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T ul P ori land O bserver • S eptember 27, 1995
P age B5
Join In
Celebrating
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ODhserucr’s A N N I V E R S A R Y
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Kids Prefer Time With Grandparents
D
id you know that 85 percent
of kids prefer spending time
with th e ir g ra n d p a re n ts
rather than watching TV?
According to a Playskool national par­
ents’ survey, this is just one o f the many
interesting tacts about grandparents and
grandkids, and ways they can enjoy their
time together.
The grandparent-grandchild connec­
tion is a strong one that requires a lot o f
attention,” said Denise Chapman Weston,
author o f several books on raising children
and a member o f the Playskool Advisory
Panel.
‘Grandparents are leading more active,
vigorous lives and becoming more involved
with their children’s kids,” Weston said.
The survey, showing cartoons and “ M is­
ter Rogers” take a back seat to Grandma, was
conducted with mothersofchildren 18 months
to 6 years old.
According to moms:
• K id s prefer spending time with gra n d ­
parents rather than w atching T V (85
percent).
• Favorite activities with grandparents:
outdoor play (52 percent) reading and tell­
ing stories (13 percent), and playing with
toys or games (13 percent).
• G rand parents are most often called:
"Grandma” (52 percent) followed by first
name (i.e., "Grandma Mary”). “Grandpa”
is the most common at 38 percent, and
“ Papa” (23 percent) is especially popular
with younger children.
• T h e ir child visits a grandparent once a
week (60 percent); about a quarter report­
ed visits several times a week; and 14
percent said their child visits with a grand­
parent everyday.
M ore than h a lf o f today’s kids spend
more time with their grandparents (54
percent) than moms spent with their own
grandparents while growing up.
G ra n d p are n ts take note, k id s’ favorite
food: Pasta (35 percent), chicken (17
percent) and pizza ( 13 percent) were the
top picks. And don’t serve asparagus;
kid s’ least favorite food are veggies, with
nearly a quarter o f moms ranking them as
least favorite! Treats? Candy (27 per­
cent), cookies/cake (15 percent) and the
more nutritious, fruit (12 percent)!
Poll: Kids Know Celebrities, Not Leaders
merican children are far more
Lance Ito (39 percent) than Supreme Court
fam iliar with athletes and
Justice Sandral D ay O ’Connor (17 percent).
entertainers than politicians
Only a quarter o f kids know the name o f
and world leaders, according to Senate
the Majority leader and presidential con­
results of a poll of kids ages to 9-12
tender Bob Dole; only 11 percent were famil­
commissioned for the debut issue of
iar with Colin Powell. There was also little
Time for Kids, a new classroom news
recognition o f foreign leaders Boris Yeltsin
magazine.
( 2 1 percent) and Nelson Mandela (20 per­
A
The survey o f kids' awareness o f the
current events and newsmakers shows par­
ents and family members are a ch ild ’s most
iniportant source of news and information.
The environment, terrorism, A ID S and home­
lessness are the issues kids are most con­
cerned about.
I he 1 ime for K id s poll conducted by
Roper Starch Worldwide shows nearly every
child surveyed recognizes Michael Jordan
(96 percent) and Michael Jackson (94 per­
cent). Other highly-recognized names includ­
ed actors Jim Carrey (87 percent) and Tom
Hanks (86 percent), and First Lady H illary
Clinton (82 percent).
Far fewer kids were familiar with Rush
Limbaugh (48 percent), Jesse Jackson (47
percent) and Newt G ingrich (35 percent).
Kids are much more I ikely to recognize Judge
cent).
I he poll, shows kids’ most important
sources o f news and information are parents
and family members (37 percent), television
(29 percent) and school (20 percent). O nly 8
percent cite newspapers as their most impor­
tant news source; 3 percent say “friends” ; 2
percent say it’s the radio.
Concerns over the environment top the
list o f issues kids “worry about a lot.” Lead­
ing the list is "protecting endangered animals
and plants,” which is a concern o f 65 percent
o f those polled; “pollution” was cited by 63
percent. A second tier o f concerns included
“bombing or other violent acts by terrorists
or crim inals” (59 percent); “the spread o f
A ID S ” (56 percent); and “homelessness” (53
percent).
Also, 43 percent say they worry a lot
Children Looking For A Family
about “the possibility o f our country’ fighting
in a war.”
Race relations and health care are issues
that do not resonate as strongly with kids.
O nly 32 percent o f kids say they worry a lot
about “black people, white people and other
groups ofpeople in ourcountry getting along”;
the same percentage expressed concern "that
everyone who needs help from a doctor or
nurse can get it.”
Awareness ofcurrent events shapes kids’
overall impression o f the world around them,
the poll shows.
“A s kids get older, they become more
concerned about violence, crime and pollu­
tion,” notes Claudia Wallis, the editor of
Tim e for K ids. “They begin to see the world
as less safe.”
1 he 8-page weekly classroom news
magazine produced by the editors o f Tim e
Magazine, debuts this week. It is the first new
current events publication to be introduced
into American schools in 70 years and the
first produced by a major news organization.
The magazine, which carries no advertising
content, is launching with a circulation o f
over 650,000.
Maria, Angie, Juan, and Mario, Ages 10, 9, 6 & 4
aria, Angie, Juan, and Mario
Juan is an intelligent boy who is learning to
are active, likeable children
pay attention in school. Mario receives spe­
waiting to become someone’s
cial help for speech, and is learning much in
sons and daughters! They are among
his preschool and foster home. Unlike their
the over 200 Oregon children currently
sisters, Juan and Mario live in a bi-lingual
awaiting adoption.
foster family, so they have been able to retain
M
Some are individual children, while oth­
ers, like these four, are siblings who need to
be adopted together.
Maria and Angie share similar interests.
They both like art work and outdoor play.
Although they have different personalities and
sometimes argue, these sisters are emotionally
close. Both girls need parents to help them with
school work and supervise their homework.
Juan and Mario enjoy active outdoor
play, and age-appropriate interests and toys.
“Waiting Children”, Anthony
year-old Anthony is one o f over 200 Oregon
Children Currently awaiting adoptive par­
ents.
Local Children To Receive
Free Personal Identification Kits
C
hevron Teams up with Local
Elementary Schools, Part of
a Regional Child Safety
Awareness Campaign
Portland-area parents have good rea­
son to rest a little easier this month. Team­
ing up with local schools, parents and law
enforcement agencies, Chevron is hosting
Child Safety days for more than 1140 stu­
dents at local elementary schools. The pro­
gram aims to drive awareness about safety
and equip children, and their parents, with
personal information about the child for use
in the event o f an emergency. Chevron’s
Kinderprint Child ID kits, which include the
ch ild ’s photo, fingerprints and vital statistics,
w ill be distributed at schools and available at
local Chevron stations free-of-charge Sep­
tember 25 through October 15.
According to the National Center for
M issing and Exploited Children, approxi­
mately one in seven children have been
recovered as a direct result o f the distribu­
tion o f that ch ild ’s photograph.
“ A thorough record o f a ch ild ’s identi­
fying characteristics, including recent pho­
tograph and fingerprints, is a key tool used
by police to locate missing children,” says
Sergeant Jim M cN elly o f the Multnomah
County S h e riffs Office
their Spanish.
A nurturing family is needed for this fun
foursome. A bilingual family would be ideal.
T o learn more about adoption and the
children who wait, contact The Special Needs
Adoption Coalition at They Boys and G irls
A id Society, 222-9661. Oregon agencies
waive or reduce fees for persons adopting
children in state care, and information meet­
ings are available statewide. Single adults as
well as couples are encouraged to apply.
Anthony, Age 9
This beautiful, bright-eyed little boy
needs a family to help him recover from past
rejections and regain his childhood. Nine-
When not overly stressed by his situa­
tion, Anthony is a delightful boy who can be
genuinely affectionate with trusted adults.
H is energy and enthusiasm result in many
interests, including playing sports, riding bikes
and horses, and playing Nintendo. Anthony
gets along best with same age or slightly
older children in small group situations ' His
fourth grade teacher reports that Anthony
follows class rules and is very likeable.
To learn more about Anthony and other
children awaiting adoption, please call The
Special Needs Adoption Coalition at The
Boys and G irls A id Society, 222-9661. Sin­
gle adults as well as couples are encouraged
to inquire. Oregon agencies waive or reduce
fees for persons adopting children in state
care. Information meetings are available state­
wide.
Taking Tougher Courses Pays Off Portland City Workers Help Kids Get “SMART”
. S. Education Secretary
emphasizing high standards and taking more
Richard W. Riley and guid­
difficult courses pays off.
ance Counselor Jimmi Barn­
These important gains are being posted
well agree - student who take algebra,
as Congress prepares to enact some o f the
trigonometry, literature and other
deepest cuts to education in the nation’s
advanced courses are more likely to
history.
make the grade in college or in life.
“This is no time to retreat from the
“Take the tough courses,” they say.
progress we’ve made,” R iley says. “ I am
“It pays off in the long run.”
deeply concerned that our educational
U
A s a new school year gets underway,
strong evidence - higher S A T scores. S ig ­
nificant educational gains by minorities,
and lower dropout rates -- suggests that
progress is being jeopardized by the actions
o f those members o f Congress who are
▼
Continued to page
/ß irth ^>4nno bine eme n t
Baby Name: Keenan Scott Gieen
Sex: Male Date o f Birth: 8/27/95
Father’s name: Timothy Scott Green o f Portland
Mother’s name: Catherine Marjorie Green o f Portland
Weight: 7.4
Length: 20"
Paternal Grandparents: Dianna And Don Green, Portland
M aternal Grandparents: Anne Krieger and D irk
Vanbekieft, Portland
Maternal Grandfather: Paul Prentice
n Wednesday, September 20,
1995 Mayor Vera Katz propos­
ed a program that will make it
easier for city employees to
Portland school children improve their
reading skills.
O
The “C ity K id s” resolution will allow
city workers to use flex time to volunteer with
Oregon’s S M A R T (Start M aking A Reader
Today) program, or to volunteer in their own
children’s schools.
“ The C ity Council has made children
and families a priority as evidenced by our
43irtii A n n o u n c e m e n t
Baby Name: Jaida Gabriella Kelly
Sex: Female
Date of Birth: 9/16/95
Father’s name: Martin Allen Kelly Jr.
Mother’s name: Brenna Catherine Kelly O f Portland
Weight: I0 lbs. 2 oz
Length: 21 I/2 Brother: Tyler Zingli
Paternal Grandparents: Melinda McQueen, Portland
Maternal Grandparents: Pat & Ron Dennis, Beaverton
funding o f school police and after-school
activities - despite the fact that it’s not in our
immediate realm o f fiscal responsibility,”
help Katz. “C ity Kids is another way we’ve
said
found to help chi Idren continue to be compet­
itive in the expanding global marketplace, by
working to make sure every one o f the them
w ill leave school knowing how to read.”
S M A R T volunteers read to and listen to
children read for two hours a month.
The S M A R T program also provides each
child with two free books a month, to encour­
age them to build their own personal libraries.
“ S M A R T has shown real results,” said
Katz, “so we wanted to give our employees
the opportunity to help Portland’s future lead­
ers by giving their own time to assist, read,
mentor, and bond with them.”
City employees will be able to donate
their time to the S M A R T program at 14 Port­
land schools including: Astor, Vestal, Gilbert
Heights, Whitman, Kenton, Faubion, M ill park,
Brooklyn, Ball, Vernon, Woodmere, Kelly,
Applegate, and Sunnyside elementary schools.
They may also volunteer their time at any other
school their own child attends.
Katz And Portland Postmaster
Motivate Anti-Drug Movement
ayor Vera Katz helped to
launch the Portland promo­
tion of the anti-drug book,
The Red Ribbon, A Story of
during a brief ceremony September
22 at the front doors of City Hall.
M
The book will be placed in Portland
libraries and classrooms in an effort to dis­
courage school-age children from getting
involved with drugs. The Red Ribbon is
about an unhappy kingdom that learns to
work together to solve their problems.
“This is a heart-warming, encouraging
tale,” said Katz. “The story goes far beyond
a simple anti-drug message and the scare
Hope
tactics used in the past. It helps build confi­
dence, thus strengthening a ch ild ’s resolve
not to do drugs.”
Portland Postmaster Michael J. Daily,
an Oregon Partnership representative, and
postal courier and author John Lasne pre­
sented the book to Mayor Katz Lasne is on
a national tour to promote the book and its
anti-drug message
I