing the routine, and treading water in the pool the entire time. We train 6 days a week, average 3-4 hours per day. Credit: Kevin Painchaud GUISC: What’s the hardest part of the sport, the best part and your favorite part? SCOUT: Usually when you do synchronized swimming, you start at a young age, but because Anna and I only started two years ago, it’s hard trying to catch up to everyone else. My favorite part is probably learning the choreography, and getting to know the other girls on the 13-15 competitive team. Credit: Kevin Painchaud GUISC: Is Synchro an extreme sport? Is it dangerous? What are the goals and records to be smashed that you would like to accomplish? MEREDITH: I think so. Swimmers can get concussions getting kicked in the head. Goal: to beat our rival Walnut Creek and a Gold medal at Nationals or JR. Olympics. GUISC: How do you know you are doing the right thing underwater? SCOUT: We can hear the music underwater so we can stay on count. Photographer Kianna Hersey dove deep to catch the synchro athletes under water. GUISC: Is synchro an overlooked sport, like fencing? SCOUT: Usually when I mention that I do synchronized swimming, people never know what it is. This annoys me because it is probably one of the hardest sports there is and there is really no way to describe it. GUISC: Have your parents been supportive? ANNELISE: Yes, they are super-supportive. It takes a lot of work to coordinate travel to San Jose six days a week. They are also required to work at Aquamaids Bingo 3-4 nights a month to partially pay for the program. GUISC: What other things do you like to do? SCOUT: Aside from synchronized swimming, I enjoy drawing and playing the violin. ANNELISE: I also enjoy rock climbing. MEREDITH: My favorite hobbies are eating, watching Marvel movies, and I don’t have time for much else! Credit: Kianna Hersey Credit: Kevin Painchaud

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Celebrating Grandparents

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 13:48:47 +0000

Celebrating Grandparents By Linda Kay September 8th is Grandparents Day. While cynics may believe this day of celebration was created by Hallmark, the truth is that it was proposed by Congress to be celebrated the first Sunday after Labor Day. President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation back in 1978. Grandparenting with a Passion Wes and Judy Wick of Scotts Valley, founders of YES! Young Enough to Serve, whose goal is to “Make life’s second half count” say, “Don’t settle for blasé ‘bland-parenting’ or over-the-top ‘spoiling the grandkids’. Step into that grand role with deeper value and purpose, quite possibly the most significant opportunity of life’s second half.” “The relationship with our four grandchildren has been one of the greatest joys of my life. They keep me young and up on things and their love and appreciation of me fills me with joy and gratitude. We’ve done on-line games for years from Webkinz to Minecraft. I’ve taken them to Music Together and Lil Chef classes. We go to plays and sporting events that they’re in. We pray for them daily.” – Mari Harrower “It is such a wonderful experience to be so much more relaxed with our grandkids than when we were raising our own kids. Examples of some of our special dates with our grandkids include Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Petroglyph, banana splits at the Mount Hermon Fountain, ‘She Is Beautiful’ races, hikes and fishing.” – Cay Thornley Distance sometimes can become a barrier, keeping grandparents from connecting with their grandchildren, but not for Rob and Terry Johnson, of Boulder Creek. They connect with their preschool granddaughters living in San Diego with a weekly puppet show via Skype with Hairy the puppet Marianne Waggoner, author of Camp Grandma, says, “I have come to understand and appreciate that grandparents come with a whole life of experience, along with wisdom and perspective. If our focus is primarily on amusing and entertaining, then we may be missing out on the greater opportunity to play a meaningful role in our grandkids’ intellectual, behavioral, and social development.” Voices of Beneficiaries “My mother-in-law taught my kids a love for museums. She instilled a love that they carry today, 20 years later.” – Michele Lafferty “To hear about historical events through the first-hand accounts of my grandparents, I have a better understanding of the world. My grandparents have introduced me to hobbies that define parts of myself. I learned how to shoot an arrow, work wood, play the ukulele, sail a sailboat, tell riddles, bodysurf, tell stories, be a host, and to love unconditionally all from my Grandparents.” – Luke Thornley “My mom’s voice is the voice that my children hear about themselves, the voice that quietly says you are loved, you are brave, you can do it, let God’s love shower in your heart.” – Kim Richards “My mom encourages vacations to places we wouldn’t have otherwise gone. She provides a portal and connection to the older generation’s life. My boys experience grandma as an everyday figure. They enjoy bowling, pool time, playing cards, and occasional vacations away without me!” – Jessica Sterns “My grandmother was my shelter between mom’s divorces.” – Barbara Lockwood “My mom retired when my oldest, started kindergarten, so she could pick him up from school every day. She volunteered in the school. She took him to swim lessons and spent quality time with him. At the end of that school year I had my 2nd child, 18 months later my 3rd and 15 months later my 4th. She baked with them, read with them, did and gardening. All of my kids are adults, 22, 23, 25 and 31 – they are wonderful, caring people and I know my mom was a big part of that.” – Linda Landers My grandparents were there for me during the years I didn’t have a voice. I used to hide and be silent and they would listen to my whispers. – Brianna Ralston

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Finding Broken Hearts: Birth Matters September 2019

Laura Maxson — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 13:41:47 +0000

Finding Broken Hearts Birth Matters: September 2019 By Laura Maxson, LM It’s easy to observe a newborn’s first amazing breaths and not fully appreciate all that is going on deep inside that little body. The switch from “breathing” through the umbilical cord to breathing air generally begins rather seamlessly in the first minutes after birth and by the end of the first 24 hours of life, most babies have made the necessary shift from fetal circulation to adult circulation. However, an otherwise healthy looking baby could be hiding a serious heart defect requiring lifesaving hospitalizations, surgeries and procedures. By the time signs of the heart problem appear, a baby can be in a serious, life-threatening situation with no time for intervention. Early screening for a CCHD – Critical Congenital Heart Defect, is crucial for earlier detection and better outcomes. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about one in nine babies will have a congenital (existing at birth) heart defect. Some will be minor, and can even resolve on their own, but 18 in every 10,000 newborns will have a CCHD that will require surgery or other procedure in the first year. This type of heart problem results in 30% of all infant deaths. Newborns in California are currently offered a screening test for CCHD when they are at least 24 hours old. This quick and painless procedure takes only a few minutes at bedside. The results are immediate and the benefits can be life saving. Waiting for 24 hours to screen is key. Besides the umbilical cord, there are several other vessels and structures related to fetal circulation that need to switch over after birth, causing changes in blood flow. Heart defects can become apparent as the transition to adult circulation continues to settle in over days and weeks. Proper circulation and oxygenation can’t be maintained if there are serious heart defects. A simple check of the baby’s oxygenation in the right hand and either foot, together should indicate that the baby’s circulation is working correctly. A simple pulse oximeter, like the one clipped to your finger at the doctor, is used for the screening. Newborns are so tiny that the probe is attached around the entire hand or foot, instead of just a finger or toe. A reading showing oxygen saturation at 95% or above in the right hand followed by a reading on either foot that doesn’t vary by more than 3% indicates that the circulation is in range. Any reading of 90% or below on either extremity needs to be checked, but otherwise, babies above the 90% cut off who don’t pass the screening get a second chance to pass before the baby is referred for further testing. The vast majority of babies will pass this screening with flying colors. To give an example, in New Jersey, the first state to mandate testing, only 49 out of the approximately 73,000 babies who underwent screening were referred for being out of range. “Thirty out of 49 babies [who] failed the screening did not have signs or symptoms of a CCHD or a diagnosis made before birth. These babies would not have been checked for a CCHD if they had not been screened. Of these babies: 3 had a CCHD 17 had other potentially serious problems (including other heart defects or echocardiogram findings) 10 had no reported medical problems” The majority of those 49 babies were found to be well or not have a serious heart defect after a cardiac consult. While only three babies had a serious heart defect, early detection allowed those problems to be immediately addressed, before the baby was in distress or left the hospital for home. The screening doesn’t catch every baby, but it often saves the lives of those it does catch. Heart surgery and procedures in a newborn are tricky enough when it’s not a true emergency. This simple screen can bring peace of mind and an early mending of little broken hearts.

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What’s in my Pet’s Food?: Talking Pets September 2019

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 13:26:57 +0000

What’s in my Pet’s Food? Talking Pets: September 2019 Dr. Nichole Brooks The pet food industry has gone from zero to sixty in a nanosecond! We went from a few choices on the shelf to a shocking amount of all types of foods, each designed to cater to a particular need. Deciding which food is best for your beloved canine or feline can be overwhelming and the information provided can be confusing. There are some resources available that can help guide us through the mystery of our pets’ food. In my opinion, we all take on huge responsibilities for our pet’s nutrition. We, including myself, feel compelled to control their diets simply because we want them to live forever and feel their best. We often choose our pet foods based on history with a certain brand, food that makes our pet feel better, pet store recommendations, a recommendation from another pet owner, a Netflix show, the pretty package or the price. Beware of how powerful and seductive marketing can be. Many claims are just not important. There are also some new developments in our pet food world that we need to learn about. Things such as grain free, raw, wild, and homemade! AAFCO, the Association of American Feed Control Officials established in 1957, is a voluntary group of local, state and federal agencies that regulate the sale and distribution of animal food and animal medications. This organization provides pet food manufactures the minimal nutritional requirements needed for our dogs and cats. Congress enforces a NO tolerance for any and all feed additives that are known to produce cancer in humans OR animals. The AAFCO guidelines for basic nutrient allowances are published periodically and are updated based on current research. Buddies hanging out at the SCM Pet Fest. Photo Credit: Kristin Vincent Photography All dog and cat food that is based on the AAFCO guidelines is created equally when it comes to the basic nutrition. The primary display panel on a pet food is what most of us read when shopping, it must include who it’s for (dog, cat, guinea pig….) and the net weight, however the manufacture and brand name are optional. The information provided will follow its claims. For example, a diet that states “100% beef only” contains beef and water. If it says “Beef for dogs” then the food is 70% of its weight in beef. If the food claims a term such as “entrée”, “dinner” or “recipe” and uses a word such as beef, then 25% of the products weight is beef. The term “flavor”, such as “beef flavor”, means the food may have less than 3% of its weight in beef and the pet should be able to “recognize” the flavor as beef. If you read the words complete/ balanced/ nutritional/ organic or other information then read the information panel for clarity. It’s our job as pet parents to ensure we are giving our pets what they need. We often do this by interpreting the pet food labels and trying to decipher the nutritional panel located somewhere on the product. It resembles what is on our own packaged foods. It often has an ingredient statement, guaranteed analysis, nutritional adequacy statement and the name of the producer or manufacturer. Ingredients are listed by weight (heaviest first), however, weight and the list can be deceptive. An example is the meat protein in the food. If whole chicken is added to the recipe and it states whole, it includes all the water and fluids. This “whole” chicken is then processed into a dry form or chicken meal. This process reduces the weight significantly. Therefore, at the end of preparing and packaging, the chicken should be listed last as its weight has been altered by cooking and preparing. So, to ensure the most chicken is in your pets’ food, chicken meal (which is the dry form of whole chicken) gives you a much higher weight of chicken in the food than the original whole chicken. And any meal form of carbohydrate or protein is easier to digest. Nutritional panels can also have “split” ingredients. These are the same ingredients that are broken down into different forms so that they can be listed as different weights, making them seem less significant. For example, corn (which is not bad for your pet, I promise!) can be broken down into corn meal, corn flour, whole grain corn, corn gluten, or even corn feed. These all can be listed separately and therefore be listed with a lower weight making the ingredient list appear more appealing to the consumer. So, what is guaranteed analysis?! This is where the pet food must display the minimum protein, fat, fiber and moisture content. This DOES NOT have anything to do with nutrients or AAFCO recommendations. For example, when we measure protein, we are actually measuring nitrogen rather than the protein quality or digestibility. The same goes for fiber, which just measures plant cells, not quality or digestibility. Overall, this information is “FYI” The ingredients listed on the pet food do not reflect ingredient quality, availability or digestibility. Ask the pet food company or your veterinarian to help determine if the ingredient listed is acceptable quality and is digestible. Foods that are designed for varying medical conditions that are not prescribed by your Veterinarian can also be confusing or allude to treating an underlying disease. These include allergy, joint disease diets, urinary diets and others. Consult your Veterinarian before investing in these types of products. Raw foods…….OMG there is so much talk about them!!! Between the mass media, Netflix, Facebook and the general dog park gossip, it would appear raw foods are the new thing! My Mom was at her local garden (which is, of course, all organic and pesticide free) and was seduced by her fellow community gardener to change her dog, Calley, to a raw diet. We discussed Calley’s health and elected to choose a more traditional type of food. The most important part of raw foods to be aware of is foodborne illnesses!! They are the same as in us: salmonella, e-coli, neorickettsia, clostridium, mycotoxins and many more. Our pets can suffer the same consequences from contaminated e-coli and other outbreaks. Even if your pet does not become sick from food poisoning, some pets can become carriers and shed the bacteria and spread it to you or your family! There are marketed raw pet foods that are sold commercially, these often follow AAFCO guidelines and have been treated to eliminate the food borne illnesses. I recently discussed the new epidemic of raw foods with Nutritionist at UC Davis Dr. Fossati. She cautioned me about these types of diets. Far too many times we deprive our pets of their proper nutrition, even when we have the best intentions. The patients referred to her were recommended a commercial well-balanced diet and have improved dramatically. Lastly, don’t fear the recall!! This is our modern way of guaranteeing that the foods we and our pets eat are safe. I applaud the pet food companies who issue these alerts and recall contaminated food. Just as with our own human food, recalls are issued whenever there is contamination. Contamination can occur at the farm, packing plant or in transit. Recalls improve the quality of products we have today. Choosing the right pet food is a very personal choice. We want it to be the best one and we all choose them for different reasons. Hopefully you can use some of these tips to choose the best diet for your pet. Please email me if you have any more questions, would like the references or have another question you would like answered. Bon Appetite to our healthy pets!

The post What’s in my Pet’s Food?: Talking Pets September 2019 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Catch the Career Train While Still in School: Career Pathways September 2019

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 13:18:28 +0000

Catch the Career Train While Still in School Mentorships, Internships and Shadowing Career Pathways: September 2019 By Mary Gaukel Forster Summer is almost over and I hope that your young people have had many opportunities to explore careers. As we begin the new school year, I will be highlighting the opportunities for exploration that are provided by our local schools in partnership with the non-profit Your Future Is Our Business. Work Based Learning is an educational approach that links learning in the classroom to careers, providing greater exposure and access to future educational and career opportunities. In the first step, teachers bring representatives from many occupations to demonstrate and speak about their careers. Students can ask questions about the careers. In another, schools invite three panelists from different industries who visit a classroom for 1-1.5 hours. They each take about five minutes to describe their career and how they arrived where they are now. With the help of their teachers, students prepare questions ahead of time. There are also informational interviews with professionals, which are casual conversations where a student can ask questions and learn more about their career and background. The student may find that the job requires skills and tasks that are fit for them, and other times they may find that the job is completely different than imagined. At College and Career Expos, high school students (traditionally 11th graders) learn about each of the 15 standard industry sectors, colleges, and other post secondary educational institutions. Two to three companies or individuals from each sector staff tables that provide students access to information about careers, jobs, training and education needs and resources. This can be a real eye-opener for students, exposing them to career options they never knew existed. Older students visit job sites and get tours. They incorporate explicit student preparation, student interaction with employer representatives during the tour, and student reflection following the tour. Workplace tours offer students the opportunity to learn about the careers available with a particular employer and observe the work performed by people in those careers. There is also job shadowing, which places students in workplaces to interact and observe one or more employees. The job shadow is minimally three hours and includes pre/post conversations regarding the career. Students learn more about the nature of the job and the work environment as well as the education and training required to succeed. A mentorship allows students to develop relationships with industry and community professionals through structured conversations. Internships are often viewed as culminating Work Based Learning experiences because they bring together skills and knowledge developed through previous career awareness, exploration, and preparation activities, connect them to classroom curricula, and apply them on the job. An internship is an activity in which students spend consecutive days for a period of time (usually weeks) working for an employer to test their interest in a career with that industry, occupation, or employer and develop critical workplace and occupational skills. Career questions have been a part of Mary’s life since she was first asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. She began teaching elementary school, had her own children, taught in middle school and high school, became a high school principal, finally a grandparent, and currently the executive director for the non-profit organization, Your Future Is Our Business. Mary now focuses on fulfilling the mission of “providing all youth in our county with career explorations.” Reach Mary at marygaukel@gmail.com

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Helping Children Cope with Traumatic Events: Ask Nicole September 2019

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 12:49:22 +0000

Helping Children Cope with Traumatic Events Ask Nicole: September 2019 By Nicole M. Young, MSW It’s been hard to read and watch the news lately. Three mass shootings within one week. Migrant children in detention camps. Families torn apart after immigration raids. With each “new” story, I feel sad, angry, and heavy with worry. I worry about the safety of my children when mass shootings occur in public places without warning. I worry about what children of undocumented immigrants must feel, not knowing if they’ll see their parents again, or living in constant fear of being separated from their families. Traumatic events like these create emotional scars that last a lifetime, long after the media has moved on to the next big story. This monthly column provides tips for anyone who’s helping raise children, based on the world-renowned Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, available to families in Santa Cruz County. If you have a question or idea for a future column, please email me at triplep@first5scc.org. Dear Nicole, I’ve been really scared and stressed lately. Every day there’s another horrible story in the news or social media about mass shootings or children and families being separated or deported. I used to think I could shield my kids from the news, but they’re hearing about these things through their friends and social media. They’re afraid something bad will happen to our family, and I feel like a liar when I tell them everything will be ok. What can I do? – MJ Dear MJ, Thank you for asking this question. It’s difficult for many adults to cope with crises and traumatic events. It’s often harder for children and teens – especially if they already view the world as unsafe because of abuse, neglect, bullying, or discrimination – since they might not have the skills and support to cope with extreme stress and trauma. Here are some tips to try: Provide a safe, loving home environment. It’s important for children to know that their parents and caregivers love them and will do everything they can to keep them safe. Spend quality time talking, playing, reading, eating meals, or cuddling together. Maintain your regular morning, mealtime, and bedtime routines as much as possible. Consistent routines create predictability, which can be very reassuring to children and teens, especially in stressful times. Watch for signs of emotional distress. Children (and adults) have a wide range of feelings and reactions to traumatic events, including anger, fear, sadness, confusion, guilt, depression, and anxiety. Some children express themselves verbally, while others are quiet or withdrawn. Sometimes, children’s behaviors speak louder than words. Crying, angry outbursts, and difficulty sleeping, eating, or concentrating are common signs that children and teens are in emotional pain. Provide opportunities for children to express their feelings. If children and teens want to talk, listen to their thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Encourage them to ask questions, and answer with age-appropriate information. Young children may need help putting their feelings into words, while older children and teens may want concrete reassurance – or have their own ideas – about what can be done to restore a sense of safety at home, school, and in the community. If children or teens don’t want to (or can’t) talk, encourage them to express themselves through art, music, picture books, or imaginary play. Monitor children’s exposure to news, social media, and adult conversations. While being aware of current events is important, constant exposure to negative news can contribute to increased anxiety and fears. When young children see or hear repeated news coverage of a traumatic event, they might believe it’s happening repeatedly or close by. And even if they don’t understand what’s being said, children can sense and react to their caregivers’ emotions. Older children and teens are more likely to be able to understand what’s being said, which could lead to feeling hopeless or a lack of control over their friends’ and family’s safety. Take care of yourself. Notice your emotions and take a break from the news when you feel overwhelmed, anxious or angry. Set a good example by telling your kids how you’re feeling and saying you need to take care of yourself. Then find a healthy outlet for those feelings – e.g. exercising, meditating, deep breathing, praying, reading, talking to someone, journaling, or just sitting quietly by yourself. Final Thoughts. It’s often easier to let fear rule our heads and hearts instead of love and compassion. Teaching children (and ourselves) tools to cope with distress might not stop traumatic events from happening again, but it can help restore a sense of safety and hope for a better future. Nicole Young is the mother of two children, ages 15 and 19, who also manages Santa Cruz County’s Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, the world’s leading positive parenting program. Scientifically proven, Triple P is made available locally by First 5 Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency (Mental Health Services Act) and the Santa Cruz County Human Services Department. To find a Triple P parenting class or practitioner, visit http://triplep.first5scc.org, www.facebook.com/triplepscc or contact First 5 Santa Cruz County at 465-2217 or triplep@first5scc.org.

The post Helping Children Cope with Traumatic Events: Ask Nicole September 2019 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Why I Chose to Pack My Kid’s Lunches: Healthy Eating September 2019

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 12:29:06 +0000

Why I Chose to Pack My Kid’s Lunches Healthy Eating: September 2019 By Kris Holden Kids are just getting back to school, classroom supply lists are waiting to be fulfilled, disorderly morning chaos is on the rise (at least in our household) and school lunches are needing to be packed. The start of school is always a bit challenging getting everyone back on a routine. Breakfasts now need to be a source of fuel for focus and energy, lunches require research and creativity in order for them to be enticing but nutritious. When my oldest child started public elementary school I wanted to get to know the school and where my daughter would be spending half of her waking hours. In the cafeteria I discovered that most of the school lunches were heavily processed, containing loads of sugar, artificial colors, flavors and more. Witnessing the various classroom parties throughout the school year I saw that much of the treats brought in were brightly colored cupcakes, frosted sugar cookies and sweet fruit punch. I quickly committed to packing my children’s lunches everyday and making sure their lunch would balance out the extra sugar and processed foods that were given to them while at school. In the US, food companies add more than 15 million pounds of artificial dyes to foods each year. Some food you may not even realize that it’s in, such as: crackers, pickles, yogurt, potato chips, pastas, canned fruit, meat and more. The dye is added to simply enhance the color, making it more appealing, especially to children. Artificial coloring is created synthetically, some made by burning coal tar and others are made from petroleum byproducts. The US approves seven artificial food dyes to be used in foods, the most commonly used are: Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, which make up 90% of the market. The European Union has banned many of these dyes but for foods that do carry artificial dyes they are required to come with a warning label. Artificial food dyes have been linked to behavioral issues as well as other health concerns. Some children are more sensitive to these dyes than others. For years teachers have been observing the different behaviors of children of those who consume more highly processed foods in their daily diet, which include artificial colors, and those who consume a minimal amount. Throughout the years of packing school lunches I felt more at ease knowing that my children were fueling their growing bodies and developing brains with nutritional whole foods even when they chose to indulge in the sweets that were served in their classrooms. I continually had to be creative, in what I packed, to maintain their interest in their lunch each day. For fresh ideas I’d often ask the kids what their friends had in their lunches and I’d talk with other parents to see what they’re packing their children. Some lunch ideas my children enjoyed were: teriyaki rice and broccoli, pot stickers, peanut butter, honey and banana in a tortilla, hummus and sliced cucumber in a pita pocket, baked potato and corn/beans/rice & salsa. For snacks I would pack fruit, homemade muffins loaded with hidden zucchini, carrots or sweet potato or bars. Our favorite bars, with the cleanest ingredients are GoMacro, peanut butter or chocolate chip peanut butter flavors and Larabars, especially the chocolate chip cookie dough or peanut butter chocolate chip flavors. My concerns are with the current state and future of our food industry and how that directly affects the health of our children. Knowledge is power and the more we choose to be aware of what we’re eating and how that impacts our health and our environment the better for us all. Our family’s favorite muffin recipe: Carrot Cake Muffins INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk. 7-8 Medjool dates chopped. 1/2 very ripe banana, sliced. 1/4 cup raisins. 1 tsp. vanilla extract. 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats. 2 tsp. cinnamon. 2 tsp. baking powder. 1 tsp. baking soda. 1 1/2 cups grated carrots (2-3 medium). 1/2 cup raisins. 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional). 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional). DIRECTIONS: Place the nondairy milk, dates, banana, 1/4 cup raisins and vanilla into a small bowl and set aside for at least 15 minutes (so the dates can soften.) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with non-stick parchment paper liners. Grind the oats into flour with a blender. Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in the cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Place the milk, dates, banana, raisins and vanilla in the blender and blend until smooth. Stir the date mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Fold in the grated carrots 1/2 cup raisins, chocolate chips and walnuts (if using). Spoon the batter into the muffin pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. To bake a standard loaf, decrease the milk by 1/2 cup, line a 9x5x3 loaf pan with parchment paper and bake at 325° for 50-55 minutes or until top is medium brown. Let cool completely before serving. I’ve also made these muffins with grated zucchini and/or diced apples. Make sure to squeeze the excess moisture out of the zucchini before adding. Baking time may need to be slightly increased. *Recipe (although slightly modified) by StraightUpFood.com

The post Why I Chose to Pack My Kid’s Lunches: Healthy Eating September 2019 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

When They Melt Your Heart: Teacher’s Desk September 2019

growingupsc — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 12:20:13 +0000

When They Melt Your Heart Teacher’s Desk: September 2019 By Lisa Catterall We were scared, but our fear was not as strong as our courage. – Malala Yousafzai Surely we digress. We were working very hard, painstakingly going over every single detail of a test the entire class failed. When this happens, it’s time to try again. We had spent a class and a half going through every problem asking every possible question, with me explaining it every possible way. It turns out, this is a really good way to build trust. No one had anything in the gradebook for this test, basically, it was heading for the garbage and it was time for a do-over. Students understand, when you take the time to loop back around and re-do something, that you actually care that they learn it. With 10 minutes left in the class, they suddenly got distracted and seemed to need an attitude break. They started talking about who was coming back next year to teach and learn at our school. I took a deep breath and went ahead and shared my feelings with them about the things they were talking about. I shared my deep passion for our school and for the opportunities they were being offered, about ways I could see the institution growing, and about how important it all was for me. I may have shed a tear, I’m not sure. Usually digressions like this are to be avoided; part of a teachers’ job is to simply rein in the conversations and keep the class on track. Every single day teachers come to work, trying to find new ways to have kids understand the problems they will face. But more than anything else, we try to empower kids to solve those problems. Photo Credit: Kevin Painchaud At that time, the exhaustion and frustration about spending so much time learning things that are really difficult, and the passion the kids seemed to need to release, moved me. Later in the day, I saw the students again for a class on another topic. It was almost time to go home, and I didn’t realize it, but they started to test me a little bit. A swear word slipped out. I calmly reminded the student not to use that language in a classroom. We had just finished a documentary and they asked if they could share a video with me in the last five minutes. They started it. There was a swear word, so I stopped it. Then they let the truth spill out. There was a music video “going viral,” and they were so passionate about it, and it meant so much to them, but they really, really wanted to share it with me. They were not sure they could because there were some “inappropriate” things in it. Suddenly it dawned on me that without knowing it, these high school students were asking for adult guidance. Adults are always shutting down teenagers who raise taboo subjects. I thought about what the consequences might be if I allowed something in a classroom that might not be appropriate, and weighed the insight that the kids really needed a grown-up opinion and might not have anyone else they trusted to share this with. “OK, but I might have to turn it off if it’s too far out there.” Seven minutes later, just after school ended, we were still in the room and I was definitely crying. The video was all about saving the planet. A rapper had gathered 20 of the most beloved singers and celebrities of this generation, some wonderful animation artists, and created a video about loving the earth and reversing climate change. There were several taboo moments with split-second flights into topics I would not delve into without parents’ knowledge, and there were a few swear words. But what the kids were holding so dear was the fun and lighthearted spirit of it, the gathering of so many powerful artists, and truly, the message. Kids are scared of climate change, and terrified of their leaders doing nothing. I remember having nightmares about nuclear war growing up in the eighties; it was a terrifying and real threat then. We should never forget that our young people and children are just as scared as we were. Educators have really emphasized climate change and it is part of the Next Generation Science Standards. Whenever I teach a lesson on climate change that sinks in, the horrifying end of the lesson is always, “but will it stop?” and the awful answer is “I don’t know.” This rap video ended on the same note, but really emphasized the potential to make a change and to make the world a better place. And it was fun, and cute, and full of little ways to rebel against the adult world, which to young people, seems to be utterly failing them. “This finally says all this stuff in a fun way,” explained one student. “Yeah, and it’s hopeful. It’s totally going viral. EVERYONE is watching it.” “Yeah but I saw someone watching it while they were using a disposable straw. HYPOCRITE!” Everyone laughed. For as long as schools have existed, educators have been planting seeds, hoping to make a difference. When the world takes a turn for the worse in some way, we question what we might have done to teach people better, or what the system might have done to serve our country better. Every single day teachers come to work, trying to find new ways to have kids understand the problems they will face. But more than anything else, we try to empower kids to solve those problems. When the kids showed me that video, it was like the teaching of science and involvement and empowerment was finally coming back around to face me. They cared so much they took a risk and shared it with me. Thirteen years of planting seeds had grown into a tree that was bearing fruit. It was personal to me, and powerful. And, like everything worthwhile that is produced from the life of a teacher, it all began with trust, and the freedom to teach. Some material and subjects, taken completely out of context, can be risky. Thank goodness most teachers feel that the risks of the profession are worth the reward of developing meaningful conversations and guiding students to become thoughtful and engaged citizens. Lisa Catterall teaches STEAM, math, science, and art at Mount Madonna School. She has authored curriculum frameworks for California and Kentucky on arts education as a senior associate of the Centers for Research on Creativity. She is a former Middle School Director and the founder of a STEAM engineering program. After spending 14 years in biotechnology, she began her teaching career as a middle school math teacher in her mid-thirties. Lisa has five children and has lived in Santa Cruz County for most of her life.

The post When They Melt Your Heart: Teacher’s Desk September 2019 first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.