knoxville parent - december, 2012

D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 2 F r e e

December 2012Volume I • Issue 10

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3 Knoxville Parent • December 2012

December 2012Volume I • Issue 10

Gifts that last a lifetime!

on the cover:While exchanging gifts during the holidays is a great way to express our love and regard for

others, not all gifts come wrapped in shiny paper and colorful bows. There are so many gifts that we can give our children that will help to shape their character, their minds, and their spirits.

Contents

K N O X V I L L E

Contact Info:Phone: 865.622.9680Fax: 888.457.9602E-mail: [email protected] Parent is published monthly and is distributed throughout the city of Knoxville and surrounding communities. Knoxville Parent is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publishers may take more than one copy per monthly issue. Knoxville Parent may be distributed only by authorized distributors.

Knoxville Parent PO Box 52605Knoxville, TN 37950,phone 865.622.9680 • fax 888.457.9602The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted and property of Knoxville Parent. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publishers. Knoxville Parent utilize freelance writers, and the views expressed within this publication are not necessarily the views of the publishers or editors. Knoxville Parent takes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or other materials.

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Advisory BoardSr. Mary MartaAbbott, RSMThe Diocese of Knoxville

Marie AlcornUnited Way of Greater Knoxville

Mike BaileySmall Business Representative

Ellen ListonEast Tennessee Children’s Hospital

Tracey MatthewsKnox County Department of Education

Elizabeth PooleyMarketing Professional

Lee TramelKnox County Sheriff ’s Department

Liza ZenniThe Artts and Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville

Contributing WritersKristina HowardAnthony IngramJohn JoslynJames McIntyre, Ph.D.Paul Nations, D.D.S.Erin NguyenMike O’HernMichael Smith, Ph.D.Kathryn Rea Smith, Ph.D.Liz StuckeLee TramelPiotr Ulmer, MSPTLiza Zenni

Contributing PhotographersThe Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater KnoxvilleAnthony IngramKnox County SchoolsEva NationsSevierville Chamber of CommerceTitanic Museum Attraction

Knoxville Parent is now online!

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We welcome your letters! If you have a question or comment for Knoxville Parent, please e-mail it to [email protected]. Letters may be edited to meet space requirements.

Michael Kull and Eva Nations, Publishers

The gift of good healthIn addition to your personal new year’s resolution, consider making a family resolution to be healthy in 2013.

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The gift of disappointmentWhen children have learned that they can survive disappointment, they are more willing to identify and pursue their dreams, their hearts’ desires.

A letter from the publishers

The gifts that last a lifetime

The gift of discipline

The gift of good health

The gift of healthy teeth

The gift of life

The gift of disappointment

Events for the month of December

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The gift of history

The gift of experiences

The gift of education

The gift of reading

The gift of creativity

The gift of giving

The gift of fatherhood

The gift of the arts

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The gift of experiencesExperiences, such as going to a musical concert, hiking or traveling with family are more likely to increase happiness.

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by Eva Nations and Michael Kull

A message from the Publishers

This month’s theme is “Gifts that last a lifetime!” The holiday season is a wonderful time, no matter how you celebrate. From Thanksgiving through new year’s, there are many opportunities to gather with family, celebrate, and even exchange gifts. In December’s issue, we call attention to those gifts that will have a positive and lasting effect on families.

Gifts that last a lifetime are those lessons and experiences that we internalize. They shape our concept of life and inform our decision-making. They enable us to create a better life for ourselves and those around us. They are gifts that can be passed along from generation to generation, so that our children and their children will continue to have the ability to achieve their goals and realize their dreams. Happy holidays!Eva and Michael

by Piotr Ulmer, MSPT

The gifts that last a lifetime



Later, I learned that she had similar beliefs to mine, and that it was her faith that led her to help others in need, even though she lived in a different country hundreds of kilometers away.

This experience taught me that the best gift, the most usable, the most practical, and the one that truly lasts “forever” (because it is for eternity) is the gift of faith. For me there is nothing that comes close to it. All of life activities depend on it. It is truly the “skeleton” to which all other dimensions of life are attached, and from which all other ideas and activities get their foundation and grounding. Today, I’m going to fill a paper bag with food, jars, and other boxes and take it to church this coming Sunday. There is a collection of items to be sent to people in need. Christmas is coming.

When I think of gifts I’ve received during my lifetime, some particular events

come to me right away. I remember vividly a few months before Christmas in Poland in the early 80’s, a time of economic shortages; meat, flour, sugar and alcohol were rationed (food stamp system). The only thing available in a neighborhood grocery store was vinegar. There were literally empty store shelves – all shelves, except one, with 10 or 15 bottles of vinegar. The salesperson was informing customers about the future delivery of butter, milk, or any other goods to the store. Some of them were supposed to be delivered in a day, some in 2 days. I remember once standing in a two-hour line in front of the store (before going to school at 7 am) to buy two blocks of butter, which was the limit per person, after my family was tipped off about a delivery happening that morning.

It was in a daily scenario like this that a miracle happened. Our neighbor came to us excited and said that a few 18-wheelers from the German Red Cross arrived at our town’s bus station, and the drivers were giving away boxes with Christmas gifts. I went, and the crowd was big. I was about 16 or 17 years old, and I managed to “drill” myself into the crowd and grab (and not let go of) one of the boxes. I brought it home, everyone knelt around it, and we opened it. The contents were all unexpected: two or three Granny Smith apples, two boxes of chocolates, truffles, some other cookies and crackers, clothing items like one or two pairs of pants, a sweater, a plastic pipe (a decoration) and so on. All the items were unusual for us. We were all ecstatic. We felt like the “Loot of Treasure Island” landed in my parents’ bedroom. My parents decided right away that most of the package would wait for Christmas. We did open one truffle candy bar, cut it in four (a piece for each one of us) and ate it. It was this never before experienced taste, unknown, exciting, surprising…just marvelous and delicious. The pants did not fit anybody in the family, but I had already done some alterations of pants by hand in the past, so sowing the trousers into narrow sleeves was not too difficult. I wore them until the end of high school. The plastic pipe became a present for my Grandpa, while Grandma got the box of chocolates.

At the bottom of the box was a letter with the address of the couple who had packed the package and sent it to Poland. My father knew some basic German, so he translated the letter with the help of a dictionary and right away on the same evening wrote back. We received a few more packages over the following years, and finally Dagmar (the lady who was sending the packages) came to visit us in Poland to be an honorary guest during the First Communion of my sister Katarzyna.

During these times, despite the seeming difficulties, we never experienced true hunger. We were always blessed with some solution to challenging situations. I understand now from the perspective of decades that our faith had created an incredible foundation on which our family (as well as many others in Poland) could rely for daily perseverance. I was never scared of being hungry, since most people around us were more than willing to help others in time of need. My family still recalls Dagmar’s packages. We are still indebted to this generous German lady who literally created the most memorable Christmas for my family in the time of crisis.

“We opened one truffle candy bar, cut it in four (a piece for each one of us) and ate it... The plastic pipe became a present for my Grandpa, while Grandma got the box of chocolates.”

Piotr Ulmer established CTS Physical Therapy in 2001. A native of Warsaw, Poland, he received his Master of Rehabilitation

degree from that city’s Academy of Sports in 1991. He formerly served as the director of an outpatient physical therapy clinic in Clarksville, TN and as a Sports Medicine Physical Therapist in

Knoxville before starting CTS Physical Therapy.

A message from the Publishers

Keep Your Teeth HealthyFor A Lifetime!

(865) 693-6933

Paul B. Nations, D.D.S.Cedar Bluff Dental Center, P.C.9221 Middlebrook Pike, Ste. 201

Knoxville, TN 37931

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Michael K. Smith, Ph.D., is owner of TESTPREP EXPERTS (www.testprepexperts.com ) which prepares

students for standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT. He is also a consultant to Discovery Education Assessment.

He can reached at [email protected].

“Children need models more than they need critics.”

Joseph Joubert, Pensees, 1842

Bruno Bettelheim begins his chapter “About Discipline” from his book A Good Enough Parent with this quote from Joubert. Bettelheim notes that when parents think about “discipline,” they often equate it with punishment—either physical punishment or coercion that demands obedience. Bettelheim suggests that the original definition of this word has been lost: “discipline” is “instruction imparted to disciples” from the Latin root, discipulus or learner. Children are originally disciples of their parents and learn by modeling their behavior on their parents’ behavior. What needs to be modeled, according to Bettelheim, are self-control and self-respect.

Most disciples want to learn from a master in whose image they can form themselves. For most children, parents are these first masters. “The younger the child, the more he admires his parents,” Bettelheim writes. “Thus, fortunately, in most families there is a solid basis for the child’s wish to be his parents’ disciple, to love and admire them, and to emulate them if not in all, then in some very important respect.” The initial basis for instruction is love and admiration not force and coercion.

Self-discipline and self-control are what many parents want their children to learn. “It is up to parents to build on the child’s need for attachment to promote self-control around particular issues and, even more important, a lasting inner commitment to be, or at least to become, a disciplined person.” For children to learn self-control, parents must model self-control. If parents want children to control anger by counting to 10, then parents

should also be able to control their own anger in a similar manner. Children respond to what parents do more than what they say: “It is by no means easy to achieve self-discipline; many parents are

not that disciplined themselves and thus do not provide a clear image in this respect for their child to emulate.”

Self-control does not develop quickly or easily. Parents should not be surprised or upset that it takes time to learn self-control. Bettelheim suggests that parents can remember their own limitations. “We too should remember how impossible we often were as children and how we resented it if our parents were not patient and understanding. If we could do that, we would then have much greater patience with and understanding of our children’s inability to discipline themselves before they reach maturity…”

Self-respect is also what children admire. Parents show self-respect, almost unconsciously, by living by their stated values. If parents believe in hard work, they themselves are hard workers. If parents encourage healthy eating, they themselves are moderate eaters. Parents who live by their values earn the respect of their children. “A parent who respects himself doesn’t need to buttress his security by demanding respect from his child. Secure in himself, he will not feel his authority threatened and will accept his child—at times—showing lack of respect for him, as particularly young children are occasionally apt to do.”

This gift of discipline will help children as they enter adolescence and adulthood. “As the child grows older, he will no longer admire his parents so single-mindedly; among the widening circle of his acquaintances they will begin to seem less than perfect.” Children, however, will seek out teachers and friends who model the same self-control and self-respect as their parents. As “good enough parents,” we can only hope to model self-control and self-respect the best we can for our young children.

“Most disciples want to learn from a master in whose image they can form themselves. For most children, parents are these first masters.”

by Michael K. Smith Ph.D.

The gift of discipline

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The gift of good health


In addition to your personal new year’s resolution, consider making a family

resolution to be healthy in 2013. Through the simple tips listed below, you and your family will begin creating healthy habits—a gift that truly lasts a lifetime.

1) Eat better—and together.Though school, work, and activity schedules are hectic, don’t give up on the idea of family dinners. Instead of eating on the run or unhealthy snacking, establish routines for breakfast, lunch, after-school snacks and dinner. Regular family meal times are proven to lower rates of obesity and the likelihood of developing eating disorders. Also, children who eat with their families perform better in school and have higher self-esteem. Use family meals to teach your children about positive eating habits, such as eating reasonably-sized portions and healthier alternatives. By involving your children in the planning and cooking process, you are teaching them valuable lessons about choosing healthy options and taking responsibility for what they eat. Finally, don’t try to forbid fast food or junk food. Teach your children that they are treats to be enjoyed occasionally but should not replace regular meals or snacks.

2) Be active.Make exercise easy by incorporating it into the daily routine. Take a walk or bike ride every night after dinner. Start with a goal, such as 30 minutes or one mile. The time spent walking is also an opportunity to connect with your children. Other ways to be active include doing chores together, planning an active family activity each weekend or working together to train for a 5K that benefits a cause your family supports. Encourage an active lifestyle by limiting time spent in front of the television or playing video games. Children who spend more than two hours in front of a screen (including television, computer or video game) are much more likely to be obese. Keep televisions out of your child’s bedroom and turn off the television during family meals. Families who aren’t glued to the

television will focus better, be more active and discover new ways to stay entertained.

3) Set a good example. Even if you haven’t had the best track record with food or exercise, your willingness to change your ways and adhere to a healthy lifestyle will deeply impact the decisions of your children. Parents have an incredible opportunity to improve the lives of their

children—all by making better decisions about their own health. By choosing healthier foods, staying active and striving for a healthier lifestyle, you have communicated more to your child than teachers, the media or peers ever could. Think about the changes you could make in your own life that would teach your child positive habits in the long term. If you smoke, seek out help to quit. If you have notoriously unhealthy eating habits, work to make better choices for your family and on your own. Your children will notice and remember as they begin to make their own decisions.

4) Hold each other responsible. As you work toward your family resolution of better health, make sure everyone is doing their part to achieve your goals. Though resolutions can be difficult to keep as the year grows busier, don’t give up on eating healthier, staying active and instilling positive long term habits. Create a chart to keep in your home in which each family member records how they worked toward their goals that week and what they’re struggling with. Use time at family meals to discuss your family’s progress and positive choices. It doesn’t have to become a time to single-out someone who’s struggling; focus on the improvements in energy, self-esteem and lifestyle.

For more information on improving your family’s health in 2013, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/family/ or the East Tennessee

Children’s Hospital website, www.etch.com.


If a person were asked the question, “What does a dentist do?” there may be a wide

variety of answers. One answer might be that the dentist fixes teeth. Another could be that he or she pulls teeth, cleans teeth, fixes cavities, or even keeps teeth healthy. Some might even say that the dentist makes teeth. These answers would all be correct, but most people would not really consider all of the things that a dentist does and, more importantly, why.

When you think about all of the time consuming and sometimes uncomfortable things that a dentist wants a patient to do, it’s easy to believe that this is the extent of the dentist’s job. However, brushing, flossing and coming for regular check-ups and cleanings are just the basics. For example, if the dentist finds a small cavity,

“There must be some reason for a dentist to ask his patients to go through all this trouble of keeping their natural teeth healthy.”

by Paul B. Nations, D.D.S.

The gift of healthy teeth...for a lifetime

a filling will be required, which usually means another trip to the office and a numbing of the tooth and gums. Sometimes, a tooth will have even more significant problems. It could have a large cavity, a large filling that is failing, or even a crack. This tooth might need a crown, a root canal, or worse, an extraction. It might

have an abscess (a localized and infected area that has formed) and might require antibiotics. There are times when patients have gum disease and may be told that they need to have their gums numbed and have a special cleaning performed below the gums, or they may need gum surgery. There may be teeth that have to be extracted or have already been lost, and so, implants, bridges or partial dentures are needed. If the teeth and gums are past any hope of fixing, then the patients may be told that all of their teeth must be pulled and dentures made.

Considering all of the above, why would anyone want to bother? Why not just skip all of the trouble and get false teeth? They can be as white and straight as anyone could want them to be. They can be taken out to brush, and one couldn’t floss them even if one wanted to. What could be easier? There must be some reason for a dentist to ask his patients to go through all this trouble of keeping their natural teeth healthy.

In fact, the true purpose of a dentist is just the opposite of the easy scenario described above. The true purpose of a dentist is to help patients keep their teeth and gums healthy for a lifetime.

Why is it worth all the trouble to save a tooth? How do people end up loosing all their teeth? The truth is that most people lose teeth from either cavities (tooth decay) or gum disease (periodontal disease). Both of these processes are caused by bacteria that live in the mouth, and both happen gradually over time. These processes are generally painless, until the problems are very well advanced, so that people may not even know that there is a problem until it is too late. So, what are these consequences? The loss of just one tooth with no replacement can cause a domino effect that, over time, can result in the loss of all of the teeth, precipitating the need for dentures. Unfortunately, this is the time when many people come to the dentist and say, “Oh, I wish that I had kept my teeth. I don’t want those things in my mouth!” They are given dentures and realize that, instead of being problem and pain free, they now have a new set of problems, and there is no going back. Even if a person can wear the dentures at first, these manufactured teeth may become loose and ill-fitting over time. The jaw bone that supports the denture eventually deteriorates, because it is missing the structural integrity that natural teeth provide. Even the best set of dentures ever made will only chew a fraction as well as the natural teeth. Perhaps, instead of or in addition to dentures, patients can get implants, but not without several surgeries and considerable expense. Patients facing these options are the ones who truly realize why the dentist went on and on about flossing and regular check-ups.

There are many times when young patients come in to the dental office saying that it is not worth saving their natural teeth, because, “My parents and grandparents lost their teeth at an early age, and it’s just in the family. We all have

Why not just skip all of the trouble and get false teeth? They can be as white and straight as anyone could want them to be.

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“There must be some reason for a dentist to ask his patients to go through all this trouble of keeping their natural teeth healthy.”

Dr. Paul Nations received his B.S. in Biology at Vanderbilt University and his D.D.S. at the University of Tennessee,

Memphis, where he graduated with honors. He also completed one year in Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency

at the University of Tennessee, Memphis and maintains a private practice at Cedar Bluff Dental Center, P.C. in West Knoxville.

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“We all have soft teeth, so I am destined for dentures like everyone else in the family.”

These are some symptoms that may require a trip to the dentist:

• Temperature / sweet sensitity• Loose teeth• Bleeding gums after brushing• Bad breath• Recurring food trap between teeth• Sharp or broken teeth• Pain with biting or chewing

soft teeth, so I am destined for dentures like everyone else in the family.” Through education in the dental office, however, patients like these can many times be saved from this fate, if it is not too late already. They can keep their own teeth (and the better health and quality of life that goes with them).

I am often asked “Why would you decide to be a dentist and work in someone’s mouth?” “Why would you want to be in a profession where no one is happy to see you?” The reason is because I saw my own grandmother suffer from the worst case scenario described above. Even with the amazing advances in dental technology, she wasn’t able to gain enough help or relief from her pain. I wanted to find a way to help prevent this from happening to others, because I saw firsthand how she suffered. I became a dentist to help patients avoid the fate of being in irreversible pain. Through helping patients understand how to take care of their natural teeth, I am giving them a gift. They can pass this important knowledge along to their children and grandchildren as well. Starting with this holiday season, please stay healthy, and understand that taking care of your teeth through good dental hygiene and regular checkups is the gift of healthy teeth that you can give yourself and your family for a lifetime.


by Chief Lee Tramel

The gift of life

Knox county Sheriff ’s office. I started my law enforcement career when I was 22 years old and working for the citizens of Knox County for over 20 years has been an awesome experience filled with both triumph and tragedy. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work for three different Sheriffs. Learning from these great public servants has allowed me to be successful in my profession. These are things each of us should be thankful for; God, family, job.

When it comes to family, this year it has gotten even more personal. My brother Tim passed away on May 28th after a courageous battle with cancer. Tim loved to play golf and he was most alive on a golf course. I am thankful for the 41 years and 10 months that I had my little brother. I am thankful for the bucket list we made, and on that list was to play golf from Pebble Beach to Pinehurst. I am thankful that we got most of it done. I am thankful of the time we had, and the memories we made. I’ll never forget the lessons on living he taught me.

Working at the Sheriff ’s office I have witnessed courage on many different levels. Watching my brother battle cancer was courage beyond belief. He stood up to everything they threw at him and never complained. Clinical trial drugs trying to save his life would make him so sick, but he would never complain. Anytime you would see Tim and ask “how are you doing” the standard answer was “I’m doing fine, God has been good to me”.

The last round of golf we played together was May 8th at Washington Duke Inn. He was unsteady on his feet and his balance was just about gone, but he never quit. “Quit” wasn’t a word in his vocabulary. He battled that round like he did his life. It was amazing to watch him play. Being the big brother it was supposed to be me teaching the lessons and him learning, however, life does have a way of leading. I am thankful for Tim’s wife Tracie. He has left me with a fabulous sister-in-law. She was his soul mate, and I am so glad he had that experience of true love before he died. She is a gift from him to our family who we cherish. So in this season to be thankful, be thankful for the good and also the bad, because bad times can give you reasons to be thankful, if you look closely.

Lee Tramel is the Assistant Chief Deputy for the Knox County Sheriff ’s Office. During his 26 year career, he also served in the civil

warrants division and as Assistant Director of the Court Services Division. Lee is a Knoxville native, where he lives with his wife and

10 year old daughter.

Every holiday season brings a time to give thanks. It seems every year that

I live, I have more and more to give thanks for. So for this month’s article I’m getting a little personal. I would like to take this opportunity to share some of the reasons I am thankful.

To begin with, I am thankful for the season. I believe that the most important gift is the gift of life through Christ, and for that I am thankful. I’m thankful for the foundation that was built by my parents a long time ago, a foundation of faith and family that still holds strong today. I’m thankful for my wife, who has put up with me for almost 20 years now, and our daughter who, we believe, is a gift from God and is absolutely the light of our lives. When I look past God and family I look to my job. I am very thankful to have had the privilege to grow up and work for the

“Being the big brother it was supposed to be me teaching the lessons and him learning, however, life does have a way of leading.”

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they might not make the team, but realize if they don’t, they’ll be disappointed, but okay. They know that along with the disappointment will be feelings of self-pride at having had the courage to reach for something they really wanted.

One of the benefits of successful navigation of a painful disappointment is that the event becomes a touchstone for dealing with future situations. Parents can say, “remember last year when you lost the spelling bee? You got through that disappointment, and you will get through this one, too.” My younger son and I still talk about the Lego set that wasn’t there and the way he felt about it. His strongest memory is that although he went to bed sad, the next morning he woke up feeling better, ready for his Spring Break vacation. He felt his feelings, and they passed, just like his mom told him they would.

by Kathryn Rea Smith, Ph.D.

The gift of disappointment

This past Spring Break, we were preparing to go on a trip to the mountains, and my younger

son wanted a new Lego set to take with him. He had saved some money, and he knew which set he wanted. We headed to Target, but they did not have the popular set, so we went to Toys R Us. As my younger son rounded the corner to the Lego display, all he saw were empty shelves. He was crushed, and his face fell halfway to the floor. I could tell he was going to cry.

His brother and I helped him get to a less crowded part of the store so he could have some privacy. “I know you are so disappointed,” I said. “You really had your heart set on getting that Lego set, and it’s not here. I’m really sorry.” His brother told him, “I know what it’s like to want something really badly and then you can’t have it.”

In the car, we continued to talk about disappointment. I told my son about the time I did not get the psychology internship that was my first choice, and his brother talked about the time he had to miss his third grade trip to Camp Wesley Woods because he came down with the flu the night before. Later that day, my younger son asked my husband “Dad, have you ever been disappointed about anything?” My husband replied, “Of course I have. Right now I’m disappointed that I’m not going to be able to spend the entire Spring Break with you guys, because I have to work.”

Helping children learn to cope with disappointments is an essential task of parenting. It’s not glamorous, and it can run counter to parental protective instincts. Our instincts are to do something to fix the situation so that our child will no longer feel sad. My first instinct with my son at Toys R Us was to offer to drive all over town to find the coveted Lego set. However, this instinct, though understandable, is misguided. If we constantly try to fix things for our children, because we don’t want them to be disappointed, we miss an important opportunity to help them grow and be better prepared for life. Our children need to learn that they can feel disappointed, even deeply so, and survive. They need to learn that disappointment, like all difficult emotions, will pass.

Being parents of children dealing with disappointment is hard. Our hearts ache for them. If we have learned to face disappointment ourselves, we know their pain. We understand that smaller disappointments pass more quickly, and bigger disappointments take longer to resolve. We must realize, though, that as parents there is much we can do to connect with and support our children during these times. We can affirm and validate their feelings and let them know of similar times in our lives. We can remind them that “this too shall pass.” When the feeling does pass, we can observe this fact to them. We can tell them how proud we are of them for setting a goal and pursuing it even though it did not work out for them this time.

When children have learned that they can survive disappointment, they are more willing to identify and pursue their dreams, their hearts’ desires. Such children say, “I really want to be on the basketball team, so I’m going to go for it. I’ll practice really hard to get ready for the tryouts.” These children understand

Kathryn Rea Smith, Ph.D. is a private practice psychologist specializing in assessment. She is the married mother of two

school-aged boys.

“When children have learned that they can survive disappointment, they are more willing to identify and pursue their dreams, their hearts’ desires. ”

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Events for December 2012K N O X V I L L E

Knox County SchoolsPARENT UNIVERSITY “P.E.”

(Parent Empowerment) Classesand Community Events

Submitted by Tracey Matthews,KCS Supervisor of Family and Community Engagement

November 5-February 28: Sevierville’s Smoky Mountain Winterfest Celebration. To learn more go to www.VisitSevierville.com or call (865) 453-6411. November 16 - December 2: Oak Ridge Playhouse presents The Wiz. Get your groove on and ease on down the road in this Tony award-winning, hip re-telling of “The Wizard of Oz.” Dorothy’s journey through a land of wicked witches, scarecrows, lions, and men made of tin is told in a dazzling, lively mixture of rock, gospel, and soul! Soaring and exuberant, it radiates so much energy you can hardly sit in your seat. Visit www.ORPlayhouse.com for more information. November 29 - December 16: A Christmas Carol from the book by Charles Disckens, adapted for the stage by Barbara Field at the UT Clarence

Brown Theatre. The Clarence Brown holiday tradition returns – this time with new costumes, a new set and a new adaptation of the timeless tale of Scrooge’s redemption! Appropriate for ages 5 and up. Call 865-974-5161 or visit ClarenceBrownTheatre.com.December 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29: “Parenting Classes for Divorced Families” are held each Saturday from 9 a.m. – noon at the Child & Family Tennessee Building: 901 E. Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37915. This is a 12-hour course consisting of 4 weekly sessions. Call 524-7483 ext. 240 for more information. December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: “Chess for Kids” meets at 2 p.m. at the Knox County Public Library Bearden Branch. Children of all ages and skill levels are welcome. Visit www.knoxlib.org for more details.December 3: East Tennessee Children’s Hospital is providing “CPR Class” at 6 p.m. in the Koppel Plaza. This certification course teaches the American Heart Association chain of survival -- from when to call 911 to how to effectively administer CPR to an infant, child or

adult. This course is designed for anyone who may be expected to respond to emergencies at home or in the workplace. Participants must be at least 14 years old. Following the course, participants will receive an American Heart Association Heartsaver certification card. This course is $25 per person. Class size is limited, so preregistration is required. Visit www.etch.com for more information. December 3: Pandora Unforgettable Moments Presents Mannheim Steamroller. Doors open at 6:30PM, Show starts at 7:30PM. Knoxville Civic Auditorium. Tickets are $76.00, $61.00, and $46.00 plus applicable service fees and are available via All Knoxville Tickets Outlets, Knoxville Civic Coliseum Box Office, online at knoxvillecoliseum.com and by phone at 865-656-4444.December 3, 10 and 17: “Fountain City Scrabblers” (all ages) group meets every Monday at 6 p.m. at the Fountain City Branch Library. Join other Scrabble enthusiasts and pit your wits against other word lovers. Visit www.knoxlib.org for details. December 4: Knox County Schools “Magnet Showcase” will be held at the Knoxville Museum of Art from 4:30 - 7 p.m. Those who are interested in enrolling into any KCS magnet school are encouraged to attend. Each magnet school will have information available about the school’s program, eligibility, applications and more. Visit www.knoxschools.org or call (865) 594-1731 for more information. December 4: “Car Seat Inspections” are being given for FREE by the Clinton Fire Department and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. Inspections will be held from 5 - 8 p.m. at the City of Clinton Fire Department Station #1, 100 Longmire Road. Call 541-8000 or visit www.etch.com for more information.December 4, 11, 18: “Families

Anonymous” is a group of concerned relatives and friends who have faced up to the reality that the problems of someone close to them is seriously affecting their lives. The discussion topics are most often drug and alcohol related, but the floor is open to discussions of any type. This ADULTS ONLY group meets every Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. at Peninsula Lighthouse. For more information, visit http://www.faknoxpeninsula.blogspot.com/ or email [email protected] 4, 6, 11, 13, 18 and 20 (two days or evenings are required): “Adult Education Registration/ Orientation” classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. or 4 – 9 p.m. at the Historic Knoxville High School. Once you are registered, Adult Education Classes take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 9 a.m. – noon and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. For more information, call 594-3622 to sign up for mandatory orientation or visit www.ae.knoxschools.org. December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, and 19: Knox County Schools’ Adult Education program will provide registration for the “English Language Learners Classes” (formerly ESL at Fountain City United Methodist Church every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. in room 112, and at the Cokesbury Center every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in room 112. The classes will take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. – noon and 6 – 8:30 p.m. at the Fountain City United Methodist Church, and every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. – noon at the Cokesbury Center. Contact Nancy Seely at 594-3622 or visit www.ae.knoxschools.org for more information. December 4, 6 11, 13, 18, 20, 27: “Nurturing Parents Classes” are held at the Child & Family Tennessee Building, 901 E. Summit Hill Drive, on Tuesdays 10 a.m. – noon and Thursdays 4 - 6 p.m. This

FEATURED EVENTOnce Upon a Christmastime at the Titanic Museum Attraction Christmastime at Titanic fills every heart with fellowship and good cheer. The beauty and charm of our once-upon-a-time Edwardian Christmas will dazzle and truly amaze you, from your arrival at the White Star Line boarding station to the moment you depart through our magical Holiday Gift Shoppe. More than

$100,000 has been invested in all the trimmings: twinkling lights, lush garlands and wreaths, towering Christmas trees and a magical snowfall from the ship’s bow every Saturday evening at 7pm. Our cheery crew will join costumed merry- makers in stirring your memories of holiday gatherings gone by, while setting the scene for many more. It’s during this special time of year that you’ll truly experience what it was like aboard ship and how it might have looked on a Christmas voyage 100 years ago. Titanic Pigeon Forge. Ticket Information: Toll Free: 800/381-7670 • 417/334-9500. 2134 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863. www.titanicpigeonforge.com

Let us know about your family-friendly event!Send calendar submissions to [email protected]. Please include event address and contact information, and submit at least six weeks prior to event date.

K N O X V I L L E

Events for December 2012 By John Joslyn

The gift of history

As a young boy growing up in Wisconsin, I first

encountered RMS Titanic when I read Sea Disasters, a collection of stories published by Columbia House Book Club. Each page filled me with wonder and amazement as Titanic’s life-and-death struggle unfolded. Little did I know, this book – this ship – would one day shape my destiny.

That day dawned in 1987 as I prepared to co-lead a six-million dollar expedition to the wreck site some two years after Titanic’s incredible, joint discovery by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and the French exploratory agency, IFREMER. Our team’s mission was to explore the wreckage, retrieve artifacts, and bring back film footage of the broken ship. These priceless images were shared with millions of people when “Return to the Titanic…Live” television show aired October 1987. I co-produced this television special with Doug Llewelyn after returning from the expedition. With the help of an exceptionally talented crew, this Titanic special was the second-highest rated show of its time, something I still have pride and delight in today.

Titanic’s discovery sparked the imagination of people around the world. As this grand, ill-fated ship experienced a rebirth, a new generation fell under her spell. At the same time, my dream of creating a permanent Titanic museum attraction began to take shape. Twenty years later, the World’s Largest Titanic

Museum Attraction opened in April 2006 in Branson, Missouri. With the second one following 2010 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

From the beginning, I knew Titanic’s story was timeless and would be told and retold for generations to come. Unfortunately, myth and mystery attached themselves to her legacy over the years, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction. I was determined – obsessed, really – to get it right. After my emotional visit to the decaying hulk of that once-magnificent ship, I felt obligated to honor the people who faced death that cold April night in 1912. I knew then that their stories of courage, sacrifice, and survival were the real building blocks and an enduring Titanic tribute.

Having a dream and making it come true would take more encouragement and support than I could have imagined. Fortunately, I discovered there are hundreds of knowledgeable people around the world – scholars, collectors, artists, and writers whose lives, like mine, had been touched by Titanic. In building Titanic Museum Attractions, I had invaluable assistance from this esteemed, international “family,” and I am grateful to each and every one who helped make this man’s impossible dream come true.

is a 12-hour course in which attendance is mandatory. For more information call 524-7483 ext. 240. December 6, 13, 20, and 27: The Helen Ross-McNabb Center presents the “Mother Goose Program.” The Mother Goose program teaches crucial interaction in the formative first steps of an infant’s life. The program has 12 groups each month. The groups will meet on December 6 and 20 at the Knoxville Center Mall in the UT Classroom, and on December 13 at the Cokesbury Center. Call 523-8695 or visit http://mcnabbcenter.org/social-services/children.html for more information. December 7 & 8: A Chorus Line (3 shows: Friday, December 7, 2012 - Doors 7:00PM, Show 8:00PM; Saturday, December 8, 2012 - Doors 1:00PM, Show 2:00PM; and Doors 7:00PM, Show 8:00PM). Tennessee Theatre. Tickets are $77.00, $67.00, $52.00, and $37.00 plus applicable service fees and are available via All Knoxville Tickets Outlets, The Tennessee Theatre Box Office, online at tennesseetheatre.com, and by phone at 865-656-4444.December 7 & 8: “Friends of the Library Used Book Sale.” Friends of the Library are bringing the best buys in town to the Bearden Branch Library 10 a.m. Don’t miss these amazing deals. Most books are under $2 - there’s no better way to build up your personal library. Visit www.knoxlib.org for more information. December 8: East Tennessee Children’s Hospital will offer its “Safe Sitter” class from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Safe Sitter is a national organization that teaches young adolescents safe and nurturing babysitting techniques and the rescue skills needed to respond appropriately to medical emergencies. Instructors are certified through Safe Sitter nationally. Participants must be ages 11-14. This course is $25 per person. Class size is limited, so preregistration is required. Visit www.etch.com for more information. December 12: “Mom’s Mother Goose.” This FREE workshop takes place at the Lisa Ross Birthing Center every second and fourth Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. The focus is on early brain development through stories, songs, and rhymes. Contact Kristin Williams at [email protected] or 524-4422, for more information.

December 13: “Family-to-Family Support Group” hosted by K-Town Youth Empowerment Network. The support group is held on the second Thursday of every month from 6 - 8 p.m. A light dinner will be served. Call 474-6689 for more information.December 21 & 23: White Christmas (2 Shows: Friday, December 21, 2012 - Doors 7:00PM, Show 8:00PM; Sunday, December 23,2012 - Doors 1:00PM, Show 2:00PM. Tennessee Theatre. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for children 12 and under, and seniors over 60 plus applicable service fees and are available via The Tennessee Theatre Box Office, online at tennesseetheatre.com, and by phone at 865-684-1200.

Other Dates to Remember:December 3: Board of Education

Work Session MeetingDecember 5: Board of Education

Regular Session MeetingDecember 21: End of second

9-weeks grading periodDecember 21: Half Day for Knox

County Schools’ StudentsDecember 24 – January 4: Winter

Break (All Schools are Closed)

For details and more information about any class or other Knox County Schools-related information, please visit www.knoxschools.org, select ‘Parents,’ and then select ‘Family and Community Engagement.’

John Joslyn is President and CEO of Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, TN. His association with Titanic began in the mid-1980s, when he co-founded and served as General Manager of Titanic Ventures

Limited Partnership, the predecessor company to R.M.S. Titanic, Inc. He also mounted and acted as the Co-Expedition Leader of the 1987 Titanic Expedition in collaboration with the distinguished French Institute for

Research and Exploration of the Sea (“IFREMER”).


By Liz Stucke


The Lego Ninjago, Destiny’s Bounty is the toy my son most desired for his birthday. It was wonderful to

watch him open his birthday gift. As he tore off the wrapping paper and saw the images of Sensei Wu and the Masters of Spinjitzu spinning around the dragon ship, he began to shake and then jump up and down, “Thank you, thank you, Mom and Dad! This is exactly what I wanted. I love you soooo much.”

Now, he is happy, or so we thought, until three days later. We were in Target shopping for the usual – socks, dishwasher detergent, a flashlight, dog food, and then, before I knew it, he ran across the aisle to behold in his shaking little hands The Lego Monster Fighters Vampyre Castle.

“Please, Mom, can I buy it?” “No, absolutely not. You just got all those birthday

presents.” “But Mom, I didn’t know about the Monster Fighters before. If you buy

this for me, I will never need a toy again. Well, also, I think I need the Monster Fighter’s Ghost Train too, but that’s all. I promise.”

You might think that I am a bit naïve or at least new to the parenting scene, but my five year old is my fourth child. Before Ninjago and Monster Fighters, there was the “need” for the newest American Girl doll, the Nintendo DS, and

iPods, with new versions each year. This need for new things does not stop there. It continues with the need for nicer cars and bigger houses or whatever the neighbors have and a little more. As H.L. Mencken observed, “A wealthy man is one who earns $100 a year more than his wife’s sister’s husband.”

Buying more stuff beyond meeting our essential needs does not make us any happier according to years

of research. Richard Layard in his book Happiness, Lessons From A New Science states, “Life may be better for some, but the evidence is that for most types of people in the West, happiness has not increased since 1950.” This is shocking for a society where living standards have more than doubled. So, why is it that we are wealthier but not happier, and if money does not increase our happiness, then what does?

While university departments exist to answer these questions, I will point to one answer, that of increased happiness through experiences: what we do, rather than the products we own. Just like my son thinking he would be happier if he had the Lego Ninjago’s Destiny’s Bounty, we are poor predictors of what makes us happy for the long term, and we adapt to new situations, so that the boost in happiness derived from getting a new toy is short-lived.

Experiences, however, such as going to a musical concert, hiking or traveling with family are more likely to increase happiness for a longer period. With experiences a person gains happiness through 1) anticipating and dreaming about the experience, 2) the experience itself and finally and most importantly 3) remembering the experience.

Helping students recall meaningful experiences to write about for college applications is probably the most rewarding part of my work. Students are asked to “Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.” While the word “significant” intimidates students, it does not have to be a huge event. Little actions and experiences define a person. I tell my students to focus in on a single experience or choice and then expand on that to reflect on a greater meaning or direction in their lives. In this process of reflection, students often find a deeper sense of connection and happiness in their experiences, especially with their families.

As for my son, while the Destiny’s Bounty lies on a bookshelf, he has been busy building a boat, “not a pretend one,” he tells me, but “a big one that will even fit you, Mom, and maybe Dad too.” So far, it is about 5 feet long made of sticks and scrap lumber held together with strings. Yesterday, he asked me to help install a sail, so we can put it in the creek this summer. Sounds like an experience of a lifetime to me.

Liz Stucke is owner of LS Admissions Prep (www.LSAdmissionsPrep.com). She guides students and parents through the College Search and

Application process. [email protected] or 865-951-0639.

“While the word “significant” intimidates students, it does not have to be a huge event. Little actions and experiences define a person.”

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Agency: The Tombras GroupJob No: ETCH-38139Client: East Tennessee Children’s Hospital

Pub: Knoxville ParentSize: Full Page 9.5"x 10"Title: Owie Boo Boo Print Ad

At East Tennessee Children's Hospital, children are our only concern, and that drives our mission to improve the health of children through exceptional, comprehensive family-centered care, wellness and education. It is a mission that centers on an unchanging commitment to the physical, educational and emotional needs of each child. www.etch.com

© 2012 East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, 2018 Clinch Avenue • Knoxville, TN 37901-5010 • 865.541.8000

By Liz Stucke



Dear Knox County Schools’ Families

The holiday season is upon us, filled with cheer and goodwill. As we enjoy this special time, let’s be certain

to remember that many of our most precious gifts in life simply can’t be wrapped. The gift of education is just one of many that quickly come to mind.

As Sir Francis Bacon once said, “Knowledge is power.” I certainly believe this to be true. Our latest Tennessee

State Report Card shows that based on a variety of academic indicators, our school system is delivering a high quality education to our students. This year, the Knox County Schools’ graduation rate rose to 90.3, an increase of 3.7 percent over the previous year. This was 3.1 percent higher than the state’s average of 87.2 percent.

Further reflecting the tremendous strides being made in the classroom, ACT scores also continued to improve. This year, the composite ACT score was 20.6. Gains were also made in overall proficiency rates for all four tested subject areas on the TCAP for grades 3-8 (reading/language arts, math, science and social studies). I encourage you to visit www.knoxschools.org to access the full 2012 Report Card – it showcases strong, steady academic progress.

I am extremely proud of the hard work and commitment of our teachers, staff, students, parents and community. Dedicated teachers, high standards, continuous improvement, research-based instructional strategies and the concept of multiple pathways to success are making a difference in terms of positive student academic achievement and growth.

Education is a very powerful gift. With your support, the Knox County Schools is continuing to make significant strides to reach our very ambitious goal of Excellence for All Children.

I hope that you have a joyful holiday season this year.

Sincerely,Dr. Jim McIntyreSuperintendent, Knox County Schools

Individual tutoring and group classes at reasonable prices.

Get higher scores on the

ACT / SATPSAT

Call Dr. Michael K. Smith at 865-694-4108In Knoxville since 1983. Convenient location at 308 South Peters Rd.

T E S T P R E PEXPERTS

The Knox County Schools held a celebration and appreciation

luncheon on Wednesday, November 7 to announce the to-date sales totals, recognize top-selling schools and students, corporate sponsors and coordinators for a successful 2012 campaign for “The Original Knox County Schools Coupon Books.”

Representatives from the coupon book’s seven corporate sponsors – U.S. Cellular, Rusty Wallace Honda, Rusty Wallace Kia, Junk Bee Gone, Stanley Steemer Carpet Cleaners, First Tennessee Bank and Comcast – attended the celebration, which was held at the Sarah Simpson Professional Development and Technology Center.

“The Original Knox County Schools Coupon Books” provide funds to meet school needs identified by parents, teachers and school administrators. Students sold 153,642 coupon books this year which represented a profit of $1,355,122.44. Since 1989, over 3 million coupon books have been sold to raise more than $27 million for Knox County students.

“The program was established in 1989 as a way to provide discretionary funds for schools to use to meet needs identified by parents and teachers,” said Scott Bacon, the Knox County Schools supervisor of business partnerships. “Since its inception, the coupon book program has been widely embraced by middle and elementary schools and the

funds generated have become a primary resource for improving technology and playgrounds in schools across the county. Parent and community support have made the Knox County Schools Coupon Book program the most successful program of its kind in the nation.”

The coupon books cost $10.00 with $7.90 going to the school where the book is sold. Schools with a high number of economically disadvantaged students share $.72 from the sale of each book. Ebook subscriptions for all Knox County Schools’ libraries are funded by $.13 of the proceeds, and another $.07 funds the “Schooled for Success” program, an eighth grade career awareness initiative in each Knox County middle school. The cost of printing is $.63 per book. Only $.55 of the book’s cost goes to cover administrative and student incentive cost.

KCS Celebrates Successful 2012 Coupon Campaign

Violina Turcan of Powell Middle School sold 300 books and received her award from Superintendent McIntyre and Mary Kerr, Public Affairs Office.

Cassie Norris, Copper Ridge Elementary, received the Abby Gibson Award for Top Seller in the district. Ms. Jennifer Gibson presented the Abby Gibson Award to Cassie who sold 330 books.

Connor Kirk, South-Doyle High and the top high school seller, draws a winning name for one of dozens of prizes given away to sellers, staff members, and coordinators during the luncheon. Scott Bacon, left, waits for the drawing whlle Mary Kerr holds the favorite prize - a brand new iPad given to the lucky student winner.

The gift of education

The gift of readingCompiled by Erin Nguyen

Children’s Department, Knox County Public Library


For libary information in your area visit:

www.knoxlib.org/

Thank You, BearBy Greg Foley

Reading level: PreK – 2nd

In this sweet story of friendship, Bear’s gift

to Mouse may seem to others to be just

an ordinary box, but to Mouse it means so

much more.

11 BirthdaysBy Wendy MassReading level: 3rd – 7hAfter a fight keeps Amanda from celebrating her eleventh birthday with her best friend, she slowly discovers what a gift friendship really is when she’s forced to relive that same day over and over until she gets it right.

Simple GiftsBy Chris Raschka

Reading level: 1st – 4thAward-winning artist Raschka beautifully

illustrates this version of the traditional

Shaker hymn about the gifts of freedom

and simplicity.

Re-GiftersBy Mike Carey Reading level: 7th – 10th When martial arts champion Jen “Dixie” Dik Seong gives a priceless birthday gift to her crush, she starts a chain of recycled gift giving that shows her the true meaning of friendship and loyalty.

13 Little Blue EnvelopesBy Maureen Johnson

Reading level: 8th – 12th When her Aunt Peg gives her 13 blue envelopes filled with

money and instructions for a journey through Europe, seventeen-year-old Ginny soon learns that her aunt

has given her not only the trip of a lifetime, but also

the opportunity to find her confidence and herself.

A Season of GiftsBy Richard Peck

Reading level: 5th – 8th When sixth-grader Bob and his family move into a new

town feeling a little lost, they discover that not all gifts

are wrapped up with bows thanks to their eccentric

neighbor Mrs. Dowdel and her unusual ways.

Grandma’s GiftBy Eric VelasquezReading level: 1st – 4thYoung Eric spends winter break with his grandmother receiving the special gifts of beautiful art, time spent together, and the inspiration for his future career.

Giving By Shirley HughesReading level: PreK – 2ndFrom a smile to a special treat to a kiss, a young child learns about the wide variety of gifts that can be given to those around you.

Touch BlueBy Cynthia Lord

Reading level: 3rd – 7thWill Tess’s family be able to give the foster child they’ve

taken in the greatest gifts of all – a family and a home?

The Gift of the MagiBy O. Henry

Reading level: 5th – 12th Through sacrificing their

most treasured belongings, a young husband and wife

learn that giving a gift can be just as special as

receiving one.


lay down with her feet against the wall. Now, place a penny on the floor at the top of her head. Have her lay down again, this time with the penny at the bottom of her feet, and repeat until you find out how many Jordans wide the room is. For a young student, this is enough. For an older student, how tall is Jordan, so how wide is the room – in feet? For yet an older student, you can find out how many square feet the room is.Bottom line:

Don’t do math – just do life. Sneak math in every day – just don’t call it math!

Math can be intimidating, but it won’t be, if we realize that it’s just a way of describing what we

do in life.The key to story-problems (some call them word

problems) is to make it real to the child. If he thinks it is a math problem, he’ll be stumped. If he is simply figuring out what he needs in his own life, he can figure it out. In other words, make the math about what he is interested in, and you’ll find that math just isn’t that tough!

You need not be intimidated! Even if you think you’re “not good at math,” you’re probably better than you think. Try some of these things, and see how you can help stave off a math phobia in your child.Eat pizza. Nothing better than pizza to start figuring out fractions. How many pieces are in this pizza? Eight! So how many can we each have since there are four of us? So if we each get two eighths, how many fourths is that? For a younger child, we can start with the idea of “half.” We got two pizzas – how much would you get if you got half of the it? What if we had three pizzas?Play store. Do you lament how the clerk can’t make change without a register? Get out some change, and let your child buy breakfast! Today’s cereal costs 37 cents, and tomorrow’s yoghurt may be 78 cents. Once she gets good at counting out the correct amount, you can start buying from her and getting change back from your dollar.Spend time in the kitchen. Four tablespoons make a quarter cup, four quarter cups in a cup, two cups in a pint, two pints in a quart… you get the idea. You might try your hand at baking a little – double the recipe, cut it in half, whatever. Just exercise with those fractions, so they aren’t such a mystery when he sees them at school.Have a party. Everybody loves a party, and your child is no exception. Any time you’ll be having guests, have your child help you plan for them. For our Christmas party we’ll have 10 guests. We should plan on three cookies for each guest, so how many cookies will we need? One recipe makes 12 cookies – how many recipes will we need to bake? Each guest should have two 8-ounces glasses of juice, so how many glasses is that? How many ounces? Gallons?Count ants. You’ll need to kill them, of course, but before you get out the spray, why not make some predictions with your girl? Count how many ants cross a crack in one minute. So, now predict how many would cross in an hour. Wow, is that a lot of ants!Estimate. That’s a nice jar. I wonder how many m&m’s it would hold. Estimate. Now put in enough m&m’s to cover the bottom of the jar. How many are there, and how many layers would it take to fill the jar? Estimate again.Measure. How big is this room? How many Jordans wide is it? Have Jordan

By Mike O’Hern, Center Director of Mathnasium of West Knoxville

The gift of creativity...Don’t do math – just do life

Issy needs to find the apple that just fell from the tree – can you help him?

Isaac Newton (born on Christmas day in 1642 in England) was a great pioneer in mathematics and science (optics, mechanics and gravitation).

Answers to last month’s puzzle page:Four in a row: 3”, seven in a row: 5 1/4“, 40 1/2 pennies: 30 3/8” Race is 200 meters, 19.19 seconds, Jamaica (Usain Bolt in 2009) It was NOT pure gold!


By Mike O’Hern, Center Director of Mathnasium of West Knoxville

The gift of creativity...Don’t do math – just do life

A few years ago, Jessica Demby was struggling. After graduating from high school Jessica tried college, but soon realized it wasn’t for her. Jessica did not know what to do and felt she had run out of options. All she knew was that living at home and making minimum wage was not what she wanted.

Now, in less than two years she’s doubled her salary, has paid vacations and holidays, and is truly enjoying her work every day.

What did she do?Jessica enrolled in the Dental Staff School, run by Janet Waldron and her husband, Dr. Jon Waldron, practicing dentist. Today, the Dental Staff School offers students the same great opportunity to build a career Jessica has enjoyed. In just ten weeks, students learn professional dental assisting in a real-offi ce setting.

Each Saturday, the school hosts the current class of students and offers state-of-the art dental equipment for students’ lessons. From working on models to practicing with the dentists and fellow students, Jessica really enjoyed the hands-on learning. “It wasn’t boring,” she says, “it was a whole lot of fun!”

Dental Staff School (www.DentalStaffSchool.com) is a ten-week dental assisting school in Pelham, AL; Marietta, GA; Knoxville, TN and Franklin, TN. Classes are held on Saturdays at local working dental offi ces. The program is accredited through National Accreditation for Colleges and Schools, Non-public Postsecondary Commission in Georgia, and the Alabama and Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Cedar Bluff Dental Center, P.C.PARTNERING WITH:

9221 Middlebrook Pike, Ste. 201Knoxville, TN 37931

www.CedarBluffDentalCenter.com

Keep your teeth healthy for a lifetime!

Jessica’s New Future

Contact the Dental Staff School: (678) 819-3919 or by email at janet@dentalstaffschool.

com, and start your new future as a dental professional today!

The men and women of Appalachia are a proud people with a long heritage of self reliance and independence. They have been blessed with the natural beauty of the mountains as their home for many generations. Unfortunately, many families in Appa-lachia have lost hope for a successful future because they only see the results of poverty, broken families, loss of jobs, and depleted coal mining economies. There are many places are the world that could use your help, but this is where you have an opportunity to make a difference in your backyard, Appalachia.

This will be the 17th year for the Mission of Hope Christmas Barrel Drive. The Mission of Hope was born in response to a local television station broadcast, WBIR’s broadcast “Hunger for Hope.” During this broadcast, TV news anchor Bill Williams informed us real life examples of children and families who suffer from physical hunger in the mountains, hills and hollows of southeast-ern Kentucky.

Since 1996, the Mission of Hope has ministered to the people of various counties in Kentucky and Tennessee from which 80% of the region’s residents no longer have jobs in the coal mining industry. In the first event in 1996, 150 children were given toys and hygiene items. Last year, because of the generosity of so many people, the Mission of Hope was able to help over 170,000 children and their families with food, clothes, toys and hygiene items.

Please join the Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union in collecting items for the 2012 Mission of Hope Christmas Barrel Drive. New toys and full-sized hygiene items may be dropped of at any Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union branch location now through December 3. For more information, visit www.tvacreditunion.com.

Toy SuggestionsAction Figure SetsArts & Crafts SetsElectronic GamesWatches & Jewelry

Remote Control VehiclesGifts For Children Ages 10-14

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by Anthony Ingram

The gift of fatherhood

I am the youngest of 5 children. The baby. Some of my happiest childhood memories

are of being “the one” who got to dive under the Christmas tree to dig out and distribute everyone’s presents from the seemingly endless mound of brightly wrapped happiness.

Growing up, the refrigerator and pantry were never empty, the lights always came on when I flipped the switch, and the water always flowed freely when I turned the spigot. For these and other reasons, I always felt secure. I never ever questioned if my parents loved me, and I knew that when I grew up and got married and had children of my own, this was the type of stable home life I wanted to provide.

I graduated college and married at the age of 21. We had a daughter, suffered through two painful miscarriages, and then had my son. Since my wife had endured two difficult c-sections, we followed the doctor’s recommendation and decided to not try to have more children. Although we both had originally hoped to have a large family, we knew this was for the best. Still, there was a tinge of sadness and of “what if.”

During the last 27 years of being a father, I have experienced chest pounding highs and heart piercing lows. I have enjoyed the quiet satisfaction of seeing my child do well in school and other pursuits. I have learned that what I thought was my “last nerve” was not really my last nerve. Children have a unique way of “expanding our abilities,” so matter what, one thing always, always remained constant: you are my child and there is nothing you could ever do to make me not love you. As my mom once told me: “I will always love you, but I don’t always like the things that you do.” Love is not based on performance. Love just is.

Through it all, my ultimate goal as a dad has always been twofold: 1) to be the kind of father to my children that would cause them to seek a relationship

with God, the heavenly Father, through a relationship with Jesus Christ: and 2) to help my children discover their God-given gifts and talents and abilities and bring them to full fruition. I have not always been consistent in the pursuit of this goal. I have made mistakes. There have been times that I was much more selfish than selfless. I have needed grace and patience and forgiveness from my family and

thankfully, they gave it to me. We have all grown.I can honestly say that I am a better man for being a dad. (My son would tell

you that HE has been a good influence on ME). My advice for all those other dads or dads to be out there? Measure yourself by the standard of manhood and fatherhood found in the Bible. Be flexible. Expect the unexpected. Be a servant and a leader. Be ready to say “I’m sorry.” And decide well in advance in your innermost being that there is no “exit strategy” – that you are in it for the long haul. People say: “if mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy”. I have not heard of such a saying as it relates to dads, but if I had to make one up, I guess it would be: “Dads need to be like air. Just be there.”

“I can honestly say that I am a better man for being a dad. (My son would tell you that HE has been a good influence on ME).”

Anthony Ingram has served as the Senior District Executive of the BSA, Great Smoky Mountain Council for the

heart of Knoxville, inner-city area known as the Chehote CHAMPIONS District for almost 6 years. He and his wife

have been married for 28 years and have two children: Aaron is 22 and Michelle is 27.


Part of Tennessee’s Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program, Growing Tennessee, a youth program for older, low-income, at-risk children of Appalachian and migrant workers, offered photography as a vehicle for cultural exchange and creative expression. Program participant, Liliana Ascencia, 17, says that the program “really helped me a lot. There are a lot of stereotypes that people have about Hispanics, and this program is helping to break down those stereotypes. This program is providing a lot of opportunities, and I’m hoping this will help me get a scholarship for college.”

Bobby Daniels, Development Director of the Nashville-based Project Return, states, “The arts are saving our youth by showing them that there are other worlds to explore and creative avenues to be pursued outside of their neighborhoods and peer-influenced criminal behavior. For many of the youth in the program, in presenting a play, it may be the first time these young people have been applauded for their efforts. The arts program offers a sense of hope and self-responsibility enabling them to shape their own positive destiny. The goal for this program is to prevent the youthful offenders of today from becoming the adult offenders of tomorrow.”

Your community or school theater is loaded with potential opportunities for students to interact with others towards whom one might not gravitate in the ordinary course of school life, including students from other economic strata and other racial groups.

When asked if students are friendly with other racial groups, students involved in theater are more likely than all 12th graders to say yes to this question, by 20 to 27 percent. Students at grade 10 were asked if it was OK to make a racist remark. About 40 percent more kids who were from “no-drama” schools felt that making such a remark would be OK, whereas only about 12 percent of students at schools with drama programs thought the same.

With that in mind, buy one ticket and take up to three kids for free to the Clarence Brown’s production of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on any Wednesday through Friday, December 5-7, 12-14, 20-21. All performances begin at 7:30 PM. Call 974-6151 for reservations.

Or, for the same deal, experience the wonder of Modern Dance Primitive Light performing at the Historic Laurel Theatre on December 13 at 8:00 PM or on December 14 and 15 at either 7:00 or 9:00 PM.

Saturday, December 15 at 2:30 PM, when you pay for one adult, up to three children can enjoy a live performance of the classic, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at Pellissippi State Community College. Call 694-6684 for reservations.

Happy Holidays to you and your fabulous children from Knoxville’s Arts and Culture Industry!

“‘For many of the youth...in presenting a play, it may be the first time these young people have been applauded for their efforts.’”

Liza Zenni has been with the Arts & Culture Alliance since 2002. She holds a BA in Theater and a MFA in Arts Administration

from the Yale School of Drama. From 1990 to 1995 she was Executive Director of Theatre Bay Area, the largest regional

theater service organization in North America. She and her two daughters live in Oak Ridge, not far from where she grew up.

According to the Josephson Institute for Youth Ethics, someone with character knows the difference between right and wrong and always tries to do what

is right. A person of good character sets a good example for everyone and makes the world a better place by living according to the “six pillars of character:” trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. As parents, instilling the tenants of good character within our children is, perhaps, our most important job, and, while there are a number of ways a parent can tackle that challenge, involving children in the arts is one of the most lasting and enjoyable.

We already know that arts and culture activities help kids do better in school, but they also help them do better in life. Participating in arts and culture promotes self-discipline and high self-esteem, two hallmarks of good character. The study Involvement in the Arts and Success in Secondary School found that those kids involved in the arts “earned better grades and scores, were less likely to drop out of school, watched fewer hours of television, were less likely to report boredom in school, had a more positive self-concept, and were more involved in community service.”

By Liza Zenni. Photos courtesy Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville


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“When asked if students are friendly with other racial groups, students involved in theater are more likely than all 12th graders to say yes to this question.”

By Liza Zenni. Photos courtesy Arts & Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville


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