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2 March 2011 | Columbus Kids ColumbusLocalKids.com

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Leading by example is one ploy a Hilliardstudent hopes will encourage her peers towrite.

Zoey Spokas, a student at Tharpe SixthGrade School, has started a new project called“Write From the Heart” that combines snailmail with the World Wide Web.

“I’ve always really liked writing stories, andI thought with the program I could get my

friends who aren’t into writing to see how ex-citing it can be,” she said.

While still in the early stages, the programprompts children to send a mailing that in-cludes a short story, pictures and a challengefor the recipient to write his or her own storyand mail it to at least three friends.

Complementing the process is an interac-tive website with a contest and tips on how towrite a successful story.

“I just want to see how far it will go,” shesaid.

Zoey said, initially, she did not have thetime or patience for writing, but her interest inthe field took off a few years ago when she

began trading e-mail messages with friends inwhich one person would add onto an existingstory.

“I started coming up with some good ideas,and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if I cameup with the whole story myself?’ ” she said.

Zoey’s favorite genre is fiction – especiallyfantasy – and her stories include everythingfrom magic to dragons and time travel. Herfirst story for the project is nearly finished, butZoey said her main focus is on helping others.

“Sometimes when (classmates) think ofwriting, they think of school, but with writing,

Young writer hopes to inspire other kids to ‘Write From the Heart’ColumbusLocalKids.com March 2011 | Columbus Kids 3

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Tharpe Sixth Grade School student Zoey Spokas started a combined online and snail-mail writingproject, “Write From the Heart,” to exercise her talents and get her friends excited about writing.

See YOUNG, Page 11

By BRET LIEBENDORFERColumbus Kids


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I love my children. Ireally do. Yet throughthe years there havebeen plenty of timesthat I haven’t particu-larly liked them. Thisdichotomy is verystriking when every-where I look this weekthe world is swathed inred and pink andeverything says “I loveyou.”

Some days, de-pending on the age ofthe child and theweather outside (un-ending snow and coldfor instance), I havewanted to run away. Iwant peace and quiet. I don’t want to watchSesame Street again. That’s when I know thatlife is out of balance. I’ve given so much thatthere isn’t anything else left in me to give.

When those feelings strike (and they do, let’sbe realistic), I need a break. Sometimes I runout the door as soon as my husband gets hometo spend an hour or two in the library. Some-times a friend can take them all for a little bit.

Here’s what one mom shared with me abouthow she kept her balance and her sanity. She

was a single mom working out of her home.There was a 20 minute gap of time between theend of her work day and the beginning of hermom day. It was vitally important to her thatshe use that time to recharge her batteries. Theonly space she could call her own was her bed-room, so she used it to create an oasis of calm.She got a comfy chair, fluffy pillows, and astack of magazines. At the appointed time shewould grab a big mug of tea, snuggle down inher chair surrounded by pillows, and leafthrough magazines until her children got home.

I found great wisdom in the small gift ofkindness that she gave herself. She recognizedthat giving to herself was just as important, ifnot more important, than giving to her chil-dren. She modeled for them that motherhood isnot about self-sacrifice. The real beneficiariesof her ‘me time’were her children, because shehad refueled and was better able to be themother she wanted to be.

This year for Valentines Day as you buy thecards and the candy for your family, stop for aminute and think about what you can do for themost important person on the list – you.

Rhonda Moskowitz is The Parent Guru forColumbus Kids. A PCI-certified Parent Coachand Founder of Parent Coaching LLC, she hasbeen working with families for more than 30years. Read more at her website, practicalso-lutionsparentcoaching.com.

Be your own first Valentine, to bebetter balanced for your family

Rhonda MoskowitzThe Parent Guru

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Wilson Hill Elementary School’s stellarspellers raised more than $4,700 for theirschool by correctly spelling long lists ofwords and participating in the schoolspelling bee.

The bee at the Worthington school washeld Friday, Feb. 4.

Principal Jamie Lusher said all students inthe school participated in the spelling beefundraiser.

“Even if we didn’t raise a penny, the focuson building vocabulary and acquisition of vo-cabulary was a very meaningful learning op-portunity for our entire school,” she said.

Lusher said students studied grade-levelword lists and took pledges from family andfriends toward the number of words theywould spell accurately.

After all the students participated in classand grade-level spelling bees, the school had40 finalists who scored a 49 or 50 out of 50words.

On Feb. 4, the school held a primaryspelling bee for the finalists in grades 1-3 and

an intermediate spelling bee for grades 4-6.“The winner of our primary spelling bee

was third-grader Phoebe Saboley, and thewinner of our intermediate bee was fourth-grader Sylvia Strange,” Lusher said. “The topthree finalists of each bee will represent Wil-son Hill in the Worthington CommunitySpelling Bee on March 16.”

The top three finalists of the primaryspelling bee are Alia Sater, third grade; Vi-vian Strange, second grade; and PhoebeSaboley.

Top three intermediate spelling bee final-ists are Sylvia Strange; Alex Curran, fifthgrade; and Jade Braden, sixth grade.

The Worthington Community Spelling Beeis sponsored by Leadership Worthington andthe Worthington Education Foundation.

The youth team spelling bee begins at 5p.m. March 16, with the adult team spellingbee beginning at 7 p.m. The bee will be heldat Worthington Kilbourne High School, 1499Hard Road.

Lusher said all participants in the WilsonHill spelling bee will receive a free ticket tothe school’s PTO Movie Night, set for Feb. 18.

Funds raised in the spelling bee will beused by the PTO to support Wilson Hill’stechnology needs and for class and schoolsupplies and resources, she said.

Lusher said the spelling bee fundraiser wasappreciated by everyone involved.

“I loved this fundraiser because the prem-

ise was academic and the money was directlyconnected to students and their learning,”Lusher said. “Many parents shared their ex-citement that they could simply write a check,instead of buying an unwanted box of choco-lates or something else.”

Lusher said the spelling bee fundraiser wasthe brainstorm of two parent leaders.

“Diane Sater and Patti Simmons were ourparent leaders and this spelling bee was theirdream,” she said. “They were a fabulous helpthrough the process.”

Worthington bee spells thousands of dollars for schoolColumbusLocalKids.com March 2011 | Columbus Kids 5

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SNP photo by Jeffry Konczal

Wilson Hill Elementary School third-grader Noah Brown mulls over the word “innocence” dur-ing the school’s spelling bee fundraiser Friday, Feb. 4.

■ Wilson Hill’s spelling beefundraiser brought in $4,700;top spellers move on to thecity’s community bee.By PAMELA WILLISSuburban News Publications

Building with Legos is a common child-hood pastime, but taking those play timesand being able to use them to build a real-life, functioning robot is something manyyouth only dream of.

The robotics team at the WellingtonSchool is doing just that.

As many as 20 students have been work-ing together for the last year to build robots

from Legos and other required parts andplan and attend tournaments to showcasetheir engineering and computer program-ming talents. The school also began offeringa course in robotics this year to complementthe team.

All the robotics hype culminated last lastmonth, when the school hosted its first ro-botics scrimmage.

Teams from across Central Ohio met up topractice programming and test out their ro-bots in anticipation of the state competition

in the spring. The program began one year ago when

students noticed a robotics-competition list-ing on physics teacher Matthew Spencer’sclassroom notice board.

Spencer said while it wasn’t a topic hewas familiar with, robotics seemed like aprogram worth getting involved with and hewanted to gauge student interest.

A few weeks later, a handful of studentshad inquired about the program and the teamwas created.

Students said mostly everything they havedone so far in the robot department is self-taught, but they enjoy experimenting withdifferent outcomes.

“Kids play with Legos and having themperform tasks with them is something theyare familiar with,” Spencer said.

“Once they get the information, they startto go off on leaps and bounds by themselves.There is no formal, ‘We’re going to walkyou through this.’ They’re motivated to seehow this works. They say, ‘We know whatthe goal is; let’s figure out how to get there.’”

The club was such a hit with the studentsand administration that a robotics class wascreated for this year.

The robots aren’t like those in Star Warsor Terminator, but that doesn’t mean theycan’t be highly sophisticated. Robots builtby the students typically run on four wheels

and this year’s contest premise was to builda robot that can search out bombs.

To determine the effectiveness of the ro-bots, teams lead their creations in competi-tions that require the piece of equipment tolocate magnetic sensors and perform a vari-ety of tasks.

Team members design and build the robotfor weeks before testing it out. Throughoutcompetitions, the team tweaks its creation tobest defeat the other teams.

After some tournaments, reprogrammingor even a complete rebuild are necessary tobetter suit the team in the next competition.

After spending months working on arobot, some students can get discouragedwhen their vision doesn’t perform asplanned.

“I feel attached to (the robot); I put somuch time into it,” said senior Trent Boyer.

“It’s hard to not see it work the way Isometimes want it to. You get that sense ofpride when you see it succeed and you getthat sense of disappointment when you see itfail. Hopefully you don’t see too many of hisfailures.”

Spencer said at least one student worksevery day after school on the robot and he isthere to solely offer support. It’s important toask students the open-ended questions theyneed to hear to arrive at the right conclu-


Legos are building blocks to some serious competitionsBy MELISSA DILLEYSuburban News Publications

SNP photo by Tim Johnson

It's all thumbs up for Sitara Koneru (right) and robotics teammate Alex Vasko as the Welling-ton School seniors compete in a regional robotics scrimmage Jan. 29, at the school.

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sions themselves, not give them the answers,he said.

Spencer said the trial and error aspects ofthe club are just another reason studentslearn so much.

“It’s really a neat thing because it weavestogether people’s ability to think strategical-ly and to think in teams to solve problems,”he said.

“We only had eight minutes to swap amotor and get it working again at the compe-tition. They diagnose and solve the problemand fix it under stressful circumstances soit’s really cool to see the kids step up and dothose challenges.”

Students who work on engineering andcomputer programming aren’t the only onesinvolved with the team who are working hardon a daily basis.

Boyer said the best part of the group isthat it affords opportunities for studentswith any interest, which is why theypushed so hard for the class to become areality so other students could see the op-portunities.

“It’s got great leadership opportunities,”he said. “You can take advantage of what-ever you want to do from this club: engi-neering, certain mechanical aspects, anytype of design or business and manage-ment.

“You can organize events, plan fundrais-ers and teach kids how to build robotsthemselves. There are all kinds of opportu-nities for helping out the community, too.”

Senior Jessie Fuller took the roboticstournament as her chance to plan an eventthat the school has never thrown before.Spencer said he had lots of complimentsfrom out-of-town competitors about howorganized the event was.

She said although she didn’t create therobot, or compete in the competition, shewas looking forward to it as much as theother robotics team members.

“My favorite part was seeing the finaloutcome of the scrimmage, seeing therobot win in the final round and seeing thescrimmage actually work and finally cometogether,” Fuller said.

“In the end, it all worked and it wasworth all the hard work.”

While these competitions are only con-sidered scrimmages at this point in the sea-son, senior Alex Vasco said there are otherlessons to be learned.

“It takes everything that we’ve beendoing in a school it pulls it all together ina real-life experience,” he said.

The scrimmage prepped the Wellingtonteams well for statewise competition,Fuller said.

The FIRST Lego League Ohio StateChampionship was set for Saturday andSunday, Feb. 12-13 at Wright State Univer-sity in Dayton.

Wellington’s Heavy Metal and TrashTorque teams were among the groups ofOhio students vying to qualify to competein the 2011 World Festival April 27-30 inSt. Louis.

Continued from Page 6

LEGOS

There’s nothing better than a great birth-day party for your child in your own home,sharing the child’s milestone with family,food and fun. But sometimes the thought ofhosting a load of guests - extra kids, familyand special friends – can be overwhelming.You’ve worked long hours, and there is a pileof laundry in the bedroom and a stack ofdishes in the sink. Who has time to geteverything ready?

Well, hosting a sizeable birthday partydoesn’t have to be that hard, as long as youkeep it simple. Here are seven tips to keepthe special day casual, fun and memorable.

1. Keep the meal simple. Serve grilledhamburgers, chicken, or a “make-ahead”main entree - and don’t discount the deli.Sandwiches, roasted chickens, or other pre-pared foods are always a simple way to makeyour gathering a success.

2. Make the party a potluck. People loveto share their favorite foods, and that meansnot much cooking to do. Suggest they bringalong a salad, casserole or dessert. A fewcalls to coordinate the contributions canmake for a wonderful spread.

3. Avoid dirty dishes. Use paper plates tocut down the clean-up. For the kids, addmore life with fun birthday-themed dispos-able plates.

4. Keep a few staples in your pantry. Pret-

zels, chips, canned dips and beverages canprovide a snack for a last-minute get-togeth-er without having to go to the grocery storethe same day.

5. Be sure to use disposable tableware,too. This is a sure way to prevent running outof forks, knives and spoons, and you won’thave to worry about broken glasses withplastic cups for drinks. If there will be lots oflittle ones, keep a marker handy to placeeach’s name on their cups to keep themstraight.

6. Ask a guest or two to help you and yourspouse out by bringing their digital camerasalong. It’s tough to record the candles beingblown out or the gift opening and participate

Big birthday parties at home:Seven ways to make them easy


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Winter weather and snowdays add up to fun on local

slopes for area kids

Peyton Hull,10, of Worthingtonsmiles whilesleddingdown HighBanks MetroPark’s sledding hill.

Kyle Macatangay, 9, catches some air before plunging down thehill at Hilliard Municipal Park.

Friends Perry Doran(right) and ParkerSmith, both 10, enjoya day off of schoolsledding near theNew Albany CountyClub.

Chong Song-Jiun, 10, of Worthingtonplunges down the slope at Antrim park.

Photos by

Jeffry Konczal

and

Dan Trittschuh

“ILY!” Susan Maushart’s 16-year-olddaughter often calls out over her shoulderas she leaves the house. Sure, actual wordswould be better. But Mom knows not tocomplain.

“A mother of teenagers is patheticallygrateful for an ‘I love you’ no matter whatform it takes,” she observes.

Then there are the various forms of“LOL” that her teens use in regular parl-ance – it’s become a conjugable verb bynow.

Acronyms have been around for years.But with the advent of text and Twitter-language, it certainly feels like we’respeaking in groups of capital letters a lotmore. It’s a question that intrigues lin-guists and other language aficionados –even though they’ll tell you they have ab-

solutely no concrete research on it.“It’s fascinating,” said Scott Kiesling, a

socio-linguist and professor at the Univer-sity of Pittsburgh. “What’s interesting tome as a linguist is figuring out whichwords get picked up, and why. What is itthat makes OMG and … LOL so usefulthat they spread from the written to thespoken form?”

One possibility, Kiesling proposes, isthat some of these acronyms actually be-come a whole new thought, expressingsomething different than the words thatform them. For example: “You wouldn’tsay, ‘OMG, that person just jumped off acliff,”’ he explains. “But you’d say, ‘OMG,do you see those red pants that person iswearing?”’

If only Maushart could keep up with all

the other acronyms used by her kids (theyare 20, 17 and 16). They’ve graduatedfrom the simple LOL and LOLOL toLMAO – literally, laughing so hard thatpart of your body comes off (for extracredit, use LMAOOTF – it means it’s allhappening on the floor.)

Her youngest, Sussy, 16, seems particu-larly advanced. These days, she has startedsaying “K-Dot.” Translation: OK, but witha finality to it, as in, end of discussion,“K” followed by a period, ergo: “K-Dot.”

Not avant-garde enough for you? Trythis: Sussy also is known to SPEAK aquestion mark when asking a question. Asin: “Do you really want me to do that,question mark?”

All this delights Robert Lane Greene,author of the upcoming book “You AreWhat You Speak” and a self-described lin-guistics nut. Greene doesn’t buy in to theconcern that kids are destroying our lan-guage.

“People often think the language theylearned was perfect,” he said. “But innova-tion is generally enriching. It’s fascinat-ing, if you don’t pull your hair out over it.”

So just how new is the use of acronyms?Did this all come from Internet speak,testing and the like? “Americans have al-ways liked abbreviations,” said linguisticsprofessor and author Deborah Tanner, au-thor of several popular books on language.“That certainly predates the Internet.”

In fact, acronyms date back to ancienttimes, Greene points out – the Romansand the Greeks used them. In the UnitedStates, they came into prominence in theearly 20th century with the New Deal, theseries of economic programs passed dur-ing the first term of Franklin D. Roosevelt– who, of course, became known by histhree initials. They are widely used in themilitary and today’s government bureau-cracy.

People who think acronyms are newmay be suffering from what linguists call a“recency illusion” – the illusion thatsomething is new merely because one hasjust noticed it.

But one thing that does seem genuinelynew, Greene said, “is that these three-letterphrases from the Internet and twitter-speak are being spoken out loud.”

OMG! Just when did we start talking like txt msgs?

in them with your child at the same time.Your helpers can share their photos or videosof the party with you afterward.

7. Get everyone in the household to pitchin with a “No Help, No Party!” attitude.Have the kids help prepare beforehand byputting away their toys and putting out thefood, then have them pitch in during theparty by tossing empty plates in the trash.Don’t exclude Birthday Boy or BirthdayGirl! Helping out will truly make them feellike hosts of the gathering.

Having a grand birthday party for yourchild in the home doesn’t have to be a chore.With an attitude of “easy does it” and every-one pitching in, you’ll help make a lastingfamily memory without stressing out – andbe ready to do it again next year!

–NewsUSA


EASY

it doesn’t have to be like that,” Zoey said.“You can write about whatever you like.”Promoting writing is something Zoey said

she could see herself doing as a career.“When I get older I’d like to have a business

like a writers workshop where I could teachothers how to write,” she said.

Zoey’s grandmother, Barb Spitzer, a retiredteacher from Tremont Elementary School inUpper Arlington, is excited about Zoey’s lovefor writing.

“You can’t help but think it’s wonderfulwhen your granddaughter shares an interest increativity,” she said.

For more information, visit the web siteZoey created at author12.webs.com.


YOUNG


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Almost nothing beats the thrill of careening down a snowy slope on a brand new sled. Despite the exc itement, our responsibility as parents is to find appropriate places to sled, away from roads or other moving veh icles, and as much as possible away from trees, fences, creeks, or other natural hazards. Once you have found that perf ect hill, don't neglect some simple safety measures. Talk to your child about "ditching" off the sled, and practice this before heading down a steep hill. Then have your child wear their helmet over a hat, so you protect that most impor tant part of the body.

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By JOCELYN NOVECKAssociated Press

“People often think the lan-guage they learned was perfect.But innovation is generally en-riching. It’s fascinating, if youdon’t pull your hair out over it.”

See OMG, Page 12

In the course of thefamily life cycle,many parents thinkabout having familymeetings. Some actu-ally attempt them.However, few suc-cessfully create thefamily meetingprocess for two verysignificant reasons.First of all, most par-ents are not clearabout how to do themand second, theydon’t understandtheir purpose. Unfor-tunately, many par-ents decide that theyare going to have afamily meeting when:

■ Something is wrong and there is a cri-sis;

■ They are tired of the way their kids arebehaving; or

■ They are angry about what has beengoing on at home and have decided that thefamily meeting is the antidote to the anger.

It is very important that the reader knowthat these are not the times to start the fami-ly meeting process and that beginning thefamily meeting process must be done in apositive way, in a safe environment, andwhere everyone feels good about developingan opportunity to really work together. Thelast thing families need to do is start a fami-ly meeting when there is a crisis. This givesthe family meeting a negative stigma and itcertainly does not create safety. Why family meetings?

Family meetings can be incredibly helpfulopportunities for:

■ children and families to learn to con-nect more intimately;

■ children and families to learn to talkabout difficult subjects;

■ parents to learn to create a deeper levelof dialogue with their children;

■ creating opportunities for issues to beraised and dealt with together by the familygroup, as opposed to separately with parentsand a child or just the parents.

Family Matters really encourages parentswho are interested in the family meetingprocess to begin to use that vehicle as a wayto build more intimacy, solve problems, talkabout family issues, explore new ways ofdoing things together, make decisions, anduse this as an opportunity to create a formatfor family discussion, dialogue, and deci-sion-making. We want to stress again thatstarting on a negative note is a very pooridea. Family meetings should be an ongoingprocess, held on a regular basis and with thepurpose of the meeting clear to everyone.

Beginning the processThe way to begin the family meeting

process is by having the parents preparethe family by talking about why they wantto do it, when they want to do it, a little bitabout what they are going to do, and whatthey are going to be accomplishing inthese meetings.

The children are going to say: “Oooohh-hh! This is stupid!” “I don’t want to dothis!” “We don’t need this!” “What are wedoing this for?” Yet another parental idea,but despite the resistance, many childrenhave told me (after they have grown up)how much they really enjoyed and appre-ciated the family meetings – even thoughthey complained vociferously while theywere younger.

The most important thing parents needto understand – besides starting on a posi-tive note and being clear about the pur-pose – is the importance of modeling. Theway to engage children in an open dia-logue is to show them how by doing ityourself, not by pumping them or turninginto CIA agents. Many parents wanted touse the family meetings as a way to getmaterial out of their children. Of course,that doesn’t work. The way to encourageyour children to really talk openly aboutproblems or things the family is concernedabout is by showing them how to do thatyourself. At the first meeting:

■ Be open.■ Bring up issues that are concerning

you, the parents.■ Share your feelings and thoughts and

concentrate on talking about what youthink, as opposed to pumping your chil-dren for information.

■ As the meeting goes on, look for op-portunities to engage the rest of the fami-ly in the dialogue and gently and withrespect, encourage them to communicate,as opposed to ordering them, structuringit, or forcing communication.

So, if you are going to use the familymeeting to help make group decisions,talk about things the family might do to-gether. Explore how we can be better as afamily, to provide a forum for a familymember to talk about a difficult subject,

or just generally create a framework for allof your family to be together and spendtime in a constructive way. We encourageyou to think about the final things aboutthe family meeting process. Remember:

■ You want to do this on a regularbasis.

■ You want to include everyone inevery meeting, if possible.

■ You want to, as parents, model thekind of openness and behavior you are try-ing to engender in the family.

■ You want to be respectful and under-stand that it is difficult for children toopen up. Go slow and provide them oppor-tunities to do it.

■ You want to make sure that you don’tstart the family meetings as a problem-solver to deal with difficult situations.

We encourage readers of Family Mat-ters to try the family meeting process.Many families, who have tried it on thebasis that we describe here, have found itto be a wonderful experience.

Norman Shub, certified teacher andpsychotherapist and author, is the long-time director of training at the Gestalt In-stitute of Central Ohio, 100 OuterbeltStreet, Columbus 43213,gestaltassoc.com.

Try the family meeting process; done right, it works wonders

And so, maybe you CAN blame the kidsfor that.

However, Greene notes, “People havebeen complaining about what the kids aredoing to the language since ancient times,and Latin. Language is always changing.It’s a fact of life.”

And besides, young people are alwayson a search for the next new thing. And sothis whole spoken-acronym thing may be afad, destined for the linguistic garbageheap in a matter of a few years.

Remember the word “groovy”?“One generation’s teenage slang,”

Greene said, “is the next generation’s“OMG Dad, I can’t believe you said‘groovy.’”


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NormanShubFamily Matters

March 3-6 – Arnold Sports Festival, GreaterColumbus Convention Center, Columbus, 9 a.m..-6 p.m., $10, arnoldexpo.com: The Arnold SportsFestival is the largest multi-sports festival in thenation. The event annually hosts 17,000 athletescompeting in 37 events and 11 Olympic sports.The three-day Arnold Fitness Expo located withinthe Greater Columbus Convention Center wel-comes 650 exhibitors offering a street of shopswith the latest in fitness apparel, equipment, train-ing tools, and supplements. Visitors gather to seeprofessional athletes, NFL stars, and elite fitnesscelebrities. Many youth fitness and sports areshowcased at the expo, including cheerleading,dance, fencing, gymnastics and martial arts.

March 3-6 – Worthington Community Theatre:The Curious Savage, McConnell Arts Center, 777Evening St., Worthington, 8-9 p.m. $10, 614-431-0329, worthingtonarts.org: In this warm-heartedcomedy, widow Ethel Savage hides ten milliondollars in negotiable bonds. In order to get theirhands on the money, her children admit her to asanitarium. There, she meets various social misfitswho seem saner than her “normal” family, whoput the fun back in dysfunctional! Will kindnessand decency prevail?

March 4-6 – Charlotte’s Web, 55 E. State St.,Columbus, various times, $10, 614-464-9400,phoenix4kids.org: Fern can't bear the thought thatthe runt of a litter of pigs will be destroyed, andshe begs her father to let her keep the scrawnypiglet as a pet. She gets her wish and names thepig Wilbur, who turns out to be "Some Pig!" AfterWilbur grows up and faces the likely prospect ofbecoming bacon, he is saved again, but this timeby an unlikely friend, a crafty spider named Char-lotte. She comes to his rescue by writing words inher web which reveal just how special this pig re-ally is. Charlotte's sacrifice for friendship haswarmed the hearts of audiences for generations,and it will warm yours!

March 5 – Ohio Indoor Kart Series, 717 E. 17thAve.,Columbus, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $6, 614-644-3247,ohiostatefair.com: Indoor professional go-kart rac-ing on a one-10th-mile concrete oval track locat-ed inside the O’Neill Building. Fun for the entirefamily.

March 5-6 – The Great Train Expo at the OhioExpo Center, 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus,10a.m.-4 p.m. Free. 614-644-3247,trainexpoinc.com: Come see operating model rail-roads and hundreds of tables (300 plus) of trainand toy merchandise with ALL sizes and scales.

Numerous activities for children will be availablesuch as: Toy train play area; Model railroad lay-outs they can operate; Workshops on model rail-roading; Lots of layouts featuring different scales.

March 6 – Family Fun Activities: Mardi Grashat & mask making at the Franklin Park Conserva-tory, 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus,11 a.m.-2 p.m.$6 614-645-8733, fpconservatory.org: Visit be-tween 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to enjoy hands-oncrafts free with Conservatory admission.

March 7 – Preschool Open Gym Mingo Park,500 E. Lincoln Ave., Delaware, 10 a.m.-noon, $2,740-203-1450, delawareohio.net/Departments/Parks_Recreation/default.aspx: Join us for funand play using a variety of motor skill equipment.Play with your child on gym mats, toss beanbags,play catch and enjoy other activities together.

March 9 – Wacky Wednesday-St. Patrick’s Day4675 Cosgray Road, Hilliard 10:30-11:30 a.m., $1,614-876-9554, wtwp.com/parks: Don’t forget towear your green! Make a craft and see if the lep-rechaun left any gold behind.

March 11 – International Performing Arts forFamilies: Baobab 1871 N. High St. The OhioState University, Columbus, 7-8 p.m., $6, 614-292-3535, wexarts.org: The striking masks andpuppetry of this tale based on West African story-telling traditions captivate the young and theyoung at heart. Baobab tells of a baobab tree thatstands watch over a drought-stricken village andof a little boy who goes on a quest filled withchallenges and excitement. This show also fea-tures incredible live music played on traditionalAfrican instruments. For ages 4 and up.

March 12 – Family Fun Activities: Butterflies atthe Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St.,Columbus, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., $6, 614-645-8733,fpconservatory.org: Visit between 11 a.m. and 2p.m. to enjoy hands-on crafts free with Conserva-tory admission.

March 12 – International Performing Arts forFamilies: Baobab 1871 N. High St. The Ohio StateUniversity, Columbus, 2-3 p.m., $6, 614-292-3535, wexarts.org: The striking masks and pup-petry of this tale based on West Africanstorytelling traditions captivate the young and theyoung at heart. Baobab tells of a baobab tree thatstands watch over a drought-stricken village andof a little boy who goes on a quest filled withchallenges and excitement. This show also fea-tures incredible live music played on traditionalAfrican instruments. For ages 4 and up.

March 12 – Maple Tapping Festival & Pancake

Breakfast, 1507 E. Main St., Lancaster 8 a.m.-noon, $4, 740-687-6651,www.lancasterparks.com.

March 12 – PBJ & Jazz: Liquid Crystal Project939 N. High St.,Columbus 11 a.m.-noon, $5, 614-294-5200, jazzartsgroup.org: PBJ & Jazz concertsare 1-hour long interactive concerts designed tointroduce jazz and American music to young chil-dren and their families. Featuring some of Colum-bus’ finest musicians and ensembles, PBJ & Jazzconcerts are hosted by former Columbus MusicHall owner and retired music educator RebeccaOgden and are a great introduction to live musicfor the youngest audience member.

March 12 – Sensory Night Hike 3200 IndianVillage Drive,Upper Arlington, 7-8:30 p.m., $3,614-645-3380,recparks.columbus.gov/outdoors/IndianVillage:Nocturnal animals survive using their senses.Come see if you could survive at night by testingyour senses in the dark on the trails of Indian Vil-lage.

March 12 – Little Acorns Club: Tree-mendousTrees 3200 Indian Village Drive,Upper Arling-ton,10-11 a.m. Free, 614-645-3380 http://rec-parks.columbus.gov/outdoors/IndianVillage/index.asp: Join us as we discover the largest plant atIndian Village! Trees provide shelter, food, andother materials for wildlife. We’ll take a hike tomeet our leafy friends and learn about the lifecycle of a tree through a story and craft.

March 12 – Dublin’s 2011 St. Patrick’s Day Pa-rade in Downtown Dublin, 11 a.m., free, 614-410-4400, dublin.oh.us/events.

March 13 – Family Concerts Columbus MetroLibrary, Main Branch,Columbus 2-3 p.m., free,614-464-0066, promusicacolumbus.org. Join Pro-Musica for concerts that pair music with literacy.ProMusica offers family-friendly concerts through-out the season at the Columbus Metropolitan Li-brary. These fun concerts focus on majorelements and particular themes of music and offera display of corresponding books and stories foreveryone to enjoy.

March 13 – Fable Writing Workshop Celebra-tion 77 Jefferson Ave., Columbus 5-6:30 p.m.,

March warms up with plenty of great family activitiesColumbusLocalKids.com March 2011 | Columbus Kids 13

TAKE THE FAMILY3 sure shots for fun

in March

❶ Arnold Sports Festival – An incred-ible array of youth fitness and sports

are showcased at The Ahh-nold, includingcheerleading, dance, fencing, gymnastics,martial arts and more. The action will keepthe kids fascinated as Mom and Dad get ina little crowd watching at the fitness ex-travaganza right here in Columbus – a trulyworld class event. March 3-6.

❷ Shamrock Club of Columbus St.Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish

Family Reunion – The nation’s largest St.Patrick’s Day parade held on actual St.Patty’s Day is here in Columbus. Checkout the parade that begins on High Streetat Nationwide Boulevard and heads southto Broad and west to Veterans Memorial,and make sure to check out the Irish Fam-ily Reunion at Vets at the parade’s conclu-sion: It features a great children’s activitiesarea. March 17.

❸ The Great Train Expo – Sure tobring out the train-lover in adults and

children, the GTE. Come see operatingmodel railroads and more than 300 tablesof of train and toy merchandise. Activitiesfor kids at the free event include a toy trainplay area, model railroad layouts childrencan operate and workshops on model rail-roading. March 5-6.

SNP file photo

Curly locks are the order of the day for members of the Regan Academy of Irish Dance asthey ride in the 2010 Shamrock Club of Columbus St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The 2011 pa-rade steps at 11:45 a.m. March 17 (the Shamrock Club’s parade always is on the 17th, theactual St. Patrick’s Day) followed by Irish Family Reunion from noon-7 p.m. at VeteransMemorial, 300 W. Broad St.

SNP file photo

Twin 2-year-old brothers Jason (left) and Justin Datemasch of Grove City get a close look atmodel trains going by at the 2010 Grain Train Expo at the the Ohio Expo Center. The familyfriendly event returns this year March 5-6. See ACTIVITIES, Page 14

Cancer does not discriminate. Fami-lies face many complex issues when oneof their loved ones has cancer. Canceraffects the entire family. Anyone diag-nosed with cancer faces tremendousphysical, emotional, and practical chal-lenges.

Cancer is not just a medical condition;it affects all aspects of a person's life.Family members, caregivers, and friendsare often uncertain about how to respondto and assist a person with cancer.

Cancer Support Community CentralOhio addresses these needs.

Cancer Support Community CentralOhio programs and services are alwaysprovided at no cost and offered at morethan 10 off-site neighborhood locationsincluding the West Side Health andWellness Center Greater Hilltop. Com-munity partnerships with the FranklinCounty Commissioners and the OhioSmall Grains Marketing Program helpprovide the funding to expand our pro-gramming into more Central Ohioneighborhoods so no one faces canceralone.

What's Happening? Please RSVP ifyou plan to attend a program by calling614-791-9510.

Evidenced-based educational, sup-port, and healthy lifestyle services to theWest Side community, provided at no

cost. Please join us:■ Feb. 26: Creative Family Connec-

tions, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the YMCA of

Central Ohio/Hilltop Branch. A funand creative event helping families ex-press their feelings and connect to oneanother.

■ Feb. 28: Stretch Away Stress, 3-4p.m. at the West Side Family Health andWellness Center. Healthy family yoga.

Join us at the Cancer Support Com-munity Central Ohio facility, 10330Sawmill Parkway in Powell

■ March 14: St. Patrick Day Fun!Our Wellness Kitchen will turn green forSt. Patty's Day! Join Chef A for Family

Fun in the Kitchen, 5-6:30 p.m.Save the date■ March 26: Papier-mache masks –

Creative Family Connections, hands onfamily fun, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the YMCAof Central Ohio Hilltop.

■ April 11: The FUN is RISING!Family Fun in the Kitchen is turning upthe heat and making bread. 5-6:30 p.m.

For more information on upcomingFamily and Children's programs and theCancer Support Community CentralOhio visit cancersupportohio.org.

Cancer Support Community Central Ohio announces events14 March 2011 | Columbus Kids ColumbusLocalKids.com

free, 614-464-1032, thurberhouse.org.March 14 – Preschool Open Gym Mingo Park,

500 E. Lincoln Ave., Delaware 10 a.m.-noon. $2740-203-1450, delawareohio.net/Departments/Parks_Recreation/default.aspx. Join us for fun andplay using a variety of motor skill equipment. Playwith your child on gym mats, toss beanbags, playcatch and enjoy other activities together.

March 15 – Nature Club, 1507 E. Main St.,Lancaster 6-7:30 p.m., $3.50, 740-687-6651,www.lancasterparks.com. An excitingevening for elementary age youth the enjoy hikes,crafts, and games related to nature. A differenttopic each evening led by trained outdoor educa-tors.

March 17 – Shamrock Club of Columbus St.Patrick’s Day Parade, at 11:45 a.m. ThursdayMarch 17 in Downtown Columbus; followed byIrish Family Reunion at Veterans Memorial, 300 W.Broad St. noon-7 p.m., shamrockclubofcolumbus.com.

March 19 – Saturdays in the Park, 1507 E.Main St., Lancaster, 10-11:30 a.m., $3.50, 740-687-6651 http://www.lancasterparks.com: Fami-lies with children ages 3-12 are welcome to joinus for this NEW program. Preschool children andtheir adult caregiver will stay together for all activi-ties. Elementary age children will have separateage appropriate activities. Program topics foreach month are nature oriented and can include ahike and related activities.

March 19 – Half-Pint Hullabaloo: A Festival forPre-Schoolers, Westerville Community Center, 350N. Cleveland Ave., Westerville 9:30 a.m.-noon, $3614-901-6500, westerville.org/CityDepartments/ParksRecreation/tabid/309/Default.aspx If keepingyour little ones entertained while keeping yourbudget under control is a challenge, then roundup the kids and bring them to the Half-Pint Hulla-baloo. Parents and children ages 1 through 5 areinvited to this annual award-winning event. Partici-

pate in exciting activities that cost little ornothing to create.

March 19 – African Mask MakingWorkshop, 867 Mt. Vernon Ave.,Colum-bus 10 a.m.-noon, $15 614-645-KING,kingartscomplex.com: Artist and Educa-tion Director Todd Camp explore themeaning and the beauty of regionalAfrican masks through a slide show anddiscussion. Participants will be presentedwith a variety of recycled materials includ-ing: plastics, wood scraps, beads, fabric,and paint from which to choose. Every-one will take home a wonderful creationand new insight on African masks. Thisfun filled workshop is for 3rd-6th graders.

March 21 – Preschool Open GymMingo Park, 500 E. Lincoln Ave.,Delaware,10 a.m.-noon, $2 740-203-1450, delawareohio.net/Departments/Parks_Recreation/default.aspx. Join usfor fun and play using a variety of motorskill equipment. Play with your child ongym mats, toss beanbags, play catch andenjoy other activities together.

March 24 – Kids Only Zone! MexicanNight at the Franklin Park Conservatory,1777 E. Broad St., Columbus 6-8 p.m.,$25, 614-645-8733. fpconservatory.org.

March 24-27 – 61st Annual AladdinTemple Shrine Circus, Ohio Expo Center,717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, 3-9 p.m., $5,614-644-3247,aladdinshrine.com/circus.htm

March 26 – Last Saturday Demo withVisiting Artists! 1341-B Norton Ave.,Grandview Heights 4-6 p.m., free, 614-291-4250, glassaxis.org. Watch as a pro-fessional artist makes their personalbest. See the step by step process ittakes to create an artwork and get achance to ask questions during this indepth look at glass and the finesse ittakes to create it.


ACTIVITIES

SNP file photo

Crowds of people watch the youth martial arts competition during the 2010 Arnold Sports Classic Clas-sic. The 2011 Classic, set for March 3-6, again will include the three-day Arnold Fitness Expo locatedwithin the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Many youth fitness and sports are showcased at theexpo, including cheerleading, dance, fencing, gymnastics and martial arts.

Parents looking for bargains on dining outcan check out these Central Ohio restaurantsoffering meal deals for children – list providedby KidsMealDeals.com

Gooseneck Tavern, 9721 Sawmill Road,Powell 43065, 614-336-1111: Sunday & Mon-day: FREE Kids Meal for children 12 andunder with the purchase of each regularpriced adult meal.

Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill, 1481 Po-laris Parkway, Columbus 43240, 614-430-0572: Kids Eat FREE every Monday from5-7pm: Buy one adult entree, and get one freekids meal. Valid on kids meals only. Nocoupon required.

Bucci’s Pizzeria, 4333 Cosgray Road,Hilliard 43026, 614-850-1900: Monday is “Family

Night” at Bucci’s Pizzeria. FREE small cheesepizza with the purchase of a large pizza. YouMUST mention this offer at the time of order.

Champps Americana, 161 E. CampusView Blvd., Columbus 43235, 614-781-1000:All day Tuesday: Kids Eat FREE! Get 2 FREEkids meals for children 12 and under with thepurchase of each adult entree.

LouiE’s Grill, 4453 Cemetary Road, Hilliard43026, 614-771-5606: Monday & Tuesday:One FREE kids meal for children under 12with the purchase of each adult entree. Dine-in only. Cannot be combined with any otheroffer, coupon, discount or promotion.

Skyline Chili, 6111 Busch Boulevard,Columbus 43229, 614-848-3855: Wednesdays5-9pm one free kids meal with purchase of an

adult meal.Bellacino’s Pizza & Grinders, 4926 Morse

Road, Columbus 43230, 614-855-5858: KIDSEAT FREE on Wednesdays! (dine-in only; limit2 per adult)

Chick-fil-A, 1988 Hilliard Rome Road,Hilliard 43026, 614-771-9650: Thursday from5 to 8 pm - Free 4 Pack Kids Meal with eachCombo purchase.

Golden Corral, 4750 E. Main St., Whitehall43213, 614-864-3700: All day - every day,Children 3 and under eat FREE from the buffetwith the purchase of an adult meal.

Steak ‘n Shake, 5995 Sawmill Road,Columbus 43017, 614-889-0203: Kids EatFree all weekend - One free kid’s plate forevery $8 spent. Dine-In only.

Dining out? Find a restaurant offering family meal deals


C lassified D irectory C lassified D irectory C lassified D irectory

Place Your Classified Ad by Phone 614-785-1200; By Mail P.O. Box 29912, Columbus, OH 43229 By Fax 614-785-1881; By E-mail [email protected]

SNP is looking for kids that can deliver newspapers Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday after school on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday !

• • Deliver the award winning SNP Newspapers to

houses in your neighborhood!

• • Newspapers and inserts are delivered to carriers’ houses

every week.

• must • Carriers’ must be able to deliver their route(s) on Tuesday, Wednesday or

Thursday.

0819

9126

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ATTENTION KIDS! Do You Want A 2 Hour Per Week Job?

C O L U M B U S

SNPS U B U R B A N N E W SP U B L I C AT I O N S

SNP If you’re between the ages of 9 and 15, please contact Circulation Manager Tom Banik at [email protected]

or by phone, 614-410-0460. Please include your name, phone number and home address with zip code.

Bible-Based Discipline • Academic Excellence • Family Values

0101

9216

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322 Stewart Ave • Columbus, OH 43206 • (614) 444-4216 www.stpaulcares.org

S T . P AUL ’ S L UTHERAN S CHOOL S T . P AUL ’ S L UTHERAN S CHOOL S T . P AUL ’ S L UTHERAN S CHOOL Grades K-8

An Ed Choice School Open House – Tuesday, February 22nd 5:30-7:30

• Students Learn The Way to Salvation Through Jesus the Savior • Phonics Based Reading Methods • Accelerated Reading Program • Algebra in 8th grade for Qualifying Students • Music, Art, Sports • Morning & Afternoon Latch Key Programs

Easy Access from Downtown

Great Job Henry!MVP Soccer Star!**********************Congratulate your Child with a Columbus Kids

Happy Ad! Honor Roll Student?

Birthday? Sport Award?Call Columbus Kids

Classifieds 614 785-1200

CUSTODIAN GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS

CITY SCHOOLSThe district is accepting

applications for the following position:

CUSTODIANOne full-time evening position for 8 hours per day. Previous

custodial experience is required and must include verifiable

references. Full benefits plus sick

leave. High School diploma/GED is required.

An Ohio and FBI background check is

required. Deadline to apply is

March 2, 2011Applications for this

classified position are on our website:

www.grandviewschools.org

" Loving Dublin Mom "2 FT Infant position avail. Lots of TLC, 16 years exp.

Exc. Refs. (614)792-6681

ABC’S 123’SJoin our group,PT/FT ages

6 mos. & up, structured play, arts & crafts,

preschool activities, Polaris area Call (614)396-8044

Child Care in my home. F/T, $80/wk., P/T $25wk., Infants up, Refs. avail., Lunch, snacks. 614-948-5691

FULL TIME CHILDCAREin my Gahanna home. Hot meals & snacks in a loving

environ. In/outdoor activities.14 years exp. CPR certified.

Pls. call Teresa 614-475-4757

HOME GROWN KIDSAction for Children Registered

Infants to age 4.35 yrs. exp. 268-0367

In Home Child CareF/T, P/T, Flex. HRs.

Pickerington Area off I-256 near (Hill Rd). Meals, snacks, fun & act. N/S. No pets • Exp. & Ref.

Call Karen (614) 834-4726

DUBLIN FAMILYSeeks in-home nanny for 2 1/2 Y/O twins. M-F full or part time,

flexible hours. $10/hr. Experinece with twins preferred.

614-905-1226

SITTERS UNLIMITEDThe fast, easy, convenient

way to find a sitterSittersUnlimitedLTD.com

614-799-9116

MUSIC LESSONS In YOUR HOME

614-847-1212Convenient SchedulingExperienced, Background

Checked TeachersYour Children will learn on their own instrument, in the comfort of their own home.

pianolessonsinyourhome.com********************

Enrollment Fee Waivedwith the purchase of your first month

(Limited time offer. Offer expires 3/31/2011)

********************

TUTORINGEnglish & History

All Ages Certified/experienced, 1 hr/$25.

Contact: 457-0824 or [email protected]

TRADER TOTSChildrens & Maternity Resale

www.tradertots.comOpen 7 Days a Week

614-488-8687

FRESCO FURNISHINGSHome Interior Resalefrescofurnishings.com

Open 7 Days a Week614-586-1963

RED BARN BED & BISCUITYour dog’s walk-a-day

farm get-a-way!www.redbarnbedandbiscuit.com

740-272-1435

Alterations by RoxaneProfessional tailoring and

alterations for men, women and children. 20+ yrs exp. Clintonville.Call (614) 749-1131 for appt.

WALL-EYE PAINTINGInterior Painting * Wood FinishingTextured Ceilings * Drywall Repair

30 yrs * Ins * BBB * Free Est.Call Roni Nagaich at 888-5801

" Madison Plumbing "Licensed & Insured

Free Ests. * Call Today!Carl (614) 313-7806

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Join the Crowd and place your ad

785-1200 Toll free:

1-866-354-6030

Everyone is Reading Columbus KiDS

785-1200 It’s Easy to Place Your Ad in…

Toll free: 1-866-354-6030


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