Kids World

FALL 2014

Special Section to: The Valley Gazette

The Stratford Star

The Milford Mirror

The Trumbull Times

Tyler, Alexa, Jenny, Sophie and Julia are all set for a fun n flirty fall with these looks from Caren Forbes, New Canaan.

HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS

Faireld Sun

The Herald

The Monroe Courier

The Easton Courier

Abigail Schwarz photos

Hit the re-set button

Fall into this seasons rising fashion trends
by Julie Butler
Yes, the lazy, hazy days of summer are waning. And so its go time for
the items in your and your kids closets.
Are you up on your classroom couture for fall 2014?
Plaids: Some of the rising trends for fall include plaids, from boys flannel and cotton button-down shirts to girls skirts to footwear. The classic
fall print is getting an update this season. Try it in pastels, flirty-sheer
or mixed with other prints for a fresh look. And since back-to-school
fashion isn't just about clothing, backpacks and oversize shoulder bags in
plaid and other prints help your child make a statement about his or her
style.
Emerald green: Is it a belated Oz effect? This rich jewel tone will be
hot for girls this fall, says Elina Furman, publisher of A-List Mom, a
website that tracks all the latest trends for moms and kids. Youll see this
deep evergreen shade in everything from tops, bottoms, coats and especially dresses.
Geek Chic: Its been cool to geek out in the adult fashion world for
years now, and now that trend is trickling down to kids, says Furman.
Think Peter-Pan collars, patent shoes and prim and proper looks for the
junior set, she says. If your kid has to get glasses for school score!
Some thick-rimmed specs will help nail the stylish smartypants look.
Animal print: The wildly chic adult look is coming kids way too, with
sweaters, shirts, pants and shoes all sporting zebra and leopard patterns.
To keep this from becoming, as they say, a whole lotta look, stick to animal print accents and then tone it by pairing it with a solid.

See Fashion on page 7

Kiki models a too-cool-for-school fashion statement even the look is of course classroom-ready!

 Kids World Hersam Acorn Newspapers

August 28, 2014

Be a Yalie for the day

A kid's Ivy League adventure

by Melissa Ezarik

and rare books from the medieval to

the contemporary, welcomes young
From the Great Hall of Dinosaurs
visitors and families. Check the calwith its full-sized, awe-inspiring
endar (calendar.yale.edu/cal/ycba) for
Brontosaurus skeleton to the please
special family events. Monthly, a free
touch Discovery Room featuring 16
Exploring Artism program is held
colorful poison dart frogs and other
for children aged 5 to 12 who are on
cool stuff, the Peabody Museum is
the autism spectrum, along with their
the standard Yale University destinaparents, siblings or other relatives.
tion for those too young for the Ivy
Participants learn to look and respond
League.
to artwork in the galleries and then
But there are lots of other spots on do a project themselves.
the New Haven campus worthy of a
3. Say Happy 100th birthday to
visit with kids. Here are seven things the Yale Bowl.
to do to turn your family members
Celebrate the athletic stadiums
into Yalies for the day.
100th year by cheering on the
1. Be an architectural treasure
Bulldogs. The football season runs
hunter.
from Sept. 20 to Nov.15, and ages
Yales campus is a treasure trove
12 and under receive free entrance
for building design buffs, and guided into general admission seating
tours offer a glimpse into its history
areas. For exclusive offers to Yale
and architecture. Geared toward the
games and events, join Boolas Kids
general public rather than prospective Club (call 203-436-1256 or email
students, tours are offered Monday
boolaskidsclub@gmail.com). And
through Friday, 10:30 a.m. and 2
keep an eye out for the announcep.m., and at 1:30 p.m. on weekends, ment of Fall Youth Day, an event feadeparting from the Visitor Center
turing student-athlete clinics, barbe(149 Elm St.). The kid spin: Families cues, free T-shirts, autograph sessions,
taking the one-hour, 20-minute tour
face painting, and more.
can request a brochure encourag4. Get some quiet study time at the
ing children to hunt for architectural Marsh Botanical Garden.
details and designs along the way.
With six greenhouses on eight
Group tours for the treasure hunt
acres, the garden supports faculty and
can be arranged at least two weeks in student research but is also an eyeadvance for parties of 10 or more (call catching experience for all. Fall plant203-432-2300).
ings have lots of color. Adventurous
2. Get introduced to British art.
kids will be interested in the carThe Yale Center for British Art
nivorous plant collection and deep
(1080 Chapel St.), covering paintthinkers (or fish fans) wont want
ings, sculptures, drawings prints,
to miss the Contemplation Garden

with koi pond. Parking is available on Mansfield Street (except for

Wednesdays, and the entrance is at
265 Mansfield) as well as inside the
gardens.
5. Be an astronomer.
The Leitner Family Observatory
and Planetarium (355 Prospect St.)
is free and open to the public on
Tuesday nights for two showings. Its
the same facility used by students taking astronomy classes all other nights
of the week. On clear sky nights,
afterward the telescopes are open for
public viewing of stars, planets and
nebulae (check Leitners Twitter feed,
twitter.com/lfop, to see if skies will be
clear enough and for news on special
viewings for events such as eclipses
and comets).
6. Be a virtuoso.
School band members will appreciate the Yale Collection of Musical
Instruments (15 Hillhouse Ave.),
featuring nearly 1,000 objects (instruments and accessories), mainly from
Western European and American art
music traditions, but with a growing
collection representing the cultures
and traditions of Asia, Africa and
South America. Many instruments
are in excellent playing condition and
used in performances and demonstrations. September through July, the
collection is open Tuesday through
Friday, 1-4, and Sundays, 1-5.
7. Go home with some Bulldog
pride.

See Yalie on page 8

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 Kids World Hersam Acorn Newspapers

August 28, 2014

Scavenger hunt benefits

Sandy Hook victim
Sharpen your
detective skills
and enjoy family fun at the
first-ever Love
the Chase Family
Scavenger Hunt on
Saturday, Sept. 6.
The event begins at
8:30 a.m. at Wolfe
Park in Monroe. All
proceeds will benefit
the Chase Kowalski
Memorial Fund,
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For more information, contact LovetheChaseFSH@gmail.com, or visit Facebook and search
Love the Chase Family Scavenger Hunt.

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 Kids World Hersam Acorn Newspapers

August 28, 2014

The dreaded college essay:

Getting it done right

by Barbara Bangser
To the parents and students about to
embark on the much-maligned task known as
the college essay:
Relax.
Ive had the privilege of coaching students
with their college essays for more than 10
years, and whether the final product was a
Pulitzer Prize-winning opus or a simple 500word paper, everyone who wants to attend
college will go somewhere.
There have been hundreds of advice columns, books and articles written about the
dreaded college essay. Regardless of the
source, there really is no magical method or
secret to success other than following a simple
formula: Dont over-share, be yourself and
make sure your essay is proofread.
In the spirit of collaboration with my writing peers, Id like to offer some of my own
advice and anecdotes based on my experiences.
How do I start?
Being organized is a key component in the
essay application process. Keep a log of each
potential school. Do they accept the common application? Do they have supplemental
essays? Are the questions generic in nature, or
do they follow the University of Chicagos esoteric style? Many schools have their questions
available Aug. 1. Take a look, start thinking, and make notes of deadlines and word
counts.
What makes a good topic?
I always tell my students to imagine that
theyre the admissions officer who has a stack

monk offered enough interest.

Be articulate, but not verbose. Dont keep
your
thesaurus app open. If you are not sesWe are looking for candidates who will fit into
quipedalian by nature, dont fake it.
our school. We want to make a good match and
Be sincere, and be humble. You may menparticular honors, but dont sing your
find students who have something unique to offer. tion
own praises. Theyll be able to see your academic accomplishments on your transcript
and rsum.
If youre funny, feel free to infuse humor
in your essay, but avoid sarcasm. With the
of hundreds, if not thousands, of essays to
she rewrote the essay in less than an hour.
read. What would you like to read about?
This student was admitted to every school to exception of using a winking emoticon (a
most definite no-no), there is no safe way to
What distinguishes one student from another? which she applied.
Spare the reader a generalized diatribe about
Everyone has a story to tell, even at the ten- convey sarcasm in your essay.
der age of 17. Find it, embrace it, and tell it
the injustices of homework, a summer spent
What about those supplemental essays?
doing community service on a tropical island, with honesty and sincerity.
I love supplemental essays. They are not
or how your grandmother is your hero/inspiextra work: Theyre an opportunity to tell
ration.
What should I avoid?
Clich topics
more of your story. Five hundred words are
However, perhaps you possess a unique
Profanity (yes, Ive seen this)
often not enough to cover everything. Did
perspective on those people or experiences.
Negativism
you perform poorly in a particular class or on
Maybe you discovered a new talent or abil Text language/jargon
your standardized tests? Are you unsure of
ity while doing your calculus homework.
your major? Do you have any special needs?
Perhaps the aforementioned grandparent has Lying
Plagiarizing
This is your chance to explain.
a particular memento that fascinated you, or
Scientific words and phrases
A final word of advice: Every admissions
you made a mistake that changed the course
Repeating information already in the application
officer Ive encountered has said the same
of your life.
Oversharing (read Frank Brunis pieces in The
thing We are looking for candidates who
One of my students handed me a first draft
New York Times)
will fit into our school. We want to make
about her best friend, and said she was hava good match and find students who have
ing difficulty finishing it. As she and I sat
Things to keep in mind
something unique to offer.
and talked about the friend in more detail, I
Be authentic. There is rarely a need for
Keep in mind that the admissions process
discovered that the student had gotten into a hyperbole if your story is compelling. For
is not about getting into the best school; its
car with the friend, who had been drinking.
example, I had a student who wrote about
about getting into the best school for you.
They crashed the car and had to be airlifted
his visit with a Tibetan monk. The monk
to a nearby hospital. When I asked her why
lived in a cave with yak dung on the walls.
she omitted that from her essay, she replied
The student thought he was being creative by Barbara Bangser is a 25-year veteran of the public
relations and writing industries and has been a colthat she was embarrassed that she had made
describing the dung. I told him the sensory
lege essay coach for more than 10 years. Find her
such an awful mistake. I reminded her that
descriptions were unnecessary (and rather
she lived to tell about it and should. With disgusting, too), and the mere fact that he got at collegeessaycoach.org.
her newfound motivation and inspiration,
to experience being in a cave with a Tibetan

 Kids World Hersam Acorn Newspapers

August 28, 2014

Performing Arts Center of Connecticut:

What s new for fall

by Catherine E. LaChioma

sional workshop with an in house faculty for

voice, acting and musical theater dance rep
Performing Arts Center of Connecticut
and will have Broadway artists coming for
special workshops. This program will meet
As summer draws to a close and we
on Mondays 5:30-8:30 p.m. and is open to
begin to think about the year ahead, the
students ages 13-19. Augmenting these proPerforming Arts Center of Connecticut in
grams is a staff of acting, voice, dance and
Trumbull has more new and exciting promusic instrumentation instructors.
grams and faculty members planned for its
The foundation of PACCs performing arts
students and families.
Fine arts has found its way to PACC under center is dance. The center prides itself on
providing the community with an unparalthe direction of local artist Sue Hansen,
leled
professional dance faculty of instructors
BFA, MA. Sue will be teaching students age
who bring to their students passion, inspira8 to adults practical and tangible foundation and a holistic education in the art form
tion skills in drawing and sketching. This
12-week session will meet on Mondays from of dance. This year they add to their already
creative and vibrant staff, five renowned
Sept. 15 to Dec. 15 and culminate in a studancers/teachers in the world of dance.
dent art exhibit.
Ballet faculty will include Flavio Salazar,
PACCs Performing Artists Workshop
(ages 7-14) has broadened its triple threat a member of ABTs company for 13 years
and currently teaching for ABTs JKO
acting, singing, dancing musical theater program for the coming year. Broadway School, Alvin Aileys Company, ABTs Mens
Company Class and Marymount Manhattan
Method Academy will act as a pre-profes-

College. Susan Brooker, a teachers teacher, is

the former director of Ballet Mets pre-professional program. She holds her I.S.T.D. from
the Royal Academy and is a certified teacher
and examiner for both ABT and Cecchetti
Ballet Programs. Jonathan Mendez, former
scholarship recipient at JKO/ABT, is in the
movie First Position and is a certified ABT
instructor.
Modern faculty includes Caroline Fermin
and Brandon Cournay, both Juilliard graduates who have gone on to dance with some
of todays most impressive companies.
Caroline was a principal with Gallim Dance
and Brandon with Mark Morris, Morphoses
and currently Larry Keigwin and Co.
PACC invites you to come for a tour of the
facility, take a free class, receive a placement
evaluation and meet the faculty. Registration
is ongoing.
More info: 203-372-ARTS(2787),
PACofCT.com or PACofCT1@gmail.com

Infants Toddlers Pre-School

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 Kids World Hersam Acorn Newspapers

August 28, 2014

Mathnasium:

Math for kids not in the middle

by Melissa Ezarik

With class sizes what they are today, teachers are kind
of forced to teach to the middle of the class, and the very
bright or struggling dont get enough attention, says David P.
Lubner, director of Mathnasium of Darien, Fairfield (and by
years end, Greenwich).
Lubner has been involved at least informally in teaching math since he was middle school age and friends parents
would ask him to tutor. What he likes best about the subject
is: Theres almost always more than one way to reach the
answer.
Mathnasium helps kids from preschool through high
school. The youngest are typically there to build on their
strong interest and advanced skills. About one-third of elementary school-aged students come for enrichment, but the
rest are struggling. Most older students need help keeping up,
Students are encouraged to develop good math habits, like
which can mean getting back to basics first.
showing their work and avoiding careless errors.
You have high school kids at the sixth grade level
Also, he says, We try to teach it in a way that makes sense
maybe they never quite got fractions, Lubner explains. If
to them, rather than a way that makes sense to us.
you dont get fractions, youre never going to be able to do
Kids dont hate math, Lubner says. They hate being conalgebra.

fused by math.
Lubner offers these dos and donts for parents on building
kids math skills at home:
Dont drill and try to trick them into learning.
Everybody works differently. Try to encourage it and make
it more fun.
Do play games. For the younger set, play the memory
game, but with numbers. Instead of matching pairs, try to
have the numbers reach 10. So, if you pick a three, youre
looking for a seven. Older math wizards benefit from strategy
games that get their minds thinking and recognizing patterns.
Do remember that math builds upon itself.
Its not just about getting through this class. Keeping up
with that class is important, but so is filling in basic skills
taught in the early grades.
Dont wait to get help.
If you see theres something lacking, dont leave it and
hope it comes by itself.
More info: Mathnasium of Darien, 203-655-MATH (6284),
darien@mathnasium.com; Mathnasium of Fairfield, 203-259MATH (6284), fairfield@mathnasium.com

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after-school care programs. With locations in Trumbulls elementary schools,
as well as in our own Fun Zone Center for 4th to 8th graders. TLCs mission
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TLCs Fall Program and Preschool are accepting applications on-line for the
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TLC is a not for profit that is known for providing a safe and fun learning
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Master Classes
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 Kids World Hersam Acorn Newspapers

August 28, 2014

Abigail Schwarz photos

Sophies bag adds a pop of color to her white romper and Julias oversize bag is all the rage this fall.

Alexa and Tylers outfits can be dressed up or down, to go from school to social.

Fashion

leather accents on shirts and pants for both

boys and girls.
For teens, more vintage-style clothing
Continued from page 1
options have surfaced, such as ruffles and
lace, and anything that is a 'cold shoulder'
Romper Room: Rompers which gained
in popularity over the past two years and are is a super hot trend, Caren Forbes of Caren
generally thought of as a spring/summer fash- Forbes & Company in New Canaan, said.
Another tip and trend for this year for your
ion item will continue into the early fall,
especially for the teen set. They can be jazzed basics, is to go for neutral tones of taupe,
up or down, to go from school to social hour, gray and camel and use pops of color through
i.e. autumn school dances, football games and accessories (scarves, jewelry, tights, shoes).
Oh I know you dont want to hear this
the like.
with temps still hovering in the air condiRomantic grunge: The 90s grunge trend
gets a femme twist with floral prints and flirty tioner-needed zone, but fleece and fake fur
are going to be really big this winter. Go for
shapes.
fleece or fur trims on vests, jackets, hoodies
You will also find more pairings of leather
and hats.
with other fabrics, such as a cropped leather
Happy shopping!
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 Kids World Hersam Acorn Newspapers

August 28, 2014

Goblin garb

Teenager on board

Some schools implement

costume restrictions

Seven years ago, we found ourselves driving our daughter, Jess, up to a boarding school in Massachusetts to begin the second semester of her freshman year in
high school.
A new chapter began for both her and the rest of the family, or at least the three of us left at home then: Me, her dad
and her younger brother, Jack.
Her father had attended boarding school during his high
school years, but I was a public high school kid. Where Jess
was concerned, we batted around the idea of a boarding
school for about a year, with her dad pro-boarding and me
more or less on the fence.
I knew it would be best for her academically, but I had
kind of enjoyed the public high school social experience
Parenting

and, for better or worse, also liked having her around. Plus,
from
the
I found pleasure in seeing her buddies both at our house
Trenches
as well as out and about in town. I missed them before she

had even left.

The decision to withdraw her from high school and enroll
Julie Butler
in boarding school happened quickly. She asked if she could
go, our batting around ceased and the search for the right
school increased. And within two weeks it was done. Boom! Instant teen on
board.
Its a big decision, this one of sending your child off to a private, residential
secondary school. All sorts of factors financial, academic, emotional and social
must be considered.
Often the decision isnt so monumental. Many families come from a long line
of boarding school graduates, from great-grandparents down to the current generation, so the conclusion of where to spend the high school years is foregone.
Jesss father had that kind of history. Mine was mixed: My mom attended
boarding school in New Orleans and my dad graduated from a public high
school. My brother had a boarding school education as a middle schooler.
In some cases, a student needs a smaller, more concentrated classroom environment in which to succeed, and private or residential schools can accomplish
this more readily than a pubic high school. A strict dress code and/or discipline
expectations may also be easier to enforce in a private school setting than at
home or in the local middle or high school.
My second oldest son also went away to boarding school during his junior
year, only to return to and graduate from New Canaan High School, so this experience with Jess was not my maiden voyage with the whole kid-away-at-boarding-school thing. But somehow it felt different. Surprisingly raw.
As we said good-bye in front of her dorm, I was paradoxically both full of heart
and heart-broken. I hugged her maybe a second longer than I think she was
comfortable with and as I pulled away tears immediately filled my eyes.
Jess winced.
Its OK, mom, she said, turning a little misty eyed nonetheless.
I did, however, learn to get on board with having a child away at school.
Change is good. And if nothing changes, nothing changes.

Dressing up in a costume
and participating in parties and parades at school
is part of the excitement of
Halloween for children. Many
schools across the country
have some sort of Halloween
festivities where children
are encouraged to don their
costumes and show off for
friends and family.
However, before parents
run out and purchase costumes, they may want to
check with schools to see if
there are any limitations on
kids costumes. Many schools
have implemented guidelines
on Halloween costumes and
could have strict rules as to
what is and is not acceptable.
Schools often put these
rules in place for the protection of children. They want to
shield younger children from
very scary costumes that may
lead to nightmares. Costume
restrictions also include costumes that may mock race,
gender and personal handicaps. Weapons of any kind,
including fake weapons, are
typically prohibited. Most
schools are not interested in
promoting or glorifying violence. Therefore, a pirate may
have to leave his sword home.
A girl dressed as a police officer may have to go sans gun
or handcuffs.
Parents who are unfamiliar
with the guidelines should
err on the side of caution.
Restrictions are often imposed
on:
Costumes that depict gangs
and horror characters or are
overly scary;
Weapons of any kind;
Costumes that demean race,
religion, nationality, handicapped condition, or gender;
Costumes with obstructive
masks; and
Overly sexy costumes.

Other schools are coming

up with their own guidelines

on costumes that are even
more strict than banning
goblins and zombies. In 2009
a Texas school issued suggestions for positive costumes,
which included historical
characters or healthy food
items.
Some parents do not necessarily want schools to police
Halloween costumes. There
are those who believe that
responsibility falls on parents and that common sense
should prevail. But schools

do not want to risk alienation

or negative press surrounding fun events like Halloween
parades. Therefore, most prefer to take extra caution on
what costumes are allowed.
Before spending money
on elaborate Halloween costumes, parents should learn
the policies on clothing and
accessories implemented by
their childs school. This way
they dont have to return that
stealth ninja costume come
Oct. 30.

Yalie

Continued from page 2

The Yale Bookstore, run by Barnes

& Noble and located at 77 Broadway
at York Square, is where to head first
for a huge selection of Yale insignia
clothing and gifts for infants, children

and the whole family. Other shop stops

with merchandise suitable for wee
ones include the Atticus Bookstore
Cafe (1082 Chapel St.) and Campus
Customs (57 Broadway).
Melissa Ezarik is a Stratford-based writer
who is ready for some beyond-the-Peabody
day trips to Yale that end with dinner at
Frank Pepes Pizzeria.

203-494-9205 newenglandballet.org

New Bridgeport studio now open!

Bijou Performing Arts Center
277 Fairfield Avenue, 2nd Floor, Bridgeport, CT
Ongoing registration Call for appointment
Classes begin September 2

Ballet Point Pas de Deux

Tap Jazz Musical Theatre Contemporary Hip Hop

Annual Nutcracker Auditions!

Open Community Auditions
September 14 Bridgeport location
September 21 Orange location
All Levels Ages 3 & up

Call 203-799-7950 for details

(Fess apply)

DANCE ARTS
Ongoing registration
Call for appointment
Classes begin September 2

203-799-7950
newenglandballetschool.com
200 Boston Post Road Suite #8 Orange, CT

 Kids World Hersam Acorn Newspapers

August 28, 2014

Eat well, lose weight and be healthy

by Barbara Schmidt,
MS, RDN, CDN Nutrition Life Style Specialist
Norwalk Hospital

As the kids are going back to school, its

time to start thinking about you by doing
those things youve wanted to do.... Get in
shape! Dont be tempted to jump on the latest fad-diet bandwagon because it has been
shown repeatedly in weight control research
that dieting is the best way to gain weight. It
works almost every time!
If this scenario sounds familiar, its time to
throw away those diet books and start eating
well. Eating well is more than just knowing
what to eat, but also knowing when to eat.
It involves establishing life style changes and
avoiding the dieting traps into which many of
us have fallen in the past.
Plan to eat every three to four hours. Many
dieters skip breakfast or try desperately not
to eat too much early in the day. A tiny bowl
of cereal for breakfast and a salad for lunch
sets the stage for raging hunger by 4 p.m. and
you want to eat everything in sight. Eating
smaller amounts of foods more often helps

To help us lose weight and keep it off, remember the three Ps

Planning meals and snacks helps us to get the job done well.
Practicing eating well behaviors strengthens lifestyle changes.
Perseverance, probably the most challenging, keeps us going towards
our goal of health, strength and wellness.

with hunger control. Rather than adding more

unwanted calories, planned snacking helps us
feel satisfied with reasonable food portions.
This is eating well.
Think fiber! Fruits and vegetables provide
valuable nutrients as well as bulk.
Avoid processed grains and sugars, which
cause blood sugars and insulin levels to rise,
which increases fat storage. High fiber whole
grain breads and cereals in small portions
keep blood sugar levels constant and require
more energy for your body to metabolize.
You will feel full and will be less hungry.

Cut the fat. This is the most important

change you can make for your waistline and
your health. In particular avoid saturated fats,
fats that are solid at room temperature.
Seeking perfection is another attitude trap
dieters fall into. A common response to a
dietary lapse is complete disintegration of our
total plan. When we find ourselves eating an
unplanned goodie, we feel guilty and finish
the whole bag of cookies.
Remember no one is perfect. Use this as a
red flag to get your self back on track. When
eating well, we enjoy what weve eaten and

get on with making better food choices.

Get moving, exercise. One of the most
powerful tools we have for weight control is
movement. Remember in order to lose weight
output has to be greater than input. Physical
activity is one of the strongest predictors of
long-lasting weight loss.
Physical activity should be something that
we enjoy, such as walking, dancing, swimming and skating, to name a few. The more
varied and enjoyable the activities are, the
more likely we are to continue to do them.
Remember to schedule your exercise: Make an
appointment with yourself and dont break it.
The expert recommendation is just 30 minutes a day, five times a week.
And join Transformations weight loss
program at Norwalk Hospital with Barbara
Schmidt, MS, RDN, CDN to learn how to loss
weight and keep it off for good.
Barbara Schmidt, MS, RDN, CDN is the nutrition
life style specialist at Norwalk Hospital. Classes
start Sept. 9 at noon and Sept. 11 at 5:30 p.m. To
register for classes and to learn how to lose weight
call 203-855-3548 or 203-852-2178.

 Kids World Hersam Acorn Newspapers

10

August 28, 2014