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HAPPY HOLIDAYS! HEY! THIS PAPER BELONGS TO: © FLYING SQUIRRELS, PUZZLES, WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A FASHION DESIGNER AND MORE! I f y o u c a r e a b o u t e d u c a t i o n a n d l i t e r a c y a n d w o u l d l i k e t o h e l p s u p p o r t K i d s v i l l e N e w s , p l e a s e c a l l 5 1 8 - 8 7 3 - 6 3 6 8 N O R T H E R N N E W Y O R K S F U N F A M I L Y N E W S P A P E R D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 1 M o r e f u n a t w w w . k i d s v i l l e n e w s . c o m / n o r t h e r n n y P r o u d l y s p o n s o r e d b y Proudly sponsored by D e n t o n P u b l i c a t i o n s a n d Denton Publications and Small Bank. Big Ideas. O u r S p o n s o r s S u p p o r t E d u c a t i o n & M a k e K i d s v i l l e N e w s P o s s i b l e A Denton Publication 34162 Pediatric Dentistry of Glens Falls (518) 798-9966 Farzad Sani, DDS denpubs.com
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Page 1: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

HEY! THIS PAPER BELONGS TO:

©

FLYING SQUIRRELS, PUZZLES,WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE A FASHION DESIGNER

AND MORE!

If you care about educat ion and l i teracy and wou ld l ike to he lp support Kidsv i l le News, p lease ca l l 5 18-873-6368

NORTHERN NEW YORK’S FUN FAMILY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 201 1More fun at www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny

Proudly sponsored by Proudly sponsored by Denton Publications and Denton Publications and

Small Bank. Big Ideas.

Our Sponsors Support Educat ion & Make Kidsv i l le News Poss ib le A Denton Publication

34162

Pediatric Dentistry of Glens Falls

(518) 798-9966

Farzad Sani, DDS denpubs.com

Page 2: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny2 December 20 1 1

MARK E. THOMSON DDS • PC

S P E C I A L I S T I N O R T H O D O N T I C S

81 Brinkerhoff Street Plattsburgh, New York

Tel: (518) 561-3380 Toll Free: (800) 448-3064

YOUR SMILE IS OUR SPECIALTY!

Dr. Thomson & Staff

Sally, Don, Jamie, Paula, Andrea, Lisa,

Lori, Teresa

86564 21849

Treats with Treats with Truman! Truman!

I can’t wait to read them!

Send your essays to: Send your essays to: Kidsville News Kidsville News

Attn: Treats with Truman Attn: Treats with Truman PO Box 338 PO Box 338

Elizabethtown, NY 12932 Elizabethtown, NY 12932

Hey Kids! Do you think your teacher is the best teacher ever?

Well here’s your chance to tell everyone! Write me a one page essay about your teacher and why you think he or she is the greatest! Also include your full name, your teachers name and the name of your school (no abbreviations please) I’ll choose one winner each month and bring treats to you and your

classmates. And I’ll give your teacher a really cool certificate, too!

My Teacher is the Best!

75350

Treats With

Truman!

Your Friend,

Truman

THANKS, THANKS,

Mr. LaBarge! Mr. LaBarge!

T h e T r e a t s w i t h T h e T r e a t s w i t h T r u m a n W i n n e r T r u m a n W i n n e r f o r D e c e m b e r ! f o r D e c e m b e r ! I received a GREAT letters from GREAT

Tyler Hewson a Fifth Grade Tyler Hewson student from Northern Adirondack

Central School! We all had a BLAST during my visit to BLAST Mr. LaBarge’s class!! Mr. LaBarge’s

English

December

Winter

the weather

How’s the weather?

It’s beautiful.

It’s cold.

It’s sunny

It’s snowing.

what beautiful snow

Bonjour! Let’s learn the name of our current month and current season and some words you can use to describe the weather! You can visit AudioFrench.com click “the calendar” and then “the weather” to hear these words pronounced. I hope you are learning as much as I am. I just wanted to take a moment and wish you a Joyeux Noël! (That means Merry Christmas!)

French

décembre

l’hiver

le temps

Quel temps fait-il?

Il fait beau.

Il fait froid

Il fait du soleil.

Il neige.

Quelle belle neige

Pronunciation Key

day-sawm-breh

lee-vehr

luh tawn

kehl tawn fay teel

eel fay boh

eel fay fwah

eel fay du soh-lay

eel nehj

Kehl behl nehj

Did you notice the l’ in front of one of the words? When the le or la is next to a vowel the a or e is dropped. You noticed that “h” in hiver is not a vowel? You are so smart!!!! When the h is silent the “i” acts like the first letter. I hope you are using the words we have learned as often as you can. That way you will never forget them! Until next month mes amis. Bonne Chance!

Your Friend, (Votre Ami),

Page 3: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

Your friend,

Brrrrr! December is the start of winter, and where I am, it certainly feels like it! Snow, icicles and sleet, oh my! I’ve got some fun wintry trivia for you on the puzzle page this month. And December is always synonymous with the holidays. Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa - there’s a lot going on. Read all about these holidays in this issue. What’s your favorite part of the holiday season? Does your family have any favorite traditions? I don’t know about you, but during the holidays, I like to get a new outfit. Sometimes it s hard to find clothes to fit me, but I try to stay stylish! This month I spoke with a fashion designer. Nico Morrison Sidell is a fashion creative director - she helps clothing companies come up with new ideas. She also keeps up with the trends to know what will be most popular in the stores. She has a really cool job! I hope you have a dynamite December. While you are on winter break, have fun and stay safe! Keep reading Kidsville News, and visit us online for fun and games at www.kidsvillenews.com/northernny.

Dear Kids,

[email protected] EMAIL ME, I LOVE MAIL!

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny 3December 20 1 1

NORTHERN NEW YORK’S FUN FAMILY NEWSPAPER

PUBLISHER

GENERAL MANAGER Allen K. Dunham

[email protected] 518-570-7248

TRUMAN ASSISTANT/GRAPHIC DESIGNER Laurie Goff

[email protected]

ILLUSTRATOR Cover & Truman • Dan Nelson

MARKETING Brian Gay

[email protected] 518-873-6368 Ext. 207

NATIONAL EDITOR Joy G. Kirkpatrick

[email protected]

Kidsville News, Inc. Bill Bowman

President

For Sponsorship Opportunities Please Call: 518-873-6368

P.O. Box 338, 14 Hand Avenue, Elizabethtown, NY 12932

Published Locally By Denton Publications, Inc.

Copyright 2009 Kidsville News! Inc., All Rights Reserved. Truman is a service mark of Kidsville News! Inc. and the Kidsville News! logo is a registered trademark of Kidsville News! Inc. No part of this issue of Kidsville News! may be reproduced in whole or in part in any

form without permission of the publisher or the copyright holder. Neither partici -

pating advertisers nor the publisher will be responsible or liable for

misinformation, misprints, or typographical errors. The pub - lishers reserve the right to edit any submitted material. Kidsville News! Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or other material. Children’s submis - sions should include name, address, telephone number, and permission to publish signed by a parent or guard -

ian.

Serving Clinton, Essex and Warren Counties

Gayle Alexander [email protected] 518-873-6368 Ext. 207

27760

Page 4: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

©Kidsville News!

While gifts are certainly a fun part of the December holidays, thememories you’ll have when you think back on this year will almost certainlyconcern something you did with your family. Baking cookies? Driving aroundto see holiday decorations? Singing Christmas songs? These are the things weremember, and they are what become our traditions.

We sometimes assume that some of the standard holiday traditions(decorating a tree, sending cards, giving gifts) have been done “forever,” butmany of them are relatively new.

The version of Christmas we celebrate in the United Statesdates back only about 150 years. Before the Civil War, eachpart of the country celebrated differently, using thetraditions of the country from which most of thetownspeople came. But by the 1870s, merchantswere beginning to look for ways to commercializeChristmas, and this began to bring a more unifi edapproach to some of the traditions.

Here are some fun facts about some of thetraditions we take for granted:

The Christmas Tree: Decorating a tree forthe holiday began in Germany. The traditionbegan to spread throughout England and to theUnited States after 1848 and the appearanceof a newspaper image of Queen Victoria andPrince Albert standing by a decorated tree atWindsor Castle. (Just like today, Americans paidattention to what the English royalty did.)

Gift giving: This tradition also began in Germany.Small toys used to be tied on to the branches of anevergreen tree for the children; if a toy was too big, then itwas placed under the tree, which is where we got our currenttradition. Until the early 20th century, most gifts were handmade items —scarves or hats or baked goods.

Christmas Cards: This tradition began in the 1850s when sending cardsat the holiday began to replace writing personal letters. Today we arewitnessing a similar transition as people send e-greetings instead of cards sentthrough the U.S. mail.

Santa Claus: While other countries had their “gift bearers” (for example,Kris Kringle and St. Nicholas), the idea of Santa Claus we now hold camefrom two different American sources. The concept of Santa grew fromClement Clark Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (1822), the poem thatbegins:

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro’ the houseNot a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;The actual image of Santa comes from the vision of other men. Thomas

Nast was a political cartoonist, and one day while he was working, his wiferead him “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” After hearing Moore’s poem, Nast drewthe image he thought Santa deserved: that of “a round jolly old elf.”

By 1931, Santa was further refined by an artist who was drawing adsfor the Coca-Cola Company. Haddon Sundblum depicted Santa in a red suit

with a black belt and white-fur trim, black boots and a soft red cap.That’s the Santa we think of today.

A Traditional Story and Where It Came from“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was written in

1939 by a staff copywriter at Chicago’s MontgomeryWard department store. The story was written tobe the narrative of a coloring book that would behanded out by Santa when children visited him atthe store.

Robert May (1905-1976) was the copywriterwho wrote the story, and he based it on his ownexperience growing up. He was smaller than theother kids in his grade and was often teased aboutit. Rudolph’s experience of being teased about hisred nose mirrored May’s experience, and of course,Rudolph is a hero in the end because he is able toguide Santa’s sleigh through the fog.

White House Traditions and the First LadyThe White House generally depicted the fi rst lady

as overseeing decorations or participating in charitywork to help the needy at holiday time. Eleanor Roosevelt

had more important issues on her mind, and in 1939, shetalked about the Roosevelt Christmas plans, but she also used the

opportunity to talk about a plan for training young women for jobs — a newand much more serious thought for that time.

And that’s a good thing to remember this holiday. Traditions are all aboutbelieving that something is fun and important and sharing it with others.

What tradition might you like to start that would make the holiday evenbetter for you?

Written by author Kate Kelly. To learn more about America’s pastimesand traditions, please visit author and historian Kate Kelly’s website,www.AmericaComesAlive.com.

The Origins of Christmas Traditions

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny4 December 20 1 1

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Page 5: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

Did you know that the birth of basketball iscelebrated in December? In December of 1891, at aYMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, Dr. James Naismith

was trying to keep his gym class busy on a rainy day.He needed a sport that would be challenging and keep

his students physically fit and something that could beplayed in a gymnasium during the long winters. Basketball was born!

Basketball gets its name from the peach basket (not the color, but really,a basket that you would pick fruit with) that was mounted on a 10-foot-hightrack. Originally the basket still had the bottom in it, so they had to get the ballout by hand after each point was scored. This didn’t work so well, so eventuallythe bottom of the basket was taken out.

The basic game of basketball consists of two teams of five players each.Each team tries to score points by throwingthe ball through the top of a basketball hoop.The hoop is 18 inches wide and mounted to abackboard at 10 feet high. There is a basket ateach end of the court.

The ball is moved down the court bypassing it to teammates or by dribbling the ball.Dribbling is bouncing the ball while walking orrunning. Dribbling was not a part of the origi-nal game because they used a soccer ball, whichdidn’t really bounce well because of the shape.

The players have different positions on thecourt. The positions are point guard,shooting guard, small forward, power forwardand center. The position one plays depends onones speed, size and ball-handling skills.

From college basketball to professional basketball, it is one of the world’smost popular sports. Just last month, a basketball game made history! TheCarrier Classic was the first college basketball game to be played on an activeaircraft carrier. The college basketball teams of the University of North Carolinaand Michigan State faced off on the USS Carl Vinson on Veteran’s Day. Menand women from all branches of the military, along with celebrities and dignitar-ies, filled the temporary 7,000-seat arena. President Obama and the First Ladywere even there! Also present at this once-in-a-lifetime event was sports writerAaron Fitt.

“It really was an amazing night and a great chance to thank our militaryservicemen and women for everything they do for us. The players were thrilledto put on a great show for the soldiers and sailors. Everyone was amazed by thesight of a basketball game being played outside, on the deck of an active aircraft

carrier! The president is a huge basketball fan,and he looked as excited to be there as the fansand the players. It was a night that everyone inattendance will always remember,” said Fitt.

And while he was impressed with theevent, the game itself was also prettyimpressive. Fitt added that “It takes aremarkable amount of athleticism and skillto play basketball for a team like UNC orMichigan State. Those players are all very tall— some of them even 7 feet tall — and haveworked hard their whole lives to become someof the best players in the world. But you don’thave to be 6-foot-5 to enjoy playing basketball.It’s a wonderful game that rewards teamworkand makes for great exercise!”

COME OUT AND PLAY!Basketball Basics & History Making

Sports writer Aaron Fitt took this picture aboard theUSS Carl Vinson at the Carrier Classic.

COME OUT & PLAY BasketballBasics & History

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny 5December 20 1 1

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Page 6: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

Planet Hunting

By Dr. Marc RaymanFor centuries scientists

have studied our own so-lar system consisting of the

Sun and planets. But they didnot know of any other solarsystems until just the last few

years. That’s because planetsaround other stars are really hard to

find. Planets shine only by the light theyreflect from their star. Other solar systems are very far away, so see-ing one of their planets may be harder than seeing a grain of sandnext to a car’s headlight from miles away.

Nonetheless, in the middle 1990s, astronomers found strongevidence of planets around other stars. They couldn’t see themdirectly, but theydiscovered that somestars wobble just alittle bit. They fi guredthis wobble was mostlikely due to the forceof a large planet’sgravity as it orbitedthe star. Although thestar’s gravity holdsthe planet tightly inits orbit, the planet’sgravity also tugs onthe star and makesit wobble, and thatis what astronomersmeasure.

Astronomers thenfound other ways todetect planets. For example, as a planet orbits its star, the planetmay pass in front of it and block some of the star’s light. Eventhough the planet is tiny compared to the star, extremely sensitiveinstruments can measure the tiny change in the star’s brightness.

How common are other solar systems? Is our solar systemtypical, with giant planets like Jupiter and smaller ones like Earth?Are there other planets capable of supporting life?

So far, astronomers have found more than 500 solar systemsand are discovering new ones every year. There may be tens of bil-lions of solar systems in our galaxy, perhaps even as many as 100billion. No one yet knows how accurate this estimate is or howsimilar other solar systems are to ours. NASA is working on spacemissions that will help scientists to find other solar systems andto study their planets in greater detail. Soon we will know muchmore.

Visit The Space Place and read about Lucy, the girl whodreamed of someday finding another Earth and did somethingto make her dream come true. Go to http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/story-lucy.

This article was written by Dr. Marc Rayman and Diane K.Fisher, and provided through the courtesy of the Jet PropulsionLaboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Califor-nia, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Ad-ministration and support from the U.S. Department of CommerceNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This artist’s rendering shows a steaming hot(with water!) planet discovered in anothersolar system.

Holiday HappeningsBy Barbara Gilmour

“Hi everyone. Welcome back. We have two guests today. Please say“hello” to Gracie and Hiroshi.” Tanner, Nicole, Rudy, Stephen, Car-men, and Truman the dragon all greeted their guests by standing, mak-ing eye contact, shaking their hands and telling them their names. “I’mso proud of you. Great introductions.”

Truman said, “Thank you! I introduce myself so people know thatI’m friendly. I don’t want kids to be afraid of a dragon.”

Nicole patted Truman on his arm and said, “That is so kind andsoooooo cool.”

“Today we are going to talk about the holidays and parties.”Tanner was first to share, “My grandparents live far away, so we

have a big family party.” Nicole added, “I help my Mom plan a bigparty for our neighbors. It’s lots of fun.”

Truman said, “We collect food and clothing in my town and have aparty for kids.”

Gracie said, “That’s so kind.” Hiroshi added, “And so cool!”We don’t all celebrate the same way at holiday time. How do you

think a “Cool Kind Kid” should act about the way people celebrateholidays? Stephen waved his hand, “I know. Respect their customs.”Everyone agreed that it would be fun to learn about other’s customs.

“Holiday parties are fun for everyone. Gracie and Hiroshi wantedto join us today because they love parties. They are party animals.” Thekids all laughed. “Let’s think of some cool things a good guest shouldknow. We’ll call these Gracie’s Guest Guidelines.”

Nicole was first to say, “Let the person know you’re coming tothe party.” Tanner added, “RSVP to the invitation. That’s French andmeans respond.”

“If we have a party at home and invite friends from school, weshould invite everyone in the class so no-one feels left out,” Carmenadded.

Rudy said, “I was left out of Robbie’s party and it hurt my feel-ings.” Truman put his arm around Rudy and said, “I know how youfeel.”

“A good guest finds out what to wear, what to bring, and arrives ontime,” shared Gracie. “A good guest is happy and fun, and has goodmanners,” Nicole added.

“Obey the rules and offer to help is what my mom says,” accordingto Rudy. Stephen added, “My mom always reminds me to say “thank-you” when leaving. A good guest will always be invited back.

“Now what should a cool, kind host know? Let’s call these Hiro-shi’s Host Hints.”

Hiroshi had his hand up first, “Always ask permission to have aparty or kids come over.” Good one.

Nicole raised her hand next, “Be sure to help plan and get ready forthe party.” Tanner added, “And, help clean up.”

Carmen said, “It’s kind to talk to everyone.” “Tell guests whatthey’ll be doing and about the food,” added Rudy. Truman shared,“Say thanks for a gift, and thank them for coming.” “Cool Kind Kids”remember to send a thank-you note for a gift or a good time.

Barbara Gilmour, Tanner’s grandmom, is the creator and developer of the Tanner’sManners: Be a “Cool Kind Kid” Social Skills, Character Values and Anti-Bullying educa-tional materials and the award-winning “Cool Kind Kid” Audio CD. © Cool Kind Kid.866-KID-KIND. www.CoolKindKid.com.

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny6 December 20 1 1

Page 7: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

What’s on your wish list for the holidays? Maybe a new pair of jeans or the latest and greatest shoes? Do you like to play dress up?If so, then you just might want to keep reading about what it’s like to be a fashion designer! Nico Morrison Sidell has been a FashionCreative Director for 18 years. Nico was educated at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, and carries Bachelor of Arts degrees from Mer-

clothing collection, and Peligrosa, a 100% organic and sustainable apparel company. She lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina, withher husband and two daughters, but she travels the world, giving fashion advice to other designers. She helps them make deci-

TRUMAN: What does it take to become a fashion designer? NICO: Creativity and a good un-derstanding of color and geom-etry. You use a lot of mathin fashion since you are always calculating materials needed, the angle of the armhole and the measurements between sizes! You will most likely work in a team, so understanding people and personalities is a great help. Most fashion companies will expect you to have a four-year university degree, and there are schools such as NC College of Design and Textiles and Fashion Institute of Technology in New York that provide fashion con-centrations. However, I found that a broad liberal arts educa-tion is best since you will apply your art, math, science, language and technology in the workplace. TRUMAN: When, and why, did

fashion?NICO: I loved fashion from the start! When I was seven years old, I would take the sheets off my bed and wrap them around my body into evening gowns. Since I loved making crafts, I would grab the kids in our neighborhood to set up craft stands (like a lemonade stand) in our front yard. Mom taught me to sew when I was eight or nine years old, and I tested out different trends and looks throughout junior high and high school. In these experiments, you learn what looks best on you — and what doesn’t. It’s been great education to learn how to design for classic style rather than what’s hot today. Trends fade; style does not!TRUMAN: What was your favorite subject in school?NICO: Math and creative writing.TRUMAN: What do you do every day? What’s a typical day on the job? NICO: I travel to New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo three to four times a year to meet with designers and their business people to review their collections for selling internationally. We talk about the colors and looks of the season and what is selling well in the USA. We then choose styles for the international market, plan out the distribution to our stores and open new stores for the brand. Since I’m often traveling, I also use my fashion experience in my community by teaching kids how to recycle fabrics and old clothes into new fashions and crafts. We cut, sew and trim into new treasures. This community project is called Redo

Reuse (http://redoreuse.com) and it provides fundraisers for the schools.TRUMAN: It sounds like a lot of fun. What’s the hardest part of your job?NICO: Fashion is always changing! One great brand today may be gone tomorrow. You must always watch, read and study the world to catch the next hot thing.

TRUMAN: What’s the best part of your job?NICO: The runway and the parties! There is a lot of fun in celebrating a new collection, but after the show, it’s back to business.TRUMAN: What is your favorite hobby or thing to do when you are not working?NICO: Making recycled crafts and plan-ning parties! My daugh-ters have parties all year round (Halloween, spring luau, etc). All very crafty, of course!TRUMAN: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you

grew up?NICO: I wanted to be a teacher!TRUMAN: What advice would you give to kids who are interested in becoming a fashion designer?NICO: Study math, accounting and business — fashion is ultimately about selling clothes. Go to museums and learn art history — fashion often repeats itself and has historical references, which are neat to better understand our culture. Take sewing classes or take apart an old shirt — this is maybe the best way to learn how clothing is made. Stay true to your originality — the most successful designers have been creating for 20 or 30 years or more.TRUMAN: Thanks, Nico, for talking to us about what it’s like to be a fashion designer. It looks like you really enjoy what you do. What a cool job to have! (See Conservation Corner for two of Nico’s recycled craft projects!)

Nico Morrison Sidell is a Fashion Creative Director. Right: Nico hard at work making a new creation out of recycled fabrics from old clothing.

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny 7December 20 1 1

What’s it like to be ...

A FASHION DESIGNER?

Page 8: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

The other day I dropped by a safe and comfortable place. Families First in Essex County has a really great Resource Center next to the Post Office in Elizabethtown. I had a wonderful visit with Ms. JoAnne Caswell the Executive Director and learned all about the programs and services available to families in Essex County. I always knew that FF was available to help families who had kids with emotional and behavioral challenges but I didn’t know until Ms. JoAnne told me that many of the programs offered at the resource center are available to all families. Programs like a lending library that has all kinds of books and DVD’s for kids through professionals to help us learn about mental and behavioral problems like ADHD. There are parenting education classes where our mom’s and dad’s learn to be really good parents, or even workshops on special education or budgeting. FF also has a food shelf, Ms JoAnne said you don’t even need kids to qualify. Anyone is welcome. It makes me happy to think that even the elderly lady who lives down the street from me can get food if she is having trouble making ends meet. Ms. JoAnne said most of the food items are non-perishable, that means they don’t go bad quickly, but that they also get perishable items like fresh produce and eggs from Essex Farms in Essex, NY. Ms. JoAnne also told me how FF works to coordinate the Thanksgiving Food Drive where they collect donations of traditional Thanksgiving food from people like you and me and fill baskets for people who otherwise would go without. At Christmas FF has companies who donate shoeboxes filled with gifts for children while other churches and organizations “Adopt a Kid” by giving specific items a child has requested. All without using any names of course! If you, your family or your class would like to help in any of these programs just call FF at 518-873-9544. I love to shop for the items I put in the shoeboxes I give each year. The Family Resource Center at Families First also has lots of social activities for kids and families that help bring them together. Some are just for their clients but a lot are open to all. To find out more about them you can sign up for the newsletter, just give them a call or stop by. Ms. JoAnne took the time to tell me about the other programs they offer; Family Support… Ms. JoAnne described it as “a short term program where families can go if they just think they might have a problem.” That means that something might have happened that is upsetting to the kid(s). Maybe it’s a divorce, or the death of someone close or even a pet. It can be anything at all and sometimes when us kids

get really upset about something we don’t know how to talk about it so we might start feeling or behaving badly. The first thing they do is give 1to1 support from the parents of kids just like us. Advocacy, here is a word we use every month when we talk about GIVE, ADVOCATE, VOLUNTEER, the United Way, it means some one to stand up for you and get you the help you need. Family/Peer support, here the whole family can get support from someone who has experienced a similar problem, parents talk to parents and kids to kids. And of course there are opportunities to learn and build skills that will help. The last two programs are help for families whose child has been diagnosed with a mental llness. Ms. JoAnne said FF is there to try to help keep the kid at home with their family. Intensive Case Management… Is help if there is a chance that the kid may not be able to stay with their family. FF can help 24 families at a time and there is a short waiting list right now, but Ms. JoAnne said the staff is still there to help until a slot opens up. This program offers respite, which is a break for everyone, Youth groups and is even there to help in a crisis. They even coordinate all of the other agencies that are involved. Home and Community Based Waiver…When residential placement is probably coming. Available for up to 12 families at a time this program includes all of the help available to the families in Intensive Case Management plus in-depth in-home services and mentoring to help build skills. Ms. JoAnne told me how much our contributions to the United Way help fund the Family Support program, “It’s always hard to get funding for preventative care programs, that’s where the United Way helps us so very much” she said. I really liked learning about Families First. Ms. JoAnne wanted me to tell you all that this is a voluntary program designed by parents to support families in need. She also said that Families First won’t relocate kids, they just try to help. I am so glad FF is available so families in Essex County don’t have to struggle alone. I also want to remind you when you hear adults around you talk about a problem. You can tell them to dial 211. Here they will be referred to the proper agencies for help. FYI, The 2012 United Way Campaign is going on right now. The goal for this year’s campaign is $775,000! Let’s all LIVE UNITED and support all of the great 39 member agencies with a generous donation to The United Way! See you next month,

Your Friend,

Where families don’t have to struggle alone…

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny8 December 20 1 1

In 1988 we started as a small oil company in the Malone area.

In 2010 we have expanded our service area by opening an environmentally

friendly facility in Plattsburgh, allowing us to serve customers in Clinton and Essex

counties. We don’t just deliver fuel, but also provide service, and sell boilers,

stoves, and furnaces. 20617

Adirondack for Kids is a foundation established by the Adirondack Family of businesses to offer grants

to nonprofit organizations supporting youth activities in the areas where Adirondack operates. 20616

Page 9: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

Quetzalcoatl is a Se-rial Story by Carl Gundestrup.

Captain Gonzales said that the Incas, the Aztecs and the Mayas allspoke of a great bearded white God who had visited their people anciently.The legends tell how Quetzalcoatlcame down from the heavens and visited their people. He healed the sick,raised others from the dead. He laid his hands upon their children and blessedthem. He loved the people and taught them how to love one another and live together in harmony. The legendssay that he went back to heaven andpromised that one day he would return. Captain Gonzalez learned from hisgrandfather that when Quetzalcoatl visited the people who lived near theocean, many animals came to worshiphim also. He said that when Quetzal-coatl touched one of the creatures inthe water, it changed.

GARRETT: The sea snake or whatever the creature was became a feathered serpent and was given avery special gift. All of the descendants

call a Quetzalcoatl.DAVY: Well, I’ve heard bits and

pieces of this throughout my life. Itnever made any sense until now.

CATHERINE: Do you really be-lieve this?

he wouldn’t have told Garrett this if he didn’t believe it was true.

GARRETT: The Quetzalcoatl of Shiloh’s Island is a descendant of that

by the hand of Quetzalcoatl. Captain Gonzalez says that Quetzalcoatls livein oceans, lakes and rivers all around the world.

DAVY: Jose has seen one hasn’t he?

GARRETT: Yes. He said Quetzal-coatls are very kind, but very shy. They are gentle and wise and especially like

children. But the most mysterious thingabout Quetzalcoatls are their gifts.

CATHERINE: What kinds of gifts?GARRETT: The God, Quetzal-

coatl, is perfect. He has all wisdom,talents, gifts, virtues and abilities in a perfect combination, like a great circle.Like a slice of that perfect circle, eachQuetzalcoatl has a gift, talent or ability.And it is with that gift that Quetzalcoatlsare able to make the world a betterplace.

CATHERINE: If it were true, andI am certainly not saying it is, whatwould a Quetzalcoatl be able to do?

GARRETT: Nate McMillan saida Quetzalcoatl could have the powerto calm a storm. Warn of danger. Heal someone who is sick. Comfortsomeone who was grieving or afraid.Change the feelings in someone’s heart. Give a person a new idea or the wisdom to solve a problem.

DAVY: Nate told you about being pushed overboard, didn’t he? I wasthere.

GARRETT: Tell me what happened.DAVY: Nate had a run in with a

new man. Hainous Grimes. Grimeswas even bigger than Nate and used to having his way. He and Nate had words. It appeared nothing came of it. Next morning, Nate was nowhere to be found. Two months later, Nate turned up on the docks, thin, sunburned and quiet. Even quieter than normal. I

settle things while Nate was still weak.

didn’t last long and anyone that saw itsaid they’d take their chances swim-ming with the great white sharks beforethey’d tangle with Nate McMillan.

GARRETT: Nate swears the stories of Quetzalcoatl’s are true. And

read and what I know.DAVY: And what do you know?GARRETT: The stories are true.

Captain Gonzalez said that no twoQuetzalcoatls are exactly the same.Each one has a different gift.

GARRETT: The legends say thatwhen a Quetzalcoatl is born, that there

is a miraculous sign demonstrating what that Quetzalcoatl’s gift will be. Nate also told me about sea dragons. They look almost exactly like a Quet-zalcoatl, except instead of feathers,they have scales. He said you can’ttell the difference unless you are close enough to touch them, and if you get that close, you probably won’t live to tell anyone.

CATHERINE: What do sea drag-ons do?

GARRETT: A sea dragon is amean, evil creature full of hate and mischief.

CATHERINE: Oh!GARRETT: If a ship capsizes in a

white squall or runs aground on a reef,

crew, then tear apart the ship and carry the gold, silver, diamonds or whatever

Not because they have any great de-sire for riches, but because they know that treasure is the best bait for catch-ing greedy men.

CATHERINE: This all sounds likea lot of seaman’s nonsense.

GARRETT: Nate McMillan told me that after Grimes pushed him over-board he swam for hours. He knew itwas only a matter of time before the

terrible storm. During the calm rightbefore the storm hit, Nate just sat theretreading water. Waiting and watching the sky darken. Suddenly he said he

was his back. I promised I wouldn’ttell any more than that. But I’ve seen the marks. There is no creature in the ocean that would leave the kind of scars he has.

DAVY: I’ve seen the scars, too.CATHERINE: Did he say he was

saved by a Quetzalcoatl?GARRETT: He’s alive. And he

swears that the stories about them are true. He told me that an sea dragon’slair is impossible for a human being toget to.

CATHERINE: You don’t believe this foolishness, do you?

DAVY: I have seen for myself the work of a sea dragon. And I’ve seenNate’s scars. So I wouldn’t be too hasty

about brushing this all aside. Garrett. Did Jose tell you what Teotihucan means in Spanish?

GARRETT: No.DAVY: It means the birth place of

the Gods.CATHERINE (answering the door):

Who could that could be?RONDA STEENECK: Hello. I’m

Ronda Steeneck. I brought Garrett’shomework.

CATHERINE: Well, thank you,Ronda. Won’t you come in?

RONDA STEENECK: I’d like to. But I have to be home soon, or I’ll getextra chores.

CATHERINE: Well just a moment. Garrett, a girl from your school, RondaSteeneck, has brought your home-work. You go thank her.

GARRETT: Mom!CATHERINE: Garrett!GARRETT: Thanks for bringing my

school work. Did Mrs. Hammerhead make you?

RONDA STEENECK: No, really. Iwanted to.

GARRETT: Why?RONDA STEENECK: Everyone in

the whole school is talking about you.

RONDA STEENECK: Everyonerespects you.

GARRETT: What?RONDA STEENECK: You’re the

only person who has ever had the gutsto stand up to Toby Hallorand. Every-one else is afraid of being beaten up.

GARRETT: I’ve never been beatup before.

(to be continued). To listen and read-alongwith the rest of this month’s episode of QUET-ZALCOATL, go to www.talesofdavyjones.com orwww.kidsvillenews.com. ATeacher’s Guide toaccompany this 12-chapter story isavailable at www.KidsvilleNews.com. An audioversion CD-set and workbook are also available online. Copyright 2011 by Carl F. Gundestrup. Allrights reserved.

(Ketz-al-co-ah-Tel)

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny 9December 20 1 1

34166

Hi! I’m Digger Mole and I work for NYCO Minerals. Did you know that our mineral, called “Wollastonite”,

is shipped all around the world?

Page 10: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny1 0 December 20 1 1

LAUREN NORCROSS

Age 10, HOLY FAMILY

SCHOOL

MADISON NORCROSS Age 8,

HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL

COLBY DEMERS Age 8,

FLANDERS

CADE Age 7,

St. BERNARDS SCHOOL

BRADY DOOREY Age 7,

MORRISONVILLE ELEMENTARY

Page 11: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny 1 1December 20 1 1

New Year’s Eve

10 10

17 17

8 8

16 16

23 23

3 3

11 11

21 21

9 9

Wear a Plunger On Your Head

Day

5 5 6 6

18 18

15 15

7 7

12 12

1 1

26 26

National Fritters

Day

Bill of Rights Day

Underdog Day

National Chocolate Covered

Anything Day

Oatmeal Muffin Day

Hanukkah Begins at Sundown

2 2

19 19

14 14

22 22 20 20

4 4

24 24 Christmas Eve

National Egg Nog Day

Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock,

1620

Card Playing Day

25 25 National Pumpkin Pie Day

Poinsettia Day

30 30 29 29 31 31

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

Boxing Day

Kwanzaa Begins

National Whiners Day

First Day of Winter

National Flashlight

Day

National Cotton

Candy Day

Mitten Tree Day

National Cookie Day

National Roof- Over- Your- Head Day

Eat a Red Apple Day

Games Day

National Cocoa Day

13 13

Texas became the 28th state, 1845

27 27 Visit the Zoo Day

National Brownie Day

28 28

[tÑÑç

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www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny1 2 December 20 1 1

AR UND THE W RLDIran

On December 21, Yalda is celebrated in Iran. This is the longest night of the year. Tradition has it that light and good struggle against darkness and evil. Family and friends gather together and stay up all night with the lights on and fires lit. This is to help the sun in its battle against darkness. On this night, they tell stories, recite poetry and eat until daylight comes.

MexicoDuring the week

before Christmas(Navidad) Eve (Dec. 16-24), friends and familiesget together for a specialcelebration called Posadas. They form a parade, carry-ing candles and little dolls

of the baby Jesus. They sing carols and walk toa neighbor’s house, commemorating Mary andJoseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.The happy end to each Posada is the piñata — ajar covered in paper maché and fi lled withgoodies. It is traditionally made in the shape ofa star to represent the star that guided the ThreeKings to the baby Jesus.

Guam In Guam, Lady of Camarin Day is

celebrated on December 8. A three-foot, 60-pound wooden statue is known as Our Lady of Camarin. She is the Patron Saint San-ta Marian Kamalen, who stands watch over the people of Guam and the Marianas Isles. Tradition says that the statue fl oated onto the shores of Merizo escorted by two crabs with lit candles on their backs over 340 years ago. The statue is made of ironwood, which does not float, so her arrival was thought of as a miracle. Each year on this day, the statue is taken down from its home behind bullet-proof glass in the Basilica, cleaned and placed on a cart of blossoms. The cart is pulled around Hagatna, the capital city of Guam.

Flying Squirrels Look! Up in the air! It’s a bird! It’s a plane!It’s a — fl ying squirrel?

The smallest of the squirrel family, fl yingsquirrels weigh around three ounces as adults andmeasure about nine to 10 inches long — and

almost half of that length is their tail! They are the only nocturnal squirrels; they sleep during the day and are activeat night. Very large eyes help them to see in the dark, and long whiskers or vibrissae are thought to help themnavigate when they fl y.

But flying squirrels don’t really fly. They actually glide, 80-150 feet, from branch to branch. They steer, using afurry membrane between their front and rear legs calledthe patagium, and use their long, flat tail as a stabilizerand to brake before they land. Flying squirrels often closeor partially close their eyes just before landing.

Two species of flying squirrels exist in the U.S., theNorthern and the more common Southern. They prefer

coniferous and mixed forests with good tree cover, like maple, beech, hickory, oak and pop-lar, where the trees are close together. Flying squirrels do not like to spend much time on theground! They live in colonies and make several different kinds of nests: refugia nests, or dens,for daytime; natal nests for raising their young and aggregate nests that they share with othersduring the winter.

Flying squirrels eat a variety of foods, including fungi, lichens, mushrooms, tree sap, in-sects, carrion, buds, flowers, bird eggs, seeds, berries, insects, slugs, snails, bark and of course,lots of nuts, storing up to 15,000 nuts in a season! They are the only squirrel that eats a nut bychewing one hole in the shell rather than breaking the nut apart. They love to cache, or hide,their food. They are very social animals and have been kept as pets since Colonial times andcan live 10 to 15 years in captivity.

Sources: Care for Baby Flying Squirrels (Flyers), www.arcforwildlife.com/fl yers.htm;www.fl yingsquirrels.com; Flying Squirrels in Nestboxes, www.sialis.org/fl yingsquirrel.htm.

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: RodentiaFamily: SciuridaeGenus: Glaucomys

Sally, a rescued baby Southern fl ying squirrel. Note the large eyes, very long whiskers, patagium and fl at tail. Her temporary habitat is a hamster cage until she can be released in the spring. Photo: Sophie Poppele.

Page 13: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

DECEMBER WORD FINDFind the hidden words in the puzzle that

relate to the month of DECEMBER

N I W J A Y H G H V F L L N D Z O B I L V N V A I X Z R H Z C E R I N I C R N E X X R I G S A M T K T E X N V I Y T V N F A N C H I E Y U K H R Q N K F Q O D N P V R K K E M I A I P T N D L H O D A E J Y C A E S K E J J E Z L H S L M W M X V E N O Y L S B E K O K A A Z R L Z P R E S E N T S T Y T X N R V C Z J P J P M N S M B R E Y K U U S T C S A H N C E O U P R J Z S O D S K I O O Y Y C H R I S T M A S E S W Q S P I J Z M A H I M H C I J Z H I

CANDLESCHRISTMASFAMILYHANNUKAH

NORTH POLEPRESENTSREINDEERSANTA

SNOWSTOCKINGTREEWINTER

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny 1 3December 20 1 1

10 inches of snow

melts down to about

an inch of liquid rain.

The world record for the most snowfall in 24

hours was 76 inches in Silver Lake, Colorado.

Icicles most often form on the south side of buildings.

Wintry Trivia

At -40°F, water freezes spontaneously; if you poured a cup of water out of a window, the water would freeze before it hit the ground!

A

B

What’s the Difference?There are five things different

between Picture A and Picture B.

Can you find them all?

Page 14: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

? ?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

? ? Answer Answer Corner Corner

It’s time to get out your globe! You need to know about the imaginary lines on globes and maps. These lines are called lines of latitude andlongitude, and they tell a pilot or ship’s captain exactly where in the world a certain place is located. Basically, latitude lines (also calledparallels) are the horizontal lines on your map. Lines of longitude (also called meridians) are the

vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole. This mapping system is written indegrees and uses the symbol °. Get ready to travel the world!

On your globe, find longitude of 100ºE and latitude of 15ºN, and you'll find the beautifulcountry of Thailand. It is located in Southeastern Asia and borders the Andaman Sea and theGulf of Thailand. It also borders the countries of Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia. Theclimate of Thailand is tropical with a rainy, warm monsoon season from May to September.

It is dry and cool November to March. The southern isthmus (narrow strip of land withwater on both sides) is always hot and humid. The terrain is mountainous with a centralplain.

The people of Thailand are called Thai. They speak Thai and English. Thailand is the20th most populated country in the world, with over 66 million people. The religion of most people in Thailand is Buddhist,but there are also many Muslim people. They celebrate the birthday of King Phumiphon (1927) as a national holiday onDecember 5. The country is a constitutional monarchy and has a king. The monarchy is hereditary, which means it is passed

down through the family. The prime minister serves as the head of thegovernment. The king appoints a member of the House of Representativesas the prime minister. National elections are held for the Senate and theHouse of Representatives.

Thailand is a beautiful country, and tourism is a major industry.Thailand has exotic wildlife, many rivers and intriguing islands. Thecountry has many historical attractions, national parks, wildlife sanctuariesand spectacular forests, waterfalls and beaches. They also produce textiles,clothing and jewelry. Thailand is the world's third-largest tin producer.

Photo, left: View of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.Source: "Thailand," The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency,

www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS...THAILAND?

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny1 4 December 20 1 1

33898

N I W J A Y H G H V F L L N D Z O B I L V N V A I X Z R H Z C E R I N I C R N E X X R I G S A M T K T E X N V I Y T V N F A N C H I E Y U K H R Q N K F Q O D N P V R K K E M I A I P T N D L H O D A E J Y C A E S K E J J E Z L H S L M W M X V E N O Y L S B E K O K A A Z R L Z P R E S E N T S T Y T X N R V C Z J P J P M N S M B R E Y K U U S T C S A H N C E O U P R J Z S O D S K I O O Y Y C H R I S T M A S E S W Q S P I J Z M A H I M H C I J Z H I

December Word FindFind the hidden words in the puzzle that relate to the

month of December.

CANDLESCHRISTMASFAMILYHANNUKAH

NORTH POLEPRESENTSREINDEERSANTA

SNOWSTOCKINGTREEWINTER

What’s the Difference?There are five things different between Picture A and Picture B.

Can you find them all?

WHERE IS THE WORLD IS...

THAILAND?

UFIRST SOLUTION

Page 15: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

PARENTOWN’S KIDSHAPE

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny 1 5December 20 1 1

Serving Clinton Countywww.ufirstfcu.net

Branch Locations: 274 Rugar Street Plattsburgh N.Y. 12901 • 518-324-5700 • 72 Champlain Street- Rouses Point 518-324-5700 2488 Route 11- Mooers (518)236-6228

Save: What will you be doing with money that you receive this holiday season? This is a great time to learn all about what you can do with your money. You can spend it, share it, or save it. What will you do with your money?

K-5 Money Tip of the Month

Let’s Learn Dollar$ $enseFind and circle these words

in the grid. They may appear horizontally,

vertically diagonally, or even backwards.

Nickel December

Winter Snow

Account Saving

Checking Holidays

Dime Family

UFirst FCU offers Kid’s Programs UFirst FCU offers Kid’s Programs Burghy’s Kids Club ages 0-12, Teen Cardinal Club ages 13-17, Burghy’s Kids Club ages 0-12, Teen Cardinal Club ages 13-17,

College Survival Kit ages 18-22 College Survival Kit ages 18-22

Page 16: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny1 6 December 20 1 1

Our mission is to create a fun, engaging, educational newspaper and web site for all elementary age children, their parents & teachers, that encourages reading as a lifelong habit and promotes literacy & education. When it comes to literacy & child development, if we are to help develop a chi ld’s habits, truly affect the way they think and act, to help develop their minds, we must start at a young age. We hope that you will consider partnering with us too! Together we can take childhood l earning to the next level and have a positive impact on our community and our future leaders.

Pediatric Dentistry of

Glens Falls (518) 798-9966

Farzad Sani, DDS Elizabethtown Elizabethtown Community Community Hospital Hospital

Southern Adirondack Library System Helping Libraries Meet Community Needs

We would like to thank all of our

Kidsville News! in Education Program

Sponsors for helping to provide Kidsville News! to Northern NY schools and all area children K-5.

And Happy New Year!

Page 17: KN_12-10-2011_Edition

AT THE MOVIES

Alvin and the Chipmunks — Chipwrecked(In Theaters: Dec. 16)Jason Lee is back again with his crew of squeaky Chipmunks and Chipettes. Dave needs a vacation — bad. But he probably won’t get much rest on the luxury cruise he takes because he brings along Alvin (voiced by Justin Long) and his lovable pals. Between episodes of bursting into song — you know the “munks” love to sing — our little child-like rodents manage to strand themselves on a remote island in the middle of the ocean. Will Dave be able to rescue his tiny pals? Will the Chipmunks and Chipettes learn any important lessons during their wild adventure? One thing’s for sure: Little kids are going to love laughing at Alvin and the gang doing what they do best — having fun.Not Rated at Press Time (20th Century Fox)

The Adventures of Tintin (In Theaters: Dec. 21)Steven Spielberg pulls out all the stops in adapting the popular Belgian comic-strip character Tintin with eye-popping state-of-the-art 3D-motion capture that far improves on the animation of similar movies like The Polar Express. Actor Jamie Bell gives movement and voice to the smart red-haired Tintin who, with the help of his quick little dog Snowy, conducts investigations as a boy reporter into whatever mysteries come his way. In his European home town, Tintin buys a fancy model ship named the “Unicorn” at an outdoor market, only to be followed by a creepy Ivanovich Sakharine (Daniel Craig), who insists on getting his hands on the model ship. It turns out there’s a secret message hidden inside the boat. So begins an epic adventure that puts Tintin and Snowy onboard a giant steamer ship named the “Karaboudjian” headed for Morocco under the shaky hands of the ship’s Captain Archibald Haddock (Andy Serkis). The Captain and Tintin become friends and team up to piece together clues to find a giant amount of hidden treasure. The

Adventures of Tintin is full of laughs and has some of the coolest animation you’ve ever seen. Rated PG for adventure-action violence, some drunkenness and brief smoking. 100 mins. (Paramount Pictures)

We Bought a Zoo (In Theaters: Dec. 23)What if you and your family lived in a zoo? Well, that’s just what happens to Matt Damon’s single dad Benjamin Mee when he decides to buy a house that comes as part of a small zoo. There’s a tiger, a lion, a bear, a kangaroo, a few zebras and 42 other animal species that come along with the property. Scarlett Johansson plays Kelly Foster, one of the zookeepers who inspires Ben to throw himself into his new job of making a great home for his family and for the animals he grows to love. We Bought a Zoo is one of this year’s big Christmas family movies that promises to put a warm spot in everyone’s heart, a tear in a few eyes and smiles all around. Not Rated at press time. (20th Century Fox)

MOVIES ON DVD

Kung Fu Panda 2 (Available Dec. 13)Large-scale animated spectacle set in China’s natural beauty is a big part of DreamWorks Animation’s winning sequel to the 2008 original — a movie so widely celebrated that the Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek devoted pages in his latest book to it. Though the filmmakers only make full use of the film’s 3D effects once — when Jack Black’s panda character Po throws dumplings — the animation is gorgeous. Now that Po has mastered the art of Kung Fu, he must learn inner peace. So advises his Kung Fu master Shifu (once again voiced by Dustin Hoffman). Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, David Cross and Lucy Liu also return from the first installment to reprise their roles as the “Furious Five,” creatures that represent different styles of Kung Fu. The cartoon martial arts violence approaches an extreme level of exaggeration. Whether or not that’s a good thing is a question parents — and Slovenian philosophers —

will have to grapple with.

Cole Smithey, also known as “the smartest film critic in the world,” has been a fi lm critic for 11 years and writes for over 50 publications, in print and on-line. Truman loves to watch movies and has the highest appreciation for great popcorn.

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny 1 7December 20 1 1

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Mighty Kids meal sold to Mighty Kids meal sold to

Ronald McDonald Ronald McDonald

House Charities House Charities

quality

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This tiny little berry packs a powerful — and flavorful — punch! Cranberries score among the highest of all fruits in antioxidants. Fruits and vegetables with high antioxidant values, like cranberries, may help support memory function and coordination.They are also a cholesterol-free, fat-free and low-sodium food, and help maintain a healthy heart. The tiny berry is one of only three fruits native to North America. It is grown in several states around the country, but Wisconsin-based growers produce more than half of the world’s entire supply of cranberries. That’s a lot of cranberries!

Cranberry Oat Bran Muffi nsMakes one dozen muffi ns.

What You Need:• 1 1/2 cups fl our• 1/2 cup oat bran• 3/4 teaspoon salt• 1/3 cup sugar• 3 teaspoons baking powder• 2 eggs• 1/4 cup vegetable oil• 1 cup milk• 1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped• 1 cup chopped walnuts• 1 teaspoon orange peel, grated

How to Make It:• Preheat oven to 400°F. • Mix flour, oat bran, salt, sugar and baking powder. Set aside. • Beat together eggs, vegetable oil and milk; add to dry ingredients. • Add cranberries, walnuts and orange peel. Stir all together; batter may be lumpy. • Pour into muffin tins and bake 20 minutes at 400°F.

KIDSVILLE KITCHENTogether Time — Ask an adult for help with projects!

A Tiny Berry withBig Taste

Recipe provided by Family Features and Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association. For more cranberry recipes, visit the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association at www.wiscran.org.

People might think it is hard to start a charity. It’s not that hard once you decide what you care about. I did it. I was only 11 years old when I started it. Now I am twelve and have raised about $800.

My cause is HIV AIDS. Jewish kids choose a cause when they have their Bat or Bar Mitzvahs. This is called “tzedaka.” For mine, this summer, I wanted to find something meaningful and the reason I chose HIV AIDS was my Uncle George, who I loved very much, died of it about a year and a half ago.

My advice for other kids who want to find a cause is they should think about what they really care about. Maybe there is pollution in their neighborhood they might want to take care of. Maybe someone is sick in their family. Maybe they know someone whose family needs help. A charity or cause works best if it has some

connection to you. The next thing to do is research. Find out all about this cause. You

would not want to end up with wrong information. They should make phone calls, search online and read papers and magazines about their cause. The next step is to come up with an idea. I designed bracelets for my cause that said “Together We Can Prevent HIV AIDS.” I also included a helpful URL for people who wanted to learn more. I made the

bracelets with my savings and I sell them to friends and acquaintances and people I meet. Everyone wants to help out by buying my bracelets.

I have heard about kids selling lemonade or cookies or raising money in other imaginative ways for causes. One girl had cancer and decided to raise money to

help find a cure. She died but her lemonade stand is still around. Alexis’ Lemonade has raised millions of dollars.

This is my first column I have ever written and I wanted to use it to say I believe that kids can make a difference. They can support causes and actually help them.

Meet my friend Ava Van Pelt! I met Ava last spring and she told me all about her idea to help. I invited Ava to tell all of you so you can go out there and make a difference in our area. You are never too young to start! Take it away Ava....

So true Ava, Thanks for telling us about your great idea. If any of you are doing something to make a difference I want to hear from you. Write to: Kidsville News at PO Box 338, Elizabethtown, NY 12932 or Email me like Ava and her mom did at [email protected]. I’m so proud of Ava and kids like her who realize they can make a difference, why don’t you join in?

Your Friend,

North Country Kids

Care! Healthy H e a l t h y Hearts & Bodies H e a r t s & B o d i e s

Hi I’m Ava Van Pelt

www.k idsv i l l enews .com/northernny 1 9December 20 1 1

“I really like my new Pediatrician, Dr. Celotti.

He really knows how to care for North Country Kids.

That’s because he used to be one!”

“I really like my new Pediatrician, Dr. Celotti.

He really knows how to care for North Country Kids.

That’s because he used to be one!”

Elizabethtown Community Health Center 66 Park Street, Elizabethtown, NY 12932 518-873-6896 • www.ech.org

Accepting new patients. Call for an appointment.

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Caring for the most important people in the world…

y o u r c h i l d r e n ! y o u r c h i l d r e n ! y o u r c h i l d r e n !

Did you know? • 1st dental visit is recommended around the 1st birthday

• If your local water supply does not contain fluoride, you should speak with your dentist or pediatrician about the possibility of a fluoride supplement

• Your child should be assisted with brushing and flossing at least one time daily until over the age of eight

• Snacking or drinking juice or soda frequently can raise your child’s risk of tooth decay

… caring for the most important people in the world, your children. At Pediatric Dentistry of Glens Falls our doctor and staff are dedicated to helping assist you in making your child’s smile a happy and healthy one. We specialize in pediatric dentistry in an environment where your child feels safe and comfortable.

Pediatric Dentistry of Glens Falls 798-9966 • Fax: 798-0616 • 88 Broad Street, Glens Falls

www.pediatricdentistryofglensfalls.com Saturday

appointments available!

From South: Take I-87 North to Exit 18. Make a right off exit onto Main Street. At 4th traffic signal there will be a fork in the road. Continue going straight, Stewarts will be on your right. 88 Broad Street will be 1 1 ⁄ 2 blocks on your right. We are a 2 story brick building.

Directions to: 88 Broad Street, Glens Falls • (518) 798-9966 From North: Take I-87 South to Exit 18. Make a left off exit onto Main Street. At 5th traffic signal there will be a fork in the road. Continue going straight, Stewarts will be on your right. 88 Broad Street will be 1 1 ⁄ 2 blocks on your right. We are a 2 story brick building.

34140

Pediatric Dentistry of

Glens Falls (518) 798-9966

Farzad Sani, DDS

We participate with many insurances including GHI. We offer a wide variety of comfort options: laugh ing gas, mild sedatives, general anesthesia

Dr. Sani Accepting New Patients!