July 2010 Issue
Backyard Safari
Birdwatching for Kids
Today’s children are not spending as much time outdoors as their parents did when they were kids. A mountain of scientific evidence shows that it is crucial for a child’s development to spend plenty of non-programmed time outside exploring nature. But today’s age is much different from when parents were kids and allowed to spend countless hours outside with the only requirement of returning home when the street lights came on.
It's Called 'The Great Outdoors' for a Reason!
The sound of a branch snapping brought me instantly awake.
Remaining frozen, not breathing or moving a muscle, I listened carefully for the telltale sound of a crippled foot dragging through the leaves or the “thud ... thud ... thud” of a rusty axe against the ground. The school’s mission is to teach students who have distinct learning styles, ignite their potential, and inspire academic and social success. My mind in early June has been on Abby Sunderland, the 16-year-old from Thousand Oaks, Calif. My heart went out to her parents as they waited for news of the teen. Abby was in a bid to become the youngest person to sail the world alone and lost contact as she struggled in a fierce storm in the southern Indian Ocean. She had spoken with her mom and dad, via satellite phone, but after that call broke off, Abby activated two emergency satellite beacons, launching an international rescue effort. You won’t find a more hospitable area and gracious, friendly people than in southern Indiana. The typical Midwestern farms and acres of farmland in between rolling hills and forested lands belie the history that roams amongst these back roads. Every summer parents need to consider the sun. Will it help or hurt their children? The issue, of course, has to do with the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, which turns out to be helpful and harmful. The economic downturn of the past two years has been financially devastating, with layoffs, housing foreclosures, bankruptcies and decimated savings common place. FOLKLORE FACTS
Suddenly aware of the stifling heat, the incessant whine of a solitary mosquito and the urgent call nature was making on speed-dial to my private number, I silently cursed myself for insisting on one more ghost story around the campfire.
Lawrence School Teaches, Ignites, Inspires
Family looks at Lawrence School
The National Institutes of Health estimate that children with learning differences comprise 10 percent to 15 percent of the school-age population.
In Ohio, that equals about 350,000 children. For Cuyahoga, Summit and the seven surrounding counties served by Lawrence School, that means between 81,576 and 121,886 children.
Letting Go
Inspiration in a rough month
Make a Splash
History, nature and just plain fun welcome summer visitors on the back roads of southern Indiana
As my two teen-age daughters and I set forth on our Memorial Day weekend of fun, we didn’t know just how “educational” our trip would be. Did you know that Abraham Lincoln spent 14 formative years in Spencer County? Or that he led a tragic life, losing his mother at age 9, his beloved sister some years later who died in childbirth and three of his four sons, not to mention his own tragic assassination?
Sun Safety
Looking at the burning question about UV protection
What is UltraViolet radiation (UV)?
Like visible light, UV is a type of electromagnetic energy that passes through transparent things and is blocked by opaque things. Unlike visible light, UV is more energetic and cannot be seen.
Weathering a Bad Storm for the Sake of Good
Local social services find their way under the economic safety umbrella despite the current downpour of hardships
Meanwhile, families’ needs for social services have continued and, in some cases, increased. At the same time, organizations that typically provide these services have experienced reduced government funding, a decrease in private financial support and dwindling endowments.
When Your Child Sees Pink
Pinkeye fact and folklore