Menu

Cool Kind Kid

Bully Bystanders

All the kids came into class hugging each other and saying, “I love you!” Ms. Gilmour looked at them and laughed. “I see that you remembered what we talked about last time,” she said. “How did your families like your saying those three little words every day?” Rudy replied, “My older brothers thought I was crazy, but after a while, they started doing it, too.” Nicole said, “My parents wanted to know why I was doing that, and I told them that I wanted us to be closer. Then they began saying those words more often.” Truman the Dragon said his family really got into it and started saying, “I love you” to all his dragon relatives. Carmen added, “My mom makes me say those words every time I hurt my little sister. I guess it makes me stop and think how I’m treating her.” Stephen looked at her and said, “Did you stop and think about The Golden Rule? Were you treating her the way you would want to be treated?” Carmen looked down and said, “No, I wasn’t.” Ms. Gilmour said, “Stephen, you made a good point; we show love to others when we treat them how we want to be treated.” She then added, “We’ve been talking a lot about bullying. There are kids who bully, the kids who are bullied and the kids who see bullying, but don’t do anything about it. Do you know what a ‘bystander’ is?” Most of the kids looked puzzled. Ms. Gilmour continued. “A bully bystander is someone who sees bullying going on, but is afraid to say or do anything.” Tanner said, “I think some kids are afraid the bully will turn on them.” Nicole added, “Some kids think that telling an adult about it is tattling.” Rudy added, “I wouldn’t want to be a snitch.” “Those are all good reasons for not helping someone who is being bullied,” said Ms. Gilmour. “But what if you were the one being hurt?” she asked. “Wouldn’t you want someone to help you?” All the kids agreed that they would. “What are some Cool Kind Kid Challenges to help kids learn to not be a bully bystander?” asked Ms. Gilmour. Many hands went up. Carmen said, “Remember The Golden Rule and help others, because you would want to be helped!” Rudy added, “Stand up to the bully and HELP!” Nicole said, “Cool Kind Kid Challengers, come to the rescue!” Truman the Dragon added, “Stand up and breathe fire on the kids who bully!” He was just kidding, but the other kids said there were times when they wished they could do that. Stephen continued, “Kids! When someone is being hurt, telling an adult is not tattling!” Tanner added, “Being a bully bystander isn’t cool or kind!” “Tanner is right, I challenge each of you to convince your friends in school and in your neighborhoods, that being a bully bystander is definitely not cool or kind!” Note To Parents From Ms. Gilmour: Bullying is the #2 epidemic in the U.S. In addition to these Cool Kind Kid articles, we endeavor to provide up-to-date research, articles and other news on this topic on our Facebook page. For your kids, we post Tanner’s Tuesday Tips on Tuesdays, Cool Kind Kid Challenger Tips on Thursdays and our newest contributor, Oliver’s Tips on Fridays. We also post Shocking Sunday Stats to keep this issue in the forefront of people’s minds. We’d love to post stories and photos of your kids being Cool Kind Kids, and how you have successfully dealt with bullying. Go to www.facebook.com/coolkindkid. To send photos and stories, and to give your permission to post, go to info@coolkindkid.com.

Continue Reading...

Conservation Corner

Staying Hydrated

Staying hydrated is very important to your health, and plastic water bottles can make it easier and convenient. Sadly, they can be very harmful for the Earth’s health. Firstly, plastic is made from oil, and the process for making them requires a lot of energy and can create a lot of pollution. Secondly, when they are thrown away, they can end up as litter or just sitting in giant landfills. • It takes between 1.5 and 1.7 million barrels of oil each year to produce plastic bottles for the U.S. • The energy to make them could power 190,000 homes. • Only 23 percent of plastic bottles are recycled. • To drink the recommended water a day for a year costs $.49 with tap water and $1,400 in plastic water bottles. • Only 1 out of 5 plastic bottles can be recycled. • It takes 1,000 years for the bottles to bio-degrade. • It is estimated that 2 million tons of water bottles are already in landfills. • Americans buy 25 billion disposable plastic water bottles each every year . • Eight out of 10 plastic bottles will just be thrown away. There are a few ways to help reduce pollution and waste created through plastic water bottles. First, you could use them more than once. Buying one disposable plastic water bottle and refilling it many times instead of throwing it away after one use saves money and reduces waste. Another option is buying non-disposable water bottles. They come in many shapes and sizes. Some are made out of plastic, metal or glass. They can also save money as well as reduce pollution because they can replace hundreds of disposable plastic water bottles. Some people dislike the taste of tap water, but a simple filter would fix that instead of buying large amounts of plastic bottles. If you must use disposable, and you can’t keep it for another use, just make sure to recycle it. That will help keep pollution and trash out of the environment and reduce the need for more plastic.

Continue Reading...

Kidsville Connections

Budgeting Your Money

One way your parents may help you get what you want is by giving you an allowance. al•low•ance verb 1. give (someone) a sum of money regularly. Most children have to earn their allowance by doing chores. chore noun 1. a routine task, especially a household one. While you are young, your chore may be as simple as putting your toys up or washing your hands before you eat. As you get older, your chores will get harder, and often your allowance will increase. budg•et noun 1. an estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time. Some of the first words children learn are “Momma” and “Dada.” Words that come quickly after are “I want” and “Mine.” That doesn’t change much as we get older. Wanting your own things is perfectly natural, just as learning to work for them is. Many of you have already learned that if you want something, like a good grade or perhaps a new toy, you have to earn it through either hard work or good behavior. Your parents may give you permission to use your allowance to buy the things you want. But at this age, it is important that you begin to learn how to budget to make sure you always have enough money to do the important things. The amount of allowance a child gets varies from person to person and is based on what your parents feel comfortable with and what fits into their budget for ensuring your household runs properly. If you budget your money correctly, it should be broken into separate categories. Lori Mackey, an author and founder of prosperity4kids, recommends that you should use the following formula for budgeting your money: 10-10-10-70. What this means is that you should save 10 percent of your allowance (if your allowance is $1, then that’s a dime.)You should invest 10 percent (another dime) and give 10 percent (another dime) to charity or those in need. You can then use the remaining 70 percent (70 cents) to do what you want. The money you put into savings is money that you can use to purchase more expensive items or to spend on vacation. If you learn how to save, you will always have a little money put away in case of an emergency. Some children save their money in a piggy bank, while others actually have their money deposited in a bank. They may be able to access that money via a debit card, which is a form of electronic payment. Both are great ways to keep track of your money, and you probably will find that when you have to work for your own money, you don’t spend it as quickly and that the words “I want …” don’t come out as quickly. Did You Know… Most of you have or have had a piggy bank in your room. The bank, usually with a smiling face, can be ceramic or silver or even plastic. What’s important about the piggy bank is that it is a great place to store loose coins and save them for something special. Have you ever wondered why people use pigs to store their money? There are many different explanations, but this is the most common: Containers for storing coins, known as money boxes or coin banks, have been used for centuries. To encourage saving, a small slit was placed on the top of these so that coins could enter but not exit. Because the only way to get the coins out was by breaking the container, they were mostly made of cheap materials. Eventually, these simple containers evolved into piggy banks. The most common legend of how piggy banks were created dates back to 15th century Europe, where a type of clay called pygg was used to make plates, bottles and vessels. When people threw their spare coins into these types of pygg containers, they started to call them pygg banks. Eventually, through a misinterpretation of the word pygg as pig.

Continue Reading...

Come Out and Play

Come out and Play – Monopoly

Monopoly is one of the most famous board games in the entire world. It has been played by families for generations and continues to be a favorite rainy-day activity. It was first invented in 1934 by Charles Darrow, who lived in Pennsylvania. He took the game to the Parker Brothers, but at first it was rejected. Darrow didn’t give up and decided to make the game himself. He sold it to a Philadelphia department store, and the first 5,000 copies were a huge success. After seeing how successful Darrow made his game, the Parker Brothers agreed to buy the rights. Since its invention, Monopoly has become wildly successful. Hundreds of versions of the game are available. Some recent editions include credit cards instead of paper money. Braille versions enable the visually impaired to play along. Dozens of other monopoly versions exist as well, with movie and TV themes, sports, animals and military. The basic principles and goals are the same, but the properties and pieces differ. For example, the pieces in Dino-opoly are little silver dinosaurs. The different versions are just as fun as the original, and there is a version for everyone. The goal of the game is to make the most money. You make money by buying and trading the properties that line the board. The roll of dice and cards decide which properties players can purchase. You can also pay to have homes and hotels on the properties that you own. Monopoly has been published in 43 languages. The longest monopoly game played was 1,680 hours long. The original Monopoly game was based on the streets of Atlantic City. Each game has 32 houses and 12 hotels. The game is intended for between two and six people. There is a Monopoly World Championship that is held every four years. The most expensive monopoly game was created by a jeweler in San Francisco and cost $2 million. Monopoly was banned in Russia until 1988. It is estimated that since 1935, over one billion people have played. In 1978, Neiman Marcus made a chocolate version of the game for $600.

Continue Reading...

Kids

Around the world – March 2015

Read Across America Every year on March 2, Americans are encouraged to pick up a book and read in celebration of Read Across America. This nationwide focus on reading occurs on the birthday of Dr. Seuss, the author who wrote many beloved children’s books like Green Eggs and Ham and Hop on Pop. Many of us, maybe even you, learned how to read from reading Dr. Seuss (whose real name is Theodor Seuss Geisel) books. On this special day every year, many libraries and schools hold special programs that encourage people to read together, or your school might have a book parade or even a book fair, where you can buy a book. Whatever you do on March 2, take some time to read; it’s an adventure you do not want to miss! St. Patrick’s Day On March 17, everybody is a little Irish as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! Many people celebrate the day with parties where Irish food is served, while others get into the spirit of things by dressing in green or eating green-colored food. In many cities where large numbers of Irish immigrants settled, there are large parades. In Savannah, Ga., they even dye the river green!!! St. Patrick is one of Ireland’s patron saints. He is most commonly known for driving snakes out of Ireland! March Equinox Every year there are two equinoxes, or days when the Sun shines directly on the Equator, and the length of day and night are nearly equal. The spring (or vernal) equinox is on March 20 this year. The March equinox marks the time when the Sun crosses the celestial equator — an imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator that runs from south to north. If you travel below the Equator, they would be celebrating the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere. In the United States, the arrival of the spring equinox means our days get longer and our temperatures get warmer. For many of you, it means it is time to break out your baseball or softball bats to enjoy fun games of baseball or softball!

Continue Reading...

What’s It Like To be

What’s it like to be a…Chef

Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself My name is Nicholas Calias, CEC, CCA. I am the Corporate Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage for The Colonnade Hotel & Brasserie JO. I have been running the kitchen for more than 20 years; I was named Boston ACF Chapter Chef of the Year in 2013. I run world-renowned Chef Jean JOHO’s traditional French Brasserie.I started cooking at age 11 in my parent’s restaurant. I went to Newbury College in Brookline, Mass., for Culinary Arts. I took my first executive chef role at age 21 at The Beach House restaurant, a fine dining restaurant in Hampton, N.H. I then became the Executive Chef at The Sheraton Ferncroft in Danvers, Mass., and then went to work for HEI Hotels, traveling around the country helping at a number of hotels as a task force executive chef. I have been at the Colonnade for more than eight years. I have a beautiful wife and three amazing children (that love to cook). What does it take to be a chef? Passion, passion, passion! Being a chef is great; you get to be creative, intense, motivated, patient, etc. But you have to love to cook, not like to cook. Being a chef is all I have ever dreamed of since I was 11 — my 8th grade yearbook, under future occupation, was to be a chef. What are some of the challenges that come with being a chef? Challenges, well there are always some. First, knowing when enough is enough. Chefs like to keep pushing and pushing it, and simple is sometimes better. Being a chef means working a lot; it’s tough on families and relationships. You have to be in 150 percent as a chef. Knowing how to manage everything is a challenge. Finding the right staff to support you is always a challenge as well. Chefs like to think everyone is like us — that’s where the patience comes in, working with staff and making them better. There is no greater feeling than seeing one of your team members moving up and becoming a chef. What do you love most about your job? I love everything about my job — the interaction with staff and guests, the creative part of menus and cooking, but the one thing I love is the busy time of the night. When things are happening and everyone is moving like a well-oiled machine and dinners are just flying out — that type of adrenaline is awesome. When/how did you know you wanted to be a chef? When I was 11, my parents decided to buy a restaurant in New Hampshire. I was given the choice either to wash dishes or cook — I chose to cook. By the time I was 12, even before I could throw a curve ball, I could tell you what a medium rare or rare steak feels like. I could run my father’s entire 120-seat restaurant by the time I was 14. There was no turning back after that; I was hooked. Why did you choose to specialize in French cuisine over a different kind of cooking? Truly, in school, that’s where it begins. Everything comes from French cuisine: our techniques, sauces, etc. Being at the Colonnade makes it easy, with a 200-seat French restaurant; it allows us to really dig deep into our French cuisine. What are some things that are special/different about French cooking and French cuisine? To us, French cuisine is all of our training; it’s where our love and passion started and continues to grow. The great thing about the French cuisine is that we can recreate and reintroduce items over and over with new twist to create something new and different. What is a typical day like for you? A typical day begins at about 9 a.m. with a walk through of all the walk-ins and greeting the staff. I then meet with the sous chefs and executive sous chef to review daily business and reservations. Next, I meet with my banquet chef to go over the day’s events. I then meet with the front of the house staff to see what they are doing and to check their business levels. The day typically will consist of my banquet chef and me playing with new dishes or the restaurant chefs showing me new specials. Then dinner service starts and it’s all expedited then. We run a no-slip system, which means we call the food to the cooks, and they cook. This help the cooks stay on track and keep concentration. What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a chef? Love to cook, feel it in your bones, read and read more. Never settle and always strive for perfection. When you think you have nailed it, then move on to the next or take it apart and do it over. What inspires you? My first inspiration was my dad; he taught me the basics and a sense of urgency. Now food inspires me; to look at a product and visualize what I can do with it is great. I want every person that leaves my restaurant to be blown away. What is your favorite thing to do when you are not working? I love being with my family, cooking at home with my kids or cooking for friends. What is your favorite thing to prepare? To eat? Lamb, hands down. It must come from my Greek background. A simple rack that has been seasoned with thyme and rosemary, roasted with lemon — so good! Can you tell our readers something cool about being a chef that most people don’t know? We really don’t yell and throw things; we are compassionate people that just strive for everyone to be their best. It’s not what you see on TV. It’s a hard, competitive field, and if you are not trying to be the best, some one else is. Thank you so much — your job…

Continue Reading...

Wildville

Imperial Eagle

The imperial eagle is a large and beautiful bird of prey. It is considered a French symbol because during the Napoleonic Wars, a bronze figure of an imperial eagle was carried by Napoleon’s Army. Napoleon was inspired by the Roman imperial eagle that was used the same way. Each department of France was given a special standard with the little statue of the eagle sitting on top. It was supposed to inspire pride, and soldiers were bound to protect it. The real-life bird is even more regal and beautiful than its bronze statues. The Eastern imperial eagle is a very close cousin to the Spanish imperial eagle or Iberian imperial eagle. This is a smaller eagle that only lives in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. It is also much darker than the Eastern imperial eagle. For years, the two birds were thought to be the same species, but now they are considered only related. They are both beautiful powerful raptors that are incredibly vulnerable due to habitat loss. Here are some interesting facts about imperial eagles: • They have dark brown feathers on their bodies and cream- or white-colored heads and necks. • These birds are common in Eastern Europe and Asia. • They grow between 72 and 83 centimeters long. • Males have a wingspan of 185 to 205 centimeters. • Female birds have a wingspan of 200-220 centimeters. • In the wild they usually live for 26 years. • They can survive in many different habitats. They live in forests, steppes and even deserts. • They migrate and spend the winter in northeast Africa and the Middle East. • A female usually lays two or three eggs at a time. • It is the second-largest eagle species in Europe. • They mate for life. • It is a carnivore and will eat small mammals, reptiles, snakes and ducks. • These birds help farmers by eating mice and rats that would damage crops and poisonous snakes that could hurt people.

Continue Reading...

Where in the World

France

France is the largest country in Western Europe, and it is a little smaller than the state of Texas. It is a beautiful country with a long history and a diverse landscape. The country is famous for its wines and cheeses. Each region in France produces a different style of wine and/or cheese for which it is known. This is so important to the French that they even have an official organization that guarantees that a cheese or wine actually comes from its specific region and is made by craftsmen rather than in factories. The organization that guarantees origin is called Appellation d’Origine Protégé (AOP). The Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous monuments in the world. It is a giant and beautiful iron tower in the heart of Paris. It was created by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World’s Fair. At first, many people were against the tower, some even called it ugly. But now people from all over the world come to the city just to see it. The tower is 1,050 feet tall. In France, it is sometimes referred to as La dame de fer, which means the Iron Lady, and millions of people visit and climb it each year. Here are some interesting facts about France: • Paris is the capital of France. • The official language is French. • They use the Euro for money. • The official motto translates to “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.” • France was ruled by kings until 1789 when a revolution transformed it into a republic. • France is famous for its delicious food. • Escargots, or snails, are a popular dish in France. • The oldest café in the world is in Paris. It is called the Le Procope and was opened in 1694. • The official name of the country is The French Republic. • France has the world’s tallest bridge, the Millau Bridge, which is 1,125 feet above the ground. • France comes from a Latin word “Francia.” This translates to “country of the Franks.” • More people visit France than any other country in the world. • Paris used to be a Roman city called “Lutetia.” • French toast isn’t actually French; it is named after Joseph French.

Continue Reading...

Weather

Tsunamis

Have you ever heard the word tsunami? A tsunami is an ocean wave that can be a very large and dangerous and can flood coastal areas, causing incredible devastation. Most tsunamis are caused by the movement of the ocean floor during a large earthquake. Recent tsunamis in Indonesia, Samoa, Chile and Japan have shown the incredible power of these waves and the tragic effects they inflict on people and property. Those four tsunamis wiped out entire villages and resulted in the drowning deaths of thousands of people. As devastating as these waves are, you can protect yourself and others by knowing what to do if a tsunami occurs. What can you do to protect yourself? First, if you are near the ocean and feel an earthquake that lasts for 20 seconds or longer, move away from the water to higher ground. Second, if you are at the beach and see the water draw out, exposing the sea floor, get away from the beach and go quickly to higher ground. If a tsunami warning is issued, follow the instructions from police or fire fighters. As a general rule though, you need to move inland to higher ground or to the fourth floor (or higher) of a strong building. Because tsunamis can last for up to two days, always make sure it is safe before returning to the shore. What makes these waves so dangerous? It has to do with the distance between crests or peaks of the wave. Picture yourself on a beach. As you sit there, you will see a new wave come in about every three to ten seconds. If you sit there long enough, you will see the tide go in and out about every 12 hours. If you’re sitting there when a tsunami comes in (and hopefully you won’t be), the wave will come in and go out about every fifteen minutes. Because of the time between waves, tsunamis do not break and lose their energy at the shore, but rather, the water rushes over the land, creating strong currents that produce great damage. How do we know when a tsunami is coming? Thankfully, giant tsunamis are rare. When they do occur, they normally follow large earthquakes. Scientists at the National Weather Service’s Tsunami Warning Centers work around the clock to monitor the earth so that tsunami warnings can be issued. These scientists use special ocean sensors to help detect tsunamis. These sensors, along with seismometers (which measure earthquakes), provide tsunami forecasters with the information they need. Even though forecasters can issue tsunami warnings within five minutes after an earthquake, sometimes the warning is too late for those near the coast. That’s why it’s important to know what to do. While most tsunamis are caused by earthquakes, tsunamis can also be caused by land sliding into the ocean, underwater volcanic eruptions and even meteorites hitting the ocean. Scientists are still exploring new ways to help predict and warn people of tsunamis. But even with future improvements, you need to remember to move away from the water to higher ground if you see any signs of a tsunami. Paul Whitmore is the Director of the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska.

Continue Reading...

Kids

Feb 2015 – Letter from Truman

Hi, Kids! I just love meeting new people. It is so much fun to learn about what they like to do and the experiences that make them who they are. Sometimes it is fun to learn about people you have never met. One way to do that is to read their biography — the written story of a person’s life. This month in “Connections,” we take a look at Hans Augusto and Margret Rey. They are authors of Curious George. They lived in France during World War II. Speaking of France, the French are known for their yummy food. I got to talk with Chef Nicholas Calias, CEC, CCA — the Corporate Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage for The Colonnade Hotel and Brasserie JO. He specializes in French cooking. Read more about him in the “What’s It Like to Be …” section! Did you know that famous composer Claude Debussy was from France? His music is often described as like being inside a dream and very light. He has an interesting story. You can read more about him in “Cultural Connections.” The world is filled with interesting people — including me and you! If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think they would say? What would you want them to say?

Continue Reading...