Neighborhood-Kids All Local. All for Kids. All the Time.

Learning

•   Dr. Hallowell Comes to Bellingham
  

  In October, Intermediate and Middle School students at Whatcom Day Academy had a very distinguished visitor. Dr. Edward Hallowell, father of three and a clinical psychiatrist who has been featured on Oprah and other TV talk shows, was in town to present the inaugural speech for Whatcom Day Academy’s “Education in the Community” Speaker Series. He also spoke to students about how each person has unique strengths and every brain has its own way of thinking.

•   Dream List Media: Making Kids' Dreams Come
  

  Local author and motivational speaker, Melissa Borghorst, brings Operation Dream List workshops to Whatcom County schools, giving students the tools, knowledge and courage to follow and reach their dreams. These workshops for grades 6-12 teach students important goal planning skills, and help break big dreams into smaller goals so they can start accomplishing right away, tracking progress in Dream List Journals.

•   Celebrating the Freedom to Read
  

  Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is an annual event sponsored in part by the American Library Association each year. The nation-wide event gathers librarians, authors, booksellers, publishers and journalists together to remind Americans not to take their democratic freedom to read for granted. This year, the Banned Books Week Read-Out! Kick-off took place in Chicago, IL on Saturday September 27th.

•   Learn More About Banned Books Week
  

  Depending on their age, the idea of banning books might be a foreign topic for your kids, but there’s plenty you can do this week to educate them, and yourself, about the freedom to read. It's a great opportunity to share some early United States history and the First Amendment, and help kids see how their voice and opinions can make a difference in institutions, from the library to the government.

•   Bham Music Lives On As Keyboard Kids Closes
  

  Near the intersection of West Illinois Street and Sunset Drive, there’s little question as to what services Keyboard Kids, with a piano keyboard painted along the roof, provides. But as owner JoAnn Armstrong closes the music teaching studio, who knows what’s next for this place where over a thousand children from age 18 months to 12 years received group piano lessons from “Miss JoAnn” during the past twenty years.

•   Getting a Great Start at School
  

  With the beginning of school parents are hopeful that their children will have a successful year, but children are individuals and each school year brings new challenges and concerns. While parents cannot control all that happens during a school year, they can take active steps to encourage a positive experience for all. Following are some practical suggestions to help parents get their children off to a good start.

•   Kids Can Get Familiar with Computers at WCC
  

  It’s amazing all that can be accomplished with computers these days. Just about anyone can record a professional sounding CD of music or produce a TV-worthy digitally animated cartoon from a home computer. If your kids are interested in learning about creating artwork on the computer, you might want to explore some of the programs for kids offered with Whatcom Community College Community Education.

•   Olympics Inspire Kids to Learn About China
  

  Books and games about China are fast disappearing off the shelves of educational stores in Bellingham as parents see this Summer Olympics in Beijing as a rare chance to inspire education in social studies. Whether kids get started with questions about international sports competition or jump immediately into subjects about China, the next couple of weeks is clearly a time for mom and dad to fast track their child’s cross cultural knowledge.

•   Fairhaven Girls' School to Open This Fall
  

  “You have to use your imagination,” Amanda Werchan said as she walked through a former lawn mower shop that’s currently being transformed into a private school for middle school girls. Altering the barren commercial space into a school for 15 pre-teen girls seems ambitious, but with Amanda’s determination, the school will definitely be ready on September 2 for the first class of Fairhaven Girls’ School.

•   Bellingham Schools Building Buzz
  

  The buzz around Bellingham Public Schools these days is about their current building projects. Along with updates and general maintenance, three new buildings (two for new schools in the district) are in various stages of development. With attendance boundaries shifting and unique visions for future schools, let’s take a look at some of the facts about these new schools and what the changes mean for Bellingham families.

•   Discover Bellingham's History This Summer
  

  Most kids know the basic story of the American Revolution that lead to the formation of our country as we know it today. But as we celebrate our nation’s Independence Day with BBQs and fireworks, what do your kids know about the history of Bellingham and Whatcom County? For that matter, what do most of us adults know? Luckily, there are plenty of local resources to help your family learn more about the early days of our home in a fun and educational way.

•   Learning Doesn’t Stop for Summer Vacation
  

  What are your plans for this summer? Even with a few special trips, your kids are going to spend a lot of time doing “nothing” during their three-month break from school. And while kids definitely deserve a break, there are a lot of great, local day camps that can help keep your kids focused on learning, at least for a few days out of the summer. Take a look at all the great offerings in Bellingham!

•   Wrapping Up the School Year
  

  The end of the school year can be a pretty hectic time for teachers, parents and students. With graduation and good-bye parties, award ceremonies for clubs and teams, a few more days of learning to complete, it can be hard to take time to appreciate everything your child has learned and all the friends they’ve made throughout the year. So when the last day of school arrives, make sure you’re prepared to make the memories last.

•   Getting Dramatic with The Neighborhood Playhouse
  

  Most kids love to play games and pretend, but not all kids want to get up on stage in front of a large audience. For those who aren’t into the glitz and glamour of the stage, The Neighborhood Playhouse (TNP) might be just the ticket for exploring their creative side. Owner and founder Lizanne Schader is devoted to the process of theater rather than the product, offering workshops that help kids learn the discipline and craft of acting through games, creative dramatics, and scene work.

•   WDA Students Get Excited for Science
  

  At a time when politicians and policy makers are bemoaning the fact that the United States isn’t producing enough engineers and scientists, Whatcom Day Academy is doing something about it. On April 2nd, this independent school in Bellingham held its annual Science Exposition. Fifty students presented their science projects to a curious crowd of all ages, with physicians, university professors, and engineers on hand to judge their entries.

•   Kids Take Center Stage at BAAY
  

  What are some of your child’s favorite activities for at-home play? Most kids can keep themselves busy with creative pursuits like singing, playing dress-up, and storytelling. If you’d like to help your child develop these talents and get them interacting with other kids, there’s a great local organization that helps kids get excited about music, theater, and dance: Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth, or BAAY.

•   Considerations Before Competing
  

  Do you have a child who loves to play chess? For our family, tournaments have been a positive experience— they offer our son a chance to build his game skills, but more than that, they link him to a community of kids who love chess. But there are lots of different factors that determine whether or not your child can handle the competition. If you’re thinking about signing your child up for a chess tournament (or any competition), here are some considerations.