WORDS: Merab-Michal Favorite
Imagine if being sent to the corner, or to time out, was less of a punishment and more of a therapeutic experience that included items meant to calm the senses and regulate emotions.
“When children start crying uncontrollably because they don’t get their way, the most primitive part of their brain is taking over and preventing them from making rational decisions,” said Marina Bunch, Clinical Director of …
WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
Bold hues of orange, blue, red, and yellow sweep through McKenzie Ware’s coveted sketchbook, filling hundreds of worn pages with original and creative characters like Oliver who happens to be part crocodile and part cow.
To be exact, McKenzie, an 11-year-old fifth-grader at Palmetto Elementary School, has designed 217 Anime-inspired characters that pop off the pages and compete to share their wildly funny …
WORDS: ALISON BERGMANN, M.S., C.P.P. – PROJECT DIRECTOR OF DRUG FREE MANATEE
As parents, we talk to our kids about health and safety a lot. We tell them to buckle up in the car, to look both ways before crossing the street, and to brush their teeth after meals; it seems like it is never ending. But, what if you could drastically reduce the likelihood that your child would …
WORDS: Amy Bell
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) has been providing counseling, training, and guidance to women across the Suncoast for nearly 40 years. Today, WRC serves thousands of women and families in Manatee and Sarasota counties. The organization offers strategies and resources to encourage self-confidence, determination, and a sense of place. It all comes together to solve immediate needs and provide hope for the future.
A …
WORDS: Amy Bell
Across the Tampa Bay area, hundreds of thousands of people are considered “food insecure.” This means they do not have consistent, easy access to safe, nutritionally adequate food. While you may assume food insecurity is something that impacts only homeless people, this is not the case. Many working adults, children, and elderly people also lack access to nutritious food.
Fortunately, Feeding Tampa Bay, part of the national …
WORDS & PICTURES: Jessica Schubick
Dr. Sharon Otis has devoted her life to working with children and families, with a career that spans over 50 years. More than 35 of those years were spent serving the local community in Manatee County. As she approaches a well-deserved retirement, Dr. Otis has much to reflect upon – as well as much to look forward to in the future!
Dr. Otis began her …
With summer right around the corner, students are getting ready to ditch books and tests for beaches and travel. Most students, following a standard nine-month school calendar, get to enjoy this break from school.
Studies have shown that one unintended consequence of these long summer vacations can be loss of academic knowledge and skills – a summer learning “slide.” According to the National Education Commission on Time and Learning (NECTL), …
WORDS & PICTURES: Jessica Schubick
The Manatee County School District is growing! Jane Dreger is helping the District keep up with the demand for new spaces and new schools. Dreger is the Director of Construction Services for the Manatee County School District (MCSD). Currently, she oversees the construction of three new public schools in the District – a feat that hasn’t been accomplished in Manatee County since 2007.
The projects …
I appreciate handmade presents for Mother’s Day – and I especially love the expression on my kids’ faces as I open their gifts!
It is also nice to look back at their artwork from over the years to see how their handwriting has changed, how they have grown in their photo gifts, as well as the creative ideas that their teachers have come up with.
Being on the receiving end …
https://laurenconrad.com/blog/2014/08/edible-obsession-gummy-bear-popsicles/
INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION
1. Drop a few gummy bears into your Popsicle mold. We made some that were multicolored and some that had a color scheme like green ombre and peach ombre.
2. Pour the orange juice into the molds. Insert popsicle sticks as directed on mold instructions.
3. Freeze your popsicles for about four hours or until they are completely …
WORDS: Niki Richards
When your child struggles meeting developmental milestones, having a support system and a team of highly skilled therapists on your side is priceless. That’s the goal of the Manatee Memorial Hospital Outpatient Pediatric Therapy Service, to become part of the families’ support system and, in time, part of their family.
The program has been serving the community for over 20 years and recently found a new home …
WORDS: Kara Chalmers
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
As usual, JPAN Sushi & Grill was bustling on a recent weekend night. Couples on dates, groups of friends, and families of all sizes dined and drank on the outdoor patios, at the sushi bar inside, and at tables and booths in JPAN’s dimly lit, stylish interior.
I think I can safely call myself a JPAN regular. The place is one of few restaurants …
WORDS: Kara Chalmers
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
E’yannie Gomez loves to write – she always has. In fourth grade at Samoset Elementary School in Bradenton, language arts is a favorite subject because it allows time for E’yannie, 11, to focus on her passion.
Last year, in third grade, when her class had free time and most other students headed straight to the computers to play games, E’yannie – who was enrolled …
WORDS: Bre Jones Mulock
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
As the morning school bell threatened to ring at Stewart Elementary recently, Dwayne Riedel peered through his glasses down 75th Street NW in Bradenton and watched a little boy feverishly riding his bike topple to the ground and knock out his front teeth.
Riedel, a 73-year-old Manatee County School crossing guard, who can’t bare the thought of a child suffering, painfully resisted …
