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Young Reporter's Story Ideas
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Sponsored by
 School Garden Celebrates Food
by Reporter Parrish Ballenger
Holladay Intermediate Magnet School
It was a cold, dark, winter morning when the TV cameras came to the Borton Community Garden. I was the first kid there. If you woke up early, you might have seen me getting interviewed by a TV reporter as I planted an artichoke.
B.C.G. is a community garden created by teachers, parents and students from Borton Primary Magnet School to celebrate everything food related, according to Molly Reed, who wrote the grant that started the garden.
Later in the day, Fox News 11, TUSD Focus and a film crew contracted by Rachael Ray of the Food Network visited the garden. Ray has invited Reed to go to New York to make an appearance on her cooking show.
“The B.C.G. is another tool for Borton students, their families and our community to experience and make a connection to learning,” Reed says. “I was inspired by the students.”
Last year when I was in her class, Reed had a little garden inside the school’s courtyard. “I wanted kids to know where their food came from. I was sick of seeing them bring hot Cheetos for breakfast,” she says.
The garden has moved from the courtyard to a fenced area on the playground. It includes a trellis, chicken coop, farmer’s stand, compost and several garden areas.
Straight Talk with the Suns—Shaq & Nash!
by Reporter Gabriel Martin
Davis Bilingual Magnet School
Last fall, I went to a Phoenix Suns exhibition game at the UofA’s McKale Center. I tried to set up an interview with Shaquille O’Neil, the Suns center better known as Shaq, but it didn’t work out. Recently, though, I got an opportunity to submit questions to some of the Suns players. It was exciting to get responses from Shaq and from point guard Steve Nash.
Q: How do you like being in Arizona, playing for the Suns and being known as The Big Cactus?
Shaq: “Arizona is a very nice (place). I’m glad I’m here. They say old people come here to rejuvenate, so I feel rejuvenated.”
Q: Is there any hard part to being so famous?
Shaq: “I don’t really consider myself famous. I just consider myself a regular guy who’s won the lottery many times.”
Q: What is the biggest difference between living in the U.S. versus living in Canada? (Nash is Canadian)
Nash: “That’s a tough one. They’re pretty similar cultures. I think Canada being a commonwealth country has much more of a link to a lot of different countries around the world. In some ways, I feel like Canada is a little less insular because we are a commonwealth country.”
Q: What about playing basketball professionally has been the hardest for you to deal with?
Nash: “Probably just the amount of games we play. Trying to mentally stay fresh and stay motivated every day is the biggest challenge.”
Me: Do you have a practice routine?
Nash: “I do. I mean basically I have a shooting routine that I go through after practice and before games. I basically try to practice the shots that I’m going to get in the game. Other than that, I do different strength training and corrective exercises in the weight room.”
Me: Do you play any individual sports like tennis or golf
Nash: “I love both sports. I probably play each one about once a year. When I retire, I’m sure I’d love to play both of them much more.”
That sounds like a great plan for retirement, Steve.
Now you know more about some of your favorite Suns players. I’m glad they took the time to answer my questions, and I hope I can see them in action in a live NBA game one of these days. I have to admit, I still hope I get to meet O’Neil, Nash and the rest of the Suns someday. And I hope I get to interview Shaq in person. Interviewing The Big Cactus is still one of my big dreams!
Harlem Globetrotters will appear on the court performing their unbelievable tricks and stunts.
“One of the greatest things about Jam Session is all throughout the day, on all of the different courts, you have the opportunity to see either current NBA players or NBA legends” Conte shares. There will also be an autograph stage where fans can wait in line to get autographs from current and legendary NBA and WNBA players!
Also with the All-Star Jam Session is the Youth Jam. This is where T-Mobile brings about 3,000 local students to Phoenix’s US Airways Arena. The kids, who have all achieved things like perfect attendance or certain grades, get to sit in the lower sections and enjoy the Rookie Challenge, where NBA rookies take on second-year players, known as sophomores.
But the NBA doesn’t come to town for just fun and games. It also makes a point to give back to the community where the All-Star Jam Session takes place. “It’s very important that we make an impact on the community…in a positive way,” explains Conte, who has been with the NBA for three years. This year’s community service activities include Junior NBA and WNBA clinics, hospital visits and court improvements.
as a whole school—for community time on Friday mornings, for the Pledge of Allegiance, awards, birthdays and announcements. While we are entertained by Mr. Herrmann now on Friday mornings, we still remember the wonderful principal we lost and often feel like she is there with us at community time and at other special times.
Class Learns How to Make Glass
by Reporter Isabella Dominguez
Green Fields Country Day School
The fifth-grade class from Green Fields Country Day School visited the Philabaum Glass Studio last fall. The class was studying Tiffany glass and had already seen a movie about the studio, so we knew what to expect. There is only one Philabaum Glass Factory in the country! It is located at 711 S. 6th Ave.
First we looked in the gallery. We saw some very interesting pieces. They were very expensive! Finally, we went into the factory. When we first entered, we all said “Oh! It’s hot” and “Can you turn on the air conditioning?” We also wondered how they make glass. Four of the workers showed us how.
First they get a long, steel pipe and put it in a bowl with melted liquid glass. When it comes out it sort of looks like an orange. Then they place the glass on the bar and roll it on a metal table, which draws heat from the glass. Next they roll it in a cherry wood bowl. Then they roll it in wet newspaper before putting the glass in a mold. Last, they put the project in a room-temperature oven.
Tom Philabaum is the owner of the studio. At the time of our visit, he was working on a project called “Another Way to Fly” for the Tucson International Airport. He was making 30 glass flying carpets to hang from biggest to smallest.
Tucson Rodeo Going Strong
by Reporter Shane Weinstein,
Tucson Hebrew Academy
The 84th annual La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros, or the Tucson Rodeo as we locals call it, has come and gone once again.
“This was an extremely profitable year,” says Tucson Rodeo Chairman Greg Jamieson. “We had record crowds and great weather.”
Jamieson says the poor state of the economy may have helped make this year’s event, held Feb. 21 through March 1, successful. “I think that since many people could not afford a vacation, they stayed home and went to the rodeo instead.”
La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros began in 1925. Its creator, Leighton Kramer, started it as a Wild West show to bring in winter visitors from the East Coast. The Mid-Winter Rodeo and Parade, he hoped, “would give visitors a taste of cowboy range work” and glamorize Tucson’s Wild West notoriety. Although the prize these days is money, back then winners got things like it a “big cactus” ham, 100 pounds of potatoes and a block of ice that weighed 750 pounds.
Bull rider Tony Mendes, who placed sixth in this year’s overall standings for bull riding, says that the Tucson Rodeo is one of the most unique rodeos on the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association’s circuit.
“Tucson has a good atmosphere and great fans,” he says.
Lord of the Clowns Belongs on TV
by Reporter Shane Weinstein,
Tucson Hebrew Academy
Professional Bull Riders is one of the luckiest rodeo associations out there—not because of the riders, but because of its entertainer, Flint Rasmussen, the “Lord of the Clowns.” He is one of the greatest rodeo clowns of all time, and he is P.B.R’s five-time entertainer of the year.
Rasmussen lives in Choteau, Mont. He never considered a career in the rodeo business, but in the late 1980s he worked his first rodeo. He retired from teaching math to pursue entertaining. He began working various rodeos around the country. Then, Rasmussen found the P.B.R. Whenever he could work with P.B.R., he did; but when he couldn’t, he found other gigs, such as the National Finals Rodeo. In 2006, Rasmussen signed a five year contract with P.B.R. saying that he would be the organization’s entertainer for five years. What a great move on P.B.R.’s part!
Rasmussen combines his wit and knowledge with his natural talent to grab the crowd and keep it interested in whatever he does. Some of his special talents are dancing, singing and stand-up comedy. Every year at both the P.B.R. finals and the N.F.R., Rasmussen does a talk show, “Outside the Barrel,” during which he takes cowboys, and sometimes celebrities who aren’t very well known, and he interviews them. He has a great personality, and it’s always really cool to see your favorite cowboys in a different light.
Personally, I think that Rasmussen will be discovered someday and be put on TV. He really hopes to be given a show on C.M.T. Someday, I hope to be on his show and talk to the “Lord of the Clowns” himself!
Learn to Speak in Front of a Crowd
by Reporter Keanna Morier,
Reynolds Elementary
A lot of people talk fluently and clearly when they are with their friends. But when they are in front of a crowd of people, they talk quietly and mumble so you can’t understand what they are saying.
Sometimes they do this because they are under pressure. Or maybe they’re talking about something they don’t want to talk about.
If you don’t want to be like this, follow these simple tips:
- Remember that the crowd does not want to judge you. People want to hear what you have to say.
- When you don’t want to talk about a subject, remember that you will have a chance to pick a topic at another time.
- If you feel pressured, remember the only wrong answer is no answer.
- Remember that you are not the only one who has to do this. Presidents, singers, TV hosts and many others do it every day. Everyone has to do it at least once.
- Never feel sorry for yourself.
These are the keys to success in speaking fluently whenever with whoever and wherever.
Sci-fi Spacesuit Easy to Make
by Reporter Holden St. Aubyn,
Corbett Elementary
Adviser: Louise Till
Have you ever wanted to make movie special effects that don’t break the bank? Today I am going to tell you how to make an awesome sci-fi space suit.
For this you’ll need two rolls of white duct tape, 100 feet of white rope, a painter’s suit and some miscellaneous plastic junk.
First, tape around the arms and legs of your painter’s suit to make it fit better. Next make futuristic material by putting rope on the tape and spreading it around the painter’s suit. Then glue on your plastic junk. Be sure to put a piece on your back for a backpack. Oh, and be sure to paint your plastic.
Now you’re ready to make your own awesome sci-fi movie. For more detailed plans, go to www.indymogul.com and click on “backyard FX.”
Children Will Love ‘Narnia’ Series
by Reporter Samantha Murphy,
Corbett Elementary
Adviser: Louise Till
Have you heard of C.S. Lewis? He’s the author of “The Chronicles of Narnia” books. He was born Nov. 29, 1898, and died Nov. 22, 1963. Some of the Narnia books are about four children—Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy—who go to a land called Narnia. They save Narnia from and evil witch.
C. S. Lewis’ full name is Clive Staples Lewis. He was born in Belfast, Ireland. I think children should read his books because they’re very interesting and adventurous. Children will be stuck in these book forever.
Lineweaver Gets on Track
by Reporter Alan Cheng
Lineweaver Elementary
On Feb. 20, Lineweaver Elementary had a track meet. You may not know what a track meet is. At my school, it’s where third-, fourth- and fifth-graders all compete in many events, kind of like the Olympics.
When you think about it, it may not be fair since some fifth-graders are much better than some other fifth-graders (no offense). But that’s taken care of since we do it not by age group but by size and weight group. We also do the groups by gender, so everything is fair.
After everyone is placed in his or her correct group, we go on to do the events. The events include high jump, long jump, softball throw, 100-meter dash, 500-meter dash, Frisbee throw, shuttle run and sit ups. Most of these events are self-explanatory, but some are not. For your convenience, I’ll explain all of them.
My favorite event, the high jump, is where you have to, well, jump as high as you can. But you don’t just jump up and down. You have to jump over a bar and onto a mat. If you succeed in jumping over the bar, you go on. If you don’t, you get one more try. If you don’t make it on the second try, you’re out.
In the long jump, you jump and they measure how far you went. You get a second try to go farther, but there are some catches. You must start your jump before a red line. If you start after it, it’s called a scratch. In other words, your distance is 0. If you jump and happen to fall backwards—sorry—they measure the area of the body closest to the red line!
In the softball throw you throw a ball and they measure how far it went. You throw again, and they measure again. But there is always a catch. If you throw from beyond a line, your score is 0. This is pretty much the same with the Frisbee throw.
The 500-meter dash, otherwise known as the 500, is a big race. Everyone in the group is in the race. You must run on a specific path. If you don’t, you’re pretty much disqualified from the race. When you near the finish line, a teacher holds out a stick to you. You must grab the stick or else you won’t be considered finished. The places only go up to eighth place.
The 100-meter dash is the same except that two people race at a time, and it’s obviously shorter.)
For sit-ups, you try to do as many sit-ups as you can in one minute. The shuttle run is running and then picking up a block, running back and dropping it in a bucket. You go back and repeat the procedure as fast as you can.
Track is a great thing to do during the school year. It’s great exercise, and you get a lot out of it. I love doing the track meets. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to do it next year.
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Berlin Wall Still Scars City
by Reporter Rachel Gorelik
New Vistas Academy
Adviser: Stacey Trepanier
When I first heard and read about the Berlin Wall, it seemed like a distant, unrelated subject to me. However, last summer
I visited Germany, where
I saw and touched its remnants.
It then seemed much more real, but I still couldn’t fully comprehend how a city could be divided into two —West Germany and the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany. And I wondered if something like that could happen here in Phoenix?
On Aug. 13, 1961, the Berlin Wall was built. In the place of streets and houses, the cold, unwelcoming concrete wall made sure no one could go in and out of East Berlin.
Why? Citizens in East Berlin were suffering under Communist rule and were crossing over to West Berlin, where life was much better. More than 130 people were killed trying to get over to the west side of the city.
In 1989, after the East German government announced its citizens could visit West Germany,
thousands of East Berliners gathered at Bornholmer Strasse and the Berlin Wall met its end as people on both sides of the divide started pulling it down. East and West Germans were free from imprisonment.
Almost two decades later, you can still see the difference between East Berlin and West Berlin in the style of architecture and ways of living. The city still hasn’t fully healed the scar of the Berlin Wall. Although it’s easy to tear down a wall, it’s much harder to reunite a city that was divided for three decades. So maybe every now and then we should stop and think about the city that was cut in two and be thankful it wasn’t ours.
Station In Tune with Listeners
by Reporter Caitlin Chavez
North Ranch Elementary
Awesome, cool and fun! That’s what my mind comes up with every time I listen to Radio Disney.
Radio Disney AM 1580 is just like any ordinary radio station, but it plays theme songs from Disney Channel shows and other music from popular artists like Kelly Clarkson and Raven Symone.
You can call Radio Disney to request a song that you like! You can also win great prizes. My brother won an iPod by answering one question. And on a program called “Music Mail Bag” you sing to the DJ. If people vote for your song, you’ll be played on Radio Disney.
“I think Radio Disney is really cool!” says Faith Ong, a listener. “I like the song ‘I Don’t Think About It,’ by Emily Osment.”
A lot of people listen to Radio Disney, including me!
A Howlin’ Good Time!
by Reporter Emily Kriplean
Sky View Elementary
On Jan. 10, I had the chance to be a reporter at the Phoenix Coyotes vs. the Dallas Stars hockey game. We started with a tour of Jobing.com Arena and received a Coyotes Build-a-Bear.
On the tour, we were able to see some of the Dallas Stars doing their pre-game warm-up, which surprised me because they were playing soccer! Then, we ate in the press lounge, which was amazing! We went down to the Zamboni tunnel and saw Howler, the Coyotes mascot, on his quad. Then, we went down to the referee tunnel and watched both teams warm up on the ice.
We also went on a tour of the Fox Sports Arizona broadcast truck—it was really cool in there! It has a whole wall of TVs. There were people calling out about which cameras to use and where to aim them. Our final stop before the game was to the press level to report on the first period. Up in the press level, I had to be SUPER quiet. You cannot cheer—it was very hard.
During the intermission, I met Tyson Nash and Bob Heethuis, the Coyotes radio announcers. They are extremely nice and asked us questions. We then went to our seats for the rest of the game.
It was a good game, even though there were no fights. Both goalies had a great game, which ended in a shutout. It went into sudden death overtime, during which four Coyotes faced off with four players from the Stars. After the overtime was done, there was still a shutout. Now it was time for the shootout.
It took three Coyote goals to defeat the Dallas Stars with Kyle Turris, number 91, scoring the winning goal.
After the game, I got to meet Turris. He is very nice and answered all of my questions with a smile. Did you know he played lacrosse until he was 15 years old? He also played football in high school. He likes Howler and the team’s other mascot, Pierre, because Pierre is funny and Howler is always egging them on.
This was the best experience of my life!
Young Actor Aims for the Stars
by Reporter Sylvio Martins,
Rancho Solano Private Schools
Adviser: Stacey Lane
The chances of getting discovered are one in a million. The desire for fame is amazing, and the competition can be brutal. Still, there is one way that has been proven to give you a taste of the bright lights.
The International Model and Talent Association has an impressive list of discoveries: Eva Longoria, Ashton Kutcher and Jessica Biel had their successful careers start here, as did Disney stars like Moises Arias and Alyson Stoner. The IMTA has two conventions/competitions every year. In January, it hosts one in Los Angeles, and in July, there’s one in New York City.
To be entered as a competitor, you must pass a rigorous audition with your acting/modeling school. These schools advertise online, on the radio or in the local newspaper. In Phoenix, two schools prepare students for IMTA—Barbizon Phoenix and The Academy of Cinema and Television.
At this event, there are several seminars hosted by the top agents, managers, casting directors and producers in the business from all around the world. Competitors, ranging in age from 4 to 18 and even older, get to ask face-to-face questions about the industry and receive advice.
If contestants decide to go sightseeing instead of attending these highly recommended seminars, agents and managers are everywhere in sight and willing to accept head shots and resumes from almost anyone.
After this exciting week come equally exciting formal dinners hosted by stars from television, commercials and fashion runways. They present awards to the “top 10” in each age group. And scholarships are handed out to the country’s top acting academies and workshops, which puts the cherry on top.
After the first of two dinners is finished, the Talent Showcase takes place for dancers and singers who passed preliminaries at IMTA. Everyone gets to attend. After the showcase, all the contestants get a treat, and IMTA throws a party.
After all of the convention perks, at the end come callbacks. All competitors are given a list of agents and managers to meet with. That is how IMTA ends, with everyone leaving happy. Even though not everyone attending IMTA becomes a star, it makes you think about whether you really want to be famous—or maybe a dentist instead.
For more info on IMTA, check out www.imta.com.
Eye Surgery Helps Save the Sight of Woman with Detached Retinas
by Reporter Urvi Banerjee,
New Vistas Academy
Adviser: Stacey Trepanier
My friend’s mom, Baisali Chakraborty, had a huge problem with her eyesight. First, she started seeing dark circles around her eyes. When she went to the doctor, she learned that 20 percent of her retina (the part of your eye that captures the images you see) had detached, and she needed immediate surgery! The doctor said if she ignored the condition, she would lose her eyesight completely!
This can happen to anyone. You don’t have to have been in a car accident or have gotten hurt.
The doctor put in a silicone buckle to reshape Boisali’s eyes and then stapled the retina to the eyeball. The process is very painful, and it takes a long time—almost two months—to get your usual eyesight back. The power changed in Boisali’s eyes, so she needs special glasses to see properly.
Funnyman Seth Rogen Plays Bit of Blob
by Reporter Shane Weinstein,
Tucson Hebrew Academy
I’ve said it numerous times before, and I will say it again—I love reporting for Bear Essential News! It has opened so many doors for me, but the latest door was talking to actor Seth Rogen.
Rogen has risen to stardom in the last four years, working in blockbuster films like “Superbad,” “Kung-Fu Panda” and the upcoming animated 3-D comedy “Monsters vs. Aliens.” He has been in hit movies targeted at adults and others for kids. He doesn’t really consider the age group—if he likes the script, he’ll be in the movie. “I want to act in the kind of movies that I’d like to see,” claims Rogen. That’s what drew him to “Monsters vs. Aliens.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t go see children’s movies in my spare time,” he adds. “But the script for this film is just so funny and unique, I decided that I’d like to be a part of it.”
In “Monsters vs. Aliens,” Rogen plays the stupid but lovable B.O.B., a gelatinous, brainless blob. The plot of the movie centers on monsters captured by the government, who are then called upon by the government to fight off alien invaders. The film comes out March 27 and also stars Rainn Wilson, Keifer Sutherland and Will Arnett.
Rogen got his start as a 13-year-old stand-up comedian in comedy clubs in Vancouver, Canada, where he grew up. “My advice to young people who want to follow in my footsteps is to find a local comedy club that will let kids perform and take them up on that,” says Rogen. “See if they’ll let you perform for five minutes or so. They will probably kick you out right after, but it’s good practice. If you do that and write a lot of jokes, you’ll be on your way.”
Rogen is one of my favorite actors. When I was interviewing him, he was warm and had a humorous answer to every question I asked. He’s a true performer, and I could tell that he’s just a warm, all-around nice guy from just the few minutes I spent with him on the phone! And don’t forget to catch Rogen and the rest of the monsters in “Monsters vs. Aliens” this month!
Lincoln Memorial Honors a Great President
by Reporter Drema Harmon
Altar Valley Middle School
Adviser: Virginia Harmon
The Lincoln Memorial, located in Washington, D.C., is a monument honoring our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. The memorial stands 190 feet long, 119 feet wide and almost 100 feet high. It’s surrounded by 38 fluted columns—one for each of the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death and two more columns at the entrance.
The north and south side chambers have carved inscriptions of Lincoln’s famous Second Inaugural Address and his Gettysburg Address. The statue of Lincoln is 19 feet high and weighs 175 tons!
The memorial opened in 1922 and is visited by millions of people each year. It’s also the site of many large public gatherings and protests.
Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have
a Dream” speech while standing by the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.
Ready, Set...AIMS
by Reporter Caitlin Chavez,
North Ranch Elementary
Are you ever nervous before you do a play or before you take a big test? Well, this is how students in the whole state of Arizona feel—AIMS testing is coming up!
AIMS is a big test that shows where you’re at when it comes to math, reading and writing! The results are sent to parents during the summer.
So what techniques are kids and teens using to do well?
“I study and practice on the things I need help with,” explains Trista Chavez, a sixth-grader at Sunset Canyon Elementary. “Then during the test, I eat mints.” She says that helps her to concentrate.
“I always think about the question and eliminate the first two answers that don’t make sense. I eat mints and Hershey’s Kisses.” explains Lauren Mitchelson, a fourth-grader at North Ranch Elementary. Hershey’s Kisses (a.k.a. chocolate) accelerate the brain to keep you focused.
Last year, I practiced and then ate chocolate and mints during the test and got an A! I never thought I could, but I just put my effort into it and passed!
Straight Talk with the Suns:
Shaq & Nash!
by Reporter Gabriel Martin
Davis Bilingual Magnet School
Last fall, I went to a Phoenix Suns exhibition game at the University of Arizona’s McKale Center. I tried to set up an interview with Shaquille O’Neil, the Suns center better known as Shaq, but it didn’t work out. Recently, though, I got an opportunity to submit questions to some of the Suns players. It was exciting to get responses from Shaq and from point guard Steve Nash.
Q: How do you like being in Arizona, playing for the Suns and being known as The Big Cactus?
Shaq: “Arizona is a very nice town, I’m glad I’m here. They say old people come here to rejuvenate, so I feel rejuvenated.”
Q: Is there any hard part to being so famous?
Shaq: “I don’t really consider myself famous. I just consider myself a regular guy who’s won the lottery many times.”
Q: What is the biggest difference between living in the U.S. versus living in Canada? (Nash is Canadian)
Nash: “That’s a tough one. They’re pretty similar cultures. I think, obviously, I think Canada being a commonwealth country has much more of a link to a lot of different countries around the world. In some ways, I feel like Canada is a little less insular because we are a commonwealth country.”
Q: What about playing basketball professionally has been the hardest for you to deal with?
Nash: “Probably just the amount of games we play. Trying to mentally stay fresh and stay motivated every day is the biggest challenge.”
Q: Do you have a practice routine?
Nash: “I do. I mean basically I have a shooting routine that I go through after practice and before games. I basically try to practice the shots that I’m going to get in the game. Other than that, I do different strength training and corrective exercises in the weight room.”
Q: Do you play any individual sports like tennis or golf?
Nash: “I love both sports. I probably play each one about once a year. When I retire, I’m sure I’d love to play both of them much more.”
Now you know more about some of your favorite Suns players. I’m glad they took the time to answer my questions, and I hope I can see them in action in a live NBA game one of these days.
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