Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Check out pictures of this year's Revolutionary War Reenactment and Encampment

Check out pictures of this year's Revolutionary War Reenactment and Encampment by clicking HERE


Friday, May 24, 2019

Future Flashes Basketball Camp 2019


One Jump Ahead

May 24, 2019
Constance Gibbs
It’s a whole new world in Disney’s remake of the 1992 animated film Aladdin. Most of the story remains the same. A lowly “street rat” meets a genie, falls in love with a princess, and tries to save a kingdom from the evil Jafar. But the new movie is live-action, not animated. And it features dynamic new dance scenes.

JAMAL SIMS is the film’s choreographer. A choreographer designs the physical movements in a dance. For Aladdin, Sims and his team were inspired to combine different dance styles. “It was fun to incorporate traditional styles of Arabic dancing with hip-hop,” he told TIME for Kids.

SANTIAGO FELIPE/GETTY IMAGES;
DANIEL SMITH/DISNEY ENTERPRISES
One performance features dancers at a parade. Sims says it was challenging to put together. “We had eight horses, six camels, and other real live animals in this procession with the dancers,” he says. “Everything moving down the street had to move in perfect sync.”

Sims says he strongly relates to the movie’s theme of being who you are: “Having the courage to show up as yourself and know that you’re good enough is a big thing for me.”

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Geography Champion

Can you name Norway’s northernmost plateau? Texas eighth grader Nihar Janga can. It’s Finnmark Plateau. By answering that question, Nihar won the 31st annual National Geographic GeoBee on Wednesday.

The GeoBee is designed to encourage students to learn about the world. Students from grades 4 through 8 can compete for a chance to win college scholarships.

Nihar will receive a $25,000 scholarship and a lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society. He will also take part in an expedition to the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II.

This isn’t Nihar’s first time as a bee champion. In 2016, he shared the top prize with Jairam Hathwar at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. And he was a finalist in last year’s GeoBee.

Nihar Janga won the 31st annual National 
Geographic GeoBee in Washington, D.C., on 
May 22.
AP PHOTO/JACQUELYN MARTIN
This week, the National Geographic Society also held finals for its first-ever GeoChallenge. The nationwide team competition challenges students to develop innovations for urgent problems. This year’s theme was plastic pollution in our waterways. The winning team was from Flushing Christian School, in New York City. The team built a model of a device that would use filters to remove plastic debris from a river. The prize was $25,000. The team members will receive guidance from National Geographic employees as they further develop the project.

Got the geography bug? Registration for the 2020 GeoBee and GeoChallenge opens in August.

Daily Announcements


Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Back to the Moon


By Karena Phan
NASA is on a mission to put the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024. On May 16, the space agency took the latest step in that process. It announced the 11 companies selected to help produce advanced human lunar landers. These spacecraft are used to transport astronauts to the moon’s surface during a moon mission.

NASA has named this mission Artemis. In Greek mythology, Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the moon.

SAFE LANDING NASA is partnering with 11
companies to develop human landing systems (artist’s
concept above) that will transport astronauts to the moon’s surface.
NASA
NASA last sent people to the moon on the Apollo 17 mission. That was in 1972. Now, the agency wants to learn if humans can live there. “President Donald Trump has asked NASA to accelerate our plans to return to the moon,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine notes on the organization’s website. “This time, when we go to the moon, we will stay.”

The 11 companies NASA has partnered with will study human landing systems and develop models. “Our team is excited to get back to the moon quickly as possible,” said Marshall Smith. He is director for human lunar exploration programs at NASA. Partnering with the companies is “an important step” to achieving that goal, he adds.

The companies have been chosen from eight states. The better-known companies include SpaceX, in California, and Boeing, in Texas. Others include Blue Origin, in Washington; Dynetics, in Alabama; and Lockheed Martin, in Colorado.

NASA has awarded the companies a total of $45.5 million. Each company must also contribute to the total cost of the project. This will reduce costs to U.S. taxpayers. It will also encourage other companies to invest in NASA’s lunar projects.

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

A New Museum

By Rebecca Mordechai with AP reporting

LADY LIBERTY LIVES ON The new Statue of Liberty Museum opens to the public on May 16. A refurbished version of the statue’s original torch (pictured) is one of the many artifacts on display.
DREW ANGERER/GETTY IMAGES


A new museum gives visitors a fresh look at one of our country’s most important monuments. It’s the Statue of Liberty Museum. It opens to the public on May 16. The museum is located on Liberty Island. That’s off the southern tip of Manhattan, in New York City.

The new museum covers 26,000 square feet. That’s about half the size of a football field. It replaces the previous museum, which was in the statue’s pedestal. This will allow for more visitors than ever before. Each year, more than 4 million people visit Liberty Island. But only about 20% were able to enter the old museum.

“We looked at this small museum and thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful to . . . move it out to a place where more people could experience it?’” John Piltzecker said. He is superintendent of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.

Admission to the new museum is free with the price of a ticket to Liberty Island. Inside, visitors can watch a film about Lady Liberty’s creation. They can also see artifacts, photos, and even the statue’s original, 3,600-pound torch. (That torch was removed in 1984 because of water damage.) A digital station lets visitors record what the Statue of Liberty means to them.

The $100 million project took 26 months to complete. It was privately funded. Those behind it hope that visitors will leave with a new appreciation for the iconic structure.

“Everywhere you go in the world, anywhere you see something about the United States, you see the Statue of Liberty,” said Stephen Briganti. He is president and CEO of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to United States. The American public got its first look at Lady Liberty in 1886.

Stop & Think! Why do you think TFK published this story the day before the museum opens? How might the story have been different if it were published after the opening date?


© 2019 TIME USA, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Dino Discovery


By Rebecca Katzman

This is an artist’s rendering of the tyrannosauroid, Suskityrannus hazelae (left). It roamed the Earth 92 million years ago.
ILLUSTRATION BY AUDREY ATUCHIN

Twenty-one years ago, Sterling Nesbitt discovered the fossilized bones of a dinosaur in New Mexico. He was 16 years old at the time. In a study published on May 6 in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, Nesbitt’s discovery has now been identified as a new dinosaur species.

The dino, known as Suskityrannus hazelae, was a type of tyrannosaurid. That means it was an ancestor of the T. rex. “The small group of tyrannosauroid dinosaurs would give rise to some of the biggest predators that we’ve ever seen,” Nesbitt said. He was the lead author of the study. He works as a paleontologist at Virginia Tech.

Scientists know that Suskityrannus hazelae was quite small. It was only a little larger than the skull of the T. rex. It weighed about 90 pounds. A T. rex could weigh up to nine tons.

The discovery fills an important gap in the evolution of dinosaurs. Suskityrannus hazelae roamed the Earth 92 million years ago. That’s more than 20 million years before the rise of the T. rex. “We don’t really have a lot of dinosaurs from this particular time period,” Victoria Arbour told Nova. She’s a paleontologist at Canada’s Royal BC Museum. She was not part of the study. “Anything we find is a huge increase in our knowledge,” she said.

The report about Suskityrannus hazelae comes just three months after North Carolina State University paleontologists reported identifying another tyrannosaurid. It is called Moros intrepidus. It was also a tiny relative of T. rex, and about 4 million years older than Suskityrannus hazelae.

Monday, May 13, 2019

Trade War Continues

By Constance Gibbs with AP reporting

China will increase tariffs on $60 billion worth of American goods. Tariffs are taxes on imported goods. China announced the tariff increases on Monday. They will take effect June 1.

The increases are the result of a trade battle between China and the United States. President Donald Trump says China’s business practices are unfair to Americans. He has raised tariffs on $200 billion in goods imported from China. Raising taxes on imported items makes them more expensive.

China is fighting back. American goods such as soybeans, spinach, computers, and coffee will now be taxed as they enter China. China’s tariffs are meant to discourage people in China from buying American products.
TRADE WAR American and Chinese flags are posted at the free
trade port in Qingdao, China. On Monday, China raised tariffs on
American goods.
STR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
American and Chinese officials have been working on a deal that would end the trade battle. So far, no agreement has been reached. On Twitter, Trump wrote a message to Chinese president Xi Jinping. Trump said that China “will be hurt very badly” if he does not agree to a deal.

Larry Kudlow is Trump’s chief economic advisor. On Sunday, he spoke to Fox News. Kudlow said that the tariff increases will help the two countries come to an agreement. “It is a negotiation,” he said. “And part of the negotiation is taking action.”

Kudlow says China and the United States plan to continue trade talks.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Giraffes in Danger?

By Karena Phan with AP reporting

The giraffe may soon join the lion and elephant on the endangered-species list. In April, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service said it would consider putting it there. The agency said it had “substantial information” that led to that decision. Officials will do an in-depth review before making a final call.

Designating giraffes as endangered would restrict people from bringing the animals into the United States. It would also set aside federal money. This would be used for conservation efforts.

TALL ORDER The giraffe population has decreased dramatically
over the years. U.S. wildlife officials may list giraffes as 
endangered species.
VOLANTHEVIST/GETTY IMAGES
“Giraffes capture our imaginations from childhood on,” says Tanya Sanerib. She works for the Center for Biological Diversity. “But many people don’t realize how few are left in the wild.”

Giraffes currently live in 21 African countries. They have been wiped out in at least seven others. Conservationists say habitat loss and poaching are major threats. Since 1985, giraffe populations have decreased by 40%. There are only about 68,000 adult giraffes left. That’s less than a quarter of the African elephant population.

Some are against listing the giraffe as endangered. Safari Club International is a pro-hunting group. It says any restrictions “would reduce U.S. hunters’ willingness to pay top dollar for giraffe hunts.” The group says that money could be used to buy land to increase giraffes’ habitat. It could also be used to fund anti-poaching programs, the group says.

The New Kid




By Shay Maunz
The Next Great Paulie Fink is a book about middle school. But it doesn’t take place in a typical school setting. Caitlyn and her mom move from their suburban town to a rural community in Vermont. There, Caitlyn begins attending the Mitchell School. It’s a tiny academy where students spend part of the day tending a herd of goats. There are only 11 students in the seventh grade.
FROM LEFT: STEPHEN BLUE FOR TIME FOR KIDS; COURTESY ALI BENJAMIN
Unlike Caitlyn’s former classmates, these kids don’t worry about being cool. On Caitlyn’s first day, one yells, “Dance party!” Then they all take turns doing their signature moves. Caitlyn is surprised: “They don’t seem humiliated at all,” she thinks. “They look like they’re having fun.”

Author ALI BENJAMIN spoke with TIME for Kids. She says she was a lot like Caitlyn when she was young. While writing the book, Benjamin imagined a place where she felt comfortable just being herself. “I wish I had allowed myself to have more genuine, unselfconscious fun,” she says. “I liked creating moments for Caitlyn where she’s able to let go of the rules for how you’re supposed to behave.”

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Floods Hit Houston

By Rebecca Mordechai with AP Reporting

A storm struck Houston, Texas, on Tuesday. It brought heavy rains and rising floodwaters. By Tuesday night, some parts of the city had received 10 inches of rain. Police and firefighters evacuated homes. They also rescued people from vehicles that were stuck on roads.

Certain areas around Houston were hit particularly hard. In just four hours, more than seven inches of rain fell on Sugar Land. That's a suburb southwest of Houston. Vehicles could not pass through any of the area’s major roadways. On Twitter, Sugar Land city officials urged residents to “seek high ground.”

Tuesday’s rain hit parts of Texas that Hurricane Harvey had already damaged almost two years ago. Hurricane Harvey was a Category 4 storm that struck on August 25, 2017. It resulted in an estimated $125 billion in damages. In the Houston area, 36 people died and more than 150,000 homes were flooded.

A spokesman for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management talked to the Houston Chronicle. The spokesman said that this week’s rain is “not in any way a Harvey-level event.”

WATER WOES Cars drive through a flooded street in Kingswood,
Texas. A heavy storm hits parts of Texas on May 7.
JASON FOCHTMAN/HOUSTON CHRONICLE VIA AP
But Houston may not be out of the woods yet. Residents will have a break from the downpours on Wednesday. According to the National Weather Service, however, the Texas Gulf Coast could continue to experience heavy rain later in the week. “Today should be our quietest over the next few days for rainfall," said Don Oettinger. He is a National Weather Service meteorologist.

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

It's a Boy!


ROYAL COUPLE Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the 
Duke and Duchess of Sussex, attend a royal event on 
March 5, 2019.
DOMINIC LIPINSKI—WPA POOL/GETTY IMAGES
On May 6, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, welcomed their first child into the world. The royal baby, a boy, was born just after dawn, at 5:26 a.m. He’s a healthy seven pounds, three ounces. At press time, the infant had yet to be named.

The couple did not follow royal tradition by revealing where the baby was born or posing for photos with him. Instead, an overjoyed Harry announced the good news for TV cameras at Windsor Castle.

SPREAD THE WORD The official notice of the birth of 
a baby boy to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was
posted outside Buckingham Palace on May 6.
YUI MOK—WPA POOL/GETTY IMAGES
“I’m just over the moon,” the 34-year-old prince said. “We’re both absolutely thrilled and so grateful for all the love and support from everybody out there. It’s been amazing.”

The infant is seventh in line for the British throne. He is the eighth great-grandchild of 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.

Yet he has already made history. Because his mother is American, the baby is eligible for citizenship in the United States and Britain. He is also the first multiracial baby in the royal family’s recent history.

Harry’s announcement brought cheers from well-wishers gathered outside the grounds of Windsor Castle. “Cheers to the newborn baby boy!” said John Loughrey, 64. “Hip hip hooray!” He was dressed in a British flag and carrying royal-family memorabilia for the occasion.

Daily Announcements


Monday, May 6, 2019

Do-Good Dog


But one Instagram account stands out from the pack. Humanitarian_pup tracks the adventures of a rescue dog named Foxtrot. The goal is to raise awareness about the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh. 

ON THE JOB Foxtrot stands by as workers prepare
to bring sacks of rice to feed people at the Rohingya
refugee camps in Bangladesh.

COURTESY WFPPeople love to follow dogs on Instagram.
The most popular pups have millions of fans. Many canine accounts
are pure fluff. (Pugs in sunglasses!) Others push products. Some promote a cause. 
On August 25, 2017, thousands of Rohingya refugees fled Myanmar for Bangladesh. They went in search of safety. Deadly attacks by the Myanmar military forced the Rohingya to leave their homes. Today, the town of Cox’s Bazar is home to nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees. More than half are children.

“When the crisis first happened and people started streaming across the border, there was a lot of media attention,” aid worker Gemma Snowdon told TIME for Kids. “The whole world knew where Cox’s Bazar was.” Now, she says, “that attention has dropped off.”

Snowdon works for the World Food Programme (WFP). It’s one of several humanitarian groups helping Rohingya refugees. She and her team were looking for creative ways to put the Rohingya back in the spotlight.

Then it hit them: Foxtrot!
From Stray to Star 

Foxtrot joined the WFP team in November. That’s when Snowdon and other aid workers were doing a beach cleanup. 

“This little puppy, he just kept following us and following us and he wouldn’t stop,” Snowdon says. “We picked him up and he was absolutely exhausted and really dehydrated.” They gave him fresh water and milk and spent the entire day searching for his mom. Eventually, they took the pup to WFP headquarters, where he stayed overnight. 

Foxtrot has been with the WFP ever since. 

Humanitarian_pup debuted in February. In his posts, Foxtrot poses with workers who are delivering sacks of rice to the refugee camps. He explains what is being done to prepare for the heavy rains that come each monsoon season. He delivers high-energy biscuits to schoolchildren. 

So far, Foxtrot has more than 4,000 followers. 

Humanitarian_pup is attracting attention. “I’ve had really positive feedback from teachers and parents who say that they look everyday at Foxtrot’s posts and their kids love seeing what he’s up to,” Snowdon says. 

How can kids join the humanitarian effort for Rohingya refugees? “If they see something on Foxtrot’s page [that interests them], they can talk to their parents about it. They can talk about fundraising. They can advocateto their local politicians.” 

Starting small is okay too, Snowdon says. “You don’t have to tackle all the big crises in the world. Just being kinder to people on the street, or picking up rubbish—there’s always something that people can do to make this world a bit of a better place.”

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Daily Announcements


Willard Rev War Feature on Several Online Travel Magazines

WILLARD MIDDLE SCHOOL REVOLUTIONARY WAR REENACTMENT AND ENCAMPMENT
Each year, eighth-grade students at Willard Middle School put on a dramatic reenactment of the Revolutionary War, the war that led to American Independence. Kitted out in period clothing, participants recreate battle scenes, demonstrate the daily life of minutemen and colonial citizens, and put on craft displays in front of captivated audiences. There are also activities from the era, including tin punching, paper making, land surveying, military drilling, hearth kettle cooking, food preservation, knitting, pottery, spinning and more.
LOCATION Willard High School DATES 10-11 May 2019 
A scene at the Willard Middle School Revolutionary War Reenactment and Encampment (Photo: Willard Middle School Revolutionary War Reenactment and Encampment)