TEDxRedmond's Youth Conference - "The Power To Be Students!"

Saturday, 2:30 pm, September 18th, 2010
Microsoft Conference Center, Redmond WA
Theme: Power to the Students!  

All youth Grades 6-10 are invited

http://www.tedxredmond.com/

Or, you may watch TEDxRedmond streamed live online and organize a Meetup (watching the stream with a group of similarly interested people) around it at http://www.meetup.com/TEDxRedmond/  .

 Below, are two of seventeen TEDxRedmond Sponsored Speakers!

JORDON ROMERO is the youngest person to climb Mt. Everest at age 14

BRIGITTE BERMAN - experienced bullying, spoke on Good
Morning America, testified to Congress, youngest person to
participate in NASA Space Mission.

Attendees should sign up at the TEDxRedmond Attend page (www.tedxredmond.com/attend.html , and arrive at the Microsoft Conference Center at 2:30 PM.

What you'll find at the TEDxRedmond event (read more)  

Redmond Derby Days Kids Parade is 10 a.m. and starts at Redmond Medical Center

Hello  -

I wanted to see if you would possibly consider an article on the Redmond Derby Days Kids Parade. It is Saturday July 10th - Sign up starts at 9:15 at the Redmond medical Center Parking lot - with the actual parade starting at 10.  (Before the adult parade).  The children sign up for one of 10 categories- everything from Toons and tales to Red White and Blue- Each child receives a goodie bag from their group and upon completion of the parade if the child still is wearing their helmet they receive 2 golden dollars. I would love to chat with you if you are interested in an article.   It's a FREE event and children must wear a helmet. 

Thank you,

Shay

Teen Movie summer series programs start July 9 (and a Special Needs matinee)

The Redmond Youth Partnership is sponsoring the Fourth Annual Summer movie series with seven movies this summer, alternating locations between the Redmond City Hall great lawn and Idylwood Beach Park. All movies are free.

All movies start at dusk (around 9:30pm); however, everyone is encouraged to come early with a picnic basket and stake out the best spot for an evening of fun.

This year’s movie series begins on July 9 and ends August 20.  Special Needs matinee begins June 26.  For the movie times and locations for both venues,  "Read More": 

Sounders Head Coach Sigi Schmid to speak at YES! "Invest in Youth Breakfast".

Sounders Head Coach Sigi Schmid to speak at Youth Eastside Services (YES!) Breakfast

Sounders Head Coach Sigi Schmid will bring his passion and leadership to the YES Invest in Youth Breakfast on March 3rd at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.

Coach Schmid will be the keynote speaker as the Eastside community comes together to support Eastside youth. He is recognized as one of the most successful coaches in Major League Soccer history. We hope you'll join YES and Coach Schmid as we celebrate kids, families, courage and hope.

So what's on the Breakfast Plate?

Ask:  Wendy at WendyC@YouthEastsideServices.org or call (425) 586-2309.

 What is YES?

It's Time to Sign-Up for Scouts! Find sign-up locations and times here!

SCOUT SIGN-UP IS UNDERWAY!   Special thanks to Page Norman and Miranda Otjen for submitting these sign-up locations and times for our local area.

Sign in date:  9/14
Pack 546, Dickinson Elementary/Explorer- meets at Dickinson Elementary Commons, 7:00pm
Pack 556, Alcott Elementary- meets at Alcott Gym, 6:30pm
Pack 565, Thoreau Elementary- meets at Inglewood Presbyterian Church, 6:30pm
Pack 578, Wilder Elementary- meets at Wilder Elementary, 7:00pm
9/15
Pack 554, Lakeview Elementary/Community School- meets at Kirkland Congregational Church, 6:30pm
Pack 561, Audubon Elementary- meets at Audubon Art/Science Room, 7:00pm
Pack 567, Sandburg Elementary/Discovery- meets at Sandburg Elementary, 7:00pm
9/18
Pack 566, Bell/Juanita Elementary- meets at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 7:00pm

9/21
Pack 557/591, Mann/Redmond/Einstein/Rockwell Elementary- meets at First Baptist Church of Redmond, 6:45pm  -  Bring your kids (siblings too) and register your 1st through 4th grade boys for the scouting adventure!  Special thanks to Paige Norman for alerting me to Scout Sign-Up.

9/21
Pack 559, Keller Elementary- meets at Eastside Foursquare Church, 7:00pm
Pack 580, Frost/Muir Elementary- meets at Muir Elementary, 6:45pm
Pack 581, Bear Creek School- meets at Bear Creek School, 6:30pm
9/22
Pack 572, Homeschool/Christian Schools- meets at Rose Hill Presbyterian Church, 6:30pm
Pack 558, Rosa Parks Elementary- meets at Rosa Parks Elementary Commons, 7:00pm
9/23
Pack 428, Rose Hill/Franklin/Rush Elementary- meets at Rose Hill Elementary, 6:00pm
9/29
Pack 595, Twain Elementary- meets at Twain Elementary, 7:00pm
10/6
Pack 550, Kirk Elementary- meets at Kirkland Congregational Church, 6:00pm

If you are interested in Scouts and can't find your local unit go to: http://www.joinscouts.net/

Submitted by:
Miranda Otjen
Sammamish Trails Senior District Executive
Chief Seattle Council, BSA
(206)902-2310

Sammamish Trails District Website:  http://members.doubleknot.com/Sammamish_Trails_District/index.htm

"Youth Eastside Services" invites the Community to celebrate the grand opening of a new YES facility in historic Forbes House!

Youth Eastside Services invites you to a free, festive celebration of kids and families in Kirkland's Juanita Park.

Help YES celebrate the grand opening of the new YES facility in the historic Forbes House.

Cake, Treats, Music, Face Painting, Pumpkin Painting, Magic, Pinatas, a Bouncy House, 'The World's Largest Cat' and More

No RSVP required. Free & Open to the Public
Friday, September 25, 2009
4:00 -6:00 p.m.
Forbes House, Juanita Park, 11829-97th Ave NE

CLICK HERE for all the details and to learn more about "Youth Eastside Services"

YES-Redmond/Family Resource Center
16225 NE 87th St.  Redmond, WA 98052  425-869-6036
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 2:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Mayor Marchione To Visit Schools, Teaching Groundwater Protections

If you are a regular Redmond Neighborhood Blog reader you know the importance and value of protecting Redmond's groundwater. Approximately, 40% of our city drinking water comes from "sandy, underground lakes and streams" known as aquifers. Citizens living in Education Hill, SE Redmond, the Downtown, and North Redmond all drink treated, underground water pumped up from 5 city wells.

I discovered an entertaining short cartoon video about 'groundwater' and it's importance and value to us. It is directed to kids and teachers but many parents and youth will be engaged by the animation. Click the link to see it!

Mayor John Marchione plans to visit various Redmond elementary schools this year, according to his interview on RCTV last month. I believe he'll start off at Norman Rockwell, the school he attended in his youth. Perhaps, "Mayor John" will bring this groundwater video to the attention of the teachers and students during his school visits.

Many thanks to the Water Tenders, a leader of Redmond's Derby Days "Green Team". The video is posted on their website: http://watertenders.org/. My daughter Lexie, Pam and I are proud members,

Children's video on "groundwater". http://www.leapingmedia.com/groundwater.html
Water Tenders website: http://watertenders.org/
Meet the Mayor - 2nd interview: http://rctv.redmond.gov/ondemand/inside0709b.wmv

-- posted by Yoder

Velodrome racing is a growing niche sport for youth!

I used to think the Marymoor Velodrome was built for the Goodwill Games, operated by King County, was only for adults, and dangerous to ride on. Wrong on all counts.

Ed, my behind-the-fence-neighbor, has 7 bicycles in his garage, volunteers at "the track" every week and has two young kids taking "Pee Wee Pedaler" classes! So, I took a visit to the Velodrome to find out more.

I bumped into Tela Crane at the cycle rental shop underneath the track; she was great and she filled me in. Tela works for the nonprofit Marymoor Velodrome Association as their Webmaster and Youth Program Director. That's right, this nonprofit, association of 500 volunteer cyclists do all the work at "the Track". The two staff on hand are paid by the Association, not county taxpayers. Just, a few sponsors and $40 dues/year fuel the whole program.

Yes, everybody knows Derby Days is coming up this Saturday, but did you know the "Pee Wee Pedalers" class (ages 4-8) is in the morning, the same day? 9am. That's right!

Tela teaches the "Velokids" (ages 10-16) They use youth size track bikes and learn how to ride and race on the track. M-Th, 4-5:30. Bikes can be rented on-site for $10/day.

"Kiddie Kilo" is a popular, new introductory class to racing. It features a one-lap race for everyone from push bikes to 10 year-olds. 1st & 3rd Friday every month. 60-100 kids are coming out every night!

Yes, "adult track classes" are held on Saturdays at 11am. Those who take the weekend class move up to Thursday evening racing. And, the popular, higher level Friday Night Racing takes place at 7Pm, beer garden nearby.

Velodrome racing is safer than road racing. It's kind of counter-intuitive. The bikes have no brakes and only one gear so there is no sudden stopping or jerky moves. Plus, rules about where you can ride on the track and which lanes helps keep things safer. Racers reach speeds of 40+ mph but with few accidents. Cross winds and rain are the biggest hazards. Most of their "twitts" are about weather conditions.

Yes, youth sports are growing, but niche sports like velodrome racing, rowing, BMX dirt jumping, and mountain biking are growing at fast clip, offering new excitement and discoveries to those who venture. Will you?

Don't miss: FSA Grand Prix (http://www.fsagrandprix.com/ - one of the nation's biggest track racing events- brings in national and international talent). July 24 - 25. !!!

CONTACT: Tela Crane, velokids@velodrome.org

Website: www.velodrome.org/cms/

posted in my Facebook

Soulfood Book Store - "the heart and soul of Redmond's rising musical and literary artists".

Commissioner Clint McCune and some elementary kids sang "I am Alive" in Council Chambers at the beginning of a Council meeting last Tuesday. I think this is a first! and a feather in the cap for the City! Scroll down to the next story for details. I'm reposting a video clip of the kids singing with Clint and will post websites of Redmond musicians and poets as I learn of them.

Hey Bob -

I just wanted to thank you for all the work you do for our neighborhood. Also, about the kids, they all go to different schools and some of them aren't even in a music class. However, they all gather at Soulfood and play together. [see clip of kids singing with Clint below]

The song we performed was an original of mine called "I am Alive". We only rehearsed all together once the evening of the performance, but they all knew the song from listening to my bands album TWIRL "hope hum stomp strum" and hearing us live on the first Friday of every month. I would also like to invite you to this month's TWIRL show on July 3rd at 8-10pm. Also, we are streaming live all of our big shows and events through soulfood books.com so check it out and help us spread the word.

--Clint McCune, owner of Soulfood Books, Music, and Organic Coffee
"...the heart and soul of Redmond's rising musicians and literary artists"

Soulfood - Redmond's comprehensive website

"I am Alive" (clip)
..as performed in City Council chambers during this week's council meeting.

Tom Flynn's Poetry: http://mythman.typepad.com/poetry/

Eva Moon's music

Abbott A. Smith's art and poetry

Eastside high school teens find work with Dept. of Ecology cleaning up highway litter.

BELLEVUE - High-school-age youths will return to Washington road sides next week to clean up litter tossed by motorists.

Each summer, teens aged 14 to 17 work four-week paid stints in the Ecology Youth Corps (EYC). Statewide, 200 teens are gearing up to clean litter from freeway shoulders and interchanges. The EYC will perform about 40 percent fewer hours of clean up compared to 2008, due to a $4.5 million reduction to the state's 2009-11 budget for litter prevention.

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), which operates the litter cleanup program, urges motorists to use extra caution when they see the orange "Ecology youth working" signs along state highways.

"These are kids from your neighborhood," said Steven Williams, EYC's coordinator. "We work hard to keep them safe and every driver needs to stay alert when passing a litter crew. We're proud of the work our youths do to helpkeep our environment clean." The young people receive $8.55 per hour.

Last year, the EYC collected more than 1.1 million pounds of litterfrom roadsides and medians across the state, with nearly 450,000 pounds of it collected in King, Kitsap, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties.

EYC lives up to its name as an "Ecology" corps through extensive recycling to reduce its carbon footprint. In 2008 EYC recycled 10.2tons of aluminum, 55.9 tons of scrap metal, 4.5 tons of plastic bottlesand 19.1 tons of glass. This recycling offset 33,320 gallons of fuel, far more than the 23,424 gallons of fuel used by EYC in 2008.

Litter-Crew Training, June 29: Arrive 11:30 to noon for the most interesting activities. Spirit Ridge Park 16100 SE 33rd Pl., Bellevue

--NEWS RELEASE, DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY, 6/22/09.

The 2009 application session has ended for this year. Please contact the City of Redmond at www.redmond.gov or mayor@redmond.gov to plan for 2010. b.y.

Littering can draw fines up to $1,025. Fines for illegal dumping are $1,000 to $5,000 plus jail time. To report litter coming from a vehicle, call toll-free to 866-LITTER-1 (866-548-8371).

Contacts: Steven Williams, EYC coordinator, 425-649-77048
Ecology Youth Corps: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/eyc/

Litter: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/litter/

UPDATED: Scoutmaster mom writes about successfull Cub Scout food drive

On March 14th the Sammamish Trails District of the Boy Scouts of America collected over 20,000 items for the Redmond and Kirkland food banks. Annually this event, known as Scouting for Food, makes an important impact for communities across the country. This year with hard economic times upon us the need is even greater. The Sammamish Trails District had over 300 Scouts with the assistance of over 200 adults collect this food in just one day. Most importantly the Scouts would like to thank our friends and neighbors for making these donations that made this event a success.

For more information about Boy Scouts contact the Sammamish Trails District Chair, Lisa Wylie at 425 868-5104. How to Join Scouting!

CUB SCOUT PACKS 591 AND 557 had a busy food drive for Hopelink!


Bob,

The photos above are from our Cub Packs (557 and 591) as we collected our items, sorted and delivered to HopeLink.

The Redmond and Kirkland Cubs and Boy Scouts participated. Cub Scout Packs 591 (Redmond) & 557 (Kirkland) put flyers out the first weekend in March and collected the donated food the 2nd weekend in March. They then sorted the food into bags of 10 items (for ease of counting) and we deliver them to the local food banks (in Redmond's case we deliver to Hopelink across from Jack in the Box). The Boy Scout Troops take shifts and sort out the donated food into the food bank designated areas for local families to use.

Thanks!
Paige
Cub ScoutMaster Pack 591

ATTN: Eastside Cub and Boy Scout troups and prospective scouts.

Meeting places and contacts for all Eastside troops in the Sammamish Trails District are here! And....

Redmond Parks & Recreation has teamed up with the professional naturalist staff Nature Vision Inc., a local nature education non-profit organization, to offer scouting organizations a way to use Redmond parks for scouts to get badge work accomplished. The following is a list of offered programs.

• Animal Science, Farrel-McWhirter Park
• Bird Study, Redmond Watershed Park
• Environmental Science, Redmond Watershed Park
• Fish and Wildlife Management, Idylwood Park
• Forestry, Redmond Watershed Park
• Mammal Study, Redmond Watershed Preserve loot
• Nature, Redmond Watershed Preserve
• Soil and Water Conservation, Farrel-McWhirter Park

Cost: $125
Group Size: Up to 30 children with a minimum of 2 adults
Age: 1st-6th graders. Program Length: 1 hour
Scout groups may register for any of these Scout Link programs by visiting http://www.naturevision.org/ or by calling 425-836-2697.