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Show MIMES August 27, 2009 7 Back to school safety tips for parents and children BY CATHERINE CORNETT Hilltop Times correspondent T he metamorphosis of summer into fall means mostly one thing to busy parents: School is starting. That means it's time to head to the store and buy school supplies and new clothes. However, parents should also make sure back to school safety is a priority, even though it may not be on their school supplies list. "As the new school year is upon us, one of the big challenges that we face is getting our kids to and from school safely," said Craig Bodily, acting chief of the 75th Air Base Wing Safety Office. Many children will be boarding a school bus every morning before school, and even if your child walks or rides a bike to school, school bus safety is still important. Be sure your children follow these tips when riding the bus: Be on time Don't run to or from the school bus Stand back from the curb while waiting for the bus Don't push, shove or yell Stay in your seat and don't stick your hands or arms out the window • Obey the bus driver • When getting off the bus, wait for the driver's signal before crossing in front • Cross at least 10 feet in front of the bus • Never crawl underneath a school bus If your child plans on walking to and from school instead, choose with them the routes they intend to take. "Make sure you choose the routes that have crosswalks, crossing guards, and sidewalks where possible," Bodily said. "You can even walk the route with your child and point out any trouble spots that you want them to watch out for." "Consider having your child walk with a friend or neighbor child so they don't have to walk alone," he continued. For bikers, parents should make sure their children have a helmet that fits correctly, that their children know how to put their helmet on properly, and, most importantly, that they wear their helmet while biking. Parents should also make sure their children's bike has working brakes, reflectors, good tires, and that the bike is the right height for their child. See TIPS I page 10 Learning can be fun with a local family staycation BY LEE ANNE HENSLEY Hilltop Times staff F or many families with children, the school year has either begun or is about to begin. If your family is still in vacation mode and your kids are not looking forward to exercising their brains for the next nine months, perhaps a mini "staycation" is in order, with a slight educational theme to get the brain cells buzzing again. As mentioned in last week's article a "staycation" refers to the new trend of taking a vacation in your own backyard in an effort to save time and money. This week's installment gives a brief look at the low-cost and free options for SPSfflHPg .in learningactiyl^es^whU^^ying,^ as a family. Although "educational fun" may seem like an oxymoron, it is possible to learn through play, as many early childhood educators will attest. In the book "Einstein Never Used Flash Cards," childhood psychology professors demonstrate how a nurturing home life full of imaginative play and love of learning supersedes the cult of achievement. Additionally, many family psychologists report that adding in quality time together is a universal trait of strong families, which has become a dwindling occurrence in any household without purposeful plans in place. Over time, reductions in such family staples as family dinners, vacations and reunions can rob families of the fibers that unite them, as stated in a recent news release by Auburn University in Alabama The university also reports that making this time a priority throughout the year statistically results in stronger, more in-tune households, which generally equals healthier and happier families. Taking advantage of such an options as a staycation could offer alternate routes to family bonding as well. The following is a list of local destinations that offer families both fun and learning experiences that are within an easy driving distance. • Discovery Gateway is more than a museum; it is four floors and more than 60,000 square feet of interactive, hands-on experiences. It offers engaging workshops, programs and exhibits to inspire children to use their imagination, discover something new and connect with their world. Discovery Gateway is located at 444 W. 100 South in Salt Lake City and hours of operation are: Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m. Admission prices vary, so call the museum at (801) 456-KIDS for more details. • Treehouse Museum, located at 347 22nd St. in Ogden, is a nonprofit educational organization whose mission is to be the magical place See LOCAL I page 9 Salt Lake Bees courtesy photo The Salt Lake Bees accept the American Spirit Award from the U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service on Aug. 22 at Spring Mobile Ballpark with those present (left to right): Mark Amicone, Bees vice president and general manager; Brad Tanmen, Bees assistant general manager and director of corporate sales; Greg Miller, president of the Larry H. Miller Group of Businesses and owner of the franchise; Col. Mark Ward, 372nd U.S. Air Force Recruiting Group commander; Lt. Col. Jennifer Alexander, 368th Recruiting Squadron commander; and Senior Master Sgt. William Bialcak, 368th ACS chief of Marketing and Training Flight. Salt Lake Bees receive American Spirit Award BY MARY LOU GORNY Hilltop Times editor J ust before the fireworks and shortly after the Salt Lake Bees drubbed the Las Vegas 51s, 8-3, the Bees took home another honor on Saturday night when the franchise was awarded the American Spirit Award by Col. Mark Ward, 372nd Recruiting Group commander, in behalf of the U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service. Ward said the franchise, long a supporter of Air Force recruiting efforts, is only the second minor league team to receive the honor. The award, first given to Bob Hope in 1980, is a miniature replica of the Air Force Memorial in Washington, D.C., with three spires soaring skyward, representing flight and the flying spirit of the Air Force. The three spires also represent the three core values of the Air Force. "We have a lot of great folks and organizations out there who really do a lot to support the military, the Air Force and even recruiting in particular. The American Spirit Award recognizes those organizations which go really above and beyond giving support to Air Force recruiting, and this year the Salt Lake Bees have just been phenomenal. In fact, they've been phenomenal for a couple of years, but they were head and shoulders above everybody nationally this year," Ward explained before the ceremony Aug. 22. Among their many contributions the Bees were a big part of the community side of Air Force Week Salt Lake City by hosting numerous activities at the Spring See AWARD I page 10 . .-,,. , , ,'•:"; •,"\-;ivr;: ' " GameStop football tournament adds excitement to food court; - BY MARY LOU GORNY % Hilltop Times editor R it. ecently the GameStop store located at the Hill Air Force Base BX sponsored a tournament on two large screen TVs of folks playing the John Madden Football video game to help preview the latest edition of the game which was just being released. T.J. Isaacson, assistant store manager, reports that 38 people signed up with 30 actually participating. "I thought it would be a lot of fun," he said as he explained his motivation in organizing the event. The winners were two brothers, "the Burkey brothers," he said. The two, the youngest of which was 11 years old, played solidly while the others were having fun, "jabbering back and forth," he said, "and everyone underestimated them." The first round took about four hours, the second approximately two hours and the third round took just one hour. Finally, there were just the two broth- ers and they decided to be co-winners because both came out on top in their respective rounds. "It was fun — it was a great time and a bigger * turnout than we originally thought," Isaacson said. * The new Madden game's features were highly anticipated by Isaacson as he explained the new feature that allows players to compete against each other online with their own fantasy football teams. In recounting the event held at the food court at the BX, Isaacson reported that the two large-screen TVs showed all the action and that it was really, really busy for everyone involved, giving*the food court a lot of foot traffic. The manager of the store, Susan Heaps, anticipates that the staff will hold a Halo III tournament in a similar manner for an upcoming anticipated release of Halo ODST. This time she says the tournament will be held the evening of the midnight release so that everyone knows that GameStop will also be selling the game at midnight and is open for business for the exciting new release. . •* |