NewsBites for Kidz� June 8-14 2003

A bite a day keeps the blues away!

 

This is what kids around the world did this week:

News Photos

Holiday Time At "Les Coccinelles"- Cameroon, Africa

African Legacy: Fossils plug gap in human origins- Africa

They came, they saw, they left convertedHampshire, U.K.

Kids speak up to save summer programs- Georgia, U.S.A.

A children�s Chorus Grows in Brooklyn- New York, U.S.A.

In the woods Tamilnadu, India

Time to grow- U.S.A.

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News Photos

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/030610/241/4d217.html - Kids play with computers, China

http://cgi.wn.com/?t=worldphotos/viewphoto.txt&action=display&article=21262331 - Child Care: Giving children a headstart, Malaysia

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http://allafrica.com/stories/200306130813.html

Holiday Time At "Les Coccinelles"

By Irene Morikang
Cameroon Tribune (Yaound�)

Cameroon, Africa- The 2002/2003 academic year was a complete success at "Les Coccinelles " nursery and primary school located at the Unity Palace. The 54 pupils of the institution did very well in their end of year examinations.

First Lady, Mrs Chantal Biya, was welcomed with a bouquet of flowers by a pupil. The kids did not fail to commend the efforts of their parents and teachers to their education and well being.

The speeches gave way to animation by the pupils. For close to two hours, the kids, clad in bright pink robes (for girls) and yellow robes (for boys) robes, took turns to entertain the First Lady and the other guests with patriotic and didactic songs, recitations, rhymes and sketches.

In a light hearted manner the pupils, among them the children of the presidential couple (Paul Biya Junior and Anasthasie Brenda Eyenga), demonstrated what they could do. The five year olds, for example, showed the audience that they can read, write, count, draw, speak English and can also boost of mastering some of the basic hygiene rules, etc. The sketches were highly didactic. They taught the children the importance to obey their parents and gave lessons on how HIV/AIDS can be prevented.

"Prudence, abstinence and fidelity", the children enchanted.

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http://www.sciencenews.org/20030614/fob1.asp

African Legacy: Fossils plug gap in human origins

Bruce Bower, Science News

Three partial skulls excavated in eastern Africa, dating to between 154,000 and 160,000 years ago, represent the oldest known fossils of modern people, according to the ancient skulls' discoverers.

At Herto in 1997, White's team found the partial skulls of two adults, one of which retained its facial bones, and of a 6-to-7-year-old child. Removal of sediment from the fossils and their reconstruction, including the assembly of more than 200 pieces of the child's cranium, occurred over the next 3 years.

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http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricket/story/0,10069,977486,00.html

They came, they saw, they left converted

Tanya Aldred at the Rose Bowl, The Guardian

Hampshire, U.K., June 14- Cricket, for once, got what it deserved. There were children, yesterday - lots of them. There were toddlers. Kerry Overington and Amy Ballard, 14-year olds dressed up to the nines had never been to a match before. "We came to see Mis-teeq" said Kerry in the interval. "We don't have a clue what's gong on but we're enjoying it anyway." "I'll definitely come again" said Amy. slowly the children began to trickle and then rush in. The hoopla got a customer. Two girls face-painting in their first summer after leaving school, drew lion faces on countless five-year-olds and stuck on tattoo after fake tattoo.

A school master arrived with a group of 12 boys. They stood with their rucksacks on their backs and their baseball caps pulled firmly down, gaping admiringly at the Sussex players warming up in their new Twenty20 shirts. They looked pleased to be there.

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http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/news-article.aspx?storyid=4938 - CLICK FOR PICTURE

Kids speak up to save summer programs

Firstcoastnews.com

BRUNSWICK, Ga., U.S.A.-- Joel Mention is determined to fight budget cutbacks that threaten children's programs in the city.

The first speaker at Wednesday's commission hearing, the elementary school-aged protester peered over the lectern and pulled the microphone down, so city officials could hear his impassioned plea.

"Thank you for letting me talk," Joel said. "My friends here need a swimming pool to swim in. Could you please let us have a swimming pool if you can?"

"These kids are not in a summer program," Lyde said. "They're in our streets."

After the hearing, Mayor Brad Brown and Commissioner David Williams said they were impressed by the young speakers.

"In the six years of being here, y'all are the best that have ever come," Brown told the children.

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http://www.nypost.com/living/36538.htm

A CHILDREN'S CHORUS GROWS IN BROOKLYN

By SHIRLEY FLEMING, New York Post

New York, N.Y., U.S.A., June 14, 2003 -- Depending on when you visit, you'll either hear young voices singing in perfect sync � or kids letting off steam.

But the steam soon disappears: This is, after all, a rehearsal of the Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy, and leader Dianne Berkun brings it to order with a clap of her hands.

The 7- and 8-year-olds in the Prep Division pile into their seats and wait for the downbeat, mute as mice. They were getting ready for today's concert and there was no time to waste.

The Prep Division is the youngest group in the academy's four-stage program, and nearly every member's goal is the same: to rise through Junior and Intermediate levels to the Concert Chorus, which has sung with the New York Philharmonic and the Orchestra of St. Luke's, toured Russia and won gold medals in Germany.

While most Concert Chorus singers are teens, the move is based on ability � which explains what 12-year-old Isaac Block is doing there.

"I love performing," he says, brightly. "And you get to hang out."

"It's been one of the most tremendous learning experiences of her life," Fay Aaronson says of her 9-year-old daughter Jessica.

"She was very shy when she started at 7 � she barely opened her mouth. Now she's much more extroverted. She stood up by herself and sang a solo."

Says 15-year-old Brenda Mathisen: "I don't know what I would do if I couldn't sing."

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http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/yw/stories/2003061400990300.htm- click for picture

In the woods

GEETA PADMANABHAN, The Hindu

Chennai, Tamilnadu, India-Not many people know that Scouting Movement in India was born in the shade of the famous banyan tree in the Adyar Theosophical Estate (TE).

....For these young campers from various city schools it is a chance to meet old scout and guide friends. But being a scout or a guide goes beyond that. "We learn subjects not taught in school," says Bala Subramaniyam.

"We learn to be responsible," says Ashwin.

Vinay looks at it as training to serve others well. For Subhasree and Anita camping is the best part. Anita votes for the chance to adjust with others while learning to be independent. Jose Edison thinks he will make an excellent volunteer during festivals and natural disasters. Sindhu is for social work and Haripriya believes the movement will help them spread non-violence. The practical ones are here because being an active scout will help them get government jobs. Arun Kumar has the Governor's award and is aiming for the President's medal.

Harish recalls the wonderful experience of attending the International Scout Jamboree at Raipur a year ago. "For 13 days we mingled with international scouts," he says. "Language was a problem with some. But I still e-mail pals from Oman and Sri Lanka."

Computer training is one of the vocational courses you learn as a scout. But nothing will beat the joy of camping for a few days in TE and listening to the chirping of birds.

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http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0614qualitytime14.html

Time to grow

Karina Bland, The Arizona Republic

Jun. 14, -In one day, I told my son to "Hurry up!" 11 times.

He's 4, and I push him out the door some mornings with an apple juice box and a Ziploc of Honey Nut Cheerios.

I rush him from preschool to tae kwan do or Target and then home for dinner. I just signed him up for soccer.

"I want to go home," Sawyer says after preschool one day.

We're on the way to tae kwon do. He started at 2 1/2 and is a camouflage belt. His uniform is on the back seat.

"Guess what we're going to do tonight after school?" I ask Sawyer one morning, unlocking the car door.

He climbs in. "What?"

I click his seat belt. "Nothing."

"Yeah!" he yells.

I have ambitions for my son, like any parent. I hope he'll do great things. I imagine him a black belt, playing the saxophone, discovering the cure for cancer in science class. But he's 4. He has plenty of time.

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NewsBites for Kidz�  is published by the News for Kidz� website. It is a free weekly e-newsletter, sent by subscription to kids all over the globe. It is a digest of condensed news stories published by international media, of the news in the life of kids.

Each news story is copyright of the original news source quoted with it.
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