Newsletter for October 19, 2010 Photo from walldesk.net Halloween Jokes for Kids Why don't angry witches ride their brooms? They're afraid of flying off the handle Who won the skeleton beauty contest? No body What do skeletons say before they begin dining? Bone appetit! Where do baby ghosts go during the day? Dayscare centers Share with each other: Student Parent Visibility Day Thank you, all student parents for your participation on Student Parent Visibility Day! We had a great turnout, beautiful weather, and lots of fun! We could not have put this event together without all of you and your help. We hope next year is as much a success! Check out our photos below from the event! SPHC Facebook Group The SPHC is on Facebook! Search for "Student Parent HELP Center" to join the SPHC group, or for a larger group of student parents that includes graduate students and others not registered with the SPHC, search for "University of Minnesota Student Parents". Being a part of the “Student Parent HELP Center” group is another great way to stay connected with the SPHC and other student parents as well as to share tips and resources, ask questions of SPHC staff and other parents, and stay updated on SPHC events! Student Parent Success Stories and Announcements We would like to continue featuring personal success stories and announcements in our biweekly newsletter. If you will be graduating this fall, having a baby, buying a home, getting married, or are experiencing a related event, please let us know. You can send the announcements or stories to the SPHC e-mail address (sphc@umn.edu). We are proud of all of your accomplishments and upcoming events, and would love to share them with others. Student Parent Pictures Have any great family photos that you want to share with others? If so, please send them to us so that we can feature them in the newsletter. Please send us any pictures you want included in a newsletter to sphc@umn.edu as an e-mail attachment. PASS Group (Parents as Students Support Group) Wednesdays 12:00 PM–2:00 PM The Student Parent HELP Center PASS Group meets weekly on Wednesdays from 12:00-2:00 p.m. in Room 24, Appleby Hall. The group provides the opportunity to connect with other student parents, discuss the challenges and joys surrounding academic studies and parenthood and share a FREE lunch with your fellow SPHC friends. The direction of the group will be determined in large part by your needs and ideas. Your willingness to share experiences and personal challenges will undoubtedly help others, so we hope you will join us as often as you can. Feel free to come for all or part of the group and remember that you are not obligated to come every week. Simply come as often as your schedule allows. (Your little ones are welcome!!). UPCOMING GROUP TOPICS: Wednesday, 10/20/10 from 12-2PM We will be having an open discussion this week, topic not yet determined. Join us for food, fun, and community building time with fellow student parents! We have crockpot enchiladas with all the fixings on the menu for lunch. Wednesday, 10/27/10 from 12-2PM Adam Sumner from University Counseling and Consulting Services (UCCS) will be joining us this week to share tips on time management. Join us for a great discussion and a chance to get some ideas for staying organized through midterms and the rest of fall semester. We will be serving corn chowder and homemade bread for lunch. Note: Please know that we do not want student parents to skip class in order to attend the weekly group meetings. Academics are considered a student parent’s priority at the U. If there is a specific topic you are interested in and you are unable to attend group, please inform a staff member and we will be happy to provide information to you afterwards. If you have suggestions for a specific topic or program, contact Melanie Soland or Kara Fahey at sphc@umn.edu. Please remember that the center is closed during group on Wednesdays from 12-2 p.m. for all other resource use and studying spaces. Please come back in around 2 p.m. and we will re-open the doors. If you are going to join us for lunch, please stay at least 1/2 hour and join in the group in order to respect the food budget of the HELP Center. What Student Parents say about group: “I feel like I do better because I feel like I am not the only person with these stresses. I feel it makes my life a little bit better.” “Group keeps me positive and feel like I’m a part of the U, even though I’m different because of my parenthood status.” “A place I can come where other people understand the stress and challenges that come with being a student parent.” “I’ve gained confidence as a parent and have friends that are in similar situations.” “Just a place you can relax—be with other people who can relate to you because they have to balance school and kids, too.” “It’s like being able to go home in between classes.” Scholarships: Avoid Scholarship Scams! Scholarships are free, if anyone asks for a bank account or credit card number, do not give out any personal information. It is free to search, apply for, and receive them. If you have any questions, talk to your financial aid office. You can report a scholarship scam or find more information at: Federal Trade Commission Ftc.gov/scholarship scams 877-382-4357 Federal Student Aid Scholarship Search Online search engine to find scholarships for your major or demographics at: https://studentaid2.ed.gov/getmoney/scholarship/v3browse.asp Critical Language Scholarships for Summer 2011 Information Session: Wednesday October 20, 3:35-4:30 pm, Blegen Hall 230 Application deadline: November 15, 2010 These U.S. government-sponsored scholarships support intensive summer language study in the critical need languages; Azerbaijani, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, or Urdu, at approved language institutes abroad. Applicants must be: U.S. citizens Undergraduates at any level freshman through senior, or graduate students All fields of study are eligible Some institutes have language prerequisites, but many are open to beginners All program costs are covered, including travel, room and board, instruction, visa fees, and entrance fees for program activities. Seven students from the U received these scholarships last year! Further information and online application available at http://www.clscholarship.org For more information on this and other nationally competitive scholarships, visit http://www.honors.umn.edu/scholarships Parenting Information and Resources: Top 10 Halloween Safety Tips for Kids 1. Hem Costumes Protect your kid's costume from fire hazards like lit jack-o-lanterns or tripping while trick or treating by hemming (or just plain cutting) them so they fall about 6 inches above the ground. Assure your little Dracula that he'll totally still be scary even if his Nike's are showing. 2. No Masks A bulky mask at night can impair even Spiderman's laser-sharp vision. Instead try face paint. Your kid will better be able to detect evil foes....and moving cars, lit luminaries and sharp curbs while he's out on Halloween night. 3. Contact Info What's scarier than Saw 18? Losing sight of your kid in the swarm of costumed little people! On trick-or-treat night, safety-pin an index card with your name, phone number and address inside your kid's costume. Now your biggest worry can be your kid eating an entire pillow case full of candy in one night! 4. Reflective Tape Fairy wings and superhero capes are much easier to see when they're all lit up with reflectors, so trim costumes with reflective tape (the stuff used on bikes.) For little ones, stick some strips on the stroller, too! 5. Fake Knives If your first grade grim reaper or sweet-faced Sweeney Todd is carrying a prop like a scythe or butcher knife, it should only looks lethal. Make sure the tips of all witchy weapons are smooth and flexible enough to not cause injury if fallen on…or used in play with friends. 6. Fake Fires If you set jack-o-lanterns on your porch or line luminaries up your walk using real lit candles, set them far enough out of the way of kids' clutziness and costumes. A safe alternative are flameless candles—battery-operated LED lights that look just like the real thing! 7. Inspect the Treats Here's an oldie but goodie: Don't let your kid eat anything unwrapped or home made. This rule still rules Halloween treat eating, even in our current pro-organic and homemade healthy culture. Of course you love your neighbor, but you still don't know what's in those cookies. Also, be sure to inspect all your kid's candy before she digs in. 8. Carry Flashlights All good ghost stories start out on "dark and stormy nights," and all good mamas make sure that motorists can see their kids on those dark nights. Make sure your kid is armed with a flashlight (with working batteries!), glow sticks or has reflective tape on his costume. 9. Phone Home Is this the year that you'll let your big kid or teen go out to experience the Halloween horrors without you? Then make sure he has a way to call home if the need arises and regularly check in. If he has a cell, make sure it's charged up so he can't use the dead battery excuse. If he doesn't have one, give him yours for the night. (Let him know if he loses it or doesn't check in, the biggest scare of his night will be how long he's grounded.) 10. Safety 101 You've been doing a great job of teaching your kids basic everyday safety. Go you! But before heading out on Halloween, refresh the big concepts with your kids: not getting into cars or talking to strangers, not entering strange homes, watching both ways before crossing streets and crossing only when the lights allow. This brush-up will help make for a night filled with safety, not scares. All tips from http://www.parentsconnect.com/ MNParentsKnow.info When Parents Know…Kids Grow Trusted Parenting Information 24/7 The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) hosts an innovative and interactive Website for parents. The ParentsKnow Website provides resources on child development, parent education, child care and consumer safety information and includes links to MDE and other trusted Websites. Features include: A-Z parenting topics, developmental milestones, smart searching and web guide, find a program (early childhood programs organized by county), everyday parent to parent bulletin board, and over 75 short videos of Public Service Announcements and podcasts on child development, learning and health. Visit their website at: http://parentsknow.state.mn.us/parentsknow/index.html Community Resources: Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) A Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for women, infants, and children. WIC provides Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. Call your local WIC program at 612-348-6100 or outside Hennepin County at 1-800-WIC-4030 to apply and check out their website for more information: http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/ Energy Assistance Fall is here and winter is not far ahead! Many Minnesotans will see significant increases in their energy bills that will strain their budgets. The Energy Assistance Program provides grants for individuals in need. Please visit the following link for more information: http://www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/content.do?subchannel=null&programid=536916219&sc 3=null&sc2=null&id=-536893810&agency=Energy Or visit www.staywarm.mn.gov/ and you can select “Finding Financial Assistance” and you will find information about the Energy Assistance Program there among other tips for staying warm this fall and winter. For more Community Resources, please check out our website (www.sphc.umn.edu). If you’re not interested in applying but would like to see their information on nutrition topics (on anything from dietary supplements to vaccines, it is on their website at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/topics-a-to-z/ Featured Campus Events and Resources: SMART Commons On-campus resource to help you succeed! Learning Services Find a tutor Find group study sessions for select courses Prepare for exams Get research help Access on-line learning resources Media Services Use production equipment o Reserve equipment o View hardware and software Get help with a media project Book videos for classroom use Reserve rooms Three locations for SMART Commons: Wilson Library 1st Floor 612-626-8262 Walter Library Room 204 (2nd floor) 612-624-1584 Magrath Library Outside the library proper 612-624-2125 Hours for each location are available online as well as links to information for each available service at: https://wiki.umn.edu/SMART MCAE Tutoring Services The Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence (MCAE) addresses issues that affect the University of Minnesota community, including various types of diversity as well as ethnic and racial issues. MCAE also helps students explore internship opportunities and campus events, and provides access to campus resources, scholarship information, mentoring programs, academic offerings and study abroad opportunities. They offer walk-in tutoring (no appointment necessary) in Appleby Hall for many subjects. The location depends on the tutor, but the three rooms used are Appleby Hall Room 141, 149 and 151. Take a look at their schedule for tutors from different subject areas (times and locations) at: http://www.mcae.umn.edu/about/staff/tutors.html (click on TUTOR SCHEDULE in left column of page in blue text for most current schedule) Main MCAE website: http://www.mcae.umn.edu/ Diversity Networking Event November 17th 3:00 pm -5:00 pm University Ballroom, Radisson University Hotel FREE and open to ALL U of M Students! Meet and network with employers across the Twin Cities Metro who are interested in a diverse workforce. Undergraduate students who identify with one or more of the communities served by the Office for Equity and Diversity (GLBT, students of color, women, and students with disabilities) are encouraged to attend. Learn more and register at: http://z.umn.edu/student Community Events and Activities: Free Family Theater October is Free Night of Theater month in Minnesota! Check out the website below for a list of available performances and request your FREE tickets. This is a great opportunity to check out some of the local theater productions with your family and friends! http://www.mnfreenight.org/ Zoo Boo On the Como Park Zoo Grounds Oct. 16th-17th and 22nd-24th from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm (1225 Eastbrook Drive, St. Paul) Parking is free! Zoo Boo is a non-scary Halloween fundraising festival for families and young children. For this unique fall fundraiser, the grounds of Como Zoo transform into a world of fairytales and fun! Over 200 live costumed characters interact and entertain children. This magical event offers families a safe trick-or-treating alternative plus many Halloween surprises. BOO BASH Sunday, October 24th from 1-5pm SPOOKTACULAR FALL FUN ON GRAND AVENUE! Location: 734 Grand Ave., St. Paul Walgreens Visit here to view the Boo Bash 2010 flyer: http://grandave.com/eventDetails.php?eventID=19 Dracula's blood drive 1-5pm Children's costume contest 2pm Monster Mash 1-3pm Petting Zoos 1-4pm Pony Rides 1-4pm Inflatable Bounce House 1-4pm Trick-or-treating 3-5pm (ages 12+up in costume) Activities at local haunts 1-3pm Anoka Halloween All Anoka Events on Saturday, October 23 Halloween Fun At the Library 11:00am at the Rum River Library in Anoka, MN FREE Stories followed by indoor costume parade for kids of all ages. Pumpkin Carving Contest 3:00pm | Aitkin Riverside Park Sponsored by Berry Hill Farm and Northstar Towing FREE Open to the first 100 children, 12 and under. Judging at 4:15 pm. Light Up the Night Parade 7:00pm | Main Street Anoka Floats light up to entertain us during this event. Anoka Halloween Bonfire -- NEW EVENT!! 8:00pm-10:00pm | On 2nd Avenue, just north of City Hall FREE family fun. Food vendors arrive at 5pm, before the Night Parade and stay through the bonfire. Mini-donuts, kettle corn, cotton candy, pizza, brats, beverages and more for sale! The bonfire starts as soon as the parade ends. Bring the whole family, lawn chairs, and a blanket! The 17th Annual BareBones Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza: “Carnetheria” FREE, 5$ donation optional. BareBones is a puppet spectacle that plumbs the deep and darkest depths of a dreamlike Carnival for all ages. Using larger-than-life puppets, shadow puppets, bike puppets, costumes, masks, song, dance, stilting, aerialism, fire artistry, and original music by a live orchestra, the BareBones Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza promises an unforgettable nighttime spectacular through the best traditions of community theater, public pageantry, and seasonal celebration. Dress for cold weather, bring blankets, straw bale seating limited. Dates of shows: October 23, 24, 29, 30 & 31 (ALL shows at 7:00 PM) Location: Hidden Falls Regional Park – North Gate (Maggofin Ave) Entrance, St. Paul 1305 Mississippi River Blvd S, St. Paul, MN 55116 .8 miles south of Ford Parkway Edinborough Park Halloween Party Oct. 29 from 6- 9 p.m. location: 7700 York Ave. S., Edina, MN 55435 Join Edinborough Park for an evening of tricks and treats. Children can run and play in Adventure Peak and the Great Hall. They will travel through the park to trick-or-treat, enjoy a comedy show and more. Don’t forget a change of clothes. Costumes are great, but can also hold back some of the fun! Friends in the Forest Oct. 30 from 5:30-8 p.m. Cost: $5 per person, children 2 and under free Location: Baker near Wilderness Settlement in Maple Plain, MN Children and adults together will follow a walking path lit by jack o’ lanterns through the woods and be greeted by fun, friendly characters along the way! The Walk is magical and fun-not scary at all. The activities are suited for children 3-9, but the evening is great fun for all ages. Costumes welcome. Early childhood age arrive between 5:15-6:30 p.m. and older children after 7 p. m. Walk takes 45 minutes, groups begin every ten minutes. link: http://www.springhillschool.com/events.html Ghost Trolley & Trick ‘r Trolley Ghost Trolley Oct. 22, 23, 29, and 30 from 6-9 p.m. Cost: $4 for adults, $3 for children 11 and under Location: Como-Harriet Streetcar Line 42nd and Queen Ave. S Alien Invaders theme! A ghost-story ride, family-friendly and not too scary. Trick ‘r Trolley Oct. 31 from 1- 2 p.m. Cost: $5 per passenger Here's a special Halloween event for younger children and their parents. Come in costume and go for a streetcar ride. You’ll hear a Halloween story and each child will receive a treat bag full of goodies. Tickets are available only at Wild Rumpus Books in Linden Hills. For more information check their website: www.wildrumpusbooks.com Howl-O-Ween Party Oct. 30 from 12:00pm-4:00pm location: 5463 W Broadway Ave. Forest Lake, MN Come trick-or-treat among owls, wolves and bears while you learn about some of nature’s most misunderstood creatures, OH MY! Show off your costumes, sip apple cider while enjoying the warmth of a campfire, decorate your own trick-or-treat bag and enjoy lots of fabulous treats and Howl-O-Ween fun. Pumpkin Night in the Park Oct. 23 from 6-10 p.m. Cost: $6 per person, children 2 and under free Location: Springbrook Nature Center 100 85th Ave. N.W. Fridley, MN 55432 Activities included in Entrance Fee Indoor Trail of Spooky Delights Pumpkin Patch Dance with DJ Enchanted Outdoor Trail Hundreds of Carved Pumpkins Roadkill Cafe Elvis Live! Additional Activities for Nominal Fee Tasty treats at the concession stand Kettlecorn Spooky Bingo Easy Family Recipes: Cranberry Apple Cider (A slow cooker recipe) Serves 8 Ingredients: 4½ cups apple juice 1½ cups cranberry juice 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries 1 medium orange, cut in slices 1 cinnamon stick 5 whole cloves Directions: 1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours, to let the spices steep. 2. Remove cinnamon stick, cloves and, if desired, fruit with a slotted spoon before serving. For a sweeter recipe, add a few tablespoons of brown sugar or honey. *If you don’t have a crock pot, you can mix cranberry juice, apple juice, and a dash of cinnamon and heat over the stove or in the microwave. Fall Potato Soup (Serves 5) Ingredients: 1 tbsp butter ½ tbsp self rising flour ½ of a large onion, chopped 1 small bunch celery, finely chopped 3 medium potatoes, diced 4 cups milk ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp cayenne pepper Directions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Melt butter in cooker or large pot. Add flour. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Add onion, celery, diced potatoes, milk, salt and pepper. Place a cover on cooker and simmer 30 minutes. Do NOT let it boil. Toasted Pumpkin Seeds (recommended for children 4+, seeds may be a choking hazard) Continue Halloween fun in the kitchen by toasting pumpkin seeds with your preschooler! They love sorting through the pulp to dig out seeds. Supplies: Pumpkin sauce pan baking sheet olive oil seasonings Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds. 2. In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a tablespoon of salt for every cup of water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. 3. Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack for 20 minutes or until the seeds begin to brown. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating. Either crack to remove the inner seed (a lot of work and, in my opinion, unnecessary) or eat whole. If you have any healthy quick and easy recipes that you and your family enjoy, please share! E-mail us at sphc@umn.edu, and we will feature your recipe in an upcoming newsletter. The SPHC staff welcomes you! Here’s who’s who at the center: Susan Warfield, LICSW HELP Center Program Director Brief background: I began my professional career working in group homes with abused, neglected and later autistic children and adolescents. Upon completing my MSW I worked for 7 years in the Denver Public Schools, serving inner city schools with highly diverse populations. Prior to entering higher education I owned my own private practice as a clinical therapist, also in Denver, Colorado. It was the work I did with college students as a therapist that led me to do a national search for higher education positions, a search that led me first to North Carolina and eventually to my position with the SPHC at the U. It is the best job I have ever had!!!! Melanie Soland, MSW, LGSW Student Parent Counselor Brief background I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Augsburg College and my master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota. My professional career began with an internship with the Campus Kitchens Project at Augsburg College, a program that utilized donated food to create nutritious meals which volunteers delivered and shared with members of the community. I’ve also worked with isolated elders through Little Brothers- Friends of the Elderly, as an MFIP job counselor in Ramsey County, and at a K-8 school in North Minneapolis. I was fortunate enough to join the SPHC team during the 2008-2009 academic year as the graduate social work intern/graduate teaching assistant, which is when I discovered my love of working with student parents and working in a higher education setting. I am thrilled to be rejoining the SPHC team! Tram Tran Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Brief background I am entering my junior year here at the U, majoring in Psychology. After I earn my bachelor’s degree, I would like to join the Peace Corps but I have no particular destination in mind; anywhere I’m needed is where I would go! I do plan on going to graduate school for my MSW and eventually going back to get a PhD in Clinical Psychology. I love helping others so I volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Crisis Connection, American Red Cross as a blood services volunteer and I do overnight shifts at a homeless shelter! This is my first job in the social work/psychology field so I am very excited about it and I look forward to meeting all the student parents! Kara Fahey Graduate Social Work Intern Brief Background I earned my BA in Religious Studies from Lewis and Clark College. I recently completed a year of service with AmeriCorps VISTA, where I was a Homework Center Coordinator for the Saint Paul Public Library. I have worked with a broad range of students, K-Community College, assisting them with their educational goals, in order to reduce the educational achievement gap. Currently, I am pursuing an MSW here at the University of Minnesota. My interests are in working with children and families in educational settings. I am excited to be working with student-parents to learn more about pertinent issues, resources, and experiences they have throughout their educational career. Gwen Dezelske Graduate Social Work Intern Brief Background I earned my Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Following graduation I worked as a Direct Support Professional in an in-home foster care program in Duluth. There I worked with adults with severe mental illness. My work experience previous to that is in research psychology focused on gerontology. Currently I am pursuing a Masters degree in Social Work at the University of Minnesota and am interested in gerontology and hospice social work. I am excited to work with a new age group, learn about how to be a support and resource for families in the SPHC, and consider myself very fortunate to be here getting to know all the brave student parents who are also excited to learn and pursue a higher education.