August 2012 - KV

KIDSVILLE NEWS - PAGE 3AUGUST 2012 WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM

TRUMAN’S LETTERDear Kids,

Yippie! It’s already August, and many of us start school soon. Back-to-school is a very exciting and busy time for all of us.

It’s natural to feel a little nervous about starting a new year, but just think about the fun you will have. At school, we get to see old friends and make new ones in our class. It’s also time to meet a new teacher and prepare to learn all sorts of new things in every subject. We all have a favorite subject, but all subjects are important.

This month, read about a gymnastics silver medalist who is now a coach teaching his students how to be champions in gymnastics and in life.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Kidsville News! Remember to check us out at kidsvillenews.com for more reading fun and games.

Have an amazing August!

Your friend,

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 and longitude, and they tell a pilot or ship’s captain exactly where in the world a certain place is located. Basically, latitude lines (also called parallels) 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 in degrees and uses the symbol °. Get ready to travel the world!

On your globe, locate longitude of 30ºE and latitude of 20ºS, and you'll find the landlocked country of Zimbabwe in Southern Africa. When a country is landlocked, it has no coastline on a sea or ocean. Zimbabwe, slightly bigger than our state of Montana, lies between the countries of South Africa and Zambia and also borders Botswana and Mozambique. Zimbabwe has a tropical climate, which includes a rainy season from November to March. The terrain is primarily a high plateau, with mountains in the eastern part of the country. Among Zimbabwe’s natural resources are asbestos, coal, chromium ore, copper, gold, iron ore, lithium, nickel, platinum, tin and vanadium.

English is the official language of Zimbabwe, though Shona, Sindebele and many minor tribal dialects are also spoken. More than 90 percent of Zimbabweans over 15-years-old can read and write English. The Zimbabwean flag features seven horizontal bands of green, yellow, red and black; a white isosceles triangle with a red five-pointed star in the center and a yellow Zimbabwe bird.

Before 1980, Zimbabwe was called Rhodesia. On April 18 of that year, the country earned its independence from the United Kingdom. Zimbabwe, a parliamentary democracy, has had one ruler, Robert Mugabe, since gaining its independence. His term expires in 2013, when new elections are to take place.

On the second Monday of each August, Zimbabwe, a relatively young nation, honors members of the armed forces who died defending the country with a day of remembrance called Heroes’ Day. In the capital of Harare, home to 1.6 million people, celebrations take place at the National Heroes Acre, where many heroes are buried. Families lay wreaths on the graves, and the president visits each grave. The ceremonies take place throughout the country and also include marches by young people as they sing revolutionary songs, musical performances by choirs of churches and war veterans, traditional dances and poem recitations by schoolchildren.

Sources: “Zimbabwe,” The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/zi.html; “Zimbabwe Heroes’ Day,” http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Zimbabwe+Heroes%27+Day.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS...Zimbabwe?

KIDSVILLE NEWS AUGUST 2012WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM

In most parts of the country, kids start getting ready to go back to school in August. And that can mean a whole lot of new things! New friends, new clothes, a new backpack, a new bed time — maybe even a new school! With all this new, what’s a kid to do?

Relax, for starters. Sure, you might be a little anxious about going back to school, especially if you are going to a new school. The building and teachers might be unfamiliar, but chances are that some of your friends will be there. Of course, if you have moved to a new city and school, that’s a little different. Just think of it as an exciting adventure in unexplored territory! Other kids will be feeling just like you, so try being friendly and saying hello. It will help everyone relax, and you’ll be on your way to making new friends in no time.

You might be a little nervous about your new teachers. Don’t worry! They are just as anxious to learn all about their new students! The teacher will do a lot of talking the first day, telling you the classroom rules and what to expect. Be sure to listen! Knowing the rules and being comfortable with the routine will help you relax and get used to your new surroundings.

New clothes are a little more fun to think about. It’s important to feel good about yourself on the fi rst day of school. Maybe you went on a vacation or to summer camp and have a T-shirt from your trip that you would like to wear (it’d be a great conversation starter, too!). If your school requires a uniform, you can still add your own style. Maybe a favorite watch, piece of

jewelry, or hairband would help your personality shine through. Getting a good night’s sleep and eating a good breakfast will also help you feel good on the fi rst day of school. And don’t forget

about personal hygiene. Take a shower and remember to brush your teeth! You don’t want to be “the stinky kid” on the fi rst day of school (or ever!).

And then there’s that necessity — the backpack. Whether you have a brand-spanking-new one or the one from last year, make sure that the straps are adjusted so that it fi ts you properly. A backpack is a great way to carry heavy loads of books. It’s designed to put the weight on the strongest muscles in the body, the back and abdomen. But thousands of kids are treated for backpack-related injuries each year because they don’t wear it correctly, or they overload it.

Backpacks should not weigh more than 10 to 15 percent of the child’s body weight. This means a child who weighs 100 pounds should have a backpack weighing no more than 10 to 15 pounds. Children should always wear both straps over their shoulders and a waist strap, if it has one. Adjust the straps so that the backpack rests in the middle of your back. And, packing matters, too! Pack the backpack with the most weight lower on the back, near the waist, and with the heaviest books closest to the body. Taking the time to clean out clutter every day or two will help lighten the load, too!

Remember these tips, and all the newness of starting back to school will be old-school in no time!

©Kidsville News!

For twenty-three million students nationwide, the school day begins and

ends with a trip on a school bus.

School buses provide approximately 10 billion student trips per year,

including activity trips.

School buses keep an annual estimated 17.3

million cars off roads surrounding schools each morning.

Back-to-School!


AR UND THE W RLD U.S.A

Even though we celebrated Independence Day on July 4, we get to celebrate again in

August! Aug. 2 is the anniversary of the offi cial signing of the Declaration of

Independence. That’s right! It wasn’t July 4 — that was the day the Declaration was adopted by Congress, and some signed draft copies. On August 2, 1776, 50 men took part in signing the Declaration. Several others signed later that year.

ChinaThe Festival of the Hungry Ghosts — or the

Ghost Festival — is an important festival in China held on Aug. 31. It is held on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. According to legend, in the seventh lunar month, the souls of the dead are released to roam the Earth. Prayers, food and ghost money are offered to appease

the ghosts. A big party is held with burning incense and fl oating lanterns to keep the spirits happy. Street operas and puppet shows are also performed. The festival is also celebrated in other countries, such as Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

IndiaRaksha Bandhan or Rakhi is a Hindu festival

in India that celebrates love between brothers and sisters. On this day, a sister ties a rakhi, or a holy thread, onto the wrist of her brother. The thread is like a braided bracelet and can come in many colors and fashions. The brother vows to look after her.

And, they feed each other sweets! The festival falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month of the Hindu lunisolar calendar. This year it is Aug. 2.

Golden Lion TamarinLook at this cute little guy! What is it? A lion? A monkey? It’s a golden lion tamarin, also known as

the golden marmoset. And although the name says lion, it’s really a monkey. It is what’s known as a New World monkey in the Callitrichidae family.

This funny-looking monkey is an endangered species, with only about 1,500 living in the wild. The golden lion tamarin lives in Brazil. It is found in the tropical rain forests in the southeastern part of the country.

The golden lion tamarin gets its name from the bright reddish-orange mane around its hairless black face. The bright coloring may come from carotenoids (organic pigments in plants and other organisms) in the food that the tamarin eats. Although it only averages about 10 inches in size and weighs less than two pounds, the golden lion tamarin is the largest of the callitrichines. It uses its tegulae — claw-like nails — to cling to tree trunks and climb along small tree branches.

The golden lion tamarin stays pretty active during the day. It sleeps in a different den each night to keep predators guessing. In the morning, it travels and feeds on fruits and fl owers. Later in the afternoon, it feeds on insects before heading to the sleeping den. They sleep in hollow parts of trees or nests in vines, usually about 40 to 50 feet off the ground.

Tamarins usually live in groups of about two to eight members. This family group helps take care of the babies in the group. The female mother usually gives birth to twins and sometimes even triplets or quadruplets. She needs the help of the whole group to care for the litter.

There are conservation programs to help save the tamarin in the wild. There are about 500 in captivity in zoos.Source: Wisconsin Primate Research Center Library, University of Wisconsin-Madison, http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/

golden-headed_lion_tamarin.

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: PrimatesFamily: CallitrichidaeSpecies: L. Rosalia

Aa Bb Cc

Golden lion tamarin at the National Zoo, Washington, D.C. Photo by Joy Crowe.


Wow! Have you been watching any of the Olympic games that began in July? I love to watch the gymnastics competitions. Seeing the gymnasts on the balance beam, parallel bars and the fl oor competitions really makes me want to learn how to do that stuff! So, this month I decided to talk to a gymnastics coach who is also a world champion acrobatic gymnast from Kiev, Ukraine. Viktor Mytnik and his partner Vladimir Besedin are co-owners of Rising Stars Gymnastics academy in Millstone Township, New Jersey (and they both starred in the “Champions on Ice show”!). Viktor took some time to talk to Kidsville News! about what it’s like to be a gymnastics coach.

Truman: When, and why, did you fi rst become interested in being a gymnastics coach?

Mytnik: All my life I was a gymnast. I started gymnastics when I was 6 years old. I love kids, and that’s why I became a coach. Now we have more than 300 students and 100 team members that I work with.

Truman: You were a gymnast on the USSR National Team and a 2006 world champion silver medalist. What does that feel like to receive a silver medal?

Mytnik: My coach prepared me to win the gold medal, but winning the silver was a good experience, too.

Truman: What is it like to make the transition from a competitor to a coach?

Mytnik: I went from being a competitor to a performer to a coach, so really, it wasn’t much of a transition.

Truman: What do you do every day? Describe a typical day on the job.

Mytnik: I go to the gym and work out. Then, I spend some time working on getting the new gym ready. Then I coach the kids and have maybe like fi ve classes a day.

Truman: What’s the hardest part of your job?

Mytnik: The hardest thing is to see students upset from not performing well.

Truman: What’s the best part of your job?Mytnik: The best part of the job is to see my students receive

fi rst place at a competition and see them standing up on the podium. It is also rewarding to see them progress and improve.

Truman: What is your favorite hobby or thing to do when you are not working?

Mytnik: Go to the gym to workout and play golf.

Truman: You are an acrobatic gymnast, but you also perform acrobatics on ice skates. Which do you like better — gymnastics or ice skating?

Mytnik: They are two totally different things, and I really can’t pick between them. I love them both.

Truman: You grew up in the Ukraine and moved to America 10 years ago. Why did you come to America? What do you miss most about your home country?

Mytnik: The number one reason I moved here is freedom — the opportunity to work here and to keep the money you earn. Really, there is no work in my profession in the Ukraine. What I miss most is my family, and it’s beautiful where I am from.

Truman: What do you like the most about America?

Mytnik: Best thing about the U.S. is freedom. Truman: What advice would you give to kids who

are interested in this profession?

Mytnik: My advice would be to work and train hard. Be nice to others and have a lot of patience.

Truman: Thank you so much for talking to me. I can’t wait to work on my gymnastics skills. Maybe one day I can be a gymnastics coach like you!

A GYMNASTICS COACH?

Above: Truman, Vladimir and Mytnik pose for a picture. To the Left and Below: Mytnik works with his student and daughter Nicole.


Source: www.metrocreativeconnection.com

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

Can you fi nd them all?


www.metrocreativeconnection.com

Tru-Truman Truman’s Tricky Picture Find these

items! Be sure to fi nd Truman’s hat! Look for more fun and games at

www.kidsvillenews.com.

What are you ready to get rid of for a garage sale. Do you have old toys or clothes that you don’t use anymore? As you color, you can think about it. Make a list below of your belongings you don’t use anymore. You can always donate them if your family isn’t having a garage sale.

Items to sell or donate:*

*

*

*

*

You Do the Math!Sharpen up your math skills so you can be ready to help sell or buy things at garage sales this month. Find the correct numbers that go in the boxes to make the solutions outside the square correct.


Kids Across1. A camper's "companion"

that is usually right behind him (carrying a lot of his gear)

3. The "toothy" tool a camper might use to cut a branch

5. It's the hottest season for camping

7. The type of pollution-free power that can run a camper's high-tech radio on a nice day

8. A camper's round device that points him in the right direction

13. A bug that bites and leaves you itchy

16. The part of a tree that turns red, yellow or orange in the fall

19. A family trip to a campground or ballpark (It's not the opposite of an "inning")

21. Any plant that is safe for a hiker to eat is _______

22. Canoeing, kayaking or sailing

23. Stone search: Campers at some campgrounds can look for topaz, emeralds and other _____

Parents Down1. Hiker's trusty footwear2. Feeling a camper gets

from falling temps (or ghost stories)

3. A camper attaches it to make sure that his binoculars hang around

4. Trees' unspoiled

5. Perch's place to live and swim

6. Nature's night light9. Early bird campers rise

with it10. Lantern liquid11. Beverage of brewed

goldenrod blooms12. Angling for bass (or

trawling for trout)14. High-altitude hiker's

invisible, weightless canister contents

15. Sound of the serenity of the night

17. Stone for a spark (or Michigan city)

18. Grill power: Propane and butane

20. Number of folks in a standard size sleeping bag, in Spanish

This Week’s Solution

© 2012 KAPD, LLC.8/12/[email protected] KAPD ebooks now available on www.kapd.com

™

The Original Crossword Puzzle for Kids and Their Favorite Adults™

The across clues are for kids and the down clues are for grown-ups!Camp Crossword

By Jan Buckner Walker


By Barbara GilmourMs. Gilmour greeted everyone with, “Hello, it’s nice to see all of you

again.” Tanner, Rudy, Nicole, Carmen, Stephen and Truman the dragon all responded with their hellos and greetings to her and to each other. They have all become good friends since they have been meeting to learn how to be “Cool Kind Kids.”

Ms. Gilmour then asked, “Are you having fun this summer?” All hands went up. Rudy was excited to share, “I went to camp and had a lot of fun.” Nicole said, “I went to visit my Pop-pop and Mom-mom and did a lot of fun things.” Stephen added, “My family stayed home, and we built a cool fort in our back yard.” Tanner looked at Stephen and said, “A fort really does sound cool.”

“What are some of the fun things you like to do when you are playing with friends?” asked Ms. Gilmour.

Rudy spoke up, “I like to play outside with my friends in the summer. We play ball or just hang out.”

Truman couldn’t wait to add, “I have a really cool playground near my house, and I spend a lot of time there. They even have some dragon-size things to play on.”

Nicole said, “I like to play outside too, but sometimes my friends can’t decide what to do, and we end up fi ghting.” “Boy that can be a problem. Sometimes it isn’t fun when kids can’t take turns and share,” Stephen added. Truman spoke up and said, “I even see kids playing pranks and tricks on other kids. I’m afraid that someone could get hurt.”

Ms. Gilmour then asked, “What are some ways that ‘Cool Kind Kids’ can help other kids get along better at playtime and on the playground?” All the kids had ideas to share. Tanner was fi rst to say, “If everyone lived The Golden Rule, we could all get along.” They all said, “Good one, Tanner!” Rudy added, “If I know of a prank that I don’t want done to me, I won’t do it to someone else.”

Nicole asked, “Why can’t kids just share? It isn’t hard to do, and that way everyone gets to play.”

Carmen added, “I don’t know why kids have a hard time taking turns. I remember when we learned about ‘after you.’ I think that is cool because we each get a turn, and we show others we care about them.”

Tanner and Stephen both had the same idea, “Let’s use the ‘Cool Kind Kid’ Challenge here. Let’s challenge kids to be cool and kind. Let’s take turns and share when playing games, on the playground or wherever we are having summer fun.”

Rudy added, “Let’s challenge the bullies on the playground by being tough with them, and kind to the kids they are bullying.”

“We can end the pranks by challenging kids to see that it isn’t ‘cool’ to pick on, tease or hurt others,” said Carmen. Everyone agreed the “Cool Kind Kid” Challenge would help kids get along better when playing together.

Barbara Gilmour, Tanner’s grandmom, is the creator and developer of the Tanner’s Manners: Be a “Cool Kind Kid” Social Skills, Character Values and Anti-Bullying edu-cational materials and the award-winning “Cool Kind Kid” Audio CD. She also writes the Children’s Manners Blog, offering tips for teaching your children manners. http://childrenmanners.blogspot.com.

Playtime, Playgrounds and Pranks


.


Art Gallery

William Harnett was a 19th-century Irish-American painter. He is one of the best-known still life painters of his era and greatly influenced the technique of trompe l’oeil, a style of painting optical illusions that play tricks on the eye.

Harnett was born on Aug.10, 1848, in Clonakilty, Ireland. When he was a baby, he and his family moved to the U.S. city of Philadelphia. Harnett came from a family of artisans, and as a young man, he trained to become a silver engraver, carving designs on silverware before it was sold. He worked in this field from the time he was a teenager until his mid-20s. At the same time, he also took night classes at the Philadelphia Academy of the Fine Arts before moving to New York City to take classes at the National Academy of Design in 1871.

In the 1870s, Harnett began painting oil paintings. His first known oil painting dates to 1874. In 1876, he moved back to Philadelphia and began experimenting with trompe l’oeil. During the early 1880s, Harnett traveled in Europe, but his paintings were not well received by most art critics and collectors. In fact, during his lifetime,

Harnett’s paintings sold well and were found in restaurants and businesses, but they were rarely displayed in museums or art galleries because they were not seen as “high art.”

Harnett returned to the United States after 1886, where he lived and worked in New York City until his death in 1892. His work can now be found in museums across the country.

Trompe l’oeil is a style of painting ordinary objects in ways that fool the eye. Harnett’s paintings were very realistic and detailed and looked like early versions

of 3D! Things like books, papers and odd dead animals appear to pop out from the painting. In trompe l’oeil style, you are made to believe that the objects are real and not just painted on paper.Activity

Have you ever made 3D art before? Try making a trompe l’oeil drawing and fool people into thinking the objects in your picture are real!

What You Need: drawing paper, pencil, eraser, pencil sharpener, 3 to 5 everyday objects (toothbrush, books, eyeglasses, watch, silverware, anything really) and a desk lamp.Directions

Arrange your objects in a still-life arrangement on a table. Shine the lamp on your still life so that the objects are shadowed. Pay attention to where the shadows are dark and light; you’ll be drawing these!

Begin sketching your still life drawing with a pencil. Hold your pencil at an angle so you can lightly rub it back and forth on the paper to shade your drawing darker where the shadows in the still life are darkest black and lighter grey where the shadows are lighter. This should make the objects pop out as though they are 3D.

When you are finished with your drawing, hang it on a wall and ask your friends or classmates to take a peek. Does your trompe l’oeil picture fool them?

Written by Tamar Burris, a former elementary school teacher who now works as a freelance writer and curriculum developer for PBS, the Discovery Channel and other education-related companies.

Sources: Harnett, William on California Art Auction, www.californiaartauction.com/harnett-william; William Harnett on Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Harnett.

William Harnett: Trompe l’oeil Painter

Harnett painted objects to look very realistic almost an optical illusion for the viewer.

C o n s e r v a t i o n orner

Do you want to know a great way to recycle, reduce and reuse — all while getting ready for a new school year? Do you want to know a great way to help kids get ready for school? According to the U. S. Census, 49.1 million people in the United States live in poverty. That means they may not have all of their basic needs, such as clothes to wear. Some of your friends in school may be one of these people but do not want anyone to know. YOU can do something to help! Do you have things in your closets that you do not like to wear any more or that do not fi t?

Ask a parent to help you. Get boxes and label them according to size. Next, go through your clothes and decide if you still can wear all of them. If you cannot wear them, put them in the box labeled the correct size. If you think you will not wear something, put in a box also. Clean out your closets and get rid of those jeans and shirts that you do not like and those high-water pants and

those too-tight shirts. Someone else would love those clothes that don’t fi t you anymore as well as those clothes that you loved last year but don’t like this year! Wouldn’t you love to recycle them and let someone else be able to reuse your clothing? Ask your parents to clean out their closets as well. There are plenty of grown-ups who need clothes. Not only are you helping someone else, but you will also have room for your new school clothes. After cleaning out all your closets, go with your parents to take the boxes of clothes to the Salvation Army, a community clothing closet, Goodwill or somewhere else that will help people with clothing. What a great way to recycle, reduce and reuse —and help others!


Pick of the Month: Tomato

Delicious and Nutritious

It’s important to add variety to your diet so your body gets all the nutrients it needs. Sandwiches are the go-to lunch choice for any packed lunch, but a sandwich every day during the school year can get boring. Try Sandwich on a Stick or Salad on a Stick for a fun lunch special! It’s as easy and fun to make as it is to eat!

Sandwich on a StickTo make a Sandwich on a Stick, grab your favorite sandwich stuffers. Below are examples, but you can really use anything that you can put on a stick.

Ingredients BreadLunch MeatCheeseGrape TomatoesLettucePickles

Preparation Cut up cubes of bread, cheese, meat or any other ingredients to make them bite sized.Take toothpicks (for minis) or skewers and slide on the ingredients. Be sure to mix up what you slide on the skewers.Pick your favorite condiment, such as honey mustard for dipping.

Salad on a Stick Salad on a Stick works in the same way as Sandwich on a Stick, just with different ingredients. For the salad version, grab your favorite salad items such as sweet bell peppers, celery, lettuce and cheese, or try our Italian version. For the Italian version, use these ingredients: cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls and fresh basil. Then drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on the skewers.

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

Bring Fun to the Lunch Room with Lunch on a Stick

Some people say tomatoes are their favorite vegetable; however, the tomato is actually a fruit. Tomatoes can be cooked many ways or can be eaten raw. Tomatoes are a delicious source of Vitamin C, folate, Vitamin A, calcium, magnesium and vitamins and minerals known to fi ght types of cancer as well. So, fi ll up your skewer with tomatoes today!

In some ways, scientists know more about Mars, Venus and the Moon than they know about Earth. That’s

because 70 percent of Earth is hidden under its ocean. In some places, the ocean

is over fi ve miles deep — much deeper than Earth’s highest mountain is high.

The ocean contains about 98 percent of all the water on Earth. That leaves only 2 percent fresh (unsalty) water for lakes, rivers, streams and swimming pools. And the ocean has 99 percent of the livable space on the planet!

The ocean — at least below a few feet deep — is an alien world most of us hardly think about. But when it comes to fi guring out how Earth works, especially weather and climate, the ocean is the most important piece of the puzzle. And it is still full of mysteries.

Before satellites, the information we had about the ocean was pretty much “hit or miss.” Measurements were taken from ships, buoys and instruments set adrift on the waves.

But now we have ocean-observing satellites. They measure how the “hills and valleys,” or topography, change with the seasons. Satellites measure the ocean’s currents, waves and winds. They check on the health of the tiny ocean plants called phytoplankton, which supply half the oxygen in the atmosphere. They tell us how much of the Arctic Ocean is covered by sea ice this year, compared with past years. Satellites also measure rainfall, the amount of sunlight reaching the sea, the temperature of the ocean’s surface and even how salty it is!

We need to keep watch on all these features of the ocean in order to understand the ever-changing Earth, its water and energy cycle and climate and weather. In just a few months, one satellite can collect more information about the ocean than all the ships and buoys in the world have collected over the past 100 years!

NASA’s Earth Science Division has launched many missions to planet Earth. These satellites and other studies help us understand how the atmosphere, the ocean, the land and life —including humans — all interact together.

Explore our planet at The Space Place, http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/earth.

This article was written by Diane K. Fisher and provided through the courtesy of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National

Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Knowing Our Water World


PARENTOWN’S KIDSMART

Setting goals is often the fi rst step to achieving your hopes and dreams for yourself and your family. Making a plan, however, is crucial to making those dreams a reality. This is especially true when it comes to a college education for your children. Starting a college savings plan when your children are young sets you on a path for success and can help you reduce the need for expensive student loans down the road. Establishing a college savings plan early and contributing to it often are key to reducing, or even eliminating, student loan debt. According to the Project on Student Loan Debt, the average student loan debt increased 24 percent to $23,200 in 2008, up from $18,650 in 2004.

In an effort to raise awareness about the need to save for educational expenses, the College Savings Plan Network and more than 40 states recognize September as National College Savings Month, an important reminder to parents, grandparents, friends and family members that they can do something about the amount of student loan debt their children acquire.

According to FinAid.org, parents who put aside just $50 per month from the time their child is born can grow a nest egg of more than $20,000 by the time that child turns 18, assuming a 7 percent return on investment. Increasing those contributions to $100 per month can yield more than $43,000.

While there are a number of college savings vehicles to choose from, savers should keep in mind that a 529 plan is a tax-free and, in some cases, state tax-deductible college savings option. Operated by a state or educational institution, a 529 plan is an education savings plan designed to provide families with an easy way to save. Most offer online enrollment with minimal initial investment, as low as $25. Additionally, contributions can be made by more than just a child’s parents. Anyone can contribute to an account or open one on behalf of a child.

Many states offer a 529 plan, and each state’s plan is different. Morningstar, a leading provider of investment research, rates the various plans and is one of many resources to consult when selecting a 529 plan. Others include SavingForCollege.com and CollegeSavings.org.

An example of a top-rated Morningstar 529 plan is CollegeAdvantage, Ohio’s college savings plan managed by Ohio Tuition Trust Authority. Account owners can contribute to a CollegeAdvantage account for as little as $25, and accounts are available to any U.S. resident. Investing just $25 per month in a CollegeAdvantage account with a 6 percent interest rate will result in nearly $9,000 in college savings after 18 years. CollegeAdvantage funds can be used at any college in the country to pay for tuition, fees and room and board as well as books. For more information about CollegeAdvantage, or to start saving with Ohio’s 529 plan today, visit www.collegeadvantage.com.

“Saving with a 529 plan offers parents, friends and family members an affordable and attainable way to save for their loved one’s future college expenses,” said Richard Norman, interim executive director of Ohio Tuition Trust Authority. “With a minimal investment of $25, individuals can open a CollegeAdvantage account and begin saving immediately.” Content and photo provided by Metrocreativeconnection.com.

Parents Save Early and Often for Your Children’s Future

Establecer metas es el primer paso para alcanzar los sueños y esperanzas de uno mismo y la familia. Sin embargo hacer un plan es crucial para que esos sueños se hagan realidad. Esto es verdad especialmente cuando se trata de la educación universitaria para sus hijos. Empezar un plan de ahorros para la universidad cuando los niños están pequeños, los pone en el camino al éxito y puede ayudarle a reducir la necesidad de caros préstamos

estudiantiles en el futuro. Establecer un plan de ahorros para la universidad a una temprana edad y contribuir a menudo es la clave para reducir o hasta eliminar la deuda de préstamos estudiantiles. Según el proyecto sobre la deuda de préstamos estudiantiles, el promedio de deuda-estudiantil aumento de $18,650 en el 2004 a $23,200 en el 2008. Un aumento de 24 porciento.

En un esfuerzo por aumentar la conciencia sobre la necesidad de ahorrar para los gastos educacionales, la red del plan de ahorro para la universidad y 40 estados, reconocen el mes de septiembre como El Mes Nacional De Ahorros Para La Universidad, un recordatorio importante a los padres, abuelos, amigos y otros miembros de la familia, que pueden hacer algo sobre la cantidad de deuda estudiantil que sus niños obtengan.

Según FinAid.org los padres que apartan $50 al mes desde el día que sus hijos nacen, pueden crear un nido de más de $20,000 para cuando el niño cumpla los 18 años, suponiendo un rendimiento del 7% de la inversión. Incrementar esas contribuciones a $100 por mes puede llegar a aumentar a más de $43,000.

Mientras que hay una serie de opciones de ahorro para la universidad de las cuales elegir, deben de mantener en mente que el plan 529 es libre de impuestos, y en algunos casos es una opción de ahorros que puede deducir de sus impuestos estatales. Operado por el estado o una institución educativa. El plan 529 es un plan de ahorros para la educación diseñada para proveer a las familias una manera de ahorrar más fácil. La mayoría de los planes 529, ofrecen inscripción en línea con una inversión inicial tan mínima como $25. Además, cualquier persona puede contribuir a dicho plan, y cualquier persona, aparte de los padres, puede abrir una cuenta al nombre del niño.

La mayoría de los estados ofrecen un plan 529 y cada estado tiene un plan diferente. Morningstar, un proveedor líder de investigación de inversiones, califi ca varios planes de ahorro, y es uno de los muchos recursos para consultar cuando buscan un plan 529. Otros recursos incluyen: www.savingforcollege.com y www.collegesavigns.org

Un ejemplo de un plan 529 con buena puntación en Morningstar es CollegeAdvantage, un plan de ahorros que ofrece el estado de Ohio, y es gestionado por Ohio Tuition Trust Authority. Los titulares de dichas cuentas pueden contribuir tan poco como $25 a la cuenta. Las cuentas están disponibles a cualquier residente de los Estados Unidos. Invertir tan solo $25 al mes a CollegeAdvantage con un interés anual del 6% resultara en casi $9,000 en ahorros para la educación universitaria después de 18 años. Los fondos de la cuenta pueden ser usados en cualquier colegio del país para pagar por la matricula, cuotas, alojamiento y comida o libros. Para más información sobre CollegeAdvantage o para empezar a ahorrar hoy con un plan 529 de Ohio, visite www.collegeadvantage.com

Contenido y fotos cortesía de Metrocreativeconnection.com

Los Padres Y Seres Queridos A Ahorrar Temprano Y Seguido


PARENTOWN’S KIDSHAPE

Alleviating First-Day-of-School Jitters The fi rst day of school can create butterfl ies in the stomachs of parents and

children. However, following a few tips can alleviate feelings of nervousness.August and September are prime months for the return to school. Whether

this is a child’s fi rst time entering the classroom or he or she has done the back-to-school thing multiple times, it’s not uncommon for feelings of anxiety to arise.

There are expectations and unknowns with each and every school year for both the students and their parents. Pivotal years, such as kindergarten, sixth grade for middle-schoolers, freshman year of high school or the start of college, can create added levels of jitters because these years mark entry to a new school or new routine. But keeping a few pointers in mind can alleviate some of the fears.

• Keep a routine. It is important for parents and students to get back into the school swing of things a few weeks prior to the fi rst day of school. Start setting alarm clocks for the hour at which kids will have to awaken, and get them in the habit of rising from bed and starting the day. Try to schedule something to do each day that will be the inspiration for getting moving, such as school supply shopping. Take the carpool route to school, or fi nd out where the school bus stop may be. These practice sessions will enable the family to decide how much time is needed to get ready in the morning and make changes accordingly.

• Mention school frequently. Begin talking about school and what is necessary to prepare. Be sure to talk about the more enjoyable aspects of school, such as seeing friends, participating in extracurricular activities and even the change of scenery school provides. Mention the things your child may expect.

Hearing about school frequently can reduce feelings of anxiety.• Visit the school. If this is the student’s fi rst time entering this school,

you can take advantage of orientation days for new students or schedule an individual visit to the school. A tour and a meeting with the principal will also

assuage some fears of the unknown. This approach can also calm any apprehension parents may have because they, too, will know the layout of the school, its policies and who will be watching over their children.

• Don’t be nervous. Children often look to their parents for guidelines on how to behave. Parents who are overly nervous or sad about the fi rst day of school could make their kids nervous, too. Put on a brave face and keep any anxiety hidden until kids have left for school.

• Be prepared. Gather supplies, practice the driving route, lay out clothes, make lunch the night

before, get a good night’s rest and set the alarm clock. Knowing all of the controllable factors are handled can ease the mind of parents and students.

• Stay positive. Always keep conversations about school geared toward the positive. If children mention things that frighten them, calm those fears and show the upside to attending school. Provide examples of your own school experiences and how everything turned out for the best.

The fi rst day of school can be a time of uncertainty for students and parents. Preparing for the fi rst day can alleviate some of the anxiety about heading off to school for a new year. Photo and article provided by Metro Creative Graphics, Inc., www.metrocreativegraphics.com.

Get your child ready for the fi rst day of school.

August 2012 - KV

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