But can they spell entrepreneur?

BizKid$, a new show on KAET Channel 8, is about kindling the entrepreneuial spirit as well as teaching kids the importance of saving and starting good financial habits. Bizkid$ works closely with Junior Achievement Worldwide, which was started in 1919 (when money was worth something). Each show features young entrepreneurs and philanthropists who share their secrets to success, which probably start with making more than they spend.

"We profile real kids running real businesses, from big companies with product lines to small businesses like dog-walking," says Biz Kid$ Executive Producer Jamie Hammond. But it isn't all numbers, pie charts and graphs. This is the same bunch that produced Bill Nye the Science Guy, so it's entertaining while it's teaching financial literacy. The show airs at 5pm Sundays through June. Find out more at BizKids.com.

Expressed abstraction

Students at Kenilworth school in the Phoenix Elementary School District are celebrating abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollack tomorrow in music and painting. Pollack is best known for his "drip paintings" and other action painting techniques. He attended the district's Monroe Elementary School in the 1920s.

At 6:30pm, a presentation about Pollack's work and historical significance will be followed by a musically inspired live action painting by students of Kenilworth’s Fine Arts Society under the direction of art teacher Ryan Williams and band teacher Rob Vagi and a performance by the Kenilworth Steel Drum Band and Jazz Combo. To top off the evening, paintings created by students (that's one at left) will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting the Fine Arts Society. Kenilworth is located at Fifth Avenue and Culver, just north of the I-10 in Phoenix. Kenilworth School.

Leadership expeditions

Student Expedition Program (STEP) is a Tucson-based organization that provides leadership expeditions and experiences to promising high school students who would never be able to afford such positive life-changing experiences. STEP believes that leadership experiences enhance self-confidence and build the courage to pursue long term goals like a college education and a more certain future. Last summer, 30 high school students (half from Tucson and half from Phoenix) participated in a three-week kayaking trip through Prince William Sound in Alaska with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

STEP will give a presentation at the Paradise Valley REI this Thursday at 6:30pm. For information about the presentation, call 602-996-5400. StepExpedition.org.

What they worry about

With all the health-related discussion in the media, in school, around the dinner table, on the playground and certainly online, is it any wonder that the health of a loved on is what kids worry about most?

According to a kidshealth.org poll, 86 percent of 1,154 kids ages 9 to 13 polled worry "almost all the time" or "a lot" about the health of someone close to them. Their schoolwork (77 percent), the future (76 percent) and their looks (63 percent) also scored high on the worry index.

The poll also found that kids don't talk about it much, so cue parents: maybe it's worth bringing up the subject. “Parents can provide perspective as well as support,” says D’Arcy Lyness, Ph.D., child and adolescent psychologist and medical editor for KidsHealth.org. “It’s easy for kids to misinterpret what they hear, so sometimes parents need to correct misconceptions.” See all the results at Kids Health KidsPoll and find other valuable health-related information at KidsHealth.org.

No shopping, no chopping

The continuum of hassle-lite food prep strategies available to 21st century parents ranges from hiring a private chef who strings a hammock over the Viking range all the way to careening non-stop through the drive-thru of the burger joint in between the ballet lessons and the physics tutor. Here's a happy median: Dream Dinners has nine Valley locations that will shoehorn food prep for weeks or months of meals into a couple hours. They feature monthly menus and already prepped ingredients. Schedule a time to go in, assemble the uncooked meals to take home, shove them into the freezer then thaw and serve at will. If you have an appetite for efficiency look at DreamDinners.com.

Elmo buzz builds

Elmo may not have tickets to the Super Bowl but he will be in town tomorrow and word has it he will show up at the Brilliant Sky Toys and Books store in Phoenix. Sources close to Elmo know he is preparing for his Phoenix performance of "Sesame Street Live: Elmo Grows Up," which plays the Dodge Theater April 30. No word yet on where he is staying but visitors to the store on Sunday between 11am and 3pm can take pictures with Elmo and play games. There will be coloring, balloons, ice cream and raffles. There is no charge for the event so families can generally chill and hang out with The Red Fuzzy One. For more information call 480-785-TOYS or visit Brilliant Sky Toys and Books.

Let's play some fútbol Americano

Arizona Cardinals fullback Terrelle Smith may not be playing in the NFL Super Bowl this year but he is very involved in the Arizona-Sonora Bowl II Sunday at Copper Canyon High School (91st Ave. and Camelback) in Glendale. Game time is 3pm. The Arizona-Sonora Bowl II pits a football team of high school athletes from Arizona against a team from Sonora, Mexico. The first bowl game was in 1996, when Arizona hosted Super Bowl XXX. By the way, Arizona lost the first Arizona-Sonora Bowl game 24-6, in a game that attracted 25,000 fans in Sonora, Mexico.

Activities start at 9am and include clinics for selected underprivileged children, led by Smith, joined by Marvel Smith of the Pittsburgh Steelers and other NFL players. Families are invited to enjoy the Cardinals Experience, a hands-on entertainment area similar to the popular NFL Experience, at no charge. Profits will benefit the Sports Ad-Hoc Committee of the Arizona-Mexico Commission, which serves to foster the cultural, physical, and personal growth among children and teenagers through sports exchange between Arizona and Mexico. For more information visit Arizona Mexico Commission.

Hit the road yo, for a rodeo

The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Super Spring Roundup Rodeo is officially part of the Superbowl XLII celebration. It's on the opposite side of the world from the football stadium, but no less action-packed and exciting. The rodeo begins at 9am Saturday, with the Slack (non-official rodeo events) and then the Performance at 1pm Saturday and Sunday.

There are eight major events: bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, ladies barrel racing, saddle bronc, and bull riding. There's even a wild horse race. And in case you went over budget on your game-day plasma TV, the event is free. So saddle up and head east on the Beeline Highway (State Route 87) past Fountain Hills and past the Casino on your left. Cross the Verde River, then the Rodeo will be on your right in about a mile. Giddyup! For more information call Rory Majenty at 480-816-7162 or visit Fort Mcdowell.org.

Virtual sweaty socks

Most any Phoenix Suns fan would love to have permission to hang around the locker room, joke with the players and provide sage advice on strategy. Now that the Suns have an interactive locker room online, it's possible--in a virtual sense--to do just that.

Awaken the sleeping Suns Gorilla, in a security guard's uniform, who wands visitors before entering the locker room. There, various players kid around, answer phone calls and make appearances. A click on Steve Nash's jersey hanging in his locker brings up a page of Nash stats, photos and videos. Click on the Gorilla's cell phone and listen to humorous voicemail messages. Fans will enjoy looking for new content as it becomes available in lieu of the the sights, sounds and aromas of the real thing. sunslockerroom.com.

Money from the bank

High school seniors who are wondering where the money for college will come from need to think logically. Where is all the money? At the bank! And Desert Schools Federal Credit Union gives some away every year to students in Maricopa, Pinal and Gila Counties who are dedicated to their classwork as well as their community.

In 2008, the credit union will award seven scholarships in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Do they have your interest now?

Scholarship applicants must be members of Desert Schools Federal Credit Union or the child or relative of a current member. They must have completed 100 or more hours of documented, qualified community service between June 1, 2007 and Feb. 15, 2008, be a 2008 graduating high school senior, have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher and plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study at an accredited two- or four-year college or university located in Arizona. For more information call 602-335-4312 or go right to the scholarship details on the website. Deadline for applications is Feb. 15, 2008. DesertSchools.org.

Say what?

If conversations with your child usually start and end with "Have you cleaned your room?" here's a treasure trove of conversation starters to fill those uncomfortable silences around the family dinner table. Some sample topics: Is it okay to lie? What would be the menu on your ultimate birthday dinner?

Table Topics provides 135 topics in a four-inch acrylic cube. The company also makes Table Topics for Teens (Which personality trait has gotten you into the most trouble?) and Table Topics for Couples (What possession of your partner's would you like to throw away?) Talk may be cheap but conversation will cost you $25 per cube. But wait, there's more! Topics to Go are 40-topic travel sets for $9. From the kids' set: What would be a really good flavor for toothpaste? Unleash your inner chatterbox at Table Topics.com.

Inquiring simian, 67, delights children

Curious George, created in 1941 by Hans Augusto and Marget Rey, has four new adventures on PBS KIDS from Jan. 21-24. In the new shows, George introduces the world of engineering to preschoolers. With a few borrowed items from the Man with the Yellow Hat's toolbox, George demonstrates key concepts in planning, designing and building. George constructs the world's greatest marshmallow and toothpick bridge, transforms himself into a robot and builds his very own spy monkey periscope. The shows air on KAET Channel 8 at 9am and 2:30pm. Visit Curious George online at pbskids.org.

Sphere rolls through Scottsdale

Artist Kurt Perschke travels the world with a giant red ball that he wedges, shoves and positions into architectural spaces to alter the perception of that space. Brought here by Scottsdale Public Art, the first local sighting of the Redball Project was on the Marshall Way Trolley Bridge yesterday. It will appear in nine locations between now and Feb. 1. Today it's at the McDowell Mountain Ranch Skate Park. You can see it on the Internet, but the point of Red Ball Project Scottsdale is to experience it in person and consider the ways it changes human-built spaces. The ball has been to Sydney, Barcelona, Korea, Portland and St. Louis. See where it's going next at RedBallScottsdale.com.

Read the book, then have the baby

Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality provides a wealth of information on that baby you've been thinking about making. Reading this book before delivery probably wouldn't be a bad idea because after the baby starts feeding, crying, pooping, and doing one adorable thing after another, you might not have time to read it. Written by two pediatricians--Laura A. Jana and Jennifer Shu (both M.D., FAAP)--the book covers most everything you'd expect. And it's published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), so it has to be good, right?

The book covers everything from acetaminophen (good for fevers, no aspirin for babies) to zippers (be careful not to catch baby's skin in one). It discusses the ins and outs of everything that goes into and out of a baby and offers advice to keep mom happy and sane, too. Available from the AAP and bookstores. American Academy of Pediatrics.

Begin at the beginning

Do you remember what you were doing on Nov. 8, 2006? Many of us were voting for propostion 203, sponsored by First Things First for Arizona's Children. The proposition stipulated that tobacco tax money be used to ensure the quality and accessibility of early childhood development and health programs at the community level. The Arizona Early Childhood Development & Health Board is dedicated to the health and early education of children, focusing particularly on the first five years of life. Developmentally, those first five years are crucial and have a direct correlation to educational success and quality of life for the next 75 years or so.

Worth your vote then, worth your time now. First Things First is looking people to be on Regional Partnership Councils responsible for planning and improving early childhood development and health outcomes statewide. Each council will be comprised of 11 individuals who live or work in the designated region and are appointed by First Things First. Application deadline is Jan 31. If you have questions about the application or need a paper copy mailed to you call 602-771-5100; otherwise you'll find everything you need at First Things First.

Safe(er) online

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard announced Monday that Myspace.com, the online social networking behemoth, and attorneys general across the U.S. have agreed on new Myspace safeguards to protect children.

"The Attorneys General advocate age and identity verification, calling it vital to protect children using social networking sites from online sexual predators and inappropriate material," according to a press release from Goddard's office. No word, though, on how Myspace or the AGs can prevent a 13-year-old from creating a profile saying they are 18 on their Myspace profile. That of course will still depend on parental supervision. In the joint agreement posted on the Arizona Attorney General's website, Myspace will "develop free parental monitoring software." They don't have it yet and many of the safety measures will depend on parents who often know little about social networking sites like Myspace or Facebook. Read the agreement and keep an eye out. Find more information on Internet safety at AZ Attorney General Internet Safety.

It's the least they can do

Julie Northrop of Phoenix likes to get free stuff on her birthday. We know this because she started a website called FreeBirthdayTreats.com that directs users to 1,130 businesses around the country that give you free stuff when it's your birthday. I looked under Arizona and found 23 freebies for adults, 13 for kids and even two for pets.

Most of the free treats are desserts and meals and you have to sign up on the companies' websites to get them, but in the 21st century, that may be the um...price for something free. Northrop understands that most people with a life don't want to spend their day wading through email solicitations (free spam?) so she recommends a separate email address to use for all the signing up you'll need to do. Wow, free advice too, and it isn't even your birthday. Maybe soon she'll have a mapping program to show the most efficient route to snag as many free treats as possible on your birthday. Start planning at FreeBirthdayTreats.com.

And we just took the last box out of the freezer

Girl Scout Cookies sales have started and many of us are waiting for the doorbell to ring so we can order boxes of Do-Si-Dos and Thin Mints. At least they're zero trans-fat treats.

Phoenix-area Brownie and Girl Scout troops are going door to door through Jan. 26. From Feb. 22 through March 16, cookies will be sold at booths at grocery stores and other businesses. So if you buy early, and eat quickly, you'll still have time to restock before the delectable tidbits fade from the marketplace until next year. Contact the Arizona Cactus-Pine Council to find out when and where cookies will be sold and what varieties will be available in your community at 602-253-6359, council@girlscoutsaz.org or GirlScoutsAZ.org.

Get the medicine in, not on, baby

Giving a baby medicine can be an exercise in dribbles, drooling, and plain old refusal--especially when the taste is yukky. Reliadose is a combination baby bottle with a special nipple and five-milliliter plastic syringe that allows you to measure medicine accurately while combining it with something your baby will actually drink. As with anything medical, ask your doctor first. Some medicines cannot be mixed with juice or milk and sterile medicines cannot be administered with the Reliadose. Since baby's dose is based on weight, accuracy of measurment is essential, so weigh that baby! Reliadose is manufactured for and distributed by Blaine Pharmaceuticals. Watcha video demo at Reliadose.com.

What a difference a day makes

The three-day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend is coming up. What are you planning? Most of us cherish a day off, but for Make a Difference it's a day on--a chance to get involved and make change happen. The organization coordinates a wide range of volunteer activities: a neighborhood revitalization project in Maryvale, the Vitamin C Project to pick citrus for distribution through St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, a film screening, an open mic event, a peace march, a book discussion...really, there's more here than we would have imagined.

Make A Difference is based in Phoenix and is deeply involved in the community, whether it be mentoring youths, fostering discussions, providing meals or protecting the environment. 602-973-2212 or MakeaDifference.org.

T.G.I. Tuscany

Every Friday through April, the Borgata shopping center in Scottsdale will feature a European Bazaar with musicians, a farmers market and local artisans. Participating vendors include Fairytale Brownies, Classy Lady Fine Jewelry, Cave Creek Candles, Validus Pens, 3D Treats and Designing Divas. The bazaars, which run from 3-7pm, coincide with The Friday Evening Concert Series, which features blues, pop, jazz or world music, depending on the week. The Borgata's architecture is based on the Tuscan village of San Gimignano, so you can make a quick to trip to Tuscany without the jet lag or airport security. The Borgata is on Scottsdale Road just south of Lincoln. Ciao! Borgata.com.

Boredom banished, brain benefits

What to do when the television needs a rest and electronic games threaten to turn grey matter into anti-matter? Saul Griffith, Ph.D. (MIT grad with multiple degrees in materials and mechanical engineering), Joost Bonsen (MIT bio-electrical engineering degree) and illustrator Nick Dragotta (Spiderman, X-men, Demon, Fantastic Four) created Howtoons to encourage kids ages 8 to 15 to build, create and explore in a full–color cartoon format with real life science and engineering principles.

The storyline revolves around siblings Celine and Tucker's adventures designing and building projects like a soda bottle submarine, a marshmallow gun made from PVC pipe and spring-loaded chopsticks. All the projects can be made from inexpensive household materials or a quick trip to the hardware store. The clear instructions, top-notch illustrations and cool stuff you can build makes Howtoons an ideal way give kids something that will turn their brains to mastery rather than mush. HowToons.com.

Warming up to uncoolness

The term "cool" has been around a century or so and though there are variations on its meaning, almost no one would dispute the meaning of "uncool." No one wants to be considered uncool. Except maybe Erin Elisabeth Conley, the author of Uncool, A girl's guide to misfitting in. This 128-page book celebrates individuality and uniqueness, even including quotes from other teens who are comfortable with their uncoolness. Conley suggests all sorts of ways to get the most out of not being like everyone else. "You'd rather be considered a little bit of a misfit than be like all the other clonetards," she writes.

I Googled "clonetards" and there were exactly six references on the entire Internet. Now that is cool! Oh, wait, maybe that's so uncool. I'm not sure. But I like the word clonetards and it just seems like the perfect word for all the sorry souls who want to be just like everyone else. The book is a good resource, and fun to read--whether you're weathering the straits of conformity or just looking back on them. Available from Zest Books for $9.95. Probably a little more for the clonetards. Zestbooks.net.

Inbox updates

More than 1340,000 people participated in Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department programs last year--and that doesn't count the multitudes who regularly hike and bike the desert trails. 

Rather than wondering exactly what the Parks and Rec people are up to, you can can get automatic updates on a variety of topics (hiking, biking and skating plus classes, sports leagues, fine arts and cultural events, golf, natural history and disability services)--or just the ones you choose. Visit Phoenix.gov/PARKS and click on the 'Join our e-mail newsline' link at the top of the page.

Governor Napolitano wants you

Know anyone who has worked to strengthen the community and improve the quality of life for Arizona citizens? Jan. 11 is the deadline for nominations for the Governors Volunteer Service Awards. Ten awards are given each year in 10 different categories: youth, youth groups, adults, adult groups, service-learning practitioners, national service members, small businesses and large businesses, non-profits and lifetime volunteers. This is the seventh year the awards will be given by the Governor and the Governor's Commission on Service and Volunteerism to foster an ethic of volunteerism and honor the poeple and groups that volunteer. Recipients receive an award designed by an Arizona artist to represent service and volunteerism. 602-542-3489 or Governor's Volunteer Service Awards.

Players trump heroes

Devotees of the video game Guitar Hero who want to graduate to actually playing the guitar can get video lessons, audio tracks and tabs from Guitarinstructor.com. Guitar tabs, short for tablature, is a transcription system that makes it easy to see where to place your fingers on the guitar rather than reading standard musical notation. The site features lessons from well-known guitarists for many styles of playing including rock, pop, metal, disco, blues, traditional, folk, classical...essentially anything you want to play. Beginners start on the First Guitar Lesson,  while more advanced players can learn blues licks or "connecting pentatonic postions." Try that, Guitar Hero posers. All lessons, tracks and tabs are purchased a la carte. Video lessons are $1.99; tabs and audio tracks are 99 cents. GuitarInstructor.com.

Hey good cookin', where ya been lookin'...

...for recipes, if you're a high school senior who knows the difference between sauté and soufflé. The International Culinary Schools at the Art Institutes and The Food Network are looking for the Best Teen Chef. Cook-offs will be held in Phoenix and other Art Institute locations and the the winners of those contests will meet in Las Vegas to bake, broil and braise their way to culinary fortune.

The prizes? Tuition money and full scholarships at the Institute's culinary school, a day interning at the Food Network studios, a library of cookbooks and the inevitable requests from family, friends and long-lost relatives who will beg your teen to cook something haute and tasty. Applications must be submitted by Feb. 8 and recipes are due Feb. 29. The local cooking competition is April 12, with the Las Vegas finals May 16-17. Check all the details at Art Institutes Best Teen Chef.

Art seen at art scene

We're not just a critical mass of people who drive our SUVs all day long. All over the Valley, there are artists of all kinds who dedicate themselves to creating personal works of art. They inhabit spaces where they can afford to show and create their work.

Downtown Phoenix, though off the radar for many 'burb dwellers, has a real live art scene. On the first and third Fridays of the month, the areas along Roosevelt (between Seventh Street and Central) and various spaces south of there and Grand Ave. (between Roosevelt and Van Buren) bustle with activity. Yes, the area can be murky and quirky because it's unfamiliar, but loads of friendly artists and art lovers are out and about.

Some art may not be suitable for all ages and sensibilities but the art runs the gamut. If you want something different and inspiring, trek downtown and see what you've been missing. To start you off, check out Roosevelt Row (this site encompasses a bunch of galleries), Perihelion Arts, The Trunkspace, MADE Art Boutique, Pravus Gallery, and The Paisley Violin restaurant. There's more you'll happen upon on along the way, which is half the fun. See you there. 

First nap, then snap

Babies make great photo subjects when they're awake and cheerful. You have a few days to ready and steady yourself and your photogenic child for a Jan. 8 photo shoot at Moonbeams, a sleep shop for little ones featuring bedding, blankets and sleepwear. Happygreenbee, makers of colorful, organic cotton clothing for infants and toddlers will have their professional photographer and stylist at Moonbeams from 11am to 3pm that day to take pictures of children, newborn to age 3, wearing happygreenbee clothing. Portrait subjects will receive a free happygreenbee gift and savings coupons for the day of the event. The child voted happiest baby of the day will win a $100 savings bond. The store is at 10636 N. 71st Way, Suite 1, near Scottsdale and Shea. For more information call 480-998-7878 or visit moonbeamsshop.com.

Q&A for the everyday

Sometimes kids ask easy questions, like "Why can't I have a Ferrari when I turn 16?" Answer: Because Daddy gets one first. Many times though, you're at a loss for a cogent, logical or even accurate reply to a reasonable query like "Why do we have wax in our ears?" Wonder no longer, parents of curious kids, Ms. Know-it-all Kathy Wollard and illustrator Debra Solomon have put it all into a book--How Come? In the Neighborhood--just out from Workman publishing. This 292-page soft cover book answers most of the questions kids ask that you know the answers to, but you last heard in 8th grade science class. Another gem: Why does bright sunlight make you sneeze? Why guess? Keep this book handy. Workman Books.

We appreciate the late start

Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, an independent bookstore for 34 years, has the decency to wait until we, and the sun, have had a chance to rise and shine on New Year's Day to start their customer appreciation day sale. The sale goes from noon to 9pm, today (btw it's 2008) with 25 percent off nearly everything in the store. 480-730-0205 or ChangingHands.com.

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