ENTERTAINMENT
Congratulations to all the winners of the 2019 Law Day Contest!
There were many great submissions and you can see them all listed in there galleries here, but there was only one winner from each category.
Grade K-2 – Superhero Bubblegum by Noelle (Mrs. Domkus)
Grade 3-5: Rainbow Girl – Defender of Free Press by Briana (Ms. Layne)
Grades 6-8: Macaroni Boy – Defender of Free Society by Tyler (Mrs. Taigen)
Grades 9-12 – Comic Strip by Jose (Ms. Gonzaga)
Each winner will receive an iPad.
Thank you to everyone who submitted an entry we hope to see everyone again next year!
Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman on the United States Supreme Court, wrote a letter to the public not only to inform it of her diagnosis but also to remind us that, “It’s not enough to understand, you got to do something.” Those are the words she lives by and told her own three sons countless times. For her, “There is no more important work than deepening young people’s engagement in our nation.” So, after retiring from the U.S. Supreme Court, she continued to effect change through the creation of iCivics; a website created to help youth better understand the core principals of civics and government through interactive games and curricula. As she leaves public life to battle the early stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s, she reminds us again how important it is to help, “young people understand their crucial role as informed, active citizens in our nation.” Sandra Day O'Conner was just a "young cowgirl from the deserts of Arizona" who believes you have to do something and she became the first woman U.S. Supreme Court Justice. If a young person from Arizona can do that, imagine what you can do?
To read her full letter click here or visit ICivics here.
Unicorn hair and all the colors in-between have become a fun trend over the years so it is only natural that we want to share our expressive style with "man's best friend." However, this fun fad may come with some deadly risks. Hair dye seems so common that we forget that it is a chemical and if left on too long can cause injury and it can be even worse for an animal. One dog owner in Florida realized this when attempting to dye a Maltese mix purple and nearly caused the dogs death. The dog, now called Violet, suffered sever burns and injuries and had to be anesthetized from her painful wounds to allow her to heal. Luckily, she was able to pull through and is doing well with her new owner. Animal Services is using Violet's story to let others know that what seems like an awesome idea can quickly turn into a tragic situation. See Violet's full story here, beware some images are graphic in nature. Further, in Arizona you could also be committing a crime under Arizona's animal cruelty statue A.R.S. 13-2910, for recklessly inflicting unnecessary physical injury to an animal. So, keep the dye for your do, and ask your vet before deciding to doing any style improvements to your pet.
By now everyone has heard about the crazy fidget spinner trend; a three pronged device on ball bearings that spins on or between your fingertips. This device is marketed as a tool to help kids concentrate in class by allowing their body to move something physically with little or no thought process which helps them to focus their attention on other things, such as a teacher's lecture. However, a quick search on YouTube also shows that these tools can be used to perform all sorts of tricks that have become a fun new school yard competition between friends. This new competition has been causing some controversy on campus. While marketed as a tool teachers are now seeing this device as a disruptive toy. Instead of allowing kids to concentrate on the lessons teachers say that these devices are more distracting with their sound, lights and tricks and are now being banned from many classrooms. What do you think? Let us know here?
With Halloween just around the corner it is time to start thinking about an action plan on how you are going to handle the spookiest night of the year and what you can do to keep you and your friends safe. LFK has put together some ideas for you to do just that:
Practice responding safely to risky situations that could arise while trick or treating such as if a car approaches you and someone you don't know tries to get your attention, practice moving away from the car and telling a trusted adult;
Continuum of safe and unsafe actions such as approaching a house with no porch light on; walking down dark alleys; going inside a house; running across streets; Trick or Treating in groups; crossing the streets at corners or crosswalks after looking both ways; wearing reflective clothing or carrying a light; etc.
Compete taking this quiz and then create their own quiz for others: http://archive.ncpc.org/topics/halloween-safety.html
Spring breaks is here, or is rapidly approaching depending on your school district, and the sun is out and shining bright. Spring breakers are off; headed outside to hang out in the sun and are staying out later as the daylight hours get longer. If you are under 18 you may want to remember to head back in doors when the night hours reach the double digits. Many of Arizona's cities and town have curfew laws, and while they are not always displayed teenagers who are caught after hours may still face the dismal consequences of the law. Don't miss out on your spring fun; instead stay informed and check out our Curfew section and ensure a happy spring break.
The term "Fake News" has gone rampant, from social media to television news casts; however, while the term has hit the spotlight, fake news is not a new concept. In fact fake news has been around for centuries, if not since we developed the written word. Over the years it may just have become harder to spot, especially on the internet. Today, there is so much information at the tips of our fingers, literally, that we easily trust what we see on the internet and the things our friends post, and that may be part of the problem. We take these posts and blogs at face value and often do not look any further than what is written. Luckily there is help! Learning How to Spot When News is Fake, is an article that gives you some easy tips to help you determine if you are reading "Fake News" or the real deal. Check it out!
February 14th is commonly known for Valentine's Day, the celebration of love adorned with flowers, candy and hearts; however, it is also the day that Arizona became a state! On February 14, 1912 Arizona became the last of the continuous states to join the United States of America. In celebration of becoming a state The Arizona Republic has created a slideshow of 100 thing you might not know about Arizona. Check it out while eating those candy hearts!
Many teens think of Uber as an easy way to get from point A to point B without having to ask for a ride. But, for one teen it changed the course of her life. A 16 year old girl was rescued from her pimp when her Uber driver called the police after overhearing a suspicious conversation. Thanks to him one less person is suffering this fate. Many teens do not believe that this sort of thing can happen to them or people they know but with the advent of the internet it is even easier for young people to get into the same situation as this 16 year old girl. Learn to recognize the "Signs of Human Trafficking" here.
The mannequin challenge like so many challenges before it has gone viral. Everyone is doing it! But this week the mannequin challenge resulted in the arrest of a couple of challengees who posted a video of fake gunfight. The video, which was posted and reposted thousands of times, ultimately found the way into the hands of the local sheriff's office who wondered if all the 19 weapons shown were possessed legally. After executing the warrant the police officers found more than just some illegal weapons and arrested Terry Brown and Kenneth Fennell White on charges ranging from being a felon in possession of a firearm to possession of drug paraphernalia. This particular incident happened in Alabama, but the same charges exist here in Arizona. So, the next time you think about participating in the mannequin challenge remember who can view that trending feed and check out the laws section to be sure you don't become the nightly news.
