bright light vol 1 issue 2

The Newspaper for Kids

December 1, 2011 • VOL. 1 • NO. 2 • $1.00

THE GAME OF LIFEBy Rashad Amahad

When I teach children how to play chess, one ofthe first things I stress to them is that chess is avery simple game. There are a lot ofmisconceptions about the game; I eliminate them

right away. I also tell the kids that they have a responsibility toteach others when they are taught.

My goal is to ensure that they don’t see the game just as a game but really iconic to life and the various decisionsthey will have to make all through life. I believe if children are taught from a very early age to use their ability to think, theywill be so much more responsible. The game of chess employsforward thinking, hence the children taught would glean veryquickly that there must be planning before any action is to take place.

What is happening simultaneously is that children who playchess are developing their minds to have a greater capacity tofocus for extended periods of time more so than those who do

not play the game.

The social interaction of the game is great and byextension they are more assertive in their experienceswith meeting new people and developing

relationships. I teach them that there are

Kids learn life skills by playing chess

Nekeirah Brice, an 8 yr. old entrepreneur and game designer of the Kids Pattern Game, shows acustomer how her game works.

Have you ever asked yourself ... “Why didn’t anyone teach mehow to save and invest when I was young?”

Maybe you’re raising a miser whose window washing and yardcleaning money is accumulating under the mattress. Maybeyou’ve got a greedy Gus who thinks money grows on trees. Kidspick up on the unspoken messages of those around them.Unfortunately, most of us as parents do not set the best examplewhen it comes to money matters. For better or worse, the bestway to raise financially savvy adults is to start young.

Less than 10 percent of all high school graduates learn aboutmoney in school and even less learn about it at home; this isbecause parents often don’t know the information themselves orsimply don’t have the tools to teach their kids about money. Ourschools offer classes that teach practical skills such as sewing,technical, nutrition classes and more. What’s missing? FinancialLiteracy! This is the reason why we asBahamians find ourselves overwhelmed bypersonal debt. We just don’t know any better.

TEACHING KIDSABOUT MONEY

Continued on page 3

ComplimentaryISSUE

Continued on page 4

DECEMBER 10th from 2 to 5 p.m.DECEMBER 17th from 12 to 5 p.m.

TOWN CENTER MALL

✿ Include me before making decisions thataffect me.

✿ Do not throw anything away that belongsto me, unless I am asked first.

✿ Find out what my experience is like withthe teachers in school, and believe me.Take action if necessary. Stand up for metoo, as a person.

✿ Talk to me in the same voice you talk toadults with.

✿ Respect my interests even though theymay seem just cute to you.

✿ Do not refer to me as a “terrible two”person

✿ See me as a whole feeling person when Iam a teenager. I am more than raginghormones or “just a teenager.” I will do the same for you no matter whatyour age.

✿ If you are afraid for me, tell me so honestlywith your heart.

✿ Do not punish me ever. Teach me. Holdme. Love me. Trust that I, just like you,want to do what is right, and don’t want tohurt anyone.

✿ Help me understand what I don’t know.Don’t call me names, or label me orcompare me, or make me compete foranything. Help me cooperate andcollaborate. Be the example for me.

✿ Hug me, Kiss me, and Hold me a lot. Bekind with your smile. It’s all ok.

✿ If you are upset with something in yourlife, know when you are upset. Don’t beangry with me or blame me, or judge me.If you want me to know something andhear you, notice your voice and angry orjudgmental thoughts before you give themto me. I, like you, do not feel good when Iam admonished, made wrong or blamed.It just doesn’t feel good. I want to hearand understand you. I like beingconnected.

✿ If you feel embarrassed by something I amdoing, hug me. Come closer. I am beingmyself completely. If I need to be moreaware of others, I want to know that. I canhear your kind voice remind me.

✿ When you are with me, be completely withme. If you are in your thoughts, pretending

to be with me, then you arenot with me at all.

✿ Treat me exactly like youwould want me to treat you.Exactly.

✿ Assume that I “see”everything. I am exquisitelysensitive and can feelpretense, falseness, andhidden agendas. I can alsofeel love.

✿ Know when you aresarcastic. Sarcasm is meanand creates distance, hurtand separates us, almostwithout noticing. Humorbrings us together.

✿ If I am fidgety, seem bored,have difficulty sitting still, talk too much,appear to have a short attention span,please join with me. Ask me, with anattitude of wonder, what my experience isin the classroom, or wherever I appear tonot want to be. I am not ADD or ADHD, orany diagnosis. I simply want to be wherethere is life, movement and creativityhappening. (ask me what I mean by allthis). Together, we’ll find understanding.

✿ When it looks like I am having what youcall a tantrum, it is all I know to do tomake contact, to be heard, to be takenseriously, to be held. I am not wanting tobother anyone, or cause trouble

✿ I am naturally creative. Notice how I makethings out of leaves, or sticks, or bubbles, or crayons. Notice how I like to climb andexplore, and discover everything all atonce. Listen to my imagination at work.That’s not just kid stuff. That is what youmight do, too, if you would join with me.

✿ Sometimes, I know what to do withoutreading written instructions. I don’t havewords for it, I just know. I have the ability tosee how things go together. I may do thingsdifferently than the way you learned. That’sok. Both ways may work. And anyway, Ihave fun finding my own way. Thedestination don’t matter that much.

Continued on page 5

DECEMBER 2011The Newspaper for Kids

2 BRIGHTLIGHTNEWS.COM

Hey Kids, your

is here!The Newspaper for Kids

Look for us on

COME OUT AND

BRING YOUR

PARENTS!

TELL YOURFRIENDS!

Meet us at the Town Centre Mall

at the 4th Annual Kids Only

Christmas Sale

Tel.: 242.676.3665Cell: 242.468.6986

email: [email protected]: BrightLightNews.com

Bruce and Boye Scott

VOICE OF THE UNIVERSAL CHILDby Bruce Scott

December 10thfrom 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

andDecember 17th

from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

As the year 2011 draws to a close, we pause to review andgive thanks for all that we have right now. Gratitude is the

best way to end and begin any year. So, have you thought about it yet …what are you grateful for?What I am extremely grateful for is everyone who has touched my life andall whom have allowed me to share experiences, in some way, with them.

I am also grateful to be able to produce this newspaper! In this issue, BrightLight sets out to have us re-think what we think, how we think and how we think

our children think. We want to help our children become critical thinkers; good moneymanagers; grateful individuals and caring and loving citizens. Parents, teachers and community leaders, I invite you to become an active part of BrightLight. Join us in our quest to motivate and support the youth of our nation.Kids, we invite you to let us know what’s on your mind. Bright Light will help you to getyour message out to your parents, teachers and peers. Remember, Bright Light is yournewspaper.Thank you all and I wish for you a peaceful and joyous holiday season.Ida ButlerPublishing Editor

EDITOR’S NOTE


BRIGHTLIGHTNEWS.COM 3

Most of the training that could help manage our finances,skills for managing money well, is not skills that individualsare born with; it is a learned behavior. Therefore, if we failto act now to improve financial literacy in this country, ourchildren will be at risk for crippling personal debt, costlydecisions at work and at home and we will lackcompetitive skills in a fast-paced global economy.

We read to our children from the time they are in diapersabout literacy. It is time we start talking to our kids earlyand often about financial literacy and responsible moneymanagement. My daughter D’shelle, by eight years oldhad already been made aware of what is an asset, theimportance of saving and investing, the differencebetween good and bad debt and the pros and cons ofusing credit cards. How many of us can say that aboutmany eight year olds?

Talking about money is not good enough however. Basicfinancial education with practical measurable standardsshould be a baseline for a high school diploma in TheBahamas. I believe that this all important skill wouldgreatly reduce the number of social issues we are facingin this country. Our kids come into contact with moneyparents only dreamt of when they were their kids’ age.Five dollars from Aunt Jenny and 20 dollars from UncleRobert all add up to a pretty penny once saved over time.There is no reason why our children cannot grow up toachieve millionaire status by age 30 or 40 instead ofhanging around on a job until retirement age to scrape apension.

Teaching Kids About MoneyContinued from page 1

Kids Only Christmas Sale participant describes her products and their uses.

Miss Sari Albury receives her certificate of participation from Ms. Keshelle Kerr.

Keshelle Kerr is Founder and CEO of Creative Wealth Training and author of the book Your Child Can Become Wealthy

– How to Fashion a Passion for Entrepreneurship & Instill the Skills of Good Money Management in Youth.

Her organization’s mission is to teach youth about the meaning of money and the beauty of business through hands-onprograms, educational products and events. Since its inception, Creative Wealth Training has successfully deliveredfinancial and business education to hundreds of youth in the country.

Website: www.creativewealthbahamas.com • Email:[email protected]

You can begin teaching financial responsibility to kids as young as threeyears of age once there is interest. The earlier you start sharing moneyconversations, the more natural in becomes. Financial literacy is nolonger a luxury for the ambitious few. In today’s complicated financialworld, it is a bare necessity for all of us. Let us not sleep on taking thisstep. Parents, teachers and all citizens who are concerned about thefuture of this country should begin to insist that a culture of financialliteracy be instilled in our youth. If not, we would be in a sorry state.

4th Annual Kids Only Christmas Sale

On December 10th and 17th,2011, Creative Wealth Bahamas

will be hosting entrepreneursbetween the ages of 6 and 16

at the Town Centre Mall inNassau, Bahamas. This isthe fourth year that thekids have had the

opportunity to showcasetheir talents andbusiness skills. They

have enjoyed earningtheir own money from selling their gently used toys andgames, clothing, original work and candies. The kidsespecially enjoyed the fact that they were able to hireparents and older siblings as employees. You are invitedto participate in this unique event. (see ad on page 8)



The Game of LifeContinued from page 1

disciplines involved with the game. Whenever a piece istouched they must move that piece as a matter of principal;there are rules that must be adhered to.

In addition, there are also courtesies involved. The game is not avery loud game. Whenever they play I turn on classical music, itsets the tone for them and their appreciation for music isheightening as a result. The game is pure problem solving fromits inception. The child who plays chess will understand conflictresolution and implement strategies in order to successfullyaccomplish his/her goal.

In the game of chess there is a lot of plotting, the children notonly have to plan but anticipate the planning of the other playerand make adjustments sometime mid stream during the game.What this does is enhance their ability to create as well asadjust.

Logic is something the children will understand when taught thisconcept because they are calling on this skill naturally. Over aperiod of time they will learn that it is not what is done but ratherhow it is being done that matter more so.

It is a proven fact that chess players are better in theirreading and their math skills as opposed to the otherchildren that don’t play. The game keeps you sharp; thisapplies to children and adults.

The game insures that you take nothing for granted as movesmade must be calculated. The game is actually a sport, manyare not aware of this.

I look forward to teaching as many children the game as Ican because I am fully aware of the myriad of benefits the gamebrings to one’s life and in turn the country at large will benefit. Itis my hope that every school will have chess clubs. I am surethat Bahamian children can hold their own in the world of chess,and Grand Masters -- we will have them in abundance in ourcountry.

Rashad Amahad is the Director of BigBrother, Big Sister Bahamas locatedon Minnie St. off Wulff Rd. He hasa passion for teaching chess and

training young leaders. For additional information, you may emailRashad at [email protected]

Big Brother Big Sister future masters

Even When Things Aren’t So Great . . .

THREE STRATEGIES FOR FEELING MORE GRATITUDE IN YOUR LIFEBy Jill Hope

Although the Thanksgiving holiday isnow behind us, the experience of theholiday reminded me of theimportance of gratitude. Gratitudeisn’t just an attitude, it is a state ofbeing.

When you are focused on the thingsfor which you are grateful, yourenergetic vibration rises, and it is herethat you are better able to attractmore of what you want into your life.

Focusing on the good in your life alsokeeps your mind off the things that aren’t so good or that arelacking. When you continually focus on what you lack, you bringmore lack into your life. And the reality is, most of us havepracticed living in lack a lot more than we have practiced livingin gratitude.

While it is pretty easy to feel grateful when things are going well,it is a bit more challenging to remain there when things aren’t sogreat. Many of us feel a great deal of lack in our lives, and ourthoughts have practiced the habit of focusing there.

How can you bring the focus on what IS working in your life,rather than on what isn’t?

1) Write in a gratitude journal.Keeping a daily gratitude journal is a powerful way of tracking allof the good in your life. In fact, in a research study cited inRobert A. Emmon’s book “Thanks! How the New Science ofGratitude Can Make You Happier”, it was found that people whokept a gratitude journal exercised more regularly, reported fewerillness symptoms and recovered more quickly from illness, feltmore optimistic about the future, and coped more effectivelywith everyday stress.

2) Perform behaviors associated with gratitude.There is a great deal of psychological evidence showing thatattitude change often follows behavior change. If you want tocreate an attitude of gratitude, make it a point to perform gratefulbehaviors every day.

Here’s an idea: Make a commitment to thank three people everyday this week. You can thank someone for their warm smile, youcan thank someone for holding the door for you, you can eventhank someone for just being in your life. Be creative with yourthank you’s, and do make sure that they come from your heart.People can see right through an insincere expression of thanks.

3) Make it a habit to look for the good, even in a badsituation.

As I mentioned previously, it’s a whole lot easier to find things tofeel grateful for when things are going well. But what about whenyour world seems inside out? I challenge you to look for thegood, even when things nothing seems to be going right.Because, when you look for the good, I guarantee you will beshown the good.

Continued on page 6



The Voice of the Universal ChildContinued from page 2

✿ I may take longer than you completing something. That is becauseI am in no hurry to get anything done. I haven’t learned yet thathurrying, being busy and always anxious, are fun.

✿ I do not need you to always say Yes to me. Actually, yes or no don’tmatter. What matters is how you hold me in your heart, how yousee me, and your appreciation for me. ’Cause when you appreciateme, and see through my eyes too, a yes or no will always be theright thing for both of us.

✿ I do not need you to be with me. I need you to be with yourself.When you are with yourself, you are with me.

✿ No matter how old I am, three years old, sixteen, or forty-five, I amnot intending to deceive you, take advantage of you, use you ordisrespect you. If you have those thoughts or the belief that I am“asking too much,” that is not my intent. I am really, searching outways to make contact, and to be with you, to acknowledge mypresence.

✿ When I cry, I am feeling. Crying can be like sneezing, feeling closeto you, singing or running. It is just my body expressing itself. Imight have been sad, or hurt or afraid. When I am feeling in my

body, I am relieved. All you need do is be present with me so that Iknow you are there, but not trying to stop me or make me feelbetter.

✿ I am wise. I know things. I see things. I know naturally what I needto know. I believe and trust myself and my intuition. Unless I learnto not trust myself. I have to be taught from the outside to notbelieve the truth of things.

✿ I sometimes feel safe in the world. Sometimes I don’t. If I feel orsense something, and others don’t, (maybe even make fun of me), Iget even more scared. I can feel so alone and wrong. It helps whenyou take me seriously, regardless of my age, and ask me morequestions about what I “see,” feel or sense. I might be seeingsomething you need to know.

✿ I really am your gift. I am not just a little person who needs to be“raised” and taught, and taken to activities. I am not, by accident inyour life. Incredible or unbelievable as this may sound, I came tothe people in my life to bring a message: slow down. Feel. Be. Overand over again. When you do, you will notice immediately, that I amnot an obstacle to your work, or inconvenient to your daily life.Instead, you will come to appreciate my honesty, humor, presenceand love.

Be yourself, and if you don’t know for sure, what yourself is, ask me.✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿ ✿

Bruce Scott • email: [email protected] • (831) 588-9998

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L.WI.10.2010.0043

Three Strategies for Feeling MoreGratitude in Your LIfeContinued from page 4

When I came down with a nasty cold during my vacation lastweek, I held a grateful perspective on it. I didn’t ask, why me, orwhy now. Instead, I felt gratitude that it happened now and notwhen I was scheduled to teach or coach or be at an event. Whenyou look for the good in any situation, it will always present itself.And seeing the good brings more good to see!

See how you can make finding the good a habit in your life this,rather than focusing on the bad. And please share your thoughtsright here on how you cultivate an attitude of gratitude in yourhome.

“The unthankful heart … discovers no mercies;but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and,as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour,some heavenly blessings!”

~Henry Ward Beecher

I Shine (http://www.ishinekids.com/home.html) helps parentsaround the globe cultivate the mindset necessary to be consciousand positive in their parenting approach and raise emotionallyhealthy, empowered kids.

Founder Jill Hope has designed and developed several uniqueand innovative programs that teach parents how to foster self-esteem, build character, and raise emotionally healthy,empowered kids.

I Shine’s free weekly e-newsletter provides tips and resourcesfor conscious parenting, and has become one of the topparenting newsletters on the internet. You can subscribe to thenewsletter by going to http://www.ishinekids.com/home.html



“Professional Service with a Smile”

The Park Plaza(near Fox Hill Round About)

Bernard RoadP.O. Box SS 19237Nassau, Bahamas

Tel.: 242.324.3350

The Right Choice

Pharmacy

PRIME MINISTER’S QUOTE ONVOLUNTEER BAHAMAS“I must speak clearly on this. With its bestefforts, the Government alone will not beable to fully address this scourge of crime.We need as many of you who care aboutour nation to enlist in this fight.

I am therefore calling you to a new era ofnational volunteerism.

We launched on 1st November 2011, aNational Volunteers Register. This registerwill enable you to sign up to be available tovolunteer your time for mentoring ouryoung men and women; assisting incommunity centres with after-school programmes; outreaches tourban neighbourhoods to encourage parental and child involvementin school activities; to work with existing youth organizations in theirprogrammes; and a host of social activities that can positivelyimpact upon our society.”

www.bahamas.gov.bs • email: [email protected]. of Youth, Sports & Culture

The Right Honourable Hubert Alexander IngrahamPrime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas

STUDENTSIf you are between the ages

of 8 to 18 and you enjoywriting and describing

events, you may want tobecome a Bright Lightwriter. This and other

opportunities are availablefor you to get involved withBright Light, the newspaper

for kids. Contact us at

www.BrightLightNews.comor email us at:

[email protected]

SCHOOL NEWSBright Light wants to help you share your school projects,special assemblies and any charity fundraisers or communityoutreach programs with our readers throughout the Bahamas.

www.BrightLightNews.com • email: [email protected]

✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺✺

BrightLightNews.com

NEWSWORTH

SHARING!



Three Generations of the Knowles Family Make An Impact At 2011 US Masters Nationals Swimming at Auburn University August 3-6th, 2011 in the2011 US Masters National Championships were a family offive representing three generations of swimmers thatcompeted across many age groups.Representing Swift Swimming were Percy Knowles (80-84 age group),Andy Knowles (55-59 age group), Nancy Knowles (50-54 age group)Jeremy Knowles (25-29 age group), and Elliott Knowles (18-24 agegroup).

The father, son, and grandsons’ team of Percy, Andy, Jeremy, andElliott swam in the 200 Free and 200 Medley Relays. Their combinedages put them at the top of the 160-199 age group category where theypicked up a 10th place medal in the Free Relay. It was exciting havethree generations of the Knowles family competing on the same relayin the same pool that Jeremy had trained in, to help Auburn Universitywin two NCAA National Championship titles. The walls bear Jeremy’spicture and name as National Champions and an Olympic swimmer.Auburn has a tradition of swimming excellence having won 13 NCAANational Championships and 22 SEC Championships.

The Knowles family from the Bahamas has quite a history ofswimming and sailing success. Percy represented The Bahamas insailing at the 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968 Olympics and as a swim coachin 1976. At the 1976 Games, Andy and his brother, Bruce, were thefirst swimmers from The Bahamas to compete in swimming. Andyhas been to the 1984, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympics asa swim coach for The Bahamas. Jeremy continued the legacy bycompeting in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Games. Aside from swimming,Percy’s brother, Sir Durward Knowles, won two Olympic medals insailing, gold in 1964 and bronze in 1956. The Knowles family has beeninvolved in every Olympic Games as either an athlete or a coachsince 1948 to present. (excluding the Olympic boycott in 1980).

The group of five swimmers picked up 12 medals at the MastersNationals, produced many best times, which allowed Swift to beatmany of the teams at the meet. Percy Knowles won six medals, a 2ndin the 50 Breast, 2nd in the 100 Breast, 2nd in the 200 Breast, 3rd inthe 200 Free, 4th in the 50 Free, and a 10th in the relay. Andy Knowleswon six medals, a 4th in the 1500 Free, 4th in the 200 Free, 6th in the400 Free, 6th in the 100 Free, 8th in the 50 Free, and a 10th in therelay, Nancy Knowles won a 6th in the 50 Butterfly, and JeremyKnowles and Elliott Knowles who swam only the relays both got a10th place medal in the 200 Free relay.

Swift has been competing in Masters meets since the US SC MastersNationals of 2006 and has been to two World MastersChampionships, 2006 and 2010.

Plans for next year include competing at the 2012 US Spring Nationalsin North Carolina in April and the World Masters Championships in Italyin June.

Masters swimming has done much to keep us close as a family andto keep us healthy as a family. We love being able to train andcompete together.

L-R Jeremy, Andy, Percy and Elliott Knowles

Nancy, Andy, Elliott, Percy and Jeremy Knowles

Do not forget to visit our team on-line at

http://www.teamunify.com/baswift/.

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bright light vol 1 issue 2

Documents

game designer

game works

kids pattern game

avery simple game

orsimply dont

yardcleaning money

life skills

money matters